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Every project is a journey... shouldn’t you enjoy the trip? shouldn’t you enjoy the trip? 1811 6th Street N., Texas City 409-965-9778 Mon-Fri 10 am–5:00 pm, Sat 10 am–4 pm www.cactusquilts.com It makes sewing and quilting more fun! Texas City’s First Quilting Shop @ Ellington Airport 11551 Aerospace Ave LoneStarFlight.org 346-708-2517 Historic aircraft, exhibits, and Silver Wings Senior Programs! GENERAL ADMISSION DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS 55 Plus MARKETPLACE 55 Plus 4 | Boomer Plus | January 2021January 2021 | Boomer Plus | 5 R etirement ushers in a new stage in life, one in which adults have ample free time to pursue their interests and hobbies. When eight or more hours per day are no longer allocated for work, those hours can be devot- ed to other pursuits. Retir- ees have the time to travel, and such exploration need not break the bank. A 2014 MassMutual survey found that 72 percent of respondents reported feeling quite happy or extremely hap- py in retirement. Being able to travel when and where they desire may be a big component of this happiness. A study by Virtuoso found that travel factors significantly into the lives of today’s seniors. They spend more on travel than any other generation — an average of $11,077 a year. Travel spending is at the highest among people between the ages of 75 and 79. Learning how to get the most bang for your traveling buck can help retirees make travel more affordable. • Avoid peak travel seasons. Many working families are restricted by school and work sched- ules, often limiting travel to summer and holiday breaks. The hospitality industry tends to raise their prices during these times of year. Retirees can travel any time they want. Booking trips during less busy times of year for tourism is a great way to save money. • Consider a rental agreement. Retirees who want to travel for many weeks or even months out of the year may want to think about renting their homes while they are gone. The money earned in rent can help offset the costs of travel. • Think about alter- native living situations. Seeing the country and traveling most of the time may be more do- able if retirees forego the house entirely and opt for different residences. Many recreational ve- hicles are large enough to be full-time homes. Simply park the RV in a new spot each month for a different perspec- tive. House boats can be an option for the ma- rine-minded. • Try a reposition- ing cruise. Cruising is a popular form of travel for seniors. Investopedia says cruise lines offer discount repositioning cruise trips when they need to move ships from one port to anoth- er, usually during the off-season. Unlike typical cruises where a ship will return to the port of origin, a repositioning cruise stops at several ports on the way and ul- timately docks in a new end destination. • Find an inexpensive destination. For the cost of staying at a popular family resort for a week, you may be able to stay for double or triple the amount of time for about the same amount of mon- ey elsewhere. Weigh desti- nations carefully and com- pare costs. Think beyond the “popular” destinations around the world. Travel is a favorite pastime for retirees. Cost-saving strategies can make travel more bud- get-friendly for seniors who want to spend more time exploring. — Metro Creative Connection Retirement travel tips that won’t break the bank D riving provides an almost unrivaled level of independence. Senior drivers may define their independence by their ability to drive. Few things diminish senior dignity and indepen- dence faster than losing the ability to drive. Despite popular mis- conceptions, seniors are some of the safest drivers around. The experts at Hartford Auto Insurance indicate that the number of accidents involving older drivers actually decreases as age increas- es. It’s the risk factors like medical conditions, medication usage and reduced physical function that increase the risk for accidents and injuries involving older drivers. Thanks to technology and some other well-designed devices, seniors may be able to continue driving longer than the aging drivers of years past. The AAA Founda- tion for Traffic Safety, a nonprofit research and education association, says roughly 90 percent of seniors don’t take ad- vantage of simple, often inexpensive features that can greatly improve safe- ty and extend their time behind the wheel. Here are some considerations. CUSHIONS AND SEAT PADS Cushions do more than just alleviate hip and back pain while sit- ting. Cushions and pads can raise drivers up and improve their line of sight over the dash- board. Swivel pads can make it easier to enter and exit the car as well. ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL This feature can adjust speed automatically to maintain a consistent space between vehicles. ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS These headlights, also known as steerable headlights, can improve visibility by changing the direction of the light beam with the movement of the steering wheel. PEDAL EXTENDERS Extenders help short drivers reach the pedals while maintaining a safe distance from the steer- ing wheel and potential airbag deployment. HAND CONTROLS Whether one has sensory changes in the feet from surgery or a medical condition, adap- tive hand controls can move the “pedals” up to the steering column. BLIND SPOT WARNING AND OTHER SENSORS Today’s cars can be equipped with any number of sensors that can detect oncoming traffic, cars to the left or right of the vehicle, items or cars behind the vehicle when reversing, and even if the vehicle has drifted out of the lane. These are all great safety features for any driver, but may be espe- cially helpful to seniors. PARKING ASSIST Parking assist tech- nology can steer the vehicle into a space with little input from the driver. VOICE CONTROL Avoiding distractions and keeping hands on the wheel is enhanced by voice controls, which can be set up to do things like turn on the radio or adjust climate control. CONVEX MIRRORS Special mirrors in- crease the field of vision. — Metro Creative Connection Modifications can make driving safer for seniors6 | Boomer Plus | January 2021January 2021 | Boomer Plus | 7 • Amtrak: Travelers age 65 and older can enjoy a 10 percent discount on rail fares on most Amtrak trains. For those who prefer ground travel but want to leave the car at home, this can be a great way to get around. • Fast-food/sit-down restaurants: Establishments like Wendy’s, Arby’s, Burger King, Denny’s, Applebees, Car- rabba’s Italian Grill offer vari- ous senior discounts. Most are 10 to 15 percent off the meal. Others offer free beverages or an extra perk with purchase. • Kohl’s: This popular department store provides a 15 percent discount every Wednesday to shoppers ages 60-plus. Other stores, like Kohls, Ross Dress for Less, Belk and SteinMart, offer similar discounts. • Marriott: Travelers age 62 and older are privy to a 15 per- cent discount on room rates at Marriott brand hotels, subject to availability. • Roto-Rooter: Plumbing problems can get expensive, but online sources cite a 10 to 15 percent discount depend- ing on location for this drain cleaning service provider in North America. • National Parks: The U.S. National Parks Service offers steep discounts on the annual pass, which provides entry to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. • Grocery store: Food shop- ping gets a little easier with discounts at Kroger, Walgreens and Publix. Be sure to check with local supermarkets about senior discounts, as they vary, particularly as to what day of the week and for what age they kick in. • AARP membership: It is important to note that many companies require enrollment in AARP for people to get se- nior discounts. AARP also has its own AARP Prescription Dis- count Card so that members and families can save around 61 percent on FDA-approved drugs that prescription insur- ance or Medicare Part D plans fail to cover. • T-Mobile: This carrier offers two lines with unlimit- ed talk, text and LTE data for $35 with AutoPay for seniors age 55-plus. Only the primary account holder has to be 55. — Metro Creative Connection Senior perks and discounts The following is a list of some of the discounts that may be available. Confirm eligibility as companies change their policies from time to time. Also, the editors of Consumer World say that the senior discount might not always be the lowest price, so comparison shopping is a must to find out which discount or coupon is the best deal. W ork is a major com- ponent of daily life, so much so that Andrew Naber, an industrial and organiza- tional psychologist and an associate behavioral scientist at RAND Corp., determined that the average person spends 90,000 hours at work over the course of his or her lifetime. According to a 2014 Gallup poll, the average American retires at age 62, but roughly 64 percent of professionals bid fare- well to the workplace between ages 55 and 65. Retirees must make a number of adjustments once they call it a career. No such adjustment is as significant as the finan- cial one. Most people find their post-retirement income is considerably less than when they were working full-time. Certain expenses get lower after retirement, but some will rise. Here’s a look at what to expect when the bills come due during retirement. Food costs Food costs may go down in retirement because shopping and preparing meals for one or two people is much less costly than feed- ing a family of four or more. However, dining out may increase as you have more free time to visit local eateries. Automotive costs According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the av- erage commuter spends 25.8 minutes behind the wheel twice a day, and the average driver puts in 13,474 miles behind the wheel each year — with people between the ages of 35 and 54 clock- ing close to 15,000 miles. Less time spent in the car means fewer gasoline fill-ups and longer dura- tions between oil chang- es and other services. In addition, based on the Internal Revenue Service reimbursement rate of 58 cents per mile, a typical commute of 20 to 30 miles a day costs $11 to $16 a day or $55 to $80 a week. In a year, you could easily be spending $2,000 to $4,000 a year commuting if you live within 15 miles of your job. Without commuting, that cash stays in your pocket. Taxes Many people can expect to be done paying federal income taxes when they are retired and no longer earning an income. If the majority of retirement savings were in Roth IRA accounts, contributions are available for withdrawal tax- and penalty-free at any age. Housing Your mortgage may be paid off before or soon after retirement. That eliminates the single largest expense in many people’s budgets. If your home will not be paid off, it’s possible to downsize to reduce monthly payments. Travel While many other expenses can go down, travel is one expense that can shoot up during retirement. But many people are happy to bear this cost. With more time for travel, re- tirees may allocate more funds toward vacations and other great escapes. Health care Seniors often see their health care needs and costs go up after retirement. It’s important to understand what is covered by health plans, and it’s equally import- ant to set money aside for unforeseen medical expenses. — Metro Creative Connection How bills can change during retirement8 | Boomer Plus | January 2021 P ets bring much joy to the lives they touch. So it should come as no surprise that the 2019 National Pet Owners Survey, which was conducted by the American Pet Products Association, found that about 85 million families in the United States own a pet. Pets offer companion- ship and unconditional love. While they are fitting for any family, seniors may find that having a pet is espe- cially beneficial. The organization A Place for Mom, which helps match families with senior living residences, says pets provide a comfort system that produces measurable health results. Caring for pets and being around them can produce a chemical chain reaction in the brain that may help to lower stress hormones while also increasing pro- duction of the feel-good hormone serotonin. This is not the only health benefit pets may provide. A recent study from the Mayo Clinic, which looked at 1,800 people between the ages of 25 and 64 who had healthy hearts, found that almost half owned a dog. Having a dog was likely to spur heart- healthy behaviors, like exercising with the pet, eating well and having ideal blood sugar levels. Pets also provide emotional support and companionship that can help seniors — includ- ing those who may be divorced or widowed — feel more secure and happy. The National Poll on Healthy Aging found that, among respondents who had pets, 88 percent said their pets helped them enjoy life, and 86 percent said their pets made them feel loved. Seniors considering get- ting a pet can explore the many benefits to doing so. • Reduce pain: A 2012 study published in Pain Magazine found therapy dogs provided “significant reduction in pain and emotional distress for chronic pain patients.” • Feeling of purpose: Caring for an animal not only stimulates physical activity, but it also can give seniors a reason to get up and go, which equates to a feeling of purpose. • Altered focus: Hav- ing a pet can help seniors focus on something other than physical or mental health issues and preoc- cupations about loss or aging, according to New York-based psychologist Penny B. Donnenfeld. • Increased physical activity: Pets require care, and that interaction can get seniors moving more than if they didn’t have a pet. • Improved health: Ongoing research from Harvard Medical School has found dog owners have lower blood pres- sure, healthier cholesterol levels and lower risk of heart disease than those who don’t own a dog. • Stick to routine: Car- ing for pets helps seniors maintain a routine. Having structure after retirement can be important to ward off risk of depression. Staying on top of feeding, grooming and other pet needs also can help pre- vent cognitive decline. — Metro Creative Connection Think back to your childhood Hobbies you once enjoyed as a child may have long since been forgotten, but it can be fun to reimmerse yourself in such interests. Adults who loved to play sports as a child can no doubt find adult leagues in their area, while once budding artists might want to dust off their easels and visit a local paint and sip facility. Reinvent something you’re already doing Another way to find a new hobby is to consider the things you already do and see if there’s ways to make them better. For ex- ample, cooking for a family each night might be made more enjoyable by enrolling in a cooking class, where you can meet fellow foodies while fine-tuning your culinary skills. If you love to read, start a community book club. Expand your horizons It’s easy for anyone to say “no” to something new, but especially so for adults ac- customed to their routines. But men and women who are willing to try anything are more likely to find some- thing new to be passionate about than those who shy away from the unknown. You don’t have to make a big initial commitment when trying a new hobby, but approach any new ideas or suggestions with an open mind. — Metro Creative Connection A lthough young- er generations have grown up with technology at their fingers, Baby Boomers and older adults did not. But in spite of that, stud- ies show that growing numbers of seniors are open to the idea of tech- nology and even seeking ways to further their use and knowledge. While stereotypes have long painted seniors as technologically inept, seniors are actually more socially and digitally en- gaged than ever before. Seniors use technology in many different ways. Some use mobile apps to manage medications and doctor’s appoint- ments and monitor their fitness regimens. Some families employ 24/7 alert systems or smarthome technology to keep seniors comfortable and safe at home for as long as possible. Nonin- vasive, “smart” technology can analyze factors such as whether or not doors are left open, if there has been movement in a home, or whether appli- ances/lights are on or off. This represents a great way for families to stay informed and provide assistance even if they are not nearby. SilverSurfers, a se- nior-based information website, says other tech that seniors are em- bracing includes online dating; audio and digital books; online shopping, which is especially valuable to seniors who have mobility issues; and social media, which can keep seniors con- nected to others and feeling less lonely. A study conducted by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco found 18 percent of American seniors live alone, and 43 percent report feeling lonely on a regular basis. Loneliness can increase death risk. Social media and internet connectivity can be an important tool in helping seniors feel like active members of society. — Metro Creative Connection Amazing benefits to seniors having pets How adults can find new hobbies Seniors becoming more tech-savvyJanuary 2021 | Boomer Plus | 9 Driving accident-free pays NOT AVAILABLE IN EVERY STATE. Feature optional. Subject to terms & conditions. 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