A news report from Kaiser Health News reported this week that Minnesota beat out Hawaii and Florida (which didn’t even come close) for the healthiest state in the nation for seniors. Washington came out in the middle of the pack at 15. I’m from northern Minnesota so it’s good to know that its claim to…
Actors we haven’t seen for years (think Robert Wagner, Pat Boone, Alex Trebek, and Henry Winkler) are trying to raise their stars again by pitching reverse mortgages. By 2010, nearly 10 percent of all reverse mortgages were in default. Those two reasons and others contributed to a lack of respect for a financial tool aimed…
The advertising circulars heralding a long weekend of barbecues and shopping deals came out this week. Before we let our consumerism hijack the true reason for an extended weekend (it’s not saving 25 percent on summer apparel and the latest videos), take a moment to consider, really consider, the sacrifices some have made in the…
Many airlines offer their loyal customers frequent flyer miles. As those miles build up, customers can cash them in for additional travel. Because they only have value for purchasing miles, many people don’t think about the fact that they still have value. In fact, depending upon the individuals involved, frequent flyer miles may add up…
Most people experience chickenpox when they are young. Once you’ve recovered from the chickenpox, you might think it has been wiped out of your system but instead, the virus goes undercover and resides in your body for decades. For reasons that remain unclear to experts, some people experience a resurgence of the virus much later…
May is a lovely month especially when we have a month like what we have had so far in beautiful Western Washington. But May’s beauty doesn’t stop with the weather. This month is Older Americans Month and to top it off it is also National Geriatric Care Manager month. Since we have National months, weeks…
Medical, housing and even legal staff use the term Activities of Daily Living (ADL) to refer to the functional capability of the elderly or people with disabilities. ADLs are the things we do as a normal part of our daily lives such as bathing or toileting. Where they become important is when the ability or…
Many people enter their 60s and immediately begin thinking about retirement. But, is retirement something you want to do? Here are some reasons retirement might not be for you. It will affect your sleep. I was listening to the radio this morning and Carl Kasell is retiring after 60 years of being in radio. One…
This week Seattle-area Elder Law Attorney, Rajiv Nagaich spoke at a NAELA Conference on how the practice of Elder Law is different from Estate Planning. As Rajiv says each Saturday on his AgingOptions Radio show, Estate Planning is “about who gets what when you die.” In addition, Estate Planning Attorneys are looking to keep your…
I was at a networking meeting at the Narrows Glen in Tacoma the other day and someone brought up a recent 60 Minute story on a family with a genetic predisposition to early onset Alzheimer’s disease. All the individuals in the group work with (or in my case write about) seniors. That meant that we…
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