Studying vitamin D’s effect on fall risk
Falls are the leading cause of injury and accidental death in adults over the age of 65. Every year, more than 33 percent of seniors fall in the United States. Every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for an injury related to a fall.Clutter, inappropriate footwear, poor balance, distractions and tripping hazards can all contribute to a stumble or fall, potentially... READ MORE
A way to pick up a few bucks
Barry Belle spent 30 years as a project manager for the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. But when the 75-year-old Pikesville resident retired in 2014, he still wanted to work — just not as much. “I just wanted to get out of the house two or three days a week,” said Belle, who’s now a driver for the ride-booking services Uber and Lyft, in addition to having private... READ MORE
Strategies to cope with the loss of a pet
More than a third of American households own at least one pet, and people often have close bonds with them. In one study, 13 of 16 people said they would give a hard-to-get lifesaving medicine to their pet over non-family people.The death or loss of a pet can be a traumatic experience and result in grief and bereavement. The loss is unique in a number of ways. While pets may die naturally,... READ MORE
As a landlord, can you ever truly retire?
There is a major dilemma facing many older investors today. Their successes in real estate have produced a failure in quality of life. What is the problem, and is there a solution?Let’s start with the problem: a “good problem” to have. Twenty to 40 years ago, you bought rental real estate, maybe a small apartment complex or several rental houses.This can be a great... READ MORE
Why older patients resist help at home
The 84-year-old man who had suffered a mini-stroke was insistent as he spoke to a social worker about being discharged from the hospital: He didn’t want anyone coming into his home, and he didn’t think he needed any help.So the social worker canceled an order for home healthcare services. And the patient went back to his apartment without plans for follow-up care in place.When... READ MORE
Ways to use your house for extra income
People over 65 average $150,000 in home equity, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.That amount dwarfs the rest of their assets combined.This generation of retirees is facing the decline of traditional pensions, while the 401(k)s that replace them are less generous and more uncertain.So the case for employing one’s home as a source of retirement income... READ MORE
Local authors master diverse genres
The National Capital region is in the news as the focus of politics, diplomacy and world events. It is also the home of talented writers. Be it a guidebook to the streets of Georgetown, a thriller about murder and mayhem in and around the Potomac, or a love story set in a suburban retirement home, you’re sure to enjoy reading about the familiar locales that serve as the backdrop of... READ MORE
Bucolic Walden Pond and Concord, Mass.
Henry David Thoreau went to the woods because, as he famously put it, “I wished to live deliberately.”Two centuries after the Walden author’s birth, people are still deliberately following in Thoreau’s footsteps to discover Walden Pond, the little lake he immortalized.Whether you’re visiting Boston or the Berkshires, the pond and the bucolic Massachusetts town ... READ MORE
Whether to work part-time in retirement
Some people’s retirement dreams consist of having the time to do what they want, unencumbered by the demands of working. For others, staying in the workforce on a part-time basis, either out of necessity or by choice, is a core component of their retirement picture.Keeping a hand in the workforce is a growing trend, and for good reason: Part-time employment in retirement is a way to... READ MORE
Are artificial sweeteners bad for the brain?
Sometimes it seems like people trying to choose a healthy diet and watch their weight can’t catch a break.Past studies have linked the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and obesity. So it’s easy to understand the appeal of diet soft drinks and other artificially sweetened beverages.If you drink two cans of Coke per day,... READ MORE
