Fifty Plus Advocate

Catering to baby boomers and seniors who’ve lost savings during the recession, retirement-housing designers and developers are shifting to smaller homes that are more energy efficient and maximize space.

At midmorning, the line at Liquiteria is almost out the door. Customers at the bright, cheerful juice bar can’t seem to get enough of owner Doug Green’s menu of smoothies and fresh-squeezed juices. Some of the drinks are billed as energy builders; others promise to burn fat, boost the immune system or detoxify the lymph system.

It’s easy being green — Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, carnivore or pescetarian, vegetables should be a central part of your diet. Often referred to as a “protective food,” dark green foods provide essential vitamins and nutrients to your body that protect you from many of life’s worst diseases.

The stock market seems to have turned a corner and mutual funds are growing again. For 401(k) investors there’s an opportunity to regain some lost ground, but they’ll need to make some decisions. How do you make the right choices without taking on too much risk again?

In retirement, your paycheck might go away, but taxes won’t. Still your tax bill can be hard to predict. To have some control over how much you pay the government each year, you should have both taxable and non-taxable accounts from which to draw your retirement income.

In mid-July, Arthur J. Sommas 86-year-old father fell at his home in Waterbury. He went to Waterbury Hospital for treatment of a compressed disk. After a nine-day stay, he was released to a convalescent home to recuperate.

Technology has revolutionized how Americans manage chronic diseases, empowering us to monitor important health indicators in the comfort of our own homes. From monitoring blood pressure and blood oxygen levels to the electronic transmission of health information, technology is helping us take better charge of our own health.

Many of you may wonder what a cataract is. Is family history important to the development of a cataract? Can you prevent cataracts ? Will cataracts cause blindness? How are cataracts fixed?

In last month’s article, I discussed what a cataract is. For those of you who may have missed the article, I will summarize. The lens in the eye acts much like a lens in a camera. It focuses images we see onto the retina that is analogous to film in a camera. When we are born, a healthy lens is clear.

The treatment, management and prevention of oral diseases in older people will improve not only the condition of the mouth, but also overall health and well-being.