In the early 1900s, the average life expectancy was 47 years. Compare it to the 80-90 years of life expectancy you see tomorrow. Invariably, you live a few decades past your retirement, which can happen in your 50s or 60s. You have all the rights to enjoy the retirement life, because you have contributed to your family, society, the companies you have worked for and for the society. And, a healthy, enjoyable life is your right, because you have laid all the foundations for a happy retired life.

It is not for everyone to find all the benefits and opportunities available to senior citizens. You don’t find them in the newspapers. There are a few websites by both government and senior citizen organizations of all different sizes and type. They provide you the information, guidelines and tips to avail the benefits and preferential treatments that are due to you. Healthcare, taxes, travel, etc all have the best favorable deals for the seniors.

How to find them and how best to use them are the biggest questions. They are not automatically delivered to you (except in certain cases). You need assistance finding them and using them, because you may not always be in a position to do the research yourself and identify what is best for you. There are some senior citizen organizations in all different parts of the United States, which have people research the concessions and benefits available to seniors.

Then again, there is another problem. Not every senior citizen organization is instituted with your best interests in mind. Some are just suckers of money, only interested in membership fees and selling you stuff you don’t need. Always avoid such organizations that promise big and deliver nothing. You need to be extra cautious about avoiding them because every penny you have is valuable and not to be spent on people who don’t care enough about you.

There are also free resources in the internet that you can always use. The government website is an example. Equally important are the websites that provide senior citizen information. Bookmark such sites because you can easily find the information you want, whenever you need it

In the early 1900s, the average life expectancy was 47 years. Compare it to the 80-90 years of life expectancy you see tomorrow. Invariably, you live a few decades past your retirement, which can happen in your 50s or 60s. You have all the rights to enjoy the retirement life, because you have contributed to your family, society, the companies you have worked for and for the society. And, a healthy, enjoyable life is your right, because you have laid all the foundations for a happy retired life.

It is not for everyone to find all the benefits and opportunities available to senior citizens. You don’t find them in the newspapers. There are a few websites by both government and senior citizen organizations of all different sizes and type. They provide you the information, guidelines and tips to avail the benefits and preferential treatments that are due to you. Healthcare, taxes, travel, etc all have the best favorable deals for the seniors.

How to find them and how best to use them are the biggest questions. They are not automatically delivered to you (except in certain cases). You need assistance finding them and using them, because you may not always be in a position to do the research yourself and identify what is best for you. There are some senior citizen organizations in all different parts of the United States, which have people research the concessions and benefits available to seniors.

Then again, there is another problem. Not every senior citizen organization is instituted with your best interests in mind. Some are just suckers of money, only interested in membership fees and selling you stuff you don’t need. Always avoid such organizations that promise big and deliver nothing. You need to be extra cautious about avoiding them because every penny you have is valuable and not to be spent on people who don’t care enough about you.

There are also free resources in the internet that you can always use. The government website is an example. Equally important are the websites that provide senior citizen information. Bookmark such sites because you can easily find the information you want, whenever you need it.

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You love your cats for the companionship that they provide. A sympathetic ear, great listening skills, and boundless affection are all great side benefits of cat ownership, but your cat may actually be doing more for you than you think. Recent studies have shown that keeping pets has a positive impact on your health and well being, especially when that pet is a cat.

General Health Benefits

Studies have proven that having contact with a pet is very calming and soothing, and have backed up this conjecture with medical facts. Vital signs taken after an individual’s interaction with a pet show positive effects on the blood pressure, pulse, and breathing frequency, and the results of these tests are surprisingly similar to the body’s condition after deep meditation. Some studies have even indicated that having pets reduces stress and results in a lowered risk of heart disease.

Cats and dogs but especially cats have been used in some hospitals and nursing homes as a kind of therapy for the bedridden and ill. The warmth of their furry bodies and open, purring friendship can drastically influence a person’s state of mind for the better. A study conducted in the states of New York, Missouri, and Texas found that nursing homes that allowed pets had lower medication costs than those that didn’t.

Lowered stress and increased calmness could be the cause, but studies over the last twenty years have also shown that people who own pets are much healthier than their non-pet owning counterparts; they are often less-prone to minor illnesses like colds and influenza, score better on psychological tests, and claim to feel a greater sense of well-being.

Children and Cats

Adults are not the only ones who benefit from caring for a cat. Children who have participated in the raising of a pet have shown higher self esteem levels, better social skills, and a greater sense of responsibility toward others. For young children and infants, exposure to cats at a young age can also help the child develop resistance to allergens and asthma.

Seniors and Cats

Older adults often lack companionship, social connections and opportunities for recreation during their retirement years. Owning a cat can significantly boost the health and happiness of a senior, giving them a feeling of purpose and the knowledge that they are needed.

Cats are ideal pets for seniors as they are relatively low-maintenance in comparison to dogs. They don’t need formal exercise like regular walks, or constant trips to the backyard, since they take care of their own exercise routine during play and confine their bathroom habits to a single area.

Cat ownership has been shown to improve the general health and well-being of men with HIV, reduce the loneliness of single women living by themselves, and even help victims of heart disease recover more quickly after a heart attack. Next time you’re cuddling with your cat on the couch, tossing that rubber ball across the linoleum for the sixty-third time, or even cleaning a hairball off the rug, remember that your cat might be doing a lot more for you than you think.

#1 –> The Advance Planner

This is the person who starts their research early, taking their time to become an educated consumer and exploring all the options that are available. Usually this type of person is not afraid of the tough questions, willing to discuss end-of-life issues and engage in deep, meaningful conversations with loved ones. The advanced planner is the one who makes a move before they have to and stays in control of the process.

#2 –> The Reluctant Consumer

This person is somewhat reluctantly pulled into the research process by their spouse or adult children. They really don?t want to have to face the idea of making changes in their lives, but grudgingly participate in the process.

#3 –> The Wake-Up Call

This is the person who finally concedes to make a move after a near crisis: when the health challenge cannot be denied any longer and a change must happen. If the person is fortunate, they may still be capable of functioning in an independent living community.

#4 –> The Scrambler

This is the person who suffers a more serious health challenge that necessitates an immediate move. It usually involves family making all the choices because the older adult can no longer handle processing the options or changes. Most times it involves moving directly into assisted living or skilled nursing care.

Unfortunately I sometimes experience seniors that choose to put their head in the sand and play ostrich about their aging process, thinking they are staying in control of their lives, when the reality is just the opposite. Then, when a serious crisis occurs, someone else will have to scramble around and make the decisions for them as to where they will live and who will care for them.

The wonderful thing is we are all ?at choice? in life and each person can choose how they want to approach this aspect of their journey. So the question to ask yourself or your loved ones is? How will you decide?

The senior life settlement plan has benefited many senior citizens across the United States. The life insurance policy of a senior citizen can be sold off to a third party in lieu of a sum of money which is decided on the basis of various factors. Some factors to be considered under a senior life settlement plan is the age and medical health of the life insurance policy holder, the market value of the policy and the premiums paid so far. All these factors in combination with few others, can help a retired individual get easy and instant access to cash. The life settlement policy benefits both the seller as well as the buyer. The policy holder will get ready cash in exchange for his policy while the buyer can either gain by selling it off to another party or reap the benefits of the policy once it reaches its expiry date.

The sale of your life insurance policy through senior life settlement plan can provide you with the option of steady household income even after retirement. The policy that you had bought in order to secure your family?s finances even after you were no longer present, can now indeed help to solve your financial problems. However, since this is a financial transaction that can affect your future, it is immensely advisable to seek the expert advice and counsel of a financial advisor or consultant. Let him explain the clear meaning of the terms and conditions of entering such a deal, before you make up your mind about going in for a senior life settlement plan.

Many online websites have the provisions wherein a senior citizen can easily find out all that he needs to know about senior life settlement through his life insurance policy. It is best to compare the prices and rates offered on various plans, read the terms carefully, do a thorough market research both on your financial advisor as well as the third party that you are dealing with. Once you are completely satisfied with the deal you can safely transact your life insurance policy for a life settlement option. Once the deal is through you will no longer be responsible for paying any of the premiums and nor will you be entitled to any further benefits from the policy. So think carefully and choose wisely to have a smooth life with financial security.

2008- Toronto, Canada – Rick Palmerio, Senior Product Specialist with New Toronto Group, will be speaking at the 2008 Government and Health Technologies Conference and Expo.

Rick has worked with Adobe Connect since the early days of Macromedia Breeze, working with customers across Canada and across industries. With knowledge both on the technical and end-user sides of Connect, Rick is able to help customers maximize their effectiveness with online communication and training.

To register for Early-Bird Passes please visit http://gov.wowgao.com/registration OR call (416) 292-0038 Ext. 812.

About NTG

New Toronto Group (?NTG?) is a preeminent provider of Adobe products and professional services for Connect, Acrobat Connect, Flex, Flash, Flash Media Server, and LiveCycle in North America.

NTG is the Vendor of Record with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care for software and consulting services for e-learning solutions. In addition, in May 2007, New Toronto Group was awarded a contract by the Ontario Ministry of Education to equip every school board and Faculty of Education in Ontario with Adobe Connect, a highly functional Internet-based training tool.

About the 2008 Government and Health Technologies Conference & Expo:

The 2008 Government and Health Technologies Conference and Expo will focus on the latest IT products and solutions being developed and sought after in the healthcare and public service sector, including Web 2.0, Patient Monitoring Systems, Document Management, Business Intelligence, Mobile Data Systems, RFID Solutions, Biometrics and much more.

As one of Canada’s leading annual IT conference and exposition, the event features ground breaking IT applications that aim to educate key IT professionals, Government officials, developers, architects, engineers and medical professionals with the necessary tools and techniques for the reliable, effective management of all public information services across Canada. For more information about the event, please visit http://gov.wowgao.com

About WowGao Inc.

WowGao Inc. is an award winning leading event management company that produces, since 2003, internationally renowned conferences and expositions that address the latest innovations and developments in the information technology industry. Our featured events include:

Wireless & Mobile Expo and Conference, July 15 & 16, 2008

RFID Forum, July 15 & 16, 2008

Financial Services Technology Forum, October 2008

For more information about the events, please visit http://www.wowgao.com/

For conference inquiries:

Conference Producer

(416) 292 – 0038 ext. 840 | conference@wowgao.com

WowGao Inc. | www.wowgao.com

The first Member Company, GAO Research Inc., was founded on June 2, 1992 and it quickly established its reputation as an R & D power house in the embedded industry. GAO Group has continually grown and has become a conglomerate of fast growing companies with an enormous international customer base and an extensive network of VARs, distributors, resellers, and strategic partners in diversified industries worldwide.

With the aim of providing unparalleled services to its enormous customer base spread out over the world, GAO Group has developed and deployed state of the art technologies among all its facilities to support such functions as e-commerce, inventory management, CRM, project management, and supply chain management.

Self defense classes are not very practical for senior citizens due to health concerns and the lack of physical strength to defend themselves; however, there are numerous lethal and non-lethal weapons available to senior citizens for the use of self defense. For example: taser guns.

Self defense instructors and law official alike agree that the Taser C2 model stun gun is a highly effective instrument for self defense. The Taser C2 is a non-lethal type of device that will not leave any permanent damage.

The Taser C2 is small, light weight and easy to carry. Yet, this does not affect its performance; which allows senior citizens the ability to carry the weapon without any restraints or inconvenience. This weapon works by the shooting of two probes at its target. The darts are connected to the unit by wires which can reach up to 15 feet. This allows the victim to defend themselves and taser their assailant from a distance; avoiding contact and immediate risk of harm.

The darts deliver an electric shock that interferes with the body’s nervous system, incapicitating the attacker and preventing their ability to move or further attack. Neither the person’s size nor their level of intoxification matters. The Taser C2 works by creating a physical reaction and not by pain compliance. The person being tasered cannot move their muscles.

So what if the darts miss the attacker? Though the Taser C2 has a built in laser to aid in successfully hitting your target, in case you miss, the Taser C2 also can be used as a stun gun for direct contact. With the Taser C2 it is hard to go wrong.

Tasers and stun guns are legal to carry in most all United States and do not require a license or permit to own or carry.

Though most senior citizens never imagine being the victim of a crime, they are particularly vulnerable. It is best to be prepared than not and the Taser C2 is an effective non-lethal means of self defense that is easy to use and convenient to carry.

The facts are cleared the number one reason we are where we are in this country is Greed without a doubt! With all of the risky investments and decisions they made over the last few years, taking chances with money like they were in a casino and deciding like it was a choice of Red or Black. This situation may or may not have been avoidable is the issue that will most likely be debated for years to come

But the fact remains we are here and the arguing and debate continues with very few glimmers of hope for the senior who has seen their entire retirement investments disappear and they have real fears.

So what to do to relieve the some fears?

First and foremost relax and put the fear aside for a while.
Sit down in a quite atmosphere.
Gather all of your investments, bills, and income statements.
Also get a big piece of paper and pencil Not a Pen

The following list is what has been gathered from leading financial experts on how to overcome some of the issues that are keeping you up at night or making you ill. The first thing to remember is the world is not coming to an end. This financial situation that the country is going to turn around when is another story.

So you need to take matters into your own hands and make a plan!

Now how to act and make a plan

Gather all of your expenditures such as

Mortgage Statement
Insurance payments
Taxes I.e. Property or government
Medical I.e. Insurance, prescriptions, doctors
Utilities
Auto or transportation
Food, clothing
Credit debts
Luxury cost

Now gather all of your income statements from all sources

Social Security
Pensions
Retirement Accounts
Savings

Now take out that paper and pencil and make lines down the paper

First Colum is for Debt

Second Colum for Income

Third is for Totals

The problem most people have is that they never really see if on paper directly in front of them with a total monthly figure. Remember do not work with annual; break each and every payment down to monthly. This is one of the most important parts of setting up a plan.

Now that you have worked out the totals of all income and expenses to monthly payments, you now will know where you are with all positives and or negatives.

I know this is in most cases not going to be pretty, but it has to be done to come up with a place to go from here.

Now you have to look for other places to get money.

You can try to get a part time employment
You can sell items that you no longer have use for in your life. Be careful with this one don?t look next to you. Just kidding trying to make light humor.
Think where is there any money that you have not thought about short of selling your home. Think about the equity in your home!

Yes the equity in your home is one place that can offer the most money of anything you have ever own in your life. Now if you could not only get the equity out of your home, but eliminate your largest expenditure on your list if you have a mortgage payment would this not eliminate the stress?

You may not have thought about this or you seen it in an ad. But it is the best solution on the planet for eliminating debt and increase money in the bank.

The Reverse Mortgage is the solution; now I know if you are like most seniors you are right about now thinking I don?t want to use my home. Well let?s look at it the way you should be looking at it now.

When you purchased your home in most peoples mind it was a place to raise your family and put a roof over your head. Is this not true?

The fact is that when you were going to buy the home the first thing that your agent or mortgage person said to you is; how much of a down payment you are going to make.

The real question should have been stated this way! How much of an investment do you want to make on this future investment. Think about this; you purchase a home with money down and in most cases you received a mortgage using OBM (other people?s money) which is the way that all investors try to purchase anything that is an investment.

Then you made payments ever month for maybe 30 years paying them, most of their return on their investment in the first 15 years then paying down the principle.

The other fact that you need to know when you paid off your mortgage you paid the lender in most cases three times what they gave you over the 30 years.

Now how to look at a Reverse Mortgage

First just like the mortgage you received when you purchased the home it is a lien against the home, you do not sign over the deed to your home.
You are borrowing money that is Non-Taxable
You will never have to make a payment in your lifetime.
Unlike your mortgage you are not paying interest in advance
You can choose how you want to take the money
You can eliminate some of the expenses that you have on the sheet of paper that is taking from the income side of your paper.
Your family members will feel better knowing that you now have more money and fewer bills.
You will be able to stay in your home for as long as you choose to, if you decide at any point you can pay off the loan plus all interest without any prepayment penalties
If your home value falls in the future you will never owe more then the value at that time. This also true for your heirs they have no financial liability other than selling the home.

Remember this; if you have a mortgage on your home and you are not able to make the payments now or in the future you may run the risk of loosing your home. Not with a Reverse Mortgage. So make your list and put your plan into action and if you have a short fall in on your sheet consider a Reverse Mortgage as the most important part of your financial plan. It is now time to let your home pay you back for all of your hard work over the years and enjoy the best part of your life. Without all of the stress of today?s troubled economy!