4 Ways Seniors Can Prepare for a Successful Retirement

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Bradford Square Retirement Community

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Dec 20, 2021

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Florida - Southwest

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Retirement is something everyone dreams of. Never working again and spending your golden years relaxing is a luxury that comes with years of hard work and saving up. However, as you near the age of retirement there are a few things you should do to prepare. Here are some ways to ensure you have the best retirement possible!
Set Goals
You spend your whole life working so you can retire, so it's important to know what you want to achieve once you reach this monumental point in your life. It can be difficult to imagine what you'll do with so much time off, but creating goals can help you get a better vision of your future during retirement. Try to set at least three to five goals and make them realistic and specific. If you're having trouble, think about what kind of lifestyle you want and who you want to be around. Do you want to spend more time with family and friends? Get involved in the community? Take some time to travel?
From there, get more specific and focus on the smaller details. For instance, if you want to travel, think about where you want to go and how long you want to stay there. Do you want to travel internationally? Go somewhere warm? Live somewhere new for half of the year? These are the types of questions you should consider when thinking about your retirement goals.
Evaluate Your Finances
An essential part of having a successful retirement is having enough money saved up for when you aren't working. At the start of your career, you probably enrolled in your company's 401(k) program or opened a similar account to prepare for retirement. While these will probably have you covered, it's also a smart idea to evaluate your current financial situation to ensure you have enough money saved up for your golden years.
Once you know what your income will be during retirement (don't forget social security benefits, too!),create a budget to live off of so you know how much you can afford. If you have debt, make a plan to pay it off before you retire. Remember, it'll be much harder to tackle debt payments without your normal income from work; it's best to be proactive and pay back all borrowed money so you can relax and use your retirement money for things you'll actually enjoy!
Finding extra money to dedicate toward debt payments can be difficult, but there are simple ways to free up some extra cash. Look at your current expenses and identify ways to cut back on the nonessentials. For instance, if you dine out a lot, try to prepare your meals at home beforehand so you're not tempted to buy food elsewhere. There are probably some subscriptions and other services deducting money from your bank account that you can cancel as well. If you're a homeowner, you can also researchhow to refinance a mortgage to help with debt payment. Refinancing allows you to change the terms of your mortgage so you can secure a lower interest rate or consolidate debt by borrowing money from your home's equity to tackle high-interest debt and other loans. Doing whatever you can to eliminate debt before retirement will relieve financial stress and allow you to relax and enjoy your hard-earned time off!
Focus on Your Health
As you age, taking care of your health becomes much more important. While this may be the least of your worries before retirement, you should do your best to take care of your mind and body so you can live out your golden years in peace.
Being healthy will make retirement much more enjoyable and will allow you the freedom to do whatever you want! Be proactive and schedule preventative checkups with your doctor so you can make a plan to improve your health or get treatment for any serious conditions. Along with consulting your physician, you should also continue to stay active and exercise regularly to maintain your muscle and bone strength. Try to eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep so your body is in tip-top shape for retirement. This also includes focusing on your mental health so you're in the right mindset for such a large lifestyle change!
Consider Your Options
Retirement is an exciting time full of new opportunities! With so much free time, you can do anything your heart desires, so make sure to consider all of your options. Think about your retirement goals and where you envision yourself later in life. Do you want to move somewhere new? Purchase a seasonal retirement home? Think about what you want to achieve and what fits with your lifestyle.
Depending on your goals and needs, moving into an independent living community might be the right choice for you! In these communities, you can meet new people, participate in social events, and have access to luxurious amenities (like room service, fitness centers, gourmet chefs, and more!).Resort Lifestyle Communities offer several locations across the country to fit with your desired lifestyle and feature all-inclusive, resort-style communities to help you have a worry-free and relaxing retirement experience.

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Banishing The Holiday Blues

With stores putting out holiday decorations well before Halloween, it is hard to avoid the hype surrounding the holiday season.For most people, it is an anticipated time of year with traditions, memories and family gatherings. But for older residents, these same reasons may result in the blues, making the holidays a challenging time. Sometimes beloved traditions and family gatherings become out of reach as we age and may be isolated from friends and families. Holidays may remind us of the passing of time, who is missing in our lives and who is not nearby. The loss of holiday traditions and gatherings often changes the way we feel about the holidays. Sometimes reminiscing on traditions that have gone can fuel feelings of loneliness.An AARP study found that 31% of respondents felt lonely during the holiday season. Additionally, another 41% worried about a family member or friend feeling lonesome. Whats more, more than 12 million Americans over age 65 live alone, according to the American Psychological Association. As children grow up and move away, neighborhoods change, and friends pass, the opportunities for close connections sometimes become limited. Financial constraints and loss of independence and mobility can change looking forward to the holidays to dreading them. To help avoid the holiday blues, here are some steps you can take to restore holiday joy.      Find new ways to connect, such as video chat and email. Write letters, cards and call. You do not have to wait for family members to reach out. Take initiative. Connecting with others is one of the best ways to relieve loneliness.      It is heathy to feel sadness about missing family and friends. It is important to acknowledge your feelings.       Volunteer and help others. If you are able, you can help with daily tasks that may seem overwhelming or share a meal.       If you are feeling lonely, maybe your neighbor is, too. Being available for someone else is good medicine.      Be kind to yourself. Continue your wellness routines and healthy habits.      Rethink how you do things this season. Joy is not limited to the last two months of the year! Every day can be treated as a holiday!      Consider trying a new activity or hobby or teach someone something you are good at.      Limit screen time. A constant diet of bad news creates anxiety.       Resolve to make the best of the holidays but adjust your expectations and adopt realistic goals. While the holidays may look different over time, they can still be meaningful. The most important thing to make someone feel special this season is to simply spend time with them. 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Being with a crowd of strangers who have little in common can still feel very lonely.      Being recognized and honored goes a long way in combating loneliness. Be open to asking about and including favorite memories such as treasured decorations, traditional treats and meaningful music.      Religious organizations often offer extra social and/or spiritual support. Just talking with someone can go a long way.      Bring or send familiar treats that represent holiday customs for elders to enjoy and share. Often, holiday blues are temporary. However, if symptoms last for more than two weeks, they can indicate clinical anxiety or depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), socially isolated older adults are at higher risk for depression.It may be time to seek help if you or someone you love is experiencing any of these common symptoms of depression:      Feeling so down you cannot shake it off      Too little or too much sleep, or interruptions through the night      Changes in appetite; eating more or less than usual      Difficulty concentrating      Lack of interest in the things that typically make you happy      Irritability      Lack of interest in socializing or engaging with others. Plan to look for and spread cheer this season, but if the holiday blues linger well beyond the season, discuss your symptoms with your primary care provider.ABOUT THE AUTHOR Courtney L. Whitt, Ph.D. is Director of Behavioral Health at Healthcare Network, which offers behavioral health services as a routine part of comprehensive care and traditional counseling services. Healthcare Network provides quality primary care services for children and adults in locations throughout Collier County. To learn more or make an appointment, please call 239.658.3000 or visit HealthcareSWFL.org.

Simple Ways To Support a Loved One After a Loss

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Bradford Square Retirement Community

Independent Living 3255 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Naples, Florida, 34109

Designed for your comfort, our community will feature studios, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom senior living apartments with a variety of floor plans and smart details to complement your lifestyle. Each apartment is unfurnished but includes window coverings, a climate-controlled thermostat, carpeting, ceiling fans, and ample storage. Enjoy the freedom to decorate your new home to your individual taste. The kitchens are fully equipped with a dishwasher, range, microwave, refrigerator with ice maker, and a garbage disposal. Our bathrooms are well lit with a vanity sink and storage cabinet, plus high toilet seating and a walk-in shower with handrails. Washer/dryer hook-ups are located in a separate laundry closet within the apartment. We also offer residents the option to use our community laundry room on-site. Our professional staff provides as-needed maintenance repairs and light housekeeping on a weekly basis.