Boomers 2015

SPRInG 2015

HOW TO LEARn ABOUT WInE

GOInG BACK TO SCHOOL

LIVInG WITH VISIOn LOSS

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT | THE RECORD | SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2015

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Forbes names its top US cities to retire in more content Now

Should you retire to a college town?

Forbes recently released its 2014 list of Top US Cities to Retire, and the list includes some surprising choices, such as Bellingham, Washington.

The “scenic coastal home of Western Washington University” is praised for its “good economy,” “above average air quality” and “low crime,” and is “highly walkable.”

Rounding out the top five are in order: Venice, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; State College, Pennsylvania; San Angelo, Texas; and Salt Lake City.

Solo travel up Are you itching for adventure? You’re not alone,

although you may well be traveling by yourself. Research conducted by AARP reveals that Americans 45 and older don’t fret traveling alone, but rather enjoy solo leisure travel.

AARP found that 81 percent of travelers 45 and older who took a solo

Brian Lynch/flickr

By Melissa Erickson

trip this year plan on traveling alone again in 2015. According to the report, 57 percent of people who travel solo do so because they cannot find a travel partner available for the trip they want to take.

And, solo travel isn’t just for singles.

Research found even married travelers are enjoying solo vacations as a way to go somewhere they always wanted to, to treat themselves or to explore a hobby.

Study: Boomers not planning to retire at 65 For most boomers, retirement is no longer a point in time at which one immediately stops working. Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies recently released a new report, “Baby Boomer Workers are Revolutionizing Retirement: Are They and Their

Employers Ready?,” which examines the retirement vision among boomer workers and the level of involvement among employers to facilitate their transition into retirement.

Sixty-five percent of boomer workers plan to work past age 65 or do not plan to retire. Slightly more than half (52 percent) plan to continue working after they retire. Given widespread savings shortfalls, it is not surprising that 62 percent of the boomer workers who plan to work in retirement and/ or past age 65 indicate that their main reason is income or health benefits.

What is surprising is that 34 percent plan to work for enjoyment, including 18 percent who want to stay involved and 16 percent who enjoy what they do.

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Want to learn about wine? Here’s where to start

By Melissa Erickson more content Now

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ave you always wanted to learn more about wine but didn’t know where to start?

Here are a few tips from wine experts around the country.

“Enjoyment first. Knowledge second, if at all,” said Sam Decker, general manager and wine director at Atria in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard. “Many people get caught up thinking that they don’t know enough about wine to really enjoy it. Wine has been enjoyed for 8,000 years, and it wasn’t until the middle of 19th century that we had any idea how fermentation even worked.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t take our pleasures seriously; I’m only saying that wine is about pleasure, not about memorizing all the sub-regions of the Northern Rhône.”

“Wine doesn’t need to be challenging. If you want to order a glass in a restaurant or at a bar, you can get the wine you are most likely to love with everyday terms,” said Catherine Bugue, Napa Valley Wine Academy lead instructor. “First, choose a color: red, white or pink/rose. Then, choose whether you feel like a big rich wine or a light refreshing one (another wine term for refreshing is crisp). Finally, mention if you want a sweet wine or a dry wine. Dry means you won’t taste the sweetness of sugar. It may be deliciously fruity, but a dry wine will not be sweet.”

“I wouldn’t recommend that students

begin by learning terms. I think they should begin by drinking,” said Mimi Martin, director at The Wine & Spirit Archive, Portland, Oregon.

“Start at a good wine shop and ask the owner to recommend four different wines at your price point — you don’t need to spend a lot of money. After tasting the four, go back to the same shop and let the owner know what you liked and what you didn’t and ask for four more recommendations. Keeping track of the grape varieties and regions you’ve tasted is a great way to start learning about the world of wine.

“Drink wine in moderation — one or two glasses with dinner. Be adventurous without spending too much on it.

Treat it like a condiment.”

Once you get a handle of what you like and what you don’t, you can start learning wine vocabulary such as acid, tannin and body, so that you can better understand wine descriptions and better communicate your preferences, Martin said.

One of the most fun ways to learn about

wine is to visit wineries in your area or join tastings at a local wine shop.

“Many shops pour a selection of wines once a week or on some other set schedule.

Sometimes the winemaker or someone from the winery comes to pour, giving you a chance to ask questions,” Bugue said.

Wine tasting is actually three steps rolled into one, Decker said. Take your time and appreciate these: Sight: Tilt the glass away from you over a white surface. Observing a wine’s color and clarity can tell you a lot, such the grapes it’s made from and its age.

Smell: Quick sniffs — the long, drawn out ones aren’t effective. Swirl the wine in the glass to help release its aroma. Humans are capable

of processing thousands of different smells, yet we can taste only five things: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami. When people say a wine tastes like cherries, they really mean a wine smells like cherries. We can’t taste cherries; the smell is going from our mouth to our noses through the back of our throat in a process called retro-nasal olfaction.

Taste: Tasting, of course, is the fun part as it segues directly into drinking.

But before you swallow, swish the wine around in your mouth. Does it seem balanced? Or does one thing, like its acidity and tannins, jump out at you?

The best wines hover like a sphere in your mouth.

“One doesn’t have to understand wine intellectually to enjoy it,” Decker said.

“Enjoyment is simple and requires no education. A mistake people new to wine often make is to think that any wine they like is good and any wine they don’t like is bad. There are objective criteria for judging a wine.”

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Pharm-assistance Important questions for your pharmacist

By Melissa Erickson more content Now

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visit to the pharmacy can be more than just a quick stop to pick up a prescription or supplies for the medicine cabinet. it’s also a convenient time to have an important medical conversation with your pharmacist.

“Pharmacists are a great first resource for patients,” said Pat Person, immediate past president of the california Pharmacists association. “Pharmacists are trained to help patients manage their medications and hopefully will be their first avenue of information — and not the internet,” Person said. in Bakersfield, california, where Person practices as a community pharmacist in an independent pharmacy, all pharmacies are required to hang a poster advising patients of their rights as far as their medications go. there is mandatory patient counseling on any new prescription or dose change of a currently prescribed medication, but of course the patient has a right to decline, said Person. too often people skip the chance to have a one-on-one conversation with a knowledgeable pharmacist.

“People are often intimidated when they look behind the counter. they see us and we look busy. we are busy but never too busy. or they don’t want to bother the pharmacist or think they know all they need to already. contrary to what people may think, pharmacists like to talk. we want to make sure patients take the right medications and get the optimal results,” Person said. here are five questions you should be asking your pharmacist:

1. What is the name of the medication, and what is it supposed to do?

a patient should know the names and uses of all the medications being taken. additionally, prescription error does occur. “Drug X might be used to treat high blood pressure, but a patient may say, ‘i don’t have high blood pressure.’ the pharmacist can contact the doctor and fix the error,” Person said.

2. When and how do I take it?

taking medication correctly is important so that it can give you the help you expect. Do you take the medication for the next week or for the rest of your life? this is an opportunity to ask the pharmacist what to do if you miss a dose. a good question, Person said, is “if you forgot to take the medicine in the morning, is it allowable to double up in the evening?” also, should the medication be taken with food? should it be taken at the same time each day? in the case of antibiotics, many people begin to feel better after a few day of treatment and do not complete the full prescription regiment. instead they tuck the bottle away for later use, which has led to antibiotic resistance, Person said. the antibiotic was able to get rid of most, but not all, of the bacteria that was causing the illness. when you stop taking the

antibiotic, those leftover bacteria eventually reproduce and multiply, which will lead to your doctor needing to prescribe an even stronger antibiotic in the future.

3. What are the possible side effects, and what should I do if they occur?

all medications can cause side effects that may interfere with therapy, Person said. “if the side effects make a person feel poorly, he may want to stop taking the medication,” he said. a pharmacist can switch the medication to a different drug class that may relieve the side effects or to an extended-dose medication. instead of taking a medicine three or four times a day, you’ll just take it once a day.

4. Will the new medicine work safely

with other medicines and supplements I’m already taking? other prescriptions or vitamin supplements can interact with a new medication, resulting in increased or decreased effects of the drug, Person said. Never take a new medication without speaking to your pharmacist about how it will react with your other medicines.

5. What foods, drink or activities

should be avoided while taking a new medication?

some medications can’t be taken with certain foods and beverages. for example, cholesterol-lowering drugs should not be taken with grapefruit juice, and people with high blood pressure should be careful with salt substitutes or alcohol, among other things. in some cases the interaction can be harmful, Person said. central nervous system depressants, such as prescription pain medications and some over-thecounter cold and allergy medicines, should never be taken with alcohol.

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Back to

school A national community college program is helping boomers change careers, learn new skills

Photo iLustratioN more coNteNt Now

By Melissa Erickson more content Now

Worried about layoffs?

Need to make more money? Thinking about a new career or business?

Community colleges across the country are embracing adults in the “third phase� of life through the Plus 50 Initiative.

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Sample classes The Plus 50 Initiative’s website, http://plus50.aacc.nche.edu, offers a look at courses and workshops a participating community college might offer older learners:

Wine: Wine 101 for the Enthusiast l Wine Chemistry: A Hands-On Course l Wine Label Design l The Sommelier Series – Advanced Wine Expertise l

Food: Thai Cooking l Grilling I: Laotian BBQ l Basic Sauce Making l

Home & Garden: Gardening with the Masters l Easy Landscaping l Floral Design for Beginners l Victory Gardens - Revisited l

Photography:

Technology:

Writing:

Basic Digital Camera Photography l Adobe Photoshop

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Introduction to Computers l Intermediate Computers l Internet for 50+ l eBay Basics

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Creative Writing l Writing Children’s Books l Write It and Publish It l Memoir Writing

“More than 40 percent of colleges, with their array of short- The goal of the project is to help in Illinois’ Will County. “Some baby boomers earn high-value people over age 55 are choosing term class options, are ideally want to reinvent themselves and to remain in the workforce,” said suited for the older adult looking degrees or certificates. do something totally different.

Plus 50 adviser Pat Cawiezell for additional training for the “We know that, for the majority Others want to supplement their with the Eastern Iowa Comworkplace, but who doesn’t want of people in this age group, it will income.” munity College District. “That’s to commit four years or more of have been a long time since they In addition to job preparation, the highest rate in more than 50 their time to obtain a bachelor’s were in a classroom,” Cawiezell networking and social media years. We want to make it easier degree. said. “Many of them may be skills, the Plus 50 Initiative for them to return to college, if “We offer everything from apprehensive about starting helps these students find where they have attended before, or individual classes to our full two- classes. We’ll be here for them the high-growth/high-demand even to start classes for the first both in helping them decide what jobs are and trains them to take year degree programs,” Cawiezell time.” advantage, whether that means in said. “There are also a number of career area and classes best fit Cawiezell is herself an example a computer position at a manuevening classes for those who are them, and for encouragement in of the continuing desire of the completing their classes.” facturing plant or as a part-time still working during the day.” plus-50 group to continue work“We find that there’s a need pharmacy technician. ing. She officially retired from for a program like this,” said Having 50-plus students on For work or fun Scott Community College in BetPaige Vanderhyden, director campus is a boon for her comThe Plus 50 Initiative is tendorf, Iowa, part of the EICCD, of workforce development at munity college, Vanderhyden sponsored by the American Asso- Joliet Junior College, located but is now back, overseeing this said. “Older students bring great ciation of Community Colleges. new program and workexperiences they can share ing as a part-time student with others,” she said. “They advisor.

“We offer everything from individual classes to our full make great mentors with She said that community meaningful knowledge.” two-year degree programs. There are also a number

of evening classes for those who are still working during the day.” — Plus 50 adviser Pat Cawiezell

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cLearLY Cataracts are inevitable, but they can be corrected

By Melissa Erickson more content Now

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ataract surgery is one of the most prevalent surgeries performed in the United States.

Very common in older adults, cataracts will affect about half of all Americans by the time they reach 80, and nearly 22 million Americans over 40, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

“In addition to glaucoma and macular degeneration, all ophthalmologists do see a lot of cataracts,” said Dr. Rachel Bishop, an ophthalmologist and chief of consult services at the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health. “A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye. People with cataracts may notice cloudy vision or halos around lights when driving at night. If left untreated, cataracts can greatly limit vision.

Some people with severe cataracts may only be able to tell the difference between light and dark.”

Cataracts can occur in one or both eyes and are caused by changes in the tissues that make up the lens of the eye, whether due to aging, genetics or eye trauma. Cataracts cause light to scatter as it passes through the eye, preventing sharply focused images

A scene as it may be viewed by someone with cataracts. courtesY: NatioNaL eYe iNstitute, NatioNaL iNstitutes of heaLth (Nei/Nih).

from reaching the retina, so vision appears foggy or clouded.

A correctable problem People should not be scared by the word “cataract,” Bishop said: “I don’t consider a cataract as an eye disease — it’s a surgical problem that can be corrected.”

As well as being a natural part of the aging process, cataracts are also a bullet that can’t be dodged. If you live long enough, nearly everyone will develop cataracts, she said.

Early symptoms of cataracts may be improved with eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses or magnifying lenses, but if these steps don’t

work surgery is the only effective option for treatment, Bishop said.

“The cloudy lens needs to be removed and replaced with a clear, plastic lens,” she said.

What to expect Cataract surgery and the profile of the average cataract patient has changed over time. Years ago, it was common for a person to wait for a cataract to become “ripe” before it was removed, typically around the age of 75-85, but now younger patients are seeking surgery, according to a study from the Mayo Clinic. The reasons for that could be because of the increasing demands of technology or because

boomers simply don’t want to live with decreased quality of vision.

The volume of cataract surgery has increased steadily over the past three decades and has tripled in the past 15 years from about 1 million performed in 2000 to over 3.5 million today, according to the study.

Replaced lenses are now made of high-quality materials such as acrylic, and lenses can be tailored to reduce the need for eyeglasses after the procedure, Bishop said. Surgeries can now be done in a doctor’s office, patients recover in just a few weeks and have improved eyesight in just a few days, she added.

Traditionally, cataract surgery was only able to be done by hand, but now some eye doctors are using lasers for precise or tricky procedures.

The decision to have cataract surgery is a personal one a patient should make with his or her doctor, Bishop said. Many experts believe surgery should be an option when the cataract interferes with everyday activities such as driving, reading or watching TV, Bishop said.

“Some people think reduced vision is just a part of growing older and something they have to live with, but it isn’t,” Bishop said. “If your vision isn’t what it used to be, visit your eye doctor.”

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It’s a “huge issue,” said Wendy S. Boorn, psychotherapist and author of I Thought I’d Be Done By Now. “People are overwhelmed by how dependent their kids are. A large number of kids are returning to live at home. Fifty-nine percent of parents are providing their children who are not living at home with financial support. Forty percent of 18- to 30-year-olds are living at home or recently did, and 68 percent of parents have at least one grown child with a serious issue such as drinking, divorce or some sort of illegal activity.”

Times and parenting styles have changed over the years.

Back iN THE nEST Tips for parents living with kids in their 30s

By Melissa Erickson more content Now

Boomerang kids are putting a whole new spin on parenting. As many as 13 percent of parents had an adult child move back home within the last year, according to the Pew Research Center.

Finding the line between supporting and enabling an adult child is challenging, said post-parent coach Jane Adams, a writer and speaker who deals with boundary issues and relationships between parents and their grown kids.

No matter how old the child, parenting never ends, but “it changes

quite a bit. The differential shifts. In the best circumstances parents realize that and begin to treat each other as peers,” said Adams, author of I’m Still Your Mother.

The ‘third decade’ Adams calls it the “third decade” for parents when their kids are in their 30s.

“The third decade sets the tune of the relationship for the rest of your lives,” she said. Adult children are now old enough to understand whatever you did wrong, you loved them and did the best you could,” Adams said.

“Forty percent of 18- to 30-year-olds are living at home or recently did, and 68 percent of parents have at least one grown child with a serious issue such as drinking, divorce or some sort of illegal activity.” wendy s. Boorn, psychotherapist and author

“It used to be that after college, there was the expectation that you would be out on your own, but things are different today. So many kids are graduating from college and not finding work. So many are not ready to be out on their own,” Boorn said.

The good news is that many parents of adult kids are more engaged and involved in their children’s lives, but the bad news is that some are too involved, Boorn said.

What most parents don’t understand is that they have the power.

They might not want to give it up, but they have to coach their kids to move toward independence. Foster their independence; don’t extend their dependence. That coaching can be hard when you’re used to doing it for them, Adams said.

tiPs

for parents

instead of giving adult kids living at home a free ride, the car keys and the option of sitting in the basement all day playing video games, parents can help their children relaunch and get on with their lives. the experts suggest:

• Make your thoughts clear about what you want and expect from your children while recognizing that they are adults.

• Don’t make rules for them like they are still adolescents.

• Be a coach who listens more than talks, listens more than judges.

• Instead of making demands upon your children (“You have to pay rent”), make requests (“I would like you to contribute toward groceries”). Encourage them to make some sort of contribution toward the household.

• Even though it is difficult, do not fall into a role of comforting and nurturing.

Failure is part of learning and a necessary component for success.

• Be a resource for your children, and encourage them to be independent.

• Understand that you cannot change them – you can only change your attitude toward them.

• If you don’t treat them as adults, you rob them of maturity.

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SHADES OF Vision loss takes many forms

By Melissa Erickson more content Now

As we age, we have to live with some not-so-pleasant changes. Maybe you don’t sleep through the night or have a few more aches and pains.

Certainly one of the most common changes is learning to live with a change in vision.

Many people have to squint or reach for reading glasses as they get older to decipher tiny print on labels or in darkened restaurants.

This is most often caused by a condition called presbyopia, and reading glasses usually do the trick. Others, however, are affected by more severe eye ailments that can cause vision loss that cannot be corrected by ordinary means, a condition called low vision.

Types of vision loss The American Foundation for the Blind reports that one in six Americans older than 65 is affected by age-related vision loss and blindness, but even younger people can struggle with low vision, said Timothy Gels, marketing manager, Eschenbach Optik of America, which provides eye care professionals with advanced magnification devices called lowvision aids. One in six Americans (17 percent) 45 or older, representing almost 20 million adults, report some form of vision impairment even when wearing glasses or contact lenses, according to Lighthouse International, a worldwide organization dedicated to overcoming vision impairment.

“Vision loss can be defined in many ways,” said Marc Stenzel, vice

esheNBach oPtik of america

president of sales, Enhanced Vision, a developer of products designed specifically for people who are legally blind and have macular degeneration and other low-vision conditions. “The most common is ‘legal blindness.’ …

It is important to note that a person who is legally blind is not totally blind and with the proper training and tools can function well and continue to be independent.”

On the other hand, “low vision is a term that defines vision that cannot be fully corrected by glasses or contacts, surgery or pharmaceuticals. A person with low vision is often referred to as having vision loss or as being visually impaired,” Gels said.

“The risk of vision loss increases

as people age,” Stenzel said. “The most common cause of moderate to severe vision loss is a condition called macular degeneration that affects many millions of people every year,” he added.

The other major underlying eye diseases that cause vision loss are diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts.

“Most of them are age-related, so they appear later in life. These eye diseases typically cause a dark spot (or spots) that remain in the center of view, or they cause a narrowing or clouding of the field of view. Some of these diseases have surgical or pharmaceutical treatments that can help, but sometimes they don’t help

patients enough to allow them to get the vision they need to meet their needs and function normally,” Gels said.

Kinds of corrective aids While a great number of people have problems seeing, many don’t know what kind of help there is for them, Gels said.

“Low-vision devices are magnification products that help those with vision loss see better, as they enlarge an image around the dark spots so they can see most of the image and can make out the object they are trying to see,” Gels said.

“The marketplace now offers many choices of specialized devices to help

gray people with vision loss. These devices are readily available. Prices for these devices range from as little as a few dollars for a smartphone app to a range of $300 to $3,000 for a more specialized and dedicated device,” Stenzel said.

“There are a number of low-vision devices available, but the one that is needed for a particular person depends on the type and severity of the eye disease they have, as well as the distance and duration of the task they are trying to accomplish. A person with tremors trying to read a Bible (which is a long-term short-distance task) probably wouldn’t do well with a hand-held magnifier; a stand or video magnifier might be more appropriate. A person trying to see

a bus number or restaurant menu board (which is a short-term long-distance task) would do well with a monocular telescope,” said Gels. “There isn’t one magnification device used by all patients. Just like a carpenter needs a variety of tools to do his work, a person with vision loss may need a number of devices to accomplish their tasks.”

Visit your eye doctor if it becomes difficult to accomplish daily tasks, and ask about magnification devices that can help. If the eye doctor doesn’t offer the devices, ask if they can recommend someone who does or contact low-vision device companies like Eschenbach Optik at eschenbach.com.

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