Why it’s great to have a pet companion in your golden years

Getting older doesn’t mean you have to give up your beloved pets, but you do have to be smart about which furry friends to bring home.

Reasons to Consider a Pet

While some older people may be concerned about their ability to take care of a pet as they age, a four-legged friend can provide health benefits and a social outlet in retirement.

Health Benefits – The evidence supporting the benefits of pets isn’t all anecdotal in nature. A number of scientific studies have measured the positive impact pets can have on health and well-being. For example, Loyola University researchers found five to 15 minutes of animal therapy each day was associated with a 28 percent drop in the need for oral pain medication among patients recovering from joint-replacement surgery.

Social Benefits – Other seniors use their pets as means to promote social interaction. Some people have regular coffee dates with their pets in tow, while others head to local dog parks to chat with fellow pet owners.

Which Pets are Best?

For most seniors, a pet choice may come down to either a dog or a cat. For those who want a cat, the biggest consideration may be whether to get a short or longhair breed. Longhair cats may require regular brushing and could shed more than those with shorter hair.

Dogs are more complicated, and it is recommended that seniors stick with older animals. Puppies are really challenging, what most seniors need is a pet that is somewhat docile and has had some training.

Smaller dogs are recommended over big dogs, since they are more portable, cheaper to feed and may be more accepted in an assisted living facility should that become necessary.

It is also advised that seniors that are nearing retirement to take a wait-and-see attitude before jumping into pet ownership. You could decide to move closer to your kids. You could travel more, you really need to see where your life is going first.

For those seniors who are seeking animal companionship for the golden years, there are plenty of resources available to help find the perfect pet.

Pinelands Grove Retirement Village is the perfect senior community establishment for you! Make sure that your retirement dream becomes a reality - book your place today!

Five things you don’t know about retirement

Retirement means something different to everyone you may ask. But almost everyone focuses on the financial side of retirement, and not on the emotional changes we face during that time of our lives. So, what is retirement? That depends on who you ask.

Recent studies show that our general unpreparedness for retirement extends far beyond financial readiness.

Here are the 5 common themes of what we don’t know about retirement…

Keeping busy is harder than you would expect – Once your days are freed up from the grind of a job, it can be difficult to find fulfilling and affordable activities to keep you busy and motivated. Your challenge is to find a balance between downtime and activity – and you’ll have to do it frugally!

You have to expect the unexpected – You have been an adult long enough to realise that life is always changing, and this will prove even more true in retirement. Your retirement bliss may be much different than you imagined, so it’s important to have a financial cushion for these changes so you’re able to roll with the punches and still enjoy life.

You’re doing better than you thought – Sure, you’re not that guy on a sailboat in beautiful clear waters with the wind in his hair, but you’re probably just as well off as your neighbour, or you might be doing even better! Most retired couples can live comfortably on 50 to 60 per cent of what they earned when working.

You have more time than you think – Although retirement is sometimes seen as the dwindling twilight period of life, in fact it’s just another stage of life that will last longer than you anticipate. It is likely that you have a couple of decades to enjoy this phase of your life.

You have options – When you stop getting a regular pay cheque it can be a scary thing, but don’t panic. If you feel like you are financially ready for retirement, there are plenty of options. These days it not unusual for a retiree to find a whole new career after retirement, but if staying in the work force doesn’t appeal to you, there are other ways to pay your retirement fund, like downsizing your home.

That’s retirement nowadays and probably a whole lot of other things we haven’t even discovered yet.

Looking for gracious living in a beautiful community establishment? Pinelands Grove Retirement Village could be the perfect place for you! 

11 Tips for starting a business after retirement

Many people who are heading towards retirement today are thinking about work instead of looking forward to relaxing in their golden years. Some of the focus on punching the clock is necessity and some of it is a desire, but many also enjoy work and want to continue to use their skills.

Here are 11 tips for starting your own business in or near retirement:

- Determine whether your idea is really a good business plan. What problem does it solve?
Make sure you are completely honest with yourself about the business idea that you come up with. If your passion doesn’t seem to translate into a proper business, maybe it’s better to leave it as a hobby.

- Evaluate your skills.
Do you have the ability to do all the tasks necessary to make your business a complete success? It’s vital for you to be good at what you’re doing; you have to have the passion and the skills.

- Consider the time involved.
Most people don't want to work 80 hours a week, or even 40 hours a week, once they've reached retirement. You need to figure out a way to do it in a way that’s not time consuming.

- Get good advice.
Most cities have low-cost resources to help beginning entrepreneurs. You should also look for conferences and trade associations in your field.

- Figure out how to finance your startup.
If you need six figures to get your dream business off the ground, you may need funding or investors, which create additional layers of complication. Don't invest money you can't afford to lose.

- Know if you want to manage others or can handle the isolation of working alone.
Many people who start businesses in retirement don't want the burden of managing employees. On the other hand, if you're running a one-person business, you'll end up spending a lot of time by yourself, and not everyone likes that either. 

- Have an exit strategy.
If you start a business when you're 65, you may be ready to stop running it when you're 75. Have a plan, whether it is to leave the business to your children, sell it or just shut it down.

- Use your professional connections.
People who have been in the workforce for a long time know a lot of people. That gives you immediate access to potential customers as well as consultants who can help you get your business off the ground.

- Embrace technology.
If you're going to run a business, you may need to learn social media, online commerce, website management and other technical skills.

- Protect your assets.
Make sure your business structure protects your assets. The best way to do that will vary by state and by the size of the business. If your business goes down the tubes, you don't want to lose your savings as well.

- Don’t expect overnight success.
You may need to try several things and radically change your initial business plan before you find a formula that works. Let yourself experience new stuff and try new things.

For a retirement village that combines gracious living and an attractive location to provide you with a new standard of retired living in a vibrant community establishment. Visit Pinelands Grove Retirement Village, and make sure to book your spot.

How to get rid of the senior stereotyping

We all recognise those ‘older age’ stereotypes. We see them everywhere in the media and advertising: silly, forgetful older people unable to choose an insurance product or a healthy diet. What many people don’t realise is that these stereotypes can lead to serious discrimination!

In the jobs’ market, but also in shops and restaurants and other services, older people are ignored or treated poorly. Stereotypes distort reality by generalising what might be the case in just a few. 

The view that ‘all older people are forgetful’ is usually applied to everyone over 50. Because of this, perfectly capable people are denied jobs. Businesses and the economy are the losers, as well as the capable older people forced into poverty. 

Do all people over 65 have major health problems? 

Facts show that many in this age group are fit and active and contributing, and will remain so for years to come. This older age group also records higher levels of personal happiness. 

To tackle these stereotypes and discrimination, there needs to be evidence. A study was done on the stereotypes about older people:

- 59 per cent of people feel that seniors are more likely to be lonely or isolated
- 52 per cent feel that older people are more likely to be victims of crime
- 51 per cent feel older people are more likely to be forgetful
- 43 per cent feel older people don’t like being told what to do by someone younger.

Older people are vastly underrepresented in the media – people of age are barely featured in any advertising content, and when they are, they are shown as frail or weak, as victims, or in poor health.

So, what should happen?

The media should represent older people realistically, in all their diversity. Advertisers should aim at real older people, not imagined stereotyped versions of them.

The rest of us can challenge stereotypical remarks, start conversations about the contributions of older people, and point to the many older people who you know in jobs and volunteering. And think of yourself thirty years down the track – where would you like to be? 

Not everyone views seniors like this, for well-established community living in the beautiful suburb of Pinelands - book your place at Pinelands Grove Retirement Village!

Older adults need good nutrition

Just when you think that margarine is better for you than butter, you hear about something called trans-fatty acids. And what the heck are antioxidants?

It’s not surprising that people fins all the nutritional information in the media extremely confusing and hard to follow. However, you can make a difference in your health by using your common sense.

As people age, the quality of their diets are more important than ever. Good nutrition is vital for everything from healthy eyes to a strong immune system.

Here are some helpful tips to help seniors live healthier and still enjoy good food…

Think colour – The more colourful your diet, the more disease fighters you’re eating. Aim to eat at least three colours on your plate at every meal, and five total servings of fruit and vegetables each day.

Enjoy special foods you love (in moderation) – Bake your favourite pie, cake or cookies, eat a few for yourself and then give the rest away. Always measure out a small portion of the snack food or desert you want to eat, so you don’t overdo it.

Eat more fish – Just 2 ounces of fish a day can reduce the risk of heart attack by 60%. The fatty acids in fish also benefit people with hypertension, arthritis and diabetes.

Move meat out of the starring role – Focus mainly on building your meal around fruits, vegetables and whole grains like bulgur, whole grain rice and barley.

Make the best choices for fats and oils – Switch from stick margarine to a spread that is free from trans-fatty acids. Save butter for those special occasions and recipes.

Pay attention to calcium and Vitamin D – Older adults need 1,200 mg of calcium per day. Include in your daily diet orange juice and low-fat or dairy-free dairy products, you can even talk to your doctor about a calcium supplement.

Take a multivitamin-mineral supplement – Pick one that does not exceed 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance for any nutrient. Talk with your doctor to make sure you pick on that is appropriate for your needs.

Above all, remember to enjoy food – Healthy eating is flexible and may vary with your schedule, emotions, hunger level and overall health at any given time. Incorporate healthy habits over time, small and sustained changes are what matter in the long run.

Pinelands Grove Retirement Village is a vibrant senior community that will bring all your desires to life. Enjoy the finer elements of life at this well-established retirement village. 

Socially active seniors are less likely to become disabled

Many seniors have a fear of disability. Imagine not being able to feed or dress yourself, or get around on your own. Fortunately there are things you can do to significantly reduce your risk of disability.

Social Activity can help prevent physical disability
Staying physically active can help , of course, but a new study conducted at a medical centre shows that seniors who take part in a high level of social activity are about twice as likely to remain disability-free! This means that they will be able to do daily activities like feeding, bathing, dressing and walking around.

Socially active seniors are also about 1.5 times as likely to remain free of disabilities that affect instrumental activities, such as using the telephones, preparing meals and walking up and down flights of stairs.

At Pinelands Grove Retirement Village, our community establishment can cater for many different social activities.

What socially active means
To assess the effect of social activity on the development of disabilities, researchers studied the lives of nearly a thousand seniors with an average age of 82. They evaluated how often they went to restaurants or sporting events, played bingo, went on day trips or overnight trips and visited friends or relatives.

Social activity and healthy aging
Social activity has long been recognised as an important part of healthy living, but now there is strong evidence that it is related to better every day functioning and less disability in old age.

These findings are exciting because socially activity is potentially a risk factor that can be modified to help older adults avoid the burden of disability. So, stay healthy and stay socially active!

Winter Warming for Seniors

As the cold weather approaches, you will start to feel that winter chill. The windows may rattle and the cold breeze may come through your back door, even when it’s closed. These are signs of the chilly draft stealing your heat and making it harder to get warm!

It is important for older adults to prepare for the potential risks that cold weather can bring. For all the seniors out there experiencing winter right now, it may pose a number of risks. As winter creeps closer, there are much higher incidences of injury and illness due to icy or wet pavements, cold and dry air, flu viruses and in some rare cases, hypothermia.

Seniors should keep these tips in mind to help ensure safety and optimum health this winter:

- Older adults are more susceptible to hypothermia (even though it is rare), which occurs when too much heat escapes the body. It is important to dress very warmly and keep dry, but it is also important to remember good nutrition. Food provides the fuel we need to keep warm. Hot food and warm drinks, like soups and hot chocolate, are best to warm the body from the inside.

- When going outdoors, remember to dress warmly. Wear layered, loose-fitting clothing and gloves. When possible, wear a hat top protect heat loss. It’s a fact that close to half of all body heat is lost through the head.

- You can prevent winter hazards simply by planning ahead. Before winter gets here, check all your windows and doors for cracked or worn seals. In emergency cases, you can just staple a sheet of plastic tarp over a really old window.

- To avoid slips and falls, wear non-slip/skid boots or any other shoes that have plenty of traction. Also ensure that you wear warm, winter boots and thick socks to keep your feet from getting too cold.

- Cold weather can put a lot of extra strain on the heart. When doing winter chores, always do some warm-up exercises first and take many breaks.

- When you use a portable heater, plug the heater directly into an outlet – don’t use an extension cord! Make sure the outlet and the wiring are in good condition. Keep the area around the heater clear of any furniture, newspaper or any other flammable materials and take special care to avoid tripping over cords.

These simple tips will help seniors to be completely safe and healthy this winter. So, plug up those drafts, bundle up, and increase your chances of staying healthy!

At Pinelands Grove Retirement Village, we offer you healthy living and wellness in a safe, secure environment. A new way of living is created in this vibrant community establishment, where you can enjoy the finer elements of life!