Staying HEALTHY in retirement, with enjoying retirement activities

Parents Forum Parent Cafe
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The popular thread “How much do YOU think YOU need to retire…and at what age will you and your spouse retire?” has other offshoot ideas - health is a key one, along with preserving the nest egg during retirement years. Some may feel they need to relocate for better retirement health, and also some make changes to be in a community of retirees as one either slows down or wants to find others who have same interests and activities. Cousin and spouse retired and changed to retirement community with single family homes and also enough savings in new place to continue to balance off RV experiences - they looked in various states, and found one not too far from DD/SIL.

So beginning a thread to get discussion going.

DH retired Nov 2020 and I retired 1 year ago. We are both now 66 and have stayed in current home - primarily with great house and community, DH’s local hobbies, and great medical care; also central to travel to family N and S of us. Once on Medicare and me away from my job - we started 2022 with much closer examination on PCP and Specialists visits, testing, medical procedures. DH had a cardiac ablation procedure to get rid of Paroxysmal A Fib which developed/was noticeable right after his 2nd Covid shot (and he has had no more COVID vaccinations, while I did do one booster). He began a name brand via Cardiologist - drug that he will need to continue (to prevent stroke in event that A Fib does occur again plus a composite risk assessment) - and so experienced increased pharmacy costs under his Medicare D drug plan. Just re-analyzed our plans and we both will switch drug plans for 2023. I will make sure after Oct 1 the Medicare data base pricing was correct on the comparisons – and we can use the open enrollment period for our Medicare D drug plans. The change with my plan was a savings of over $800/year, and his $230/year. The one name brand drug has a pharmacy costs of $565/month - and the plan we had turns out to have handled it OK; DH was just on inexpensive medications so once he was prescribed this drug, we had the $480 deductible, cost sharing at lower level, and then cost sharing at higher level (currently $126/mo).

I keep separate vaccination records, and was surprised when I was informed there are 4 different Pneumonia – Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine 230-Valent Injections. Walgreeen Pharmacist gave me a print out. Called MD office to find out DH and I both received Pneumovax 23 mid-2017. So we can ‘update’ with Prevnar 20 this week.

We got our flu vaccines last week - FLUAD 65+ Quad PF.

I keep a one page summary sheet where I list our immunizations - and have a folder with that information. At the time we had the Pneumonia Vaccinations, I had just assumed there was only one (which may have been the case in 2017) - but the Walgreen’s Pharmacist said they recently received their vaccine comparison on this.

Found out TDAP (tetanus you want every 10 years) plus it has pertussis - often insurance before Medicare pays better on these vaccinations/100%, as it also does for shingles – current is Recombinant Zoster RZV (given in 2 doses). MD wrote a prescription for TDAP so it did run through Medicare D drug plan at pharmacist/injection – but before on private insurance we would have paid $0. DH and I both had the shingles shots (prior one and the 2 dose RZV) under private insurance.

Pharmacy in most cases seems to be the new go to place for immunizations. Medicare covers the flu shot and whatever COVID vaccination you want, as they continue to roll out additional COVID vaccinations.

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Regarding vaccines, the current recommendation for pneumonia is either:

  • PCV15 followed by PPSV23
  • PCV20

Oddly, CDC says either Td or Tdap once every 10 years after getting at least one Tdap, even though it appears that pertussis immunity fades faster than tetanus or diptheria immunity. So it would be preferable to choose Tdap over Td whenever getting this as a booster.

The current shingles vaccine RZV given in two doses is better known by the Shingrix brand name. The older one dose shingle vaccine ZVL was branded Zostavax and is no longer available in the US. Those who got ZVL can get RZV (and probably do, since RZV is more effective than ZVL).

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I suggest one checks with PCP on individual vaccinations. A physician may desire a specific Pneumococcal vaccine based on specifics on their patient.

Walgreen’s pharmacist last week said they recently got this pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (23-Valent) Injection details with the vaccine comparisons and dosages for various populations. So the info you are looking at may be outdated. My info is current.

We had PPV23 or PPSV23 - Pneumovax 23 in 2017. The detailed description – Drug Facts and Comparisons – Dosage: Older Adults – previously received only PPSV23 but no pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; may administer PCV15 or PCV20 > or = 1 year after the last PPSV23 dose was received.

PCV20 components are ‘more’ than PCV15 (serotypes) so we are choosing PCV20.

One has to know what pneumococcal vaccine they had previously had - which their medical provider would have that information.

I concur about your shingles information.

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My doctor told me this, too (never verified), so I got shortly before starting Medicare.

Did your H report his covid vax side-effect via v-safe or VAERS? Did someone contact him? I know someone who got a very odd condition after his 2nd covid vax. The CDC ended up being involved.

I also had an issue after my 1st booster shot. Since I participated in V-safe, someone from the CDC called me at one point, and asked me if I wanted to report it as a side-effect. I said I didn’t know (shouldn’t the CDC decide that?). She asked if I thought it was related to the vaccination. How the heck was I supposed to know? Sheesh. I ended up saying no, because it happened over one month (almost 6 weeks) after the booster shot

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Our PCP - who use to be a medical researcher, actually had a small questionnaire he asked me to participate in regarding health and the Covid vaccination status – I imagine because I was an aggressive cancer survivor, he was trying to get a particular population. This was ‘before’ PCP was involved with DH and his cardiac issue.

DH and I are pretty convinced either the Covid vaccination ‘brought on’ his paroxysmal A Fib, or brought it out of his perhaps predisposition (mother and her many siblings’ family heavy with cardiac issues) - neither cardiologist would comment, other than they have heard ‘some’ of cardiac side effects.

Since DH had the 2 dose vaccinations, he is covered as far as having the documentation for any travel etc. which may require documentation. I did go ahead and get a booster fall 2021 (so I had 3 Pfizer vaccines, while DH had 2), but I am pretty convinced neither of us need more Covid vaccinations until they perhaps come out with better than what they are offering or there is a lot of longevity (way in the future) where risk/reward makes either of us choose to get another.

I am ‘on board’ with all other vaccinations. DH takes the annual flu vaccine at my insistence now - he tends to be the engineering minimalist, and most years in the past did not get the flu vaccine. He conveniently ‘forgot’ the couple of times he might have avoided being quite ill. But needing the cardiac ablation and having some other medical stuff going on, he is ‘on board’. As retirees, scheduled immunization and go in together - I make it easy for him to go along with ‘the plan’.

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Seems like one of the theories about why mRNA and Novavax vaccines are associated with myocarditis is that the virus’ spike protein may resemble some heart muscle proteins in some people, so that antibodies against the virus’ spike protein may self-target the heart muscle. If that is the case, that may be why the J&J vaccine, which induces a lower level of antibodies, has not been associated with myocarditis. It could also mean that people unlucky enough to have this issue with mRNA and Novavax vaccines may be more vulnerable to heart problems if they actually do get COVID-19 from an actual virus infection.

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DH had Covid Dec 2020 (dad was dying after Covid - and talked into ‘comfort care’ by Hospitalist w/o family present, and after a few days moved from hospital back to skilled care, and facility was ‘full’ of Covid). First Covid Pfizer vaccine when available in our area for his age group 4/21/2021, and then 2nd Covid Pfizer vaccine following 5/12/2021. The paroxysmal A Fib began within a day or so of having the 2nd Covid vaccination.

Not knowing how things would pan out, and being between private insurance and then switch to Medicare (and SSA/MC admin having ‘hosed up’ his Medicare file - had Medicare B card electronically the end of Dec backdated to Sept 1, but private insurance coverage through Sept 2021) he started with cardiologist Jan 2022 and eventual cardiac ablation procedure April 2022. He recently had a one week Holter monitoring which did not have any A Fib episodes.

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This week I listened to this podcast while running… seems appropriate for this new thread

There are also three followup podcasts on Exercise, Nutrition, and advocating for your health. I have not yet listened to those.

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I can get behind this advice.

“Functional health” has been my programming for years and years. I watched many of my parents generation not be able to grip items taken from a cabinet shelf or get up off the grass or chair. If you’re having difficulty with day-to-day chores and activities now, then you’re going to have even more problems in your later years.

I’ll bet squats will be involved in this “functional health” program. To me, it’s the biggest building block for any “functional health” plan.

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@SOSConcern that is interesting about the A Fib. My DH has had it off and on for 8 years. Mostly off. He had some episodes in 2020 (so pre-vaccine) that continued in 2021. Might be the stress of the pandemic with other family stress. I hear you on the brand name Rx and I am sure he was on the same med.

He decided to have an ablation in November because he hated having the feeling that another episode could pop up at any time. That went well and he was weaned off meds. He had since had a third booster with no side effects.

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Yes definitely squats etc are great. But for the couch potatoes needing to start with simple goals for less sedentary lifestyle, I think “10,000 steps a day” (or less) is a great start.

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I’m a big believer in that “something is better than nothing” and that applies to masks too. :smile:

But it sounds that the thrust of article/podcast is or will be “functional health,” which is “more cow bell” type stuff.

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In the linked intro podcast, they made a good point that much planning is done to ensure that retirees have enough money for goals such as travel… and they ought to also plan to have the abilities to do so. One of the examples was about planning to have the ability to lean down and pick up little grandchildren someday :wink:

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IMHO the best HEALTHY for many Americans is to reduce body fat - and the way to do it is diet (carefully monitor food intake) and planned regular exercise - significant in time and energy. I have added in a second exercise (vigorous walking with periods of jogging - over an hour on hilly neighborhood) to the 1 mile swim (breast stroke) – so some days doing both.

The legs were sore from the first day with the walk/jog, but it will be fine. I am steadily losing weight and have a long way to go. I use ‘knee sleeves’ - can see on Amazon – compression, brace, under different general name – they help protect the knees. DH has one knee that can cause him aching and he has a heavier duty one for that knee.

It takes planning. ‘Regular Days’ which are the majority of days at home, just figure out when I am going to to swim or the temp/conditions good to walk/jog.

The weight bearing is better for weight loss, but I like the swim in that I stay cool, and it is good on the joints for the most part - shoulders and hips are what they are at age 66.

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Thanks for the reminder, I need to do my squats for the day.
I saw my Mom not take care of her health and she passed away at 73 of cancer. She was not in good shape prior to the cancer diagnosis and I vowed that I was going to try my best to keep active and keep my weight down.
I’ve also watched my oldest sibling who has plenty of money, time but is in such poor health that she can’t get around well.

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I think if you’re physically able to so without pain, then squats are really one’s “base” or “core” exercise. IMO, your overall physical health starts there and then you strengthen the body from there out to the extremities with other various exercises.

100%, but for my 10,000th reminder here on CC, body fat or body composition is different than “losing weight.” We all lose muscle as we age, it’s a battle, and while losing weight is fantastic, building and maintaining muscle (converting fat to muscle) is even more better. :smile:

The really bad fat, visceral fat, not subcutaneous, is the fat around your organs.

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When I’m stuck at an airport or away from a gym, I always have the ability to do pushups and squats.

A few months ago, my flight home was cancelled, and once I had finished scrambling to get another flight home, to keep myself busy during the wait, I did pushups and squats and a few other exercises.

Although that part of the airport in the AM didn’t have that many people around, the few folks that were there probably thought I was crazy. Exercise makes you happy, especially after having your flight cancelled. :slightly_smiling_face:

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I saw my mom, an active biker (via a bike club), badminton player (led that and always played), hiker, cross country skier, and more, succumb to cancer in her 70s - a generally male smoker’s cancer and she was neither male nor a smoker plus didn’t work in a smoking environment or anything similar.

I see her older sister who does none of the above for exercise and never has, weighs more, and hardly eats healthy doing just fine.

We Creeklanders try for a mix of exercise, healthy foods, and comfort foods, but the more I see IRL, I’m beginning to think a lot out there is pure luck of the draw many times.

We exercise doing what we like. We eat what we like (usually more healthy than not, because we like healthy foods). Then we seize the day, because none of us know what’s going to happen tomorrow TBH.

If there’s one thing that seems to have worked in my life it’s been avoiding diabetes (so far) by changing my diet from my family’s. Almost everyone on both sides has/had Type II diabetes (including my mom and her sister). I switched my diet back in my college days. Weight gain has still come over the decades, but diabetes hasn’t yet. My sister did not change her diet at all and has followed the family trend.

But I’m the one who has/had a brain tumor… so who’s to say I did “better?”

We know many who survived Covid and a late 50s friend who did not, along with my 80 year old uncle.

Seize the day.

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I need a new knee and that does have have an effect on my squats. I can still do them but I can get lower after a cortisone shot. I work with a PT weekly and squats are PT approved.

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Or walk! We were away from home five times since March. We did a TON of walking.

And thank you for changing the title of this thread!

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