As an older adult, the reasons for exercise change: benefits include helping to control chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, strengthening muscles to prevent falls, and improving flexibility to maintain activities of daily living.

An added benefit? Regular exercise can help boost your mood and improve your overall sense of well-being. And, you'll make new friends! (Of course, always talk to your doctor before starting any type of exercise program.)

Where to look for a new exercise program? Start with your local fitness or community center. The key is finding activities that you enjoy. Some tips to get started:

- Follow your interests. Like to dance? Swim? Maybe yoga or Tai-Chi sounds appealing. There are fitness classes for every taste and ability level.

- Follow your friends. Going to a fitness class with a friend improves your motivation and if you're going it alone - here's your chance to make new friends!

- Listen to your body. Exercise doesn't need to be painful to be beneficial. Start slow and progress over time.

- Set goals. How often do you want to exercise? How hard? Develop a three- to six-month plan so you can measure your success.

But wait, there's more: Older adults who participate in group exercise programs report improved quality of life from the social aspect of group fitness. The group creates a sense of community that helps keep you motivated.

Social isolation, which often leads to loneliness, is common among seniors, but taking a fitness class can forge a bond that keeps people coming back for exercise and extends to socializing outside of class.

In a recent study of adults aged 65 years and older, researchers surveyed 46,564 participants in the SilverSneakers fitness program between 2010 and 2016 to determine how exercise improved their quality of life.

"Even though regular physical activity is important, well-being is about more than just exercise," according to Julie Logue, Training Manager at Tivity Health. "Through SilverSneakers, you can explore all kinds of fitness programs, socialization and nutrition programs to help you live your best life. We empower members to live healthier, happier, longer."

Older adults with more frequent visits to fitness centers who participate in SilverSneakers exercise programs report significantly fewer days when they felt physically or mentally unwell and rated their physical and mental health higher than those who participated less frequently.

Curious about more ways to stay motivated to get and stay fit? During open enrollment for health insurance between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, enroll in a plan that offers SilverSneakers, which provides members with access to more than 16,000 fitness and community locations nationwide.

To check your eligibility and find a health plan that includes SilverSneakers, call 888-423-4632 or visit silversneakers.com.

Consider this: as with anything worth having, there are expenses and hassles associated with boat ownership that you may not even be aware of. But partial (fractional) ownership offers "all of the luxury and none of the hassle" according to the website of yacht co-op management company Saveene.

It works like this: The more fractions you purchase, the more yacht usage you can experience. For example, a 10 percent purchase equals approximately four weeks of yachting time each year; 20 percent entitles you to eight weeks, and so on.

For those who enjoy the periodical pleasure of luxury boating, fractional ownership is more cost-effective than sporadic charters, and has several other advantages:

- Predictability. Saveene fractional owners hold equity in the yacht and have the option to sell their fraction any time they like. Purchase as many fractions as you want, up to 10 fractions per yacht. When you choose your dates, contact Saveene and they will schedule and prepare your yacht for your arrival.

- Pampering. When you arrive at the marina, the yacht is clean, stocked, and safety-checked. Chart your course in advance, or allow your captain to create a memorable itinerary. Bring any food and beverages you choose, or Saveene yachts accommodate a chef or catering service.

- Peace of mind. With fractional ownership, you avoid many headaches associated with owning a boat outright, including maintenance, repairs, storage, transportation, and insurance. Saveene handles the business transactions of purchasing and selling the fractions as well when the time comes.

Saveene offers a range of options for yacht enthusiasts - a Sea Ray Sundancer for $19,995, a 36' Carver Mariner for a one-time fee of $ 39,995, a 64' Aicon for $89,980 or a combined usage of these for $69,985. All types are available at the same marina for viewing before making a purchase.

Sea Ray Sundancer: This 34-foot cruiser is ideal for families, and easy to maneuver along intercoastal waterways for boating, snorkeling, and dining at dockside restaurants.

Carver Mariner: This 37-foot boat features a fly bridge suited for parties, a home-size galley to accommodate larger food prep or catering, and a full entertainment center.

Aicon: The 64-foot yacht includes four full-sized cabins plus crew quarters to handle an extended excursion. All cabins include their own facilities and TV/DVD setups, and the yacht includes a collection of water toys for kids of all ages.

Want to go bigger? Saveene is also taking orders for an 85-foot Azimut yacht.

Other benefits include the opportunity to check out Saveene yachts for a risk-free trial and the ability to write off your fractional purchase on your taxes.

For more information about the benefits of yacht co-ownership, visit saveene.com.

"I figured if I was going to buy a house, I'd better do it sooner rather than later because prices just kept going up," explains Erin.

However, with only $7,000 in savings at the time, she felt she didn't have enough money for a down payment. But the timing became a dilemma for her. Should she wait to save more money for a house that would probably cost more in a year? Or, use all her savings to buy a house now - at the risk of leaving herself with no funds for a rainy day or future expenses?

The answer came when Erin visited the new home of a friend who had used a down payment assistance program to purchase her house. Her friend explained how down payment assistance programs give first-time homebuyers money to pay for a portion or all of their down payment, with some programs even helping with closing costs. 

Free money for eligible borrowers 

While there are more than 2,500 down payment assistance programs available throughout the country, Erin decided to apply for the same state-offered program her friend had used.

The program, called North Carolina 1st Home Advantage Down Payment, makes homeownership more affordable for state residents. It offers down payment assistance of up to 5 percent for FHA, VA and USDA loans, and up to 3 percent for a conventional loan. And because Erin had a decent credit score and met the program's income limit, she qualified.

Erin received down payment help in the form of a zero-percent, deferred second mortgage. As long as she doesn't sell or refinance the house for 15 years, her down payment assistance will be forgiven, meaning she won't have to pay it back.

Let the house hunting begin! 

Once Erin knew she was eligible for help with her down payment, she earnestly began her home search. She found a historical 3-bedroom, 1-bath home that was built in 1925. The price of the home was $152,000. She used conventional financing with private mortgage insurance because she was putting less than 20 percent down. With her 3-percent down payment assistance ($4,560), Erin successfully purchased her home in 2016.

"And, I didn't have to use all my savings!" says Erin. Plus, she's built up equity over the last two years due to home values going up.

Aside from the financial perks of owning her own home, Erin enjoys other benefits. "I've got so much more space for the money than when I was renting," says Erin. "And I like being a permanent part of the neighborhood and getting to know my neighbors."

For more homebuyer resources, visit readynest.com.

To find down payment assistance programs in your area, visit downpaymentresource.com/

First, as a cardiovascular physician I want to reinforce that no one should stop or alter their aspirin regimen before speaking with their doctor or health care provider. And second, I will help sort through the news and the research on this topic.

There are two main categories of patients who take a daily low-dose aspirin for cardiovascular (CV) event prevention: patients who have not yet had serious cardiovascular problems but may be at risk of having these problems AND patients who have already experienced serious cardiovascular problems like a heart attack or clot-related stroke. What the updated guidelines tell us is that certain individuals in the first category (have not yet had an event, often called primary prevention) may not need to continue taking aspirin due to the increased risks of bleeding outweighing the cardio-protection benefit. Whether or not you are one of these individuals in this category depends on your own personal risk factors, which is why it is important to consult your doctor who can help you understand the benefits and risks and what is best for your health.

For people in the secondary category - those who have already experienced a cardiovascular event - aspirin can be a lifesaver. Not only is it proven to help prevent another heart attack or clot-related stroke, aspirin is also one of the most extensively studied drugs in history. This is why aspirin remains the cornerstone preventative therapy for secondary prevention. In the United States, aspirin's professional label is approved for secondary prevention of a CV event.

Some of the media coverage around the new guidance was not clear on this crucial distinction. For those who have already experienced a heart attack, or clot-related stroke there is evidence that discontinuing an aspirin regimen without a doctor's guidance can increase the risk of another heart attack by 63 percent and a clot-related stroke due to a blood clot by 40 percent.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, affecting more than 92 million American adults and causing about 2,200 deaths per day. That's one life every forty seconds. Each year 790,000 Americans alone will suffer from a heart attack, while another 795,000 will have a stroke.

Many factors can contribute to a person's risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking - and almost half of Americans (47 percent) have at least one of these risk factors.

Clinical studies and cardiovascular professional guidelines have continued to support the lifesaving benefits of aspirin. Studies have found that an aspirin regimen under the direction of a doctor can help reduce the chances of a second heart attack by 31 percent and a second clot-related stroke by 22 percent.

Importantly, even though aspirin is the gold standard of preventative therapy for those who have experienced a heart attack, clot-related stroke, chronic stable and unstable angina, a stent placement (PCI) or open heart surgery (CABG), it may not be for everyone. Anyone who has questions about starting or continuing an aspirin regimen should talk to their doctor.

Aspirin is not appropriate for everyone, so patients should talk to their doctor before they begin an aspirin regimen. For more information on safe and responsible use of OTC medicines, visit www.KnowYourOTCs.org.

Disclosure: Dr. Gurbel is compensated by Bayer to advise on cardiovascular health issues.

Dr. Gurbel is the Director of Cardiovascular Research at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, MD and Director of the Sinai Center for Thrombosis Research and Drug Development. He is also Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine.

Doctors and patient groups say it doesn't have to stay this way.

"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women. Finally, we have a screening exam that will make a major impact and change the face of lung cancer for the future to a survivable cancer, not a death sentence," says Ella Kazerooni, MD, MS, chair of the National Lung Cancer Roundtable and Professor of Radiology and Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan.

Screening older current and former smokers each year with low-dose computed tomography or "CAT" scans is a cost-effective system proven to significantly reduce lung cancer deaths.

CT lung cancer screening exams for high-risk individuals are recommended by the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, the National Lung Cancer Roundtable, The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer and many other medical and scientific organizations.

"After decades of having little to offer adults at high risk for lung cancer, we've entered a new era where we now have evidence that lung cancer screening saves lives, and new targeted therapies and immunotherapy are offering new hope to patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer," says Richard Wender, MD, Chief Cancer Control Officer at the American Cancer Society.

"CT lung cancer screening is a game changer. We finally have a weapon to fight back against this terrible disease - if patients who need this screening get tested," says Debra Dyer, MD, chair of the American College of Radiology Lung Cancer Screening 2.0 Committee.

"Most lung cancers are not diagnosed until it is too late. This screening provides critical early detection that saves lives," says Carolyn Aldigé, founder and chief executive officer of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Insurance companies cover these exams with no copay for people 55-80 years of age with a history of heavy smoking who are current or former smokers. Medicare ends coverage at age 77. If you were a heavy smoker, meet the age specifications and stopped tobacco use in the last 15 years, you are covered.

However, unlike breast and colon cancer screening, if you are covered by Medicare, your health care provider must discuss the risk and benefits of a lung cancer screening CT exam with you during a "shared-decision making visit" before ordering your first screening CT.

Lung cancer care advocates urge those who think lung cancer screening can help them or a loved one to have that conversation with their doctor.

"Lung cancer screening is a proven, valuable tool in finding the number-one cancer killer at its most treatable, and even curable, stage," says Laurie Fenton Ambrose, Co-Founder of the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer.

For more lung cancer screening information, visit NLCRT.org and RadiologyInfo.org

Source: National Lung Cancer Roundtable (NLCRT.org)

So when Gunnar started having difficulty hearing at work and home, he did what he preaches to his clients: he attacked the problem and got a pair of hearing aids. Now as a hearing loss advocate, Gunnar offers the following tips to get your hearing in shape this fall.

* Be "present" with your hearing: Being present with your hearing means being aware of how you hear throughout the day. If your family members are complaining the TV is too loud, or if you're the one complaining that everyone else is mumbling, you may have a hearing problem that needs to be corrected.

* Get your hearing checked: At least once a year, you go to the doctor for a physical, or to get your eyesight checked. But when was the last time you got your hearing checked? Even if you're not having issues right now, just go and get a baseline to compare it to in the future.

* Preserve your current hearing: Noise-induced hearing loss is a problem that is completely preventable. If you work around a lot of noise, you need to use protection. If you go to loud concerts or enjoy firing up the leaf blower or lawnmower on the weekend, use protection. Remember, once you lose your hearing, it doesn't come back.

* Don't brush off tinnitus: If you have an annoying ringing or buzzing in your ears, especially when it's quiet, it may be tinnitus. Tinnitus and hearing loss often go hand-in-hand, so don't brush it off as a minor annoyance. Go see a hearing care professional and have it checked out.

Consider invisible hearing aids: If you need hearing aids but are worried people will judge you if they see you wearing them, know that invisible hearing aids such as the Phonak Lyric exist. They are 100 percent invisible and can stay in your ears for months at a time. A recent study even showed that Lyric relieves tinnitus faster than regular hearing aids, thanks to 24-hour amplification.

Not only did a whopping 84 percent of parents surveyed say they'd "welcome" such contributions to their 529 college savings plans instead of more traditional presents, according to new data from Fidelity Investments, but 33 percent have actually already asked for such assistance. 

And the other 51 percent? Maybe they're waiting for Santa to climb down their chimneys - the Tooth Fairy also makes house calls, it's said - or maybe they haven't heard about programs like the free online one at Fidelity that lets family and friends easily chip in to lessen the burden. Specifically, as the College Board reports, an average annual total cost (including tuition, fees, room and board) of $49,870 at private four-year colleges, $38,330 at out-of-state four-year public colleges, and $21,950 at in-state four-year public colleges. 

See full-sized image here.

Not so fast.

Those seasons may be the most popular time of year for a project such as this, but when you take a deeper dive into the world of home remodeling, you'll find October and November are actually the best times to remodel your kitchen. By taking advantage of the fall season, you can get your project done before the holidays (and save a ton of money.) 

Slower season means better values 

Spring and summer may seem the ideal time to begin a remodel project, but it's the busy season for contractors and retailers know it. High demand can mean higher prices and longer lead times to get things done. More people are recognizing this and getting their kitchen done in the fall. They can find better deals and, just as importantly, get their house ready for the holidays.

Here are some insider tips:

* Watch for the sale. Retailers will push great savings in October and November to clean out inventory heading into the new year.

* Find an expert. The Internet is great for research, but for a big project such as a kitchen, find a retailer that offers personal one-on-one design help.

* Remodel the whole kitchen, not just one part. You can get the best deals from retailers that do it all: cabinets, countertops, sinks, faucets - even flooring. And you'll be able to design the full kitchen without driving to three different stores.

* Plan installation. Ask if they offer installation. This time of year, that can be a real positive.

Try to find a store such as Cabinets To Go in your area. Unlike online retailers, they have experts in every store. They also offer free, 3D-kitchen design, installation and hundreds of style options for cabinets, countertops, sinks, faucets, and flooring. Better yet, they also offer some of their best deals of the year right now. For more information, visit www.cabinetstogo.com/. 

Show it off for the Holidays 

Home blogger Cassie Bustamante also encourages taking advantage of this season for a remodel.

"The fall is a financially wise time to undertake a new kitchen, but it also makes sense for a lot of other reasons," she says.

"The holidays are about family time and the kitchen is the heart of it all."

Bustamante also feels there's a more personal reason."Maybe you'll finally get up the nerve to host Thanksgiving dinner since you'll have such a gorgeous new space."

The kitchen is the heart of the holiday experience. It's the place we gather with loved ones to prepare meals and share stories. Now, imagine how amazing it would feel to host the holidays in your newly-remodeled kitchen knowing you saved a lot of money? Great family time during the holidays is more than just a kitchen, but it's the perfect place to bring it all together.

You'd almost certainly identify traditional public school, the most common K-12 education choice. More than 85 percent of students attend traditional public schools, which are free to attend. In some states, you can choose traditional public schools outside of your zone or even your district.

Public charter schools are also available to an increasing number of students across the U.S. Available in more than 40 states, these tuition-free public schools are unique because they have extra freedom to innovate.

Have you heard of a public magnet school? These public, district-run schools teach all subjects through the lenses of a particular track or "magnet." For example, the magnet could be health sciences or performance arts.

You've also likely heard of private schools, which charge tuition and offer learning environments that may pass on a particular faith tradition or provide a unique curriculum or focus. There are more scholarship options for private education today than ever before.

There are also full-time, tuition-free online schools in many states. These flexible, technology-based schools offer a blend of online coursework and in-person activities.

Finally, don't forget homeschooling. Families who choose to educate their children in the home can access a broad variety of in-person and web-based resources to support them in their work.

Of course, there aren't just six options. Each type of learning environment overflows with customizable options: No two public schools are exactly alike, just as no two families homeschool quite the same way.

Having these choices makes a world of difference to families, allowing them to look for a school that matches their child's unique interests and skills. During National School Choice Week, we invite families across the country to discover their options - and find learning environments where their children will thrive. You can learn more at schoolchoiceweek.com/mystate/.

Andrew Campanella is president of National School Choice Week and the author of The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child.

The transportation industry in the United States continues to experience a workforce shortage, and may be the ideal path for hands-on learners whose talents and interests may be well suited for a successful and satisfying technician career.

The nonprofit TechForce Foundation has launched the "Be a Pathfinder" campaign to help students with natural talents for hands-on professions discover their strengths and learning styles, and explore a career they might not have considered: that of a transportation technician.

The "Be a Pathfinder" campaign features a free learning-styles quiz on the TechForce website that generates a report for students and parents with personalized career tips based on their unique learning styles. Students who take the quiz are entered to win a TechForce Foundation gift package that includes a $50 Shell gift card and other prizes.

"The learning style quiz and personalized resources not only help students and parents recognize the opportunities of a career as a transportation technician, but also help them understand how and why they're a fit for these careers," says TechForce Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Maher.

The campaign encourages students to be "pathfinders" by helping them discover and understand their unique strengths and use that knowledge to choose an educational and career path. TechForce Foundation's mission is to promote the potential of professional technician careers, and to encourage parents, teachers, and other influential figures in teens' lives to recognize and support technical careers that may be a good fit for those students.

Studies suggest that the U.S. will need 1.2 million new technicians within the next decade, which translates to about 120,000 new jobs per year for aspiring professionals with interest in and aptitude for automotive, diesel, motorcycle, and other transportation fields.

"Though there are many viable, high-paying job opportunities in STEM-related careers like those in the transportation technician field, students have been told a traditional four-year degree is the only path to success," Maher emphasizes.

"The truth is that we're all wired differently, and hands-on learners can thrive in these positions."

Students and parents can take the learning-styles quiz at TechForce.org/MyPath.

Additional stories, videos, and resources are available on TechForce Foundation's website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts.

Visit techforce.org for more information about TechForce's work and pathways to rewarding careers.