Paying for Retirement Community Care
Understanding Your Options Before You Need Them (Part 7 of an Ongoing Series) One of the most common questions families ask when exploring retirement communities is simple but important: How do we pay for this? The answer depends on the type of care needed, personal finances, and available programs or benefits. Unfortunately, many people don’t […]
Stay Curious, Stay Connected
How a Sense of Wonder Can Enrich Our Relationships, Our Communities, and Our Everyday Lives There is a quiet difference between simply moving through life and truly experiencing it. Most of us have become very good at the first one. We know our routines. We know the roads we travel, the stores we visit, the […]
Decadent Sticky Rice Recipes for Dessert
Although many people associate rice with savory dishes, this staple grain can actually level up your dessert game too. Cultures from around the world have invented a variety of creative ways to turn the sticky rice in your pantry into treats you can whip up when you’re on the prowl for something sweet. Sticky rice, […]
The Joy of Becoming a Beginner Again
Rediscovering Wonder, Curiosity, and the Freedom to Keep Learning Every August, something familiar happens across Central Illinois. School buses return to neighborhood streets. Store aisles fill with backpacks, notebooks, and school supplies. Parents and grandparents watch children prepare for another year of learning, and there is an unmistakable excitement that comes with a fresh start. […]
The Lowdown on High Blood Pressure
What You Need to Know The American Heart Association stresses the power of prevention and early action for a healthy heart, healthy life High blood pressure is the #1 preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke, yet, nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure and many don’t even know it. That is […]
Protecting the People Who Protected Us
Submitted by Snyder Village As an adult child, one of my biggest priorities is making sure my parent is safe, happy, and supported. While we often think about physical health and well-being, there is another growing concern that keeps many families awake at night: scams and online fraud. Today’s world is more connected than ever. […]
When the Roles Reverse
Caring for the Parents Who Once Cared for You By Tamia R. Banks Insurance Management & Services There comes a moment in many families when adult children begin to notice changes in their parents. Maybe Mom repeats herself more often. Maybe Dad forgets appointments, misplaces important papers, or struggles to keep up with medications. For […]
Summer Mornings, Simple Pleasures
Rediscovering the Simple Routines That Help Us Start Each Day Well There is something special about a summer morning in Central Illinois. Before the heat settles in and before the demands of the day begin pulling us in different directions, the world seems to move at a gentler pace. The air is cooler. Birds provide a […]
Unable to Work? What’s Next?
By Beth Cooper Ingle, Certified Senior Advisor® Let’s admit it, the past few years have been tough…one of loss; loss of income, loss of jobs, loss of health, and for some the biggest loss of all—loved ones. While things are looking up for most since COVID, some of us are still struggling with loss […]
Dads and Summer Kool-Aid Stands
By Janie Beharelle, 50 Plus N&V Reader Several years ago my husband and I were cleaning our basement one sunny summer day. We decided to take a break from that task when my husband noticed the kids across the street were selling Kool-Aid at a makeshift stand. Two boys and a girl around ten […]