Medicare Supplements Made Easy

When my mother needed help making a choice of medicare supplements a few years ago, I must admit to having mixed feelings. I wanted to be helpful, but felt over my head! My mom turned to my older sister and I heaved a sigh of relief. It was too confusing for me! Have you felt this way, too?

I have since learned that all medicare supplements are, by federal law, exactly the same from company to company. The only difference is in the rates! State Mutual Insurance Company offers one of the lowest-priced medicare supplements around. They keep their rates low by making them very easy to access on their user-friendly (and anonymous) website (www.statemutualinsurance.com). State Mutual does not market through agents, as most companies do. They won't even send a brochure to you! If you are looking for a way to cut down on expenses, this might just be a way to do that! And, you don't need to worry about their track record, rated B+ by AM Best and they've been in business since 1936!

I wish I had known this when my mom was looking to make her choice. Her health is not as good now as it was then. You have probably heard this before, "Don't wait until you need insurance to buy it, by then you're too late!" Of course, you have a 6-month window when you first turn 65: you are "guaranteed issue," but after that you must qualify medically. So, check it out now, before you need it!

Rheumatism? Arthritis? Afraid You'll Fall? Tai Chi!

Tai chi's gentle, low impact movements burn more calories than surfing and nearly as many as downhill skiing! Millions of people who practice it worldwide are living a more active life than those who don't. Their friends and neighbors are seeing this and joining their classes in record numbers, especially among seniors!

Touch Research Institutes and University of Miami School of Medicine research determined some effects: increased heart rate; increased relaxation, decreased anxiety and increased speed and accuracy noted on math computations! Decrease in arthritis pain, balance control, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, and reduced risk of falls may also be benefits. No longer just a Chinese phenomenon, it is spreading around the world. 24 postures in the short form (42 in the Olympics) and you can begin in the privacy of your own home! Mark Hoffman’s website: http://www.taichiforseniorsvideo.com/ has a free sample demonstration video, and, it is also available on Amazon.

National Library of Medicine, the largest medical library in the world awarded a grant to American Tai Chi and Qigong Association for a website: "The Tai Chi & Consumer Health Information Center" (http://www.americantaichi.net) which provides scientific, reliable, and comprehensive information about health benefits of Tai Chi - for arthritis, fall prevention, pain reduction, mental health, cardiovascular diseases, fitness, and general well-being. Recognized by the U.S. NIH as an important method of Alternative Health Care; 75% of traditional medical schools in the USA now have training in natural, complimentary medicine.

Be safer, have less pain… Tai Chi!

Balancing Our Lives

Falls resulting in broken bones are a very real threat for us as we age. One of the reasons for falling is loss of balance. If we are less active, we bend and twist less. This rigidity makes it difficult for us to catch ourselves as we fall. Tai Chi and Yoga are great ways to recover our flexibility and balance!

Several years ago, when I was finding it painful to get out of a chair and walk across the room, I found a yoga video in my collection. The title: “Yoga for Weight Loss” (with Suzanne Deason, VHS available on Amazon for pennies) was catchy, but somewhat misleading. The premise: a person at peace is a person able to make good eating and exercise choices. THE best yoga video I have found! Four women demonstrate yoga poses for the beginner, intermediate and more flexible. Beautifully set in the red rock country of Sedona, Arizona, with soothing, peaceful music. Warm up begins on the ground and progresses through standing, strength and flexibility poses, then back to the ground for core work and ending in a relaxation pose.

I ALWAYS walk away feeling supple, relaxed, refreshed, and wondering, “Why don’t I do this more often?” I think you will, too! Make time in your schedule to give yourself this treat, AND reduce the odds that you’ll be injured in a fall. More about Tai Chi in the next blog… stay tuned!