2015 Editions

With technology changing, and new devices quickly becoming must-haves rather than luxuries, the following are some things to consider when making your next technology purchase.

TABLETS

Many people feel lost when they’re not in front of their computer. If you want the convenience of a laptop without carrying one, a tablet is for you. A user-friendly, lightweight device allows users to access email, catch up on current events, search the Internet, make purchases and do almost everything that a computer does.

“My wife and I can also shoot photos, and even videos, to (send) our grand-kids who live out of state, whether it’s to their iPads or phones. And they do the same to us,” says 71-year-old Dan Fonte, president of the board of directors of the Mayfield Senior Center in Canton. “My iPad’s tethered to my wife’s iPhone so if our grand-kids call her phone I can answer the call on my iPad. That kind of communication allows us to keep up with the kids’ activities when we’re not visiting them.”

A tablet is easy to carry and store and accommodates those with arthritis or similar issues because using it is as simple as swiping a finger across the screen. Another convenient feature is the ability to zoom in on text, helping users with low vision. Prices can range from just over $200 to more than $800, depending on the model.

LISTEN THE WAY YOU WANT

Do you want to listen to music and simultaneously take phone calls? Then Qmadix Qi-wear Stereo Bluetooth Eye-ware/Headset is an option. These “shades” allow users to communicate with others using Bluetooth devices. If you are looking to increase the volume on your smart devices, consider portable speakers or docks. You can attach your smart devices or use Bluetooth technology. Excellent Bluetooth (wireless) speakers like Bose SoundLink start at just over $100.

Exercise. Diet. Medical checkups. Keeping physically fit requires a healthy balance of lifelong practices, common sense and willpower — the same holds true for financial fitness.

An average American man who is 55 today can expect to live another 25 years and women, 28 more years, according to the Social Security Administration. That means decisions about housing, lifestyle, investments, insurance and legal matters today will have long-term implications.

About one third of Boomers plan to earn an income part-time after they retire from their current job, according to an AARP survey of 5,000 workers ages 50 to 64.

Of that group that intends to continue working for pay, 44 percent want a job that’s different from their current one. The survey, released in September, indicates that 6 percent have no plans to retire, about one-fourth plan to retire before they turn 65 and another 25 percent intend to wait until they are 70 or older.

The first thing everyone should  do – whether married or not – is to decide how much money they think they will need, where they want to live and expectations for post-retirement life.

“They (need) to be sure they have in their head what it is they want for their future,” says Dee Siegferth, The Milestone Center for Retirement and Estate Planning in Akron.

People in their 50s should talk about how they want to live 15 years from now. In your 60s, think about life in 10 years and those individuals in their 70s, consider what lifestyle they desire in five years, she adds.

Among items to consider – and these can be made much easier with a financial or investment advisor – are how your current earnings can carry you far into retirement.

Siegferth believes that an equally important aspect of long-term financial planning is having both a durable power of health (to allow someone to make medical decisions for you) and a durable power of attorney for financial decisions.

As a second grader, Joy Keatley and her parents didn’t know she had a severe hearing loss in her left ear until she took the school hearing screening. With no diagnosis as to the cause or her age when the hearing loss may have occurred, Joy simply learned to live with it.

“At the time, hearing aids that could benefit my particular condition had yet to be invented,” says Keatley, now 55.

She made adjustments to accommodate the hearing loss. She remained involved in all the typical activities of an active child and young woman such as playing with friends, dating, socializing, going to school and eventually marrying and having children.

“My family and friends knew I needed some compromises and would try to meet my needs such as speaking toward my right side, seating me at the table a certain way, etc.,” she says. “Sometimes my hearing loss was an annoyance – such as riding in a car and having a hard time hearing conversations in the back seat – but it never kept me from doing what I wanted to do.”

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS

Although Joy did not let her hearing loss slow her down or affect the quality of her work, she did notice that some of the compromises she had to make for it were taking it’s toll.

Her job as a senior clinical office manager at Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center requires her to talk on the phone, and she has to awkwardly hold the phone between her neck and shoulder to be hands-free for typing.

Keatley says she was unable to wear a phone headset because she needed to be able to have her right ear (her “hearing ear”) available to listen to the person who was standing at her desk. Over time, this put strain on her back.

The tree-lined drive into Gervasi Vineyard offers a glimpse of lovely buildings, a peak at neatly ordered vineyards and a view of a perfectly sited, spring-fed lake.

Just beyond the Gervasi Vineyard entrance is the usual jumble of suburban sprawl: housing developments, gas stations, fast food restaurants. Within the 55-acre property lies a piece of Tuscany, private, quiet and elegant. An ideal getaway works when it can transport visitors both mentally and physically. If it’s just an hour or so away — even better.

It’s easy to dismiss a vineyard in Canton. Most people associate Ohio’s thriving wine industry with vineyards that hug Lake Erie. Yet the former tree farm and its rich, glaciated soil nurtures six wine grape varieties specifically suited to Ohio’s fickle growing conditions.

Winemaker Andrew Codispoti says the intangibles make Canton an ideal home for a winery.

“Wine is not only about the product,” he says. “It’s about the whole experience with activities, family and friends. In Canton, we have our own microclimate. We can grow fantastic hybrids developed for areas such as ours. Canton is a great place to produce and sell wine.”

A TUSCAN DESIGN

Codispoti is partial to the wine-making aspect of Gervasi Vineyard; after all, it’s his job. It takes several years for vines to mature sufficiently to produce quality wine. The inaugural harvest was 2014. This past summer, Gervasi released Passione and Lascito, their first estate-grown wines. Most grapes or juice come from vineyards in Washington, California and Ohio, selected in person by Codispoti, produced into wine on site.

Since its founding in 2009 when long-time area businessman Ted Swaldo purchased the property, Gervasi Vineyard has grown even more quickly than its vines. Guided by general manager (and son) Scott Swaldo, Gervasi has evolved into a regional destination. About 75 percent of its visitors come from within an hour away.

Fitness trends come and go, but weight training in particular never seems to come into style. Most people tend to reach the apex of their physical strength during their 20s and 30s, and it gradually declines from there. Once our strength starts to go, so do other things.

Muscular weakness is indelibly tied to not just our quality of life, but also to our life expectancy.

Two recent studies published in The British Medical Journal revealed that muscular strength is a remarkably strong predictor of mortality — even after adjusting for cardio-respiratory fitness and other health factors.

This conclusion was reached after an analysis of more than 30 studies that recorded physical attributes like bench press strength, grip strength, walking speed, chair rising speed and standing balance. What the researchers found was that poor performance on any of  the tests was associated with higher all-cause mortality — anywhere from a 1.67 to a threefold increase in the likelihood of earlier mortality.

Now, here’s the good news — despite the inexorable effects of aging, physical strength is an attribute we can control. As the science is increasingly showing, resistance training can add years to your life — and the earlier you get to it, the better.

HIT THE WEIGHTS, EVERYONE

As these studies indicate, not all exercise is equal. Resistance training (like lifting weights) in conjunction with high-intensity workouts (like aerobics and running) are key. It’s never too late to start. And, yes, women, that means you, too. “Bulking up” is a myth. It’s arguably more important for women than men to lift weights because of a greater propensity for osteoporosis.

Studies show that older individuals can still experience the benefits of gene shifting even if they’ve never lifted weights. It also results in an  increased production of growth hormones and testosterone and lower levels of cholesterol.

Falls by older adults are among the most serious for injuries and cost nearly $2 million statewide in direct medical costs daily.

Community Partnership on Aging’s Safe at Home service is designed to prevent falls by older adults living at home. Through grants, fundraising efforts, support from volunteers and local businesses alike, CPA is able to install safety equipment (such as a shower grab bar), in the homes of eligible older adults at little to no cost.

Also, the following services and programs are offered by the agency, which prioritizes services to residents in the communities of South Euclid, Lyndhurst, Highland Heights, Mayfield Heights and Mayfield Village:

• Transportation

• A variety of lunch options, including several scratch-prepared, caféstyle meals

• Resource referrals, benefits screenings and short-term counseling

• On-site wellness and social programs

• Light housekeeping

• Travel opportunities

• Volunteer services and opportunities

For more information about these services, visit communitypartnershiponaging.org or call 216-291-3902.

Smart, heart-healthy choices will help you enjoy your seasonal favorites without the unwelcome calories. The American Heart Association recommended a few ways to indulge at the holidays — guilt-free.

Reduce the calorie content of eggnog by mixing three parts skim milk to one part egg nog. Check the label on apple cider for added sugar content. Alternate your holiday beverages with a glass of water to leave less room to overindulge.

Did you know rolls and bread are high in sodium? Limit both at holiday gatherings. Reach for the lighter part of the turkey, it has fewer calories than dark meat. And make it a sweet ending by sharing your dessert selection.

American Heart Association, visit heart.org

If you are looking to manage your sugar and weight this season, but still want the traditional feast to include popular foods, try a sweet potato. They are an excellent source of beta carotene (vitamin A). They play several roles in good health, including functioning as an antioxidant.

Lori Izeman of the Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland provides this sweet potato recipe. Visit, diabetespartnership.org for recipes and information.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes

• 11⁄2 cups pecan pieces

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

• 5 tablespoons butter

• 1 egg

• Sugar substitute

1. Poke the sweet potatoes several times with a sharp knife and roast at 400 degrees. until soft – about 45-60 minutes depending upon the size.

2. Make the topping – chop 1 cup of the pecans until it is ground into a meal. Add about 1/4 cup sugar substitute, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Chop until blended. Mix the rest of the pecan pieces in by hand.

Let the sweet potatoes cool for 10-15 minutes.