By Jess Stonefield

All of us who have kids know there was an awkward moment when we realized we needed to have “the talk” with our children. I’m there right now with my 10-year-old, in fact, and it’s brutal. But what many of us don’t realize is that as our aging loved ones grow older, it is equally important to have a talk with them—not just about financial documents, living wills and power of attorney, but about how they want to live and be cared for at end of life. The holidays are a great time to start a larger conversation about aging—and to include our own needs and desires in the conversation.

What to Ask

Nearly 90 percent of seniors would prefer to age at home. But that statistic only tells us where they want to age. The greater question is: how? The following are a few questions that will help guide your conversation and gain a better understanding of how your mother. father, or grandparents wish to spend the final years of their lives. It may also allow greater fulfillment for you as a caregiver, as well.

What makes life worth living? Having a long life is not the same as having quality of life. What can you be doing now to improve the quality of life your loved one is living–as well as your own? What is important to them? To you? What turns a normal day into a good day? Is it going to church? Caring for a pet? Spending time with their grandchildren? Small things make all the difference to all of us. Find easy, workable solutions that can make both of your lives better when it counts–right now. [Read more…]

Long gone are the days when people usually read books that they buy from libraries. Nowadays, you can find most books available online for direct reading. Alternatively, you can download them and read them whenever you want to with the use of a mobile device or computer.

The great thing about the internet is that you can now find thousands of free books to read online. They are usually offered in PDF format, which is preferred because of the different advantages offered. You just need to know how to download and then read the PDF books. [Read more…]

If you have just bought a new house or want to work on the existing interiors then this article may help you to understand why your kitchen needs your styling sense. Adding your creative sense of styling to your kitchen can help in giving it a tinge of innovation and attractiveness. While renovating think harder what colors appeals to you, what material takes your heart away, and what design & pattern goes with your stylish aura. However, also ensure to speak to a professional before investing your time and money into what you think may be perfect for your kitchen.

Think About The Space:

Whenever kitchen remodeling is done, the first thing that comes to mind is the space available for each and everything in the kitchen. Expanding the space is a good option if the dining room is within the kitchen but if it is not a part of the kitchen then you need to utilize the space accordingly. How much space do you need to prepare your meals? Do you need a separate island for the stove and the kitchen sink? Think harder where your appliances will go and how you can customize the cabinets. [Read more…]

Tarot card reading is an art that helps you understand the future. Whether you are a believer or not, tarot readings are interesting and should never be treated as gospel truth. Neither should the cards be taken very literally, they are here to show you a path, to guide you in your journey. If you are keen on a reading, there are certain things you need to know before you sit down for a reading.

You need to understand that tarot readings might be scary and might make you nervous about the future. The readings need not be negative, you have to take it in a positive manner and hope that it will change your life in a better manner. Whatever the cards may say, understand that it is not a definitive look to your life, it is only guiding you towards the betterment of your life.

A tarot card reader will always encourage you to do your best in every area of your life. For example, a death card does not mean that you stop living and accept death as your fate. It is inevitable but you need to believe in yourself and do your best in every manner. Tarot reading is not a way to accept the fate, but it helps you improve your life and make better decisions. A lot of people do not understand this and have trouble trusting the accuracy of their reading. [Read more…]

Technology has always been improving and we stand in an era where we are closer than ever to those moments where androids would be walking down the streets. However, that is all some advanced technology talks for the year… 2050 maybe? It is time to talk about 2018, where a watch is soon going to be the centre of attention. Google is now presenting the Google Pixel Watch. Consider it like a watch that is some kind of smarty-pants and yet is classy.

For two years now, there have been rumours of this watch. Google did not reveal any precise information about their future gadget yet, reports have compiled a great list of features that are going to be included in the watch. Watch out though, spoiler alert for those who wish to keep the surprise for the release dates.

The Shape Of You

What could be the shape of this formidable new release of the 21^st Century? Well, there is no secret in that. It is going to be round yet with something extra! There has been a great focus on the designs of Wear OS gadgets lately and Android came ahead with rotating bezels and crowns. Amazing, isn’t it? There aren’t many watches like that. According to the rumours, the bezels and rotating crowns are going to be presented in a more innovative style on Google Pixel Watch. Maybe the ideal time to confirm that would be waiting for the release? [Read more…]

Seniors shell out money for necessity items every day without even checking if there are more affordable alternatives. Below are the five things seniors are overpaying for:

1 – Landline telephones. Now that most seniors are online and have cell phones, they can trim expenses by either dropping their landlines completely or replacing their home phones with VOIP telephones. In many cases, they can also keep the same phone number they’ve had for years.

2 – Cable TV. The same Internet connection that brings the grandchildren closer can bring Hulu and Netflix to seniors and allow seniors to access quality entertainment options for less than the cost of a monthly cable TV subscription.

3 – Hearing aids. Custom aids typically cost $5000-$7000 per ear and are not covered by Medicare or most insurance policies. Off-the-shelf, FDA-registered options available from companies like LifeEar at $1599 offer a companion mobile app to program and tune the setting, assisting the 80% of Americans who need hearing aids but cannot afford them.

4 – Transportation. Seniors who live in urban areas may be able to cut their costs by using services like Uber and Lyft to get to doctors’ appointments and run errands instead of using their cars or taking taxis. Seniors can also inquire about senior discounts for public transportation.

5 – Prescription drugs. Everyone knows that meds can burn a hole in your checkbook. CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid all have prescription discount programs that can yield substantial savings. For the more tech-savvy apps like GoodRX and LowestMed allow users to comparison-shop many pharmacies from their phones to zero in on the best prices.

As people age, they are unfortunately exposed to far more health problems than when they were younger. This can sometimes throw a spanner in the works when it comes to enjoying the same activities they used to, but it doesn’t mean you can’t live a long and healthy life. However, it is only natural to worry about emerging health problems when you age, especially when they could affect how you spend time with your loved ones. Although you can’t turn back the clock, there are many ways in which you can tackle some of the most common problems associated with growing older.

Fatigue

Nobody is a stranger to feelings of intense fatigue as they go through life, but this is something that lots of older adults struggle with the older they get. Usually, fatigue is a sign of an underlying health problem, like depression, which is beginning to affect more seniors than ever before. More often than not, in men it can be linked to low testosterone levels, which can affect anybody over the age of 30. To combat the fatigue and any other problems that come with low testosterone, it is wise to consider TRT to help improve energy levels. [Read more…]