NCRGEA is back on the road with seven in-person meetings and we are fortunate to have our good friends from the NC Department of Insurance’s Senior Health Information Insurance Program (SHIIP) to advise on your open enrollment processes and our representatives from AMBA to offer information on supplemental dental and vision programs. These meetings will be a great opportunity to get your questions answered by subject matter experts.
Location:
Herb Young Community Center | Cardinal Room | 101 Wilkinson Ave. | Cary NC 27513
Interested in attending? Click the Register Now button or call 919-834-4652 or 1-800-356-1190. For further information, please email info@rgea.info.
NCRGEA is back on the road with seven in-person meetings and we are fortunate to have our good friends from the NC Department of Insurance’s Senior Health Information Insurance Program (SHIIP) to advise on your open enrollment processes and our representatives from AMBA to offer information on supplemental dental and vision programs. These meetings will be a great opportunity to get your questions answered by subject matter experts.
Location:
St. John’s Baptist Church/ Broach Hall | 300 Hawthorne Lane | Charlotte NC 28204
Interested in attending? Click the Register Now button or call 919-834-4652 or 1-800-356-1190. For further information, please email info@rgea.info.
Hear directly from Lisa Wallace, a Social Security Public Affairs Specialist with the Social Security Administration. This webinar will discuss:
eligibility for benefits
how early retirement affects your benefits
disability and survivor benefits
the future of Social Security
filing for Medicare
Registration by Monday | September 4 is required for this FREE event. Click the Register Now button at the top. Space is limited so please register soon. INVITE A FRIEND! You will receive the Zoom link by email on Monday, September 4 and you don’t need a computer to participate! Join the session using either the Zoom link, or the Zoom long distance phone number provided. If you have any questions, please email info@NCRGEA.com or phone 919.834.4652 or 1 800 356 1190.
This session will not be recorded at the request of Social Security Administration.
Previous NCRGEA 2023 Lunch and Learn Series recordings can be found on our YouTube channel.
Summertime can be a time of great enjoyment. Many of us enjoy outdoor activities like bike rides, hiking, and trips to the beach. However, while getting the most out of the season can improve your state of mind and physical fitness, it can be bad for your dental health.
3 reasons why summertime can pose risks for your teeth:
1 – Dehydration Can Damage Your Teeth
Under normal conditions, salivation moisturizes and protects your teeth and gums. Saliva has antibacterial properties, which helps control the bacteria that attack your teeth and gums. But the summertime heat can leave your body – and mouth – dehydrated. Especially if you’re working out, playing sports, or just working in the garden, if your saliva levels decrease, it can leave your mouth vulnerable.
Even more concerning, when you get dehydrated, saliva can turn acidic and lead to increased risk of tooth damage. Saliva also contains minerals that help restore your teeth and helps maintain a neutral pH in your mouth.
Especially in the summertime, make sure you drink plenty of water every day. This will help ensure bacteria is washing away from your teeth enough throughout the day. If you enjoy sports drinks, be aware they contain a lot of sugars and are frequently very acidic. At the very least, consider getting the sugar-free options so you don’t coat your teeth in sugar.
2 – Sugary and Acidic Summer Drinks
Speaking of sugary and acidic drinks: while there’s nothing like enjoying a cool glass of iced tea or lemonade in the summertime, be aware these refreshments tend to have a lot of sugars and are highly acidic. Unfortunately, the same can be said for a cold beer, a glass of wine, or many other drinks. The sugar and acids in these options can leave a coating of bacteria that will cause cavities and gum disease as well as eat away at your teeth’s enamel. Limit the number of these drinks and rinse them down with lots of water. Adding an additional tooth brushing during the summer can also help.
3 – Swimming Pools and Teeth
Since water is so good for your teeth, then a dip in the swimming pool can only be good for them, right? Unfortunately, chlorine can damage your oral health. Most pools have a pH between 7.2 and 7.8, but often drop below these levels which means the water is acidic. When pool water gets in your mouth the acid from the chlorinated water can wear away your enamel and cause tooth discoloration.
Keep Your Teeth Healthy with a Dental Plan from NCRGEA and AMBA
You can enjoy great oral health for many summers to come by taking care of your mouth. With smart preventative oral care including getting checkups 2x a year with your dentist, you can significantly reduce the risks to your teeth and can help you keep your mouth healthy. Exams every six months give your dentist a chance to provide advice on caring for your teeth and allows them to detect oral health problems early, when they’re most treatable.
NCRGEA and AMBA offer excellent Dental Plans with low deductibles, high maximums, and no waiting period. This plan gives you coverage with over 400,000 in-network providers nationwide and includes savings on twice yearly checkups, fillings, and many procedures. Sign up now at www.ambadentalvision.com/ncrgeaor call 800-956-1228.
In 2018, Great Britain made history by appointing a Minister of Loneliness. The objective for the role was to study how the effects of chronic loneliness effect the 7.1% percent of British citizens who suffer from it and how to reduce those numbers.
The United States faces its own battle against the same issue. In America an epidemic of loneliness is an “under-appreciated public health crisis,” according to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, almost 50% of adults in the United States reported measurable levels of loneliness.
Studies have shown that the condition can affect mental and physical health, with heightened risks for catching a cold, having a stroke or heart disease, slipping into early cognitive decline, and developing depression.
Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older Americans
Isolation and loneliness are different experiences. There are many people who are socially isolated who don’t experience loneliness. Likewise, there are also many people who experience loneliness despite being surrounded with others, including friends and family.
So, which causes health problems, especially as we age: social isolation or loneliness?
As it turns out, both.
Even for those who prefer solitude and have a more introverted personality, interaction with others turns out to help keep our minds and bodies more active and engaged and helps ward off depression and loneliness.
Although technology is no substitute for our need for more face-to-face contact with others, it can serve an important role to bridge the gap and help find likeminded people.
Find People with Similar Interests
No matter how obscure or specialized the subject, from the best diners along Route 66 to Big Band Jazz, online social media is filled with active and enthusiastic communities. Some may be local to you and have in-person meet-ups and others may hold regularly scheduled online video discussions through Skype or Zoom.
Finding those with similar experiences and interests can help you form bonds that grow into real-world friendships. That’s important: one survey found that 46% of those who become personal friends with “online acquaintances” are less likely to be lonely than those who maintain online-only relationships.
Convenient Rides Help More Social Activities
One reason for social isolation among older Americans is their inability or concern to drive at night or in heavy traffic. Apps like Uber and Lyft can be a game-changer, helping people to get out and socialize with friends.
Play Online Games
One of the best ways to keep the aging brain nimble and active is to play games. Online games like Words with Friends (a game much very similar to Scrabble) let people play in real time with friends gathered from social media and their phone contacts. Many of these games include built-in chat functions, so the experience of online game play can feel more like sitting across the table from each other, with opportunities for crosstalk, off-topic banter, and “real” conversation between turns.
Virtual Education and Clubs
Virtual book clubs, movie clubs, spirituality and religious groups, and even world-class education courses can be delivered over phones, tablets, or internet-connected televisions. Related discussion groups can provide structured activities that help build relationships.
Finally, take heart. Making new friends may seem daunting, but studies reveal that adults only need to spend approximately 90 minutes in each other’s presence to become friends, while close friendships seem to form over a course of about 200 hours.
Another excellent source to meet like-minded people and potential friends is through your very own association. Everything from association meetings to volunteering opportunities to group travel. There’s no reason to go it alone. Join the group!
September is a great time to begin to pursue educational opportunities in the things you’ve always wanted. From learning a foreign language to discovering how to code, to the tech equipment you and your loved ones need, with AMBA Discounts you can get all the best gear at the best prices!
Learn a Foreign Language
Babbel is a language app that boasts over 10 million downloads from users around the world. Babbel’s current roster of languages include Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Polish, Russian, Dutch, Turkish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Indonesian, and more. Babbel’s series of activities help you improve your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. It features high-quality content, a sleek design, and excellent speech-recognition technology. If you’ve been wanting to learn a foreign language or meaning to sharpen your skills, Babbel is perfect!
AMBA Discounts offer: 55% off new subscriptions!
Develop Your Skills as A Developer
Educative is a hands-on learning platform for software developers of all levels. Their interactive, text-based courses are built from the ground up to teach you today’s most in-demand and important skills. Tools like in-browser coding environments and interview-focused assessments help you practice as you learn. Educative’s lessons are simple, straight to the point, and let you practice with it everywhere, even from your phone.
AMBA Discounts offer: Save 20% on one-year and two-year unlimited subscriptions for standard and premium plans.
The Tools for Success
Of course, you need the gear to make the most of your studies. And Samsung Galaxy Chromebook computers, Android phones, and Galaxy tablets offer some of the best technology available today.
AMBA Discounts offer: savings up to 25% and more on PCs, tablets, televisions, digital imaging and audio/video products.
These are just some of the amazing offers currently available. There are so many more savings to explore, like luxury travel, shopping, and car rentals. Best of all, your AMBA Discounts membership is absolutely FREE to all NCRGEA members!
Maintaining good health is important throughout our lives. As we age, it’s more vital than ever to keep living a happy and active life. While genetics or family history contribute to our own health risks, there are things you can do to help prevent chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Here’s a quick checklist to help maintain good health as you age.
Eat a heart healthy diet
Taking care of your heart should be among everyone’s top priorities. Eating a heart healthy diet – such as lowering your saturated fats and sodium intake, reducing cholesterol, and getting the nutrients your body needs to continue working properly as you age – can help you stay healthy. Even if you’ve had a heart attack, it’s never too late to make healthy lifestyle changes and take steps to improve your overall health.
Exercise and stay active
As you get older, many people claim they just don’t have the energy to exercise. And while our exercise routines need to evolve as we age, people who start exercising again frequently soon report increased energy and an improved quality of life. Studies prove that exercise can not only help your body stay fit, but also improve your mood.
Make sure your hearing is loud and clear
Hearing loss is all too frequently part of aging. If you have a persistent ringing in your ears or sometimes have difficulty understanding what people are saying even though you can hear them, or others tell you that you have the TV volume up too high, you might have some hearing loss or a related condition called tinnitus.
Maintaining an active lifestyle starts at your feet
Because we rely on them so much and they literally carry the weight of our entire bodies, our feet and ankles are constantly at risk for inflammation, pain, and limited movement and flexibility. Wear appropriate and comfortable footwear that is right for your foot type. For example, if you are flat-footed, make sure you wear shoes with appropriate cushioning. Flexible shoes that bend too readily often cause people to twist their foot or ankle and fall. Hard, sturdy soles are more slip-resistant than lightweight, flexible shoes. Choose shoes that have a good tread and get rid of shoes that have worn out tread.
Keep your medications organized and safe
As we age, we frequently have more medications to manage different health conditions. It’s important to review your medications regularly with your pharmacist and your health care provider to make sure everything is necessary and to identify possible interactions. One of the best ways to make sure you take your daily medications is with a color-coded pill organizer.
Get your beauty rest
As we age, losing sleep at night can also lead to other health concerns, like an increased risk of falling and daytime fatigue. People over age 65 should get at least seven-to-eight hours of sleep every night. That’s because getting the rest you need can help you stay both physically and mentally well as you age.
Following the checklist above can help you to stay healthy and active throughout your entire life. Another list to check is making sure you have all the coverage you need. From Vision and Dental to other important insurance coverage, a FREE Benefits Review with an AMBA field agent can help make sure you and your family can enjoy peace of mind. Request a Review now at www.amba-review.com/NCRGEA or call 800-956-1228 Mon-Fri 10am-8pm EST. It’s nice to know that anytime you have questions about your insurance benefits, someone is ready to assist.
Our NCRGEA members have such great talents, and we want to showcase them in an upcoming free digital recipe book of holiday desserts. Here’s how you can participate:
Fill in the online submission form before October 25, 2023
Choose one of the 4 food categories (you can submit as many different recipes as you’d like!)
Write a brief story about what the recipe means to you as an Intro to the recipe!
Provide ingredients and cooking instructions and serving size for your recipe
Upload a quality image of the dessert under 25mb (optional)
Click Send button~ then, set your timers!
Digital release of the compiled cookbook will be on our website for free download by November 3, 2023. This is a digital cookbook; NCRGEA will not be providing printed copies
Any questions? Please emailinfo@NCRGEA.com for further information.
