Good News: Exercise Can Prevent Dementia!

All boomers and even those who are not yet boomers worry at times about the potential for cognitive decline or dementia. The good news is that neither is inevitable. The magic bullet to avoid those dreaded aspects of aging:  good old-fashioned aerobic exercise.

A number of recent studies have shown that while brain volume shrinks as we age, exercise can reduce the amount of shrinkage and actually produce new neurons in the brain. In one of those studies at the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas, the researchers followed over 19,000 adults for some  24 years to determine if exercise could prevent dementia and even Alzheimer's.  The good news is that those persons who were the most fit had the least amount of dementia.

The studies show that the most beneficial form of exercise is aerobic, such as walking, running, cycling and swimming. Most importantly, the studies have shown that it is never too late to start exercising.  Whichever form of exercise you choose, it is important that you keep at it consistently. Optimally about 2 and one half hours of aerobic activity per week is enough to keep those neurons growing..

Source:  AARP Bulletin, September 2013, p.12.

3 Easy Ways to Save Money in Retirement

Are you worried about saving money in retirement? You are not alone. Most of us who are in retirement or thinking about retirement wonder if there are easy ways to save money that will not impact the standard of living we enjoyed before retirement. Here are three ways you can save in retirement that do not require you to abandon your current lifestyle and may in facts enhance that lifestyle:

A. Always ask for the senior discount. This is probably the easiest way to save money, usually 5 to 10 % and sometimes even more. These discounts sometimes apply even to those 55 and over and almost all apply to those over 65. Many theatre chains offer discounts as most people know. But did you know you can get a discount at hotels? The U.S. also gives you a break. You can obtain a senior pass at any of the National Parks operated by the National Park Service. http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2012/06/national-park-service-senior-pass.html http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-easy-way-to-visit-national-parks.htmlThe senior pass entitles you and three others in your party to enjoy the national parks for free. If you are a member of AARP, they will provide you with a list of other businesses where members can get discounts. If you are a former member of the military, you may also be entitled to a discount (usually 10%) at retailers such as Lowe's and the Home Depot. You will need to obtain a identification card from the VA or the Department of Defense to obtain these discounts.

B. Buy Products that last. This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but it is one that is often ignored both in and out of retirement.  If you are buying a large ticket item such as a new car or refrigerator, you need to do your homework to determine which product will provide you with the longest wear. An excellent source of information is Consumer Reports magazine. It will provide you with unbiased analysis of just about anything you are interested in buying. It is well worth the subscription price of $20 or so, which you will probably save on your first purchase. Also shop around. The most advertised product may not be the ones that last longest. For example, everybody knows about Gillette razors and blades, but did you hear of Wilkinson blades?  I've been using them for years and they are usually cheaper and last much longer than other razor blades.

C Do it yourself. With the advent of television networks such as HGTV and DIY, there is certainly a boom in this country of persons who do their own repair and renovation work. This is an enormous potential money saver for retirees, who generally have the time to work on these projects.  And with You Tube showing you how to do just about anything, you should take advantage of those resources and fix that running toilet or repair that broken wood floor. You might be amazed how handy you really are and surely, you will be amazed at how much money you can save by going the DIY route. Try it.

Boomers Retire? No, Just Repurpose

F. Scott Fitzgerald said that "there are no second acts in American lives."  Boy, was he wrong. Baby boomers across the country are proving that there are not only second acts, but third, even fourth acts after they ostensibly retire.

The AARP has recognized this and provided a website that can help repurpose your life if you are retired or near retirement and seeking another career. The cite is entitled www.lifereimagined.org. Many people pay thousands of dollars to so-called life coaches who are supposed to provide guidance in seeking new careers or starting new business ventures. While the AARP site won't take the place of a good coach, it is free and does offer a number of articles and resources that you can explore on your own.

The website is accessed through Linkedin  As its mission statement says, it "helps experienced professionals find jobs, manage their careers, start businesses and explore options through engaging articles and interactive tools.

Let me know if you find it to be helpful.

How to Save For Retirement the Easy Way

How would you like to save for retirement the easy way?  We all would, of course.  The statistics consistently show that Americans are simply not saving enough for their retirement.  Here is a possible easy solution that you can use to make sure you are on track for that retirement.

In this month's AARP The Magazine, there is an article by author, Jeffrey Yeager, adapted from his new book, "How to Retire the Cheapskate Way:  The Ultimate Cheapskate's Guide to a Better, Earlier, Happier Retirement."  The plan is very simple:  Yeager suggests that each year, you plan on saving at least an amount equal to your age---and two zeros. In other words, at age 40, you would save $4000 and at age 50, $5000.  If you are going to follow this plan, you might want to consider having a set amount deducted automatically from your checking account each month and transferred to your IRA or other retirement account.

According to Yeager, if you follow this plan beginning at age 20 and assuming a 5% annual return compounded, you would have at least $500,000 at age 60.  Not an insignificant amount .Of course, no one can predict the future as to rates of return or the effect of inflation, but this seems like a relatively painless plan to save for the future.

Pittsburgh on $100 a Day

Hey Pittsburgh, you have just been named one of the "10 Best Places to Live on $100 A Day"  by AARP Magazine.  That works out to $36,500 a year.  The survey was based on the purchase price for a median priced home, the climate, the availability of cultural opportunities and, not surprisingly, access to topnotch medical facilities and services. Another factor that was considered was the local economy.  Pittsburgh, while hit by the recession like everywhere else, has not seen the foreclosure rate seen elsewhere.

Interestingly enough, Morgantown, West Virginia, which is located about 90 miles South of Pittsburgh also made the list.

If you are thinking about a move in retirement, consider Pittsburgh!

Coffree: A Life Saver

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the beneficial effects of coffee "Coffee: Just What the Doctor Ordered", April 28, 2012.. Recently, The New England Journal of Medicine, May 17, 2012,  published an article about a study that showed that coffee drinkers (particularly those who consumed three or more cups a day) had a 10% less chance of dying from heart problems, stroke, diabetes and other causes The study was  conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute and the AARP. The researchers followed some 400,000 men and women over a 12 year period. .The study involved those who drank coffee with and without caffeine, so it does not appear that caffeine is the operative ingredient that may be beneficial.

So, have another cup of java and drink up!