ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

Back by popular demand is the AARP Pet Pals Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest! If your feline's looking fancy or your pooch has panache this coming Halloween, snap a picture and heading over to our website to enter the contest.

A video from Johnson and Johnson Health Channel on YouTube explaining why proper nutrition and diet matters more as we age.

One of the many reactions people tend to have in tough times is resorting to cash instead of credit. This is particularly the case when dealing with a credit crisis and a lack of liquidity in the market place. Case in point, a new survey shows that 39% of people have reduced their credit card usage. You may be wondering what the big deal is. Well for just one example, think about the damage this does to online retailers who can't take cash. Have you hid your credit cards away in favor of good old-fashioned greenbacks? Next thing you know, we might be saving our money here:

You've heard it time and time again: there's a lot on the line in this year's election. With the economy in trouble, questions regarding the future of Social Security and Medicare, and a broken health care system, the next President will have a major impact on Americans for years to come. With that in mind, AARP has rolled out AARP Vote 2008 to encourage people to vote in this year's election. As part of AARP Vote 2008 there is a great video showing people who AARP thinks can make the biggest impact in the '08 race. Check it out below and don't forget to vote!

The economy continues to head in the wrong direction. In a logical response, millions of Americans are cutting back and tightening their belts to save where possible. It is certainly responsible and necessary to budget properly in difficult times. However, there are some places, health care comes to mind, where people shouldn't have to sacrifice. Recent surveys show that over a third of Americans may be postponing health care for monetary reasons. This is not only dangerous, but likely more expensive in the long-run. Putting off doctor's visits and not taking medication can aggravate medical conditions and turn a minor problem into a serious situation. Have you had to put off medical care to save money? Tell us about it and comment below.

I found this really interesting. A recent piece by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution talks about how 60 is the new 40; in other words, a cultural shift has occurred in the way society views older Americans. The stereotypical image of grandmas in wheelchairs and with canes is being replaced with active and healthy older adults. In other words, people are living longer, and living healthier lives.

I particularly found the thoughts of Pat McVicar, assistant director with the local Area Agency on Aging in California, interesting. She said that the term "elderly" should be thrown out altogether - the preferred terminology is "seniors" or "older adults." Even many active older Americans don't consider themselves "seniors" at all.

This makes total sense considering the stigmas attached to the word "elderly"; folks don't want to be associated with negative stereotypes. But is this rejecting the fact that aging is a reality and not necessarily a bad thing? What are you thoughts? Do you think "elderly" is politically incorrect?

The Washington Post has a piece on how new research is showing that not only can aerobics can slow mental decline in older adults, but can actually reverse it:

Prof. Art Kramer, of the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois, says there's substantial evidence showing the benefits of aerobic exercise and physical activity on such executive-control brain functions as task coordination, planning, goal maintenance, working memory and the ability to switch tasks.

As people age, a deterioration of white and gray matter in certain areas of the brain can cause cognitive decline, Kramer explained. He reviewed published research and found that several studies showed that regular moderate exercise that makes a person breathless increases the speed and sharpness of thought, the actual volume of brain tissue, and the way in which the brain functions.

Exercise also allows the brain to retain plasticity - the ability to grow and develop. Who knew our brains could be described as plastic? And then there's gray matter (which involves our ability to think), where physical activity has shown to decrease the deterioration of gray matter as well. Am I a nerd for loving all this brain talk?