Tech for Seniors - CES 2010's "Silvers Summit"

Technology for "seniors" was a new category at last year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Gilbert Guide's Laurie Orlov reported on ten new tech items from CES 2009 last year including special phones, home security, and and even an electronic pill box:

Check out here report here: Gilbert Guide

This year's CES - in January of 2010, promises more new technologies geared to our retirement crowd and Retire USA will be there to check out the best of the latest and greatest which are featured as part of the show's "Silvers Summit" which will be covered at Technology Report as well as here at the Retire USA blog.

CES 2010 Silvers Summit Website

Oregon’s Prescription for Health Care Reform

Source: AARP.org

Amidst all the yelling and screaming about health care reform that’s been going on nationally, Oregon lawmakers passed sweeping health reforms—one of AARP Oregon’s top priorities—this legislative session.

Despite a dismal economy, the state will add more Oregonians to the ranks of the insured—more than any other state—in the coming year and puts several other measures into motion to control costs, improve delivery and quality, and ensure transparency and accountability.

“It became clear that investing in health and tackling health care reform was one of the most promising solutions to creating a healthy Oregon and addressing and turning around the state’s economic woes, which were fueled by growing job losses and soaring health costs hurting individuals, families and businesses alike,” said Jerry Cohen, State Director of AARP Oregon. “It’s a universal challenge that truly affects everyone and knows no political bounds. Hopefully, we can show the country that it can and needs to be done.”

Cohen said the reforms in House Bills 2009 and 2116 were based on recommendations of the Oregon Health Fund Board, which counted AARP Oregon’s Volunteer State President Ray Miao of Bend among its seven members. The board developed its plan over the past two years after nearly 100 public meetings and gathering citizen input from every corner of the state as well as international, national and state policy experts. Senate Bill 329, another top AARP priority, created the Board and started the process in the 2007 legislative session.

The reforms underway include:

• Expanding health coverage to 80,000 children and 35,000 more low-income adults. Called Healthy Kids, the program is being rolled out in three phases, beginning now and continuing through January 2010. Call 877-314-5678 toll-free or visit www.oregonhealthykids.gov now to learn more and enroll your children or grandchildren today.
• Creating a new regulatory agency, the Oregon Health Authority, that will join together most of the state’s health-related programs into one streamlined entity. The Authority, overseen by a nine-member, citizen-led board called the Oregon Health Policy Board, will lead reform efforts, maximize efficiencies and reduce duplicative efforts.
• Creating a statewide database of all health care claims by all medical providers so consumers can make more informed health decisions based on both cost and quality outcomes.
• Increasing the focus on prevention and disease management by coordinating patient-centered care through “primary care homes.”
• Standardizing and simplifying insurance paperwork to lower costs and cut through the red tape that hampers and slows down patient care.
• Requiring transparency and accountability of health care dollars by requiring timely, transparent reporting of construction and technology investments as well as increasing the input process prior to insurance rate increases and decisions.
• Investing in health technology, workforce development and a health insurance exchange will allow easy, protected sharing of medical information between providers, ensure access to quality care no matter where you live, and to provide one-stop shopping to insurance options for individuals and businesses.

Duane Anderson, a semi-retired audiologist from Portland, has been a long-time AARP volunteer, advocating for passage of health reform legislation in both the 2007 and 2009 Oregon Legislature. He and his wife, Dana, are raising their now 5-year-old granddaughter, Victory.

“Whether it’s ensuring all kids have access to health care, controlling skyrocketing costs or putting a focus on wellness and disease prevention, Oregon’s on the right track,” Anderson said. “It’s rewarding to have been part of something that will make such a positive difference in the health of Oregonians of all ages and that can be a catalyst and model of change for the country.”

The Million Dollar Home Market

With the economic challenges and many retirees returning to work most folks are not in the market for a luxury home. However if retirement has treated you very well you may be in the market for a home upgrade to a luxury home, and there has probably never been a better time in US history than right now to find some remarkable bargains on luxury residential properties.

Fortune Magazine profiles several great homes in several states.

Of course a key challenge in a market where housing is "cheap" is that it's generally much harder to sell your own house. However for those who are upgrading to a more expensive home the relative advantages of buying now may outweigh disadvantages of the down economy as long as you are certain you can sustain the higher payments and costs that are generally a part of owning a luxury home.

In terms of "savings" the advantages can be significant.

For example let's look at the relative cost savings of upgrading in a down market:

You sell your home that was formerly worth $500,000 for only $400,000. Your paper "loss" is $100,000

However assuming the same percentage loss of 20% you are likely to find a luxury home that formerly would have cost $1,000,000 for only $800,000 - a cost "savings" of a whopping $200,000 over the cost of that home just a few years ago.

In this case you have saved a net $100,000 over the cost of the upgrade if you'd sold and bought the *same two homes* when prices were higher.

Of course the down side of this situation can happen to those who are downsizing. If the home you buy is *cheaper* than the one you have sold your relative costs to make the switch are higher. To see how simply reverse roles in the above example and become the seller of that million dollar luxury place.

Many experts expect home prices to stabilize in 1-2 years but in the meantime there are sure to be some amazing bargains for those able to take advantage of them. Here at RetireUSA we are hoping you are in that lucky group!

World's Most Liveable Cities from LIFE Magazine

The USA didn't fare too well in LIFE Magazine's recent profiles of the top ten move livable cities in the world which featured no US cities. However Canada, our neighbor to the north, managed to score 3 of the ten spots with Toronto, Ontario, Vancouver British Columbia, and Calgary, Alberta.

But before you renounce citizenship or get a passport (now required for trips to Canada) and pack your bags keep in mind that it gets pretty darn cold in Toronto and Calgary. Personally that fact alone would lower those cities off my own list of favored retirement areas which would certainly include an option for an Oregon Retirement . I'd also certainly have San Diego California on my list where the weather is about as good as it can get year-round and the amenities are spectacular.

US News: Top Ten Places to Live in USA

US News has ratee these ten US Cities as the top ten best places to live in the country. The links lead to more detail about each. Albuquerque NM is the big winner:

Along the banks of the Rio Grande, with the Sandia Mountains in the background, is the beautiful city of Albuquerque, N.M. The sunny climate and endless landscape have long drawn writers, poets, and artists to this spot, which includes an unconventional mix of American Indian, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures. But it's not just freethinkers who drift to this Southwestern city of 511,000. Kirtland Air Force Base, Sandia National Laboratories, and Intel Corp. have helped develop the area into a manufacturing and research hub. They provide a stable anchor for the local economy.

1. Albuquerque, New Mexico

2. Auburn, Alabama.

3. Austin, Texas

4. Boise, Idaho

5. Durham, North Carolina

6. La Crosse, Wisconsin

7. Loveland, Colorado

8. San Luis Obispo, California

9. St. Augustine, Florida

10. Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania

Best Places to Live 2009.

If your city isn't on the first list of "Best Places to Live" for 2009 don't fret, as it may turn up on any of the many other lists that rank cities and locations in different ways. Here's a sample of this year's best "best places" lists:

Relocate-America Top 100 Places to Live

World's Best Places to Live 2009: - Business Week

The-Worlds-Best-Places-to-Live-2009: Personal Finance News from ...

Kiplinger's Best Cities - Best Places to Live, Smartest Cities

Best Places to Live in 2009 - International Living Magazine

Best Places to Live 2009 - Boston Magazine

AskMen.com's Top 29: Best Cities To Live In - 2009 Edition

Baltimore Magazine - Best Places to Live 2009

Physical screening to improve balance

The first step to take before beginning any kind of balance training program is to have a complete physical evaluation by your family physician. Be sure it is safe for you to begin an exercise program. Talk to your doctor about what kind of exercise is right for you, and then do it regularly. Exercise makes you stronger and improves your balance!

Ask your family physician for a referral to a Physical Therapist who will be able to do a thorough evaluation of your strength, range of motion, and balance in order to set up an individualized program to correct any deficits and help improve your balance.

Join a fitness club and continue with this program once you have completed your instruction with the Physical Therapist. Sometimes the Physical Therapist can accompany you to the fitness club and train you on the specific machines that are best suited for you, and techniques that help you avoid injury. Or you can work with a Personal Trainer, a Certified Senior Strength Trainer, or a knowledgeable employee at the fitness center.

Have your hearing checked. Many balance issues can be attributed to inner ear dysfunction.

Have your blood pressure checked regularly.

Have your vision checked and make sure your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription is up to date and appropriate. It goes without saying that your depth perception can influence how you move your body through space. Have you ever tried going downstairs with your reading glasses on and suddenly everything looked blurry or out of focus?

Have your feet checked for decreased sensation or feeling. Be mindful of a diabetic condition called neuropathy. This is not only painful, but can definitely interfere with your balance.

Be aware of any other disease processes that may affect your balance, as well as changes in mental status or activity level.

Have your pharmacist or your doctor review your current medications for side effects and drug interactions that may result in conditions such as drowsiness or dizziness.

Better balance: an important issue for retirees

As we age, our balance is affected (and not in a good way!) by several factors. Gravity takes its toll on our posture, as does sitting at a computer or in a recliner chair for most of the day. Poor posture causes our spine to be out of alignment which therefore affects our balance. Loss of flexibility and strength also contribute to a decline in the body’s responses to situations in which balance is challenged. Decreased circulation can negatively influence the brain’s ability to recover from loss of balance. Declining sensory input such as hearing, vision, and sensation are additional factors that contribute to falls. Muscles that are deconditioned from inactivity are less efficient in preventing falls.
The good news is, that many of these physical and neurological losses can be compensated for. Other factors that can help us avoid falls have to do with how we manage our physical environment.
As a Certified Senior Strength Trainer and specializing in age-associated issues, I would like to offer some helpful suggestions in my next several blogs. Some are aimed at basic home safety, while others include exercises and balance drills.
As always, before beginning any kind of exercise program, be sure you have cleared this with your family physician. And if you want to try some of the balance activities, be sure you have someone to spot you, or are in an area where you can be safe while performing them.

Home safety in retirement Part 4

As a last word on this subject, I want to discuss home safety for seniors that live alone. As an example, let’s take my friend Karen (fellow blogger on RetireUSA). She is a very youthful and active retiree, a member of the Ashland Rowing Club, an avid gardener, enthusiastic hiker, and participant in yoga classes. While we are “best friends” and usually chat on the phone or e-mail every day, these conversations often occur early in the morning, and then perhaps we don’t touch base again for another 24 hours or longer. In the interim, she has gone out hiking with her dog, or has been busily repairing her chicken coop or some plumbing issue in her garden irrigation system, and has accidentally tripped and fallen. Now what? It gets very cold here in Oregon at night, up until the summer months, and spending hours on the ground could present serious health issues in addition to the pain from the broken bone or whatever happened in the fall.

One solution is to subscribe to a system such as Lifeline. This is a small device that is worn like a wristwatch, or around the neck like a medallion. You can designate the people you want to be called in an emergency, in whatever order you choose, by just pushing one button on the device. For example, Karen might want to have me contacted first, but if I’m not home, the system would automatically continue to call the next number on the list like Jan or Marianne. If none of us are available, the system keeps scrolling through Karen’s list until it finally contacts someone. Some people prefer to have the system call 911 immediately.

Another option is to carry your cell phone or portable device in your pocket or a small pack at all times. However, this is not as reliable as Lifeline, since you may forget to keep it with you, whereas Lifeline is worn like a piece of jewelry at all times.

Retirement Home Safety Part 3

A last series of home safety tips involving the exterior of your home.

1) Install railings in all stair cases, inside and out.
2) Make sure existing stair railings are solid and in good repair.
3) Make sure outside lighting is adequate, especially on uneven walkways.
4) Keep sidewalks and pathways free from debris and loose gravel.
5) Wet leaves and other decaying plant matter are slippery – keep walkways clean and swept.
6) Beware of icy conditions on driveways, sidewalks, and steps.
7) Use double-sided tape to keep outdoor rugs from slipping.
8) Paint a contrasting color or a strip of brightly colored tape on the front edge of all steps so you can see them better.
9) Make sure there are handrails on both sides of the stairs, and that they are as long as the stairs themselves.
10) Fix loose or uneven steps. Make sure the steps are of equal height, and that they conform to current building codes.
11) If you need wheelchair access to your home, be sure any ramp is built to conform with building codes as well. Even a very slight incline can be terrifying if you are trying to negotiate that slope in a wheelchair! I believe the standard is: For every inch of rise, you need 12 inches of run. This can result in a very long ramp, which may require switchbacks in order to fit it onto your available property. Again, it is critical that you consult a professional before adding a structure like this. Your local Senior Services agency can probably refer you to the appropriate resources.