Sometimes the reality of retirement can be a far cry from the dreams of what retirement will be like. Many reasons occur for this and it is quite common to go through a period of feeling down in the dumps.

Not planning properly is one reason for this. Plan ahead and make it something to look forward to. A new stage in life, a new door opening.

Retirement can fall short if your money situation isn’t as flush as you’d expected, feeling bored or like you have no purpose, may have the tendency to let depression creep up.

The important thing is the realize there are so many more things you can do to contribute to your life. Allow yourself to relax and know you deserve to take some recreation time.

The very best way to get a boost is to try something new.

It can be difficult if unplanned illness or loss of a spouse arises. Give yourself plenty of time to reconsider your options.

Be sure to still plan activites and join some clubs to make new friends if you need to. Remember it’s a big world and there are thousands of things you can do.

There are also many support services available, so use them. Most importantly, plan to live your life regardless of what happens.

Sitting at home won’t replace that feeling, so find a few interests and join some groups. You’ll find plenty of kindred spirits and swapping stories will be fun.

Retirement planning is much like funeral planning, in that people tend to put it off for another day. But it really does make the best sense to get in and start reasonably early.

This not only allows you to see how you will be doing financially, but you can make a retirement action plan as well.

Have a very close look at your superannuation plan and the money you are putting in. How much will you have once retired? What are your options for payout?

Considering inflation and your lifestyle will you have enough to live on and do the things you want to do. A financial adviser can be a great asset for these type of forecasts.

For this it’s really never to soon to check in, perhaps in the last ten years before retirement you can plan to top up your retirement fund.

If you haven’t bothered much with putting money into your plan, then start to do so. The more you can get into it the better.

Activities and time planning is another important area. You might want to save for the trip of a lifetime, will  your retirement be a full or semi?

It might be a wonderful thought to be sitting back everyday with your feet up, but if you are accustomed to an active work life, you’ll get bored fairly quickly.

So think as basic as everyday activities you can do.
Gardening, sports, art, travel, craft, woodwork etc can all bring a new dimension into your life.

It is a sad fact that working in order to live your life the way that you want to leaves very little time for doing the very things that we work so hard for. The pace of modern day life dictates that the majority of people that do work have very little social time, regardless of how they choose to spend it. Long and unsociable hours mean that very few people can enjoy themselves whilst they are still young, so logic dictates that seniors should make up for lost time and live every moment as if it were their last. Do the things you always wanted to do when you were younger and accept new hobbies into your life. Retirement provides the necessary time to spend the fruits of your labour, so choosing not o do so would defeat the object of all of those years spent in an office.

Most seniors do have hobbies and use them to pass the time wisely. Society perceives senior hobbies as traditional old people things to do, such as bowls, knitting, doing jigsaw puzzles and gardening. Whilst all of these pastimes are relaxing and constructively use your time, you should not be limited to participating in these kinds of hobbies. Making the most of time is all about doing something that you always wanted to, and age should not put you off that. Even if you only try something once, the experience can significantly enhance your life.

It is completely up to you as an individual as to whether you decide to pursue the traditional if stereotypical hobbies or begin to try new things in the hope that you will find a new hobby somewhere down the road. Whichever way you choose to go, as long as you are happy then it really doesn’t matter what other people think. However, trying something out of the ordinary may give you an unparalleled sense of achievement and freedom.

For example, there has been a story running in local and national newspapers about the Granny Bikers. The youngest member of this particular club is in her early seventies, and the oldest in her early nineties, but all of them go out a couple of times a week on their motorbikes. The motorbikes they ride are not just any old bikes; they are Harley Davisons, Yamahas, Suzukis and Hondas. They thoroughly enjoy riding out together, the wind in their hair, because it gives them a sense of freedom. They enjoy every aspect of their lives and, although they flaunt their mortality, they are living every moment to the full.

I am not saying that seniors should hop on the nearest motorbike, but I am saying that you should take a leaf out of their books! They are doing something that they fully enjoy a couple of times a week, and it is something that very few of them actually did before they retired.

If you wish to try a new activity then check out the groups and clubs in your area. There will usually be community listings that can inform you of the nature and meeting times of various activities. If you do a little research, you can often decide whether you like the sound of it or not. You are under no obligation to any club or hobby so trying something new would not do any harm, but it may just give you a new lease of life!

So just when do you retire, as soon as you reach retirement age; do you hate the idea, or love it? How you feel about retirement in general will probably decide when you retire.

Some people have no choice if the job is no longer available to them past retirement age, yet some work way
beyond it.

Basically if you have no physical or health reasons, and your employer is open to it you can stay on at work if you choose too. The majority of employers are happy to keep good employees on.

This decision will affect a partner as well, and possibly the immediate family. It would be awful to sign on for another five years to find out your wife/husband was looking forward to doing other things when you retired.

If you want to stop working in a full time job, but don’t feel like full retirement is warranted, ask about reduced hours. You can also set yourself up in a business as a consultant/tutor for what it is that you do.

Many folk buy into a small business, usually something they can enjoy with their partner, like a small store or a cafe.

Nice little bed and breakfasts are a great way to have a less-work oriented life but still keep your hand in. Plus it can be seasonal, so you can jet off somewhere in the off-season.

Just remember there are many choices out there. This stage of your life can mean you add more than ever before.

Well, it just does. The sooner you invest money the longer it has to mature. You can double your investment if you put away a set amount for ten years starting at age 25 than at age 35.

So you see, saving for retirement doesn’t have to be a slog forever. If you can invest $5000 a year for ten years from the age of 25 to the age of 35 you will have upwards of about $800,000 when you retire at 65.

So the earlier you start the better. This is something you have control of, you don’t have to save forever, a good ten year plan is fine.

Get around the financial institutions and check out their options. Lump sum payments can get you more interest at times.

One thing is for sure, you’ll be spoilt for choice, but do choose wisely and use a well known company. If you make a bad choice, no one will be there to help.

Your retirement money is your responsibility. Get onto it as soon as possible. But honestly, even putting something aside at age 55 is better than waiting until you are 65 and worrying about it.

If you need 30,000 a year to live on then you’d better get cracking! But be realistic, money can come partially from social security pension, perhaps your employer has a pension scheme, maybe you are going to have a small business to generate some cash to live on. Savings can make all the difference to your quality of life.

When people talk retirement planning they are generally referring to financial planning. This is very important to some, and other like to think they’ll worry about it at the time.

How much is enough? That will depend on the lifestyle you are going to plan on having once retired.

Some place a set amount into a retirement fund eack week.

Others make investments, and real estate can be a very real choice under the circumstances.

One you retire, sell the house, and you have your money.

Sounds easy doesn’t it?

Even a combination of savings and investments can be looked at if you don’t want all your eggs in one basket. It does make more sense to have more than one avenue for growing retirement funds.

The basic idea is to think about what age you might retire, and what you spend now to live a year. Naturally  inflation will dictate that what you get for your money now won’t be as much in twenty years.

So try and be realistic without pushing the panic button.

Research your options, you can get in a financial adviser or use the resources on the internet.

Decide what lifestyle you want to live when you retire and try and get the tools inplace to achieve that.

1. Are you willing to sell the family home? Do you want to travel?
2. Is a retirement village good for you?

Once you know you can begin to find out how much you might need.

Every time you turn on the television or open a general interest magazine these days, you are bound to be confronted with a story about the startling and ever-growing worldwide problem of obesity. More and more people are unhealthily overweight, to the point where eating can actually endanger our lives. There have always been some individuals that have eaten unhealthily, mainly because naughty foods taste so good, but the population as a whole now has to consider how our diets are affecting us. We can become sluggish and lethargic if we are getting the wrong amounts of nutrients and so conscious thought about what we put into our bodies is essential, and that especially applies to seniors.

As we get older, our metabolism slows down and we can no longer burn calories at the same rate as we used to. It therefore makes it easier for us to put on weight but harder for us to shed it. However, putting on weight has a more negative affect on seniors than it does any other age group. Being overweight can put unnecessary stress on the joints and thus accelerate the affects of arthritis, osteoporosis and other bone and muscle disorders and illnesses. It can also bring about the onset of diabetes, which is more common in seniors than in any other age group as it is. Whilst any senior should enjoy a little of what he or she loves to eat every now and again, no matter how unhealthy it may be, a regular balanced nutritious diet is just what the doctor orders!

A typical senior diet should consist of:
* 5 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, although more of the latter than the former
* 6 to 10 servings of complex carbohydrates a day, which incorporates rice, pasta, bread and cereals
* 2 or 3 helpings of calcium-based products, which includes milk, cheese and yoghurt (although the low fat variety would work out best)
* 2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry or fish a day o provide the body with protein
* A large amount of fiber throughout the day, which can also be found in the cereals, fruit and vegetables mentioned above

All of the foodstuffs in the list above are finely balanced as far as amount are concerned. This diet would fulfil every nutritional need that a senior has and would encourage good health. However, dieticians do advise that seniors stay away from saturated fats and sodium. The latter, also known as salt, is a factor of increased blood pressure. Therefore, salt should only b used sparingly. Most natural foods do contain salt, but in healthy doses, and so excess salt should be avoided. Avoid baking with it if at all possible, and try to resist that liberal sprinkle on your main meal! Saturated fat is actually resistant to the body’s nutritional process. That is to say it is not broken down and used for good within your body. It just sits there and clogs up your arteries. As a result, it is a factor in heart disease, forms of cancer and gallbladder disease, as well as the widespread obesity in society today.

A well balanced diet can boost your health, but a poor diet that does not fulfil all bodily nutritional requirements can actually cause it to deteriorate. In seniors, this is especially dangerous. After all, if you struggle to move the how are you supposed to work off the excess weight? If you are in shape you can avoid immobility. It is therefore a vicious circle that may relate directly to your diet.

All seniors should enjoy life to the fullest extent, but eating healthily on a regular basis can actively extend the amount of time you have left to enjoy it! Make the most of every opportunity because you only get one chance at life. Revolutionize your diet and reap the rewards!

Here is an Interesting Website.. Caring For the Elderly

Welsh scientists studying marine fossils say they’ve determined Antarctica 40 million years ago had warmer seas and little or no ice.

Catherine Burgess from Cardiff University’s School of Earth and Ocean Sciences and colleagues studied the chemical analysis of exceptionally well preserved fossils of marine micro-organisms found in 40 million-year-old sediments on a cliff face in New Zealand. “Because the fossils are so well preserved, they provide more accurate temperature records,” said Burgess. “Our findings demonstrate that the water temperature these creatures lived in was much warmer than previous records have shown.

Although we did not measure carbon dioxide, several studies suggest that greenhouse gases 40 million years ago were similar to those levels that are forecast for the end of this century and beyond. “Our work provides another piece of evidence that, in a time period with relatively high carbon dioxide levels, temperatures were higher and ice sheets were much smaller and likely to have been completely absent,” she added.

The research that included scientists from New Zealand’s Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, the University of Bristol and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research is reported in the August issue of the journal Geology.

Practicing Tai Chi is not merely a swing of the arm and the movement of the feet. There is a reason behind every movement and style that is made. These concepts paved the way to building every form of Tai Chi. So you have to pay close attention on the things that are not brought up every once in a while because even though if things seem so basic, they are indeed important.

Here are 10 of the most important concepts of Tai Chi that you should never take for granted. Remember these and it will make you appreciate more the forms that are performed.

Concept #1

Tai Chi is done with emphasis on every movement and the fashion of every pattern must be in connected with one another. Meaning every motion made must always start from the spine, going down to the waist, then moving lower to the legs and the feet, then it is simultaneously going up to the body then the arms, hands and last, the fingers.

Concept #2

Maintain your shoulders dropped so that any tension will be eliminated. Shoulders that are always propped are said to have overflowing tension.

Concept #3

Your wrists must always be straight in order to form a lady’s hand if you are performing the Cheng form. All points apply to all forms of Tai Chi but the lady’s hand is basic and a very important trait of the Cheng form in order to cultivate the energy flowing in the body.

Concept #4

Moving slowly should always be done every step of the way. It can never be overemphasized because the slow smoothness of your motions will improve the connection of your body and your environment.

Concept #5

Never let anything disconnect you. You should always stay connected with every instruction. If you have been disconnected, continue to perform the movements and listen carefully to the instructions so that you can overcome any distraction.

Concept #6

Your knees must always be bent during the entire form. Your height must not bob down and up. There are some considerations but all the while, your height must always be maintained at a level that is constant.

Concept #7

The power of Tai Chi travels differently from the movement of Tai Chi. Power of Tai Chi will start from the feet going up to the legs, controlling the shoulders, and will be expressed by the fingers and hands.

Concept #8

Your head must be maintained as if it was suspended on air.

Concept #9

Your chest must be depressed and your back should be raised but this must be done without exerting any force.

Concept #10

Your breath must be focused on your dan-tien but force must not be exerted. As time in the program may pass, there will be accomplishments that will fulfill you like synchronizing your breathing with the movements that you make.

You should always consult your teacher when to exhale or inhale.

Toukley Seniors Tai Chi Classes at Toukley Senior Citizens Centre

Nearly everyone got caught up in the dance craze by watching “Dancing with the Stars” this past season. There’s just something about the music, the dances, the level of competition, and the sarcastic responses from the judges. But there is also something else to be noticed with the professional dancers - their bodies. Not one single professional dancer had an ounce of fat anywhere on their body. What you saw was lean, toned, and muscular abs, arms, and legs. You probably would never think that ballroom dancing can produce such a workout, but it’s actually one of the best physical fitness programs available.

Ballroom dancing is much more than a slow dance around a moonlit dance floor. There are several types of dances involved with ballroom dancing, ones that involve twirls, kicks, twists, and bends. In fact, ballroom dancing gives you the opportunity to move your body in a way that you would otherwise never experience - not even in an aerobics class.

It’s no secret that most people looking to get fit or lose weight are intimidated by the gym. Not only are you surrounded by people with a better body than you, but often you find yourself having to wait for a machine or struggling to keep up in a class. Ballroom dancing is a great way of making exercise fun, and it’s an activity you can do together with your partner or spouse. Unfortunately, some people continue to live inactive lifestyles because they just can’t find a physical activity they like to do.

You may be surprised to learn that ballroom dancing can burn just as much fat and calories (if not more) than a session at the gym. Depending upon the style of dance, you can easily burn between 200 and 400 calories. For example, the foxtrot or the waltz provide an easy and gentle workout and will burn around 200 calories. This is comparable to a brisk walk in the park or thirty minutes on the elliptical. On the other hand, dances like the jive or paso doble can burn over 400 calories, which is comparable to an intense step aerobics class.

While walking on a treadmill or doing crunches are well-known exercises, they only work certain parts of your body - which leave you to workout longer in order to cover the rest. Ballroom dancing literally works every part of your body and every major muscle group. You are more likely to see results faster due to the challenge your body endures with dancing.

And if you don’t have a partner to take with you to dance class, don’t let that stop you from experiencing the glide around the dance floor. Many classes will pair you up once you arrive, and you may meet some great friends or something more! Most people who get into ballroom dancing have lots of fun, and are more likely to dance longer which extends the duration of their workout. So trade in your walking shoes for some dance shoes, and dance your way into better shape!