Page 79 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2015

MEET THE
PARTICIPANTS
Joshua Bruce
administrator, Canon Hospice
Vivian Champaigne
business development director, Praetorian Health Services
William Van Kirk
financial planner, Van Kirk Wealth Advisors
Michael Sunderman, moderator, gets the discussion under way.
Staying fit and eating right
Cindy Habeeb: Use diet and exercise as forms of medicine. For exercise, you may need to think differently if you’ve had a knee replacement, for instance. We have
to relearn how to exercise as our bodies change and age; maybe a yoga class or
an aquatic arthritis class. Even if it’s 15 minutes a day, start small; just get through the door.
Jennie Moe: It’s never too early to start and never too late to start. If for 50 years someone hasn’t thought about how and what to eat, it may take a heart attack or getting slapped with diabetes to make some changes. Think about what you put in your body.
If you eat right, you don’t need to
take supplements. Not a single one is approved by the FDA. It may be sawdust in a capsule. While a majority of people could benefit from a multi-vitamin,
there is nobody checking out the slew of supplements available. There could be unknown interactions with medications. Recruiting retirees
Kathleen Slack: One of the most attractive things here is the state income tax — we paid 11 percent in California — along with the prices of homes which is drastically different. We love the water and even the
humidity. I’ve never been to so many free attractions as are available here. Even the free beach in California isn’t really free because you have to pay $40 to park after driving for hours. But the biggest thing here is the temperament of the people.
Retirees moving here can join the Newcomers Club which has a lot of activities for all interests and is a good way to learn about the community.
Faith and staying social
Eric Smith: Invest the effort it takes to maintain the connections and be in a faith community. Help your clergy and church family to stay connected to you by letting them know what’s going on in your life. Kathleen Slack: Join a church and they will become your family. Go to senior centers. It’s important to have those social connections.
Caregivers and family support
Vivian Champaigne: We get called when family members are stressed out. There
is a loss of caregivers before we lost the patient. Caregivers need breaks and need someone to listen to them.
Curtis Keller: There’s a heavy burden on caregivers. We like to put that on the table early. >>
THIS SPECIAL GOLDEN YEARS ISSUE BROUGHT TO YOU BY OUR PRESENTING SPONSORS:
Community Rehab Physical Therapy Centers
FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net November 2015 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 79