Still Clickin

What kind of pet person are you? There are bird-lovers, dog-lovers, cat-lovers, and goldfish-lovers. Everyone has their own particular favorite that was usually established during their youth. People that have had pets can even be classified as such. For example, we have dog-people, cat-people, and bird-people. Are you a certain pet-person?

If you are, maybe you are currently pet-less and rethinking that decision. Obviously, there are a number of pros and cons to such a decision, but the choice of the type of pet has a lot to do with most of them. There are a wide variety of pets that seniors may choose.

Dogs -
Dogs need and give love. Many studies indicate that having a dog really can help a senior’s health and attitude. Not only do they offer companionship, but their needs serve as an ongoing encouragement for some good exercise as well. Also, they are probably the best security system available on the market today.

If you are particular about breeds, you can contact the American Kennel Club and get a list of local breeders. Be prepared to open your wallet, however, since many breeds now go for $1,500 or more.

Another approach is to take a visit to the local animal shelter. These pets often have that wonderful price of ‘free’, although small donations are very welcome. These pets can vary widely, so you must look carefully to find the right dog for you. The people in the shelters understand animals and can provide you with a wealth of information. Don’t be afraid to ask. Before you “take the plunge”, consider -

• Age - If a dog is older than 18 months, it will not only be housebroken, its teeth will have grown in and it will also be less inclined to eat your slippers. If a dog is older than six, you may find not only health problems but an inability to adapt to new surroundings.
• Size - Golden Retriever mixes and Labrador mixes are great, but if you are going to walk the dog, you may need a smaller dog (who won’t pull you over when it chases after a squirrel). However, if you aren’t used to having a small dog around, you probably shouldn’t get a dog weighing less than 25 pounds. You don’t want to trip over the little thing because you didn’t see it.
• Allergies - If you have avoided dogs because you are allergic, look for dogs that don’t shed. Many terriers and poodles have this trait.
• Temperament - Undoubtedly, the vast majority of dogs have better temperaments than many people. A few, however, may have experienced poor treatment and developed a nasty streak as a consequence. Pay attention to how the dog reacts to you, since initially you are a stranger.

Cats -
“For a balanced ego, a person that has a dog to adore him should have a cat to ignore him.” That old quote is harsh, but contains an element of truth. Cats are much more independent than dogs. As long as they are properly fed and stroked occasionally, cats require far less attention than dogs. They quickly learn how to use a litter box and can amuse themselves for hours with a favorite toy. This independence allows a cat to tolerate much longer absences from their owners than dogs.

If you are looking for a cat at a shelter, many of the same cautions for dogs apply to cats. Their sizes, however, are much smaller. They compensate for their small size by their pronounced ability to quickly leap out of the way.

Other Critters -
For the most part, other small animals kept as pets live in defined enclosures. This reality makes them far less intrusive than dogs or cats. They each offer their own special qualities that can both divert and delight. They still require care, however, and someone else must mind them if you take a trip.

If you do live alone, having another living creature around the mansion has distinct benefits for all involved. Yes, they do require you to expend extra effort and care, but that is a gift. Answering needs is what life is all about.

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If you’re reading this, you already know about the Internet. The use of the Internet by the senior community is continually expanding. And it doesn’t have to cost you anything. At local libraries, computers are siting there waiting for your curiosity and fingertips.

What do seniors do with the Internet when their fingertips start moving? According to a report by the Pew Research Center, they are involved with -

*Email - This still drives their primary usage of the Internet. Keeping in touch without the hassle of time zones and time charges, email remains the primary reason why people keep going back to the Internet. It’s especially delightful when the message is from your grandchildren. Free email accounts can be established at Yahoo and other services.

*Finding Information - Once they finish with their email, people typically switch to Google or Yahoo to find out about something. They might be planning a trip, researching a problem, or comparing different brands of toasters. Not surprisingly, Most Internet searches on health topics are performed by seniors.

*Online Shopping - Once they have completed their research, seniors are not afraid to actually make a purchase. As noted in the Pew Report, nearly 50% of the online seniors actually are making purchases. One area of particular interest is travel, both planning and booking tickets. They also are not afraid to both sell and buy items on eBay.

In addition to these top three activities, seniors also explore other facets.

*Reading News - If they’ve moved away, seniors are very likely to scan the pages of the old hometown newspaper online. They are also avid readers of specialized news topics on politics, entertainment, and other targeted sectors. Even the headlines of major newspapers, e.g. New York Times, are available online.

*Sharing Photos - Whether directly through email or via a service like Flickr, seniors love to see the latest images of their grandchildren, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

*Skype - If you are geographically removed from loved ones, skype is a treasure for everyone regardless of age. Simply speaking, skype not only allows you to talk to those you love, but to see and interact with them from many miles away. The visuals of loved ones make them feel so much closer, and it can ease the worries and loneliness that distance can engender.

*Social Sharing - Seniors have not flocked to Facebook or Twitter. They might view a My Space or You Tube link contained in an email, but they are not going to enroll. At this point in their lives, seniors are far less intrigued by the social and gaming aspects of the Internet than are the younger members of our society. Instant messaging holds as little appeal as instant gratification. They prefer to respect privacy and to savor the anticipation of a thoughtful reply. They find important items more interesting than urgent ones.

*Blogs - Because seniors have the time, there are a surprising number of blogs by, for, and about seniors. They are quite often frank, intelligent, and very thought-provoking. They can not only make for fascinating reading, but they can often make you chuckle, cry, and pray. One huge favorite blog that publishes links to many others is Ronni Bennett’s Time Goes By A visit to Ronni’s site is always worthwhile.

The Internet presents all of these facilities and more. It has become an indispensable part of our lives. You should encourage any of your friends that are not involved to take a free course at the library. They may feel uncomfortable at first, but they will thank you profusely later.

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With retirement comes the gift of time. And one way to use that time, recharge your batteries, and perhaps scratch a long-postponed yen, is to travel. Even though the finances of most people have been downsized over the past year, the economy has also created many bargains for those that have anything left. It may be time to scratch that itch.

Whether its around the block or around the world, travel brings an exposure to new vistas and experiences that shakes us out of our same-old-same-old routines. That bit of shaking gives us all a new sense of time, an event to mark our lives. In that way, it can be very healthful and rewarding, especially if it is shared.

But travel also brings its own set of challenges - planning, expenses, preparation and inconveniences - that can prove to be a hassle for many. For a successful trip, its imperative that we meet those challenges with a sense of fun.

Planning -
Both a weekend bus tour and an extended trip overseas take careful planning, and it’s fun to do. Part of the fun is discovering what is possible, learning more about the history and culture of an area, and targeting or avoiding local events that can draw extra crowds. To start,

• Set a Budget - No sense planning for a trip that breaks the bank. Pick a number, assume you’ll exceed it by 10%, and then explore what that number makes possible. Since sleeping is often the largest travel expense, how long you travel can have a greater impact on expenses than how far.
• Picking your Style - It’s silly to force yourself into a style you abhor, but the style that you find to be fun can have a major impact on your choice of destinations and budget. Guided tours are efficient, but less spontaneous. Cruises can feel exquisite to some and confining to others. For the physically fit, Elder Hostel & trekking may be the only way to go.
• Finding Destinations - One of the most interesting aspects of planning a trip is choosing your destination(s). exchange rates may influence the countries you choose, but this isn’t even an issue if you stay within your own borders.
• Selecting Travel Times - You can stretch your budget a lot if you avoid peak seasons and big events. If your desire is to do a museum crawl in Europe, February can be an excellent time.
• Using Travel agents - If you feel intimidated by the mass of information that the Internet delivers, you can always use a travel agent. Quite often, the fees that they charge may be offset by the deals they can discover.

Preparation -

• Read a Book - Once you’ve decided and locked in your itinerary, you can begin your preparation. The first thing I like to do is find an historical novel about the area to become steeped in its history.
• Travel guides - Find a good travel guide that is oriented toward your style. Make sure that it is light enough to carry, because you’ll want to take it along, as well as sufficiently detailed so that you can become informed as you go.
• Chart your Route - Learn enough about the locations that you can chart your overall course as well as the specific path you want to take through the cities or countryside.
• What to pack? - The short answer is ‘Less’. Everyone always takes too much. Plan to do some laundry, especially at anyplace you are staying for a couple of nights. We lessen drying time by rolling wet garments in a towel and stepping on it.

Have Fun -
Once you arrive, make certain you have some fun. Daily burdens can sometimes make people forget how to have fun, and travel is one way to force yourself out of that rut. Travel always brings some inconveniences, but is also brings adventure. So what if no one speaks your language or the bed sags. Use gestures, move the mattress to the floor, and laugh. Adventures are fun!

Helpful Links -
There are many. Here are some favorites -

• For airfare and other quotes from multiple sites try Kayak.
• Another source of both travels opinions as well as multiple quotes for fares, hotels, etc. try TripAdvisor.
• For alerts on travel specials, try TravelZoo.
• Elder Hostel offers diverse adventures for seniors.
• For packing and all sorts of other advice, go to the Rick Steves site.
• Of course, AARP Travel offers lots of info and specific tours.
• Lastly, if you’re headed beyond US borders, go to the government site for the latest information.

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When we were all younger, our “big purchases” made a social statement. It could be a house, a car, or a boat, but it qualified as “big”. It typically required a loan, and with that loan people often would reach a bit beyond their means assuming that their earnings would not only catch-up but surpass any financial requirements.

One of the delights of our senior years is that people are no longer impressed by such social statements. What now impresses our contemporaries are our health status and our attitudes toward living. The house is now a roof and the car is transportation. “Smart” means less maintenance, not styling.

Last year, we bought a roof on the other side of the country from our last roof. Since we took the downsize challenge very seriously, our new roof is only half the size of our old roof which sheltered our family when it was growing. Sometimes, it can seem a bit tight, but that is an emotional response. In truth, we have plenty of space. But it is more of a roof than a statement.

Now, I’m considering replacing a car. The only car I ever connected with emotionally was a ’66 Mustang. (That love affair ended when it was stolen.) The car I’m thinking of replacing is the original ’95 Aurora, one of the few American cars designed by engineers rather than accountants. This car still runs, but at fifteen years of age, I know its reliability (It’s been outstanding.) will start to diminish. So I’m starting to look at cars again.

The last car we purchased was a Prius, which I viewed as the only intelligent choice at that time. I still feel that way, but I don’t want to get one more of the same. I’m looking for more innovations. I’d love to see a bit more storage topped by a roof with solar cells. I’d insist on a household current converter so that I could charge the car from the house, or visa-versa.

In short, I’m not trying to make a statement. I’m after safe, reliable, and green. Prius is the best right now. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this GM Company that we now own could produce such a green car? That would be my hope. My suspicion is that two or three years from now my only choice will be a Prius-III, which I’ll buy by then if I have no other choice. It’s not a statement, it’s transportation.

When dealing with the first layer of the retirement lifecycle, the big issues, i.e. finances, health, real estate, etc., all seem to take center stage. Change forces us to re-evaluate prior assumptions and make suitable adjustments. But once those adaptations have been made, the more subtle aspects of retirement seep into our daily rhythms, i.e. limitations, loneliness, and purpose.

Living life with a clear sense of purpose is always a challenge at any age. Defining careers, embracing families, and giving back can stretch anyone to the point that they can lose the sense of purpose. Learning Selfless Love, that ultimate purpose of life, can take a back seat to the urgent, the critical, and the just-a-sec of daily survival.

But in retirement, purpose can become an even more elusive goal. If much of your everyday world was focused upon the daily challenges of family and work, then living with fewer demands from both of these sectors can leave you with an unwelcome sense of emptiness.

Retirement gifts you with that rare gift of Time. The basic question returns, “What are you going to do with your time?” To any intelligent person, it quickly becomes obvious that drifting is not an acceptable answer. But the right answer for one particular person, a.k.a. you, can be elusive. The blunt reality is that you are demanding a better answer for yourself than you have accepted in the past. You can have grown to become very comfortable with the big picture of your life, but stymied by some of the everyday details. It takes some work to figure it all out.

The details are not trivial.

• Family - Your role as a grandparent is simply not as demanding as that of a parent. Once the grandchildren are in school, their schedules don’t permit as much “together time” with grandparents.
• Work - Because of the “age hurdle”, the choices for an engagement in some productive work activity seem to be segmented into (1) unimaginative, low-scale paid work, or (2) potentially more creative, challenging, and satisfying, but unpaid, volunteer work.
• Travel - Can be a very meaningful activity if it is a learning experience as well as a shared moment that can be a gift to that special someone. The erosion of the financial markets, however, may now constrain your range of choices.
• Social Activities - For example, golf, tennis, or bridge, can be pleasant activities for sharing time with family and friends. In and of themselves, however, these pursuits can lack staying power and purpose for many people.

What to do?

1. Identify the top five things you love to do.
2. Identify the top five things in which you excel.
3. If the “top five” approach doesn’t reveal a direction for you, talk with friends and relatives who know you and may have heard of something you might find interesting.
4. If you still are debating with yourself, look for something in which you can get engaged quickly. Try it, and see what you learn. If it doesn’t work, try a different option. It may take a few tries, but it is better than procrastinating.
5. Good luck with your efforts!

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“A User’s Guide for Senior Living”

In the waiting room at the dentist’s, the lady in the next chair acted tired but seemed to want to talk. The conversation turned to downsizing, and she said, “Oh, I wish we had done that. It’s too late for us now. Our big old house has become a burden, but my husband’s health is such that we can’t make any change now.”

That comment sounded an alarm bell. As seniors we have to become highly sensitive new demands:

1. Change - We have to face the fact that our senior years, like those of childhood, are a period of dramatic changes. Although cruise control can work well during middle age, it is a mistake to try to use it during our senior years. There is simply too much change.
2. Information - Coping with that amount of change requires careful thought and access to a lot of new information. Although the Internet is awash with information for seniors, it is scattered, disorganized, and often confusing. There is no comprehensive, organized user’s guide.
3. Perspective - At 25, we saw life very differently than we did at 5; at 45 differently than 25, and at 65 differently than 45. For this new information to be truly helpful, it must be presented from our own age perspective.

The aim of WikiSenior is to be that pragmatic User’s Guide that addresses these new demands. Ideally, this reference will contain enough information to equip any engaged senior to make practical plans and choices about how they will live their lives during these years of change. It is not only targeted at the Top Concerns of seniors, it also addresses those daily concerns, e.g. “Shall we eat out or in?” that we all face everyday.

What can you do?

1. Share the insights you have learned through your own life experience. To be effective, this free guide about the challenges of senior living must be authored by the real experts of senior living, i.e. seniors themselves.
2. Click on Write experiences, share wisdom, collaborate & author Topics to learn how it works. If you’ve just solved an issue, identify it and tell us what worked. You don’t need to be a computer expert. You just need to know how to type. . . one or two fingers, or more.

If you’re itching to become engaged and “out among the people”, volunteering may answer your needs. Although it wont help paying the bills, volunteering often pays handsomely in the sense of satisfaction you gain by helping other people.

Numerous organizations want your help. Hospitals, churches, museums, senior services, schools, non-profits, and service clubs all depend on volunteers to perform many of their basic functions. While some organizations have very organized volunteer operations, others are quite casual. How should you select among them?

• Follow your own talents and interests. For example, if you love to cook, a soup kitchen may suit your fancy.
• Search and list a few organizations in your area that reflect your choices.
• Craigslist has postings for volunteers in their community section.
• Talk to friends to learn if they know of any local opportunities or organizations.
• Inquire at the local library and churches, which may be aware of organizations in need because they often provide space for their meetings.
• Once you have identified some opportunities, try a few. While the mission of one organization may appeal to you, the individual personalities you encounter may not. Don’t be afraid to dabble until you find your comfort zone.

Once you’ve found your niche, don’t hesitate to dig in. In any volunteer organization, the best challenges are always reserved for the people that can be “counted on”. If your commitment is only marginal, the treatment you receive will reflect that.

Once you are involved and know you are making a serious contribution, your sense of satisfaction and ownership of the operation will deepen. You will become one of the key members of the group and develop that rewarding sense of “being needed” and “making a difference”.

And if, in these troubled economic times, the cost of groceries ever does start becoming a problem for you, you will find that many organizations look first to their key volunteers when selecting someone to fill a paying position.

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If you want to experience an upbeat moment, see the documentary, Young@Heart. This is the story of a group of senior citizens from Northampton, MA who belong to a chorus that knocks your socks off.

Rather than sing songs from Gershwin or Cohen, this crew serves up renditions of Coldplay, the Clash and Jimi Hendrix. They don’t just sing at the local auditorium, but internationally. Audiences love both their talent and their spunk. See the details at their own website, Young@Heart Chorus. Whether you purchase a copy of their movie there or order it through Netflix, you will be cheered and amazed by the quality of their performance.

Oh, it should also be mentioned that the average age of the group is 81. Just the way that Eileen Hall, age 92, serves up “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by the Clash will make you sit up and take notice. See this film and be inspired by the determination, enthusiasm, camaraderie, and real talent of this ensemble.

Your town may not have a group like this, but it certainly must have church choirs as well as other groups that embrace the wonder of song. Rather than waste your talent on arias in the shower, investigate what’s happening in your area. Song is a universal gift. If you are searching for an activity that benefits both body and soul, try the chorus.

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Having spent most of my working life in New York City, that melting pot of humanity, I was always used to recognizing other people’s celebrations. As the days became shorter and darker, it was delightful to encounter celebratory lights and smiles. The context that framed those smiles varied with their cultural backgrounds. For some it was Christmas, for others Hanukkah, for some Kwanzaa, for still others Hari Raya. (I’m sure there are other holidays, but these were celebrated by the people with whom I worked.) As a true New Yorker, however, you realized that it was your responsibility to get the date right and share greetings and best wishes for all the various holidays, by name.

Where did all that respect for diversity go? “Happy Holidays” just doesn’t cut it for me. It ignores diversity rather than celebrates it. It lacks style. Frankly, I find it just plain lazy!

Over the years, I certainly have made mistakes, wishing people best wishes for the wrong holiday. I’ve also been on the receiving end of such “mistakes”, but I’ve never taken offense. I don’t understand how you can be offended by someone wishing you well. They are trying to share their humanity and joy of celebration. How can anyone in their right mind be offended?

Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day lack this diversity. Because they are common celebrations, they pass more easily through the social consciousness. They are celebrations of common survival, that we still have both food and time. As a consequence, they are socially safer celebrations. The diversity of cultures and beliefs are not involved. You don’t have to be so socially sensitive. They take less “work”.

Trying to force the celebrations of diverse cultures and religions into the same “safe” mold, however, ignores their realities. To me, “Happy Holidays” doesn’t say that I’m trying to be sensitive. Instead, it says that I’m either too casual or too lazy to care.

So let us rejoice in the richness of our diversity. I send you best wishes. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Joyous Kwanzaa! Selamat Hari Raya!

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Did you ever wonder how people actually decide to vote? People can make many statements before or after, but what do they actually do behind that partition? Voting can become a very personal decision, and that decision process can have a lot of variables.

For example, people can select a candidate because they feel that -

• their gut reaction tells them that candidate is cute, smart, experienced, or safe.
• a particular choice least offends their prejudicial inclination toward age, race, gender, or religion.
• one person is most committed to one particular cause.
• commitment to a particular party is paramount.
• an analysis reveals that a candidate’s positions on issues would be best either for the country or for themselves

Pundits agonize over these variables.

In trying to analyze my own decision process, I strongly suspect that my final choice will be driven by a mixture of factors. I do think that an analysis of the issues is very important, even though their simplicity and limited input can only express an orientation rather than a pragmatic plan of action.

But my gut reaction is probably going to be the most influential. In personnel decisions over the years, I have always deferred to my gut. However, in this selection, my gut is going to be strongly influenced by whom I feel would be the best consensus manager.

In business, you don’t have to be a consensus manager. You can launch a new initiative with the cooperation of just a few key people. Successful government decisions, on the other hand, require the buy-in of a large number of people. Typically, the resulting initiatives only partially reflect the initial intent because of all the compromises that have to be made. But if done in a proper and transparent manner, the final initiative can have added dimensions that improve on the original intent.

A consensus manager can orchestrate that type of initiative. Keeping diverse groups on target, listening to a variety of views, guiding the selection of the possible elements, securing the final consensus, and monitoring the execution of its implementation are all components of any consensus manager’s portfolio.

The current administration, as evidenced by their secrecy and management blunders, simply lacked this capability which is why it is so sorely needed now. The prejudicial soup of influences - age, race, gender, or religion - aren’t really important factors in this election, consensus management is. It is desperately needed, and I hope the best consensus manager wins.