From the Desk of Debbie Stewart:

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to You and Yours!

It's looking like it's going to be a mild winter for us, here in the Prescott area, unlike the rest of the country. But Market & Political trends are making the future tough to cope with for many Seniors & Caregivers in our community.

We continue to direct folks, who ask for referrals for assistance, to our website: www.SeniorConnection.us - Click on the Resource Directory.

The Directory contains almost 500 Agencies in the Prescott Area, sorted in 33 different Categories. Check the Category that you are interested and click on the submit button at the bottom of the list. You will be presented with a page by page listing of all the Agencies that asked to be in the Selected Category. (Note that those Agencies who are members of the Senior Connection are listed with an * in front of their Business name.)

But there is also a plethora of agency help available from companies outside our immediate area that may be of additional assistance for our peeps (our Senior & Caregiver People, folks like you). Number One on the list of queries is Housing Assistance, number two is Financial Assistance.

One website that has put together a relatively easy-to-access information database of National assistance is at www.findhelp.org. Type in your zipcode and select from one of several categories (Food, Housing, Financial, Health Care, Job Placement, etc) for which assistance is available.

Likewise, our Speakers Bureau In-Person presentations are beginning again for the New Year. We urge you to attend all of these twice-a-month Speakers Bureau presentations at Las Fuentes Resort Village (the second Thursday of the month), and American Lutheran Church (on the fourth Thursday of the month). You can see what presentations are scheduled by clicking on the Speakers Bureau tab on the www.SeniorConnection.us website.

If you can't make it to one of the presentations due to weather or prior commitment, you will find that most, but not all of the presentations will be video-taped and put up on our website (Set your browser to: TeleConnection.SeniorConnection.us) within a day or two of the In-Person presentation. There are over 80 past Presentations that are available to you 24 hours a day on the Senior Connection Streaming website with a simple mouse click. Check all these fabulous presentations at TeleConnection.SeniorConnection.us

Good Luck to All of Us!
Don & Debbie

Senior Connection
P.O. Box 11929
Prescott AZ 86304
(928) 778-3747 
www.SeniorConnection.us
Debbie@SeniorConnection.us

As Caregivers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks that need to be accomplished for your loved one each day. While it’s easy to remain upbeat on good days, it’s the bad days that can leave you feeling confused, exhausted or resentful. At these times, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. 

Knowing what to expect can help tremendously in your ability to cope. Knowledge is Power! Each month in this newsletter we include one or more articles on topics relating to the joys and challenges of aging and caregiving.

Please let me know if you find the articles useful and what other topics you’d like to see.

The SECURE 2.0 Act has passed, making it the largest retirement legislation since the original Secure Act hit in the late 2019.

The SECURE Act of 2019 made sweeping changes to required minimum distributions, with the most prudent change being that most non-spousal inherited retirement accounts are required to be withdrawn over 10 years rather than stretching distributions out to avoid heavy tax liabilities.

Among the MANY changes included in the legislation is Required Minimum Distribution Changes. Starting on January 1, 2023, the age to begin RMDs will move from 72 to 73. However, anyone who already turned age 72 by the end of 2022 is subject to age 72 required beginning date. Additionally, the age likely increases to age 75 on January 1, 2033. It’s “likely” because right now there appears to be a drafting typo in the bill that will probably get resolved in the future.

Keep in mind that most people will not be impacted by the RMD age increase because they are already taking out more than their RMD at 72. Nearly 80% of people took out more than their RMD at age 70.5, and it’s likely that fewer than 20% take RMD only at 72. This number would drop even more by age 73 and even further by age 75. This provision mostly impacts people with wealth who don’t need their RMD and can leave the money to grow.

Another major RMD change is a reduction in the penalty for missing an RMD from a 50% penalty tax to 25%. Additionally, if the RMD is corrected in a timely fashion, it would reduce the penalty again down to 10%.

There are many other changes included in the SECURE 2.0 Act. Please consult your Financial Advisor with any questions or implications as it relates to your individual situation.

Joe Allen Wealth Advisor Lane Brothers Investment Counsel 1560 Plaza West Drive Prescott 86303 (928)776-8870 joe@lanebrothers.com www.lanebrothers.com

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"Caregiver Stress"

Submitted by 
Susan Drysdale, PhD - Psychotherapist

Many of us are trying to cope with our own problems when suddenly we find ourselves in the role of caregiver to another. Perhaps we have become responsible for a spouse, a parent, a sibling, or sometimes even an adult child. We did not expect to be taking care of someone else. We are not sure how to navigate the waters. We are uncertain how to handle our own problems along with the problems of someone else.

We are trying to balance it all out for the sake of the other as well as for ourselves. If we do not get the support we need, stress can leave us vulnerable to burnout. If things get bad enough, we will not be able to help the one we love. Signs of caregiver stress are anxiety, depression, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, resentment, impatience, and eating too much or too little, or drinking too much. 

We need to find ways to lighten the load. We need to invest in other activities besides caregiving. Perhaps we can look into respite care. Perhaps we can ask friends and relatives to help while we give ourselves permission to take time off. We need to feel empowered by focusing on what we can control. We need to realize that our reactions to a problem are usually more important than the problem itself. We need to feel appreciated, which can be done by imagining how the loved one would react if he or she could, or by speaking to a supportive friend or relative. We need to let others know what they can do to help out. We need to take care of our own health by eating right, exercising, sleeping enough, and finding time to relax.

Perhaps finding a support group or talking to a professional would be helpful. Sometimes we need a neutral third party to help us prioritize what needs to be done and figure out how to move forward

Susan Drysdale, PhD is a psychotherapist with 30 years clinical experience. Areas of expertise include bereavement, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, transitions and loss, addictions, stress-related symptoms, coping with illness, and other senior citizen issues.  Visit www.drsusandrysdale.com or contact her in Prescott at (631)681-6717 or drsusandrysdale@gmail.com

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If you would like to see what Support Groups are operating in our Community, please click here:
www.CaregiverConnection.us/SupportGroups

If you would like to see who our Sponsoring Members are, please click here:
www.CaregiverConnection.us/SCAgencies

If you would to learn more about Community Activities & Announcements, please click here:
www.CaregiverConnection.us/Community

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Disclaimer:
The inclusion of information about the companies listed herein does not represent an endorsement on the part of this publication, the Caregiver Connection, the Senior Connection, nor is staff or officers.
It is your responsibility to verify the validity, reliability and suitability of any of the companies with whom you may wish to do business.

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Newsletter Compiled by:
Debbie Stewart
Senior Connection,
www.SeniorConnection.us

We would appreciate if you would notify us at Debbie@SeniorConnection.us
if you learn of any changes to the above information.
Thank you!

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The information contained herein and throughout the website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be construed as legal, medical or financial advice. Use of this information indicates your understanding of, and agreement to the above.

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Whether you are an adult child caring for an aging parent, a spouse or sibling providing care to a relative, or a senior caring for yourself, the information and products available via the www.SeniorConnection.us website are designed to improve your quality of life. 

THE
SENIORCONNECTION.US WEBSITE

   As caregivers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks that need to be accomplished for your loved ones each day.
    Although hundreds of resources exist to help you, the hardest part can be finding what’s available. 
   Therefore, in addition to the Caregiver Connection newsletter, I am also pleased to make available to you several valuable resources via the “Senior Connection website.” This web-based one-stop Educational and Information center for Caregivers and Seniors is designed to save you time and money, as well as your sanity.
   The SeniorConnection.us website consists of a comprehensive Resource Directory, Articles on topics of relevance to caregivers and seniors, and informational Videos and Slideshows about agencies that offer help throughout Yavapai County.

SENIOR RESOURCES DIRECTORY

   The Resources Directory contains contact information for hundreds of local nonprofit, government and commercial agencies that provide helpful products and services to ease the life of caregivers. 
   Updated weekly, this searchable database will save you literally hundreds of research hours and connect you with nonprofit, government and commercial agencies that can help with every aspect of being a caregiver. 
   Categories include areas such as assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, in-home care providers, transportation, meal preparation and delivery, and financial assistance. 
   A search on one or more keywords results in all of the companies that provide a particular product or service. You can then print out the Profile of each agency that is of interest to you. 

   All on the website at: 
Senior Connection.us

INFORMATIONAL ARTICLES

Dozens of candid articles get right to the "heart of the matter," from both the Caregiver’s and Senior’s perspectives.

The Informational Articles section contains articles on a wide variety of topics relating to aging.

The articles are short and sweet, yet go directly to the heart of the matter of some of the most sensitive issues surrounding our fears and frustrations as caregivers.

No topic is off-limits and new articles are constantly being added to the website.

To read additional articles on a variety of topics, please visit the Articles section of the SeniorConnection.us website:

Articles

EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS

Educational Videos and Slideshows, narrated by recognized experts in the community, are posted on the website. Additionally, videos and slideshows featuring nonprofit and for-profit agencies that provide products or services to caregivers and seniors will be available at the website: 

Senior Connection.us