Reprinted with permission from RetireFabulously.com

I turned 65 in early 2022, and I’ve been enjoying the benefits of traditional Medicare ever since. It’s one of retirement’s greatest benefits. It has lowered my healthcare costs and made obtaining care easier. It’s the system I wish I had throughout my working career.

In the year preceding my 65^th birthday, I received a deluge of advertisements touting the benefits of various Medicare Advantage plans and urging me to sign up.

Prior to that, I had no clue how Medicare Advantage plans worked and no idea what I’d choose. So, I did a lot of research. A lot. After all, those Medicare Advantage plans seemed to be offering more coverage (including prescription drugs, dental, vision, and hearing) – all for little or no premium! Why wouldn’t I choose that? It seemed too good to be true!

Of course, like all things that seem too good to be true, it is. I’ll show you why in this article.

It also occurred to me that if Medicare Advantage is such a superior product, why are these companies marketing it to me so aggressively? If it’s that great, I shouldn’t need to be convinced.

Health Beat is a feature at LGBTSr highlighting health and wellness

More than one person in my life has macular degeneration, and my late mother suffered from it years ago when its treatment was less sophisticated and effective. Today it can be slowed and, depending on its progression, treated well enough to prevent serious vision loss. So what is macular degeneration? What causes it, and what can we do about it?

Understanding Macular Degeneration and Its Treatments

Macular degeneration, often referred to as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a common eye condition that affects millions of individuals globally, particularly those over the age of 50. It’s a progressive disease that attacks the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision. As a result, AMD can severely impair your ability to perform everyday tasks such as reading, driving, and recognizing faces. Despite its prevalence, many people remain unaware of the condition and the various treatments available to manage its progression.

Types of Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is categorized into two main types: dry (atrophic) and wet (neovascular) AMD.

Dry AMD: This form is more common, accounting for approximately 85-90% of cases. It occurs when the macula thins over time, leading to gradual vision loss. The hallmark of dry AMD is the presence of drusen, yellow deposits beneath the retina.

Wet AMD: Though less common, wet AMD is more severe and can lead to rapid vision loss. It occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and macula, causing bleeding, leaking, and scarring. Wet AMD can develop suddenly and requires prompt medical attention.

Narration provided by Wondervox.

By Mark McNease.

One of my biggest obstacles, if not the biggest one has been my years-long struggle with what is now obesity. I’m 65 years old, 5’10” tall, and 244 pounds. That burdens me with 50 pounds my body has to bear that it shouldn’t. It increases my risk of a half-dozen illnesses, including stroke, heart attack (which killed both my birth father and his father in their 60s), and that old standby, diabetes.

I’ve tried for at least the past decade to lose this weight, and all it has done is increase. So now, with the determination of the … determined, I’ve decided to bite the bullet. In this case it’s a syringe with a weekly dose of Zepbound. I just started this yesterday, so saying too much about it would be foolhardy. But I am committed to changing the way I eat, to making my relationship with food a much healthier one, and to inhabiting a body that both pleases me and serves me.

A word about cost: as someone on Medicare, with a Wellcare drug plan and a Humana supplemental, these drugs are not covered. I knew that going in, and it’s one of the reasons I put it off until now. I was able to get a month’s worth (4 injections) for just over $1000. Yes, it’s a lot of money. Yes, I’m somewhat privileged to be able to do this for the next three or four months, but no, I don’t feel guilty about that. I would rather spend $3000 changing my body and my life, than having to deal with the consequences of chronic obesity now and in the future.

I’ll be writing more about my Zepbound journey as the weeks pass and, hopefully, the pounds fall away.

Narration provided by Wondervox. 

By Mark McNease

Six weeks ago I fell in the yard, spraining my ankle and causing a small fracture in my fibula. One of the things I immediately noticed was an exaggeration of my already stiffening walk. It’s a common effect of aging we all see among those of us above a certain age: walking with a more side-to-side gait, possibly bent over some, or even a sort of waddling. It’s not just, or always, from being overweight or having joint and bone issues.

There are many causes off the stiffening that occurs as we age. Let’s take a look at some (and check out my post about stretching HERE).

Why We Get Stiff As We Age

If you are over 50, you might have noticed that your joints are not as flexible as they used to be. You may feel stiff and sore when you wake up in the morning, or after sitting for a long time. You may also find it harder to do some physical activities, such as gardening, climbing stairs, or any kind of athletic activities. Why does this happen? And what can we do to prevent or reduce stiffness in your body?

Narration provided by Wondervox.

I’ve been ditching the socks lately and it feels great. I can move my feet around more freely, and I don’t feel any distance between my skin and the floor. It’s especially nice at my writing desk, when I can curl my toes up and type!

There has always been something attractive for me about going barefoot, and I don’t mean the way it looks! I mean the way it feels. I can tell immediately what the surface I’m standing on feels like, whether it’s grass or the tiles on the kitchen floor.

Our culture tends to frown on being barefoot, as if our feet are somehow dirtier than our socks or shoes. I’ve made this assumption myself for most of my life, but the past year or so I kept wanting to be barefoot. Part of this is because I never feel like I have a good grip in socks, as if I’m going to slide onto the floor with every step. And part of it is because I instinctively feel more grounded: my feet are free to experience the sensation of whatever they’re touching, and I’m not worried about slipping and spraining my ankle (again).

So I’ve been ditching the socks lately and it feels great. I can move my feet around more freely, and I don’t feel any distance between my skin and the floor. It’s especially nice at my writing desk, when I can curl my toes up and type!

Health Beat is a feature at LGBTSr promoting health and well-being.

By Mark McNease

I’ll confess – I’m not good at taking my own advice when it comes to stretching, but the older I get, the more obvious the need for it becomes. I can feel my muscles, especially in my legs, contracting and in need of get a good stretch. Maybe knowing there’s a problem is the first step in addressing it! This year my objectives including losing 50 pounds, and listening to my body when it speaks to me, which is daily.

Stretching is a simple and effective way to improve our health and well-being, especially for older adults. As we age, we tend to lose flexibility, range of motion, and balance, which can lead to various problems such as pain, stiffness, injury, and reduced mobility. In my case, I was diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome. I’m convinced that stretching would be a better remedy than medication, but for now I’ll do both.