Good morning and welcome to agebuzz… Headlining today’s topics:

-Game Plan: Expert Advice For Your Retirement

-Managed Care: How To Take Charge of Your Multitude Of Medications

-Dry Run: What To Do About A Dry Mouth

-Here’s An Earful: Consumer Reports Talks Hearing Aids

-Bounce Back: Seniors Move Closer To Their Own Aging Parents

-Hot Stuff: The Story Behind 80-Year-Old Model Wang Deshun  

-The Last Word

Game Plan: Expert Advice For Your Retirement: Did you know that this week has been designated as National Retirement Planning Week? Whether you’re close to taking that step, or it’s a far off fantasy, it’s never too early to get some expert planning advice. To mark the occasion, Boston public radio station WBUR has an interview with Jill Schlesinger, the syndicated financial columnist. Addressing the plight of the many who have done little or nothing to prepare for retirement, Schlesinger has some sage advice about how to start saving, especially when time is of the essence. In addition, Schlesinger now has her own podcast, dispensing practical, sensible and understandable advice about all aspects of your finances, including taxes, investing and retirement plans. Listen to the WBUR interview with Schlesinger Here and check out her website, and Better Off podcast, Here.

Managed Care: How To Take Charge of Your Multitude Of Medications: Some of us are lucky that we have few, if any, medications to take on a regular basis. But for others of us, it’s a sea of prescription bottles on our counters. Many older people take multiple medications, often with different dosage and schedule instructions. Keeping track can be a challenge, either for yourself or as the caregiver for a loved one. There are numerous products and technology-driven options available to help manage what can be a mess, but how do you sort through what might be best for your own situation? Over at The Tech-Enhanced Life, writer Richard Freedland has put together a comprehensive review of what’s on the market and how to assess your needs, so that you can determine whether you need a container, an app, an alert system or something else entirely. He’s done the work, so you don’t have to. Read his expert analysis Here.

Dry Run: What To Do About A Dry Mouth: You know the feeling- your mouth is parched, kind of feels “cottony” and dry, with no saliva available for relief….sound familiar? Many of us have experienced the sensation of a “dry mouth,” which can happen for a variety of reasons. While it may be a fact of life for many as we get older, it’s certainly not a normal by-product of aging. When you have this sensation it’s important to figure out why. Saliva is critical to protecting our teeth and preventing infection, so it’s absence is worrisome and may indicate something is wrong. It could be medications you are taking, stress you are under, or perhaps even a sign of a disease process. Better not to guess, or just gulp some water. Best to contact your physician or dentist, and in the meantime, read what the National Institute of Health has to say about this condition Here.

Here’s An Earful: Consumer Reports Talks Hearing Aids: As posted in the December 15 edition of agebuzz, the FDA has now made access to hearing aids easier than ever. However, ease of access doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have an easy decision determining what’s best for you. Because there are so many options on the market, and so many stores that sell hearing aids, you may find yourself more confused and overwhelmed than you had anticipated. But help is here: Consumer Reports recently published an up-to-date and comprehensive consumer guide to all things hearing-aid-related. You’ll find ratings of retailers, best selling brands, pros and cons of various features and even guidance about seeking out audiologists on staff- for example, did you know that many Costcos have expert help available for your purchase of a hearing aid? Get the scoop, and the scope of your options, by Reading Here.

Bounce Back: Seniors Move Closer To Their Own Aging Parents: When you reach a certain age, visions of the “senior life” come more clearly into focus. You may be planning retirement, downsizing your living arrangement or contemplating more time with your children and grandchildren. But do you also have visions of elder care for your own parents? Increasingly, given demographic trends in our country, seniors are taking care of their ownaging parents, a trend that Professor Kathrin Boerner of UMass calls “aging together.” And for some, that means moving closer to those parents, perhaps even joining them in a senior living environment. Kaiser Health News writer Sharon Jayson recently profiled this phenomenon of “boomerang seniors,” who find comfort, and companionship, living close to their very senior parents. Find out more about this newly emerging trend Here.

Hot Stuff: The Story Behind 80-Year-Old Model Wang Deshun: You’ve likely seen him shirtless, walking down the runway looking like a Confucian deity. Over the last year, video clips of 80-year-old Wang Deshun have ricocheted around the web at lightening speed, as he has become known world-wide as the “Hottest Grandpa.” Although he’s now visible as a striking image in men’s clothing advertisements and on Italian runways, Wang seemingly appeared out of nowhere to shame all older men and cause women of all ages to swoon! But, in fact, he’s had a long and at times difficult life in China, surviving the Cultural Revolution, creating censored art and using his body as an artistic tool well into his 80s. With the philosophy of wanting to “use himself up” until he reaches the end of his life, Wang represents a fascinating tale of re-invention as we age and how the improbable can become the possible if you put your mind, and body, to the task.  Read this fascinating GQ profile of Wang Deshun Here.

THE LAST WORD: “You know you’re getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you’re down there.” George Burns