Baby Boomers are stressed.  Yes, I know about jobs and mortgages and all of that, but that isn’t what I am worried about.  I am worried about stressed out Boomers that are scrunched, or sandwiched.  The sandwich generation, a subset of the Baby Boomer crowd, is really worrying about not only their kids, but their parents as well.  As caring for their parents becomes more common, with extended lifespans of senior citizens, Baby Boomers are worrying about their parent’s safety.

Issues such as leaving stoves and irons on, and burning the house down are the kinds of things that keep Baby Boomers preoccupied.  Alzheimer’s is increasing and elderly people who have always been independent, may not always be able to remain that way.  Handling the need to live independently and balancing it with the potential problems that may exist, is a trial for the children of these senior parents.  And although not all older people have Alzheimer’s, it is enough of an issue that it is a valid concern.

Afraid Your Folks Will Forget Something?

Do you know what elder law is?  You should.  Whether you are a Baby Boomer, a senior citizen, or a member of the Sandwich Generation, you need to learn about elder law and how it is, or will become, necessary in your life, or the life of your parents.

Elder law is a legal specialty that helps older citizens and their family members with a variety of legal issues that can include: estate planning (wills, trusts and probate), long-term care planning, Social Security and disability, public and private pensions, Medicare, Medicaid, nursing home issues, durable powers of attorney, living wills, conservatorship and guardianship, age discrimination, elder abuse, fraud, senior housing and more.
Jim Miller – Bradenton Herald

The complexity of society has caused this arm of the legal profession to come together in an effort to protect the rights of the senior citizen.  As that age group becomes the largest population group within the United States, the need for attorneys specializing in this field, will increase. 

But finding a good attorney is a bit like finding a good physician.  Not all of them received straight A’s in law school.  And some are downright unethical.  How does a person find a good attorney, who specializes in elder law?  And how can adult children and other extended family members help?

Elder Law One Of Fastest Growing Fields - Finding A Good Attorney

Does it seem like the press is hounding us lately about losing weight?  Like every time we turn on the television or Internet, someone is there saying, “You are too fat!”  Well, they don’t say it that way, because they know we would change the channel or surf to another site.  But they say it all the time in more subtle ways.  At least it seems that way to me – maybe I am feeling guilty!  Is there a concern about Baby Boomers and their weight causing them problems later on in life?  Is this a justified concern?

It seems that it may be a very big (pardon the pun) concern because as this article says, “Obese Baby Boomers are on the fast track to becoming disabled senior citizens.”  Disabled?  Wait a minute.  I thought being overweight was going to shorten our life and definitely cut our quality of life, but what is this about being disabled?

Public health officials have said for years that obesity increases the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis and cancer and can shave years off a person’s life. Now a growing body of research suggests being obese – 30 or more pounds over a healthy weight – increases chances of becoming disabled at a younger age and unable to perform daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, shopping and climbing stairs.
Clarion Ledger

That translates into big bucks for our government, meaning our society, and meaning our taxes.  Social Security is the supply of most of the disability payments in the United States, and it is going to be drained as it is with the Baby Boomers all retiring at the same time.  Now, if we enter in longterm disability into the equation, the system is going to be stressed even more than before.

There are no easy answers.  We can’t really legislate weight.  How could we enforce it anyway?  Twinkie Tax?  But there are many questions and concerns on the very near horizon.  Unfortunately, most have no easy answers. 

Obese Baby Boomers To Be Disabled Seniors

As senior citizens, like the rest of the population, empower themselves in their healthcare, more attention is being paid to the daily diet.  Not “diet” in the sense of, “I need to take off a few pounds,” but diet in terms of longterm eating habits and food plans.  Using food for healthcare is nothing new; how many bowls of chicken soup have you had due to a head cold?  But using foods on a regular basis to increase health and longevity is a fairly new concept – one that is becoming increasingly popular.

AARP has recently covered eight foods they call “superfoods.”  Why are they superfoods?  Because these food can supposedly make enormous differences in the health and well-being of the individual who consumes them regularly.  They are easy to find, not expensive, and for the most part a pleasant addition to the diet.  (Except for apples – I just don’t like apples!  But that cup of cocoa sure looks yummy!)

AARP and the Eight Superfoods