Month: November 2024

There are many beautiful girls in this world but, alas, I was not one of them. But now, in my 60s, I suddenly find I am! Did an angel come down while I slept and bless me with stunning looks or one of the many miraculous products of beauty companies actually work? Well, not quite…

You see, I have changed the way I view beauty in everyone, and that opens up the possibility of us all being beautiful. I no longer look at cheekbones, face shapes, huge eyes, glossy long hair and all the other attributes that are classed as beautiful, I see the person inside and look at that beauty.

Reframing

And so, with a few tweaks, some thoughtfulness and a little kindness, we can all be beautiful. We can start with how we view people and change the way we perceive others. That person who is often grumpy, might have just lost their job, recently been bereaved, have very little money. Instead of being cross, give them a smile, and maybe a little pat on the back for you.

You can reframe anything that you find difficult, or you don’t enjoy, by looking at it a different way. For example, when I lived in France, I used to get the ferry to England a couple of times a month and it took nine hours. It was so boring and seemed to last forever. One day, I decided to change my perception of the crossing and decided to look at it as a mini cruise. From that day on, it was a pleasure.

Random Acts of Kindness

Being kind to others is a beautiful thing to do and is always a win/win situation. The person you are kind to enjoys it, and you, the giver, feel good by doing it. Isn’t that just lovely! Sometimes, I put £5 into a library book and enjoy thinking someone may open it and be really happy. Of course, it might stay there forever, but I have still had my joy from doing it!

Random acts of kindness don’t have to cost money. It can be something as simple as holding a door open for someone or stopping for a person to cross the road. To me, it is a natural part of every day, and I am rewarded with smiles and happy people. What a payment!

Being Spiritually Beautiful

Of course, as we age, our body will naturally wrinkle and sag a bit, and if we only focus on the way we look, we are going to be disappointed. We are not going to get any younger. But if we put our emphasis on our inner beauty, it can only grow, and we can become even more beautiful.

Imagine, just making a few small changes can have such a positive and beneficial effect on your life! As your beauty radiates from within, people will begin to see the change in you. Not only that, but you will feel good about all the changes that you are experiencing yourself. People will smile at you more. They will say thank you, and they will remember you. How wonderful to make another person’s day!

Miss World Beauty-On-The-Inside

So here we all are in our 60s, and in our own way we can all be stunningly beautiful. Smiling costs nothing and already makes you look more physically beautiful, but if you include a heart full of love, words that make others feel special – and a little kindness – I think we could all be parading for the Miss World Beauty-On-The-Inside Prize.

Being beautiful makes us all feel good. We may not look the same as we did in our 20s, but honestly, I would rather have inner beauty any day. And if we keep it up, we will be beautiful forever. 

That makes me feel very happy!

Please Join the Conversation:

What random acts of kindness do you do? Has someone ever done one for you that really changed your day? How did it make you feel?

We’ve covered all the trends: nostalgic, retro, skater girl, and more.

SHIPs (State Health Insurance Assistance Programs) have counselors who live in your local area and can provide you with free, unbiased, expert advice on Medicare. The advice is:

• free to you as a result of the federal funding the SHIPs receive from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources.
• unbiased because the SHIP Medicare counselors are not affiliated with any insurance company. They do not sell insurance or any other product. They are employed by SHIP to provide objective guidance, not to promote any product.
• expert as a result of the extensive, in-depth training in Medicare information that SHIP counselors have mastered.

Good advice on Medicare could save you money and time. It could also relieve you from stress and protect you from fraud and scams.

More About Your SHIP Medicare Counselor

You might think of your SHIP Medicare counselor like a reference librarian at your local library: highly trained, professional, and eager to provide you objective guidance.

Your SHIP Medicare counselor is also like a docent volunteer at your local museum: passionate with their knowledge, excited to share and help you become better informed. In fact, many SHIP Medicare counselors are indeed volunteers. They generously share their time and knowledge and are not paid.

The SHIP Experience Success Stories

Reflecting on her experience with SHIP, Tracey Stewart has said, “You know the older I get, the more I know that the best thing to do is just to go get advice from resources that I can trust… It’s great information. It’s free. It’s going to save you money and it’s going to help you pick the right program for you. That’s the bottom line.”

Talking about SHIP, Francine Dent has stated, “The training, whatever the training is they go through, it’s a good training. They really almost know automatically the questions to ask you to help you journey through whatever your concerns are or your needs might be.”

Offering strong advice, Mary Crandall has recommended:

“The Medicare counselors help you make that decision and get you the cheapest program, the program that works best for you… Number one, you have to have a Medicare counselor. You just have to. There are so many people that cannot pay for it, and then they are getting wrong information, possibly. They’re making wrong decisions… It’s so important. I felt much more confident in what I was about to do, the decision I was about to make.”

When to Use a SHIP Medicare Counselor

Here are nine key times when a SHIP Medicare counselor’s advice could be especially valuable for you:

#1: During Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)

Your Initial Enrollment Period begins three months before the month of your 65th birthday. It is a seven-month period. It ends three months after the month of your 65th birthday. You could receive guidance, for example, on whether Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare with Medigap plans would best fit your needs. You could also get help with enrolling in a plan.

#2: During the General Enrollment Period (GEP)

The General Enrollment Period is for folks who missed enrolling during their IEP. Each year, this period runs from January 1 through March 31. Coverage begins the month after enrollment during GEP. A SHIP Medicare counselor could help you avoid missing out on this second-chance window.

#3: While the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) Is Open

The Annual Enrollment Period, also known as the Open Enrollment Period, runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. In this timeframe, a SHIP Medicare counselor could help you make major changes such as:

• move from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan.
• move from a Medicare Advantage plan to Original Medicare.
• switch Medicare Advantage plans.
• enroll in, or swap Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.
• drop Part D coverage.

#4: At the Time of Special Enrollment Period (SEP)

A Special Enrollment Period is the eight months after an employee exits their employer’s coverage. Employees who work beyond age 65 and wish to continue coverage under their employer’s health insurance plan can delay enrolling in Medicare. When they stop working, they can avoid late enrollment penalties by signing up during their Special Enrollment Period. A SHIP Medicare counselor could help you navigate this transition.

#5: During the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP)

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs every year from January 1 to March 31. It is specifically for folks enrolled in Medicare Advantage. During the MA OEP, folks can make a one-time change to their coverage by switching to a different Medicare Advantage plan or returning to Original Medicare. They also can choose to enroll or not enroll in a Part D plan. A SHIP Medicare counselor could help you sort out all your diverse options.

#6: Upon Receiving “Annual Notice of Change” (ANOC)

The ANOC informs you of the changes in your current plan that take effect the next year. A SHIP Medicare counselor could help you understand how these changes might affect you and whether it would make sense to change plans.

#7: When Comparing Coverage Documents

The Evidence of Coverage (EOC) documents for each plan can be more than two hundred pages long. A SHIP Medicare counselor could help you figure out which parts of the document are important to you.

#8: In Case of Claims or Bill Disputes

A SHIP Medicare counselor could help mediate for you during a claim or bill dispute with your medical, drug or plan provider.

#9: Before Working with an Insurance Broker

By law, every insurance company offering plans in your local area must register those plans with government regulators. Thus, SHIP has information on all those plans. In contrast, insurance brokers get their information from the insurance companies. Brokers may have information on many plans, but rarely would they have information on all the plans available to you.

In summary, SHIP counselors live in your local area and could provide you with no-cost, objective, Medicare expertise. Please allow these valuable counselors to help you.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What has been your experience with a SHIP Medicare counselor? What are your primary sources of information on Medicare? Who are your trusted sources for guidance on Medicare? Please join the conversation.

One of the best parts of getting older is the opportunity to build new adult bonds with children, grandchildren and next generation friends in our lives. They keep us young at heart and introduce us to all things hip, cool and fun – stuff we wouldn’t have known about or experienced otherwise.

On the flipside, these relationships afford us the chance to flex lifechanging skills in supporting, coaching, mentoring and unconditional loving, gifts that will sustain our loved ones into their own Golden Years and beyond.

A Study’s Revelations

A January 2022 study from North Dakota State University called “Strengthening Grandparent/Grandchild Ties,” underscores the importance of this relationship.

“The role of grandparent is very meaningful in later life. Roughly 70 million Americans are grandparents and they may have this long-term role for half of their lives. Grandparenthood is often thought to be one of the most rewarding family roles. Grandparents can play a part in guiding and helping their grandchildren grow and develop, while typically having less responsibility and stress than the parent. Grandparents take great joy in watching a young child grow into adulthood and taking part in their various life accomplishments. Grandparenting has been shown to have health benefits, for instance, in fighting off symptoms of depression, encouraging physical activity, or helping to keep older adults mentally sharp,” the study introduction read.

Connections Require Time and Persistence

These relationships, however, don’t come easily. With busy schedules and distance often separating us from the people we love, it takes hard work and persistence to connect with the young people in our lives.

The first step is to focus on connection not perfection. This is an important mindset. The goal is to develop a relationship, and relationships are rarely orderly or precise or perfect in any way. The best bonds are built organically and authentically, not methodically. Building relationships with younger loved ones requires an openness to the special qualities these folks embody, the unique circumstances in which they live and the special connection you will have with them.

With that mindset shift, the playing field becomes wide open for opportunities to advance these beautiful relationships. Here are a few suggestions on how to get started and keep feeding them:

Know Their Contact Information

Know how to phone, email and text grandkids or young loved ones, and how to find and reach out to them on social media. Be the first to make contact in these venues and do it often. Send encouraging texts or emails with frequency, celebrate the successes or events they post with loving comments or direct messages. Know birthdates and special occasions, tell them you’re thinking about them and love them.

Most young people today have access to communication devices from a very young age. While it may be thoughtful to inquire about them through their parents, gatekeeper access is not a requirement when you want to build personal relationships with younger loved ones. Reach out directly in ways that are meaningful.

Schedule Regular Outings, Meals or Events with Younger Friends if You Live Nearby

Regular meetups are wonderful occasions to build conversations and share thoughts. Any opportunity to get to know your children, grandchildren or friends a little better is time and money well spent.

Plan Trips or Excursions with Your People!

You don’t have to blow the bank to have a high return on an investment in fun, leisure or travel. Being in new places is fun because everyone learns a little something and makes memories for a lifetime. Memories and legacies are priceless and stand the test of time.

Invest in Your People

Whether it’s something extraordinary, like sponsoring their education, or buying them some socks from the Dollar Store (like my grandmother did for me each year), consider your capacity for gifting to the young people in your life and do it happily. This also builds a beautiful legacy and a sense of gratitude and connection.

Write Love Letters

Writing actual notes or cards and popping them in the mailbox is a lost art, but it’s one in desperate need of reviving! The notes my grandparents sent to me over the years are sustaining relics that continue to bring me great contentment and joy. Letters are a beautiful way to show support, love and interest in the young people of your life.

Find an Activity, Game or Hobby That Resonates with Your Youthful Peeps and Make Time to Engage in Them Often

The aforementioned North Dakota State University study also included some helpful suggestions for connecting with younger loved ones. Some of those tips for fostering stronger grandfamily bonds are to: “make time to connect by prioritizing communication and making time for conversations; express affection and discuss your feelings; share stories, life happenings and family history with one another; plan special moments and events together; remember and honor special days together; and to laugh together and celebrate the fun moments in life.”

Regarding communication tips, the study suggested the following strategies, which are all excellent and underscore some of the points we discussed earlier: “Be present and willing to listen; give advice when appropriate, but also be willing to listen and provide support; set a routine – consider scheduling weekly calls or check-ins; remember, even a quick message can let someone know you care and are thinking of them; send mail for special dates, but also just for fun; talk about family history and shared stories; and find ways to connect face to face – whether in person or using technology.

The bottom line is establishing healthy relationships with adult children, grandchildren and other youthful folks in your life is a most worthy pursuit. It not only advances our legacy, it creates new memories for all and provides a framework of support and love in our special communities.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How are you establishing meaningful relationships with children, grandchildren and other young people in your circles? What works for you? What are the benefits you’ve discovered?

Because who can resist some sparkle in their lives?