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IT’S TIME TO CRANK UP THE TUNES! Music Plays a Vital Role in Life
“The importance of music extends well beyond its performance.” This quote by Lewis Gordon, an American philosopher, captures the notion that music is more than lyrics, strums on a guitar, or the beat of a drum — music can change people’s lives. When we listen to our favorite songs, we can’t help but smile, laugh, and reflect on the memories associated with that particular artist, band, or song. While we do tend to talk about the melodies and sounds the music creates, what mainly gravitates us to these tunes are the experiences we have around them. We’re sure you have many fond memories from your life involving music. In the mid-to-late ’70s, so many great tracks were playing on the radio, from Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” to Kiss’ “Shout It Out Loud,” Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” Bee Gee’s “You Should Be Dancing,” KC and The Sunshine Band’s “Shake Shake Shake”, and much more. Music plays a vital role in our lives — it can create a soundtrack for our experiences, feelings, and thoughts. However, some may think music only plays a pivotal role in your life during your youth, but that isn’t the case. No matter what stage of life you’re in, music is always there to support you. Whether that means helping you celebrate your happiness or excitement, overcoming sadness or heartbreak, or energizing you, music is always there. These tracks can give you a feeling you’re not alone. And music can continue to help you as you age. According to several studies, music can positively impact your quality of life. Tammy Reiver, a music therapy coordinator for Banner Hospice in Phoenix, AZ, said, “Music holds the power to increase dopamine levels, decrease symptoms of depression and pain, and improve a person’s quality of life. Music plays an important role at every age, but the benefits are even greater for aging adults.” So, what kind of benefits can you experience by cranking up the volume and playing your favorite tunes? For starters, when you hear However, some may think that music only plays a pivotal role in your life during your youth, but that isn’t the case. No matter what stage of life you’re in, music is always there to support you.
a song’s first few notes or lyrics, a swarm of memories may return to you. Perhaps a song reminds you of a story with a loved one, a road trip you took with friends, or a time when you were overflowing with happiness. So, if you or someone you know is struggling with memory-related conditions like dementia, playing music can help immensely. Secondly, it can help you obtain your daily dose of exercise. Simply turning on your favorite song and dancing is a great way to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Who knows? Maybe you can teach your grandchildren some dance moves from back in the day. Most importantly, music can connect you with others. We understand that when you age, it can feel like you’re alone. But we promise you’re not — music can provide a sense of community. It’s fascinating to see thousands of people come together to listen to a band or artist. In moments like this, strangers become friends because of the connection they share with the music. Today, you can still go to live events or reach out to others about their favorite artist and engage with them about the experiences they’ve had with music. So, in honor of World Music Day on June 21, crank up the tunes and play your favorite songs! You’d be surprised at the extraordinary benefits you could experience. What are some of your favorite musicians, bands, and songs? Do you have any fun memories associated with the music you want to share? We would love to hear from you! –Lenore and Scott Mizenko
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VACATION MODE ACTIVATED! Will Medicare Provide Coverage While Traveling? As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, more and more people will pack up their cars and hit the road as they venture to vacation destinations. Summertime is the most popular season for many to travel to different states and even abroad. But as you pack your bags and go through your vacation checklist, be sure you know your Medicare plan and coverage. When some people think of Medicare, they may believe that it only covers them when traveling within their home state. But Medicare can protect you throughout the U.S. and, on some occasions, internationally. Here’s what you need to know about traveling with Medicare. TRAVELING IN THE U.S. If you have Original Medicare or Supplement Insurance (Medicare Part A and Part B), you have coverage in all 50 states, the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.), Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. No matter what state or U.S. territory you travel to, you can visit any doctor and use your Medicare benefits and coverage. For those with Medicare Advantage Plans , your plan may not cover care outside your service area. Some plans will cover providers seeking care in another state, but they will face higher copayments. However, if you need urgent care or are in an emergency, Medicare Advantage Plans are required to cover these needs anywhere in the U.S. with no additional costs. TRAVELING OUTSIDE THE U.S. Unfortunately, Medicare usually doesn’t provide coverage when traveling internationally. However, there are certain circumstances in which Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans must cover you.
If your friends and neighbors aren’t talking about pickleball, they will be soon. In 2021, news outlets reported an explosion in the sport, with NPR estimating 4.8 million players. By 2022, that number had ballooned to 36.5 million players — an astonishing 14% of Americans. Even star athletes like Lebron James and Tom Brady are playing. For the uninitiated, pickleball is often described as a combination of tennis, badminton, and pingpong. Three fathers invented the game in 1965 to entertain their bored children on vacation. They rounded up the limited equipment they had on hand, including a wiffle ball, pingpong paddles, and a badminton net they lowered to tennis height. As the game developed, they realized the ball bounced nicely on asphalt — even though legend says a family dog named Pickles kept running off with it. Like in tennis, pickleball involves hitting a ball back and forth over a net. Usually played by four people in teams of two, a player can hit the ball back over the net from in the air (a volley) or after it bounces on the ground (a groundstroke). But the creators instituted a 7-foot no-volley zone, or “kitchen,” next to the net. The extra space deters spiking and minimizes running. Those are the basics. Learn a few rules about serving, scoring, and when different hits are allowed, and you’re ready to play. But that still leaves a question: What’s the big deal? The ease of learning the sport is one of pickleball’s greatest appeals, but the reasons people love playing it go far beyond that. One of pickleball’s key advantages is that it rewards skill — not size, age, strength, or fitness. Thanks to the kitchen, young and old alike can fairly square off. Professional athletes can enjoy the sport, but so can children and seniors. Best of all, they can play together on mostly even footing. With its low-impact nature, pickleball first found favor among adults 65 and older. But as its popularity grew, the sport began attracting younger and younger players. USA Pickleball reported in 2021 that most growth was in players under 55. Pickleball courts are in high demand, and they’re popping up everywhere. So, if you want to try the game, you shouldn’t have to travel too far. Enthusiasts predict the sport has a future in the Olympics — not too bad for a game that began with a family trip and a rowdy dog. WHY PEOPLE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF PICKLEBALL America’s Fastest-Growing Sport
In an emergency situation:
• If you’re traveling through Canada and on a direct route between Alaska and another state and the closest hospital is in Canada, Medicare will cover your care. • If you’re in a U.S. territory but a foreign hospital is closer to you than a U.S. hospital, your care will be covered by Medicare.
If you’re planning a vacation soon, please reach out to The Medicare Authority if you have any questions. We will gladly ease your concern and ensure everything is in order for your trip.
Safe travels, everyone!
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3 Things Retirees Wish They Planned For
GAIN INSIGHT BY LEARNING FROM OTHERS!
Retirement is an exciting time for many people! However, planning for retirement can have its challenges. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for planning your retirement because everyone has different passions, values, and goals. But while everyone’s plans will look different, we can gain insight by learning from others’ experiences! Here are three things retirees wish they had done differently when planning their retirement. MENTALLY PREPARING FOR RETIREMENT You’ll have plenty of free time when you enter retirement. Do you know what you want to do with it? Sometimes, people lose their sense of self because they are no longer working — and this can be a difficult pill to swallow. To help with this, consider and plan for your hobbies and fun activities you would like to do in your free time. Ask yourself what activities and hobbies you enjoy and value, think about your talents and skills, and what you can do to focus on these passions. PHYSICALLY PREPARING FOR RETIREMENT On top of your finances and hobbies, another essential thing to consider is where you want to live. Do you want to keep your current home, relocate, downsize, buy a second home, or have a reverse mortgage? Because of
the extra time you’ll have on your hands, you want to ensure you’re in an environment and location you’re happy with. Now is the time to make those changes and ensure you’re where you want to be. SAVING MORE MONEY Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies conducted a study showing that 78% of retirees wish they saved more. Some of these regrets include not making the most of their 401(k)s; not enrolling into their plans at an earlier date; not planning and saving for health care; not considering relocating, traveling, or hobby expenses in their retirement plan; or not starting to save for retirement earlier in life. Additionally, people are beginning to live longer, meaning you need to consider putting more into your accounts so you don’t run out of money during your retirement. Remember, the steps you took to accumulate your wealth will be different from the steps you take to preserve your wealth! By working with The Retirement Authority, we can ensure your plan is strong and perfectly fits your needs, wants, and goals. To book an appointment with Scott Mizenko, go to BookLTCcall.com . Or you can email him at Scott@scottmizenko.com or call 800-570-1396 .
Inspired by TheSpruceEats.com
TAKE A BREAK
SEAFOOD PASTA SALAD
If you can’t get to the beach this summer, bring the ocean to you with this refreshing seafood pasta salad.
INGREDIENTS
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4 cups fusilli noodles
2 cups crab meat or shrimp
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups ranch dressing
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
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1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped green peppers 1/2 cup chopped red peppers
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 cup diced onions
DIRECTIONS
Beach Burgers Cycling Father Juneteenth Music
Pearl Pride Refugee Sailing Solstice Waterski
1. In a large pot, bring the fusilli noodles to a boil and cook until al dente, then drain. 2. In a large bowl, combine noodles, crab or shrimp, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing, peas, green and red peppers, onions, and carrots, then mix together gently. 3. Refrigerate the pasta salad for 3–4 hours. If salad is dry upon removing from refrigerator, add more ranch dressing. 4. Once you’re ready to eat, top salad with tomatoes and Parmesan cheese if desired.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
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Music Can Give Us a Sense of Community
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Will Medicare Provide Coverage While Traveling?
Pickleball Is Taking America by Storm
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Are You Mentally and Physically Prepared for Retirement?
Seafood Pasta Salad
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Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
MONKEY AROUND THIS SUMMER
Check Out Some of America’s Best Zoos
THE BRONX ZOO You don’t usually think about seeing exotic animals when you visit New York City, but the Bronx Zoo is one of the best places to view animals in America. Opened in 1899, the Bronx Zoo is responsible for many of the advancements relating to animal captivity. This was one of the first zoos to ditch cages for natural environments and create an animal hospital. With over 6,000 species, there’s an animal for everyone at the Bronx Zoo. THE LIVING DESERT ZOO AND GARDENS While the San Diego Zoo is often boasted as California’s largest and best zoo, another zoo is worth checking out. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens outside Palm Springs has entertained visitors for decades. There are events at this zoo every day, one of the most popular being the keeper connections and animal encounters, where you get up close and personal with the animals while learning more about their habitats and lifestyles.
Summer is one of the best times of the year to travel. Kids are out of school and want to do something fun every weekend, which can be difficult to accommodate if you’ve already exhausted your local options. If you’re looking to travel, you can visit a beach, take in the sights and sounds of an amusement park, or spend some time with animals while visiting a zoo. Nearly every state in our country has a handful of zoos or aquariums, but some stand above the rest. Here are three of the best zoos you can visit in the U.S. The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska, is consistently ranked as one of the top five zoos in the world. It prides itself on hosting rare, endangered animals you can’t see elsewhere. It has the world’s largest nocturnal exhibit, and one of the major highlights is the Desert Dome, an 84,000-square-foot indoor desert that maintains an authentic desert ecosystem. This is a must-visit for any animal lover in your family. OMAHA’S HENRY DOORLY ZOO AND AQUARIUM
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