I hate Labor Day barbecues.

There, I said it.

I know I’m supposed to enjoy them. Labor Day is supposed to be the unofficial end of summer, a time for hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, cold drinks and good company. At least that’s how it works in the real world.

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Medical professionals have pointed out that taking preventative action against injuries can help (seniors) to maintain their independence. “You give them that confidence back that they can interact with the world and be safe, then there’s so many more things the senior population will do.

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A growing number of states are phasing out plastic bags in favor of paper or reusable bags. Yet, between takeout orders, produce bags, and purchases from retailers excluded from the bans, they still manage to clutter up our drawers. Aside from using them as wastebasket liners, how can you put them to good use? As it turns out, there are a few ways to give plastic bags a second life.

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Should you review your Medicare coverage every year? Yes. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans can change their premiums, out-of-pocket costs, covered drugs, provider networks, and extra benefits from one year to the next. Your health and prescription needs may change, too. Reevaluating your Medicare coverage each year can help you make sure your plan still covers the care and medications you need at a cost you can afford.

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Dementia is the most feared health condition in the United States (surpassing cancer), but up to 45% of dementia cases might be prevented with lifestyle changes that target risk factors. So, it behooves us all to know what we can do to sustain and maintain our best brain functioning and lower our risk for dementia.

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The same chemical process that turns a baking cake golden brown is at work aging your body’s cells. Many efforts to develop treatments for aspects of aging have focused on cells, which gradually lose the ability to repair themselves and divide properly. Less attention has been given to the aging of longer-lived tissue structures such as collagen, which has a half-life of about 15 years.

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To better support customers applying for survivor benefits during a difficult time, we have enhanced our National 800 Number call routing process. Callers reporting a death or seeking to apply for survivor benefits are now connected more quickly to employees trained to assist with these requests.

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You don’t have to be wealthy to build something meaningful for your grandchild’s future. You just have to start, and starting small is perfectly fine. For many grandparents, the challenge isn’t the desire to save. It’s finding the money to do it. The good news is that it’s often already there, hidden in everyday spending.

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There’s something wonderful about gardening in the fall. Without having to worry about pollen causing allergies in the spring or standing beneath the hot sun in summer, autumn is a lovely and underrated time of year to be in the garden. If you’re particularly excited to get your colorful fall flower garden started this year, you actually don’t need to wait. In fact, right now is actually the perfect time of year to start planting a variety of fall flowers.

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Renting – something most soon-to-be retirees may think they’ve put far behind them – can offer financial and lifestyle freedoms that elude retired homeowners and make the option well worth exploring. Homeownership is a good thing – but as needs and priorities change in retirement, you may find fiscal advantages in renting.

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- Labor Day began as a workers’ movement. The first Labor Day celebration took place in New York City on September 5, 1882, organized by the Central Labor Union. 

- Nobody is completely sure who invented Labor Day. Two labor leaders, Peter J. McGuire and Matthew Maguire, are both credited with proposing the holiday.

- Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a legal holiday. It did so in 1887, along with Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

- It became a federal holiday in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed legislation making Labor Day a national holiday, partly in response to growing tensions between workers and employers.

- The “no white after Labor Day” rule has nothing to do with the holiday. The fashion tradition was largely created by wealthy Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. White clothing became associated with summer vacations and upper-class leisure—and Labor Day marked the unofficial end of summer.

Each retirement account has its own tax rules, and withdrawing from the wrong account at the wrong time leads to unnecessary tax liabilities. Understanding these rules and implementing a thoughtful withdrawal plan is essential for maximizing your retirement income and ensuring financial security throughout your golden years.

According to his own tally, Sanders fell 71 times during his successful campaign to reclaim his standing as the oldest person to complete the Appalachian Trail. Six of those falls were classified by him as hard falls, including one that necessitated a short stay in the hospital and another that occurred a mere 200 yards short of the finish line.

You’re likely familiar with getting your blood pressure taken, the cuff squeezing your arm before generating two numbers. Yet this vital sign contains a third, lesser-known number that matters for brain and heart health: pulse pressure.

By Greg Iacurci

“There are pros and cons” to the choice to roll over money or keep it in a 401(k) plan, said Ellen Lander, the founder of Renaissance Benefit Advisors Group, based in Pearl River, New York. “My biggest beef is, I don’t think they’re discussed enough.”

The Congressional Research Service recently reported on the importance of Social Security for individuals 65+, using data from the Health and Retirement Study, which is a longitudinal, nationally-representative survey of the population over age 50 that is conducted every two years through a combination of face-to-face and telephone interactions.

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     It isn’t the rubber tires that can keep a person inside a car safe from a direct lightning strike; it’s the metal cage of the vehicle that conducts 300 million volts of electricity into the ground. If you can’t get to shelter during a thunderstorm and must be in your (hard-topped) car, keep the windows rolled up and your hands off the car’s exterior frame.