The routine began many years ago when one of her daughters, Donna Famous of Charlestown, Chester County, needed a solution to keep her mother active and cared for while she was at work all day.

Karkoska has been living with Famous, one of her eight children, for the past 11 1/2 years. Having her in adult day care has enabled her to continue living with family.

“The day care is great,” Famous said. “They keep her moving and active.”

Famous finds it enhances her mother’s quality of life.

“When she’s at home, it’s hard to get her to do anything,” Famous said. “She tends to sit and isn’t very active. She’ll watch TV and do word search books like it’s her job to get them finished.”

Participates in food prep

When at day care, Karkoska is more physically active, participating in food prep, exercise classes, arts and crafts, playing trivia and listening to live music.

“She cuts vegetables and they have a craft room — she’s very artistic,” Famous said. “It’s nice knowing how great it is there and how much they do.”

There is also a social aspect to her day that Karkoska enjoys.

“It’s better than sitting at home, and there are lots of nice people there,” Karkoska said.

Karkoska has always enjoyed crafting and painting, along with sewing, knitting and crocheting.

“I used to sew clothes and everything,” she said, adding she once made a wedding dress for her daughter-in-law, along with flower girl dresses.

Many benefits

Famous sees so many benefits to her mother being in day care that when she retired, she decided to have her continue attending.

“She’s around other people there, and that’s a plus for her,” Famous said, adding it also offers her the ability to keep up with her own activities. “I volunteer at two places and meet up with friends and food shop — I couldn’t do those things without SarahCare.

Famous said that the expense is worth it.

“It’s expensive and costs $80 a day, and we also pay for the transportation,” she said.

On weekends when Famous has her under her care full time, she takes her mother everywhere since it’s not safe to leave her home alone. She also helps out with small tasks around the house.

“I take her out and we’ll go to dinner,” Famous said. “She’ll help fold the laundry and used to help unload the dishwasher.”

Karkoska is still able to shower and dress herself.

“She puts makeup on and makes her bed every day,” Famous said.

Grandmom

While Karkoska still walks without a walker or a cane, Famous tends to hold her arm everywhere they go, whether out shopping or to watch her great-grandson William DePrado’s baseball games.

DePrado is among Karkoska’s 101 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren who call her Grandmom.

“I have lots of grandchildren who are all well and healthy, thank God,” Karkoska said.

The eldest of five generations of women, some of Karkoska’s other children help out taking turns with weekend care. Five family members will be pitching in to care for her while Famous takes a trip to Europe this summer.

As for Karkoska, she’ll continue her active days at SarahCare throughout the summer months.

“We keep busy and it’s a nice place to go,” Karkoska said. “They’re a friendly bunch of people.”

More information

About SarahCare Day Care: SarahCare in East Whiteland Township, Chester County, provides a warm, safe and friendly home-like setting for your loved one to spend the day. They offer a full day of social, recreational and mentally stimulating activities, as well as breakfast, lunch and snacks.

Website: www.sarahcare.com

“They said I did pretty good, but I didn’t do as well as I wanted,” she said, adding she practiced a bit at home before the big moment.

Regardless, she was happy to have her buddies from the Phoenixville Area Senior Center and some members of her family there to take in the moment, as well as the game afterward.

Growing up in a small town in Tennessee, she recalled playing baseball in the front yard and later joined the softball team in high school. Her aunt and uncle got her interested in watching professional baseball.

“I thought we were going to a little game somewhere and we went to this huge stadium,” she said. “I saw all of these guys out there, and I fell in love with their maroon and gold uniforms.”

Fell in love with the Phillies

Her first minor league experience later led to the majors after she and her husband moved to Philadelphia when he was transferred there for work.

“I totally fell in love with the Phillies after seeing them play a few times,” she said. “I like to see them get runs — home runs especially — and to win games.”

Matthews attended two to four Philadelphia Phillies games a year for work before retiring in her 80s.

“I worked with an organization for the blind, and I would drive the blind residents to the games and they would listen to the game as it was happening on their transistor radios,” she said.

Last year, through Twilight Wish, which grants wishes to seniors, Matthews’ wish was to take a large number of members from the Center to a game, and her wish was granted. Her motivation to ask for this wish was to enable others to have the experience of attending a game.

“I want to make people happy and that makes me happy,” she said. “Even if one person had as good of a time as I did, that makes me happy.”

Dine and help out

Matthews lives with her daughter and son-in-law, Peggy and Michael Tweed. Almost every day, she and her daughter head to the Phoenixville Senior Center to participate in various activities, attend lectures, play bingo, dine and help out.

At first she was resistant to going when she started seven years ago, but over time she warmed up to it.

“As you get older you need that companionship,” she said. “Every day has something to look forward to.”

Matthews usually has lunch at the Center and sometimes breakfast. She most enjoys tasks that allow her to help out at the Center

“We fold the newsletters to send out in the mail,” she said.

They also fold silverware in napkins.

Sense of purpose

Joann McCracken, the Center’s director of development, said the Center gives Matthews a sense of purpose, including her serving as the unofficial ambassador of the Center.

“When anybody new comes in, she’s always happy to talk to them about the ins and outs of the Center,” McCracken said.

Next month, Matthews plans to start taking their exercise classes again.

“They also have line dancing, yoga, grief counseling, cards, games, and they have these health talks by the Phoenixville Hospital that talks about everything you’d want to know about your health,” Matthews said.

She also attends their monthly birthday socials and movie screenings.

“They showed ‘Oppenheimer’ and have other good movies,” she said.

Gratitude for the staff

Matthews expressed gratitude for the staff at the Center.

“The staff works so hard to make everything possible for us and to make sure all of us are comfortable,” she said. “They are all so friendly, the meals are great, and they have a wonderful chef.”

It wasn’t until she was in her 80s that Matthews said she began having some health issues, but she refers to them as “nothing serious,” and that aside from those, her balance and walking are challenges she faces.

She gets around using a walker, which helps her safely engage in the things she enjoys doing daily.

“I worked until 88, which kept me alert,” she said. “I’m not a person who can sit still a lot.”

Matthews wants to encourage anyone who might be curious to head in and take a tour at the Center.

“They can come in and learn about everything it offers,” she said. “The Center has really helped me get enjoyment out of living.”

More information

• Phoenixville Senior Center: www.phoenixvilleseniorcenter.org

• About Twilight Wish: You can submit a wish request for yourself or a deserving senior by completing a Twilight Wish application. To find out more, visit www.twilightwish.org.

“It shows them they can do something about it and change the outlook of their future,” said Kathy Roberts, Berks Encore’s director of health and wellness. “Their quality of life will lead them to living active, independent and fulfilling lives.”

It will also determine how people will retire and what they do in retirement. A baby boomer herself, Roberts, who is a retired nurse, said the face of aging is changing.

“My husband and I have great planning, and we’re golfing, playing pickleball and hiking,” she said. “Get ready — the baby boomers are here and they are educated, active, healthier and living longer lives.“

Four pillars of good health

Roberts said the four pillars of good health are healthy eating, exercise, socialization and good sleep. Their programs help instill these pillars and more.

“The main goal is to educate, facilitate and coach older adults to make healthy choices, and how they live their lives, she said.

Done in a group setting, Berks Encore’s programming enables participants to realize they aren’t alone because it enables them to see that their struggles and challenges are like everyone else’s.

“In two to three weeks they form a little family and learn from each other, as well as from us” she said.

Their “Healthy Heart, Happy Heart” six-week program teaches self-management strategies to manage AFib, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. Participants meet once a week for two and a half hours.

“These are the three big ones that are rampant in the older adult community, all which contribute to having a stroke — especially Afib,” Roberts said. “The number one complication of AFib is stroke. If it is unmanaged, it will lead to a stroke.”

Higher risk of stroke

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, if you have atrial fibrillation (Afib), your heart has episodes when it beats irregularly and the condition can cause troubling symptoms and serious medical complications, including blood clots that can lead to stroke and heart failure.

People with Afib have a significantly higher risk of stroke than the average population,” Johns Hopkins Medicine states on its website.

“They also tend to have more severe strokes with more serious complications and a higher chance of death from stroke,” the website says.

With May marking American Stroke Month, it’s a time to focus on the importance of knowing the signs and symptoms. The American Stroke Association’s abbreviation of F.A.S.T. is a way to help you remember what to look out for.

• Face drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?

• Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

• Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred?

• Time to call 911: If the person has any of the symptoms above, call 911.

If you or someone around you experiences any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek medical attention right away. According to the American Stroke Association, learning to act fast can save lives.

“Recognizing the stroke warning signs and calling 911 immediately may make the difference between a strong recovery or long-term disability; survival or death,” according to the American Stroke Association.

“Healthy Heart, Happy Heart”

The next six-week “Healthy Heart, Happy Heart” program being offered by Berks Encore will take place from Sept. 4-Oct. 9 and requires registration in advance. To register or find out about other health and wellness programs offered by Berks Encore, contact Kathy Roberts at 484-388-3196.

For more information:

www.berksencore.org

www.stroke.org

Two years ago, it inspired her to start a business, Home Stream Space, with her daughter, Emily, to address the need.

One thing she’s noticed is that virtually nobody gives themselves enough time to take care of the stuff they accumulated before they’re in a challenging time in their life due to the results of aging.

“It can be overwhelming,” Mayewski said. “Believe me, you can’t start that soon enough.”

As we age, it gets harder to reach things, boxes get heavier, and the idea of decluttering sounds more daunting.

While Mayewski has noticed that seniors are getting more savvy at taking care of necessary paperwork for various matters, they aren’t taking the time to get their stuff in order.

“People like their stuff and get attached to it,” she said.

Proactive approach

She has found that a proactive approach is better than a reactive one since the outcome isn’t ideal.

“If you wind up ill unexpectedly, you might not be able to give away that locket or collection of tools you have in mind for a loved one,” she said. “The people cleaning out your house, like me, might not know your wishes.”

Often it gets to a point where it’s the adult child of a senior who’s contacting Mayewski for support.

They might have a family member who wants to age in place and has a contractor coming to make modifications to the home to make that possible, but stuff is in the way of where a new railing or ramp needs to go.

“We find out in advance of the project where those changes are being made and take care of the stuff that needs to be moved out of the way,” Mayewski said.

Support to get through process

Whether you need to tackle 40 years of accumulated items to move to a retirement center, or a family member needs to take care of it for you, often support is needed to get through the process.

“They need help in trying to decide what to part with and what to keep,” Mayewski said. “If they’re going from a three-story farmhouse where they lived for 40 years to an assisted-living facility, they’re going to have to make decisions about what to take with them. “

Mayewski recently offered a seminar on downsizing and other topics at the TriCounty Active Adult Center in Montgomery County, with about 30 seniors attending.

“I think the biggest challenge with downsizing is that people just don’t know where to start, and it seems overwhelming,” said Brian Parkes, the Center’s executive director. “They don’t know that there are resources to help them.”

There may be feelings of guilt as they try to part with things that were gifted to them or handed down.

“They attach a greater monetary value to things that may only have sentimental value, but then are unwilling to get rid of the item at a lesser price,” Parkes said.

Tips on the downsizing process

At the seminar, attendees received tips on the downsizing process from pros, and it gave them a chance to meet the business owners in person in the event they prefer to not go through it alone.

“People want to know who they’re working with and feel comfortable with someone who’s going to be going through all of their things,” Mayewski said.

AARP offers a workbook on downsizing that includes tips on what to save and what to get rid of. It also covers topics such as setting your downsizing goals and tracking the journey as you go.

Despite the hard physical work involved with helping someone navigate this transition in their life, Mayewski finds a lot of fulfillment in the process, particularly when they get to the finish line.

“It can be a lot of hard grunt work, but we have a lot of fun doing it,” Mayewski said. “It’s a very rewarding process.”

More information

About Home Stream Space

Home Stream is a mother-daughter team of streamline professionals. They specialize in downsizing, staging and interior design. They offer free presentations on downsizing to seniors at senior centers, gyms and more. Their services are available to those living in Berks, Montgomery and Chester counties, the Lehigh Valley, parts of Delaware County and parts of Bucks County. They offer a 20% discount to veterans. To learn more, visit www.homestreamspace.com.

Upcoming AARP virtual workshop: The Ins and Outs of Decluttering and Organizing

When: May 15 from 11 a.m. to noon.

To learn more: www.aarp.org or https://tinyurl.com/ppjwn334

About TriCounty Active Adult Center

The TriCounty Active Adult Center is a nonprofit community center for people ages 50 or older, serving western Montgomery, northern Chester and eastern Berks counties. You can stop by for a hot lunch, stay active with a fitness class like Zumba or yoga, take up a new hobby like origami or go to have fun with friends old or new. With 100 programs and activities each week, there is something for everyone.

To learn more: www.tricountyaac.org

This coming Earth Day on Monday will mark 54 years since the first Earth Day took place. An estimated 20 million people attended inaugural events, from demonstrations to cleanups nationwide. And notably, President Richard Nixon and first lady Pat Nixon planted a tree on the South Lawn of the White House.

April 22 was established as the annual day to mark the modern environmental movement. It serves as a day of education, raising awareness and taking action on a range of environmental issues, including global warming, renewable energy, food waste, fast fashion, air pollution, plastic pollution, deforestation and many more.

Positive change

While these issues are expansive, the actions each of us takes independently, whether you’re 8 or 88, can collectively make positive change. Since it’s becoming ever more apparent that humanity is continuing to have an adverse effect on the planet, you might be wondering how you can help.

Attending an Earth Day event in your community can serve as a good way to get some fresh air while seeing the environmental issues being addressed on a local level.

The Earth Day event taking place on Saturday in Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County, will have activities for the whole family, including environmental demonstrations, food vendors and a chance to connect with nature.

“We have 20 vendors that will be there with opportunities to learn about recycling; Repair  Cafe will be there to get your things fixed; there will be an opportunity to join a CSA; and PECO will be there so you can learn how to be more energy efficient,” said Tony Scheivert, township manager for Upper Uwchlan. “There will also be information on composting and different ways you can leave a smaller footprint.”

The township has an active environmental advisory council that developed the idea for the event.

“They will be volunteering and supporting the event,“ Scheivert said.

Get started today

But you don’t have to wait until Earth Day to make some positive changes in your life. According to AARP, you can get started by thinking about these three words: conserve, recycle and donate.

They recommend taking action through buying local produce, riding public transportation more often, using alternatives to plastic (such as reusable shopping bags and glass food storage) and using recycling opportunities. Other ways to take action include planting a tree, cleaning up litter and organic gardening.

If you’re looking for more ways, AARP said that groups like Keep America Beautiful, Earth Day Network and the American Forest Foundation offer many more ways for individuals and groups to take action.

“Making anything better, including the environment, starts small and then gets bigger,” Scheivert said. “Events like this help people in ways to be a part of making things better.’

10 ways you can help save the planet

According to AARP, saving the planet might seem like an overwhelming job, but there are a number of simple habits you can adopt that can go a long way to saving energy and water, conserving resources and reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Here are 10 you can put into practice starting today.

• Turn off the lights: Simply flipping the switch when you leave a room can not only reduce energy used — electricity generation is a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions — it can also save you money on your bill each month.

• Regulate your thermostat: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can cut your heating and cooling bills by as much as 10% by simply turning your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours per day. Not only will you save money, but you’ll be helping to conserve energy.

• Conserve water: Water is a precious natural resource that we often take for granted. There are a number of simple ways to use less water: Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers. Only water your lawn when necessary. Fix leaks, and consider installing water-conserving toilets and shower heads.

• Repurpose or reuse: Think twice about the items you throw into the trash. Could you reuse that takeout container for storing leftovers? Could that food waste be turned into a compost pile for your garden? Is there a way to donate or recycle the item? When possible, use plates, cups, and utensils that can be washed instead of paper or plastic versions.

• Plan your errands: If you have a few errands to run in your car, take a few moments to plan the route so you’re being most efficient. Better yet: bike or walk — if possible and safe— to get some exercise, too.

• Maintain your car: Car maintenance may not be at the top of your list of things to do, but consider this: Keeping your tires properly inflated can improve fuel economy by up to 3%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Using the manufacturer-recommended motor oil on schedule can add another 1 or 2%. That’s good for fuel usage — and your wallet.

• Use planet-friendly products: The chemicals found in everyday cleaning products can be harmful to the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has made it easier to choose more planet-friendly products with its Safer Choice label.

• Rethink your lawn: According to the EPA, 30% of U.S. water use is for outdoor purposes, and half of that is used for watering lawns. You don’t need to water your lawn every day. If you step on it and it springs back, it’s probably fine. Plant regionally appropriate plants and grasses that might not need as much water.

• Eat locally and sustainably: Local farmers are an essential part of our food system and need to be supported. When you buy food from local farms, you not only provide income to them, but you also cut down on the need to transport foods long distances. Look for farmers that have organic and sustainable practices.

• Stay informed: Read up on sustainable household practices and share what you learn with friends and on social media. The EPA has a wealth of resources and ideas. You can also look for green living groups on social media, as well as reputable blogs, podcasts, and other information sources.http://www.aarp.com

Source: www.aarp.com

Local Earth Day events

Bring out the grandkids for these work days and events that feature live music, demonstrations, food and more. In commemoration of Earth Day on Monday, the following events are taking place on Saturday:

• Earth Day Berks: City Park Bandshell, 1281 Hill Road, Reading, Berks County, noon-6 p.m.

• Upper Uwchlan Township Earth Day Celebration: Upland Farm Park, 301 Pottstown Pike, Chester Springs, Chester County, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

• Delaware County Tree Planting and Park Cleanup: William Penn Park, Second and and Penn streets, Chester, Delaware County, 9-11 a.m. Registration (all ages and abilities welcome) required: DelcoPA.Gov/EarthDay

• Earth Day Work-Day in the Park: Meet at Hemlock Point office, 494 Gravel Pike, Green Lane, Montgomery County (located directly behind Marlborough Elementary School), 10 a.m.. Pre-register (age 12 and older)  by calling 610-287-6970.

She hoped it would help her through the grieving process after her husband, Dr. John M. Sellers, died in 2019.

The two of them had been hiking together with the club since 1998.

“We were both working at the time, and it was something we did to spend time together,” Sellers said.

After reconnecting with the group, Sellers, 70, started feeling positive effects, which led her to include even more hiking opportunities in her life.

“That’s why I joined two more groups,” she said.

Between the Terrible Tues, a private hiking group that meets on Tuesdays, the Thursday Wanderers, a public subgroup of Berks Community Hiking Club that meets on Thursdays as well as the Berks Community Hiking Club’s Saturday hikes, she usually chooses one to two hikes to participate in every week.

Connection to the Earth

Sellers enjoys getting exercise while spending time outdoors instead of working out at a gym.

“I like the nature and spirituality of it,” she said. “I think we (as a society) have lost a connection to the Earth.”

She has formed some good friendships in the process.

“We are all of like mind and have a concern for taking care of the environment,” Sellers said. “A lot carry clippers and pick up trash on the hikes — people are conscious of that.”

Sellers said the oldest hiker in the Berks Community Hiking Club recently turned 96.

“She can go just as fast as me, and she’s the one who inspires me to keep up my health,” she said. “To keep moving is her theory.”

Sharing a meal

After the hikes, which typically take two to three hours, the groups will continue their time together by sharing a meal, either at a local restaurant or with a packed lunch to enjoy outdoors. Getting together in the evenings also happens on occasion.

“Sometimes we’ll go out and see a movie or dinner and a show,” she said.

While most hikes are in Berks and neighboring counties, she goes on periodic out-of-town hikes with the Terrible Tues group, which tends to focus on more challenging hikes.

“There are 12 going for four days and three nights in the Catskills,” she said.

When Sellers heads out on hikes, regardless of group or location, she wears a good pair of hiking boots.

“We’re going through streams and mud,” she said. “Last week we went to Blue Marsh and did 7.5 miles, which took us three hours.”

Length and degree of difficulty

Each week, she checks on the hike descriptions among the different groups to learn of their length and degree of difficulty in advance.

Heading to places of interest, like the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, have been among the hikes. When hikes involve driving a distance, members will figure out a carpool point to meet up to enable them to travel together.

An upcoming hike that Sellers is leading will take place at Daniel Boone Homestead in Exeter Township on June 8 and will tie in the history.

“A few years ago I organized a hike at Antietam Lake, and one John and I led years ago was Susquehanna State Park,” Sellers said. “You’re out in nature and they’re all so good.”

Her favorite is the Monocacy Hill Trail in Amity Township, Berks County. Regardless of trail, she finds this time of year to be a particularly good one to get outdoors.

“Everything is blooming, so there are lots of photos taken with flowers coming up,” she said. “We have someone who is like an official photographer of the group who goes on each of the hikes.”

About 15 to 20 people participate in each hike.

“Especially now since everyone wants to get out with everything blooming,” Sellers said.

About Berks Community Hiking Club

BCHC was organized in the fall of 1921. They list weekly hikes from short to easy to strenuous mountain hikes. Different people from the club lead and pick a location for each hike. This is a public club, so anyone is welcome to join in on the hikes. The Thursday Wanderers are a subgroup of BCHC.

For more information, visit www.berkshiker.blogspot.com.

But given the importance of topics such as estate planning, Social Security and retirement planning as we age, there is no time like the present to get one’s ducks in a row.

The West Chester Area Senior Center, Chester County, offers about four guest speakers a year who address the basics of legal planning to help attendees feel more confident in knowing the action they need to take to secure their future.

“Things are always changing and evolving, so I have ongoing guest speakers because rules change and things change,” said Jessica Tipton, program director at the West Chester Senior Center.

The 45-minute talks conveniently take place right after lunch around 12:30 p,m. Speakers from Anderson Elder Law, Northwestern Mutual and SeniorLAW Center are usual guests.

“They talk about estate planning and retirement planning and also Social Security,” she said. “They also discuss how to plan for your family and how to set up trusts.”

SeniorLAW, a nonprofit law organization devoted to protecting the legal rights of seniors, typically centers its talk on wills, trusts and powers of attorney. Founded in 1978 by leaders of the Philadelphia Bar Association, educating the community is a part of its mission.

“We have served over 400,000 seniors 60 and older throughout Pennsylvania,” SeniorLaw Center states on its website.

Tipton generally adjusts topics and talks according to feedback she gets from attendees.

“They find it to be helpful and sometimes it triggers things they should be putting their focus on,” she said.

Tipton said that as much as laws change over time, the same goes for people’s lives.

“They could be in independent living and then all of a sudden a medical issue comes up and they have to look at things differently,” Tipton said.

A primary concern she sees is a worry about financial security.

“They have to look and question if they have enough to make it to 90,” she said. “They also need to learn how to look at their Social Security.”

According to AARP, Social Security payments will rise by 3.2% as the 2024 cost-of-living adjustment kicks in.

“The estimated average retirement benefit will go up by $59 a month, from $1,848 to $1,907,” AARP states on its website.

Given there are a myriad of backgrounds and professions among those who attend the Senior Center, Tipton said each person’s situation is unique, so the topics included in the talks are meant to touch upon various situations.

“They talk to them about how you take your 401(k) or IRA distribution,” she said. “Some people have teaching pensions or government pensions.”

The Senior Center’s next scheduled talk is taking place on April 10. No advanced registration is required to attend.

“We’ll have someone from Northwestern Mutual in Radnor coming here, and they’ll talk about Social Security benefits and retirement,” Tipton said.

The talk, titled “Social Security, Retirement Benefits and Advanced Retirement Concepts,” is open to anyone and will include time for questions.

“They were saying that it might be appropriate for our seniors’ kids who are in their 50s to come because you need to be knowing all of that and how it’s going to work,” she said, adding the center recommends the talk for those aged 60 and older.

Tipton finds there are some senior women who have been in a position most of their lives where their husband, who is now deceased, is the one who did all of the money management in the household. She has a talk coming up to address this topic.

“We’ll be having a lawyer come in and talk about women and financial planning,” she said. “It will cover how to manage finances as they age.”

More information

Resources

• West Chester Area Senior Center, 530 E. Union Street, West Chester, 610-431-4242, www.wcseniors.org

• SeniorLAW Center: www.seniorlawcenter.org

7 changes in 2024 that impact retirement finances

• Social Security payments: Social Security recipients will see their monthly payments rise by 3.2% as the 2024 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) kicks in.

• Medicare costs: After coming down by 3% in 2023, standard premiums for Medicare Part B are going back up in 2024, from $164.90 to $174.70 per month, a 6%.

• Retirement plan contributions:If you are 50 or older, you can put up to $8,000 into an individual retirement account (IRA) for the 2024 tax year. That includes the $1,000 catch-up contribution available to older savers. The cap for people under 50 is $7,000. In both cases, the contribution limit has been bumped up by $500 from 2023. (You can still make your contributions for the 2023 tax year — the deadline is April 15.)

• RMDs: Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are a fact of later life for holders of most types of retirement savings accounts. The notable exceptions are Roth IRAs, which are not subject to annual required withdrawals while the owner is alive. Starting with the 2024 tax year, this exception will also apply to Roth 401(k) and 403(b) accounts.

• Standard tax deduction: You get a bigger standard deduction if you or your spouse is 65 or older. It will be $1,850 more for a single filer or head of household (up from $1,750 for the 2022 tax year), and $3,000 more for a couple filing jointly (up from $2,800).

• Full retirement age: Congress voted in 1983 to gradually raise the Social Security full retirement age (FRA) from 65 to 67. Four decades on, the change is nearly complete, with FRA reaching 66 and 8 months in the latter half of 2024. You can start collecting retirement benefits before FRA — the minimum age is 62 — but your monthly payment will be permanently reduced, by as much as 30%. You can also wait past FRA and reap Social Security’s bonus for delaying benefits — an extra 8% a year until age 70.

• Social Security earnings test: If you claim Social Security retirement benefits before reaching FRA and continue to do paying work, your benefits may be temporarily reduced. That depends on whether your annual working income exceeds a set limit called the earnings test. For 2024, that limit increases from $21,240 to $22,320 for beneficiaries who will not reach FRA until a future year. Social Security withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 in earnings above the cap.

Source: www.aarp.org

Diana Graber, founder of Cyber Civics, Cyberwise and author of “Raising Humans in a Digital World,” first recognized a need for education to be available on this topic in 2010 at her kids’ school.

Graber, who has a master’s degree in media psychology and social change, decided to do something about it by creating a digital literacy curriculum for middle schoolers to help them have a healthy relationship with technology.

Educating youth makes it possible for them to be aware of how to use technology ethically and wisely. According to the Cyber Civics website, their curriculum teaches them about ethics, privacy, balance and the decision-making aspects needed to survive and thrive in the digital age during adolescence.

It provides them with the necessary foundation at a time when there is a national, if not global, recognition that there is a real need for media literacy education.

Impact of media education

A study published in the National Library of Medicine on the impact of media literacy education on knowledge and behavioral intention of adolescents in dealing with media messages found that mass media influences the health behaviors of adolescents.

“Evidence shows that traditional strategies such as censorship or limitation are no longer efficient; therefore, teaching media literacy is the best way to protect adolescents from harmful effects,” the study states.

The first time Karen Hite, a grade-school teacher at Kimberton Waldorf School, Chester County, began teaching the Cyber Civics curriculum to a sixth-grade class six years ago, she found it was a good and easy curriculum to fit into a 40-minute lesson each week despite not having any specific specialization or training.

“It is designed to begin in sixth grade because middle schoolers have more exposure to social media, phones and online,” Hite said. “It’s when a shift happens and they begin looking outward to their peers more, and that increased awareness of their peers and peer pressure is part of why the curriculum was designed.”

Identifying misinformation

Cyber Civics lessons range from simple concepts to more advanced ones. It begins with what it means to be a citizen in any community and how to apply that to the digital world and later moves into privacy and personal information, identifying misinformation, reading visual images, recognizing stereotypes and media representations and ethical thinking in future technologies.

Hite said the curriculum for sixth graders delved into how a computer works, how to do research and then moved more into discernment.

“They learned about fact checking and fake news and how do you trust what you see — how do you look at a story and figure out if it’s true,” she said.

There is also a lesson that involves taking some old computers apart to show them the insides.

“It’s demystifying this magic box and showing them what makes it work,” she said.

Engaging activities

Recently, she taught a Cyber Civics lesson to her eighth-grade class that involved questions and activities to do in small groups.

“They had to figure out which pictures from the internet were real, and which were fake and they were all over it,” she said. “The activities are very engaging.”

Next, they’ll be venturing into what is safe to share online.

“We will discuss that there are trolls out there looking for your information and data,” she said.

Hite appreciates that the curriculum is designed so your average teacher can bring lessons to students that are valuable without any specialization in technology.

“It’s a valuable resource because it’s a comprehensive curriculum that addresses issues regarding devices on the internet in a very age-appropriate way, “Hite said. “They are learning how to navigate technology as ethically as possible.”

More information

About Cyber Civics: Cyber Civics is a comprehensive digital literacy curriculum for middle school. It includes over 75 lessons and hands-on activities that teach digital citizenship, information, literacy and media. Visit www.cybercivics.com to learn more.

“Raising Humans in a Digital World”: Grounded in academic research, “Raising Humans in a Digital World” is a guide to raising thoughtful humans who will become the positive and successful leaders our digital (and non-digital) world needs. Digital literacy educator Diana Graber shows how children must learn to handle the digital space through:

• Developing social-emotional skills

• Balancing virtual and real life

• Building safe and healthy relationships

• Avoiding cyberbullies and online predators

• Protecting personal information

• Identifying and avoiding fake news and questionable content

• Becoming positive role models and leaders

Source: www.amazon.com

According to Pat Cinfici, president of Boscov’s Travel, the latter three are the new destination hot spots for the senior set.

According to a study conducted by the AARP last year, seniors are considered the biggest travel spenders. The study projected that Americans ages 60 to 69 would spend $7,300 on average in 2023, with travelers aged 50-plus averaging four trips.

With the task of heading up Boscov’s 17 travel management locations in five states, Cinfici has a vantage point that enables her to see the latest trends in travel for all age categories. When it comes to seniors and domestic travel, she’s seeing lots of interest in heading north.

“For 2024, seniors are gravitating a lot to cruising — especially to New England,” she said, adding that their “Canada — New England Cruise” they offer goes to Boston, Bar Harbor and Portland in Maine and Canada.

“That destination for this year is very hot for this summer and early fall because it’s different from going to the beaches or the Caribbean,” she said.

Another big draw has to do with the great amount of history offered at these destinations along with beautiful scenery.

“Seniors are very interested in learning new things, people and destinations,” she said.

The option to cruise out of New York, New Jersey or Baltimore makes the trip very convenient.

“They can take a motor coach to the pier, and then they set sail on their cruise ship,” she said.

If you’d rather not travel by water, Boscov’s Travel also offers some motor coach tours to New England.

“There is a lot of interest in the Gilded Era, so Newport, R.I., is very popular,” she said. “This is a fun trip, and people are learning how people lived centuries ago.”

Travel deals

If you’re looking for some deals, there are many available in all realms of travel. Boscov’s Travel offers group opportunities that are specific to seniors.

“You can just be one or two people joining the group and can reap the savings since the rates are contracted,” she said. “Those rates are attractive to people.”

Custom tours created by Boscov’s Travel’s group planners are specifically designed for seniors and their various activity levels.

“If someone has a special need, whether it’s dietary or physical, if they share the need we do our best to meet their needs,” she said.

If you’re apprehensive about traveling to a foreign destination or going to a destination you aren’t familiar with, Cinfici recommends traveling in a group.

“There is a certain security to traveling with an escort, especially in a foreign country,” she said.

Cinfici said that most have already made their summer plans since they recognize there is a significant savings if you book ahead.

“The earlier you book, the bigger the discount,” she said. “Post-pandemic travel has boomed, and we already have 2025 on the books.”

For those who have a Boscov’s credit card, you can use it to purchase travel to get rewards to use to shop in the department store or put toward your travel.

Since seniors generally have more flexibility with time, Cinfinci said, they are more apt to do a nine- or 10-night stay instead of a week-long stay.

50th anniversary

Celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, Boscov’s Travel has relationships with families that span generations.

“We have some customers who have been with us for 50 years, and we booked their honeymoon and now we’re booking their grandchildren’s honeymoons,” she said.

While the internet has made the booking of travel more convenient for some, Cinfici discussed the benefits of going with a travel management company.

“We are fully insured and bonded, so they don’t have to worry about their financial investment, plus we seek out the best pricing for our clients in order to make it affordable for all,” she said. “We also have 24/7 service for our travelers to resolve any issues, and you don’t get that online.”

Cinfinci said the backbone of their company is about people and relationships.

“We want to create a trip to suit what a person desires at the best possible rate,” she said. “Our goal has always been to deliver a dream.”

More information

Boscov’s Travel’s 50th anniversary

Boscov’s Travel has been a leader in leisure, group and business travel since opening in 1974. Being able to provide affordable vacations for everyone started as a dream for Albert Boscov, his wife Eunice Boscov and Alma and Edwin Lakin, and has grown to 17 locations in five states. They attribute their success to their valued clients and their experienced and tenured staff.

For more information: www.boscovstravel.com, 800-755-8020

Pat Cinfici’s Top 5 picks for the seasoned traveler

• Portugal for a river cruise on the Douro

• Croatia to see the great scenery and culture with beautiful medieval cities

• Amalfi Coast in Italy if you’ve already done other parts of Italy

• Alaska for the untouched frontier

• Montreal and Quebec to see the Christmas markets

Source: Pat Cinfici, president of Boscov’s Travel

“After going through my own pregnancy and seeing how effective acupuncture was for fertility in my student clinics, I decided it would be one of my primary focuses,” said Bergman, a licensed acupuncturist and owner of the newly opened Blue Nest Acupuncture in Chester Springs, Chester County.

After 20 years of clinical practice, Bergman finds that over half of her patients seek out fertility treatment.

According to the World Health Organization, roughly one in six people, worldwide, experience infertility.

A majority of the rest of her patients — men, women and teens — get treatment for areas of mental health including depression, stress and anxiety.

“Aside from fertility concerns, other main reasons people come to me are for back pain and stress,” she said. “They might be going through a divorce or a major transition that they’re struggling with.”

Customized treatment plan

Bergman works with her patients to meet them where they are in their lives with a customized treatment plan.

“We can’t always prevent challenges that happen, but we can learn to navigate them with more grace and ease,” she said.

With its roots tracing back to China over 4,500 years ago, acupuncture is the practice of applying needles to specific meridian points on the body to shift energetic patterns.

“We can look and see things energetically before they manifest into a disease,” she said. “We detect imbalances in the body before they manifest”.

One of the ways acupuncture aids in fertility is by clearing blockages and redirecting energy to the reproductive organs, which are targeted by placing fine, sterile needles on key acupuncture points.

“Unprocessed trauma is often stored in the womb and someone winds up with cysts or fibroids which can interfere with fertility,” Bergman said. “Acupuncture helps to create womb receptivity that is necessary for life to move through you.”

Women’s health

Opened in January of this year, Blue Nest Acupuncture is largely dedicated to women’s health. In the decades that Bergman has been practicing acupuncture, she said she’s seen a huge growth in what’s now available for women to improve their mental and physical health.

Treatment for any area of focus at Blue Nest starts with a comprehensive health history to enable Bergman to customize a plan to meet her patient’s needs. In addition to acupuncture, she incorporates dietary recommendations, abdominal massage, castor oil packs, low-level light therapy and infrared heat.

A three-month treatment plan, which includes 12 sessions, is typically recommended to boost fertility, but Bergman has had clients who see results much sooner.

“I had two people this year who got pregnant after one treatment, “she said.

Struggling to get pregnant

One of Bergman’s patients who was struggling to get pregnant shared this comment about her experience on the Blue Nest website.

“I could not believe it when I found out I was pregnant. After four acupuncture treatments, I am pregnant without clomid (clomiphene) or IUI (intrauterine insemination). I know acupuncture helped my body be ready for this pregnancy. I can never thank Cara enough for helping to make my dream come true. We have been trying to get pregnant for almost two years after a previous miscarriage. After only 2½ months of acupuncture, I am expecting!”

Research supported by physician-scientists at Weill Cornell Medical Center supports acupuncture’s potential benefits for fertility treatment as a complementary or alternative form of treatment.

“Acupuncture works really well whether you’re going through IVF or trying to conceive naturally,” Bergman said. “I wish more people knew about it.”

Bergman finds her work to be very gratifying, especially for her clients who think they’re a failure due to their infertility and then find success in getting pregnant through treatment.

“It never gets old,” she said. “It’s the best feeling – I feel so excited and happy that they are now on a path to motherhood.”

Benefits of acupuncture for fertility

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the benefits of acupuncture include regulating your menstrual cycle, improving sperm count and motility, increasing blood flow to your reproductive organs, and decreasing stress and anxiety.

Blue Nest is an acupuncture clinic in Chester County that also serves those who live in Montgomery, Delaware and Berks counties. Treatment is available for anxiety, stress, depression, infertility, back pain, menopause, weight loss and more. For more information, visit BlueNestAccupuncture.com or call 484-961-0465.