Senior Living 50 Plus - December 2020

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SENIOR LIVING | TRADITIONS

7 Tips for Hosting a Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange

provide a recipe card in their individ- ual packages, or as the host, you can compile the recipes and share through email. Double Ginger Gingersnaps – A per- sonal favorite of Gilbert’s, these are a ginger lover’s dream! Ground ginger and crystallized ginger make the flavor pop on these cookies, which are crispy on the outside and chewy inside. 6. Share stories via video conference. Many guests like to tell the stories be- hind their cookies. By scheduling time to connect, you’ll likely hear some heartwarming or hilarious anecdotes and maybe even some helpful tidbits. Sugar Cookie Thumbprints with Spiced Jam – Inspired by a bakery treat, this holiday twist on a classic uses cinna- mon or ginger-spiced jam. 7. Have fun. Take time to ask how ev- eryone has been and give them a chance to share what other traditions they’re planning this year. While the party is about cookies, it’s also about connect- ing, having fun and picking up a few new recipes to try. Pecan Cookie Balls – These buttery melt-in-your-mouth cookies, also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes, make a great addition to any holiday cookie exchange.

local. Your family and friends’ safety is the most important thing, and no one wants to bake a ton of cookies. Aim for five to 10 people. Gingerbread Men Cookies – No win- ter holiday is complete without gin- gerbread men. They’re cute and can be decorated with raisins, cinnamon red- hot candies or royal icing. 2. Invite cookie enthusiasts. Invite people who enjoy being in the kitch- en and welcome sharing their recipe secrets! Tell them they’re going to be sharing the story behind their choice. Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies – This tasty recipe crinkles from the confectioners’ sugar, and the deep chocolate red color and taste add up to a cookie you’ll be proud to share. 3. Package cookies in separate por- tions. Ask participants to package each

(StatePoint) It may take a little extra time and creativity, but a holiday cook- ie exchange can be held virtually and it’s worth the effort according to experts. “There’s a famous quote, ‘If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ It’s so true for me as I find great joy in developing easy, flavorful recipes,” says Cindy Gilbert, McCor- mick Test Kitchen chef. “My friends have come to me for years requesting tips and tricks, and over 20 years ago, they anointed me the annual holiday cookie exchange leader. This past year has been challenging, but I knew I wanted to keep the tradition alive while following social distancing guidelines.” Here are Gilbert’s top seven tips on hosting your own virtual cookie ex- change, along with her favorite deli- cious McCormick cookie picks.

serving in individual containers or re- sealable bags of six cookies per serving.

Easy Lemon Cookie Truffles – This is a perfect no-bake option. Lemon extract adds a bright citrus flavor to this easy four-ingredient treat that starts with store-bought sugar cookies. 4. Arrange the exchange. About an hour before the virtual get-together, set up a table outside, in a cul-de-sac or school parking lot. Everyone can take turns grabbing their cookies quickly and safely. Or, arrange no contact porch drop-offs during a set time. Holiday Meringue Cookies – These deliciously airy, light, and low-fat me- ringue cookies are the perfect confec- tion for any holiday celebration. Add your favorite food coloring for a festive twist.

Find these recipes and more by visiting McCormick.com/CookieExchange.

With a little creativity and the perfect cookie recipe, you can reinvent your fa- vorite baking traditions for a safe and festive holiday season.

1. Keep the virtual guest list small and

5. Request the recipes. Ask guests to

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SENIOR LIVING | HEALTH

This Holiday Season, Doctors Urge Public to Make Safety a Top Priority

(StatePoint) With COVID-19 infections at an all-time high, medical experts urge the public to make safety their number one priority throughout the holiday season. “Nearly a year into this pandemic, people are yearning for a return to normalcy. However, COVID-19 cases are surging and with flu season already upon us, bringing together people from different households during the holidays is far too great a safety risk,” says Susan R. Bailey, M.D., president of the American Medical Association (AMA). During this unusual year, the AMA is sharing top tips for a safe and healthy holiday season: 1. It may not be the way you’re used to celebrating, but consider limiting this year’s gatherings to just the people who live in your household. 2. If you live somewhere warm, you may be able to add a few people to your plans, but only if your get together is outdoors and safely physically distant. 3. Take advantage of the video conferencing technologies available at your fingertips to bridge the distance between you and family or friends. Whether it’s watching holiday movies, unwrapping gifts or sharing recipes together, many of these traditions can still happen virtually. 4. Interested in holiday deals and discounts? Shop for bargains from home. And if you must go to the store in person and you’re at-risk, check ahead

of time to see if there are special hours for you. 5. Consider additional outdoor activities that can bring together other people in your circle without the dangers of dining inside. Go apple picking, leaf peeping or hiking. Think beyond the traditional holiday activities and start new traditions.

dinner is for a smaller group? You can still cook a largemeal and share a portion with neighbors or friends. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends “delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others.” 7. Continue to follow everyday safety guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19: wash your hands, maintain physical distancing and #MaskUp.

More health resources, along with tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19, are available at ama-assn.org. “Missing holiday traditions is difficult, but with top scientists and researchers working round the clock to combat this virus, I’m hopeful that by this time next year, friends and family will be together again, one way or another,” says Dr. Bailey.

6. Disappointed that your usual large

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SENIOR LIVING | TRADITIONS Keeping Traditions Alive During an Unusual Holiday Season

(StatePoint) This holiday season may look a bit different due to social distancing. But just because everyone is not physically together, doesn’t mean your family can’t share its favorite traditions. The Olesen family of O&H Danish Bakery knows how important holiday traditions are to feeling connected to loved ones. Now in its fourth generation, the family-owned and operated bakery is sharing its best tips for creating holiday cheer from anywhere: Celebrate virtually In a survey commissioned by O&H Danish Bakery and conducted by SWNS Media Group and OnePoll, nearly 80 percent of respondents say time with

family is their favorite part of the holiday season. Whether your tradition is a Christmas movie marathon, a caroling session around the piano or eating certain foods and baked treats, you can enjoy these activities together over video chat this year. Share traditional foods The sensory memories that good food creates are powerful. In fact, 44 percent of people say the holiday spirit wouldn’t be the same if they didn’t have their traditional holiday dessert. If you are likemany families, that favorite dessert is Kringle, a traditional Danish treat made of 36 layers of butter and pastry. Among O&H’s special holiday offerings are Thanksgiving Stuffed

Kringle, A Very Danish Christmas Kringle and the classic Pecan Kringle. Over the past 70 years, the award- winning bakery has shipped to more than 100 countries, making landfall in all seven continents, including Antarctica. This year, doorstep delivery makes it easy to order a traditional favorite for your own household or send a gift to family members near and far. Visit ohdanishbakery.com. Plan ahead When it comes to ordering gifts and specially baked treats, make sure to account for busy schedules and congested delivery services to ensure all your goodies arrive on time. Take note of shipping times and policies, as well as ordering deadlines for each company.

For example, O&H allows customers to pre-order Kringle and schedule a preferred delivery date in the future. Create hygge Evoking the sights, sounds and aromas of a typical holiday season will help make this year feel more cheerful. Take a cue from Danish culture and embrace hygge. Pronounced “hoo-ga,” it means creating a cozy atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life, such as the warm glow of candlelight or a steaming cup of cocoa -- and there is no better time of year to do it than the holiday season. This year might be especially difficult for families who are physically separated, but there are many ways to spread cheer and keep traditions alive.

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SENIOR LIVING | INSURANCE

What to Know About Today’s Life Insurance Options

(StatePoint) Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans are looking into new life insurance coverage or taking a closer look at their existing coverage to make potential updates, according to a new survey. While over one-third of consumers think life insurance is more important to own now due to the pandemic, just 50 percent of Americans actually own policies currently. The results of the survey, conducted by Lincoln Financial Group, suggest that consumers could use more information about life insurance in order to make good coverage decisions. “While COVID-19 has recently put the spotlight on the need for life insurance, it should always be regarded as a significant financial planning tool for families,” says Mike Burns, senior vice president of Life Solutions for Lincoln Financial Group.

be more likely to purchase life insurance if it could be used it for future needs or emergencies while they are alive. 2. Costs vary: Those who don’t own life insurance policies often cite affordability as the barrier to purchasing coverage. However, the price of policy options ranges considerably and its worth looking into what’s available before assuming it’s out of reach. For example, it may be possible for a healthy individual to get a term life insurance policy for less than $15 per month. Individuals may also be able to get life insurance through their employer at no or little cost. 3. You can get covered online: The end- to-end digital purchasing process of life insurance today will likely appeal to many younger consumers -- 40 percent of millennials surveyed said they would be more likely to purchase life insurance if they could do so electronically. Such

options do exist, with some policies issued electronically within 24 hours. Many people also have the option to select additional life insurance as part of their employer-sponsored benefits during their annual open enrollment. More information about today’s life insurance options can be found by visiting lfg.com. At a time when many Americans are facing uncertainty, it’s no surprise that a financial tool which helps families protect and pass on their assets is in the spotlight. However, experts stress that life insurance is always an important part of any financial plan, especially given the broad benefits of today’s diverse life insurance options. A financial professional or workplace benefits specialist can help individuals determine what policy option best addresses their needs and circumstances.

According to Burns, the survey highlights specific knowledge gaps around life insurance. To that end, he says that consumers should think about the following things as they weigh their options: 1. Life insurance can offer broad benefits: According to the survey, the primary reasons people buy life insurance are to cover final expenses and replace lost income for the family if they pass away. However, today’s life insurance can extend well beyond standard death benefit protection. Many types of policies also provide “living benefits,” that can be used to provide supplemental retirement income, cover long-term care expenses or protect a business, among other financial planning needs. The survey found that these types of benefits are very appealing to consumers, with 45 percent of respondents saying that would

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SENIOR LIVING | GARDENING

GIVE PEACE OF MIND FOR THE HOLIDAYS

estimated $3 trillion in wages, pensions, and social security benefits because of these caregiving responsibilities. Many children find their parents require so much time that they can’t hang on to their job-either they get fired for missing too much work or they have to quit. The cost in lost wages and retirement benefits are estimated to be more than $300,000 per person. Those costs don’t even include the costs of professional care such as home health aides or nursing homes which can total tens of thousands of dollars annually. Family caregivers may not have a lot of options since Medicare doesn’t cover custodial care-help with such things such as bathing, cleaning, and cooking assistance that elderly parents may require. If the parents don’t have long term care insurance or savings to cover the cost of hiring help, the adult children usually have to figure out a way to provide it themselves. Give your family peace of mind, buy a long term care policy that will cover both custodial care and facility care. These policies are now more comprehensive covering many options including home health care, companion or homemaker care, home modifications, medical alert and medical equipment, adult daycare, hospice, as well as assisted living and nursing home care. This allows you to stay in your home longer if you chose and also gives your family member the peace of mind knowing that Mom or Dad is being taken care of.

with 3 kids. Mary is young and healthy, a 20-year $100,000 term policy will cost between $10-15 per month depending on the company. Adding a $10,000 rider on for the kids would add another $5.00 onto the policy. That’s not $5 per child, it is $5 for all of them. Even though one of the grandkids was later diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, when they reached 25, each one was offered the opportunity to convert their policy for up to $50,000. That kind of gift can ensure some financial security for future generations. Another idea is a final expense policy for family peace of mind. Use a $10,000 life insurance policy as your final expense plan. Most funerals cost between $7-10,000. Help your kids ahead of time so they aren’t scrambling to try to pay for your funeral. If you have some health issues, you can get a “graded” policy which means that if you die within the first year of the policy, you will receive a portion of the death benefit, if you die in year 2, a larger portion, but if you die after year 3, your beneficiaries will receive the entire death benefit so they can use it to pay for the funeral and any other final expenses incurred. Finally, another idea is long-term care insurance. A recent Metlife study reported that 25% of adult children provide physical or financial care to an aging parent. This number has tripled in the last 15 years. These adult children-caregivers will lose an

Here’s an example of how it can work. Margie just turned 82 and her health was declining. She had purchased her long term care policy 15 years ago and was now having trouble dressing and bathing herself. He son, John reviewed her policy and discovered that she was eligible for services to begin. He worked with the care coordinator offered by the insurance policy to get his Mom set up to have homemaker services 4 hours per day. They would come in to help his Mom get up every morning, shower and dress, make her 2 meals a day, and clean house. John and his wife would check in on Mom after work, bring her dinner, and make sure that she was taken care of for the evening. They were able to do that for 2 years before Mom needed to go to the nursing home. Without that policy paying for those services, John or his wife would have had to move Mom into their home and one of them would have had to quit their job. Margie had made a good decision when she was younger and healthy to protect her family. Give your loved ones peace of mind and financial security this holiday season, stick a policy under the tree. If need additional information or want some pricing for these ideas, call Rebecca Nordquist at Phares Financial at 308-532-3180. Note: Our office has moved, we are now at 319 East B Street, in North Platte.

By Rebecca Nordquist, RD, MHA, CLTC

As our toes get chilly, we know it’s a quick slide to Christmas. The time is right to start thinking about gift giving for our families. In these turbulent financial times, consider gifts of financial security. How about a life insurance policy on the grandkids? “You say to yourself…I can’t afford that for all of them!” As Lee Corso (on ESPN) says, “Not so Fast”. Here’s how you do it. You purchase a inexpensive term policy on your son or daughter and add the grandkids on as a rider. When the grandkids turn age 23 or 25, depending on the company, the policy can convert to up to 5 times the face value of the original. So a $10,000 term policy on the child can convert to a $50,000 permanent policy when the child grows up regardless of their health status.

For example, your daughter Mary is 27

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