The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Baby boomers enjoying the New Year and making plans for 2020

Last week, I was fortunate to be able to attend a conference in San Diego on women’s history. Sponsored by the National Women’s History Alliance, an organization that promotes women’s history, the conference featured discussions on how to plan activities to celebrate the 100^th anniversary this year of women getting the vote in 1920.

The Washington delegation offered a presentation on “From Bloomers to Short Shorts: A Brief History of the Right to Wear Pants.” I portrayed Fay Fuller, who, in 1890, was the first known woman to climb Mount Rainier.

Boomer bloggers in the Best of Boomer Blogs are also writing about what’s up for 2020:

Tom at Sightings Over Sixty came across several new state rankings for retirement in 2020. So this week he puts them all together and gives us the highlights and the low lights about retirement meccas from Hawaii to Florida to Vermont. Check out "Best States to Retire In – 2020" to see if your state made the Top Ten Best List, or Top Ten Worst list.

For the New Year, Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin writes about trying new things. Whether it’s eating at a new restaurant, starting a new job, or buying a new pair of shoes, we’ve all tried new things in our lives. It’s part of life and it’s part of growing up. But sometimes, when we're about to start something new, we become unsure and let fear creep in. Koshak discusses why it's important to try new things in “When Was the Last Time You Tried Something New.”

Carol Cassara of A Healing Spirit has a tip if learning is on your list of 2020 resolutions. Cassara was relieved to know that yoga can be practiced without having to contort one's body in unnatural (or natural) poses. She tells us we don't have to use our body at all to be a yogi in “How Can You Practice Karma Yoga.”

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting began the New Year by traveling once again. Baer spent a lot of time on the road the past two weeks not driving, or rather not necessarily moving along. Her trip began with a bit of a problem at the airport, as she recounts in this week’s post, "Winter Brea(down – Almost)."

For the New Year, Rebecca Olkowski with BabyBoomster.com has updated her best online exercise programs for women over 50 as she’s found some new and exciting programs you can enjoy from the comfort of your home. 

Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles, on the other hand, tell us about an activity that she admits to liking throughout the year. She eavesdrops sometimes. She tries not to, but can’t help it. And her favorite place for eavesdropping is her local java joint. She's there for lunch an embarrassing amount of time. (O.K., almost every day). She brings her laptop and works. But here’s the interesting thing. Fascinating insights can be gleaned by “accidentally” listening into the following groups…

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #632. Click on the links to read these great articles. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

How do you want to be disposed of after you die?

At any stage of life, it’s important to have a plan for what will happen when you pass away, including how you want to be buried. What burial methods are available, how much do they cost, and how do people choose one?

To get an idea of what people’s burial plans are and why they’re chosen, researchers at Choice Mutual, a final expense life insurance agency, surveyed 1,500 Americans, analyzed their responses, and published a report; 30 percent of those surveyed were seniors.

Results of the survey are:

How do you plan to have your body disposed of after you die?

• Traditional burial – 35 percent
• Cremation – 44 percent
• Natural burial – 4 percent
• Donate to science – 6 percent
• Don’t have a plan/don’t care – 10 percent
• Other – 1 percent

Baby boomers concentrate on the basics

Baby Boomer bloggers are writing about returning to the basics and focusing on the fundamental aspects of their lives. As the Billy Joel song says, they “don't wanna waste more time." Boomers don’t want to waste time on political or personal arguments, shallow everyday distractions, or the superficiality and wastefulness of crass consumerism.

They’re writing about:

• Why it’s important to allow yourself to be a human being.
• How being adaptable can get your through life’s biggest challenges.
• How folks get together and talk in a civil, controlled, mature manner on a specific topic in a Socrates Café.
• The importance of reducing the use of plastic containers.
• Whether traits become more or less pronounced as we age.
• How to know if your vision board works.

Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #631. Click here to read the articles. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers enjoy hearing from readers.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers greet the New Year and decade

Another year came and went and the New Year begins. In addition, another decade begins . . . perhaps. Does the new decade begin in 2020 or does the old decade end in 2020? A difference of opinion exists on that question.

Despite this decade debate, baby boomer bloggers are keeping on writing. Their topics include:

• How to assess if you really know your facts.
• A visit to the Museum of Illusions in Los Angeles.
• When a blogger’s mom turned 95.
• How Blue Apron, a home-delivered “fresh ingredients” service, turned into a disaster.
• The top consumer stories of 2019.
• How you can find the light, be the light, and shine it for others.
• How to create a portable vision board.

Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin writes about these articles on the Best of Boomer Blogs #630. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers are looking backward and forward as the year ends

There are similarities between the 1920s and 2020 such as big wealth vs. the rest of us, refugees escaping violence, and Russian influence, says Rebecca Olkowski of the blog BabyBoomster. She describes how both of her parents were born here in the early 1920s, with most of her family arrived in America in the 1880s from parts of Poland, which was Russia then Czechoslovakia and now Slovakia.

“The world works in cycles,” Olkowski says. “It’s kind of weird that way.”

Meanwhile, some of our boomer bloggers are saying goodbye to another year in their articles and others are continuing to provide helpful information. Their articles include:

• How quickly the year and decade have passed.
• A year of travels, including getting some warm sun.
• How to put your goals for next year on a calendar to help achieve them.
• How to keep warm safely this winter.
• How events that stop you in your tracks can give you a new perspective.
• How a mother’s death taught her daughter the lessons of a lifetime.

Olkowski writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #629. Click here to get the links to the articles. And let us hear from you. We love to get comments and suggestions.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers contemplate winter solstice, feeling different, aging, money, and Christmas trees

It’s the holiday season. The New Year will be here soon with new beginnings and old challenges yet unresolved. To inspire you, here are the latest thought-provoking articles and practical advice from our boomer bloggers, as reported by Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles in Best of the Boomer Blogs #628.

The articles include:

• How to appreciate those who are different and ourselves more fully.
• How to buy gift cards and the return policies for 48 retailers. 
• Why the holiday celebrations are so nice before the somber, cold and quiet of the rest of winter settles in.
• How to plan your goals better by exploring five-, three-, and one-year goals.
• Aging isn’t so bad because we’re happier, smarter, and sexier than we’ve ever been.
• How to have the money talk.
• How to have the perfect Christmas tree.

Click here to get the links to all these articles. And be sure to leave comments. We love to hear from you.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Yes, boomers are doing O.K.

Carol Cassara of A Healing Spirit is still a Beatles fan, and, all these years later when she hears one of their songs, she’s instantly transported back to the 1960s. An image of a van, like the one in the photo, which was popular at the time, does the same thing. She just goes there.

Cassara also thinks about the 1960s when she reads posts by her favorite boomer bloggers. Some of their latest articles include:

• The most memorable Christmas.
• How to make Polish Sauerkraut Soup.
• The top three challenges to expect from “gray” divorce, divorce when couples are age 50 and older.
• A narrow escape on the freeway when a box truck veered off the highway toward the center median, then careened back onto it.
• How to plan goals for 2020 and beyond.
• The new, frozen Asian desserts.

Cassara writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #627. Click here to get the links to the articles. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers appreciate hearing from readers. It makes their day.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Even light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with elevated cancer risks, study shows

Many people think drinking red wine has health benefits, but a new study conducted in Japan showed even light to moderate alcohol consumption was associated with elevated cancer risks.

In the study published in Cancer, the journal of the American Cancer Society, the overall cancer risk appeared to be the lowest at zero alcohol consumption.

Although some studies have linked limited alcohol consumption to lower risks of certain types of cancer, even light to moderate consumption has been associated with a higher risk of cancer overall.

The Japanese study

To study the issue in Japan, a team examined clinical data from 2005-2016 on 63,232 patients with cancer and 63,232 controls matched for sex, age, hospital admission date, and admitting hospital. Participants reported on their average daily amount of alcohol consumption and the duration of drinking.

University of Phoenix settles with FTC for $191 million over deceptive ads

The University of Phoenix and its parent company, Apollo Education Group, will settle for a record $191 million to resolve Federal Trade Commission charges that they used deceptive advertisements, which falsely described their relationships and job opportunities with companies such as AT&T, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Twitter, and The American Red Cross.

Under the settlement approved by the FTC, UOP will pay $50 million in cash as well as cancel $141 million in debts owed to the school by students who were harmed by the deceptive ads.

"This is the largest settlement the Commission has obtained in a case against a for-profit school,” said Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Students making important decisions about their education need the facts, not fantasy job opportunities that do not exist."

Top 3 challenges to expect during a ‘gray’ divorce

By Kris Balekian Hayes, president, Balekian Hayes PLLC

Guest Blogger

Divorce rates overall are declining across the country. However, they’re nearly doubling for baby boomer couples. This phenomenon known as “gray” divorce occurs when couples over the age of 50 choose to end their marriages. Couples under the age of 40 are delaying or avoiding marriage, and those who decide to get married most likely had divorced parents growing up and, as a result, are making a concerted effort to stay together. Meanwhile, boomer couples over the age of 50 – who caused the divorce rate to spike in the 1970s — are continuing to divorce at higher rates as they age.

Most boomer couples have been together for more than half of their lives, which can make coping with a divorce during their older years extremely challenging. Some of these unique challenges may include:

1. Emotional and financial impact on adult children

When their parents divorce late in life, adult children have to navigate financial and other practical considerations while dealing with the devastating emotional strain of divorce. Unlike if a divorce happened when their children were younger, older parents may be more likely to lean on their adult children for emotional and financial support during their divorces. This can leave adult children feeling burdened, divided, and distrusting as a result of their parents’ divorce occurring later in life.