All Posts in "Lifestyles"

Making the decision to retire can be difficult. It’s easy to get excited about the prospect of not working and overlook what a job means to our identity and life purpose. With retirement planning, it can be easy to focus on finances rather than lifestyle. Yes, it is important to plan for maintaining financial responsibilities without a steady paycheck, but equally important questions are: How do I emotionally prepare for retirement? What am I going to do?

“Work structures us and gives us routine in our lives,” says psychologist Louis Primavera, co-author of the 2012 book “The Retirement Maze: What You Should Know Before and After You Retire.”“We plan around work. It is part of our identity. We go to a social gathering and people say, ‘What do you do?’”

When emotionally preparing for retirement, be sure to take into account identity, purpose and relationships.

What will I do with my time?

Lack of activity will often lead to depressed mood, lack of motivation and poorer health. One exercise I often do with my patients is have them plan out activities ahead of time: What brings you pleasure and when do you want to do it?

For example, scheduling a visit to the YMCA or a call with a friend to invite them over for tea. After completing the activity, I encourage them to think about how pleasing that was or how accomplished they feel afterwards.

Sometimes, without structure or routine, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to do an activity, but when you refer back to your activity-planning worksheet, it can encourage you to act even if you don’t feel like it.

How can I still be intentional with my life and set goals?

Before setting goals, it can be helpful to think about your values and creating goals that align with them. What is most important to you?

One of my favorite questions to ask patients is, “If you were receiving a lifetime achievement award, what would you want other people to say about you? Once you’ve identified the values that are most important to you, what type of goals will help you to live out those values?”

How will I share my professional expertise, personal knowledge or legacy?

What professional organizations can you join? Connect with local universities and see if they have a mentoring program to mentor young people in your chosen career. Use your talents for your favorite non-profit. For example, if you are an accounting guru, can you lend your skills to your local house of worship?

How do I make my health a priority?

The best retirement plans mean nothing if you don’t have the health to enjoy it. Exercise and movement is critical.

My spouse and I are accustomed to having our independence during the day, so how can we prepare to be around one another full-time?

It is very common for couples to go through turmoil during transitions like retiring. It’s helpful to talk with your partner about expectations: Who will be responsible for things such as household chores? How often will you do things together/separately?

When things don’t go smoothly, it can also be useful to talk to a therapist to learn how to communicate more effectively.

How do I find identity outside of my career?

Try new things, see if you like it, and be open-minded. Maybe you didn’t like a particular activity when you were younger, but it’s worth trying again. Be open to the idea that you may have changed, and be curious about your interests. Also, just because you have retired doesn’t mean you are a different person. Immerse yourself in things you know and love.

Will I miss the social aspect of being around people all day at work?

Days and weeks can feel daunting when you think that there is no structured time. Some people find it helpful to plan out their weeks, at least at the beginning, to include all kinds of activities: Down/quiet time, time with friends, volunteering, etc. After planning your time, make sure to evaluate how it went.

Life is going to be different after retirement. Your identity will change. Sometimes it will be fun and exhilarating, and other times may be dull and difficult. Have patience while you make the transition.

Heather Carroll, a behavioral health specialist, wrote this article for Iora Primary Care’s blog.

Contributing Author by — April 23, 2019 in Lifestyles
Don’t pooh-pooh the impact of dog owners on environment

Stepping in dog poo or (preferably) watching for and avoiding it when out for a walk or enjoying a park or playfield ranks near the top of anyone’s list of least favorite things. As bad as it is for your enjoyment of being outside, not to mention for your shoes, the unpleasantness is even worse for the health of people, pets and the environment.

The detrimental impact of Fido’s feces on streams, lakes and Puget Sound is a particular concern for the City of Tacoma’s Environmental Services and its surface-water management program, whose job it is to protect water quality. Officials note that water draining from streets and sidewalks, yards and other areas carries pollutants into streams, lakes and Puget Sound. Responsible dog owners can nip at least one source of pollution—their pets’ waste–in the bud by picking up after their pooches.

If they don’t, the poo becomes a ticking health risk. The stuff is raw sewage, filled with harmful, disease-carrying bacteria and parasites ranging from E coli to roundworms. If not cleaned up, dog poop can unleash roundworm eggs and other parasites into the surrounding soil and get into surface water. In rainy weather, stormwater carries the unmentionables directly into streams and eventually into Puget Sound, creating health hazards for fishing and other forms of recreation. According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a single gram of dog waste can contain an estimated 23 million fecal coliform bacteria that, if accidentally ingested by humans who unwittingly come into contact with it, can cause cramps, diarrhea, intestinal illness, and serious kidney disorders. Pets can be infected, too.

The EPA ranks pet waste as a major cause of water pollution. One dog’s contributions to the problem may seem small, but when combined with dog populations as a whole, the pooh factor adds up to big trouble for water quality. The EPA estimates that two or three days’ worth of droppings from 100 dogs in a 20-square-mile watershed area can generate enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay to swimming and harvesting of shellfish.

Dogs can’t pick up after themselves, so it’s up to their owners to put the poop in its proper place. When walking their dogs, they can carry a plastic bag from home or take one from pet waste stations. If their canine makes a deposit, they can bag the waste and drop it in a trash can. Done.  

Besides being a responsible thing to do, poop scooping is a legally required civic duty. In Tacoma, owners who leave their dogs’ doo-doo on public or private property can be fined as much as $250.

Want a pet waste station in your neighborhood?

To apply to sponsor a dog waste station in the City of Tacoma, you should live inside the city, pick a location in a neighborhood where dog poo is a problem (such as a park, open space, greenbelt, etc.), and provide a neighborhood “sponsor.” The sponsor will help monitor the station’s use, condition and supply of bags, and report the number of bags used at the end of each year. For more information or to apply, call 253-502-2220 or go online at https://www.cityoftacoma.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=3084

Poop scoop: It’s the law

Under The City of Tacoma municipal code, it is illegal for a dog owner to not “immediately” remove fecal matter left by the dog on someone else’s private property. The same goes for public property. Also, any animal that trespasses on private property without the permission of the owner or caretaker of the property can be seized and impounded by animal-control authorities. Violations of these and other animal-control regulations in Tacoma are misdemeanors and can bring a fine of up to $250.

This is the second in a series of articles sponsored by the City of Tacoma, its Environmental Services Department, and the Make a Splash grant program.

srmedia by — April 8, 2019 in Lifestyles
‘Put country and community first’

At a divisive moment in our nation’s history, you may be wondering how average citizens can help bring about friendlier politics.

Experts suggest that it starts with finding common ground among those whose opinions differ from you. Ira Shapiro, a former ambassador, recently authored “Broken: Can the Senate Save Itself and the Country?” in order to explore the state of U.S. politics and its future.

Of the U.S. Senate, his area of expertise, he says, “America is deeply divided. But the men and women of the Senate should not mirror — or worse, inflame — the nation’s divisions. Their job is to overcome them, finding common ground to take collective action in the national interest.”

Citizens can apply this principle in a number of ways, according to Shapiro:

• Get involved. Attend city council meetings and town hall meetings. Join the PTA. But don’t just show up — make your voice heard. Make friends on all sides of the issue. Be a coalition builder. Discover where your beliefs overlap with others before debating about the issues on which you disagree.

For instance, the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County has sponsored a series of public forums on issues related to civility, incivility and civil disobedience. The goal of League officials was to “move beyond snarky Twitter exchanges and engage in civil conversation” by “encouraging civility and demonstrating the power of conversation.” Specific focuses included civility in politics and public discourse, assuring the role of a free press in problem-solving, and getting Democrats and Republicans “to actually talk to each other.”

• Get in touch. From petitions to postcards to calls and texts, there are numerous ways to contact your elected officials at every level of government. Encourage your representatives to work constructively with their colleagues in an effort to de-polarize politics and ultimately be more effective at their jobs.

• Speak out. Organize or attend a rally. Raise money for a political cause that mattes to you. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Take advantage of the channels available to you.

“The best remedy of all, on both the national and local levels, is to support candidates who are problem-solvers and consensus-builders, not partisan warriors. Look for the candidates who put the country, or the community, first — above party allegiance or personal aggrandizement,” said Shapiro, who also serves as a trade law and global policy consultant (www.shapiroglobal.com).

Shapiro believes that the Senate is in trouble, but it can be saved. Likewise, everyone, including average citizens, can be a champion for a climate of healthier politics, whether it’s around the dinner table, on a social media thread or at a city council meeting, he said.

Source: StatePoint and Senior Scene

srmedia by — March 27, 2019 in Lifestyles

When you envision your retirement lifestyle, do you picture yourself relaxing in a hammock, or do you want to hit the open road in an RV, seeing as many sites as you can all over the country? Do you plan on retiring early, or do you have a job that you love and want to keep as long as possible?

To find out the answers to these questions and more, In October 2018, Provision Living, an operator of senior living communities in parts of the U.S., surveyed 2,000 Americans to ask them about their dream retirement. Respondents revealed everything from their ideal retirement age to where they’d like to be living when they retire.

Dreaming about retirement.

52 percent of Americans think about retirement four or more times per week—undoubtedly triggered by stressful commutes and long hours at the office. But at what age do Americans expect this daydream of retirement to become a reality? The survey reveals that the dream age to retire for baby boomers is 64, while millennials, the much younger generation, have a dream retirement age of 56. And a staggering 78 of the survey respondents said they preferred to stay in the U.S., while an adventurous 21 percent said a dream retirement means moving abroad.

Place and space.

There’s a reason why warm, sunny places are a cliché for retirees. Not only is the weather great, but they also provide year-round fun and relaxation for seniors who like to get outside. So, do all future retirees dream of a sunny space to live out their twilight years, or a small town, or do they crave a big city with access to public transportation?

According to our survey, the No. 1 city in America to retire is Miami, followed by San Diego, Denver, New York and Orlando, which rounded out the top five. The rest of the top 20 were Honolulu, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Las Vegas, Austin, Houston, Tampa, Boulder, Colo., Charleston, S.C., Sarasota, Fla. Nashville and Asheville, N.C.

The survey revealed that the ideal home for retirement would be a one-story ranch in a coastal or beach setting. There was, however, some disagreement on the square footage of this dream home. While baby boomers preferred a neat and tidy 1,510 square foot home, millennials needed a bit more space with an optimal square footage of 1,890.

Retirement by the numbers.

To young employees in the workforce, retirement may seem like a lifetime away, but the reality is that it’s best to plan early in order to enjoy a dream retirement. However, as many as 43 percent of millennials have less than $5,000 in their retirement accounts.

The survey reveals that the ideal savings to have by retirement is $610,000—with millennials saying that it should be $687,000 and baby boomers saying it should be around $574,000. However, these numbers don’t quite match up with what people believe will actually be in their bank accounts. Realistically, the amount survey respondents expect to have saved by retirement is $276,000.

Lifestyles of the retired.

Can you imagine a life outside of work? When you’re retired, you’ll have a lot of spare time to fill. So, what will you do with it?

Many retirees quit their day jobs but go on to part-time jobs just to pass the time. The gig economy has sprouted many twilight careers, such as Uber driving, which 12 percent of folks in the survey said they would consider after retirement, or dog walking through apps like Wag or Rover, which 27 percent would think about taking on after retirement. Overall, 53 percent of survey respondents said they would work part-time when they retired, and 68 percent said they would volunteer.

When asked how they wanted to spend the majority of their time when they retired, 34 percent said they wanted to travel, 20 percent wanted to spend their time with family, and 14 percent just wanted to relax. Other answers included spending time on their hobbies, seeing friends, starting a business, doing something creative, and wanting time to reflect.

Finally, according to the survey, the ideal retirement day broken down by the numbers would be sleeping for seven to eight hours, watching TV for one to two hours, dining out for one or two hours, socializing for two or three hours, other leisure activity for three or four hours, and working on hobbies for two to three hours.

Contributing Author by — March 12, 2019 in Lifestyles