The Senior Scene

According to InjuryFacts.NSC.org, about 16 out of 100 people were injured in a home or community venue as recently as 2021. The leading causes, such as drowning, fire, and general home maintenance, can be prevented by acting ahead of time, says the Code Council, the global source of codes, standards, and building safety solutions. With an eye on educating people on fire safety, home maintenance, and energy and resource sustainability, the council has some tips–some of them common sense, others a timely reminder.

Fire safety.

• Put a smoke alarm on every level of your home, outside each sleeping area, and inside every bedroom. Test each alarm regularly and replace them every 10 years.

• Install home fire sprinklers. They’re relatively affordable and can raise property value and lower insurance rates.

• Make an escape plan to get out fast.

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from portable heaters.

• Keep all flammable outdoor items away from your home.

Home maintenance.

• Never overload electrical cords or power strips. And don’t use appliances that have damaged cords.

• For mold prevention, watch for leaky pipes, condensation and wet spots, and fix sources of moisture as soon as possible.

• Several materials and items should never be flushed down the toilet, including medication, disposable wipes, and coffee grounds.

• To prevent your pipes from freezing in the winter, drain water sprinkler supply lines following the manufacturer’s or installer’s directions.

Energy and sustainability.

According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, the average U.S. family can spend $2,000 a year on energy bills. Reducing home energy use is the single most effective way to save money and reduce your home’s contribution to greenhouse gasses.

• Change the filters in the heating and cooling system regularly to increase energy efficiency.

• Use LED light bulbs, which use up to 90 percent less energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.

• To conserve water, install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators and use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks.

Source: StatePoint Media.

By David Cravitt and Larry Wolf

Let’s consider the phrase itself: “The best years of your life.” It sounds nice, but are they really?

Not in the past. Life after 65 was (a) short and (b) often painful. You didn’t have much time left – maybe 10 to 12 years or so – and the best you could hope for was to be relatively free from illness and pain and debilitating decline. “Best years of your life,” indeed.

But today, a 65-year-old can reasonably aspire to another 20 or 30 years – maybe more. In fact, the fastest-growing age group, in percentage terms, is the centenarian.

Welcome to the Super Aging revolution.

We didn’t coin the term, but we’ve embraced it as the perfect way to describe the new reality: Now you have plenty of time to make new plans, learn new things, explore, achieve, be fulfilled in exciting new ways.

You can get older without getting old. Okay, but how?

We came at this from a layman’s point of view, from the perspective of people who are actually doing the aging. We surveyed the current wisdom, talked to the experts, and tried to act as our readers’ eyes and ears, navigating the crowded and often confusing information landscape to arrive at a concrete, actional blueprint for making Super Aging a reality. We identified seven key pillars:

Attitude.

People with a positive attitude live longer. But it goes beyond just a vague, feel-good notion of optimism in general. It’s anchored to a concrete vision of what you want to do. Can you make yourself optimistic? Can you create such a vision? Yes.

Awareness.

When it comes to longevity, so many new things are happening so quickly that there’s a lot more to know and a lot more to keep up with. Super Agers are active seekers and consumers of information on topics from health to finance to tech to “reinvention.” This requires a systematic approach.

Activity.

This applies to diet and fitness (including brain health). You have to be a proactive manager of your own health and wellness. In particular, there area some important new methods and ideas to know about.

Accomplishment.

It may be a refusal to retire “on schedule” at 65; it may be semi-retirement; it may be coming back out of retirement, or having a side gig, or staying active through volunteer work. The Super Aging years can, and should, be years of achievement. Did you know there are coaches that can help?

Autonomy.

Super Agers want to be independent, and a sense of independence definitely contributes to duration and quality of life. Autonomy includes physical independence (aging in place) and financial independence (a challenging issue since you’ll need funds to cover a much longer lifespan).

Attachment.

Research demonstrates conclusively that isolation and loneliness exert a seriously harmful effect on health. While everone wants to maintain strong existing relationships, Super Agers are more likely to reach out for more – for example, to go beyond their immediate networks and create digital connections.

Avoidance.

Negative influences must be resisted. These include frauds and scams, ageism in the marketplace, and obsolete advisors (possibly even your doctor) who, with the best intentions, don’t understand the new realities of Super Aging.

Can you be a SuperAger? It’s more possible than ever before. Through our book and its companion website, SuperAging.info, hopefully we can help.

David Cravit and Larry Wolf are co-authors of “Superaging: Getting Older Without Getting Old.” They work in the media and marketing industries.

By Marguerite Ro

More than 48 million Americans, including 820,000 here in Washington state are family caregivers. It is one of the most important jobs we will ever do, and one of the most difficult. Family caregivers help their older parents, spouses and other loved ones live independently – managing medications, preparing meals, helping with bathing and dressing and so much more.    

These individuals are the backbone of our long-term care system. Washington’s dedicated family caregivers provide 770-million hours of care every year, adding up to $16.8 billion in unpaid labor per year, saving Washington taxpayers billions. The physical, financial and emotional toll on them is great. Many family caregivers work full or part-time at paying jobs, and many cut back their hours or quit their jobs entirely to make sure their loved one gets the care they need.

November is Family Caregivers Month. Family caregivers deserve our recognition, but simply saying thank you is not enough. That’s why AARP is advocating for commonsense solutions to save caregivers time and money and provide more support.

If you’re new to family caregiving, we encourage you to check out AARP’s “10 Tips for Family Caregivers,” which provides advice and resources from experts and fellow caregivers. Among the most important:

Don’t go it alone. Being a family caregiver can be exhausting and intense; look to fellow caregivers for support.

Build a support network. Enlist family, friends and community members to assist with caregiving tasks; don’t be shy about asking for help and accepting assistance.

Make a budget. Family caregiving expenses can quickly deplete your savings if you’re not careful; create a financial plan and stick with it.

Get paperwork organized. Organizing medical information and legal documents provides peace of mind, and it’s a real time-saver when you need that info on a moment’s notice.

Know your limits. Although it isn’t easy, sometimes being a family caregiver means knowing when it is time to seek professional help to care for your loved one. 

For far too long, family caregivers have gone unnoticed by many lawmakers. That’s why AARP is launching I Am a Caregiver, a nationwide movement to support family caregivers and the loved ones they care for. We’re tapping into the power of family caregivers to urge elected officials to pay attention to this important constituency. But we need your help. To find out how you can raise your hand and join in the effort, visit aarp.org/caregiverswa 

Marguerite Ro is AARP Washington’s state director.