What is a 401(k)?

When searching and sifting through copious amounts of confusing and conflicting information concerning financial retirement savings and plans it is quite likely that you have come across the term 401(k). You may have wondered if that was the newest robot in the Star Wars saga but the truth of the matter is that it is a type of retirement savings plans that is designed so that employees and employers alike can contribute to a fund that is set aside for your future retirement.

Many people invest pretax earnings into their 401(k) funds, which they then have the option to invest in mutual funds of many options. You will find these mutual funds in a wide array of choices from money market accounts to very aggressive and risky stock portfolios. If you work for one of the many companies across the country that offers the option of a 401(k) plan you would be literally robbing your future self not to take advantage of this offering.

There are 3 general types of contributions to 401(k) plans: matching contributions, elective contributions, and non-elective contributions.

Matching contributions are very nice from the standpoint of the employee as the employer matches a predetermined amount of the funds invested by the employee towards this fund. Different companies will offer different amounts for their matching contributions. If your company will match up to a certain percentage of what you invest into your 401 (k) you should take them up on their offer. This is money that will benefit you later in life and should not be thrown away without a darn good for doing so.

An elective contribution is money that you invest before taxes are taken out of your salary. This means that you aren't paying income taxes on these funds at today's rate of taxation. Many people believe this is a good plan because the assumption is that you will be in a lower tax bracket upon retirement though there are no guarantees that that will be true. This money is money that you have elected to invest in your 401 (k) plan, rather than bring home in the form of salary, thus the name of elective contribution.

Non-elective contributions are money that employer deposits into your account. In most cases you cannot opt to take this money as cash rather than an investment in your 401 (k) plan.

There are limitations for how much you can invest into your 401 (k) plan on a given year. You should check with the IRS to get the actual numbers as they have changed over time and are likely to continue doing so as the cost of living increases across the country. Once you reach the age of 50 you are allowed to make extra contributions to your plan in order to 'catch up' and better prepare for retirement.

When studying your options for retirement financial planning you should carefully consider taking your employer up on any type of assistance they offer in this endeavor. If they offer to match the funds you invest in your retirement you can bet that money has already been deducted in their calculations of your salary. In other words, they are giving you the money you've earned in a different manner. The good news is that when the time comes to retire you will be able to appreciate every dollar that has been invested along the way.

We could never hope to simply save the money that we will need in order to retire. Even investments are tricky for the vast majority of the population. For this reason, it is a wise investment plan to take advantage of any opportunity to increase your funds by employers matching your contributions. Take the maximum benefit they will match and if you are seriously worried about your financial future more than your current financial situations, invest the maximum allowable amount each year in your 401 (k) plan.

Calorie Counting and Why It's Important as You Age

There are countless diets out there that claim to help you lose weight. Each one will have some significant element however it all boils down to one thing - the almighty calorie. Calories come in a variety of forms such as fat calories or carbohydrate calories. The bottom line is that at the end of the day, you will have wanted to burn off as many calories as possible that you consume in order to avoid gaining weight.

It is important to note however, that not all calories are the same, especially when you age. Calories provide you the energy you need to keep going day in, day out. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates are the primary energy sources in food. By understanding how much energy you get from each of these things will help you understand which ones you should limit in your diet.

Carbohydrates and proteins contain four calories for each gram while nine calories are in each gram of fat. Alcohol also poses a calorie problem with about seven calories in each gram. It doesn't matter where they come from; calories are converted into energy. And if you do not have enough physical activity in a day to burn off those calories, they can be stored as fat.

Because each person is a different body type and has different health needs, it stands to reason that everyone has different calorie requirements per day. Your age is taken into consideration as well as your gender, weight, height and your active or inactive lifestyle. Athletes may need a lot more calories than your average couch potato.

When determining your dietary needs and what to put on the menu, please keep a few of these calorie facts in mind:

1. One pound of fat has 3,500 calories. So if you want to drop a pound off your weight, you have to burn those 3,500 calories!
2. You can easily cut calories by substituting food items and forgoing them all together. Sodas and other sugary drinks are empty calories and you can save at least 250 calories by drinking water instead of sweet tea or soda.
3. Physical activity is necessary to lose weight.

Burning calories is essential to dropping the excess weight and maintaining your loss. Well, guess what? You don't have to join a gym of do anything special physically to lose weight. Ordinary chores such as gardening, taking the stairs instead of elevator, raking leaves or even parking at the far end of the parking lot of a building can help you burn up calories. Of course, planned physical activities like jogging, swimming and more can effectively help you burn even more calories as part of a weight management plan.

When you grow older, your metabolism slows down, making it harder to burn calories. Therefore, you have to plan a new menu with less fat and carbohydrates and more exercise in your day in order to maintain status quo. This can be quite a challenge! Plus, older adults have more health issues and muscles and joints may be weaker. Therefore, consulting with a doctor, personal trainer and nutritionist is a wise move that will help you keep on track.

Sleep Disorders and Healthy Aging

The US studies has shown that around 70% of the citizens do not get the proper rest they need. For this reason, people are suffering poor health, depression and so on. Getting proper rest will help you keep your health in good condition. When you lack proper rest, it affects your concentration. To stay health you need proper rest, sustenance and exercise daily.

As a person ages the body goes through senescence, or changes out of the ordinary. The bodily functions start to decline its actions. For that reason we may suffer, sleep disorders, including insomnia.

What you should know:

According to philosophers, theorists, experts, etc women are likely to experience insomnia more so than men. While many citizens find it difficult to fall asleep, some of us suffer insomnia, which is harder on our health. On the other hand, if you sleep too much during wake hours, it will affect your concentration, impair your memory and cause other problems as well, such as sleeping at night. If you get too much sleep, just like insomnia you may incur high blood pressure. Heart disease and strokes are commonly caused from insufficient or oversleeping as well. You should also learn about Sleep Apnea, which is a common sleep disorder. This disorder is harder to detect than any other sleeping ailment. Sleep apnea is often noted by sleeping partners. Doctors can rarely detect the disorder until a sleeping partner comes forward. The disorder causes the person to wake up all through the night gasping for air. During the day hours, the person often drifts into sleep uncontrollably.

The factors behind sleep disorders:

Sleep disorders, which causes interruption of restful relaxation can alter your internal organs. Your patterns and rhythms may change often. Your bodily functions will flip out and feel confused, causing a series of interruptions. You may experience joint and muscle pain, especially at the legs, or you may snore at night. The factors can lead to high risks of illnesses, depression, etc. To avoid such complications you will need to reduce stress and perhaps seek help for your sleep disorder.

What should I avoid?

When you find it difficult to sleep, try staying away from caffeine after 7 p.m. Avoid nicotine and alcohol also before going to sleep. If you find it difficult to drift into sleep, try counting sheep. This will bore your mind watching visual captures of sheep jumping over a fence repetitiously. Some people can fall asleep watching television. If it works for you do it. If you are one of those people who listen to music and television and it starts your adrenaline flowing, then leave it alone. You want to avoid eating or exercise before heading to bed as well. Exercise will boost metabolism. Eating may cause indigestion.

Helpful tips:
If you find it difficult to sleep at night, try adjusting the room temperature, especially if you feel uncomfortable. Turn out the lights so that the room is dark, unless you need a night light due to consistent waking at night due to restroom visits. If you are afraid of the dark, keep in mind that burglars can easily trip in dark areas verses lighted areas. This gives you the advantage of calling for help, since you are aware that someone is in your home. If the lights are on, you are inviting the burglar to stroll freely, tip-toeing through the house without awakening you. This country unfortunately teaches us to run to a lighted area when in danger. Sometimes the light can get you killed.

If you find it difficult to sleep at night, you will likely need medical attention, especially if the problem is on going.

Elderly Depression Goes Untreated - Why?

Depression is a disease that affects and occurs in the person's brain. Studies have shown that effective treatment for depression changes the brain. Despite the knowledge we have gained from depression studies many caregivers and medical professionals are still of the opinion that depression in those who are 65 years of age or older, "is to be expected" and treat signs of depression in the elderly as a normal part of aging. Depression is a disease of the brain, pure and simple. Just like younger depression patients respond to treatment and lead improved lives; elderly patients who are diagnosed and treated for depression also lead improved lives.

Depression hurts mentally, emotionally and physically. Depression can also in of itself be a symptom for other diseases or conditions. Because both of these are true about depression no matter the age of the patient anyone exhibiting signs or symptoms of depression should be evaluated and treated for depression. It is in the best interest of the patient to receive quality medical evaluation and treatment for depression so that they can enjoy the best quality of life possible. Those aged 65 or older deserve to live healthy lives where they can feel a sense of well-being just as those who are younger are entitled to.

Symptoms of depression should not be ignored in the elderly patient. The signs and symptoms of depression may signal another disease or condition, which presents another reason to not ignore, but to evaluate instead. The signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly patient are:

* Unusual fatigue not explained by other situations or events

* Fixation of thought or action on death

* Increased use of alcohol or drugs

* Loss of Self-worth

* Withdrawal from activities or friendships

* Changes in weight that is not expected such as loss or gain

* Disturbances in what is normal sleep patterns for them such as not being able to drop off to sleep or waking frequently during the night. It may also show up as oversleeping or daytime sleepiness

* Unexplained aches and pains

* Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, anxiety or despair

* Loss of pleasure in things or activities that usually would bring them enjoyment

* Movement that is slower than usual with no physical explanation

* Unusual irritability

* Lack of interest in personal hygiene or skipping medications or meals - In other words neglecting self-care

The elderly may not admit to feeling sad or depressed. Caregivers, family members and friends may notice outward signs that they are feeling this way when they notice that they show a low level of motivation, lower than normal energy level or even the appearance of physical problems. Often times physical complaints of arthritic pain, headaches and other body aches that have gotten worse than previously felt can be a sign that the person is indeed feeling depressed. Physical signs of depression such as wringing of hands, pacing around the room, fretting about life events such as the state of the world, their health or finances can also be a clue that they may be depressed.

Longevity and Healthy Aging

Since the 19th centuries, common prolonged existence or longevity is greater than before. At one time, the average male expected to live up until the mid forties, while the average female expected to live until the late forties. This seems illogical, since many of our older generation of people born in the 1900s are still around today. As our system advanced, experts found that people were living beyond the 70 and 80s. The longevity has changed dramatically providing the people gain. Still, in recent times, men are expected to live over 80 and women are expected to live past 90. Rarely do you see someone who has lived past 100 years of age. According to experts, a person living past 125 years of age has the same odds of finding a needle in a large haystack. Most people can live past 90 however providing they have quality medical care and their hereditary makeup is healthy.

Many illnesses today emerge from poor eating habits, lack of exercise, poor sleeping habits, and bad habits such as excessive drinking, drugs, nicotine, etc. Still, some people are marked at the beginning since they have genetic makeup that poses threats to their health. According to experts, genetic makeup is responsible for some cases of Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and so on. According to experts, genetics influences a person's longevity. If a person has a family history of disease, their risks are higher of coming in contract with the same or similar disease. In short, if a person has a high risk of genetic factors, the person will likely have a shorter living expectancy.


How do doctors consider longevity?
Doctors review family history to search for genetic factors that may show short or long life expectancy. If you have a history of diabetes, the doctor will take actions to reduce your risks, yet it may not help stop the disease. Doctors also consider your lifestyle. Do you smoke? Do you have an alcohol problem? Do you have drug problems? Do you have anorexia or bulimia? Do you exercise? If you answered no to each question, then likely you will live a longer and improved life. On the other hand, if you answered yes to these questions you can expect to live a shorter lifespan.


Doctors will also consider factors, such as environment when considering longevity. If you live in an area where toxins are high, likely you will have unnatural exposure to these toxins, which shortens your life. Even if your genetic makeup illustrates longevity, your environment plays part in how long you can live.


Doctors consider medical care. If you have a history of visiting your doctor often, then you will have a better chance at living healthy. Medical care is the process of reducing risks of disease, preventing disease and finding treatments for pending disease.


What you should know:
Did you know that some types of not all cancers are curable providing the disease is spotted early? Did you know that Alzheimer's disease is curable if the disease is caught in the early stages? Did you know that most diseases are curable, providing the disease is caught at an early stage?

If you know this, you will see that medical care is essential to live healthy while aging. Since the 19th centuries, medical experts have come along way. In addition, the experts continue to find ways to help people live a longer life. Doctors took their roles in life because they care about your health (at least most) therefore listen to the considerations that doctors focus on to help you live a healthy aging life.

Great Jobs after Retirement

Does retirement scare you? You might be asking yourself how you can find a job after retirement. There is no need to worry. Many employers are looking for senior employees. Whatever your goals may be, if you wanted to have a retirement job to keep you busy and leverage your account for the preparation of a much secured future, you may decide to be back at the workforce after you have retired for a couple of years.

It is advisable to stay where you are. The perfect option for you is to find a job as a retired employee. You even have the choice with your previous employer. In a recent study conducted by retirement planners at Cornell University, three out four business firms would consider hiring older employees to lessen their working hours rather than taking a full retirement. However, employers prefer a list of job options for their older employees as a part of their standard employment policies.

Even if employers would cut the working hours of older employees prior to their retirement would not affect the employees' health benefits. There are also employers who allow their employees to get their pension benefits even they are working part-time.

You can find many part time retirement jobs where you can find employers looking and hiring seniors on their workforce. There are even special recruitment programs for retired job seekers who want to contribute and profit before making a full time retirement. Here are some retirement job options that you may consider.

1. You can be a corporate consultant. You may use that knowledge and expertise you have developed prior to your working experience in your previous employment. You may offer freelance services to business firms that accept contracts for temporary business projects. You may also promote short-term consulting services to companies that conduct trainings and seminars for newly recruited employees.

2. You may also find non-profit referral services dedicated to help older people to be working longer until they have really decided to take their full retirement. They may provide job seekers a list of temporary, part-time, occasional, and full time job opportunities.

3. You can start you own business and you no longer need to be working on the corporate world. You may have the option of starting up your own niche. You may build your own small company by using the expertise and skills you have gained from your previous work. There are also retirees who become business brokers who guide people in purchasing and selling new businesses.

4. If you have previously worked on a travel agency, you can set up your own home-based travel agency. This can be your part-time or full-time job. You may set-up a new account to an airline or to a cruise as your start up option if you prefer this kind of work. You may team up with an established travel agency and endorse yourself to be an independent agent.

5. Make some intelligent business investments. You can buy rental properties and learn the techniques on how to manage your money. In this way, you will be kept busy with your spare time managing a rental service, and at the same time, you will be earning more money and increase your savings.

6. You could do something that you have always wanted to do. If you have always wanted to be an author, you can create new software programs that you can promote and sell. Whatever interest you always wanted to do, you will never have a hard time finding your customers.

7. You can always be temporary worker at large corporations. Major corporations like Microsoft and Boeing hire retirees as temporary workers to work on supplemental full-time administrative staff. There you may apply your expertise on special projects. You may even profit more than a regular employee does because of the type of work assigned to you.

While more retirees want to have retirement jobs, job opportunities may not be able to fill up the growing number of seniors. This is the right time for you to venture out other things. Many things out there may be productive with your spare time. Utilize your best capabilities and use your experiences to be one-step ahead among others who want to benefit financially.

The Fall Factor with Seniors

The older you get, the more likely it is that you will take a fall. In fact, in some research studies by the federal government, one in three adults age 65 and older fall in their homes or on slick conditions outside. When a senior adult fractures a bone, the majority of the time it is due to a fall. Fractures caused by falls take longer to heal, steals your independence and can lead to hospital stays. For some people, permanent disability can result.

Hip fractures are the most common and leading injuries due to falls. Osteoporosis often contributes to the problem as it causes loss of bone density and strength. Half of all seniors never recover enough to live back home independently. That is a shocking total! Many are afraid of falling and therefore curtail their activities. This is the very thing that you should not do! Exercise is one of the best things you can do for healthy bones; a proper diet is another.

Speak with the Doctor about Falling

If you are worried about falling, talk with your doctor about it. Between the two of you, you can create a game plan of things to do to try and avoid injury from a fall. First of all, the doctor might suggest you work with a physical therapist to learn some exercises to work on your balance, strength, endurance and agility. With better balance, your chances of falling decrease.

A certain medical condition or even the medication to treat it could cause balance problems which lead to falling. You and your doctor can evaluate your health and prescriptions to determine if either of them could contribute to you falling. High blood pressure and the medications for it are common factors that contribute to falls.

Your vision becomes affected as you age; so does your sense of balance as well as your blood pressure. Have your eyes checked regularly and when you have to get up from a bed or a chair, move slowly. This will keep you from losing your equilibrium and avoid a "spinning" room.

Precautions to Take to Prevent Falling

In addition to speaking with your doctor about your falling fear, there are other things that you can do to keep from falling. First of all, check your home for safety hazards like stacks of newspapers or magazines that could fall and trip you at any moment. Carpets without rug grips are not safe to walk on nor are tile flooring when it is wet. Keep electrical cords out of sight as they could trip you causing you to fall.

Do not feel ashamed of buying physical aids that will help you keep from falling. For instance, a cane or even a rolling walker can keep you upright and mobile. Install a bar in the bathtub and shower area and perhaps even a bench. Handrails for steps are handy for seniors too. Install brighter lighting so that you can see where you are going as well as potential obstacles.

All in all, prevention is the best cure for that fear of falling. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle and practice sensible fall precautions, you should hopefully get through your golden years without fracturing anything.

Depression Symptoms in the Elderly Population

Depression is a disease that affects they young and the elderly. It manifests itself in similar ways in both of these ages groups but different in some very important ways for those who are elderly. These differences can contribute to the fact that 35 million elderly are suffering from depression with as many as 70% of them suffering unnoticed chose to end their lives even though they saw a medical doctor within 30 days of having done so. How many other people came into contact with them during those 30 days and their depression escaped their attention too? Understanding how depression differs in the elderly can make recognizing it much easier.

One major drawback to knowing someone is depressed is when that person does not communicate that they are sad. Elderly individuals who have difficulty communicating are even more unlikely to give direct clues to those around them. Depression symptoms can take many forms including physical, psychological and emotional.

The elderly person suffering from depression may physically look different from the usual appearance. The clothes they wear may be dirty, slept in, or worn several times. They may not shower or bathe as often as they should. They may not see the need to wash their hair or do other personal hygiene such as that which is necessary to control body odor. Their disinterest in food may show up in a noticeable body weight loss as clothes become loose. They may experience medical or dental problems from not keeping appointments or because they do not take medications or follow proper dental care procedures.

Psychologically they may be confused, become more irritable than usual, have delusions or hallucinations or show signs of severe sadness. Individuals in the over 65-age group rarely admit to being sad, at least not to others. They may however give clues that they are extremely sad when they complain of persistent aches and pains or other ailments so that they seek frequent attention or help form others. Sometimes their behavior can seem on the demanding side of what would seem normal.

Emotional signs of depression express as feelings of anger, crying for extended periods of time and other expressions of Normal grief is understandable in those of advanced age as so many of their peers are dying or have retired and moving away. Adult children may have also moved away leaving them feeling isolated and alone in a life that seems totally changed and foreign. These lifestyle changes usually create emotional signs of depression.

Recognizing and interpreting these signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly individual may take a trained eye and ear. Listening to what someone who is elderly is saying or not saying can be very important when it comes to understanding depression. Depression will not usually go away on its own and will worsen with time. Clinical depression can last for months. When the elderly suffer from untreated depression the immune system can be affected making them much more susceptible to contacting other diseases.

Although we have discussed physical, psychological and emotional signs of depression there are also biological factors that some scientists suspect may also play a role in elderly depression. They think that there is a biological pattern to those who suffer from clinical depression. Depression often times will be seen in parents, siblings or past family members. Those individuals who have a past history of depression will often have a reoccurrence of depression in later life.

Everyone Needs To Save For Retirement

How To Save

There are many ways to save for retirement; the best choice is not stuffing money in a mattress weekly, but using an employer matching savings account, purchasing stocks and bonds are sound investment methods.

Most people would benefit from the advice of a financial advisor to decide exactly how much money they need to save for retirement, and how to best make that money grow; financial advisors do nothing but think about money and how to invest that money for the best results, some things are better left to experts.

How Much To Save

Deciding how much to save for retirement takes in many factors, the most important factors to consider are how long one will be in retirement and what their cost of living will be during retirement.

People have a tendency to want to rely on social security for their retirement costs; social security is going extinct anyone born after 1970 can expect to not receive any benefits until after age 70. Further more today social security provides less than one third of the income needed for most people's standard of living.

Because many people want to travel throughout their retirement more money is actually needed after retirement than before they retired; coming up with a realistic plan to save for retirement and live comfortably is an essential step in planning a secure financial future.

People Live Longer

Because of advances in medicine and other technologies people in general are living longer and healthier; sometimes this longer life is due to prescription medications. Saving for retirement should account for all possibilities including the need for regular medical attention or prescription drugs.

Even if medical care or prescription drugs don't extinguish a retirement budget, living 25 years or more after retirement instead of the planned ten years can seriously affect one's finances; it is a smart idea to plan for the longer time, to be sure the ability to live a comfortable life through retirement is possible.

Early Retirement

With changing times people are retiring earlier; as a result people need to invest in their futures even sooner. Everyone needs to save for retirement a minimum of ten years before they plan on retiring, twenty years or more is even better; many types of investments need time to grow, the more time allowed the bigger potential they will have.

Saving for retirement is essential to every adult's future and is the largest investment they will make in their lifetime; instead of thinking in vague terms of "saving for retirement" think of saving for a 20 or 30 year long vacation.

Don't Turn a Blind Eye to the Seriousness of Cataracts

While younger people can develop this problem, cataracts usually develop in older adults. Cataracts are cloudy parts on the lens of the eye, normally a clear component in the eye that focuses images on the retina. Cataracts form when the proteins on the lens come together in clumps. These little groupings of protein can grow larger, affecting your vision by blocking some of the light which would normally pass through the lens.

People with cataracts start forming them in their late forties to fifties with no major vision problems occurring until their early sixties. In addition, a minority of the cases can be cause by diabetes, certain medications or even eye injury. Some scientists claim that cigarette smoke and prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause cataracts as well.

How do you know when you have cataracts?

Most cataracts as they start to develop do not hinder your vision. In fact, most people don't know they have them unless they get an in-depth eye exam. However, once those proteins start to build up, you could start to develop blurry or cloudy eye sight. Double vision is not uncommon nor is the halo effect, a ring that you might see around bright lights. Reduced vibrancy in color and problems with glare are additional symptoms.

Diagnosing cataracts

Most cataracts are found via an eye exam, some before a lot of symptoms manifest themselves and others once vision problems start. For people with diseases that are susceptible to cataracts like diabetes, they are given the vision testing automatically. The doctors dilate your pupils so that they can examine the lens within your eye. Sometimes, there is a cloudiness readily visible on the eye and sometimes not. A vision test is also conducted to determine exactly how much the vision is affected.

Prevention and treatment of cataracts

Age related cataracts cannot be prevented. Therefore, you should make it a point to have your eyes checked regularly for any problems. This is really the only way to detect cataracts before they start to affect your vision. If you have a disease where cataracts are more common like diabetes, then be careful to always regulate your blood sugar and make eye exams a biannual event.

Surgery is the only surefire way to treat cataracts. If you are ambivalent about surgery, you will have to weight the benefits and risks of having the surgery and decide if your vision is bad enough to warrant the treatment. There are a few treatments to consider when trying to correct a cataract:

1. Extracapsular cataract extraction - Basically sound waves are used to break up the cloudy clumps on the eye lens which are then sucked out, leaving your own lens intact.

2. Intracapsular cataract extraction - The lens is removed in this type of surgery and a plastic one is put in its place or you can choose to wear special contact lenses or cataract glasses.

The type of treatment for cataracts you choose will depend on your overall health, risk factors regarding your vision as well as what the doctor deems would be most appropriate for your eyesight. Of course, great strides are being made every day and chances are that when you might need the surgery, there will be additional treatment options.

Healthy Aging Starts with Stress Reduction

People are often unaware of what stress can do to their body and mind. Stress is bad for the heart. Stress will give you headaches, or make you feel depressed. Stress can do many harmful things to your body and mind, yet in some instances stress is good. Balancing stress is the key to living healthier.

If you live with unhealthy stress, you will need to take action to reduce the volume. You have many options to relieve stress.

Where does stress come from?

Stress develops from many different things. For instance, bills can cause you stress. Not paying your bills on time due to lack of funds can cause stress. Not having a job or kids can stress you out to the max. In addition, bad relationships can wear on your nerves.

What can you do to get some relief from stress?

Some of the things that may help you to find relief from stress include reading a good book. Wrap yourself up in a warm blanket or cool area depending on the weather and enjoy a good book. Writing is one of the top keys that help you to reduce stress. When you are overloaded with stress, write down your feelings, emotions, thoughts and so on. Writing is a great exercise, put it to good use. Avoid overdoing it, so that you learn to enjoy writing rather than feeling frustrated at the thought of writing.


You could also enjoy a nice hot, bubble bath. Add some candles around the tub, soak and enjoy. There are many ways that people can find relief from stress; you have to decide on the best way for you to find that relief. Go with whatever works best for you.

If you cant find a way to do it on your own perhaps you can visit your family doctor, a counselor, friend or family member that will guide you to reducing your stress. Support is a great tool. Build up a support group that helps you live healthier, rather than wearing you down.

What does stress do to my body?

Stress will do a lot to your body if you let it. It will control your emotions, thoughts, actions, behaviors, bodily functions and so on. If you allow stress to control you, it will bring you down to nothing, making you feel worthless. Stress can do a lot of damage to your body as well as your mind.

What can I do so I am not so stressed?

Stress can be reduced by minimizing bad habits. Try paying your bills on time if possible. If you cannot pay your bills on time due to insufficient funds, pay enough to avoid shut-off notices. You may want to setup a budget so that you spend wisely. Help is only a phone call away as well. Pick up your phone book, talk to people in your area, etc, since you just may find money available to help those with low-income pay bills.



Another good way to avoid stress is to stay away from those who drag you down. If you have friends or family members feeding you negativity, let them go and find positive friends instead. Sometimes tough love is our way of saying, "I've had enough."


In addition, you can learn to eat healthy, exercise and put away those things that wear on your health. For instance, if you smoke, drink excessively, use drugs, etc, you are wearing heavily on your nerves. Put these things behind you if possible; otherwise seek help to put these things behind you. You have many options; check your resources to learn what is available to you.

What Causes Depression in the Elderly?

Adults considered to be elderly (65 or older) can have many causes of depression including being isolated from family and friends due to family and friends moving away or dying. Other causes of loneliness may be that they are widowed and living in a community that are mostly younger individuals and the older person lacks the companionship or activities seniors are interested in. They may also be suffering from a reduced sense of purpose in their life after children have grown or they reach retirement age. Health problems can also be the cause of depression, as can certain medications that they take for health issues. Fears or recent grief can also trigger depression in the elderly.

As individuals age the situations like loss and isolation as well as disease occurs more often as well as we accumulate the effects of these occurrences. The elderly are often more likely to suffer from multiple diseases or conditions that are more likely to be chronic or long-term and may also result in chronic pain. Both chronic disease and chronic pain are causes for depression in the elderly.

As the elderly person advances in age he/she may also become feebler, isolated from other family members or live in conditions that are unsafe all reasons for fear. Fears may also stem from anxiety over death from loved ones or friends to their own impending death. Other fears are those involving financial issues, fear of losing a pet, fear of a natural disaster, fear of what will happen during life-changing events like retirement or relocation, or loss of a partner or spouse.

Lifestyle changes occur in all age groups and usually causes anxiety, fear, stress which are all reasons to become depressed if the lifestyle changes are not eased into, or are made less stressful through support groups.

Depression can also be genetic (running in families). An ancestor may have suffered from depression, a brother, sister or parent. Some researchers have concluded that it is possible to inherit the tendency towards depression. Manic depression also known as bipolar disorder can occur in generation after generation of family members. Manic depression does not have to be genetic in origin it can be triggered by extreme stress at home, in the community or associated with a lifestyle change. Major depression has been shown in studies to be associated with brain changes in structure and in function.

It is important to determine the causes of depression in order to adequately treat depression as well as to prevent future depression episodes from occurring. Some of the causes for depression in the elderly are specific to those of advanced years and other causes are common to any age group such as fears, loneliness, feeling a sense of low self-worth. It is vital that those treating the elderly for depression pay close attention to the cause of the depression and to be certain that they have disclosed fully all the causes of depression so that it can be treated properly and so that reoccurrence of the depression can be avoided.