Your Guide to Retirement

Make the most of your golden years.

GOLDEN PATH

In November, one of Golden Path Home Care’s clients was placed in hospice. The team at Golden Path arranged for 24-hour, around-the-clock care. This wasn’t part of Golden Path’s usual home services, which include visits from a trained caregiver to help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, wellness checks and more, but the team wanted to go above and beyond to help one of their members in need. That recent story is one example of Golden Path’s dedication to the people its team cares for. Starting this fall, Golden Path also partnered with a mobile lab to conduct on-site COVID tests and administer vaccines to clients who wanted them. And along with the home care service, Golden Path offers an assisted living facility, which provides transportation to appointments, medication management and other services.

ST. CAMILLUS

The team at St. Camillus uses the phrase “aging in choice” when describing how they help older adults remain in independent living as long as possible. At St. Camillus independent living, part of their philosophy is the Revitalize Wellness Program, which incorporates six dimensions of wellness into resident engagement activities: physical well-being, social well-being, emotional health, community health, spiritual health and intellectual health. The Revitalize Wellness program includes many opportunities and programs such as St. Camillus’ new wellness center and pool, chef-prepared meal plan, onsite theater, guided meditation sessions, community service, prayer services, cooking classes and much more.

SAINT JOHN’S ON THE LAKE

When discussing planning for your retirement years, Lucia Klebar, director of sales and marketing with Saint John’s on The Lake quotes Yogi Berra: “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might wind up someplace else.” “Yogi said it best,” Klebar says. “You can’t wait until you have a health crisis, sudden shift in priorities or worse to start creating your plan.” She points out that planning a move into a retirement community ahead of time is a gift to yourself and to your family. It brings peace of mind and security. At Saint John’s on The Lake, she says, new residents enjoy the many amenities the East Side towers have to offer, and many of them join one of the 52 social groups available to stay active. “The joy in senior living is seeing the healthy, vibrant residents enjoying their lives,” Klebar says. “They’re living the good life because they are exercising the plan they created for themselves.”

SAVING YOUR VISION

Will you see a bright, happy, clear future as you age or one clouded by poor vision? The picture may be up to you. “With the right steps, up to 80% of vision loss is preventable or treatable,” says Daniel Ferguson, MD, of Eye Care Specialists ophthalmology practice.

“First and foremost, schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam every two years. Many sightstealing eye diseases don’t have symptoms. Or, if you’re aware you have a problem, a specialist can determine how serious it really is,” says Ferguson. Next, Ferguson recommends “wearing sunglasses every calendar day to cut the risk for developing cataracts and macular degeneration (AMD).”

And if the increased risk of a heart attack, stroke or cancer isn’t enough reason not to smoke, maybe the threat of blindness is. Smokers have a two-to-five times greater risk for AMD central vision loss and are 50% more likely to develop cataracts and diabetic eye disease.

Finally, Ferguson notes that proper diet and exercise not only protect overall health but vision. “You should consult with your doctor before starting any new regimen, but taking multivitamins and vitamin C may prevent or slow clouding of the lens in the eye (cataracts), and a diet low in fat and sugar and high in Omega-3s, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals can lower the risk for advanced AMD.” – CHERYL L. DEJEWSKI

MAJOR DENTAL CLINICS

Roughly two in three adults over 65 years old have gum disease. And one in five have tooth decay. “As patients age, they want to look out for loose teeth, root decay, root cavities and dry mouth,” says Dr. Bahareh Chagani of Major Dental Clinics of Milwaukee. With age, the risk for these issues increases significantly, and left untreated, they develop into more serious problems like tooth loss. “I recommend seniors come in for their regular cleaning visits every four to six months to avoid any issues,” Chagani says. With the right care at home and regular visits to the dentist, including oral cancer screenings, the more serious problems can be avoided or caught early. But if a senior does have tooth loss, he notes, improvements in oral implant technology allow for an effective solution that’s often more comfortable than dentures. ◆