Lifestyle
Digital Literacy Tips for Older Adults
(Family Features) If current trends continue, decades of gentle teasing and jokes about older adults’ confusion with technology may be on their way out. Not only do digital tools and technology help this generation stay connected to family and friends, but technology is also making it more practical for these individuals to remain independent and age in place.
Older Adults Digital Literacy
Assistive and health-related technology is also on the rise, according to a “U.S. News & World Report.” Tools like medical or health apps, wearable trackers, hearing devices and some smart home products make it easier and safer for older adults to age in place.
Whether for social, practical or entertainment purposes, growing your confidence with technology and digital tools can be a slow, steady process that allows you to increase your comfort level while building a solid understanding.
Boost your digital literacy with these tips from the tech experts at Cox Communications:
Find resources that allow you to participate in digital literacy education. Many community groups offer classes geared toward older adults, and you can also find resources from internet providers. If you’re comfortable searching the internet, you can also find support groups and user-friendly guides online.
Slow down.When it comes to digital literacy, the internet can be fast-moving, which can be overwhelming for older adults who are not used to the environment. The pace can also expose you to the risk of cybercrime. Approaching online activity in small bites may help you take in a manageable amount of information and process it before piling on more information.
Research options. With so many technology devices and services available, it’s possible, and even advisable, to explore the various options before making a purchase or signing an agreement. Consider the features you need against your budget to make the best choice. For example, options like Cox Communications’ Connect Assist program can help you find fast, reliable and affordable internet plans to fit within your retirement budget.
Take breaks. Digital media can become addictive for older adults; with so much to see and learn, it’s easy to lose literally hours. That’s why it’s a good idea to take a balanced approach and limit the time you dedicate to your smartphones and computers each day.
Use digital media to improve connections.Social media and online groups can add social connectivity, but this digital interaction shouldn’t replace your personal relationships. Be sure to prioritize live social connections, and don’t use digital media in place of conventional in-person connections that can provide important benefits for your overall physical and mental health.
Stay informed about cybercrime. Because of their limited experience with technology, older adults are major targets of cybercrime. Stay informed about methods and tactics used by these criminals so you can protect yourself, your identity and your assets.
Use strong passwords. If your memory isn’t what it used to be, you may be tempted to repurpose your passwords so you don’t have to remember as many. Unfortunately, that approach may mean that if someone figures out how to access one account, they have access to many more. Create passwords that are a mix of letters, numbers and symbols and write them down in a safe place. Generally, it’s best to avoid using easily guessed information like birthdays and names of children.
Be cautious about what you read and share online. If something seems questionable, verify it with multiple sources before accepting it as true.
Explore more resources for older adults in this digital age at cox.com/digitalequity.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
Cox Communications
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Lifestyle
Get Your Kids Ready to Go Back-to-School with Affordable Health Coverage
Once school starts, life moves fast. There is homework, practices, permission slips, and early mornings. Before the calendar fills up, take a moment to make sure your child has affordable health coverage for the year ahead.
Get Your Kids Ready to Go Back-to-School with Affordable Health Coverage
(Feature Impact) Once school starts, life moves fast. There is homework, practices, permission slips, and early mornings. Before the calendar fills up, take a moment to make sure your child has health coverage for the year ahead.
Free or low-cost health coverage is available through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Medicaid in your state for eligible individuals. With health coverage, your kids and teens can get the care they need to stay healthy and do well in school.
Think your family might not qualify? You might be surprised. Many families may qualify for coverage without realizing it! Eligibility varies by state and is based on family income and household size. In most states, children up to age 19 from a family of four earning up to $80,000 per year may be eligible. In some states, eligible children can still qualify if family income is even higher.
Getting your child covered helps you get them the health care they may need. When a child is sick, the right medicines help them get back to school. If a child has a tough time focusing, there are supports to help. If your child does not see as well as other children, these programs cover glasses. Healthy kids are confident kids, who are ready to participate in every opportunity inside and outside the classroom!
Why Health Coverage Belongs on Your Kids’ Back-to-School List
Having health coverage can help families, like yours, to send your kids and teens off to school ready to learn. Depending on the program and a child’s individual needs, Medicaid and CHIP can provide eligible kids up to age 18 (Medicaid) or 19 (CHIP) with a range of services to support their health all year long, such as:
- Annual checkups and school physicals to prepare children to learn, play, and participate.
- Preventive care to identify health needs early and keep children healthy throughout the year.
- Dental care to help prevent tooth aches, cavities, and missed school days.
- Vision and hearing services to support learning and classroom participation.
- Mental health care to support emotional well-being and school success.
- Prescription medications and treatment to help manage symptoms and stay on track.
- Specialized services for children with disabilities to support growth and learning.
How to Apply
You can apply for Medicaid and CHIP in many ways:
- By phone
- By mail
- In-person through your state’s Medicaid or CHIP office
- Or find your state’s information online at InsureKidsNow.gov/coverage.
Act now to get your child covered before they need health care. Enrollment for these programs is open year-round, meaning families do not have to wait for a specific time of year to get covered.
Once enrolled, coverage must be renewed every twelve months, so it is important to keep your address, email, and phone number up to date with your state Medicaid or CHIP office to avoid missing important renewal information. Visit InsureKidsNow.gov or call 1-877-KIDS-NOW (1-877-543-7669) for more information.
Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. This communication was printed, published, or produced and disseminated at U.S. taxpayer expense.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Lifestyle
Strong at Every Age: How Women Can Help Combat Muscle Loss
Combat Muscle Loss: Aging is inevitable, but losing muscle and mobility doesn’t have to be. Consider these tips to help women protect their muscle health.
Strong at Every Age: How Women Can Help Combat Muscle Loss
(Feature Impact) Aging is inevitable, but losing muscle and mobility doesn’t have to be. For many women, maintaining strength, independence, energy and mobility are top priorities as they get older, particularly as they deal with the mental and physical responsibilities that come with working, caregiving, keeping up with friends, hobbies and enjoying an active lifestyle.
In fact, 58% of women in the United States are actively focused on staying healthy as they age, according to a recent survey commissioned by Viactiv, a line of award-winning supplements for women known for their unique formats and flavors. However, 73% of respondents weren’t aware of sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss. According to the “International Journal of Women’s Health,” age-related muscle loss often begins between ages 30-35, with women losing 3-8% of their muscle mass per decade and increasing to 5-10% loss per decade after age 60.
Hormonal changes, decreased activity levels, stress, poor sleep and inadequate nutrition can all contribute to the decline in muscle, which can also negatively impact balance, bone health, metabolism, posture and everyday mobility.
Yet, despite 70% of women reporting some level of concern about muscle loss, 54% are unsure how to protect their muscle health.
“Women want to stay strong, active and independent as they age, but many are getting mixed messages about what actually supports long-term muscle health,” said Dr. Tania Elliott, a dual board-certified physician in internal medicine. “A lot of women are already making healthy choices like walking and staying active, which is a great start. However, maintaining muscle health really requires a more complete approach, and one that starts earlier than most women think, which is in your 30s.”
Prioritize Strength Training
Many women report barriers such as lack of time (15%), feeling overwhelmed (23%) or simply not enjoying exercise (23%). The key is finding realistic, sustainable habits. While walking and cardio exercise aid in heart health, which 58% of survey respondents report already engaging in, strength training is one of the most effective ways to preserve and build muscle as you age. Still, just 34% of women report doing strength or resistance training.
You don’t need an intense fitness regimen to support healthy aging. Aiming for at least two strength-focused workouts a week – lifting weights, using resistance bands, practicing weight-bearing yoga or doing bodyweight exercises like squats and pushups – that target major muscle groups can help maintain muscle health. The goal is to fatigue your muscles during sets so they build.
Fuel Muscles with Proper Nutrition
Exercise is only part of the equation. Muscles also need proper nutrition to recover and stay strong. Protein plays a critical role in maintaining muscle mass, especially as women age. Incorporating high-quality protein throughout the day, such as eggs, Greek yogurt, fish, lean meats, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, may help support muscle repair and overall strength.
Support Healthy Aging with Supplements
In addition to a balanced diet and exercise, some women may consider supplements that support healthy aging and energy production, including CoQ10, which is a naturally occurring antioxidant that helps cells produce energy. According to research published in “The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging,” because muscles require significant energy to function, CoQ10 shows potential for managing sarcopenia by improving mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress.
An option like Viactiv CoQ10 Cardio Complete, available in a tasty fruit-flavored chew, can help support heart health, muscles, nerve function and daily energy. Enhanced with vitamins D3 and K2, it provides daily essential nutrition for women without the need to swallow a large pill.
Practice Healthy Habits
Muscle health is influenced by more than workouts. Sleep, stress management and daily movement all play important roles. Adopting some simple habits, including prioritizing quality sleep, stretching regularly, staying properly hydrated, reducing sedentary time throughout the day and practicing stress-management techniques, like yoga, meditation or deep breathing, can help aid in healthy aging, including maintaining muscle.
The earlier women begin prioritizing muscle health, the better positioned they may be to maintain strength and mobility as they age. Visit Viactiv.com for more information and resources to help combat muscle loss.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
Viactiv
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(Family Features) Food insecurity isn’t a new problem in the United States, but the economic upheaval created by the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the problem.
During the pandemic, households in the United States with children experienced an increase in food insecurity, despite overall rates of food insecurity staying the same. In 2019, 13.6% of households with children were food insecure, but by 2020, that number increased to 14.8%, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In general, child food insecurity rates are higher than overall food insecurity rates, according to the annual Map the Meal Gap study conducted by Feeding America, a nationwide nonprofit network of food banks. According to data from the Children’s Defense Fund, this is particularly prevalent among low-income families, single mother households and Black and Hispanic households.
What Food Insecurity Means for Children
Food insecurity and hunger are closely related but not quite the same. People who are food insecure don’t have reliable, ongoing access to an adequate supply of affordable, nutritious food. Hunger is a physical condition; food insecurity reflects barriers to obtaining food such as finances, physical location and transportation.
Infants and toddlers are particularly vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies because their nutrient needs are high, especially in relation to the size of their stomachs and appetites. Caregivers in food-insecure households may have little choice but to settle for cheaper, energy-dense but nutrient-poor foods. As a result, food-insecure infants and toddlers are not receiving adequate nutrition even when they may be receiving enough calories to satisfy hunger.
Even if a child isn’t physically starving, inadequate nutrition can negatively affect health in numerous ways, including immune system function, low weight, learning and developmental delays, vitamin deficiencies and more.
Ways to Help Promote Better Nutrition
Support good nutrition during infancy and toddlerhood for your own children and others in the community with these practical tips:
- Participate in (or introduce those in need to) aid programs. Government nutrition assistance programs help provide essential nutrition needs during infant and toddler years. One example is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which provides a variety of resources including food and health care referrals to support mothers and young children at nutritional risk, including pregnant, breastfeeding and post-partum women, as well as infants and children up to age 5.
Another example is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides benefits low-income families can use to purchase nutritious foods. For children and adults who are enrolled in certain care programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) helps ensure they have access to nutritious meals and snacks. - Make purchases that work extra hard. In addition to producing foods that encourage better nutrition for children, some brands also make contributions that help offset food insecurity. For example, for every box of Plum Organics Super Smoothies purchased, the company donates a pouch to a child in need through its “The Full Effect” program. The smoothie is a specially formulated blend of fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains with no added sugars designed to fight malnutrition and help fortify the diets of children who don’t have access to regular, healthy meals.
- Act as a role model for healthy choices. Children learn by example, so be sure your little ones see you enjoying nutritious snacks, filling your plate with appropriate portions and preparing well-rounded meals. When kids are exposed to a wide range of healthy options early in life, those food choices become the norm as they grow older.
- Volunteer at a food bank. Getting hands-on by donating your time at a local food bank can help you understand the complexity of food insecurity. Many nutritious selections are perishable, and transporting and storing perishable goods is costly. Volunteers help offset a food bank’s operational expenses by contributing labor to sort donated items, prepare deliveries and more.
To find more information about foods that provide infants and toddlers the nutrients they need, visit plumorganics.com. Photos courtesy of Getty Images
SOURCE:
Plum Organics
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