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By Chris Melore

Over 55? Odds are you only have four friends you can count on. That’s the sobering finding from a poll of 2,000 Americans in this age group that sheds light on loneliness and social inactivity among older adults.

In fact, the survey finds that 19 percent feel lonely more than half the week, 77 percent say their social circle has shrunk as they’ve gotten older, and 48 percent have stopped being friends with at least three people in the last two years alone. However, the survey, conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by Life Time Inc., also finds that 83 percent feel it’s never too late in life to create fulfilling relationships. In their later years, people want to focus on spending time with friends and family, traveling, and improving their overall health.

It’s no surprise, then, that 70 percent say they’re interested in making new friends, saying it’s important to find someone who likes the same things, can carry a great conversation, has had similar life experiences, and wants to remain active together.

More than half wish there was a community of people their age to spend time with near them, and also claim they would be more physically active if they had someone to do things with. To that point, 46 percent shared they’ve made a new friend while being active.

Sixty-two percent are already trying to be more active at this age than ever before. Sixty percent say they’d try a new activity if they had someone to do it with, hoping to make a friend through walking or hiking, swimming, or strength and conditioning classes.

“It may seem intimidating to try something new, like pickleball, yoga or dance classes,” said Renee Main, a senior vice president at Life Time Inc. “But actually it’s a great way to make new friends while improving your health and overall well-being, especially when you’re supported by a coach who’s been trained to assist older adults.”

Similarly, 63 percent admit they’ve put off certain aspects of taking care of their health like exercising regularly, eating well, and drinking enough water. Despite this, 86 percent of respondents agree that to make the most of one’s “golden years,” it’s important to be as healthy and active as you can.

Most respondents agreed that one of their goals is to live each of their days to the fullest, including living a healthier life in order to play with their grandchildren instead of just watching them play. Sixty-five percent also recognize their health has had a significant impact on the activities and lifestyle they enjoy and that it’s never too late to get healthy. In fact, 73 percent say they’re happier when they’re active, and a similar percentage plan on investing more time in safeguarding their health.

“Whether you’re 9 years old or 90, people tend to be happier and healthier when they regularly participate in activities with friends,” Main said. “If you want to experience a long and joyful life, then get out there, make new friends, and have fun trying new things together.”

 

Source: Studyfinds.org, which publishes articles about surveys but has no affiliation with any of them.

srmedia by — February 7, 2023 in Lifestyles
Drink water to age better, live longer

Adults who stay well-hydrated are healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions such as heart and lung disease, and live longer than those who may not get sufficient fluids, according to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study published in eBioMedicine.
In the study of 11,255 adults over a 30-year period, researchers analyzed links between serum sodium levels – which go up when fluid intake goes down – and various indicators of health. Researchers found that adults with higher serum sodium levels were more likely to develop chronic conditions and show signs of advanced biological aging than those with serum sodium levels in the medium ranges. Adults with higher levels were also more likely to die at a younger age.

About half of people worldwide don’t meet recommendations for daily total water intake, which often starts at six cups.

“Proper hydration may slow down aging and prolong a disease-free life,” said Natalia Dmitrieva, a study author and researcher for NIH, the nation’s medical research agency that’s part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Proper hydration by drinking water as part of daily routines can slow down aging and prolong disease-free life.
srmedia by — February 7, 2023 in Health & Fitness

By Maggie Davis

MagnifyMoney

As inflation continues to rise, Americans are feeling the effects at the grocery store, gas pump and elsewhere. But inflation isn’t only impacting short-term spending. In fact, most consumers say they’re putting off major financial milestones like buying a house, beginning a family or working toward retirement.

Matt Schulz, Lending Tree’s chief credit analyst, says inflation’s impact has been seismic.

“The financial margin for error has shrunk to near-zero,” he says. “When that happens, it forces people to change plans and make tough decisions. People are delaying having children because they don’t think they can afford it. They’re putting off buying a house because they can’t save for a down payment. They’re putting off retirement because inflation has wrecked all of their calculations for how much money they’d need to have to get by in their golden years. It’s a difficult time for many Americans. Unfortunately, it seems like it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

MagnifyMoney asked more than 1,500 U.S. consumers about their financial confidence and security. Key findings:

  • Exactly half of Americans report inflation has impacted their retirement strategy.Unsurprisingly, that figure is highest for Gen Xers, some of whom may be nearing retirement.
  • More than half of Americans say inflation has delayed their next financial milestone, with millennials citing this more than other generations.
  • Only 43 percent of Americans say they feel fully prepared for their next stage of life,whether that’s owning a home, starting a family or entering retirement. Another 28 percent say they’re somewhat prepared.
  • 20 percent have taken money out of their retirement accounts over the past two years,mostly to pay for emergency expenses.

Full results of the survey are at magnifymoney.com.

As the U.S. grapples with the possibility of a recession, the American dream grows further out of reach for many. Fifty-four percent of consumers say inflation has delayed their next financial milestone.

Millennials, the generation that saw some members begin their careers after the dot-com bubble burst and during the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009, can’t seem to catch a break. Sixty-three percent ages 26 to 41 put off their next major financial milestone — the highest among any age group.

Schulz said millennials are most impacted because they’re in one of the most expensive periods of life.

Meanwhile, just 32 percent of baby boomers 57 to 76 years old say inflation has delayed their next financial milestone, making them the least likely age group to say so. Not all older consumers are doing so well, though. Among Gen Xers ages 42 to 56, 60 percent are putting off their next milestone due to inflation. Gen Zers ages 18 to 25 aren’t far behind at 58 percnt.

Consumers don’t only lack financial confidence, but their recent decisions reveal that many may also lack critical financial security — and it’s likely impacting their ability to reach that final financial milestone. Twenty percent have had to take money out of their retirement accounts over the past two years. High earners are more likely to pull from retirement than low earners, though that may be because high earners are more likely to have retirement accounts. Among those with annual household incomes between $75,000 and $99,999, 31 percent have pulled from their retirement accounts. That’s followed by 30 percent of six-figure earners. Generally, consumers are doing so to deal with unexpected expenses.

Rising costs have also eaten into consumers’ retirement accounts, as 11 percent withdrew from retirement to afford regular household expenses like groceries or utilities. That ties with home repairs as the third most common reason to pull from retirement.

While Schulz said pulling from retirement is sometimes necessary, there are hefty costs.

“That $1,000 you take out today is $1,000 that won’t be invested or saved going forward, meaning that it won’t have the chance to grow into more money in the future, and that’s a really big deal,” he said. “There’s no more powerful asset for investors than time, and when you pull money out of retirement accounts, you squander that advantage. Yes, sometimes it may be the best of a bunch of bad choices, but it’s still something to avoid if possible.”

 

Maggie Davis is a staff writer for studies and surveys at MagnifyMoney, a personal-finance information site owned by Lending Tree.

 

 

srmedia by — February 7, 2023 in Personal Finance/Consumers
School measures are on the ballot

Voters in three school districts in Pierce County and one King County school district are being asked to approve school funding measures in a special election in February.

Ballots must be postmarked in the mail or deposited in official dropboxes by Feb. 14, the last day of voting.

In Pierce County, ballot measures face voters in the Orting, Peninsula and Steilacoom school districts. If passed:

  • Orting would receive $150 million via bonding to refinance district-owned land, build a new Orting Elementary School and expand Ptarmigan Ridge Elementary School, build classroom and athletic spaces at the district’s high school, and replace the turf at the district’s football stadium.
  • Peninsula would be authorized to renew its educational programs and operations levy for three years and establish a six-year levy for building-safety, security and technology.
  • Steilacoom would get the go-ahead for a $116 million bond measure for a new elementary school, a high school sports stadium, a performing arts center, classrooms for career technical education, and other upgrades.

Additional information on voting is available at piercecountyelections.org and and 253-798-8683.

In King County, Enumclaw School District has a $253 million bond measure that would pay for two elementary school projects (building a new one and replacing Byron Kibler Elementary School), the construction of a performing arts center and a stadium/athletics complex, and upgrading other sports facilities and building-security.

Information from the county elections department, including locations of ballot dropboxes, is available at kingcounty.gov/kcelections and 206-296-8683.

srmedia by — February 6, 2023 in News