Quality of death

The United Kingdom ranks number one in quality of death. Apparently, it's a few bricks short of a load in health care, but excels in death care. The Economist Intelligence Unit was commissioned by the Lien Foundation of Singapore, a philanthropic organization, to devise a ”Quality of Death” Index to rank countries according to their provision of end-of-life care. What makes up a "good death?" "The UK has led the way in terms of its hospice care network and statutory involvement in end-of-life care, and ranks top of 40 countries measured in the Index (see Figure 1). This is despite having a far-from-perfect healthcare system (indeed, it ranks 27th on the Basic End-of Life Healthcare Environment sub-category, which accounts for 20% of the overall score). But the UK is top in the Quality of End-of-Life Care sub-category, which includes indicators such as public awareness, training availability, access to pain killers and doctor- patient transparency (and accounts for 40% of the overall score)." The link is for the summary, but there is a white paper available.

EIU.com

Clean restrooms

If it's one thing we retired people appreciate, it's clean restrooms, right? Something in our anatomy means we need the facilities more often, and being retired, we travel more than before, so we're often gazing at something growing, or going.


The loveliest public facility on an interstate just has to be Salt Kettle in Illinois, between Danville and Champaign-Urbana. It's a place you can look forward to--worth crossing your leg for 'til you get there. The photo (taken from Google) doesn't show the setting. It probably wouldn't get a Golden Plunger award, however, the setting is worth not getting back in the car so quickly and taking off. There are a lovely pond, wonderful trees, and many birds and wildlife.

The modern version of an old song

An e-mail said Julie Andrews performed this for AARP, "My Favourite Things" from the legendary movie "The Sound Of Music." Here are the actual lyrics she used:

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favourite things.

Cadillac's and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favourite things..

When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favourite things.

Back pains, confused brains, and no need for sinnin',
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',
And we won't mention our short, shrunken frames,
When we remember our favourite things.

When the joints ache, When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.

B vitamins slow brain shrinkage

Just in time. Not a minute too soon.

"Results from the double-blind controlled trial, published in the journal Public Library of Science One, revealed the annual rate of brain atrophy in subjects who took B vitamins was almost 30 per cent less than those on a placebo. Researchers involved in the 24-month trial believe the findings may be the first step in finding a way to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s."

B vitamins slow brain shrinkage - Pharmacy News

"Homocysteine-Lowering by B Vitamins Slows the Rate of Accelerated Brain Atrophy in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial," A David Smith, Stephen M Smith, Celeste A de Jager, Philippa Whitbread, Carole Johnston, Grzegorz Agacinski, Abderrahim Oulhaj, Kevin M Bradley, Robin Jacoby, Helga Refsum

PLoS ONE: Research Article, published 08 Sep 2010, 10.1371/journal.pone.0012244

Easy to follow check list for estate planning and paper trail

This March 24 article in the NYT is a good reminder. It covers wills and trusts; beneficiaries; health care proxies and guardianship; titling of assets; non-marriage relationships; and perhaps most important, finding the documents when you're gone.

Paper Trail

I'll take what they're having

Congress has wonderful health care--they have choices. Lots of them. Apparently, that works for them.

The current US senate turns out to be the oldest on average of any senate in history. It makes a good selling point for young challengers, but it’s really a side effect of increasing longevity. The Senate Historical Office reports that the average age of senators at the start of this, the 111th congress, was 62.7 years. The average in the first congress, over 200 years ago, was a mere 47. Blog, Prospect Magazine

"As soon as members of Congress are sworn in, they may participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). The program offers an assortment of health plans from which to choose, including fee-for-service, point-of-service, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In addition, Congress members can also insure their spouses and their dependents. . ."

Read more at Suite101: Health Care for U.S. Congress: Politicians Receive the Country’s Best Care - at Taxpayers' Expense

Here come the Boomers

"By 2029, all of the baby boomers (those born in the post World War II period 1946–1964) will be age 65 years and over (1). As a result, the population age 65–74 years will increase from 6% to 10% of the total population between 2006 and 2030 (data table for Figure 1). As the baby boomers age, the population 75 years of age and over will rise from 6% in 2006 to 9% of the population by 2030 and continue to grow to 12% in 2050. By 2040, the population age 75 years and over will exceed the population 65–74 years of age." Health, United States, 2008 Chartbook section

Heard you were retiring

Dear Cousins,

I see by your Christmas cards and letters of 2008 and 2009, that you both have retirement plans--now or soon. Congratulations if that has actually happened. I retired in 2000 and have really enjoyed it. I’m doing a lot of things I had on my PEP list (post employment plan), but the most time consuming, blogging, wasn’t around then. I’ve been a blogger since 2003, and now have 12 blogs. I’m out of control, obviously. But writing and writing workshops were on my list.

My biggest worry about retirement (other than money, of course) was that I had no hobbies. Like my dad in that respect. And we have no grandchildren, which seems to take up the time of most of our friends. But, time certainly hasn’t been a problem. About a year before I retired, I kept a note book in my purse and jotted down things from the local paper that looked interesting. Then, being a librarian, I organized them, and guess what? Everything I liked to do as child floated to the top: writing, drawing/art, reading/research and animals! Whoddathunkit? One of the very last things on this list was “bird watching,” and my colleagues had even given me binoculars for a retirement gift in 2000 when they saw it. But this past summer at Lakeside I joined the bird watching group and volunteered for the Midwest Bird Symposium in September and just loved it. Boy--are those folks committed!!

Together we started an art ministry at our Lutheran church, and I just finished up 10 years with that, but he’s stayed with it. I did take a few years of art lessons, and do participate in art classes during the summer, but that’s been pretty slow. I’m a better artist than most people who try it, but not good enough to suit me! He paints much more than I do, and sold 11 paintings last year.

We have traveled much more than I ever imagined--we go with U. of I. Alumni groups when we can because of the educational component, but have done some on our own too, like an Alaska cruise, Amtrak to California and back, Finland and Russia, and local U.S. stuff with some architects.

Finding a good balance for volunteering hasn’t been easy. I do quite a bit at the church, and served lunch at the senior center and used to visit nursing homes, but I tend to be somewhat of a loner--not much into committees, task forces and groups. So I help out where I can--I don’t think God is keeping a check list of approved agencies--plus, laws are so strict now on what volunteers can do. Just keep a casserole in the freezer, and take it out when needed. No license needed to be neighborly.

I also joined a book club--so I am forced to read fiction, which I rarely did before, although we do all types. I visited a horse show which was on my list, but only one. Those are expensive, but I did get to pet some noses. Genealogy--I’m a dabbler. I need the names and dates of your grandchildren for the database.

So let me know how it’s going--you can always catch up with me at my blog http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com

The halt and the lame

Today we were communion servers at first service (8:15). I try to be presentable--those parts that show. We wear neck to ankle white robes with a tie belt. I don't wear open toe shoes or sandals, because people are at the communion rail looking down--just about 2' from my shoes. I make sure my fingernails are clean and manicured, nails trimmed. Not much perfume or cologne. OK.

Friday night we were both injured. On our hands. I was getting ready for bed and somehow, while removing a piece of underwear, something that had both elastic and a little metal slider slipped lose and smacked the knuckle of the middle finger left hand. Ow, that hurt. Then I looked at it and within seconds it began to swell and turn blue. Must have been some sort of delicate blood vessel close to the surface. But I turned on the TV and climbed into bed. It was warm on Friday and I was enjoying having the windows open, perhaps for the last time of the season, listening to the insects and the train whistle in the distance. My husband came in the room and in the dark began to bring the storm window down. I asked him not to, but he insisted it was going to get cold. What's the temperature, I asked. 72. Please leave it up, I'm enjoying it--it's NOT cold. Just then the half raised very heavy storm fell on the tip of his middle finger. He screamed and writhed on the floor. I thought I might have to call the squad. For all I knew his finger could have been out on the patio! (It was dark.) Blood was squirting, I kid you not. He rushed into the bathroom and rinsed it while I searched for a band-aid. He's OK, but couldn't paint yesterday and is wearing a band-aid to protect it.

Today the bruised (my finger is purple) and bandaged Bruces offered the blood and body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to other clumsy but redeemed sinners.

You need really deep roots

during this time of life.

Wednesday afternoon at Lakeside on Lake Erie I attended a lecture about trees. The speaker told about the importance of a lot of water early in their growth; about the wrong way to mulch (volcano instead of donut--the roots will girdle the tree and strangle it); the danger locally of the Emerald ash borer; how to prune; invasive species (Norway Maple, Tree of Heaven); and the problem of the silver Maple. Our speaker said they grow fast, but their life expectancy is about the same as a human. Also, they require a lot of care. One specie I wasn't familiar with was the Chinkapin Oak, or Chinquapen. He said the leaf was similar to a chestnut and that it was urban tree of the year.

However, Thursday evening we had a terrific wind storm in southern Michigan and northwestern Ohio, and we lost power--some for several hours, others for 2 days. When I walked around the grouds, I saw many damaged and fallen trees, a number were silver Maples. One huge tree on the lakefront had fallen on another and sheared limbs off of that one. At 2nd and Plum at that park, it looked like another fallen silver Maple.

But up on 7th street (7 blocks from the lake) a saw a huge tree had fallen in the yard of the old Danbury school (now boarded up). The root circumferance was huge, maybe 7 or 8 ft., sheared off almost at ground level, but the depth of the roots was very shallow because it was growing on rocks. There have been quarries around here even before the town. Trees perhaps are like people. You can get so far, but if the wind really starts to blow, you'd better hope your roots of faith go really deep. I brought a leaf home; I think it is a Chinkapin Oak.

Aging in Place

The Kiplinger Connection at AIArchitect says:

Lifestyle Trends

Remember when retirees headed in droves to the Sun Belt? No more.

Recent retirees seem to prefer aging in place, caring less about the weather and more about staying in their homes, close to their friends, family and community. City dwellers are also reluctant to give up cultural and entertainment opportunities. Overall migration from large cities fell on average by over 40% from 2007 to 2008. The recession is likely to compound the trend, but it’s far from the biggest factor.

The change presents problems for cities and states in some regions. Many aren’t equipped to provide the housing and services that older people need. Look for a realignment when the economy picks up, creating business opportunities from retrofitting homes so they’re senior friendly, to leisure and health care services.

Do you suppose it was all those hurricanes?

Exercise is important

In the 1980s I took a Jackie Sorenson Aerobics class. Eventually, I lost 20 pounds and really was in the best condition of my life. Here's a photo of my friend Nancy and me (I'm on the right) when the class was doing a Blues Brothers routine. We're not sure, but we think it is 1986.


I had to lose that same 20 pounds again in 1993, the late 90s, and again in 2006. Seems to want to hang around. Doesn't come off as easy as it used to.

Four Pensions

I talked to a retiree today who is having no problem in "this economy." He and his wife between them have four pensions--two social security and two defined benefit programs. Of course, those benefits are invested in the stock market, so he'd better pay attention. Or maybe not--he'll sleep better. He says they live on one pension and save the other three. Their home has been paid for for years. He drives a Prius and loves it. Their other car is a 1996 something with under 70,000 miles.

Good news for coffee drinkers

"Midlife Coffee and Tea Drinking and the Risk of Late-Life Dementia: A Population-based CAIDE Study." Marjo H. Eskelinen, Tiia Ngandu, Jaakko Tuomilehto, Hilkka Soininen, Miia Kivipelto. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Vol 16, No 1, January 2009 (in press). Link.

Abstract: Caffeine stimulates central nervous system on a short term. However, the long-term impact of caffeine on cognition remains unclear. We aimed to study the association between coffee and/or tea consumption at midlife and dementia/Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk in late-life. Participants of the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study were randomly selected from the survivors of a population-based cohorts previously surveyed within the North Karelia Project and the FINMONICA study in 1972, 1977, 1982 or 1987 (midlife visit). After an average follow-up of 21 years, 1409 individuals (71%) aged 65 to 79 completed the re-examination in 1998. A total of 61 cases were identified as demented (48 with AD). Coffee drinkers at midlife had lower risk of dementia and AD later in life compared with those drinking no or only little coffee adjusted for demographic, lifestyle and vascular factors, apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and depressive symptoms. The lowest risk (65% decreased) was found in people who drank 3-5 cups per day. Tea drinking was relatively uncommon and was not associated with dementia/AD. Coffee drinking at midlife is associated with a decreased risk of dementia/AD later in life. This finding might open possibilities for prevention of dementia/AD.

Happiness

If in your domestic life you would be supremely happy you must not forget the old adage: "The husband must not see and the wife must be blind." The Gospel Messenger, December 18, 1888.

New Year's Problem Solving

The only item that applied to me in the New Year's Day "How to fix your life in 2009" article in the Wall Street Journal was this one. And many retirees need to be on the alert--especially if you live in the the mid-west.

Problem: You work indoors, live in a cold climate and wear sunscreen to protect your skin -- and you wonder if you're getting enough vitamin D.

Solution: Have your vitamin D level checked. Experts think many people aren't getting enough these days, and that can put you at higher risk for a variety of problems, including osteoporosis, heart attacks, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, macular degeneration, mental illness, chronic pain and many cancers. Your doctor can check your D level with a blood test, which costs about $100 and is usually covered by insurance. Make sure the test measures 25-hydroxyvitamin D, not 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D. A concentration of less than 20 nanograms per milliliter is considered deficient, and more than 30 npm is healthier.

If you are low, you can boost your level with inexpensive supplements. Current U.S. guidelines call for 200 international units per day from birth through age 50; 400 IUs from 51 through 70 and 600 IUs from age 71 on. Many medical organizations now think that's too low. The American Academy of Pediatrics says children should have 400 IUs a day, and the National Osteroporsis Foundation thinks adults over age 50 should have at least 800 to 1,000.

In most of the U.S., being in the sun for at least 20 minutes a day can boost your D level nicely but also raise your risk of developing skin cancer.

—Melinda Beck

I was tested for Vit. D levels about 2 years ago as part of my annual exam, and must say, I failed miserably. I'd never heard of "low vit. D" but my wonderful internist, Dr. Bill Wulf is always ahead of me.

Double whammy if you're 70 and a half

President Bush has signed legislation that will temporarily suspend the penalty for seniors who fail to take the required minimum distribution from IRA and employer retirement accounts in 2009, but you’ll still need to do the required distribution for 2008--and that’s based on your fund balance at the end of 2007. Not good, folks, not good. Imagine this (and I know you can with little trouble). Congress just had to rush through that horrendous September bailout which was supposed to create more credit from banks so they could help business. At least, that’s the way we were told it would work. But so far, all that’s happened is a run on the government for more bailouts, from the auto industry to universities to home builders. And the lending institutions have continued to give their year end bonuses and perks. But those mental midgets we elected just couldn’t figure out a way to rush through a plan to change the wording in the 2008 requirement--the year a lot of us lost 40-50% of the value of our accounts. How tough would it have been to change 70.5 to 71.5 or 72.5? I'm not sure this is the best source, but I'm going with it now because it doesn't require registration. Full text of HR 7327 here, but use your "find" command (control F) with the word "retirement" to get to the correct section.

Wants not needs

Christmas is a tough time for us retirees. The kids, spouse, sister/brother, buddy asks, What do you want for Christmas, and you can't think of a thing. I've been married 48 years, I'm 69, and if there's anything I need or want it's usually pretty small (Clariton, new pair of hose, mittens) I just buy it. But just let me walk through Macy's at the before 1 p.m. sale on a Friday, and all of a sudden, I'm standing at the "Take another 50% off" sale rack. It's not that I believe the "originally was" tag--clothes are never that. But when it's new and costs less than I could get it at a resale shop (my favorite is Discovery cancer shop here in Columbus), I do stop and push around the merchandise. Yesterday I bought this little jacket--full of bright colors and patterns--with western detailing and metal buttons. Not me, but $9, from the "original" $58, and I'm as big a sucker as the next mama.

Media hype wrong again

Cross posted at Collecting my Thoughts

So much for all the gloom, doom and disaster the media were promoting. Who are their sources? The people went out on Black Friday and increased spending by 3% over last year. And for once I'm glad. The jobs they saved may be their neighbors or their own. Now we'll get all the qualifying stories from the journalists and consultants who got it wrong. The "yes, but," excuses.

Anyone in retirement years can see we're heading for a bad time, just open your latest statement. It's not like 2004 when the Kerry/Edwards campaign continually bad mouthed the economy for over a year, Bush, new jobs, etc. and the media chimed right in. It's not 2006 when the Democrats took over Congress by campaigning on the bad economy (that wasn't) and then rode it into the ditch by making no corrections the president wanted. The week after the 2004 election it was all good economic news again. Because we don't have time for it turn around like it did in the late 80s, and the late 90s and after 9/11, it's going to be a challenge for retirees--especially if they don't fix that 70.5 age for drawing down IRAs based on Dec. 31, 2007 balances. People my age didn't grow up expecting everything, so we are probably better off than the younger boomers who thought life would always be a bigger house, or a new leased car every other year, or a vacation in Aruba.

Does Retirement Kill You? No.

Didn't think so. All the retirees I know are too busy to die. Now, retirement accounts. That's another matter.

Abstract:
The magnitude of the effect that health has on the retirement decision has long been studied. We examine the reverse relationship, whether or not retirement has a direct impact on later-life health. In order to identify the causal relationship, we use unexpected early retirement window offers to instrument for retirement behavior. They are legally required to be unrelated to the baseline health of the individual, and are significant predictors of retirement. We find that there is no negative effect of early retirement on men's health, and if anything, a temporary increase in self-reported health and improvements in health of highly educated workers. While this is consistent with previous literature using Social Security ages as instruments, we also find some evidence that anticipation of retirement might also be important, and might bias the previous estimates towards zero.

"Does Retirement Kill You? Evidence from Early Retirement Windows"
by Norma B. Coe, Maarten Lindeboom
(November 2008) IZA DP No. 3817

Cross posted at Collecting My Thoughts