The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Tattoos and baby boomers: What are the risks?

Tattoos don’t appeal to me. I won’t be getting one anytime soon. So I was surprised to learn that more and more baby boomers are getting tattoos.

A 2008 Harris poll showed that about 20 percent of adults between the age of 40 and 64 reported having one or more tattoos, according to the article “What Boomers Need to Know About Tattoos” on the DesMoinesRegister.com.

Boomers are usually looking for smaller tattoos that can be hidden, one tattoo artist reported. Flowers, birds, and family references are popular.

Another tattoo artist interviewed said he’s seen more interest in boomers who are retired getting tattoos. Since they aren’t working, they don’t have to worry about being stigmatized for having body art.

But is getting a tattoo risky?

Tattoo artists should follow health and safety practices to protect themselves as well as their clients from blood borne pathogens such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and/or HIV, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends.

Health and safety procedures for body artists may be regulated by city, county, or state agencies. Reputable shops and tattoo parlors govern themselves and follow strict safety procedures to protect their clients – and their body artists.

Are you considering getting a tattoo?

If you decide to get a tattoo, make sure you go to a licensed facility and take time to discuss the safety procedures with the artists working at the shop or tattoo parlor, the CDC recommends.
They should explain the process and tell you what they do to keep everyone safe and healthy by using sterile needles and razors, washing hands, wearing gloves, and keeping surfaces clean.

What safety procedures should be used?

Tattoo artists protect themselves and their clients when following safe and healthy practices, the CDC advises, such as:

• Use single-use, disposable needles and razors. Disposable piercing needles, tattoo needles, and razors are used on one person and then thrown away. Reusing needles or razors is not safe.

• Safely dispose of needles and razors. Used needles and razors should be thrown away in a biohazard-labeled, disposable container to protect both the client and the person changing or handling the trash bag from getting cut.

• Wash hands before and after putting on disposable gloves. Gloves are always worn while working with equipment and clients, changed when necessary, and aren’t reused.

• Clean and sterilize reusable tools and equipment. Some tools and equipment can be reused when creating body art. Reusable tools and equipment should be cleaned and then sterilized to remove viruses and bacteria.

• Frequently clean surfaces and work areas. Chairs, tables, workspaces, and counters should be disinfected between procedures to protect both the health of the client and the artist. Cross-contamination – spreading bacteria and viruses from one surface to another – can occur if surfaces aren’t disinfected frequently and between clients. Any disinfectant that claims to be able to eliminate the tuberculosis germ can also kill HIV and hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses. Use a commercial disinfectant, following the manufacturer’s instructions, or a mixture of bleach and water – one part bleach to nine parts water.

What are the risks if safety procedures aren't followed?

• Viruses, germs, and bacteria that can cause infections

• Tuberculosis

• Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis C

• HIV and AIDS

What are other problems that could occur with tattoos?

• An allergy to the ink, which may be troublesome because pigments can be difficult to remove.

• Nodules called granulomas that may form around material that the body sees as foreign, such as particles of tattoo pigment.

• Scars called keloid formation that grow beyond normal boundaries may occur in people who are prone to developing keloids.

• MRI complications such as swelling or burning in the affected areas when undergoing magnetic resonance imaging test or MRI.

So be extremely careful if you decide to get a tattoo. Here are references on the things to consider before walking into a tattoo parlor to have body art applied:

 “Tattoos and Permanent Makeup” – U.S. Food and Drug Administration

“Think Before You Ink: Are Tattoos Safe?” – U.S. Food and Drug Administration

“Foot Tattoos: Five Things to Think About Before You Get a Foot Tattoo” – The Fun Times Guide to Feet

“Tattoos: What You Need to Know” – MedicineNet.com

“Tattooing Tips” – Life123

“The Deadly Dangers of Body Tattoos” – Associated Content

“What Are the Dangers of Getting a Tattoo?” – The Sun Chronicle

“About Tattoo Dangers and Side Effects” – eHow

“Having Tattoos Could Be a Sign of Low Self-Esteem” – studentdailynews.com

“Tattoo Remorse Fuels Boom for Dermatologists” – CNNhealth.com

“Color Me Yellow: Hepatitis and the Art of Tattoo” – About.com

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What do gay baby boomers need as they grow older?

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.

In a proclamation, President Obama said that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender or LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society.

The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, Obama said, but there’s more work to be done… LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect. And he added:

As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our nation was founded, every American will benefit.

During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

When I marched in the Olympia, Wash., Capital City Pride Parade, I thought about gay baby boomers and what their concerns are, as they grow older.

A study, “Out and Aging: The MetLife Study of Lesbian and Gay Baby Boomers,” takes a look the needs of the boomer generation as it reached midlife and beyond. The study found:

• Both lesbian and bisexual women and gay and bisexual men share a concern about their financial stability as they age into retirement. (1) For women, their greatest fear is outliving their income as they age. (2) For men, their great fear is becoming dependent on others and becoming sick or disabled.

• More than a quarter, 27 percent, of LGBT boomers reported great concern about discrimination as they age, and less than half expressed strong confidence that health-care professionals will treat them “with dignity and respect.” Fears of insensitive and discriminatory treatment by health-care professionals are particularly strong among lesbians, of whom 12 percent said they have absolutely no confidence that they will be treated respectfully.

• LGBT baby boomers want to spend their final days in the comfort of their own homes. Nearly half, 47 percent, said they would like their end-of-life care to take place in their current residence with the help of hospice care, followed at a distant second by 16 percent who would prefer to spend their final days in their current homes without hospice care.

• Lesbian and bisexual women appear to be less financially prepared for the end of life. For instance, they’re less likely than their male counterparts to have purchased long-term care insurance or to have written wills.

• One half, 51 percent, of LGBT baby boomers have yet to complete wills or living wills spelling out their long-term care and end-of-life wishes – yet such documents are important for LGBT older adults given the current lack of legal protection for LGBT couples and families.

• Almost 40 percent of respondents believe that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender has helped them prepare for aging in some way. They’ve developed positive character traits, greater resilience, or better support networks as a consequence of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

The MetLife Mature Market Institute and the Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network of the American Society on Aging undertook this national survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender baby boomers in February 2006.

A sample of 1,000 LGBT people ages 40 to 61 participated in an online survey conducted by Zogby International, a polling and public-opinion research firm.

Let me know if this survey reflects your concerns as a gay baby boomer consumer as you approach and enter retirement. Do you have additional new worries about the coming years due to the Great Recession?

 
Note: The photos are from Capital City Pride Parade.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison

A tribute to my dad on Father’s Day

My dad Minor H. Slingsby was an important figure in my life.

Two of my main passions in life came from him: an interest in consumerism and newspapers.

My dad enjoyed reading the newspaper, and he’d read articles to us. When he found something he thought was humorous, he’d read it aloud and laugh uproariously.

Carefully watching every penny, my dad taught me to be an informed, alert consumer.

I’m a consumer journalist because of him.

My dad was a stern man. My mom said when they were first married she’d argue with him. After a while, she gave up. Mom said she decided he could be in charge. He made the decisions in the family.

My two sisters and I worked hard at following his rules and keeping out of trouble.

Born in 1910 in Williston, N.D., my dad and his family experienced hard times as a farm family.

One of the main crops they grew was flax, a plant used to produce fiber.

My dad’s father drank heavily and gambled, so little money was left for the family.

At one time, my grandmother and some of the seven children tried to obtain property by homesteading. Huddled under buffalo blankets when they ran out of fuel and food, one of the boys had to go to town for help.

My grandfather died in 1914 at age 58. My dad was 4 years old.

It was difficult for the family to earn money after that.

When my dad was about 8, his family moved West. Mable Bailey Kinyon, my grandmother’s sister, helped the family. She and her husband Harry Kinyon owned an apple ranch in Cashmere, Wash.

My dad lived with his sister Mable Taylor and attended Cashmere High School where he played basketball. He was 6 foot 4 inches.

Although my dad worked mostly in apple orchard jobs, he met my mom in the Ritzville, Wash., area when he went to get a job in the wheat harvest.

My dad married Ruth L. Telecky in 1933 in Cashmere.
 
During the Great Depression, he was able to get a job working for the Works Progress Administration as a timekeeper. The skills he learned were helpful to him later in life.

My parents worked hard, saved their money, and bought a seven-acre apple orchard in Orondo, Wash. It’s 13 miles up the Columbia River from Wenatchee.

One thing that happened to my father, which affected him profoundly, was the loss of the orchard. Apple prices were low in the recession of 1948, and we had to sell our ranch.

My dad was upset about it for years. He complained about capitalism. He criticized the government, saying apple farmers should be able to receive the same subsidies as wheat farmers.

We moved up the river to the Wenatchee Beebe Orchard Company where my dad obtained a job as the field manager.

Like most men of his era, my dad didn’t talk about his feelings. He never talked about his childhood. The information I learned was from my Uncle Harry and my aunts.

My dad was proud of my accomplishments and me. We were able form a good relationship in his later years and enjoy and appreciate each other.

My dad died in 1990 at age 80 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a lymphatic system cancer. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is linked to pesticide exposure.

I miss my dad very much. I’ll be thinking about him on Father’s Day and the contributions he made to my life.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Memory mistakes after 40

When I entered my 50s, I began burning pans of food and teapots on the stove frequently.

I decided I needed to change my habits when it came to how I operated the stove. I made a new rule: I would put the timer on every time I turned the stove on high. It worked. I seldom burned pans or teapots after that.

Until last week. I made a mistake. I put the teapot on the stove and forgot to put the whistle down so it would sound AND I didn’t set the timer.

As I was writing a post, I was surprised when the smoke alarm went off. I couldn’t figure it out. When I entered the kitchen, I saw the problem immediately. Red-hot burner under empty teapot.

I used a pancake turner to get the teapot off the burner. I was hopeful that the teapot wasn’t ruined. However, a few minutes after I moved the teapot, the small, ball-shaped knob on the teapot lid popped off. I knew it was all over.

It’s common for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s to make memory mistakes when they’re busy and preoccupied. Just because you’re getting older, it doesn’t mean you can’t improve your memory skills.

Here are some ideas on how you can improve your memory:

“Your Memory: Five Ways to Keep It Sharp” – Consumer Reports Health.org

“How to Improve Your Memory” – suite101.com

“How to Improve Your Memory” – howstuffworks

“Four Strategies to Stretch Your Memory” – Johns Hopkins Health Alerts

“Mind Games – Improve Your Memory With Some Simple Rules” – CBS News.com

“Improving Your Memory: Tips and Techniques for Memory Enhancement” – Helpguide.org

“How to Improve Your Memory” -- Howcast

“11 Quick Tips on How to Improve Your Memory” – ManageYourLife Now.com

“Memory Loss: Seven Tips to Improve Your Memory” – MayoClinic.com

“Forgetfulness Isn’t Always a Cause for Concern” – Consumeraffairs.com

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Twins a startling surprise for baby boomer couple

Before Mother’s Day, I wrote a tribute to baby boomers having babies.

My niece Debra decided to have a baby when she was 50, making me aware of the joys and challenges of being a boomer and having a new baby.

Laura Petrie saw the post and left me a wonderful comment on boomer parenthood. Here’s her story:

I guess you could say I’ve always been a late bloomer: late 20s when I finally graduated from law school; nearly 30 when I married my husband, Michael; now, my 40s for becoming a first-time mom!

Not that we didn’t want or try to have children sooner. We spent the better part of a decade on the emotional roller-coaster ride called infertility treatments, trying every new procedure known to science, with no luck. There we were, two healthy, otherwise happy, successful professionals with everything in the world going for us, except no apparent ability to do what most people simply took for granted: producing children.

When I turned 40, we finally gave up. Our 12-year marriage had produced no children. We were empty nesters who’d never had the privilege of actually experiencing a full nest.

To combat our disappointment over being childless, we made a list of fantasy goals and resolved to accomplish everything on the list. We bought a very kid unfriendly beach bungalow with magnificent ocean views, but zero backyard; a ridiculously expensive and impractical two-seater sports car; and we began traveling the world.

As near as I can tell, it was probably Paris where we must have conceived. It had been a month of touring the wine regions of France and Italy, No. 4 on our fantasy goal list. The City of Lights was brimming with a spirit of romance, and we were as two young lovers once again.

Back in California, relaxing on the front deck of our home, sipping wine purchased in Tuscany, and watching the sun set gloriously into the Pacific, we might have seemed to all the world as possessing the perfect baby boomer lifestyle. But it wasn’t what I’d envisioned when we first walked down the aisle all those years ago. I’d thought by now there would be a house filled with kids.

It was a week or so later that I took a home pregnancy test. ‘I think I might be pregnant,’ I told Michael, my tone of indifference reflecting that there was no way the test could be correct. I took a blood test later that same afternoon at a doctor’s office just to prove the home test wrong. A nurse called the next day: ‘Congratulations! You are pregnant.’

My husband and I spent several moments just looking at one another, mouths agape. The nurse interrupted our telephone silence by suggesting a visit with the doctor the next day, ‘Just to be absolutely certain.’    

The doctor did an ultrasound and pronounced us definitely with child. ‘A nice strong heartbeat,’ he announced. ‘Wait . . . make that two strong heartbeats’! At that, I burst into uncontrollable tears. My husband felt the need to grab a chair to keep from losing balance and toppling over. ‘That’s impossible,’ I sobbed, ‘there are no twins in either of our families.’

‘Apparently, there are now,’ the doctor responded.    

Our twins are now two years old. Watching the world anew through their eyes is truly our greatest fantasy goal come true.

When I e-mailed Laura to thank her for her story and to see if I could feature it on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide, I asked whether she had girls or boys or one of each and what she and her husband did about the beach house and small car.

Here’s her reply:

It has been nothing short of amazing – though exhausting – to be the mother of twins. We have a boy and a girl. We are so lucky.

There are no twins on either side of our families, but my doctor informed us that multiples are far more common in older women – women over 35 to 40 – than in younger women. I never knew that before.

We still have our little beach house with no yard. It's been listed for sale since I got pregnant, but the real estate market in California is horrible and we’ve had no buyers. So, we make do. There are nearby parks for the kids. And, of course, there's always the beach for the kids to play on. But I'd “kill” for a nice new tract house with a bonus room and a big grassy backyard.

We traded my husband's pride and joy sports car for a seven-seater wagon. He has expressed no regrets... at least none that he's verbalized.

Thank you, Laura, for telling us your inspiring story.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Say ‘no’ to your TV, computer for Turnoff Week

For years, I’ve been concerned about the amount of time people spend watching television.

There’s so much that can be accomplished, including community-enhancing projects, but instead Americans are glued to their TV sets.

Now with the emergence of the Internet and video games, the American obsession with the screen continues.

On average, people watch four hours of TV daily and then spend another four-plus hours with computers, games, video, iPods, and cell phones. 

The average World of Warcraft gamer plays for 892 minutes per week, reports a Nielsen poll.  The company that owns Second Life – a virtual world – claims that its users spent over one million hours on line. 

Children six and under spend an average of two hours a day using screen media, about the same amount of time they spend playing outside, and well over the amount they spend reading or being read to – 39 minutes.

Screen time cuts into family time and is a leading cause of obesity in both adults and children, reports the Center for Screen-Time Awareness. Excessive use of screens for recreational purposes leads to a more sedentary and solitary lifestyle, which is unhealthy mentally and physically.

In the U.S. and other industrialized nations around the world, screen time use continues to increase every year. The average daily usage for all screens, in some countries, has reached nine hours per day. This is for recreational use of screens and doesn’t include work time. 

Turnoff Week, formerly called TV Turnoff Week, is April 20 to 26. People are encouraged to not watch TV, use their computers, or use other screens during the week, or at least cut down on usage of screens.

Millions of people around the world participate in Turnoff Week, with many taking part through schools, churches, or community groups, as families or individuals, or at work.

When they turn off their screens, people have time to relax, think, read, create something, or catch up on things they haven’t had time to do. Opportunities to spend time with families and take part in community activities also emerge.

Turnoff Week is supported by the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Education Association, and President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Academy Award nominated movies often offer violence and sadness, occasionally inspiration

Since I wrote my last post on the Academy Awards’ nominations, I’ve seen six more of the nominated movies. One of the movies is about getting older, “The Wrestler,” but I wouldn’t recommend it for baby boomers.

“Slumdog Millionaire”

The story for “Slumdog Millionaire” is good, but the movie is pretty violent. I didn’t appreciate the torture scene. I don’t think it merits a nomination for best picture.

“Frost/Nixon"

I really liked “Frost/Nixon.” I haven’t been interested in seeing the movie. I’ve never been a big Richard Nixon fan. I knew he was lying when he gave a speech from the Oval Office on television firing his top assistants John Erlichman and H.R. Haldeman. The movie was interesting, thought-provoking, and brought back memories of a president who broke the law and thought anything the president does is legal. I’m rooting for “Frost/Nixon” for best picture.

“The Wrestler”

I don’t think “The Wrestler” has much going for it. Who’s the audience? Young men who like wrestling? Why would a young audience be interesting in an aging wrestler? For baby boomers who are getting older, it may offer some messages. I don’t see how “The Wrestler” received two Academy Award nominations.

“Rachel Getting Married”

“Rachel Getting Married” is an interesting movie about a young women getting out of a rehabilitation facility to attend her sister’s wedding. Some of the monologues of the troubled characters are so long, you can hardly wait until they’re over. The writing isn’t the usual short, fast-moving bits of dialogue that you usually see in movies. Anne Hathaway gives a good performance and deserves a nomination.

“Revolutionary Road”

“Revolutionary Road” is a disappointment. In the two classes I took in scriptwriting, we were told to tell our stories “over the top.” While this movie, about the disappointments of living in the suburbs and not achieving your dreams, is over the top, it’s way, way, way too over the top. I lived in the suburbs and raised children. In addition to being a mom, which is one of my life’s greatest joys, I discovered many things to do to be engaged and make a contribution. I did volunteer work, worked on political campaigns, and ran for a city commission position.

“The Dark Knight”

I don’t like violent movies, but I went to see “The Dark Knight” because my daughter told me to. Unfortunately, the only place the movie is showing in Olympia is in an IMAX theater. I sat in the back to be further back from the violence and motion on the screen. The story was O.K., typical for an action thrilled. Much has been made of Heath Ledger’s interpretation of the Joker. While he did a good job, I think our culture has better things to do than to focus on these violent movie characters.

For me, the sound for “The Dark Knight” is a real problem. The background sound was too loud throughout. At the end, one character was talking about Batman’s role in the future. The background music was so loud, you couldn’t understand his words. It’s incredible that “The Dark Knight” won nominations for sound mixing and sound editing. The people who did the sound for the movie should be fired.

“Gran Torino"

I also saw “Gran Torino,” about a man’s man from another era, a widow, who must deal with immigrants moving into his neighborhood and life. I misplaced my list as I was seeing four movies in one day. The movie attendant at the theater said it had been nominated. It wasn’t. “Gran Torino” is a good story, and the actors played their parts well. The Clint Eastwood character is certainly over the top, but as a grouch, he is a lot like my dad, also from that era, was.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison

100 ways baby boomers can improve their lives in 2009

It’s often difficult to remain cheerful in these turbulent economic times. News of more job layoffs. Banks and other financial institutions continuing to have problems. Businesses closing.

Although the news can be discouraging, it’s important to think through what’s positive in your life and how to get more joy and satisfaction.

Here are 50 ways to improve your life this year:

 

Health

• Read novels to reduce stress.

• Walk, walk, walk.

• Use less toxic products, especially for cleaning your home and on your body.

• Eat more vegetarian meals.

• Plant fruit trees.

• Buy organic food.

• Talk honestly to your doctor about your health needs.

• Try yoga.

Community

• Talk to your neighbors.

• Find a rewarding volunteer activity.

• Move to a walkable neighborhood.

• Contribute to your city or county government.

• Take a walk in a park once a week.

Finances

• Compare prices before you buy.

• Pay off your credit cards.

• Complain when something you buy or a service isn’t right.

• Figure out ways to simplify your life.

• Read Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan: Keeping Your Money Safe and Sound.”

 

Joy

• Read “Finding Joy: 101 Ways to Free Your Spirit and Dance With Life” by Charlotte Davis Kasl.

• Sign up for the lessons you’ve always wanted to take.

• Say “I love you” to someone you love every day.

• Have coffee or lunch with a friend you haven’t seen in a while.

• Relax by soaking in the bathtub.

• Laugh out loud.

• Sleep in once a week.

• Hold a baby.

• Remember to get as much joy as you can from the present, rather than worrying about the past or future.

• Visit a farm.

• Watch movies that are fun.

• Stop being a perfectionist.

• Visualize daily what you’d like your life to be like.

• Surround yourself with people who are positive.

• Spend a realistic amount of time using the computer.

• Don’t think about work when you leave for the day.

• Pursue your dreams.

• Enjoy the wonders of nature.

• Give up nagging.

• Figure out ways to enjoy your children more.

• Reduce the amount of television you watch.

• Take care of yourself.

• Don’t dwell on your mistakes.

• Pace yourself.

• Be open to new ideas and activities.

• Let go of disappointments and negative people from the past.

Home

• Turn on your favorite music when you clean house.

• Organize one spot or cupboard in your house weekly.

• Use lights and plants to make your home more enjoyable.

• Remodel a room.

• Buy a pretty new bedspread.

• Organize your photos.

• Recycle.

Here are additional suggestions from the article “50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2009” in U.S. News and Reports:

Money

• Recycle old gadgets for cash.

• Choose “Obama” stocks.

• Advance your career online.

• Put your cash in safe accounts.

• Start your own nonprofit.

• Drink screw-topped wines.

• Lose the ‘microwave’ mentality.

• Make friends at work.

• Watch television free online.

• Try that home before buying.

Health

• Bike to work.

• Use glass to store food.

• Take an afternoon nap.

• Get paid for good health.

• Walk the cravings away.

• Get a new toothbrush.

• Move to Vermont.

• Get your eyes checked.

• Add obstacles to your jog.

• Get fit as you get older.

The brain

• Read Edgar Allan Poe

• Publish your book yourself.
  

• Go back to school for new skills.

• Study philosophy.

• Save that November 5 newspaper.

• Silence noise pollution.

• Finish a crossword puzzle.

• Start using Twitter.

• Learn Russian

• Keep a “clothes hanger” journal.

The world around you

• Learn about Abraham Lincoln.

• Plant a square-foot garden.

• Hypermile when you drive.

• Help those hit by the recession.

• Switch to a push mower.

• Air dry your laundry.

• Practice spreading tolerance.

• Ditch the phone while driving.

• Get your news online.

• Buy laptops for kids.

 

Play

• Learn to play bridge.

•  Visit Alaska.

• Celebrate the life of Miles Davis.

• Take a “staycation.”

• “Geotag” your digital photos.

• Watch the Beatles “Let It Be.”

• Teach your kids to cook.

• Play a fake musical instrument.

• Read the book before you see the movie.

• Try your hand at pottery.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

New Year’s resolutions help baby boomers make changes in their lives

I’m surprised to be writing about the positive benefits of New Year’s resolutions. I stopped making them years ago, although I wrote often about what consumers could expect in the coming year. I didn’t think the resolutions were effective.

 

However, John Norcross, Ph.D., clinical psychology and professor at the University of Scranton, said his research studies show that New Year’s resolutions are beneficial in helping people make changes in their lives. People who make resolutions have more success in developing new habits than those who don’t make them.

 

Norcross was interviewed for a recent story on National Public Radio, “Making New Year’s Resolutions Stick.”

 

Based on his studies, he said 44 to 46 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions will be successful in six months. Those who want to make a change, but don’t make a resolution have a 0 to 4 percent success rate.

 

If your resolution is realistic, obtainable, and measurable, you’ll be more successful in changing your behavior, the researcher advises. For example, it’s more realistic to set a goal to lose 10 pounds than 50.

 

Combining two related items, such as losing weight and exercising, will work. However, never combine more than two resolutions, Norcross said. For example, if you add quit smoking to your resolutions of losing weight and exercising, it may not work.

 

A family can make resolutions, he said, but everyone in the family needs to agree to participate. If the kids don’t want to do it, it won’t work. As the family progresses toward its goal, positive rewards can be shared.

 

A buddy system, someone you can call if you begin to waiver or if you’ve made a mistake, will help you achieve your resolution. Your buddy can offer encouragement and help you get back on track.

 

About 70 percent of people who make resolutions find that they have a momentary slip in January. They need to realize that the first slip isn’t a fall. They can refine their action plan and get up and start again.

 

Norcross said it’s important to remember that a New Year’s resolution is a marathon, not a 10-yard dash. New habits are developed over time by many repeated actions, not in a few weeks of frenzied activity. And, if people aren’t successful with their resolution, they can try again next year.

 

“Life is a long quest for improved behavior,” he said.

 

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

If you're discouraged, here's a guide for boomer living

Amy Sherman, a mental health counselor, believes boomers can get what they want in mid-life if they take charge and reshape their vision for the future.

In Sherman's e-book, "Distress-Free Aging: A Boomer's Guide to Creating a Fulfilled and Purposeful Life," she sets out 10 strategies boomers can use to explore what they want to do as they grow older.

The strategies include looking at:

1. Your belief system.
2. Your outlook.
3. Your flexibility.
4. Your self-esteem and self-love.
5. Your self-motivation.
6. Your sense of control.
7. How to see problems as challenges.
8. How you release emotions.
9. Your sense of humor.
10. How to apply what you know.

Exercises are included at the end of the discussion of each strategy.

Sherman says her e-book is for boomers who are concerned about their future or who are discouraged or disappointed about where they are in their lives.

For more information, see Sherman's Web site www.bummedoutboomer.com.

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist