September is National Better Breakfast Month.  Yes, you read that right.  So, who really cares?  We all should!  Eating a well-balanced diet is an important part of staying healthy as we age.  Getting the proper nutrients and maintaining a healthy weight will help us stay energized and lower our risk of developing chronic health problems or being vulnerable to disease.

I’ve always assumed that this term referred to the hottest part of the summer – you know, the days so hot that even the dog doesn’t want to go outside.  But really, the reference to "dog days” dates back to the time of the ancient Greeks and their beliefs about a star in the constellation called Canis Major.  The Greeks thought of Canis Major as a dog chasing a hare named Lepus.  The tip of the dog’s nose is the star called Sirius, which became known as the "dog star.”  To the Greeks, the "dog days” typically occurred in late July when Sirius rose just before the sun, corresponding with the hottest days of the year.

Well, it’s Michigan, and this summer, we’re either being drenched with monsoon-style rains, or wilting in the heat and humidity. But Michigan does bestow some glorious days upon us in between, and seniors and caregivers (especially caregivers!) can certainly get cabin fever after being shut in for the rainy or sizzling days.  So, when the sun is out and there’s a beautiful Michigan breeze, what are some great activities for seniors and caregivers to do?

I talk to seniors and their families about the importance of having strong foundational estate planning documents all the time.  It’s essential to have a detailed, well-written, and current Financial Power of Attorney and Medical Power of Attorney in place to ensure that your wishes will be carried out if something happens and you can’t speak for yourself.

In 1963, President Kennedy declared May to be Senior Citizens Month as a way to honor those who are 65 and older.  Although the name was modified a few years later to Older Americans Month by then-President Jimmy Carter, the tradition has carried forward every year since its inception.  Fittingly, May is also National Elder Law Month. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day and a projected 40 million Americans aged 65 years or older, this is certainly an underserved segment of the American population. Baby Boomers are growing older and living longer, with fewer resources available for long-term care. As you can see, the importance of planning for one’s future needs is essential.

The pandemic has certainly been a boon for phone scammers. According to a 2021 Harris Poll and Truecaller ID survey, nearly 1 in 3 Americans have fallen victim to a phone scam in the last year, and 59.4 million Americans lost money to a phone scam, costing a record-high average of $502 per person and a total of $29.8 billion (yes, billion).

After seeing how cool the charging station was, I of course had to order one for my home.  I went on Amazon and ordered one right away.  I didn’t check to see if it was the same one, it looked like it so I figured it was fine.  When I took it out of the box and plugged it in, I was baffled.  There were no charging cords for the different kinds of phones.  I didn’t read the fine print to see that the model that I had ordered didn’t come with cords, the cords were sold separately.  In order to make it work, I had to place two more orders – one for iPhone cords and one for Android cords.  I didn’t feel so great about my charging station after placing those orders.  Yes, it does what I want it to do and it is helpful.  I just didn’t like feeling like I paid for one thing and then got something that I had to pay more for to have it work the way I wanted.