Don't Be Proud

Parenting a second time can puncture a retiree's finances, Karen Best Wright of grandparents.com said.
Grandparents should accept assistance if it's available, Wright said. Contacting your church or community organizations can be a good source for food, clothing, utilities, or Christmas and birthday gifts. Tax breaks, food stamps and grants can be available, depending upon the custody arrangements, income and state you live in. "Don't be proud," Wright said.
If the grandchildren are under 5, WIC (The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) may be available through the Health Department. It pays for healthy foods for children, Wright said. She also suggests looking into what the state offers as part of the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) grant at the Administration for Children & Families. Wright also found her local social services "most helpful." They guided her through the child-only TANF grant process, Medicaid and available child care.

Source: "Bringing Them Up As Their Own," Deseret News

Organizaing a Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group

Source: Pennsylvania Grandparents Raising GrandChildren, Pennsylvania Dept. of Aging

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=616615&mode=2

Support groups are beneficial to families, because:

• They can help reduce caregiver stress, improving overall health and resulting in greater physical and emotional stability for caregivers and those in their care. 
• No matter the situation, just knowing there are others experiencing the same thing is very helpful.

Organizing a Support Group

Here are some helpful pointers on how to start your own kinship care support group if none exist in your area:

• Gather information about other kinds of support groups; if possible, call and ask permission to attend a meeting to watch, ask questions and borrow ideas.
• Assess the need in your community. Talk with the decision makers at your local schools, preschools and daycares and get them to agree to distribute a short survey that gathers information about kinship care families in your area. (See sample survey at the bottom of this page) 
• Develop ground rules by which you will run your meeting so that everyone will know what to expect without apprehension. Confidentiality of discussions is an example.
• Decide if you want an open meeting or an educational meeting with speakers who can educate about caregiver needs. Often it is a good idea to have an open coffee and/or pizza meeting and let the group participate in developing the organization. Be flexible.
• Find a convenient and safe meeting place for a one to two hour meeting, such as a library, community center, church or synagogue, hospital, social service agency, YMCA/YWCA, bank, or fraternal organization.
• Contact human service professionals that work with older adults, families or children as well as school officials and make them aware of your support group. Ask them to refer families to your organization.
• Publicize meetings through posters, flyers, announcements or letters-to-the-editor in newspapers. Place them where you go and you are likely to find other caregivers in the same position as you

What the Grandchildren Say About the Relationship

Grandparents feel close to the grandchildren they are raising. However, the grandparent-grandchild relationship may be difficult when the grandchildren have physical, emotional, or behavioral difficulties. Research studies have shown that a larger than average number of grandchildren raised by their grandparents have such difficulties, and this could be a reason for abandonment. Timing is a factor, as grandchildren may have stronger bonds with their grandparents when they have lived with them for the majority of their lives. According to Doblin-MacNab (2009).169), "grandchildren explained how their grandparents' love and stability allowed them to succeed in school, stay out of trouble, develop strong morals, and religious values." Grandchildren not only love and show affection to their grandparents but they emphasized in this research study the deep gratitude and respect for their grandparents efforts in raising them. The early adolescent grandchild did describe the generation gap, stric expectations, and limitations of the age and health of grandparents as challenges of the relationship.

Source: "What Grandchildren Think of Being Raised By Their Grandparents," Mary Gosche, Human Develoment Specialist
http://education.missouri.edu/orgs/parentlink/_files/Summer%202009%20Cape-Bollinger%20county--one%20page.pdf

Keep Your Mind Sharp

There are many good reasons for keeping your brain as active as your body. Keeping your brain active and maintaining creativity actually may help to prevent cognitive decline and memory problems. The more you use and sharpen your brain, the more benefits you will get. This is especially true if your career no longer challenges you or if you've retired from work altogether.

• Try variations on what you know. For some people, it might be games. Other people may enjoy puzzles or trying out new cooking recipes. Find something that you enjoy and continue to try new variations and challenges. If you like crosswords, move to a more challenging crossword series or try your hand at a new word game. If you like to cook, try a completely different type of food, or try baking if you’ve mostly been cooking over the stove.
• Work something new in each day. You don’t have to work elaborate crosswords or puzzles to keep your memory sharp. Try to work in something new each day, whether it is taking a different route to work or the grocery store or brushing your teeth with a different hand.
• Take on a completely new subject. Taking on a new subject is a great way to continue to learn. Have you always wanted to learn a different language? Learn new computer skills? Learn to play golf? There are many inexpensive classes at community centers or community colleges that allow you to tackle new subjects. Volunteering is also a great way to learn about a new area. Taking classes and volunteering is a great way to boost social connections, which is another brain strengthener. 

Source: HelpGuide.org, Staying Healthy Over 50

Boosting Your Vitality

Staying healthy over 50: Tips for boosting vitality

Don’t fall for the myth that growing older automatically means you’re not going to feel good anymore. It is true that aging involves physical changes, but it doesn’t have to mean discomfort and disability. While not all illness or pain is avoidable, many of the physical challenges associated with aging can be overcome or drastically mitigated by eating right, exercising, and taking care of yourself.
It’s never too late to start! No matter how old you are or how unhealthy you’ve been in the past, caring for your body has enormous benefits that will help you stay active, sharpen your memory, boost your immune system, manage health problems, and increase your energy. In fact, many older adults report feeling better than ever because they are making more of an effort to be healthy than they did when they were younger.

Staying healthy over 50: Tips for eating well as you age

As you age, your relationship to food may change along with your body. A decreased metabolism, changes in taste and smell, and slower digestion may affect your appetite, the foods you can eat, and how your body processes food. The key is to figure out how to adapt to your changing needs. Now, more than ever, healthy eating is important to maintain your energy and health.

• Load up on high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Your whole digestive system does slow as you age, so fiber is very important. Consume fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, fruit, and vegetables. They will help you feel more energetic and give you fuel to keep going.
• Put effort into making your food look and taste good. Your taste buds may not be as strong and your appetite may not be the same, but your nutritional needs are just as important as ever. If you don’t enjoy eating like you used to, put a little more effort into your meals, including the way you flavor, prepare, and present your food.
• Watch out for dehydration. Because of physical changes, older adults are more prone to dehydration. So make sure you are drinking plenty of fluid, even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you’re not getting enough water, you’re not going to be as sharp and your energy will suffer.
• Make meals a social event. It’s more enjoyable to eat with others than alone. If you live alone, invite other people over. It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends and you can share cooking and cleanup duties.

Staying healthy over 50: Tips for exercising as you age

Many adults don’t exercise as they get older. However, exercise is vital for staying healthy throughout life. It helps you maintain your strength and agility, gives your mental health a boost, and can even help diminish chronic pain. Whether you are generally healthy or are coping with an ongoing injury, disability, or health problem, regular exercise will help you stay physically and mentally healthy and improve your confidence and outlook on life.

• Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. Find out if any health conditions or medications you take affect what exercise you should choose.
• Find an activity you like and that motivates you to continue. You may want to exercise in a group, like in a sport or class, or prefer a more individual exercise like swimming.
• Start slow. If you are new to exercise, a few minutes a day puts you well on the way towards building a healthy habit. Slowly increase the time and intensity to avoid injury.
• Walking is a wonderful way to start exercising. Exercise doesn’t have to mean strenuous activity or time at the gym. In fact, walking is one of the best ways to stay fit. Best of all, it doesn’t require any equipment or experience and you can do it anywhere.

Staying healthy over 50: Tips for sleeping well as you age

Many adults complain of sleep problems as they age, including insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and frequent waking during the night. But getting older doesn’t automatically bring sleep problems. Poor sleep habits are often the main causes of low–quality sleep in adults over 50.

• Naturally boost your melatonin levels at night. Artificial lights at night can suppress your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. Use low-wattage bulbs where safe to do so, and turn off the TV and computer at least one hour before bed.
• Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool, and your bed is comfortable. Noise, light, and heat can interfere with sleep. Try using an eye mask to help block out light.
• Develop bedtime rituals. A soothing ritual, like taking a bath or playing music will help you wind down.
• Go to bed earlier. Adjust your bedtime to match when you feel tired, even if that’s earlier than it used to be. 

Source: HelpGuide.org, Staying Healthy Over 50

Stay Connected

One of the greatest challenges of aging is how your support network changes. Staying connected isn’t always easy as you grow older—even for those who have always had an active social life. Career changes, retirement, illness, death, and moves out of the local area can take away close friends and family members. And the older you get, the more people you inevitably lose. In later life, getting around may become difficult for either you or members of your social network.

It's important to find ways to reach out and connect to others, regardless of whether or not you live with a spouse or partner. Having an array of people you can turn to for company and support as you age is a buffer against loneliness, depression, disability, hardship, and loss.

The good news is that there are lots of ways to be with other people. It doesn’t matter what you do, so long as you get out of the house (if possible) and socialize:

• Connect regularly with friends and family. Spend time with people you enjoy and who make you feel upbeat. It may be a neighbor who you like to exercise with, a lunch date with an old friend, or shopping with your children. Even if you are not close by, call or email frequently to keep relationships fresh.
• Make an effort to make new friends. As you lose people in your circle, it is vital to make new connections so your circle doesn’t dwindle. Make it a point to befriend people who are younger than you. Younger friends can reenergize you and help you see life from a fresh perspective.
• Spend time with at least one person every day. Whatever your living or work situation, you shouldn’t be alone day after day. Phone or email contact is not a replacement for spending time with other people. Regular face-to-face contact helps you ward off depression and stay positive.
• Volunteer. Giving back to the community is a wonderful way to strengthen social bonds and meet others, and the meaning and purpose you find in helping others will enrich and expand your life. Volunteering is a natural way to meet others interested in similar activities or who share similar values. Even if your monbility becomes limited, you can get involved by volunteering on the phone.
• Find support groups in times of change. If you or a loved one is coping with a serious illness or recent loss, it can be very helpful to participate in a support group with others undergoing the same challenges. 

Source: HelpGuide.org, Staying Healthy Over 50

Staying healthy through humor, laughter, and play

Laughter is strong medicine for both the body and the mind. It helps you stay balanced, energetic, joyful, and healthy at any age. A sense of humor helps you get through tough times, look outside yourself, laugh at the absurdities of life, and transcend difficulties.

Source: HelpGuide.org, Staying Healthy Over 50