Page 33 - Healthcare News 2021 Senior Planning Guide

Nutrition
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Long-term
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Dietary Guidelines, 54% to 58% of older adults are exceeding recommended intakes for added sugars, 77% to 80% for saturated fat, and 72% to 94% for sodium. Read labels and aim for no more than 10% of total calories from added sugars, 10% from saturated fat, and no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily — or less if directed by your doctor.
Drink Up
Since the sensation of thirst can decline with age, paying extra attention to fluid intake is a must to prevent dehydration. Focus on taking sips throughout the day and opt for choices such as water, seltzer, tea, coffee, 100% juice, and milk, as well as foods that provide liquid, such as fruits, vegetables, and soups.
Take Advantage of Local Resources
Numerous nutrition-based community programs exist for adults 60 and over, such as Meals on Wheels for at-home meal delivery and congregate meal sites that are typically available
in locations like senior centers, community centers, schools, and churches. Not only do these services provide nutritionally balanced meals, they also offer socialization to promote general and emotional health. In addition, keep open communication with healthcare providers — especially when experiencing things such as dry mouth, trouble chewing, and/or lack of appetite. Many solutions can be provided to help make eating enjoyable once again. n
Andrea Luttrell, RDN, LDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist for Big Y Foods. For general nutrition questions and concerns, Big Y offers free, 15-minute, one-on-one virtual appointments with registered dietitians, as well as monthly virtual store tours, presentations, and cook-alongs. To learn more about these nutrition services, visit www.bigy.com/livingwell/getso- cial.
to $174,880, according to an investment simulation run on calculator.net. But self-financing your care that way is risky.
“That’s no different than saying, ‘I’m going to self-insure my house and will put money aside every month,’” Lassus says. “If you never have a problem, it’s fine. But if your house burns down, your self-insurance fund might not be adequate.”
One problem: you might not save the money every month. And even if you did, you might not get the 7% return you planned on, or the market might plunge just when you need the money, Foguth warns. “The nursing home isn’t going to wait for the market to rebound for you to pay your monthly bill.”
Decide by Age 65
Generally speaking, most financial planners suggest that you purchase long-term-care insurance by the time you’re 65, which is also when most people are eligible for Medicare. That’s not because Medicare covers long-term care, such as a stay at a nursing home — it doesn’t.
The timing is more about the higher odds of your taking advantage of affordable Medicare coverage and having medical exams uncover issues that could make it more difficult to qualify for long-term-care insurance.
When Ryan Graham, a financial adviser at Altfest Personal Wealth Management in New York City, evaluates a client’s need for long-term-care insurance, he considers a few things. First,
he does an analysis to determine if a client has enough assets to pay for long-term care out of pocket. Put another way, “is insurance necessary?” he says.
He also asks his clients to analyze their family history with these questions: do family members have hereditary conditions? Have other family members needed assisted living or nursing care? If the odds of needing future long-term care are high, the next step is to see if insurance “fits into their budget” and if it’s “realistic to pay premiums,” Graham says.
If clients — often spouses are buying insurance together — can afford to pay out of pocket or are willing to sell their house to pay for long-term care, buying insurance is not necessary, he says. But if they are risk-averse and don’t like the idea of unknown future costs, they should get the insurance.
“We have these conversations with clients every year starting at 45 and 50,” Graham says. “Usually, the trigger is not pulled until later.” n
Freelance writer Adam Shell was a markets and Wall Street reporter for USA Today.
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