Pacific Grove, CA Caregiver Costs Rising : It’s Expensive To Stay In Your Own Home And Independent

A glass jar with retirement sticker filled with money

A recent article in AARP Bulletin said that nearly 70% of senior citizens will require help from others to get through their day.  Women will need it for an average of 3.7 years and men 2.2 years.  However, having owned Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz for more than 12 years, I think these numbers can be low—some people require help for more than a decade.  Seniors are living longer, and if you live to be over 100 and need care starting at age 80, that can be two decades of monthly caregiving bills if you don’t have a relative willing to step in.  Unfortunately, Long Term Care or LTC Insurance is the only type of insurance which pays for having a caregiver come to your home, and few people have it.  I always urge the children of clients that we care for to get it while they can.  It’s very expensive and the younger you get a policy and the healthier you are the better rate you will get.  Some companies also give discounts if both a husband and wife buy a policy at the same time.

 

Monterey, CA Exercise, Good Nutrition And Social Interaction Key For Seniors

Senior couples doing cardio exercises on the yoga mat

At Family inHome Caregiving, we stress the fact that exercise, social interaction and a good diet are keys to longevity for our senior clients, most of which are in their 90’s or even 100’s.  The most difficult of the three in the current COVID-19 environment is social interaction, but this doesn’t have to be in person.  Keep in touch with your friends and family with a zoom or facetime call.  A good diet isn’t hard to do either.  Do a google search on the Mediterranean diet—it is delicious.  There are a number of quick and healthy ways to cook salmon, which is very good for you.  Paired up with some vegetables and a nice salad and you will enjoy it.  Exercise is not that hard to keep up with either.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week which means taking a brisk walk of 20-30 minutes per day.  Some physicians suggest that you mix it up so that you don’t get bored and you use different muscle groups.  That means doing a bit of biking, swimming or yoga.

AARP Finding Solutions To Live Longer In A Healthy Manner

Four old people giving a thumbs up

It’s important to increase longevity only if we can find ways to do so in excellent health.  When the United Nations declared the years 2021 to 2030 the “Decade of Healthy Aging,” it noted that there is a growing gap between how long someone will live and how many healthy years of life he or she can expect. AARP recently convened an international panel of experts for its Global Conference on Redefining Health : New Approaches for How We Live And Age.”  The focus is on ensuring access to health care services for all older adults, strengthening the availability of long-term care, supporting aging in place and caring for older people in crisis conditions.  They have made significant progress.  Just one example is the U.S. hospital-at-home program which works to reduce strain on the health care system by offering us quality care in our own homes.  This has been particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has many hospitals overloaded.  The program has been so successful in the U.S. that its’ been expanded into Asia, Australia and Europe.

Centenarian Kane Tanaka, Celebrates 119th Birthday, Is The Oldest Person In The World

Kane Tanaka celebrated her 119th birthday in Japan, continuing her run in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest woman in the world.  Eiji Tanaka, her 62-year-old grandson, told the Japanese outlet Kyodo, “I hope she remains healthy and has fun every day as she grows older.”  Tanaka born in 1903 (the same year the Wright brothers made their first powered flight) loves carbonated beverages and posed for photographers last year with a peace sign, drinking a can of coke.  Tanaka has seen five Japanese imperial reigns and two world wars.

Betty White Fails To Clock In As A Centenarian, Dies At 99 Years Old

It was so sad to read the news wire that Betty White died today.  I wrote recently on my blog that she was planning a huge birthday party for her January 17 birthday, when she would have turned 100 years old.  She was planning to film the party and had stars like Carol Burnett, Jay Leno, Morgan Freeman, Clint Eastwood, Ryan Reynolds and Robert Redford lined up to give tribute.  It was also to honor her as the first woman to produce a national TV show and the first woman to receive an Emmy.  Fans are now gathering around her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to pay their respects.

https://familyinhomecaregiving.com/congratulations-to-betty-white-as-the-world-congratulates-another-centenarian/

Congratulations To Betty White As The World Congratulates Another Centenarian

Betty White is about to turn 100 years old and wants the whole world to party with her!  On January 17, she will release a special movie event entitled “Betty White: 100 Years Young –A Birthday Celebration.” The movie is similar to a documentary, with footage of behind-the-scenes work on sets, working with her office staff, entertaining at home and footage of her as an animal advocate.  It culminates with her birthday party with stars like Carol Burnett, Jay Leno, Morgan Freeman, Clint Eastwood, Ryan Reynolds and Robert Redford.  It will also honor her as the first woman to produce a national TV show and the first woman to receive an Emmy.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/16/entertainment/betty-white-100/index.html?utm_term=1639741960020564ea815d7c3&utm_source=cnn_Five+Things+for+Friday%2C+December+17%2C+2021&utm_medium=email&bt_ee=zilY%2BiKxIyQxFhT6sptpefltybACnQMrkw3aNyxlhafhFy%2BHpWrSZ0qJdT%2F0wLtw&bt_ts=1639741960022

One Of The Secrets To Longevity Is Getting The Proper Amount Of Exercise

Two studies now agree that the secret to longevity is getting in about 7,000 to 8,000 daily steps per day, which equates to only 30-45 minutes of walking per day!  An alternative to walking is getting into a sport like tennis, cycling, swimming, jogging or badminton for about 2.5 hours per week.  The two studies followed more than 10K men and women for decades, and found that this type of physical activity reduces the risk of premature  death by as much as 70%.   The study also said there may actually be an upper limit to the longevity benefits of being active, and pushing beyond that is unlikely to add years to your life span, and, in extreme cases might even be detrimental

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/well/move/exercise-daily-steps-recommended.html?campaign_id=34&emc=edit_sc_20210921&instance_id=40921&nl=science-times&regi_id=52105769&segment_id=69484&te=1&user_id=7052b81671c57203c64c377c7522baa7

Searching For The Fountain Of Youth : What Does It Take To Become A Centenarian : By Derek Baine

A woman in Floral dress sitting in the chair and smiling

For decades, people have been searching for the fountain of youth, not just to look good but to try and avoid the inevitable—death.  There is a field of scientists called biogerontologists that are working in a fast-developing field to not only maximize the average lifespan, but also to increase the “healthspan,” which is the number of years we spend free from disease, disability and impairment.  Humans go through the aging process in a different manner than some animals, which may provide clues to growing older gracefully.  Every year a human is alive, their risk of dying increased by 10%.  In your 30’s, for instance, your odds of dying in any given year are less than one in 1,000.  However, this 10% compounding effect adds up quickly.  Tortoises, some kind of salamander and fish and burrow-dwelling rodents called naked molerats all have a risk of death unrelated to how long they have been alive.  This phenomenon is called “negligible senescence” and is being studied avidly by scientists.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-remedy-for-our-diseases-aging-less-11618003335

Carmel, CA Keep Your Immune System Strong With A Mediterranean Diet

vegetables in small buckets with a farmer's market board

With coronavirus keeping many people from being active, keeping your immune system healthy is critical.  There are a number of things you can do such as getting enough exercise, not smoking, staying hydrated, having quality sleep time and eating a healthy diet.  Sticking to a Mediterranean diet is a good way of keeping your good health, and it’s delicious.  A study published in the journal Frontiers of Physiology found that healthy people aged 65-79 who ate a Mediterranean diet and took 10 micrograms of Vitamin D daily for a year were able to help offset age-related declines in immunity.  The Mediterranean diet involves eating a lot of vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains and one ounce of food daily.  Stay away from red meats and instead eat salmon and other fish, with modest portions of egg.  Olive oil is the fat of choice, and a glass or two of red wine each night tops of the meal.  Check out the local farmers market here in Monterey—they will even deliver!

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/boosting-your-immune-system.html

Can The Secret To Longevity Lie In This Ugly Old Rat? By Derek Baine

For decades, people have been searching for the proverbial fountain of youth, and now some researchers are focusing on an ugly Mole Rat, who at 39 years old has outlived his counterparts by a multiple of five times.  One researcher believes a factor may be that Mole Rats live underground, in dark tunnels away from the sun, and lack Vitamin D.  Google has launched a biotech spinoff called Calico Labs, which is focused on combating aging and age-related diseases.  Hopefully, this old Mole Rat will give us some clues.

https://www.wired.com/story/long-strange-life-worlds-oldest-naked-mole-rat/?bxid=5d9650350564ce3ac11dd859&cndid=1617543&esrc=AUTO_PRINT&source=EDT_WIR_NEWSLETTER_0_DAILY_ZZ&utm_brand=wired&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_mailing=WIR_Daily_052421&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl&utm_term=list1_p4