Author: AFL Staff
“Sandwiched?” Financial Implications Can Be Real
The “sandwich generation”—people still supporting adult kids or grandchildren while caring for their own aging parents—has grown in recent years. Nearly 48 million Americans, or 19.2%, have provided care for someone 18 years or older in the past 12 months. That number has gone up by more than 8 million since 2015. Though the “sandwich generation” ...Read More
Achieving A Healthy Weight – It Doesn’t Just Happen
It’s the new year. Resolutions abound. And we’re thinking that weight loss is one of the most popular of the resolutions out there! You may have heard that losing weight is as easy as eating less and exercising more. Well it is true—taking in fewer calories than you use each day is the simplest way to lose weight. Never mind the fad d...Read More
Staying Engaged: Just What The Brain Doctor Ordered!
Declining brain health is perhaps the greatest fear of older adults. The good news is that you can take steps to maintain your thinking and memory for many years to come. A healthy diet, regular aerobic exercise, and proper sleep are essential to keep your brain healthy. But work engagement and life satisfaction are two additional factors that conf...Read More
Focus – A Challenge as We Age
Just as you may not run as fast or jump as high as you did as a teenager,your brain’s cognitive power—that is, your ability to learn, remember, and solve problems—slows down with age. You may find it harder to summon once familiar facts or divide your attention among two or more activities or sources of information. These changes affect your ...Read More
The “Best” Exercises There Are: Bar None!
If you’re not an athlete or serious exerciser — and you just want to work out for your health or to fit in your clothes better — the gym scene can be intimidating and overwhelming. What are the best exercises for me? How will I find the time? Just having to walk by treadmills, stationary bikes, and weight machines can be enough to make you he...Read More
Tips for Exercising – Even During a Pandemic
Staying fit can keep you healthy physically, but exercise also boosts your mental and spiritual health, too. During a pandemic, it’s important not to give up on your fitness routine just because you can’t get to the gym, attend an exercise class or play an organized sport. There are lots of ways you can get a good workout at home, and many reasons ...Read More
Keeping Our Skin Healthy – As Time Passes
Your skin goes through many changes as you age. All you need to do is look in the mirror. Aging skin loses fat and becomes thinner and drier. Red and pimply spots can appear on the face (a condition known as rosacea). Spots also can become waxy and pink, particularly around the nose, eyebrows, ear, and hairline (a condition called seborrheic dermat...Read More
Friends Are Breaking Up Over Social Distancing
When one friend takes prevention guidelines more seriously than the other, suspicion, fear, and shame can drive them apart. NOTE: AFL Thanks The Atlantic…and especially, author Ashley Fetters for this article. Staying home whenever possible and limiting up-close interactions with people who don’t live with you is, unquestionably, the correc...Read More
Be AWESOME! Move It!
Spend a lot of time sitting each day? If you’re like most people, more than half of your waking hours are spent parked on a chair or sofa. Even if you dedicate at least 30 minutes a day to structured exercise (such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming), it’s still important to get up and move for at least a few minutes, many times thr...Read More
Some Thoughts about Reverse Mortgages
QUESTION: What are the pros and cons of reverse mortgages? “Needs to know.” AFL’S ROSEMARIE BOYD ANSWERS: Dear “Needs To Know:” Before I give my opinion on this, I would like to start with a word of caution! This decision is one which should not be made without expert advice! Because much of the decision is a planni...Read More
Heart Issues? Two Important Tips
Have heart disease? Then you probably know what exactly you’re supposed to do: eat wisely, get regular physical activity, keep weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar on target; and if you smoke, quit. But, what you might not know is that sufficient, good-quality sleep and stress control also offer genuine benefits to your heart. Sleep When you wak...Read More