*Hi everybody it’s Carol Marak Thank you for visiting Solo and Smart, my YouTube channel. Offering the latest news and updates on solo aging.

In yesterday’s Solo and Smart video, Healthy Aging, I talk about the complexities and risks of growing older because aging places us in unfamiliar territory and it’s the reason we need a navigation system to negotiate the barriers.

Data in studies like this, published by the University of Michigan, illustrate the reasons we need not only to stay on top of our physical health, but also stay tuned in to other domains such as social connections and having support because each domain influences the others. Link to the study: https://www.healthyagingpoll.org/reports-more/report/their-minds-older-adults-top-health-related-concerns

The top ten issues about which respondents said they were very concerned for older adults in their communities included the cost of medical care (56%), cost of home care, assisted living, or nursing home care (56%), and cost of prescription medications (54%). Next were financial scams and fraud (53%), cost of health insurance/Medicare (52%), and cost of dental care (45%), followed by access to quality home care, assisted living, or nursing home care (38%), health care quality (35%), inaccurate or misleading health information (34%), and access to affordable healthy foods (33%)

I’m offering a Summarized roadmap—Get your health status and medical history on track:

*Record Family Medical History: Document any hereditary conditions or diseases that run in the family, including parents, siblings, and grandparents.
*Create a Health Timeline: Develop a timeline starting from birth or early childhood to present, noting significant health events, surgeries, and major illnesses.
*Compile a Medication List: Make a list of all current medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and supplements, noting dosages and frequency.
*Document Allergies and Sensitivities: Note any known allergies or sensitivities to medications, foods, or environmental factors.
*Assess Lifestyle Factors: Evaluate lifestyle habits such as diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, and stress levels, as these can impact health.

If you want more information and educational material to create your own Aging-Well Plan, consider joining the Solo and Smart Membership Club. https://carolmarak.com/solo-membership-club

Thank you for visiting. Please share, like, and subscribe.

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Carol Marak Solo Aging Expert

Carol Marak, Author, Speaker, Go-to Authority on Aging Alone

After spending nearly a decade helping her elderly parents with the aging issues, Carol had a wake-up call, “Who will do for me all the things I did for my parents?” Taking note of that difficult realization, she got on the stick and created a roadmap to guide her in addressing the inevitable complexities of aging while living alone.

Carol knows what’s truly needed when a person has only herself to rely on.

She has taught hundreds of adults to think more creatively about and to take action for acquiring stronger health, a connected and supportive lifestyle, an inspiring purpose, more engagement, safe and secure finances and legal concerns—and more. Media refers to Carol Marak as the go-to authority of the fastest growing adult population—aging alone aka, solo agers.

Outside of my passion for mentoring and supporting solos, I enjoy the outdoors as an avid walker.

And most importantly, I'm thrilled when individuals begin to explore the wide-range of possibilities they have available to them to live well far beyond tomorrow!