Friendly Follow-Ups

August 27th, 2008 by Kristyne McDaniel

Having a family can be a wonderful thing. By nature, families are designed to provide love and support to members in need and act as an exclusive little society that it is a pleasure to belong to. However, they can also have an extremely negative effect on individual members. Some people find their families to be stifling because their opinions and perspectives can ultimately come into conflict with those of the individual. Depending on whether your family is liberal or conservative, the level of support for another’s ideals and beliefs can vary greatly. This applies to seniors as much as it does to teenagers for a variety of reasons.

Supportive families will rally round a senior whenever they are needed. Many seniors fight to protect their independence at all costs, and the most supportive families will respect their decisions whilst keeping a watchful eye purely out of concern for their family member. Whether you decide to sky dive or play golf, a supportive family will back your decision a hundred percent, even if they do express their concerns if you do decide to jump out of a plane. If they didn’t in that situation then there would be something seriously wrong with the family unit as a whole. The families that are supportive are a tremendous asset and are easy to spend time with. You should take most of the credit for that, having raised the older member of the family unit.

Some families try to be supportive but end up being extremely suffocating, usually because of their disapproval. If a family disapproves of your actions or decisions, then it usually means that they care too much. A common trait of this family is a reversal of roles. A daughter may lecture her senior mother or father on how to live his or her life respectably. It may be patronising and very irritating, but she will only do it because she cares. This sort of family is easy to manipulate because they do care a great deal. It usually only takes a quite discussion to allow them to see your viewpoint. Simply reminding family members of the boundaries that you have set as the older member will often lead to them backing off, and may even switch them into supportive mode.

With the stifling family, it may be difficult to spend time with them as a collective until you have a chance to re-establish boundaries. Taking part in outings will allow you to spend time with them without the added hassle of lectures. However, you should still strive to make the most of what you have. The amount of joy that you can get out of spending time with your family is unparalleled. You could try involving your family in your hobbies, having family get together once a week at your home, or visiting them regularly.

Regardless of the type of family you have, you should always strive to allow them to live their own lives. They are not at your beck and call and do not have as much time on their hands as you do. They have to work for a living and shouldn’t be expected to amuse you every minute that they are not. Some seniors forget this and it does cause resentment. Enjoying your family is all about give and take, and as long as you avoid the pitfalls of overstepping the boundaries then you can make them an integral part of your retirement.

August 21st, 2008 by Kristyne McDaniel

Every now and again you may read newspaper or magazine articles that the fashion industry has been criticized for its sizing system, or lack of one as the case may be. This is appearing to happen on a more and more regular basis. There is no unique and specific sizing system in place that governs the entire world fashion industry. Instead, individual stores and brands are free to choose the dimensions of the garments that they produce and sell. As a result, a size that fit you perfectly in one store may be too small or too big in another. Seniors especially suffer as a result of this baffling inconsistency. It is gradually getting harder to find anything to fit you, and that simple fact makes clothes shopping a chore rather than being the pleasurable experience that it should be!

There are ways to avoid the hassle of the high street and once again begin to enjoy clothes shopping as the pleasurable activity that it can be. Clothes are available from a variety of sources and in this day and age you should not limit yourself to actual store shopping. Although you can fully appreciate the feel and look of clothing by trying them on in a main shopping are boutique, this is not the be all and end of clothes shopping. Trying garments on can ultimately be disheartening and send your confidence on a downward spiral. The lighting is often harsh and can make you look like a complete mess when in reality you actually don’t. It tends to highlight all lumps and bumps as well as magnifying wrinkles and marks. It really doesn’t matter that the clothes actually look like on you because your focus will not be on them.

Shopping on Internet websites and through catalogues can be so much more fulfilling. They tend to offer a wider range of sizes that regular stores and always have these sizes in stock. You don’t have to try the clothes on to get a rough idea of whether it will fit your or not because most online stores have a web page that alerts you to the true measurements of every size. By measuring yourself at home, you can work out whether the garments on sale will fit or not. Catalogues also have the same premise. They have sizing pages, seemingly endless stocks and show a true likeness of the clothes for you to examine at your leisure. One extra bonus of catalogue and Internet shopping is that their returns policy generally isn’t as stringent as in store returns policies. They understand that there are a variety of reasons why people return goods and do not hold it against them.

One thing that concerns seniors most about clothing in modern stores is that most brands actually cater for the youth culture rather then the older generations. Clothing is generally designed for the sake of fashion rather than comfort. However, sixty year olds don’t want the latest fashions. As a result, you may need to visit quite a few stores before finding a few that you are willing to shop in. Again, catalogues come in handy because they cater for all tastes. However, it may be worth asking friends where they shop for clothes. Recommendations are always more reliable than Internet ones, and they can save you the time and trouble of trawling through shopping precincts.

Clothing is an integral part of everyday life because of common decency laws and morals, thus you do have to shop for it whether you like it or not. Why not make the most of it with the top five tips listed:
1. Shop on the Internet and in catalogues
2. Gather the opinions of friends before looking at a particular store
3. Avoid changing rooms like the plague
4. Check out sizing measurements rather than actual labelled sizes
5. Measure yourself before venturing out of the house to clothes shop

If you take these tips on board then you won’t go far wrong when you shop for clothes!

August 15th, 2008 by Kristyne McDaniel

People of all ages and backgrounds have a fondness for shopping. It is a universal activity that can provide a common ground for even the most diverse of personalities to be able to get along. Whether it is the freedom of being able to choose your own food, clothes, furniture and entertainment or the excitement of spending the fruits of labour to make you feel better, everybody has a reason to want to shop! However, as you get older, the experience can become more exhausting and significantly less fun than it once was. Maybe you are unable to get around as well as you used to or maybe you now hate the crowds instead of thriving on them. Seniors should not see it as a chore though. It should be more of a challenge and chance to engage in a meaningful activity that makes the most of your everyday freedom!

1. Comfortable shoes - Never go on the long trek around the supermarket or high street without comfortable shoes on your feet. You can cause yourself more aches and pains by wearing the wrong footwear than you can by hauling bags around various stores before heading back the car. Your neck and back are the most vulnerable areas of the body for seniors, so look after them if you are going to be spending an active day on your feet. Regardless of what you wear on the rest of your body, invest in a good pair of shoes!
2. Hand cart - If you visit the local supermarket or high street then I am sure that you will see a good many fellow seniors shopping with a hand cart or mobile basket. You may rebel against the idea because of pride, but it makes a lot of sense to have one. Not only can you put all of your shopping in there without having to carry it around, but you can also lean on it if you are staring to feel weary. The hand cart truly is the most useful tool you will ever take on a shopping trip!
3. Bargain hunt - Never ever settle for the first price you get on an item. For every price, there is always another one that is lower so you should set yourself a challenge every time that you go shopping - always go on a bargain hunt to see just how low you can go! Not only will this save you money, but it will also introduce you to other bargains out there.
4. Plan your route - Always shop in a logical fashion. Choose a starting point of every shopping trip in advance. Maybe you will start on one side of the road or at one end of the supermarket before working your way around the stores available. Either way, if you do this then you will not lose sight of where you have been and waste needless energy scurrying around and covering ground that you have already visited once.
5. Coffee breaks - The best part of every shopping trip! Take regular breaks to restore your energy before moving on to the next lot of shops! If you are shopping with a friend then this is the perfect opportunity to catch up, as well as providing you with a well-earned rest!

Shopping can be extremely fun if you do it right, otherwise it can just be an absolute pain and put you off for life. Always remember that it is an activity that can keep you occupied and provide a form of exercise as long as you get it right and avoid the stress that can also come with it!

August 12th, 2008 by Kristyne McDaniel

Have you ever seen an 80 year old out walking his or her dog as you are on your way to work? If you have, and especially if it is at some ungodly time in the morning, then you will be wondering exactly how they do it? How can a senior in the later years of life actually take care of a pet? Now that you are coming up to retirement, or have retired as the case may be, you may actually begin to understand why seniors have pets. Pets, especially dogs and cats, provide a senior with company that can bring them an extraordinary amount of comfort for them when they begin to feel lonely. This is especially applicable to those seniors who do not have family, have family elsewhere or are widowed. However, choosing to have a pet is a big commitment for anyone, especially seniors who may suffer health difficulties in years to come. There are many things to consider before getting a pet, some of which are outlined below.

You must primarily consider your own heath when it comes to getting a new pet as a senior. Are you in good health? Could you walk it every day? Can you provide it with the attention it needs? These are the three key questions that you need to ask before even thinking deeper about it. If you can barely take care of yourself then it is no good having a pet because it will simply add to your workload and make life even more of a struggle for you. However, if you can take care of yourself, you need to make sure that you can dedicate yourself to another living thing.

Having a pet will remove some of your freedom, whether you like it or not. You cannot go on day trips and leave a dog or cat locked in the house on its own all day. Both creatures need a certain degree of stimulation, and in the case of a dog, a lot of fuss and attention. Neglecting an animal can be detrimental to its health and could lead to prosecution for you. Therefore the pet always needs to come first. If you can live without leaving the house for above 10 hours at a stretch then you are halfway there!

Dogs and cats can be extremely loving and enhance your life no end. If you live on your own, then you may find it comforting to having a living being to talk to and look after. Pets can give a sense of meaning to anyone’s life. You should never underestimate the power of having someone to care for, especially if you have been looking after someone all your life. Dogs especially will return any love that you how them tenfold. They make extremely loyal and affectionate pets, as well as providing you with some sort of security. This can also enhance your mental outlook because it can give you an unparalleled sense of safety in your own home.

As long as you are prepared for the mess and major upheaval that a new pet could cause then having one may suit you down to the ground. It would be a good idea to do some background research into what owning a pet entails though, especially if you have never had one before. After that, the choice is yours. Just make sure that you are prepared for a life changing experience.

August 9th, 2008 by Kristyne McDaniel

Retirement is the ideal time to get your life in complete order and take the time to make sure everything is just how you want it to be. Seniors have plenty of time on their hands to make plans and follow through with them instead of leaving jobs and tasks only half complete, which can serve to create an enduring mess that drives you insane but you lack the time to actually fix. Seniors years afford you all the time you actually need to make your life the way you have always wanted it to be, so why not start with your home? You no longer have children at home to create a new mess every day and you may well have enough disposable wealth to completely fund it without having to get financial help.

Giving your home a complete makeover can give you an immense sense of achievement and satisfaction. The results will be around for a long time so you can actually enjoy them, and the fruits of your labour can also revive your sense of being. Revamping your home gives you chance to let your creative juices flow. You can experiment with colours and designs of your own choosing, whether they happen to be unique because you have designed them or you have chosen existing designs to tweak to suit your own tastes and preferences. It may be worth bringing outside designers into your home to help you rework it or at least give you advice on what would go best and where. However, if you choose to do it entirely by yourself, then good luck to you.

You can use the Internet and interior design magazines to give you ideas. There are also useful how to sections on various websites that you can use to complete part of your new home yourself. There is nothing you cannot find out how to do out there, and all thanks to the era of information and technology! Do It Yourself websites tend to give information on basic tasks, such as installing a panelled or tile floor, installing a new shower and putting up furnishings like curtain rails and coving. However, you should always stop short of any integral work because that should be left up to an expert. Only experts who have trained in their field for years before qualifying should carry out rewiring and plumbing.

There are thousands of things you can do to redecorate your home, from redecorating the spare bedroom to having a conservatory installed to look out over your back yard. If you do insist on having a hand in the renovations then it is advisable to come up with a strict timetable. Not only will this ensure that any work is fully completed in a timely manner, it will also ensure that you do not do too much and put your health on the line. Be sensible about the goals that you set yourself because a senior body is not as young as you would like to believe. It is easy enough to strain your back or pull muscles that may take some time to heal if you push yourself too hard, so make sure that you only do as much as you can. Having a timetable will also make it possible to rearrange some tasks if necessary but keep the whole project on course.

Taking on a project can be healthy for a senior because it gives the individual a sense of purpose. You just have to remember that you are only human and can’t work miracles. Keep your goals realistic and then sit back and enjoy the results!

August 4th, 2008 by Kristyne McDaniel

As we all get older, we become set in our ways and certain things become a part of our daily routines. Driving is one of them. The freedom being able to drive brings is unparalleled. If you can drive, you can go where you please whenever you please. However, seniors have to be more responsible when it comes to their time on the road. Seniors usually make the best drivers, simply because they have the experience to avoid problems and accidents, which may be a reason why insurance gets progressively lower as a driver gets older. However, there does come a time when a senior must part ways with the freedom of the road.

If you have reached senior age and are still driving, you do need to take precautions before heading out onto the road. Most of these precautions are common sense but are designed to make you that little bit safer on the road, both for yourself and for other drivers in general. Firstly, you must book in regular eye tests and doctor’s health checks. Both sorts of appointment can highlight any health problems that may impede your driving and compromise your safety.

Your eyesight is especially important because it enables you to spot and avoid hazards on the road, including other drivers when necessary! If you need vision correction glasses then always wear them when your drive, and get them updated as often as necessary so that they are the correct strength for driving. However, general eyesight is not the main cause of accidents involving a senior driver. That dubious honor goes to senior drivers out after dark. Night vision is actually the most pressing problem for the majority of seniors on the road. Some seniors do not feel safe, and thus don’t feel confident when they are driving after dark. Driving too slowly actually causes just as many accidents as driving too fast. Other senior drivers just cannot see very well in the dark. Either way, if you do want to continue driving the best option is simply this - only drive in the light of day!

Afflictions such as arthritis can affect your ability to drive safely. A stiffening of muscles and joints restricts your ability to move and therefore also impedes your reactions should you have to avoid a potential accident. Some doctors and physiotherapists will advise seniors with arthritis to stretch or go through a quick exercise routine before getting behind the wheel of a car. They can tailor a little routine to your own personal needs, providing that you do not suffer with a more severe form of arthritis of course.

If you do decide that it is time to hang up your keys for good, or are advised to by your doctor, there are always public transport incentives for local systems. Many seniors are eligible for the proverbial free bus pass and many other modes of transport actually give seniors discounted travel. As you are getting something for nothing here then it cannot be a bad deal, even if you loved driving and the freedom it gave you before.

The fact remains though that if you are not safe on the road then it is time to stop driving before you cause or are involved in a serious accident. Anyone who is unfit to drive, regardless of age, just serves to make the road a more dangerous place to be, which is not fair to everyone else. Pay particular attention to how you feel physically and mentally whilst you are driving, and you will know when the time is right to quit.

August 1st, 2008 by Kristyne McDaniel

One of the greatest joys in the life of any senior is their grandchildren. After doing the parent thing and being able to have the satisfaction of seeing your children grown into respectable and successful adults, you now get to look after their children, spoiling them rotten and then sending them home before they become too much of a handful! Grandchildren can inject a new lease of life into even the most exhausted of seniors and bring a new meaning to life. You may find yourself taking part in activities that you wouldn’t dream of and visiting places that you wouldn’t normally be caught dead in, but that is the beauty of looking after the young!

Grandchildren can be a handful but do tend to be better behaved for their grandparents than their parents. As you probably have more than enough experience of raising children then I am sure that you will be prepared for that, as well as the mind games that come with it. Discussing that first, children have a wonderful habit of trying to wrap certain adults who play an integral role in their upbringing around their little fingers and try to play them off against one another. In order to avoid the mind games, it may be wise to have a quick chat with your own children before agreeing to take care of the little ones for the day to see exactly what they have been up to. Not only is it delightful to catch up on their progress, this will also alert you to the tricks that they may try on you. As you weren’t born yesterday, this will fully equip you to deal with their complaints and comments as they come up.

The most important thing when looking after your grandchildren is to establish boundaries immediately. Children usually obey grandparental boundaries because they perceive them as law rather than guidelines for behaviour. For some reason, they respect them more and challenge them less than parental boundaries. As a result of this, you should endeavour to follow the rules that their parents have established in their upbringing thus far. Not only does this reinforce parental authority, it also provides them with continuity. It makes their rules less ambiguous and thus they are less likely to utter the phrase “But at grandma’s…” and any other variations of this that you can think of.

None of this is to say that you shouldn’t spoil your grandchildren rotten. After all, that is what grandparents are for! Grandchildren make seniors feel young again and, as a thank you, they deserve treats every now and again. However, using these treats as incentives can help to teach them vital qualities that they may miss at home. Temper tantrums and sulks can obscure parental teachings because children have a tendency to block out anything that they don’t want to hear. Coming from a grandparent bearing treats though it is an entirely different matter!

Any senior that has a grandchild or grandchildren should feel extremely blessed. There is nothing better than seeing your own flesh and blood grow into positive and honest human beings, but seniors should never lose sight of the fact that they are one of the major influences on their grandchildren’s lives. They will actively watch everything you do and copy it so they will pick up any bad habits you have. If you are a positive influence on them then you should take some of the credit for the way they turn out. Above all else though, you should enjoy the tie you spend with your grandchildren because any people never get the chance. Make the most of every second and relive your childhood!