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10A • COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • JANUARY 23, 2019 Boomer & Senior News Line By Matilda Charles Take 9 Years Off Your Brain Age Things people should know about creating wills Drafting a last will and testament is an essential component of estate planning. Despite the importance of having a will, a recent survey from AARP found that two out of fi ve Americans over the age of 45 do not have one. Putting wishes down on paper helps avoid unnecessary work and sometimes heartache upon the death of a loved one. Wills allow heirs to act with the decedent’s wishes in mind, and can ensure that assets and pos- sessions will end up in the right hands. Estate planning can be tricky, which is why many people turn to attorneys to get the job done right. Attorneys who specialize in estate planning will no doubt discuss the following topics with their clients. • Assets owned: Make a list of known assets and fi gure out which assets are covered by the will and which will have to be passed on according to other estate laws, such as through joint tenancy on a deed or a living trust. For example, life insurance policies or retirement plan proceeds will be distributed to your named benefi ciaries. A will also can cover other assets, such as photographs, clothing, cars, and jewelry. • Guardianship: Parents’ wills should include a declaration of who they want to become guardians their underage chil- dren or dependents. • Pets: Some people prefer to use their will to also dictate guardianship for their pets and to leave money or property to help care for those pets. However, pets do not have the legal capacity to own property, so one shouldn’t gift money directly to pets in a will. • Funeral instructions: Settling probate will not happen until after the funeral. Therefore, funeral wishes in a will often go unnoticed, states the legal advisement resource Find Law. • Executor: An executor is a trusted person who will carry out the terms of the will. This person should be willing to serve and be capable of executing the will. People who die without a valid will be- come intestate. This means the estate will be settled based on the laws of where that person lived, and a court-appointed admin- istrator will serve in the capacity to transfer property. This administrator will be bound by laws and may make decisions that go against the decedent’s wishes. To avoid this outcome, a will and other estate planning documents are crucial. Tips for living with low vision Visual impairment affects people of all ages and all walks of life. The American Foundation for the Blind defi nes visual impairment, often referred to as “low vision,” as any vision problem that is severe enough to affect an individual’s ability to carry out the tasks of every- day living. Millions of people have some degree of visual impairment that requires corrective lenses, and some still struggle even while wearing glasses or contact lenses. People with low vision can experience diffi culty performing daily activities, such as cooking, shopping, reading, watching television, and more. Some practical solutions can help people address changes in their vision. • Use more light. After about age 60, many people require additional light to perform most indoor tasks as well as outdoor activities. After age 60, the pupil no longer opens as widely as it once did, which affects the amount of light that reaches the retina, where vision processing occurs. Brighten areas of the kitchen, garage, crafting table, and other areas where fi ne de- tails are examined. • Rely on darker contrasts. Contrasting colors can make it easier to see edges and lines of demarcation. For example, use a dark tablecloth and white dishes to see table settings and food more clearly. • Label items. Bold-colored la- bels or those of different shapes can help set items apart when reading containers or boxes becomes challenging. • Use fi lters and shields. Certain devices, such as lens fi lters and shields, can reduce glare and improve vision. Individuals also can invest in shields for their Subscribe before computers or tablet screens to January 31, 2019 to take reduce glare. advantage of the • Choose “large print” formats. 2018 rate of $41.00. At local booksellers, seek books Ask us about Auto Pay that are available in large print. This makes it easier to enjoy reading. • Switch bulbs at home. The eye care resource All About Vision suggests swapping fl uorescent and incandescent light bulbs with warm-toned LED bulbs. These bulbs emit less blue light and can be more comforting with reduced glare. • Invest in adaptive devices. Large-button phones with speed dial, large-print calendars, watches that speak the time, and digital home assistant devices also can help men and women overcome vision loss. Low vision impacts daily living, *This offer is not transferable and the offer is available those who have not subscribed in the last 31 days. Special introductory offers are limited to no more than two special subscriptions in a twelve but there are ways to counter the month period and must be paid in advance to qualify for special rate. Once the above discounted effects of impaired vision. STILL RUNNING OUT TO FETCH THE PAPER? Subscribe to home delivery, and we’ll deliver it to your mailbox! SUBSCRIBE At the 2018 Rate and Save! Want to boost your mental acu- ity? Get moving and eat your vegetables. Here’s yet another study that says we can increase our mental sharpness by walking or riding a stationary bike three times a week for six months and going on the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hyperten- sion) diet. This Duke University study has an interesting result, however: It concluded that we can shave nine years off our brain age. The study looked at seniors who had mild cognitive impairment and assigned them one of four combinations of activities: the walking/bike exercise, a DASH diet or both. A fourth choice was health education alone. The first three months were spent doing exercise under the supervision of the research facility. Later the participants were released to exercise on their own. Specifically, the seniors were asked to ride a stationary bike or walk for 35 minutes three times a week following a 10-minute warm up. The DASH diet, for those who were assigned, promotes healthy grains, low sodium, reduced dairy and meat -- the standard healthy diet for those with high blood pressure. (See MayoClin- ic.org for more information.) There was no push to intensify the rate of exercise (participants were told to aim for 70 percent maximum heart rate), but the exercise intensified over time as participants became more fit. The results: Those with the best improvements had been assigned the walking/bike ex- ercise as well as the DASH diet. They benefited by being more organized, achieving goals and regulating behavior. Even those who only exercised saw signifi- cant improvement. Researchers believe this was because of increased oxygen to the brain. If you want to go on the same program, talk to your doctor and get advice, especially about the intensity rate of exercise. If you’re concerned about your balance on a stationary bike, ask about the benefits of a row- ing machine instead. Should You Join a Gym? Did you sign up for a gym membership as a way to fulfill your New Year’s resolution to get fit? If so, good for you. If not, also good for you. A gym membership is only as good as your determination to use it, and there are many reasons not to sign up. At the first of the year you’ll be one of many who joined, and the gym might be crowded. If you get on a schedule of going on certain days, something likely will come up to break your routine, possibly bad weather. If you’ve signed a contract, that money is coming out of your account every month no matter what. You’ll likely need to drive to the gym, and you might feel like you need to buy workout clothes or a gym bag. On the other hand, if you’re de- termined to exercise and don’t want to spend money on a gym membership that you might not use, there are ways to work out at home. Check YouTube on the Inter- net. Sample types of exercise you’ve never tried. Yoga comes in many varieties. Tai chi and qi gong are similar but not the same. Look for workouts with hand weights or seated exercis- es. Google “seniors exercising at home” for ideas. Opt to have a few pieces of equipment at home and alter- nate days with walking, either outdoors or at an indoor facility like a mall on days when you need to run errands anyway. Ask your doctor to suggest a few pieces of equipment. Working out at home is free, private, with no waiting for equipment and no driving to the gym. If you still want to join a gym, wait a few months. Most of the people who signed up as a resolution will be gone. TURNING 65 AND NEED HELP WITH YOUR MEDICARE CHOICES? Call Paul to help simplify the complicated. 541-517-7362 Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent coverage4oregon@gmail.com You Can Count on Us! We provide prompt and reliable, public transportation. Our experienced, courteous drivers will take you to appointments on time. S entinel C ottage G rove 541-942-3325 www.cgsentinel.com period ends, you will be billed at the regular subscription rates. Medical Offi ces • Pharmacies ✓Serving the Communities of South Lane County South Lane Wheels 1450 Birch Ave, Cottage Grove southlanetransit.com 541-942-0456 Disclaimer: All vehicles are operated in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. South Lane Wheels complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Information about the transit agency, including information in non-English alternative formats, may be obtained by calling 541-942-0456 or rlinoz@southlanewheels.com