Retirement is a reward for a life well-lived. It is not a punishment. And no part of it should ever feel that way. Unfortunately, for all too many seniors, that is exactly what their latter years have become. They are punished by so many things including the following:

• Loss of vision
• Loss of hearing
• Loss of mobility
• Income that feels more broken than fixed
• Aches and pains
• Children that don’t visit or call
• Death of friends
• Healthcare expenses
• Loss of independence

This is not how it was supposed to turn out. The brochure showed octogenarians waterskiing out on the Florida Keys. There was no mention of the bland oatmeal or the lady down the hall who is convinced she is Queen Elizabeth. They never warn you of how painful the feeling of betrayal is when the kids take away your car keys and cut up your driver’s license.

For many, the worst indignity is being told they can no longer live independently. They have to sell the family home and move into a retirement facility. The choices range from upscale retirement communities for the rich and famous to full-on nursing homes that barely pass inspection on a good day.

When it is time for your mother to face this unwelcome moment in her life, it is up to you to make sure she is happy and well cared for in her golden years. Here are a few things to look for when reviewing communities:

Appropriate Technology

Some seniors could teach you a thing or two about technology. After all, they were once young and enjoyed learning new things. As we get older, we lose a little of the enthusiasm we once had for learning new things. We need things in our lives that are predictable and reliable and that make us feel competent and not helpless.

Something as simple as a TV remote can make all the difference in how a senior feels about watching television. Check to see that the retirement home TV is large enough to enjoy and easy to use for people who don’t want to be overwhelmed by the tech.

At the same time, you want them to have all the tech necessities of the modern day like computers and modern phones for communicating with the outside world and easy access to social media. Human connection is one of the most precious gifts for seniors. Make sure they can easily connect with all the classic entertainment they love, and all the new friends they are yet to make.

Options for Special Dietary Needs

Special diets are a fact of life. You don’t have to be a senior to know what it is like to be locked out of some of the greatest, gastronomic delights the world has to offer due to a food allergy. Some people can’t have nuts, or berries, or bread, or cheese, or… The list goes on. It is not enough to know that the kitchen serves healthy options. That should be a given. The kitchen needs to be flexible enough to offer options for special needs eaters. If they can’t do that, you need to keep looking.

Community

Loneliness is not just a matter of feeling sad. Loneliness kills. The pandemic didn’t create that fact. It just exposed it. Visitations are still somewhat dicey due to the danger of non-symptomatic spread to a vulnerable population that remains largely unvaccinated. That means the retirement community will need to make up for it by offering a strong sense of community and the ability for residents to keep in touch with loved ones. Be sure they have the bandwidth to handle things like FaceTime calls.

You want a place that offers a variety of social activities that keep the residents not just entertained, but engaged. While they long for the familiar to give them a sense of grounding, they still want to learn. Look for retirement communities that offer classes for things like learning a new language, or yoga, or pottery. Make sure that mental engagement goes along with social engagement.

No one wants to leave their mother at a retirement community. But many seniors would rather be at a retirement facility than feel like a burden to their children. If you are in the position of searching for the perfect retirement community, see to it there is a suitable tech offering, special diet options, and a strong sense of community for mental and social stimulation

You know how challenging it can be to lose weight. It takes a real commitment and forces you to make some sacrifices, so reaching your weight goals means much more. This is the reason you deserve a reward, and the following are five ways you can do this after you lose weight.

 

A Spa Day

 

One thing you can do after losing weight is just taking a spa day or weekend. These spa centers are wonderful and allow you to relax. The folks here create an atmosphere of peace that you’ll fall in love with. After all the stuff you’ve been through trying to lose this weight, you deserve a little peace. You’ll get treated to massages, beauty treatments, relaxing saunas, and much more. By the time your spa is done, you’ll feel like a new person because you are.

 

A Sexy Swimsuit

 

After all that work, you’ve finally lost weight, and your body looks great. It’s time to do that thing you didn’t feel like doing before this weight loss, which is wearing a swimsuit. Now, you can’t just get any swimsuit; you have to go all out. Take your time browsing designer swimwear and pick out a sexy new swimsuit. These types of swimsuits are designed to impress and will make you look great. Sure, they’re a little pricier, but they’re what you need right now. Go for a walk on the beach or take a few pictures. Do whatever you want to do.

 

Go On a Cruise

 

One thing you could do to reward yourself is going on a cruise. Although not an option during the pandemic, going on a cruise at a later time will give you a reason to wear that swimsuit a few times at different beaches depending on where the cruise takes you. It’ll double as a vacation since cruises take place over the course of days or weeks to finish, and you need a vacation after everything you’ve been through. Many cruises offer healthy meal options. Be sure to ask about this before you book though. You don’t want to start eating unhealthy after you lost this weight.

 

Try a Photoshoot

 

After losing weight, you probably feel good about yourself and what you look like. Maybe this is the perfect time to feel like a model. You can hire a professional photographer to help capture your success right now. A photographer can help create all sorts of amazing images that’ll make you look wonderful. The photoshoot could be more traditional, or it could be a little sexier, whatever you feel like. You should look at each potential photographer’s portfolio to make sure they can do what they promised.

 

A Little Retail Therapy

 

Sometimes, the best gift is a little shopping. Maybe you’ve had a few fun things on your shopping list that you’ve been putting off for some time. Well, now is the time to take out that list of stuff and just go crazy. Maybe it’s time to purchase that big item you’ve been putting off for so long as a reward for this accomplishment. Purchasing these things will make you appreciate them much more. Every time you see the item at home it’ll remind you of everything you did to lose weight.

 

These are just some ways you can reward yourself after this milestone. Choose what works for you, or do a little mix and match. Do what you want because you’ve earned it.

A secure home isn’t only about having a reliable security system, although that does help significantly. It’s also about keeping up habits that ensure the safety and security of your home.

If you want to ensure that your house is safe, you might want to avoid these ten home security blunders that could put your family at risk:

Hiding spare keys outside

Too many people’s contingency is to leave a spare key outside. This is in case they find themselves locked out of their homes.

If they also plan on offering a friend access to the house, they leave the keys under the welcome mat or a flower pot, which is pretty unsafe. These solutions might be convenient, but you’re still leaving anyone free access to your home if they manage to find the keys.

That’s why, as much as possible, try and hand out the keys to your place face-to-face. At the very least, your key location should be as far from the house as possible.

Forgetting to lock doors and windows

Did you know that many burglaries or break-ins that happen to people’s houses don’t occur because the criminals break into the house?

Instead, they find an unlocked door and window and manage to get themselves in the house. That’s why as much as possible, you should avoid leaving your doors and windows unlocked.

Even if you think you’re in a safe neighborhood, it’s still not advisable to leave your doors and windows unlocked without direct supervision. In some cases, going out for a couple of minutes is enough for strangers to come into your house without you knowing.

That’s why, even if you don’t think that you’re going to be away that long, make sure that you lock your doors and windows anyway.

Forgetting to set your home security system

If you ever managed to get yourself a home security system, make sure that you get into the habit of setting it. There’s no point in having a high-end home security system if you always forget to set it in the evenings or when you’re away from the house. Luckily, this is where alarm remote service integration could come in handy.

Set up an alarm in your phone or reminders to help you remember to set your security system. You don’t want to be miles away from your house before you remember that you didn’t even set your home alarm or security system yet.

Don’t forget to change the default code that your home security system has to something different. Ensure that you change it to something difficult and non-generic. With all of this in mind, if you are considering investing in a new home security system to protect your family, you might want to take a look at these Verisure Smart Alarms for some inspiration.

Failure to ask for the professionals’ help

Before installing all sorts of security measures in place, you might want to ask for professional help. Unless you’re a security expert, you probably can’t DIY your way through setting up security measures around your house.

When you have an alarm monitoring service, the security professionals can help you set things up and run things through with you. Their customer service can help you deal with any issues. And some of these companies even have the connections to patch you through other security professionals.

It’s a lot easier to connect with security professionals than you think, and this is but one of them. It would be best to consult a security professional. That way, you’d know that you’re getting the best security possible or that you’re installing things right.

Neglecting second-floor security

Many people tend to want to save money by focusing their security efforts on one floor alone.

However, you have to note that if you get yourself a persistent burglar, they’re going to find a way to get into your house nonetheless. Therefore, you should make sure that you also check on your second-floor security.

Try and look for potential spots that can help people break into your home through the second floor. For example, many burglars use the railing of the deck to climb up onto second-story windows.

Balconies are also a way for burglars to break into your house. Ensure that even if they manage to get on to your patio, your doors are locked and that they won’t be able to enter anyway.

Assuming break-ins only happen during night-time

People are more vigilant with their home security in the evenings, and for a good reason.

With limited visibility and the lack of people out and about, it feels like the night time is the time when hoodlums start crawling out of the woodwork. However, focusing all of your security efforts only during the night is a mistake.

You might be shocked to know that many burglaries occur during the day instead of the night. That’s why you shouldn’t let your guard down even during the day.

You don’t have to be extra paranoid in the day. You have to be just as vigilant in your home security during the day as you are at night.

Visibility of valuable items

Don’t leave any of your valuable items out in the open or at least in the home areas visible through the windows.

People with ill intentions might look into your home and find that you have valuables worth taking. It can tempt them to try and break into your home to get these valuable items.

Aside from inciting the attention of burglars, leaving your valuables out in the open makes them easier to grab.

No outdoor lights were installed

If you don’t have any outdoor lights installed around the perimeter of your home, you are losing out on a security advantage.

Outdoor light illuminates dark areas around your house. Thus, it’ll be more challenging for criminals to try and hide until they manage to get close to your home.

Aside from that, having a bright or having outdoor lights themselves can be a deterrent in itself.

Giving the burglars places to hide

Speaking of, you might also want to consider identifying potential around your house that could be a potential hiding place.

An example of that would be large bushes or shrubberies growing outside your home.

Try and trim those down so burglars won’t be able to hide in them. Of course, as we mentioned before, you should have outdoor lights too.

Sharing too much on social media

Social media platforms are powerful tools, but at the same time, they can also serve nefarious schemes. For example, many people have fallen victim to burglaries because they post about everything they do on social media.

As much as possible, avoid posting about your location or at least your current location in real-time on social media. That way, burglars or other strangers won’t use that information against you in any way.

Final Words

The home security blunders in this list aren’t because of negligence, but more often because of ignorance.

Hopefully, by knowing that these home security blunders could make your home unsafe that you would stop doing them if you have been doing them.

It should also let you know how to move forward and have your home’s security and safety and your family the priority. Good luck, and stay safe out there.

Lots of women decide to go into business for themselves. As an entrepreneur, you have more control over what you do, your salary, scheduling, and work-life balance. A home-based business allows women to be available when their kids need them most. While being the boss provides moms with more control and flexibility over their personal and professional lives, it’s not all peaches and cream. Here are some things you should know. 

 

Finances

 

There are several financial aspects of running a business that most overlook. Generating livable wages doesn’t happen overnight. It could take months or even years before you start to earn enough money to cover your household and business expenses. In the beginning stages, you’ll need to have funds set aside.

 

If you have a full or part-time job, don’t quit just yet. Though it will require you to work more than you’d like, it’s a stable income source that will come in handy. You can use the funds to cover expenses and manage the business until you start generating decent revenue. A reliable income also makes it possible for you to acquire installment loans, which can be used in emergent situations. For women that don’t presently have a job, taking on a side hustle or looking into fundraising opportunities is advised. 

 

Commitment

 

Starting a home-based business is a significant commitment. While a traditional 9 to 5 gives you a set timeframe to focus on professional tasks, an entrepreneur’s schedule is different. Ultimately, you have to work when it’s available to avoid missing opportunities. This level of commitment is especially common during the beginning stages of a business. Some days, you may find that there’s not much to do. Other days, you’ll be working from sunrise to sunset (and sometimes later). 

 

As your business grows, you’ll have the means to invest in technological resources, employees, and professional services to streamline processes and save you time. Until that day comes, however, you need to be prepared. Developing schedules and routines in your personal and professional life can make the work-life balance easier to manage. You should also set boundaries with your business (like taking a lunch break, not working during dinner, and scheduling time off) to keep things in perspective. 

 

Health And Wellness

 

Raising children and starting a business simultaneously is a huge undertaking. Each of these roles comes with so many responsibilities that it can impact your health and wellness. All too often, women become so invested in parenting and running a business that they neglect their needs. While it may seem like the only solution, continuing this destructive pattern will negatively impact your well-being. 

 

If you’re going to take on this new role as a mompreneur, you need to be in the best physical and emotional health. Ensure that you’re eating a healthy diet that includes three meals each day. Meal planning and prep make this goal easier. You should also incorporate physical activities into your schedule. Whether it’s dancing while cleaning or taking the kids to the park, your body needs to move to counteract the impact of sitting indoors all day. 

 

As for your emotional well-being, mompreneurs need to be aware of the stresses that come with running a business. You should also have effective strategies to keep it under control. Some stress management techniques might include taking a nap, getting a massage, reading a book, taking the day off, or doing something you enjoy like hobbies or hanging with friends. 

 

Some women feel that working a regular job compromises their ability to be there for their families. As a result, they decide it’s best to start a home-based business. While becoming a mompreneur can provide more freedom and flexibility in their personal and professional lives, it doesn’t come without some challenges. From finances to health and wellness, women interested in taking this route are encouraged to learn all they can about what it takes to succeed.

Moving away from home is a big deal and it comes with a lot of new responsibilities; getting up in time for lectures, making sure you’re not only drinking alcohol and of course, cooking for yourself! University is great and you will have some of the best years of your life there but it comes at a cost, it is expensive. Especially when you add on all the nights out and socialising you will be doing. Often university students will have a part-time job/weekend job alongside their studies.

It is easy to skip breakfast at university in the attempt to try and save money, however, breakfast is important and it doesn’t have to be an expensive Sunday brunch out. This is why we have put together a variety of affordable breakfast options.

Fruit

Fruit is a great option for breakfast, it’s healthy, cheap and easy to eat on the go. Usually buying fruit at a local market is cheaper and you can buy fruits which are in season which are also cheaper.

Toast

Bread is cheap, and if you buy a big loaf it will easily last you the week. And of course, you can keep it in the freezer to prevent it from going off. There is also a variety of different spreads and toppings you can have whether you’re an avocado on toast sort of person, jam, Marmite, beans or whatever it may be. It is therefore easy to keep interesting and make it fit whatever mood you are in.

Porridge

Porridge is a great breakfast option for students, it’s cheap and extremely filling so will definitely keep you full till lunch, this will help reduce the money you are spending on snacks in-between meals. You can also use a variety of toppings to keep it exciting; honey, fruit, granola are all examples of great porridge toppings.

Granola

This is another healthy (read the labels, some granolas are very high in sugars) and filling breakfast option. You can mix granola with milk, yoghurt or even make granola bars which are a great option if you never have time to sit down and eat breakfast before your lecture. If you have more time you could even add granola to a smoothie and make a smoothie bowl!

Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and provide you with a variety of vitamins, they, therefore, make an excellent option for breakfast. You can also buy a pack of eggs pretty cheaply and have them with a variety of different foods and also cook them in a variety of different ways. Eggs are great by themselves, with toast, salmon or avocado and the list goes on.

Cereal

Of course, cereal is always a great option. There are so many variations of cereal now that you are almost guaranteed to find one that you like, whether it’s one with chocolate or one with fruit and nuts. A box of cereal will undoubtedly last you a while, despite it not being a creamy scrambled egg with caviar, it is still a great, cheap breakfast option.

Smoothies

This is a tasty and healthy way to get your breakfast in. Smoothies are another great option to have whilst you are on the move. Smoothies are also a great way to get fruit and veg into your diet which can be challenging during your time at university. Frozen berries, bananas and other frozen fruits are a great option when buying fruit for smoothies and will ensure that you aren’t wasting fruit by going out of date before you get round to using it.

 

Last year, some people saw lockdowns and social distancing as an opportunity to stay home and focus on their health. However, after a few months, most were ready to give up and sink into the couch with a bottle of wine and last night’s leftovers. With nowhere to go and no friends to see, everyone seemed to give up on their bikini bodies and gain a few pandemic pounds instead.

Now, with summer right around the corner, some states are beginning to lift lockdowns and even mask mandates, the idea of seeing friends and maybe even hitting the dating scene are very real possibilities.

If you’re ready to change out of those sweatpants and improve your appearance and health in 2021, these tips may help.

Move Your Body

One of the best ways to boost your mental and physical health, slim down and feel good is to move your body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity and two hours of muscle-strengthening exercises each week. However, you can choose what kind of physical activity that entails. Whether you enjoy yoga, running, biking or P90X, whatever gets you up and moving will do.

Visit the Spa

If protests, the pandemic and a harrowing presidential election put a few more wrinkles on your face last year, visit a Medspa for skincare treatments, massages and total relaxation. Spa professionals can recommend treatments and work out some of the knots and wrinkles from this year and last. Plus, feeling and looking your best might inspire you to reprioritize your overall health.

Try Intermittent Fasting

Most diets don’t work because they limit which foods you can eat and leave you craving unhealthy ones. However, intermittent fasting is all about when you eat. This plan switches between fasting and eating to manage weight and burn fat. As long as you maintain a relatively healthy diet during meals, IF can improve both your appearance and your health. Talk to your doctor to determine if this plan is right for you before hopping on board.

Drink More Water

Proper hydration is crucial to maintaining your overall health and wellbeing. However, more than half of U.S. adults don’t drink enough water because they get too busy and forget. Stop making excuses and prevent hydration by keeping a water bottle with you at all times. Drink a glass before each meal and as soon as you wake up to automatically increase your intake. After a few days of consistent hydration, you’ll notice that you feel and look better.

Get Better Sleep

Most people know that getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night is important for feeling their best the next day. However, many don’t realize that getting enough shuteye can boost heart health, improve energy, regulate blood sugar, enhance your focus. So shut off the TV, put down your phone and get that beauty sleep.

Feel Better, Live Better

These tips may seem simple, but incorporating them into your everyday life might take some practice. Find exercises, foods and healthy habits that work for you and try to stick with them. With a little dedication and a new perspective, you can improve your appearance and your health in 2021.

Counseling isn’t always the answer to marital problems. Sometimes it’s in everyone’s best interest to go their separate ways, but that’s easier said than done. These are a few easy ways to prep your finances for divorce so your future seems less intimidating.

Separating your lives includes all of your financial accounts and assets. Whether you only share a bank account or spend decades building a life together, these tips will help you navigate the road to becoming financially independent.

1. Research Your Current Standing

Establishing your current standing is the first way to prep your finances for divorce. List any accounts you have in your name and which you share with your partner. Include any insurance policies in your name, including your life insurance.

It’s also crucial to save printed or digital statements from your accounts. Bank accounts, retirement savings and any investments will need written proof of your ownership and contributions. The same standard goes for any shared loans or credit card debt.

2. Track Your Expenses

Redirecting your finances isn’t possible if you don’t know where your money goes. Track your expenses and investigate your monthly purchases, like subscriptions and impulse shopping. Categorize each purchase to narrow down how you spend your income and prepare to either cover the same lifestyle independently or cut down your budget.

3. Pick a Place to Live

Prep your finances for divorce by picking a place to live as the foundation of your budget. You may have to move out of your home and pay monthly rent or mortgage payments. Those will take a significant chunk of your budget, so it’s best to form your spending and saving habits around what you’ll pay for housing. Research where you’d like to live and compare prices for whatever you want as your new living arrangements.

4. Wait for Big Decisions

It’s natural to want to change your life insurance policy beneficiaries after deciding to divorce, but don’t make any big decisions yet. Adjusting financial assets like that will seem suspicious to a judge if it happens before legal representatives step in. Your lawyers will handle insurance policies, retirement accounts and any other financial changes that involve your spouse. Otherwise, the moves will appear suspicious and could result in criminal contempt charges.

5. Keep Things Amicable

If possible, try to keep things amicable before asking for your divorce. It’s easier to communicate about financial issues if you both agree that the divorce is best. Partners who are deeply hurt and emotionally charged are less likely to compromise, which could drag your divorce proceedings and complicate your financial independence.

6. Ask for Help

There’s so much to think about after filing divorce papers. You might feel overwhelmed after jumping into your financial situation. Ask your lawyer for help if you’re ever confused. They’ll clarify what’s in your best interest so everything proceeds smoothly. If they don’t know how to help, they’ll have professional connections to someone who can.

Prep Your Finances for Divorce

You can use any of these ways to prep your finances for divorce. Start simple by assessing how you spend money and what your income looks like. As the divorce proceedings commence, your lawyer will work with you to move accounts into your name so you can support yourself when the divorce becomes official.

People will give you plenty of advice when you become pregnant, but that all goes out the window after giving birth. While you go back to sipping red wine and dining on sushi, remember that you still have to structure your diet around your baby. These are some of the best postpartum nutrition tips for new moms who may not get some of these essential nutrients.

1. Eat More Calories

You’re about to wake up frequently during the night and burn more calories as your body creates breast milk. Even if you feed your baby formula, you’ll need to eat more calories to fuel your body as it adjusts to post-pregnancy life.

Experts recommend that new moms add 450 to 500 kilocalories (kcal) to their daily diet. Structure these calories around healthy food, like whole grains and natural carbs. You’ll get the energy your body needs to keep up with your postpartum lifestyle.

2. Boost Your Protein

Eating enough protein builds and repairs cells that mend tissue and strengthen muscle after giving birth. Boosting your protein intake also gives more to your infant if you breastfeed. It transfers through the milk and improves your infant’s immune system while they wait for it to grow in between vaccinations.

3. Get Your Vitamins

Drinking protein shakes and eating a few more bananas won’t be enough to complete your postpartum nutrition. You’ll also need to target your vitamin intake, which isn’t easy to do when you don’t have the time or energy to work with a nutritionist.

You can always supplement your diet with vitamin IV therapy. It’s a popular wellness service that only requires a few minutes of your time. The IV line goes directly into your bloodstream so your body absorbs 90% more vitamins than if you ate them in a meal. It’s efficient and easy for new moms who already have a lot to juggle.

4. Remember to Drink Calcium

Your body supported your pregnancy by supercharging its hormone production. After having your baby, those hormones plummet to pre-pregnancy levels and lower your estrogen. Estrogen has numerous benefits, but it also protects your bones. Remembering to drink calcium through milk or calcium supplements supports your bone health as your body adjusts to its new normal.

5. Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking extra water is one of the most critical postpartum nutrition tips for new moms. Dehydration slows milk production and causes classic dehydration symptoms like:

• Low energy
• Headaches
• Fatigue

Keep a water bottle around and add water-based foods to your diet. Cucumbers, fruits and soup are just a few ways to get more water without chugging a full glass every hour.

6. Forget the Weight Loss

Many women want to lose weight after giving birth but don’t jump right into it. Your body needs to heal and nurture both yourself and your baby. If you want to change your weight, there’s time for that later. Let your body get the rest it needs and appreciate it for giving life to the newest member of your family.

Helpful Postpartum Nutrition Tips for New Moms

These are just a few postpartum nutrition tips for new moms, but they’re so important. Use them to make your post-pregnancy experience better so you can focus on bonding with your baby.