During the past few years there has been a lot of interest in the aging process and strategies for delaying degenerative problems. Although we all grow older, physical inactivity appears to accelerate the adverse effects of aging. Consider the physiological responses to sedentary lifestyles.

It is an unfortunate fact that about 90 percent of all [...]]]>

Wayne Westcott Ph.D. C.S.C.S.

During the past few years there has been a lot of interest in the aging process and strategies for delaying degenerative problems. Although we all grow older, physical inactivity appears to accelerate the adverse effects of aging. Consider the physiological responses to sedentary lifestyles.

It is an unfortunate fact that about 90 percent of all Americans do too little exercise to receive any fitness benefits” Most of those who do perform regular exercise engage in aerobic activity such as walking, jogging, cycling and dancing. Although these activities are beneficial to our cardiovascular system, they do little to prevent deterioration of our musculoskeletal system. Unless we perform regular strength-building exercise, we lose approximately five to seven pounds of lean tissue (mostly muscle) every decade.  Because our muscles are the engines of our bodies, this loss has a major impact on our physical ability and functional capacity.  In essence, we go from an eight-cylinder engine to a six-cylinder engine to a four-cylinder engine.

Because engine size is closely related to fuel utilization, it is easy to understand why less muscle

leads to a lower metabolic rate. In fact, our muscle loss is largely responsible for the 2- to 5·percent per-decade reduction in our resting metabolism. An obvious outcome of less muscle and lower metabolism is gradual weight gain, averaging about 10 additional pounds per decade. Quite simply, calories that were previously used for muscle tissue maintenance are put into fat storage resulting in creeping obesity.

The average aging adult addresses weight gain by periodically dieting. According to Tufts University, 40 percent of American adults are presently following a low-calorie diet. Unfortunately, dieting without exercise is largely counterproductive.  First, about 25 percent of the weight lost from low-calorie diets is muscle tissue.  This further reduces resting metabolism. Second, about 95 percent of all dieters regain the weight they lose within one year.  Because the regained weight is mostly fat, their body composition becomes worse after each diet.

Most adults misunderstood the cause and solution to the weight-gain problem. They do not realize that the loss of muscle leads to the addition of fat. They are even less aware that the loss of muscle is related to osteoporosis and a variety of degenerative diseases.

Fortunately, it is possible to replace much of the muscle that has been lost through a sedentary lifestyle.

Physiological responses to strength exercise

Several studies have demonstrated that seniors can increase their strength and muscle mass.

However, the most encouraging research in this area was recently conducted at Tufts University by W. Campbell and his colleagues.  Researchers studied senior men and women who performed about 30 minutes of strength exercise, three days per week, for a period of 12 weeks. They added three pounds of muscle and lost four pounds of fat, while eating 370 more calories per day to maintain their initial body weight  This represents a win-win situation in which brief strength-training sessions enabled the exercisers to simultaneously add muscle, lose fat and actually eat more food.

If one’s training objective is to reduce body weight  strength exercise in conjunction with endurance exercise and low-fat nutrition appears to be highly effective in this regard.  In a study conducted by the author, 282 adults and 116 seniors performed 25 minutes of strength exercise and 25 minutes of endurance exercise, two or three days per week.. They were also given information on low-fat nutrition and asked to eat in a heart healthy manner. After eight weeks of training, the adults gained three pounds of muscle and lost about nine pounds of fat, for a 12-pound improvement in body composition. The seniors’ results were less impressive, but quite good considering they trained only two days per week and made far fewer changes in their eating habits.

In addition to increasing their muscle mass, the 398 subjects increased their muscle strength by more than 50 percent. Based on research by A. Menkes, it is likely that these strength exercisers also increased bone mineral density. Other possible benefits from regular strength training include better blood lipid levels, improved glucose metabolism, accelerated gastrointestinal transit, decreased back pain, and reduced arthritic discomfort.

Based on these and other studies, it appears that sensible strength exercise is an excellent means for improving numerous physiological factors and maintaining high levels of musculoskeletal fitness throughout adult hood.  For those who have been sedentary, it is possible to reverse many of the degenerative effects associated with the aging process.

Specifically, regular strength exercise can replace muscle tissue and increase metabolic rate , which is like changing from a low-powered small car to a high-powered sports car.

 Recommendations for sensible training

Most adults have limited time and energy to give to a strength-training program.  Fortunately, properly-performed strength exercise requires a relatively small time commitment.  Consider the following training guidelines for safe, effective and efficient strength exercise.

Exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends one exercise for each major muscle group . Major muscle groups include the quadriceps, hamstrings, lower back, abdominals, chest, upper back, shoulders, biceps, triceps and neck. Because some exercises involve more than one muscle group, eight to ten exercises are usually sufficient.

 Frequency. Research indicates that beginning exercisers achieve somewhat better results with three, as opposed to two, strength-training sessions per week.  However, two workouts per week produces about 75 percent as much strength gain and muscle development as three workouts per week. Consequently, both two-day and three-day strength-training programs are recommended depending upon personal preference.

Sets, Studies by D.B. Starkey and W. Westcott have shown similar strength improvements

for single-set and multiple-set training programs. Because it requires far less training time to perform one set than three sets per exercise, single-set strength exercise would seem preferable for practical purposes.

Resistance. Most strength authorities agree that approximately 75 percent of maximum resistance represents a safe and productive training load. This is heavy enough to stimulate high levels of strength development but light enough to pose a low risk of injury.

 Repetitions. Research reveals that most individuals can complete eight to 12 controlled repetitions with 75 percent of their maximum resistance.  It is therefore recommended that adults typically train with eight to 12 repetitions per exercise set.

 Progression. For gradual increases in the exercise resistance, it is hard to beat a double-progressive training approach . Begin with a resistance you can perform about eight times. First, increase the repetitions until you can complete 12 good repetitions. Second, increase the resistance about five percent, can perform. Next, work up to 12 repetitions, and increase the resistance again by five percent.

 Speed. There is general consensus that strength exercise should be performed with controlled movement speed. However, research indicates that four-second, six-second and eight-second reputations are equally effective for improving muscle strength.

Perhaps the most common training protocol is six-second repetitions, with two seconds for the lifting movement and four seconds for the lowering movement. The longer lowering phase emphasizes the stronger negative muscle contraction, and provides an excellent strength-building stimulus.

 Range. A. Jones and colleagues have produced convincing research that full-range exercise movements are necessary to develop full-range muscle strength. It appears that muscle strength is specific to the movement range trained, and that best results are obtained by exercising each muscle group from the fully-stretched to the fully-contracted positions.

 Technique. In addition to controlled movement speed and full movement range, exercise technique is a key training factor . To avoid unnecessary blood pressure escalation, it is important to practice continuous breathing and continuous muscle movement. That is, never hold your breath and never hold the resistance in a static position for more than a moment.

Summary

The typical aging adult experiences a gradual but substantial decrease in muscle mass and metabolic rate that contribute to a variety of degenerative problems. Thus, a sedentary lifestyle reinforces itself leading to a reduction in the quality and, perhaps, quantity of life.

Regular strength training is an effective means for replacing muscle tissue, increasing metabolic rate and reversing some of the degenerative processes. Specifically, strength exercise may increase bone mineral density, improve blood lipid levels, improve glucose metabolism, accelerate gastrointestinal transit, decrease back pain and reduce arthritic discomfort.

Sensible strength-training programs are characterized by safe, effective and efficient exercise procedures. For example, it may be advisable to perform one set of exercise for each major muscle group, with a resistance that can be performed for eight to 12 repetitions. Progression should be gradual, and proper technique should ensure controlled movement speed, full movement range and continuous breathing. Two or three training sessions per week are recommended.

Wayne Westcott

 Restart Retirement is sponsored by Willow Valley Communities

Dr. Westcott is the co-author of “Strength Training Past 50″.  Click the book for purchase information.

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I recently had the privilege of watching my 11-month old adorable grandson for eight days while my daughter and son-in-law went out of town. 

What did I learn?

She runs herself ragged caring for her house and kids, spends her lunch hours running errands for her aging parents, and on the rare occasion that she takes some time for herself, she may run by the salon for a quick mani/pedi!

If this is how you picture a family caregiver, you’re not alone. But [...]]]>

Alexis Abramson, Ph.D.

She runs herself ragged caring for her house and kids, spends her lunch hours running errands for her aging parents, and on the rare occasion that she takes some time for herself, she may run by the salon for a quick mani/pedi!

If this is how you picture a family caregiver, you’re not alone. But your picture’s not completely accurate either. According to a 2012 analysis by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, 45 percent of family caregivers in the U.S. are now MEN.

Many male caregivers choose to be stay-at-home dads; some others have lost their jobs and become caregivers by default. But increasingly men are being thrust into (or welcoming) the role of caregiver – for their children and/or aging parents – while working full-time jobs. And those male caregivers may unfortunately face a tougher time than women from employers who are used to caregivers being, well, women!

Male caregivers are more likely to be victims of “caregiver stigma” as caregiving is associated with feminine traits, which, as we know, are not always valued in the workplace. Sadly a man who requests time off to take his elderly mother to a doctor’s appointment might just as well be announcing plans to attend a retreat “to get in touch with his feminine side.” That’s the bad news.

The good news is that many men are STEPPING UP to do something about caregiver discrimination. According to the Center for WorkLife Law roughly 12 percent of lawsuits alleging family responsibilities discrimination in the workplace are filed by men; between 2006 and 2010, the number of cases brought by male plaintiffs was three times higher than the number filed by men during the previous five-year period.

More good news is that as more men become caregivers, and are subsequently more vocal about the need for caregiver benefits and flexibility, caregiving will no longer be considered a woman’s issue – which we we all know it isn’t. As the population ages and retirement age increases, greater numbers of working Americans – many of them men — will be caring for aging family members. Having policies and benefits in place will help both male and female employees as well as employers wishing to retain their most experienced and valuable human resources.

In the meantime, there are things both men and women can do to promote a culture of caregiving in the workplace:

• Find out what’s available. Ask if your employer offers any type of eldercare employee assistance plan. If so, find out what’s available and how to use it. Many employers claim that they offer eldercare services but, according to them, their employees often don’t take advantage of these benefits.

• Form a coalition. If you work at a fair size company in all likelihood you’re not the only man with caregiving responsibilities. Form a coalition with like-minded coworkers (women, too!) and make a case for your employer to add benefits. (Keep in mind that benefits such as flextime, flexible spending accounts, job sharing, and even casual dress days are valuable to all employees, not just caregivers.)

• Meet informally. Even if your employer doesn’t provide, or agree to provide eldercare benefits, there are things you can do in the workplace informally. I’ve talked to many men and women who have formed networks with fellow caregivers to share information, meet for lunchtime support groups or cover for each other when one has to be off for caregiving duties.

Another option, of course, is to job hunt. If you’re looking to make a job move, make sure you comprehensively review your potential employers’ eldercare benefits package first.

Alexis Abramson, Ph.D.

Several months ago, I met with a hoarder; I’ll call him Dr. F. An 89 year old retired physician, he lives alone in a 5 bedroom house, in which every room is literally filled with “stuff.”

His kitchen has an 18-inch aisle to walk through; all other space is piled 6 feet high. He has no [...]]]>

Margit Novack

Several months ago, I met with a hoarder; I’ll call him Dr. F. An 89 year old retired physician, he lives alone in a 5 bedroom house, in which every room is literally filled with “stuff.”

His kitchen has an 18-inch aisle to walk through; all other space is piled 6 feet high. He has no access to his sink or stove and receives home delivered meals. None of the bedrooms in the house can be walked into, and his bed cannot be slept on. He sleeps on a cot in the basement. We found two chairs on the first floor on which he can sit. Every other horizontal surface is occupied. His garage and basement, like the other rooms, are accessed by narrow aisles.

Dr F is aware that he hoards. In fact, he has read many articles about hoarding and talks of the Collyer Brothers, two famous hoarders in New York City who suffocated when the tons of paper and debris in their apartment fell on them. He never has company and admits that things have replaced people in his life. He knows that he is under great risk of falling and that for people his age, falls are often life altering.

We discussed all these issues, and suggested a plan to make one room in his house—the den next to the kitchen – a space he could sit in. That was a modest goal. We were not trying to change him or clean out his home; we just wanted to provide one area where could sit and talk to friends. Although Dr. F is well to do, we wanted to remove money as a barrier to our services and offered help at no charge so he could experience working with us and develop trust.

Dr. F seemed to truly enjoy our visit and we believe he would enjoy simply having people to talk to, regardless of what got accomplished.

Repeatedly, however, he turned us down. “I know what hoarding has cost me in terms of connections to people,” he has said. “I know what could happen if I fall. But this is how I live. I’m doing pretty well for 89. I haven’t fallen yet and I hope I don’t, but that is a risk I am willing to live with.”

I thought about what he said. We all take risks. Some of us smoke, some of us are non-compliant with medications, some of us are overweight, some of us postpone mammograms, and many of us talk on cell phones while driving. Even though we know the potential consequences, we assume risk everyday.

I thought about adult children who worry and try to convince their parents to use grab bars, to move to one story living, to stop driving, to move to a safer environment. I respect Dr. F and his right to assume risk and live as he chooses. But he is not my parent. How much harder it must be, I wonder, to watch those we love put themselves in harm’s way, regardless of how competent they are to make that decision. Our parents protected us from danger when we were young; we feel an obligation and a desire to do the same for them. But they are not children.

“Honor thy father and mother” has never seemed so complex. My parents died when I was very young. I wonder how I would honor my father and mother if they were alive today.

Margit Novack

Most older adults don’t understand that body weight represents 2 components, namely fat weight and lean weight.

Together, the fat weight and lean weight (muscle and bone) define body composition as well as body weight.  People generally don’t realize that their body composition is much more important than their body weight, and they have little [...]]]>

Wayne Westcott Ph.D. C.S.C.S.

Most older adults don’t understand that body weight represents 2 components, namely fat weight and lean weight.

Together, the fat weight and lean weight (muscle and bone) define body composition as well as body weight.  People generally don’t realize that their body composition is much more important than their body weight, and they have little knowledge about the body composition changes that accompany inactive aging.

A 60-year old woman may step on the scale and observe a weight that is 40 pounds heavier than her body weight was at age 20. She mistakenly thinks that she has gained 40 pounds of fat, but that is a serious underestimation of her situation.

 Women who do not perform strength exercise lose approximately 5 pounds of muscle tissue every decade of adult life (Forbes, 1976; Evans & Rosenberg. 1992).

Consequently, an average 60-year old female has 20 pounds less muscle tissue than when she was a 20 year old college student. Her 40-pound weight gain, therefore, represents a 60-pound increase in fat coupled with a 20-pound decrease in muscle.  Consider that this is actually an 80 pound change in her body composition, which means her physical condition has deteriorated twice as much as indicated by the bathroom scale.  This is a serious situation, and one that is common for older adults.  However, they are typically unaware of the muscle loss, because it is masked by the fat gain and overall increase in body weight. Even worse, they don’t realize that the muscle loss is largely responsible for the fat gain due to the resulting reduction in their resting metabolic rates. (Resting metabolic rate refers to the number of calories used to maintain body functions during 24 hours of no physical activity.) Basically, a 5-pound per decade muscle reduction leads to a 3% to 5% per decade metabolic slowdown (Evans & Rosenberg, 1992; Keyes, et al., 1973).  Consequently, progressively more of the calories that were previously used for muscle tissue maintenance are put into fat stores, as they are no longer needed to fuel muscle. Keep in mind that eating only 30 more calories a day than the body uses produces a 30 pound fat gain in just 10 years.

Low-calorie diets affect body composition

Unfortunately, most seniors take exactly the wrong approach to lower their body weight. Like other overweight adults, they try popular low-calorie diet plans that cause more problems than they solve. For example, let’s say that Mrs. Smith reduces her body weight from 170 pounds to 130 pounds after several weeks of low calorie dieting. Because approximately 25% of the weight lost on low-calorie diets is muscle tissue, Mrs. Smith has most likely eliminated 30 pounds off at and 10 pounds of muscle (Ballor & Poehlman. 1994).This relatively rapid change in body composition may reduce her resting metabolism by up to 350 calories per day (Campbell et aI.,1994;  Pradey et al., 1994). When Mrs. Smith returns to her normal eating patterns the number of daily calories that previously maintained her body weight is now 350 calories higher than her reduced metabolism can accommodate.  Other things being equal, she will regain about one pound of fat every 10 days (350 calories per day x 10 days = 3,500 calories = 1 pound of fat). In one year, she will have added 36 pounds of fat, which is 6 pounds more fat than she had before dieting. Her body weight will again be 170 pounds, but she will have less muscle, more fat and poorer body composition. Mrs. Smith is not an exception, as 95% of low-calorie dieters regain all of the weight they lost within one year. (Brehm & Keller, 1990).

 Cardiovascular exercise and weight loss

Lifting weights at the Fitness Center, Willow Valley Retirement Communities in Lancaster, PA

Standard aerobic activities such as treadmill walking or stationary cycling are a second means for reducing body weight. While endurance exercise is effective for improving cardiovascular fitness, it typically takes a lot of time to burn significant numbers of calories. This may not be practical for many seniors, especially those who are obese or in poor physical condition. To lose a pound of fat a week using the treadmill, Mrs. Smith needs to walk about 35 miles, an average of 5 miles a day, which is probably more than she can or will do.

There is also a widespread misunderstanding that lower-intensity aerobic activity is more effective for fat reduction than higher intensity endurance exercise. This misunderstanding is based on the premise that walking uses a higher percentage of fat calories than running, which is true. However, an equal duration of running burns far more total calories (as well as more fat calories) than walking, and therefore produces a faster rate of fat loss. The results of a University of Wisconsin study (Porcari, 1994) showed that, for a 160-pound male, 30 minutes of walking at 3.5 miles per hour used 240 calories, 40% of which came from fat sources (96 calories) and 60%of which came from carbohydrate sources (144 calories) .

For the same individual,30 minutes of running at 6.5 miles per hour used 450 calories, 25% of which came from fat sources (112 calories) and 75% of which came from carbohydrate sources (338 calories). Other things being equal, 30 minutes of walking at 240 calories per session requires 15 sessions to lose one pound of fat, whereas 30 minutes of running at 450 calories per session takes only 8 sessions to lose one pound of fat. Unfortunately, most older adults are not capable of starting a running program, and many may have difficulty beginning a walking program.

 The role of strength training

Almost every older adult can safely and successfully participate in a sensible strength training program. This is because the resistance can be matched to any strength level, the duration of each exercise bout is only 50 to 70 seconds, and 5 to 10 exercises per session are sufficient for overall muscle development.

For example the 19 elderly (89 year old) patients in a study we conducted at a nursing home performed only 5 machine exercises each training session due to their initial physical limitations. Yet they added 4 pounds of muscle, lost 3 pounds of fat, increased their overall strength by 60% and improved their functional independence score by 14% in just 14 weeks of regular strength training (Westcott & Ramsden, 200 I). We have examined the results of more than 1100 adults and seniors who performed about 20 minutes of aerobic activity (treadmill walking or recumbent cycling) and about 20 minutes of strength training (10 machine exercises), 2 or 3 days a week, for a period of 8 weeks (Westcott & Guy, 1996).

The older adults (ages 61 to 80) attained essentially the same body composition improvements as the middle-aged (41 to 60 years) and younger (21 to 40 years) adults. After 2 months of training, both women and men gained muscle and lost fat. Interestingly, the 2 days per week and 3 days per week exercisers experienced similar muscle gains, indicating that strength training twice a week maybe sufficient for muscle development in older adults. While this large group of adults experienced positive benefit, it appears that combining a sound strength training program with a sensible diet plan may elicit a relatively larger fat loss and still produce significant muscle gain.

Excellent results were found in a follow-up study of 79 women (Westcott, 2003) that coupled exercise with a moderate diet plan. One out of 4 participants followed the nutrition component, which included minimal coaching on eating according to the USDA Food Guide Pyramid (1,600 calories per day). The women completed 20 minutes of endurance exercise and performed 20 minutes of strength training 3 days a week for a period of 8 weeks.  On average, they lost 9.1 pounds of fat and gained 1.2 pounds of muscle, for a 10.3-pound improvement in their body composition.

Fitness class using weights at the Fitness Center, Willow Valley Retirement Communities, Lancaster, PA

In addition to burning calories during the workout and afterwards due to elevated metabolism, strength-training has the advantage of increasing resting metabolism. Studies have shown that a 3-pound increase in muscle is accompanied by a 7% increase in resting metabolic rate (Campbell et al., 1994; Pratley et al., 1994).  For example, if you presently have a resting metabolism of 1,400 calories a day, a 7% increase represents about 100 extra calories burned daily at rest (1,500 calories a day).

 Protocol for successful strength training

The strength training protocol used in all of our fitness programs and research studies at the South Shore YMCA is basic and brief, which is probably why our class attendance has consistently exceeded 85% over the past 13 years. Our participants perform one set each of 10 machine exercises, using a resistance that enables them to complete 8 to 12 repetitions in good form (moderate movement speed and full movement range). They spend about one minute performing each exercise, and they take about one minute between machines, for a total training time of approximately 20 minutes.

We do only one set per exercise, but add high intensity techniques to overcome plateaus without increasing (by more than a few minutes) the training duration. Typical machines used are: leg extension, seated leg curl, incline press, seated row, triceps press, preacher curl, low back extension, abdominal curl, rotary torso and neck flexion/extension.

This simple approach to strength exercise has been well-received by our older adults. As reported on their anonymous program evaluations, they find the strength training protocol effective, efficient, easy to understand and within their effort/energy limitations. Although dieting and aerobic activity are productive procedures for losing fat, neither approach replaces muscle or raises resting metabolism, which are 2 key factors in long term weight management. At the South Shore YMCA, we combine reasonable dietary restrictions and moderate amounts of endurance exercise with a sensible strength training program.

 Wayne L Westcott, Ph.D.  C.S.C.S.

 Restart Retirement is sponsored by Willow Valley Communities

Dr. Westcott is the co-author of “Strength Training Past 50″.  Click the book for purchase information.

Related articles

• Strength Training for Older Adults: Why and How

I was working with a client not long ago who afforded me one of those “epiphany” moments.

We were diligently rearranging her kitchen because she felt it difficult to work in.  She said she could not find the things she needed when she needed them, items were scattered about and nothing seemed to have any [...]]]>

Dr. Jill Bjerke

I was working with a client not long ago who afforded me one of those “epiphany” moments.

We were diligently rearranging her kitchen because she felt it difficult to work in.  She said she could not find the things she needed when she needed them, items were scattered about and nothing seemed to have any order.  Once we reorganized everything, she ended up with a totally empty cabinet above her stove.  “What am I going to do with that,” she asked me.  Good question!  “Why do you have to do anything with it,” I replied.  As it turns out she, like many of us, felt empty spaces must be filled.  After all, if we leave them empty, does that imply that we are forgetting something or have left things only partially done?  And so appeared that “aha moment!”

I have ruminated (one of my favorite words) over this cogent thought for quite a while and have even taken to observing people in their everyday lives endlessly filling up everything from shopping carts to task lists in an effort to avoid the dreaded emptiness of that blank space.

Many years ago I came across a book titled, “Entropy” by Jeremy Rifkin where he simplistically states that whenever order is created anywhere in the universe, it is done so at the expense of creating greater disorder in the surrounding environment.  So are we, then, naturally held back from creating order because of the discordance we may experience as the price for creating that symmetry?  Do we then bend to the rationale that we can’t possibly leave anything empty as it could also represent discordance?  I wonder.

But this has really incredible implications.  Does the bucket list we pursue as we age represent all of the things we can possibly accomplish in the time we feel we have left to live?  What about when we are downsizing or transitioning to a new home?  I’ve experienced situations where no matter what I said to a client about the smaller space they were moving into, the client ended up with a lot of furniture and possessions in the hallway of a senior residence because it all simply wouldn’t fit!  The physical space had changed, but the mental one had not.

Aging in place, in its most simplified form, is a desire to remain in our home as we age.  I sometimes wonder, however, if the driving force behind that concept might be that we don’t want to face a future that might not contain all of the things it does now and force us to experience emptiness. Now granted no one wants to be lonely, bored or feel uncomfortable in their own home.

Enter an empty room and some of us immediately want to fill it up – with something.  However, there are those of us that would relish this at it is, to them, what is a called a “blank canvas” – a clean slate upon which anything can be written, so to speak.  To others, this is highly uncomfortable.  This may also be why some of us feel more at ease in small spaces rather than large spaces, or in rooms that do not have cathedral or high ceilings.

Our lives are filled with work, activities, events, hobbies, church, family gatherings and so on.  Our homes are filled with things we no longer need or use or furniture that does nothing but crowd us out.  For just one moment, one small space of time, we should just “be,” with nowhere to go and nothing to do.  Just breathe.  This is harder than it seems.

As we age, we may slow down somewhat, but we still are likely to experience very few “be” moments, and these are the ones we should treasure.  For it is in those quiet, “white space” snippets of “nothingness” that we have the opportunity to experience the greatest gift of all – time. Time to engage our future as we age.  Time to whittle that bucket list down to what really matters to us and why.

Aging in place is not an event; rather it is a decision-making process.  Where we choose to live is actually the answer to a whole host of questions from whether or not our neighborhood is safe or if our town has lighting, sidewalks and businesses that are age-friendly to the types of transportation and health care available to us if we choose to remain in our home.

We are so lucky to be in an era where the aging in place future is unfolding as a flower does in response to sunlight.  So much is yet to be revealed.  Much will be left by the wayside in a natural progression of “natural selection” of what will benefit the aging population and what won’t.  But what remains will, hopefully, bring joy, happiness and peace to the years we so dearly want to experience.

Take time out of your life to cognitively experience “be” moments and avoid the pull to fill up every available moment.  Eliminate the clutter from your life (and our home) and you will reveal spaces that may have been unknown to you before.  Use them wisely.

Dr. Jill Bjerke

Sponsored by WillowValleyCommunities.org

The future of uncertainty.

The April cover of Kiplinger Magazine said “Still Spooked by Stocks? How to get over your fears and learn to love the market again”.

The advice could have come a little sooner, considering the Dow finally broke through the 2007 high in [...]]]>

Rick Rodgers, CFP®, CRPC®
Certified Retirement Counselor®

The future of uncertainty.

The April cover of Kiplinger Magazine said “Still Spooked by Stocks? How to get over your fears and learn to love the market again”.

The advice could have come a little sooner, considering the Dow finally broke through the 2007 high in March.

Market analysts are all over the media explaining why stocks are poised to move higher or … why stocks are ready to fall. I even received an email from Harry Dent titled “Look out below!” Mr. Dent warns the Dow is headed to 3,000 in the near future. Yikes!!!

My advice to those still spooked by stocks is not to get back in – at least until they admit they should never have gotten out in the first place. The future will never be less uncertain or less clear than it is right now. The stock market could shortly drop the moment you get in, but that’s OK, provided you haven’t sold out when it recovers. Those investors who rebalanced when the market was down in 2008 and 2009 recovered their losses long before the Dow got back to 14,000. It wasn’t a fun ride at times, but it was the right thing to do.

New York Stock Exchange, Photo by Blue Barnacle on Flickr

Retirees frequently tell me they can’t afford the risk of the stock market at their age. They are focusing too much on the volatility of the stock market and ignoring the risk of inflation. You cannot maintain your standard of living through 20 years of retirement with a 100% fixed income portfolio. You need the growth that comes from a diversified stock portfolio. This portfolio is combined with an allocation to fixed income which helps to reduce volatility. Allocating between stocks and fixed income provides a place to store some of the gains when the market is going higher. It also provides a source of funds to be able to buy stocks when the market is going down. Buying low and selling high is a solid investment strategy.  Learn more at Rodgers & Associates.com

Rick Rodgers

Sponsored by WillowValleyCommunities.org

When we go to the villages of indigenous peoples, like the hunter-gatherer Hadza in East Africa, and we participate in that most elemental of human experiences—sitting around a fire at night, talking, trading stories, sharing wisdom—we come to notice a certain arrangement of the group emerge naturally. 

Certain people find places closer to the [...]]]> When we go to the villages of indigenous peoples, like the hunter-gatherer Hadza in East Africa, and we participate in that most elemental of human experiences—sitting around a fire at night, talking, trading stories, sharing wisdom—we come to notice a certain arrangement of the group emerge naturally. 

Certain people find places closer to the fire; these members of the group tend to be the primary participants in the discussions and storytelling.  Behind them tends to be a larger group—not excluded, but at a respectful distance—listening.

The spontaneous arrangement is determined in part by age, but more so, by wisdom.  Those who are perceived to have a wise voice to offer, those who from life experience, reflection, and choice, are sources of wisdom for their people are those who naturally claim a place close to the fire.

I view the new elders—people living on purpose in the second half of their lives—as much like this.  Becoming a new elder means finding one’s voice and claiming one’s right and responsibility to speak.  And like the arrangement of individuals around the tribal fire, it does not depend solely on a physical state like white hair or wrinkled skin.  Rather, it is typified by states of minds and heart that are common to those upon whom we rely for wisdom and guidance.

There is no universal path for becoming a new elder.  But the four flames of vital aging —Identity, Community, Passion and Purpose—can help light the path.

Becoming a new elder is a choice.  It’s a way of relating to the world and the people in it that, though it generally bears a relationship to getting older, is neither guaranteed nor prevented by one’s chronological age.  It is characterized by a choice to continue deepening the experience of growing, knowing that life is about ongoing development from cradle to grave.  New elders recognize and accept their own mortality while still continuing to grow.

There is an evolving elder within each of us, and there is a danger of losing contact with that story in ourselves.  As C.G. Jung put it, “Every human being has a two million-year-old man within himself, and if he loses contact with that two million-year-old self, he loses his real roots.”  The elder within is an essential part of our genetic hardwiring.  When we cease growing, we die.  And even if no one else notices the deadness in our souls, we notice.

Becoming a new elder means choosing to live on purpose.  It involves a kind of paradoxical choice—one that comes from relinquishing external power but which requires us to take ownership of our internal power.  It means claiming our voice, speaking softly, yet with purpose and possibility.  Defining what it means to be a new elder requires us to look both forward and backward simultaneously, to draw from the past while advancing confidently in the direction of the future.

Richard Leider

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• Searching for Meaning: The Self-Transcendence Choice
• Keeping the Fire Alive

Does age discrimination exist?

Not legally.  The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), passed in 1967, states, “It shall be unlawful for an employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of [...]]]>

Jan Cullinane

Does age discrimination exist?

Not legally.  The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), passed in 1967, states, “It shall be unlawful for an employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual’s age.”

There can be a gap between legality and reality, however.  During 2010, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 23,465 charges of age discrimination (there were 19,103 in 2007).  Texas A&M Economics professor Joanna Lahey found that companies were more than 40 percent more likely to interview a younger job seeker compared to an older job seeker.

Some employers feel that older workers are more set in their ways, have less energy and more health problems, aren’t as technologically savvy, require higher salaries, and won’t work as hard or long as younger workers.  Historically, the implicit agreement was that an employee would stay with one company throughout his or her work career, starting out at lower wages, but progressing to higher wages as he or she became older.  This paradigm is no longer true.  With people routinely changing jobs every several years, and younger workers wanting higher wages and more responsibility when they come on board, the old way is no longer the model.

Most experts are upbeat about the future of mature workers, however.  With baby boomers (more than 76 million) retiring from primary careers, and fewer younger workers (48 million Gen Xers) to replace them, labor shortages will force companies to retain,  retrain (if necessary), and value the older employee.  For many employers, the bottom line will be whether an employee meets their company’s needs; the experience, work ethic, and maturity of boomers will become valuable commodities.

Jan Cullinane

Sponsored by Willow Valley Communities

Jan Cullinane is the author of “The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to The Rest of Your Life” and “The Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement”.

(Click the book for purchase information)

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Ten years ago, only two professional golfers, Greg Norman and Gary Player, included strength training in their golf preparation programs.

Most golfers mistakenly believed that weight training would produce large muscles and impede their coordination, resulting in poorer golf performance. Consequently, they avoided all forms of strength exercise in favor of skill practice and gentle stretching.

While this thinking may be appropriate for [...]]]>

Wayne Westcott Ph.D. C.S.C.S.

Ten years ago, only two professional golfers, Greg Norman and Gary Player, included strength training in their golf preparation programs.

Most golfers mistakenly believed that weight training would produce large muscles and impede their coordination, resulting in poorer golf performance. Consequently, they avoided all forms of strength exercise in favor of skill practice and gentle stretching.

While this thinking may be appropriate for improved putting, it definitely misses the mark for more driving power and less injury risk.  Consider that the golf swing, a unique action in sport, is both a complex and explosive movement that places unusual stress on the hips, lower back, shoulders, elbows and wrists, as well as the ego.

Because of the high injury rate among golfers, the South Shore YMCA  in Quincy, Massachusetts conducted research to determine the effects of strength training on 77 middle-aged golfers, most of whom had missed playing time due to a variety of golf related injuries.  Our short-term objectives were to improve their physical fitness and increase their driving power (club-head speed). Our long-term objective was to reduce their injury rate during the following golf season.

Study Specifics

Photo credit: Micah Taylor via PhotoPin

In each of four separate studies, the golfers exercised three days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), over an eight-week training period, during the months of January and February. Each training session consisted of 15 basic strength exercises performed on standard weight-stack machines. These were the following   I) leg extensions;  2) leg curls;  3) leg presses;  4) chest flys;  5) chest presses   6) pullovers;  7) lateral raises;  8) biceps curls;  9) triceps extensions;  10) low-back extensions;  11) abdominal curls;  12) neck extensions;  13) neck flexions;  14) weight-assisted bar-dips; and 15) weight-assisted chin-ups. Study participants performed one set of each exercise, using a weight load that permitted eight to 12 properly performed repetitions. The exercise resistance was increased by approximately 5 percent whenever 12 repetitions were completed in good form. The strength workout dura­tion was about 30 minutes.

In two of the studies, the golfers performed six simple stretching exercises following their strength-train­ing circuit. These were performed on a Stretchmate apparatus, and targeted the muscles of the legs, hips, trunk and shoulders. Each stretch was held for approximately 20 to 30 seconds, adding less than five minutes to the overall training time.

Research Results

The 63 male and 14 female golfers (mean age 57 years) made several significant improvements in physical fitness following their two-month training program. Taken together, the participants added about 4 pounds of muscle and lost about 4 pounds of fat, for an 8 pound beneficial change in their body composition.  They increased their leg strength by more than 50 percent, and they reduced their mean resting blood pressure by 4.5mm Hg.

Grand Cayman Golf (Photo credit: Fevi in Pictures)

Also, all of the training groups significantly improved their driving power.  The two groups that performed both strength and stretching exercise (1995 and 1998) experienced greater increases in club-head speed (6.1 percent) than the two groups (1996 and 1997) that performed only strength exercise (3 percent). This result indicates that a combined program of strength training and stretching may be most beneficial for faster club swings and longer driving distances.

Remarkably, not one person who completed the conditioning program reported a golf-related injury during the following playing season. This most desirable training outcome may have been partly due to the fact that most of the golfers continued their exercise program (in some form) after the study.

Anecdotally, many of the participants reported feeling better and playing longer without fatigue, as well as recovering faster and golfing more frequently as a result of their exercise program. As might be expected, the program evaluations were excellent, and the golfers enthusiastically promoted strength and stretching exercise to their peers.

Today, essentially all professional golfers include strength training in their conditioning programs. Like athletes in other sports, golfers now realize that stronger muscles increase power production and enhance overall performance abilities.

For every senior who golfs, consider our modified program of strength exercise that has proven highly effective for golf enthusiasts.

Wayne Westcott

Restart Retirement is sponsored by Willow Valley Communities

Dr. Westcott is the co-author of “Strength Training Past 50″.  Click the book for purchase information.