Contemporary Retirement
Retirement is changing. The type of retirement that their parents enjoyed is no longer enough for the baby boomer generation. Today’s retirees are younger, richer, fitter, healthier and better educated than previous generations of retirees. They also have much higher expectations. The aim of this blog is to help you get the vital, healthy, prosperous, productive and fulfilling retirement that you really want (and deserve).Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Osteoporosis risk formula devised - BBC News article
Australian scientists have devised a formula that can predict, with 75% accuracy, the risk of bone fractures in people suffering osteoporosis. The scientists involved were able to develop their predictive formula by taking into account factors such as bone density levels and the number of previous fractures sustained.
Lead author of the study, Margaret Henry, from the University of Melbourne said:
"The ability to predict fracture risk, based on simple clinical measurements, will assist in targeting treatment for people at highest risk, thus helping reduce the burden of this disease."
Read the full report here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5377400.stm.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Walking 10,000 steps may not be enough to get you fit
For the past couple of years, we have been told that walking 10,000 steps per day was enough to keep you fit and stop weight gain. Now, however, researchers from a team at the Canadian University of Alberta, have compared a 10,000-step exercise programme with a more traditional, moderate-intensity fitness regime and discovered that there were significant improvements in fitness levels in the second group. Get the full story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5371116.stm.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Many would 'want to live to 100' - BBC News article
A poll of 1,003 people, carried out by BUPA, has suggested that many Britons would be willing to give up their favourite things (including sex, food, drink and travel) if it meant that they would live to 100 years of age and see their grandchildren grow up. Read the article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5367780.stm.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Impress your grandkids...
Steve Watson at The Money Gym has blogged about this really clever site that lets you send e-cards like the one above. I bet your grandchildren would love to receive one - and just think how cool you'd look in their eyes...
The only problem is that the site is German - which means that it's written in German, so, if like me, you don't speak a word of the language, you'll have to fiddle around with it for a while until you get the hang of it.
You can find the site at www.letterjames.de. Have fun!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
World Alzheimer's Day
Today, Thursday 21st of September, is World Alzheimer's Day. Here in the UK, the Alzheimer's Society has created the 'A Million Memories' website in an attempt to build the world’s largest collection of memories and raise £3 million to support people with dementia, their families and carers. Visit the website at http://www.millionmemories.co.uk/, where you can think of a memory you value, write a short description of it and choose or upload a picture to go with it. Then you can share your memory with friends, family and colleagues and, if you choose to, donate to the Alzheimer's Society to help people with dementia.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Many leave old age care unfunded - BBC News article
A new poll for the UK charity, Help the Aged, has revealed that two-thirds of the baby boomer generation have made no plans for their future care needs, despite the fact that 45% of people polled were not confident that their future care needs will be met. Read the full article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5357806.stm.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Relationship enhancers
Married and coupled-up retirees are often surprised by the impact that retirement can have upon their relationship. Many couples find that, to restore harmony, they often have to completely renegotiate their relationship - who does what in the home, how much time they spend together, how much time they spend apart, how much of their joint money is spent on separate pastimes and hobbies and how they relate to each other - it all needs consideration if the relationship is to continue to survive and thrive. This week on his internet radio show, coach Michael Neill looks at our relationships and how we can enhance the quality of them. Here are details of the show from Michael's newsletter:
This week, LIVE on 'You Can Have What You Want'!
Thursday, September 21 at Noon pacific/3pm eastern/8pm UK:
(Live internet radio at http://www.hayhouseradio.com)/
*****RELATIONSHIPS BY NUMBERS*****
This week, Michael is back live as he shares his unique way of
gently enhancing the quality of your relationships. Listen or
phone in live to learn how to turn your most important
relationship into a perfect "10"!!
We'll be taking your calls throughout the show, so if you'd like
to make a gentle breakthrough in any area of your life, phone
in for some live coaching on these numbers:
Inside the US (Toll free)
1-866-254-1579
From the UK/Outside the US
001-760-918-4300
To listen to the show live this and every Thursday, go to
http://www.hayhouseradio.com/at Noon pacific/8pm UK and click on
the button marked 'Listen Now'.
If you missed last week's show on 'The Easy Way to Success',
please visit http://www.hayhouseradio.com/and click the button
for the 'Listen Again' archives!
Friday, September 15, 2006
Things to think about...
Those who do not find some time every day for health, must sacrifice a lot of time one day for illness.
Father Sebastian Kneipp
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Alzheimer's 'self-defence found' - BBC News article
Thankfully, it seems that breakthroughs in research into Alzheimer's Disease are coming thick and fast now, and hopefully, it will only be a matter of time before some form of treatment can be developed for this most cruel of diseases.
An article for the BBC News website reports that international researchers believe that they have discovered how the body protects itself against diseases like Alzheimer's - a breakthrough which could lead to the development of drugs which could be used to enhance this natural defence mechanism.
Read the article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5319540.stm
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Chocolate by Marion Ryan
I came across the following from fellow coach, Marion Ryan, which made me cry with laughter. I thought the fellow chocaholics amongst you might enjoy it too (and I love the fact that even the quotations are displayed in glorious Cadbury purple)...
Lorraine, one of my coaching clients, mentioned at the weekend that she was doing some decluttering, for which she would reward herself with some chocolate. I casually asked her what sort of chocolate she liked and this was her response. I'm reproducing parts of it - with her full consent - because I love to hear her passion and dedication to the subject, which incidentally she brings to every area of her life - her work, her horse racing and Elvis too!
"What a great subject for a chat! I love anything with milk chocolate in or on it! I am definitely a Cadburys girl...I love their purple wrapping...in fact whenever I see that colour I just think chocolate!
I went to Cadburys World in Birmingham...I thought I was in heaven. The smell of chocolate was everywhere; you got to see the Freddo being made! Then you go on a little train ride where, at journey's end, two doors open into the biggest sweet shop ever...In fact I have this vision of my journey to heaven - makes dying seem sweeter.
Actually, I have asked for my ashes to be scattered outside Cadburys World (!) after I have had my funeral service playing "The Circle of Life", "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", and Elvis's "Welcome to My World" who I hope will be the first person I meet when I get there. (This song is played when you enter Graceland).
I have also asked that I have a Walkman playing Elvis while in my coffin on the day!!! Then off to Cadburys World! My perfect end to a perfect life..:)
My favorite chocolate moment is a selection box at Christmas...when you open the side and pull out that red crinkly tray and there they are 7 bits of chocolate - like owning your own sweet shop for 5 minutes! deciding which one to have! I love the Miniature Heroes, you can hide them anywhere and indulge at any time...
On my Christmas list is one of those chocolate fountains. I want it by my bed; switch it on, stick your finger out and lick the chocolate; also to have a chocolate fondue party...with one invitation...mine! and cover strawberries in chocolate, jelly babies, foam bananas, shrimps..."
It's true of course that when Jake was very little, I used to buy him Cadbury's Buttons; I'd eat the Buttons and give him the empty bag as he liked the noise it made when he scrunched it up.
I never did what my friend Jackie did though. Her boys were at least ten before they realised that Easter eggs came as a whole egg. She'd buy their eggs then not be able to resist a nibble so she became expert at separating and eating the back half of the egg, leaving them look untouched from the front.
Now, all this talk of chocolate is making me hungry so I shall finish with a couple of quotes for you to ponder:
There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.
Unknown
Make a list of important things to do today. At the top of your list, put "eat chocolate." Now, you'll get at least one thing done today.
Gina Hayes
I never met a chocolate I didn't like.
Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) in Star Trek: The Next Generation
I have this theory that chocolate slows down the aging process.... It may not be true, but do I dare take the chance?
Unknown
Monday, September 11, 2006
In remembrance
Friday, September 08, 2006
Gordon Brown's Pension Timebomb
Oh, and on BBC2 at 7 pm, 'Trust Me... I'm an Economist' explores why we make poor decisions about our financial futures and how we can learn to do better.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Happy New Year!
I like September. It always feels like a fresh start - almost as if you're getting a sneaky second chance at New Year. Maybe it's because I was a teacher for so long that September feels like a time of new beginnings and second chances. I always feel like I should be signing up for a course, learning something new and buying new books and school shoes!
So, how will you be taking advantage of the new academic year? One of the things that makes successful people stand out from the rest is a willingness to learn and keep on learning. Do you know that the majority of people never read a book once they leave school? (I bet you're not one of them though.) An added bonus of a commitment to reading (and learning in general) is that it could have a knock-on effect on your health and wellbeing in later years...
In his book, 'Aging with Grace', Dr David Snowden writes about a study he carried out which involved a group of 678 nuns. Many of the nuns were over 90 years of age and 6 of them were over 100 years of age, yet very few of them showed any signs of losing their faculties or developing Alzheimer's disease.
Although the nuns had lead healthy lives - they were physically active and none of them drank or smoked - the researchers felt that their mental acuity was attributable to something more than this. Most of the nuns were teachers and they all shared a love of learning which meant that they were constantly reading and exposing themselves to stimulating new subjects and ideas. The nuns agreed to donate their brains to medical science after their death so that the study could be continued. Half of the brains analyzed were found to have fully-blown Alzheimer's disease in advanced stages - yet the nuns had never shown any signs or symptoms of this. A good advert for lifelong learning if ever you needed one!
So what are YOU going to do with your second chance at New Year?
What would you like to learn?
What interests you?
What would you like to know more about?
What skills would you like to develop?
What skills would be useful to you?
In which subject would you like to be known as an expert?
What could you do to make sure you learn something new every day?
Take some action now. Track down that course you've always wanted to take. Sign on the dotted line. Turn up for the first class and enjoy learning something new.
Just don't scuff your new school shoes!
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Money doesn't buy happiness in retirement by Liz Pulliam Weston
Every month, on the first Wednesday of the month, I get together (via a telephone conference line) with a group of retirement coaches from all over the world to discuss current retirement-related issues.
Tonight, we are discussing an article by Liz Pulliam Weston who writes a column for MSN Money. The article is entitled 'Money doesn't buy happiness in retirement' and I thought you may like to read it for yourself. You can access the article by clicking on the following link: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/ RetireInStyle/MoneyDoesntBuyHappinessInRetirement.aspx?page=all
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
New 2007 course dates added
I've added new pre-retirement course dates for the first half of 2007. They're all UK dates but the email-delivered, home study version of the course will be available shortly for overseas readers. Please visit the Contemporary Retirement Coaching website for further information. The course dates and venues are:
Monday, September 04, 2006
Have you got AAADD?
Someone sent me the following yesterday - I know that there are days when I can identify with it. How about you?
"I just wanted to let everyone know that I have recently been diagnosed with Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder (AAADD).
Symptoms: This is how it goes... I decide to do the laundry, start down the hall and notice the newspaper on the table. OK, I'm going to do the laundry...
BUT FIRST I'm going to read the newspaper. After that, I notice the mail on the table... OK, I'll just put the newspaper in the recycle stack....
BUT FIRST I'll look through the mail and see if there are any bills to be paid. Yes.
Now where is the checkbook? Oops... there's the empty glass from yesterday on the coffee table. I'm going to look for that checkbook...
BUT FIRST I need to put the glass in the sink. I head for the kitchen, look out the window, notice my poor flowers need a drink of water. I put the glass in the sink and there's the remote for the TV on the kitchen counter. What's it doing here? I'll just put it away...
BUT FIRST I need to water those plants. I head for the door and... Aaaagh! Stepped on the cat.
Cat needs to be fed. Okay, I'll put the remote away and water the plants... BUT FIRST I need to feed the cat.
END OF DAY: Laundry is not done, newspapers are still on the floor, glass is still in the sink, bills are not paid, checkbook is still lost, and the cat ate the remote control. And, when I try to figure out how come nothing got done today, I'm baffled! Because... I KNOW I WAS BUSY ALL DAY! I realize this condition is serious.... I'll get help...
BUT FIRST...I need to check my e-mail...."
Friday, September 01, 2006
New home security guide
Having your home burgled can be a distressing experience, but there are a number of things you can do to make your home more secure and thereby reduce your chances of becoming a victim.
Saga Home Insurance has brought out a new Home Security Guide, which has been produced in conjunction with the Home Office, and which will provide you with useful tips and advice on how to protect your home and property. Click on the following link for details: http://www.saga.co.uk/finance/household/home_security_guides.asp.
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