Archive for the ‘A Musing’ Category
I Used To Think . . .
. . . I was indecisive,
but now I’m not so sure.
Seniors Straining Economic Support
There were slightly more than 900 million people – about 12 percent — around the world aged 60 years and older in 2015. This number is expected to increase to 1.4 billion by 2030, an increase of more than 16 percent. By 2050, one out of five people – 2.1 billion scattered all over the globe — will be 60 or older.
Almost 90 percent of the Japanese believe this is a problem. Only one out of four Americans think this way. Since most of these people will be out of the work force, they will have to have fashioned their own retirement plans or be supported by somebody. Most people in most countries think the government should take care of its elderly. This socialism brush could be wider than anticipated and affect how the nations of the world are governed in the near future.
This rapidly aging population is creating an unprecedented set of problems, including a rapidly spreading and more diverse set of diseases, increased spending of time and money on health and long-term care, labor shortages, and steadily rising inflation chewing away at old-age income. Adding calluses to the problem is the fact that Social Security payments will probably be lowered when the surplus in the trust fund is depleted. The $2.9 trillion in reserves reported in 2020 is expected to be spent by 2034 – a year earlier than previously estimated.
When that happens, benefits payments will probably be slashed by about 25 percent if adjustments aren’t made in the meantime. This is happening because the millennium surge into the retirement age and the dwindling labor force that has Social Security support deducted from their paychecks. Simply, fewer workers will be paying for more Social Security recipients. While every elected official in Washington and every economist in the country knows the problem exists, no one has made any moves to fix any part of it.
In A Moment . . .
. . . of mental and muscle inactivity,
it occurred to me that,
if the devil ever appears in public,
the cops can arrest him for possession.
Rosacea Not Rosy
If President Bill Clinton appeared red-faced when the Monica Lewinsky affair was made public, much of it could have been attributed to his rosacea. He is among the list of famous people who reportedly have the affliction along with such beauties as Mariah Carey, Cameron Diaz and Renee Zellweger. The late Princess Diana passed it on to her sons.
Giants from the past who battled this facial skin disorder include artist Rembrandt, actor W. C. Fields and financier J.P Morgan, who’s bulbous rosacea nose convinced everyone he was a dedicated boozer.
One out of every 10 adults have rosacea. Such a pretty name for a global scourge that is marked by reddish flushed skin, pimples and pustules, and enlarged spidery blood vessels like varicose veins on the cheeks and nose. Most sufferers are women.
The disorder can begin slowly and, if not treated, will become more persistent and severe. Besides being unsightly, its symptoms can include itching, burning and stinging besides disrupting one’s personal and professional life. Researcher reported that more than 90 percent of rosacea sufferers said it had eroded their self-confidence and one-third of those surveyed reported having difficulty establishing new friendships and relationships.
Help Someone . . .
. . .out of trouble
and they’ll remember you
every time
they get back into trouble.
Aging Body Loses Temperature Control
The threat of hypothermia – when your internal body temperature slips below 95 degrees Fahrenheit – exists year around for folks whose age slips by 65 years. Most people are aware that they have to wrap up during frigid winter weather to avoid this condition, but seniors can still fall victim in air-conditioned buildings during the heat of summer.
Interior thermostats set between 60 degrees and 70 degrees can be dangerous for older folk so they should dress accordingly all year. Wear layers of clothing at all times. It’s easier to doff a coat or jacket than to shiver without one. Always wear a hat or cap and keep gloves handy. Take off any wet clothing and stay out of the wind, both of which can cause your body temperature to drop quickly.
Never Question . . .
. . . you’re spouses choices.
After all, you’re one of them.
Fish Fight Arthritis
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish bolster your body’s ability to battle inflammation that autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis causes to its victims’ joints, heart and lungs. A couple of fish servings a week can alleviate the pain and discomfort as can a daily dose of fish supplement.
Vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruit, also help. Two CCs – celery and cherries – can help alleviate the pain caused by gout, a form of arthritis that flares up without warning to attack joints. Cherry juice also alleviates the pain and discomfort.
If you’re prone to gout attacks, you should avoid carbohydrates, such as white bread, and commercially prepared baked goods as well as processed foods.
We’ve Been Told . . .
. . .by our parents, teachers and philosophers through the ages that
nothing is impossible.
They’re all wrong. I do it every day.
Misdiagnosis Can Kill
Estimates run wild, but anywhere from 40,000 to 250,000 people die each year from having their medical issues misdiagnosed by the medical profession. These errors are not limited to rare diseases but are rife among the most common maladies, ranging from fractures to high blood pressure.
Errors in three major maladies account for half of all the disabilities and deaths caused by diagnostic errors. These are cancer, infections and vascular events, ranging from blood clots to stroke.
To help avoid such mistakes, learn to take care of yourself. Write down a timeline and symptoms of your condition when you meet with your doctor. As the patient, you’re the customer, so ask questions before you buy what you’re being told. Ask for a second opinion that will either confirm or correct the original diagnosis.
You Might Not Have Noticed . . .
. . . but you never run out
of nothing to do.
Cataracts Linked to Unfiltered Sun Rays
Unfiltered peripheral sun rays that readily enter the inner eye unless wearing sunglasses with
side shields are concentrated on the lower nasal side of the eyes’ crystalline lens. This is where more than six out of 10 cataracts are located, according to a U.S. Army report.
Even when wearing 100-percent ultraviolet-proof sun lenses, your eyes are still at risk because 10 to 25
percent of the UV sun rays still reach the eyes when wearing total UV-filtering lenses if no top and side protection are provided. Sunglasses with side shields when worn with a wide-brimmed hat afford the best eye protection.
More than six out of 10 adults will develop cataracts during their lifetime. Cataracts are more
prevalent among people who work outdoors and who live in sunny areas, high altitudes and
southern latitudes where UV rays are more intense.
Talking With My Brother . . .
. . . on Family Sunday,
I was reminded that one of our favorite uncles
began walking a mile a day in his early 80s.
He just passed his 95th birthday
and nobody knows where the hell he is.
Some people never get my name right
While there have been several requests about how to pronounce my first name, See-sill for Cecil is easy to remember.
It’s my last name that gives them the most trouble. In English, you just pronounce every letter – Scag-lee-owe-knee. In Italian, the “gl” is swallowed and the name comes out Scal-YO-knee. It works the same as gnocci — knee-oki
Even after several attempts, most seem to prefer spelling my last name ending with an “i” – Scaglioni. My insurance company persisted for years to keep spelling it that way even though it was spelled correctly on the policy.
Many editors have had head-scratching sessions to make sure the by-line on my stories was spelled correctly. For many years, they preferred the shortened Cec Scaglione. One article in my Detroit paper appeared under the by-line of Ceg Scaglione until a sharp-eyed editor caught it and corrected it for the later editions.
Early in my career, I received a check from a Toronto magazine made out to Cec Scogbone. I managed to get it cashed at my bank so it didn’t become a problem.
I get a lot of correspondence with the “g” dropped – Scalione. One of the credit-card companies I was enlisted with a while ago persisted in sending me a monthly statement addressed to Scaslione. They even came up once with Schelione.
A welfare agency I did a story about sent me a thank-you note with the name Scageclone. A complimentary note for a story I wrote was addressed to Mr. Scheline. A Methodist bishop sent a letter to my boss lauding the effort of Mr. Ceg Scaliogre.
If The Head Of Ikea . . .
. . . ever gets elected president of Sweden,
I wonder how long it will take
to put his cabinet together.
Move Quickly to Reclaim Identity
More than 9 million cases of identity theft are estimated to occur each year and adults older than 60 — married women especially — are among the most likely victims. You can minimize the consequences of identity fraud if you act quickly should your important
documents or numbers, such as Social Security, credit cards or bank accounts, fall into someone else’s hands.
Your first step is to call the police and ask for a crime report. Attach copies of the report to letters you will send to credit-card companies and banks.
Replace your credit and debit cards with news ones, with new numbers, and close your checking account, too, and open a new one.
Check your credit report with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion for unfamiliar charges and ask that you be contacted if anyone tries to establish credit in your name.
Apropos Of Nothing . . .
. . .do you think
if cannibals ate a clown,
it would taste funny?
Getting Fatter Not Inevitable With Aging
Contrary to popular wisdom, getting fatter is not inevitable for those over 50.
The weight most of us put on after 50 results more from overeating and under-exercising than
from any ‘natural’ aging process, according to a report out o Vanderbilt University.
However, nutritional needs and metabolism do change after 50.
For instance, coping well with stress is an effective way to combat “apple” fat, which is the type
of excess weight most tend to gain after 50. Apple fat is the kind deep in the upper torso and
around the waist that leaves you round like an apple. This type of fat distribution has been linked
to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and, in women, to breast cancer.
Developing a repertoire of nonfattening stress-relievers, such as doing crossword puzzles or phoning an old friend or praying and meditating or getting a weekly massage, is recommended to prevent
stress from redistributing even more fat to your middle.
A Lotta Folks Around Here . . .
. . .keep telling me
that cooking is easy,
but I’ve known for quite some time
that not cooking is much easier.
Hallucinations Offer Clues to Medical Condition
Seeing animals or people that you know aren’t there, or hearing music or voices giving commands – these are hallucinations. They aren’t an uncommon experience, especially for older adults, according to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter.
Talk to your doctor if hallucinations occur regularly, last longer than a few moments, are a new occurrence, or are telling you to do something bad or dangerous. They may be a symptom of a treatable medical or mental condition.
Hallucinations can be a symptom of:
– Mental disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder;
– Certain medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, strokes, tumors, and seizures, and
– Vision problems loss ranging from cataracts to macular degeneration or glaucoma may cause visual hallucinations while hearing loss or deafness may trigger auditory hallucinations.
Mature Life Features 