Tips for Choosing the Right Pet

For many active adults 55+ retirement provides a wonderful opportunity to bring a pet into your life. Now that you're no longer working all day, you undoubtedly have more time to give to nurturing an animal companion. But if you're unsure of what kind of pet you might want, here are some helpful questions to ask yourself:

Am I traveling a lot?
Some animals will be perfectly fine if you leave them home alone for a weekend getaway, while others will require that you find a sitter, have a friend look in on and walk the animal, or board the animal. Of course, if you're gone for long stretches at a time, all animals will need someone to look after them, or they will have to travel with you.

Do I have any allergies?
Some people will be allergic to all dander that pets carry, while others will only be sensitive to certain types. For example, some people are highly allergic to cats, but don't seem to be affected by dogs. Consider your allergies before deciding what type of pet to get.

Do I want an indoor or outside pet?
If you want your pet to share your home with you, you will have a greater choice of pet. However, if you want an outdoor pet, you're probably limited to cats or dogs, and even then you'll likely need a fenced yard, and somewhere warm for them to sleep.

Does my family like animals?
If you routinely host your grandchildren at your home, and your granddaughter is terrified of dogs, you may want to opt for a different type of pet. Likewise, consider whether any of your regular house guests have severe allergies. Friends who are allergic to cats may have difficulty visiting if you have a house cat.

How active are you?
Certain breeds of dogs require a great deal of exercise, so do a bit a research before determining which type will work best with your activity level. Of course, cats and birds won't require you to walk them, so if you're looking for a pet which does not require exercise, these may work best for you.

Do you want a young animal or an older animal?
It's no secret that puppies and kittens can be a handful, while older animals are typically more relaxed, and require less training. So you'll have to decide whether you want to train your new pet, or would prefer that it already be housebroken/trained.

Your retirement years can be some of the most rewarding years of your life, when you choose to live in a Tribute Homes lifestyle community. Our communities are designed for the active adult 55+ who knows how to get the most out of life, by living in North or South Carolina. With lakeside or golf course communities for any budget, we have a home perfect for you (and your pet!) Contact us today at 704-238-1229 or via email at info@tributehomesusa.com

Gardening for Relaxation

From growing flowers to your own herbs and vegetables, North and South Carolina provide the perfect climate for gardening. Moreover, gardening provides many active adults over 55 the opportunity to be outdoors, relax, and even reap some delightful health benefits.

Here are just a few reasons spending a bit of time tending to your garden in your retirement years can help you to relax and improve your overall health

• Boosts Your Vitamin D
  Getting outside on a nice day provides you with a healthy dose of Vitamin D from the sun. Of course, you need to be mindful of how much sun you get, but in small doses, natural sunlight has proven to provide lots of health benefits.
• Provides Fresh Air
  Being outside in the fresh air is lovely. Being outside and working with plants can actually increase the level of fresh air you’re getting. Plants remove CO2, while manufacturing oxygen, so a few hours in the garden ensures that you’re truly getting lots of fresh air.
• Improves Mood
  Gardening allows many people the opportunity to clear away stress, by allowing you to focus on the act of tending to your plants. The Vitamin D you’ll get from the sun is also a natural mood enhancer.
• Reduces Blood Pressure
  Gardening offers the opportunity for low stress exercise. While it is not considered an aerobic exercise, gardening does require muscle movement, which in turn burns calories, reduces stress from the release of endorphins, thereby aiding in lowering your blood pressure.

Gardening in our retirement years can be a very fulfilling outdoor activity, which will provide you with subtle health benefits, in addition to helping you to relax. Tribute Homes located in North and South Carolina affords the perfect locales with corresponding favorable climates to allow you to be outside year-round. For information on our active adult retirement communities, contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com.

Health Benefits of Swimming

In addition to walking, one of the best exercises for active adults over the age of 55 is certainly swimming. Whether you're going to a local pool or taking advantage of natural waterways in the Carolinas, experts agree that swimming provides incredible health benefits to us in our retirement years. Here are a few of the ways that regular swimming can keep you in top physical shape as you age.

• Swimming can improve blood pressure
  As a low impact exercise, swimming is nonetheless laden with health benefits including reducing blood pressure. Because swimming helps improve circulation, and lowers blood pressure it may also lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.

• Swimming provides total body conditioning
  The act of swimming allows you to use muscles you may not otherwise use. Moreover, swimming utilizes all of your major muscle groups, so that both your upper and lower body muscles become more toned.

• Swimming Lowers Cholesterol
  Swimming, which is considered an aerobic exercise can help your body to raise the "good cholesterol" while reducing the "bad cholesterol." Your risk of heart disease is lowered when you improve your good cholesterol.

• Swimming lowers risk of diabetes
  Aerobic exercise such as swimming can help you to reduce the risk of diabetes, by helping you to burn hundreds of calories each week. For example, just 90 minutes a week of swimming the breaststroke can burn up to 900 calories. That can reduce your risk of getting diabetes from 10-15%.

Swimming is also a low impact exercise, which has a very low incidence of injury. Moreover, many doctors recommend swimming for active adults who have an existing injury. Swimming is a low stress exercise, which results in very little muscle strain, but great health benefits. However you should always consult your doctor before beginning any new physical fitness routine.

Tribute Homes in North and South Carolina understands that retirement may just be the beginning of your most active years. We offer low maintenance and energy efficient homes so that you can focus on yourself and your loved ones in your retirement years. For information on our lakeside or golf community homes for active adults 55+, contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com.

Daily Walks: Surprising Mental Health Benefits

Walking is not only the simplest (and least expensive) means of exercise, but it's also one of the most valuable. This is particularly true as we get older. A regular walking routine has shown to lower blood pressure, reduce joint pressure, decrease our risks of strokes, and helps us to maintain a healthy weight in our retirement years. Walking has also proven to contribute to a better night's sleep. However, these physical benefits are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to improving our overall physical well being, daily walks have shown to help active adults over the age of 55 improve mental wellness as well.

Here are four surprising mental health benefits that you may reap as a result of a daily regimen of walking every day.

• Walking May Slow Mental DeclineA study conducted by the University of California, San Francisco of 6,000 women aged 65 and over showed that of those who walked just 2.5 miles each day, showed less mental decline than women who walked less than .5 miles per week.
  
• Walking May Lower Your Risk For Alzheimer'sAccording to a study conducted by the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville; men between the ages of 71 and 93 who walked more than .25 miles per day had had ½ the numbers of incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, compared to those who walked less.

• Walking Improves Your Overall MoodJust 30 minutes of walking each day has shown to improve the moods of people suffering from depression faster than antidepressants. The reason? When walking we release natural painkilling endorphins, which help to improve mood. A study conducted by California State University, Long Beach showed that the more steps a person takes each day, the better their overall mood.

All of Tribute Homes neighborhoods offer active adults the opportunity for walking every day. Whether you prefer a home in one of our lakeside communities or our golf communities; you can rest assured that there will be plenty of space to stretch your legs. For more information about our retirement communities throughout North and South Carolina, contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com.

The Importance of Stretching As We Age

Stretching at any age is important for maintaining a healthy body and mind. But the health benefits that come from stretching in our retirement years are invaluable. Stretching can be instrumental in preventing cardiovascular disease, relieving arthritic pain, delaying or preventing the onset of diabetes, improving mental health, and may even prevent us from falling as we get older.

However, it's important that if we're going to make stretching a regular habit; that we start slowly. Stretching can cause serious injury or health problems, if we don't ease into it properly. Tips for beginning a stretching routine for active adults 55+ include:

• Warm up briefly before beginning any stretching regimen. A brisk walk or even using lightweight dumbbells before stretching is very important.
• Start slowly. If you're particularly stiff, it is important to listen to your body, and refrain from exerting yourself.
• Be aware of your breathing. Make sure you are able to breathe easily while stretching so that you don't wind up holding your breath.
• Avoid any stretching or poses that cause pain.
• Remain mindful of the position of your spine, so that you are not curving it excessively.
• Consult a doctor before beginning any stretching exercises, for tips on types of stretching that will benefit you the most.

Even if you've never been much into exercise, it is never too late to begin a gentle routine of stretching. Most stretching can be done on your own, in your own home, without having to take a class. Moreover, the benefits to your overall health may be worth 20 minutes of your time each day. But be sure to consult your physician before undertaking any new exercise activities.

If you're considering purchasing a retirement home in a 55+ active adult community in North or South Carolina, we invite you to learn more about Tribute Homes. Tribute Homes are in multiple communities in lakeside or golf communities in the Carolinas. To speak with Tribute Homes about our incredible retirement communities, contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com.

Health Benefits of Volunteer Work During Retirement Years

With newfound time on your hands after retiring, you may find that there is only so much golf you can play, or so many trips you can take; and yet you still have time on your hands. As a result many active 55+ adults, who are retired from full time paying work, decide to start volunteering their time, efforts and skills to various organizations, charities and associations. In addition to being of service to others, or to championing a cause dear to your heart; studies have shown that volunteer work actually has health benefits for retirees.

The Corporation for National and Community Service's report: The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research has found a significant connection between volunteering and good health. Amongst other things, the report showed conclusively that volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease.

In particular, the research suggested that volunteering is especially beneficial to the health of older adults and those serving 100 hours annually. Here are some of the specific results of the research:

• Adults age 65 and older found that the positive effect of volunteering on physical and mental health was due to the personal sense of accomplishment and individual gains from volunteer activities.
  
• Another study reported that volunteering led to lower rates of depression in those aged 65 and older.
  
• A Duke study determined that adults who volunteered after experiencing heart attacks reported reductions in despair and depression. Both factors have been linked to mortality in post-coronary artery disease patients.
  
• An analysis of longitudinal data found that adults 70 years and older who volunteered approximately 100 hours had less of a decline in self-reported health and functioning levels, experienced lower levels of depression, and had more longevity.

Staying active during retirement years is easy, when you retire to one of our Tribute Home Communities in the Carolinas. If you're interested in learning more about our 55+ active adult communities, contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com. For volunteer opportunities in your area, try visiting www.volunteermatch.org

Five Reasons to Retire To North Carolina

There's no doubt that North Carolina has a lot to offer people of all ages.  In fact, it is the 6th most frequently visited state in the U.S.  So it's not surprising that so many people choose to make North Carolina their home when they retire.  Here are five reasons that 55+ active adults love the lifestyle that North Carolina affords in retirement years.

1. Climate
   North Carolina's temperate climate is a huge draw for 55+ active adults.  With mild winters, warm summers and pleasant spring and fall seasons, active retirees relish the opportunity to spend time outdoors all year long.  For keeping busy and fit, the climate in North Carolina just can't be beat.
   
2. Natural Beauty In A Perfect Location
   When we think about retirement we often think about enjoying the little things more than when we were working.  North Carolina offers diverse natural beauty in spades.  With more than 300 miles of coastline, the Great Smoky Mountains' stunning vistas and plenty of lakes, rivers and forestry to enjoy; for outdoor enthusiastic it's hard to beat North Carolina.  Moreover, North Carolina's proximity to the entire east coast is a big attraction for 55+ active adults, who are looking to spend time traveling during retirement.
   
3. Golf & Other Outdoor Activities
   North Carolina is renowned for its more than 600 golf courses, which attracts many retirees looking to enjoy leisure time on the greens.  However, North Carolina isn't only known for its incredible golf courses.  With mountains and beaches galore, opportunities to explore new hobbies such as kayaking or hiking are abundant when you retire to North Carolina.  Or if you're just looking to spend more time taking it easy; fishing and boating is available year-round.
   
4. Premier Health Care Facilities
   It's no secret that as we get older, we spend more time in doctors' offices.  In North Carolina, there are 114 hospitals and medical centers, with four of them ranked nationally for providing exceptional health care. Duke University Medical Center is ranked the top hospital followed by the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.  North Carolina's focus on cancer care is also well known and regarded as some of the best in the nation.
   
5. Cost of Living/Taxes
   North Carolina boasts a remarkably reasonable cost of living, with the price of housing, utilities, supplies, transportation and health care below the national average.  Various tax breaks are also offered to retirees in North Carolina including the Homestead Exemption which allows senior and disabled homeowners a reduction on property taxes. There is no inheritance tax in North Carolina, either.

If you're considering purchasing a retirement home but have yet to explore all of your options, we invite you to learn more about Tribute Homes. With multiple active adult communities in North Carolina and South Carolina, we offer homes in settings that match any lifestyle. To speak with our sales associates about your options, you can contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com.