With the concern of COVID-19 still top priority, many people are uncertain of what travel looks like in the near future. As vacations and family gatherings continue to get postponed, it’s more relevant than ever to start thinking about how to make a “stay-cation” feel special this year. Afterall, we all need a little break! Especially for our senior population, who have been spending more time than ever at home and indoors, consider these easy and low-cost ideas for making a vacation at home feel special and memorable.

Define your destination.

Sure, you’re staying home, but you can still make that feel special by making it a true destination. Will your home become a cozy cottage in South Carolina? Or a mountain getaway in Colorado? If you’re by the lake or sea, even better! Get creative and have fun with mentally traveling to your stay-cation destination. Best of all, traffic and airport delays are completely avoided.

Breakaway from your normal routine.

Although you’re still at home, don’t let yourself fall back into a normal routine. Determine how long you want to spend on your stay-cation and mark it on your calendar. During these dates, switch up your routine with a new breakfast menu, wearing different types of clothes, and trying new activities you wouldn’t normally do during a standard day.

Pack a bag!

It may feel silly doing it, but packing a back for your stay-cation will help you feel like you’re headed somewhere special. Think about what you want to wear each day based on what you plan to do. Pick special clothes you wouldn’t normally wear – and don’t forget the accessories! If you have more than one bedroom in your home, consider moving into it for your stay-cation just like you would a hotel room or vacation rental. The slightly different change in scenery will make things feel different and special.

Have a special activity lined up for each day.

Make every day unique with at least one activity that structures the day. Try being a tourist in your own town. If someone was new to the area, what attractions would they want to see in a week? Try out a new restaurant, visit a scenic spot, or stroll down main street with the new point of view of a tourist. You’ll be amazed by how places you’ve driven by countless times before take on a whole new look!

Plan theme dinners.

When you return home from the day’s activities, make the evening a special celebration with themed dinner menus that make each day stand out. Try food from different cultures, order take-out from an authentic Indian or Thai cuisine, or make it interactive with an online cooking class. Be sure to theme your attire and table setting to make it even more fun and unique!

Make family and friends a part of the experience.

Vacations are always more fun with others! Consider hosting family or friends for a day or two on your stay-cation. You’ll be able to see your home and community through their eyes. You could also meet them for lunch or dinner and enjoy a meal together. With family and friends visiting you throughout your stay-cation, you’ll have something to look forward to each day and memories you can look back on.

If you’re looking for ways to make your home feel more like a destination vacation, we hope these ideas have offered you some inspiration. With staying home remaining the safest option to avoid exposure to COVID-19 and other illnesses, a stay-cation can afford you a nice break from your routine without risking your health.

You’re told that retirement is supposed to the golden years, when you can relax and live life on your own terms. Yet so often, when we finally find ourselves with the luxury of time, it can be overwhelming to enjoy it to its fullest. For senior adults who are in or approaching retirement, consider these helpful tips to ensure you use this new chapter to make special memories near and far with friends old and new.

1. Create goals and expectations.

Before you begin retirement (or even if you’re already in retirement), write out a plan. It doesn’t have to be anything formal or complicated – it can even be a few sentences on a napkin! By communicating with yourself and anyone joining you in retirement what you hope this season of life to be like, you’re setting expectations to hold you accountable. Do you want to travel? Visit family? Move? Stay active? Create a bucket list for what you hope to experience that you can revisit and work toward checking off.

2. Revisit your “retirement plan” often.

A plan is only good is it’s visited often and up to date. Your goals for retirement are likely to change over the years. What you wanted to do in the beginning may change due to health, finances, relationships, or simply your own desires. Make it a goal to look back at your retirement plan every couple of months, and especially if you find yourself less than satisfied with your current routine.

3. Don’t go it alone.

Most things in life are more fun when spent with people you enjoy. Family and friends should be part of your retirement plan. Who do you want to visit? You can spend extended time with them now that you’re retired. Even better, think about the new friends you will make as you act upon your retirement goals like traveling, volunteering, or getting out in your community.

4. Step outside your comfort zone.

Retirement can and should provide much-deserved rest and relaxation, but don’t confuse that for complacency. Challenge yourself to use this next season of life to step outside your comfort zone and try something you might not normally do. How about learning to cook a new cuisine, learning a new musical talent, reading a classical novel or a how-to book? Once you start thinking about it you will be surprised by how many things you have yet to experience in life, and ones that will stretch you beyond anything you’ve done before.

5. Seek support if you find yourself in a “rut.”

If the days of the week begin to run together and you feel like your routine has become stale, switch things up! And one of the most powerful ways to evoke change in your schedule is to invite others to be a part of it. Seek support when you feel like you’re in a rut. Invite a friend to walk with you during the week at local parks, try a new hobby together, or share a meal. These small changes will add variety to your week and be a ray of sunshine you can look forward to.

For some, this is lots of activity and adventure and for others is a peaceful and simple routine. So long as you’re fulfilled, there is no wrong way to spend your retirement. We hope these tips offered you inspiration to live retirement to the fullest.

We are so fortunate to see the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine, particularly for our aging senior population who was direly impacted during the pandemic. There are still unknowns about the vaccine and businesses and government are working as diligently as they can to answer questions and provide access to the vaccine. What’s most important is to seek reliable information and do your part to stay healthy and keep others healthy as well. In an effort to help answer some of the most common and important questions, we’ve put together the following information that will allow our senior population to make an informed decision about the COVID-19 vaccine.

How do I get a vaccine?

The CDC makes recommendations for who should get the vaccine first, then each state makes its own plan. If you live in Pennsylvania, you’ll want to reference the PA Department of Health website for information specific to you and your location. You can also find more information about how to get the vaccine and who should get the vaccine first here.

Should older adults get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes, it is especially important for older adults to get the vaccine because they have the highest risk of being very sick or dying from COVID-19. The CDC recommends you get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are eligible. By referencing the websites above, you will be able to determine when you are eligible and where you can receive the vaccine.

Is the vaccine safe?

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met FDA’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization (EUA).

What are the most common side effects in the elderly after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

The most common side effects are pain where the shot is given, fever, chills, tiredness, or a headache for 1-2 days. These are normal signs that your body is building protection against COVID-19. These side effects tended to be mild to moderate and went away on their own quickly.

What do I have to pay?

Medicare will pay for the vaccine, whether a person has traditional Medicare or if they are in a Medicare Advantage plan. Pennsylvania physicians are developing procedures for the efficient distribution of vaccines as soon as they are available.

And most importantly…be vigilant of scams!

Seniors should be wary of scams that ask you to pay for the vaccine, ask for your Social Security number, or promise to get you in a queue for the vaccine. If you are ever contacted by someone asking you for this information or who does not seem trustworthy, do not provide them with any personal information and immediately call a source you can trust.

You can find additional information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine for senior adults here. What’s most important is to stay informed and trust reliable sources for your information.

As we shift into the new spring season, the dust and dirt that has built up over the winter months seem to become more and more obvious. This is why the idea of Spring Cleaning is so popular for just about everyone. Whether that’s scrubbing down every corner of the house or simply trying to finally organizer that junk drawer, spring is the perfect season to start fresh.

For our senior adults living at home, keeping a clean and organized house has some significant benefits for both health and safety. Foremost, it creates a calm and peaceful space while also making it easier to avoid injuries or losing an important item. Keep reading for our best tips for helping senior adults spring clean their home, making it a welcoming, safe, and clean space to live.

Start Small

Even if your whole home could benefit from an intensive decluttering session, don’t overwhelm yourself with the thought of having to do it all in a day, week, or even a month. Make it a goal to tackle just one closet or one drawer a day. Over the course of a month, you’re going to cover a ton of ground in your home and make major progress toward that organized living space you’ve always wanted.

Focus on The Most Lived-In Spaces

And when you’re choosing the best spaces to start your spring cleaning, think about the locations that are used the most. This is going to be the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. These are places that also tend to collect dust and clutter. By starting with these spaces, you’re going to see the biggest difference right from the start and be encouraged to keep going.

Enjoy the Process

This is an important tip! Be sure to slow down and enjoy the process. Not everyone enjoys cleaning, so if this applies to you, find a method that can make it more enjoyable. Play your favorite music, or put on a movie you like. Talk to a friend on the phone or ask a friend over to help! All of these ideas will help the process go quicker and will also make a fun memory out of doing something productive.

Ask for Help

And when you think you may have gotten in over your head, or there are certain tasks you cannot complete due to limitations, be sure to ask for help. A family member or friend may be the right fit, or maybe it’s best to hire professional help. There are many businesses out there that specialize in such services. A professional caregiver, cleaner, or organizer all bring unique skill sets to the table that will help take your spring cleaning to the next level.

Are you or someone you know an aging adult who needs help with spring cleaning or organizing a home? Ella Home Care is happy to provide personal care assistance or refer you to someone who can help with more intensive cleaning and de-cluttering. Contact us today to learn more!

 

The financial decisions you make at any age will have a long-term impact on the rest of your life. And as you age, it becomes more and more important to ensure the stability of your financial future. As you, or a loved one, looks to retirement and the best ways to maximize social security, there are some key things to keep in mind to help set you up for a positive outcome. To help provide industry expertise, we turned to our friend Joe Henriques at Conte Wealth Advisors for advice on social security benefits as you move into your golden years.

Understand your options and apply at the optimal time.

Everyone’s situation is unique. Some might want to claim social security at full retirement age, others prefer to delay, and some might start taking the benefit early.  It is important to know how each situation will impact the benefit over your lifetime. Remember, social security is a benefit you cannot outlive.

Here’s how several scenarios may playout.

• Claiming your benefit at full retirement age will provide you a full, unreduced benefit.
• Applying for social security beyond full retirement age allows you to earn delayed credit of 8% each year you delay up to age 70 years. If your full retirement age is 67 years delaying until age 69 years the benefit is at 116%.
• Applying early has the reverse effect; your full retirement benefit will be reduced based on the age you are when claiming the benefit. If your full retirement age is 67 years. and you took the reduced benefit at age 62 years, you will receive 70% of your benefit, a 30% reduction for life.

Plan ahead.

Now that you have a better understanding as to how the timing of when you begin receiving your social security benefits will impact you over the course of your life, start planning now. Begin by giving your finances a full review. Consider Social Security in the context of your other retirement resources, including pensions, IRAs, and 401(k)s, the required minimum distributions you will be needing to take at age 72, your overall investment portfolio, and your plans for working in retirement. All of these resources should be coordinated to give you the income you need for the rest of your life. ​

Think through each scenario and have options A, B, and C in place. Life can through curveballs, so maybe what was once preferred as option A now needs to move to option B for whatever variety of reasons. Knowing your options and having a plan arms you with knowledge.

Seek trusted advice.

And most importantly, please do not be afraid to ask for help! Retirement planning is easy when it is a matter of stashing part of your salary into a 401(k) or IRA. But when the time comes for you to convert your nest egg into an income stream, you want to make sure it does not run out. Social Security may be the bedrock of your retirement income plan, but it must be coordinated with your other resources to give you the stability and security you deserve. ​