Social connections Archives

Howdy and may this blog post find you in amazing health with your Medicare insurance 🏥working properly😄.

Any issues🤔with coverage?

If you’ve already called the carrier and there is no resolution, email Gray, Gray@TheBig65.com or book a time on my calendar. We’ll do our best.

We received a ton of greet feedback on scams that clients are experiencing.

Barb S had great advice:

“I find it best to NOT respond to anything that comes up on my phone📞. Instead, I wait until I’m on my laptop where I can better investigate the issue. If it’s an email, make sure the sender is valid. Most of the times, it isn’t.”

Well-said Barb! Keep an eye out for some honey in the mail🐝📧🍯! I give thanks for the wisdom of the tribe.

Speaking of wisdom, I heard a great Ted Talk on the secret to living longer.

Don’t worry, it doesn’t include becoming a professional dog walker🐾😃!

Genetics accounts for 25% of longevity. The remaining 75% is lifestyle.

Lifestyle includes choices, like NOT bringing your cat to the dog park, right🙄! It’s way too easy to make fun of Millennials. Fortunately, this cat made it down and home safely.

We know obesity (20%), smoking (40%), and diabetes (25%) are risk factors for an early death, but research shows that something else may be even more dangerous😧.

Social Isolation increases our risk of death by 50%! Isn’t that crazy?

Loneliness weakens the immune system, raises stress, increases heart disease, and speeds up cognitive decline. Health experts are finally sending out the alarm that we need to turn the tide and add more social connection to our lives.

Wanna know how to stay in the game🤨?

The cure is surprisingly simple: regular face to face interactions.

Saying hello to others, petting dogs, and doing good deeds release neurotransmitters which strengthen the immune system, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being.

Daily personal connections also keep you away from Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of death and the underworld. You do NOT want to hang out with this dude!

Joy and connection can come from daily low stakes interactions. By getting out of the house, we can connect with others and it often inspires curiosity.

Plus you get to buy churros!

Here are some ideas! 😊

Wave or nod to neighbors.
Make small talk in line at the store.
Compliment strangers. You’ll make their day!
Strike up a dog talk.
Join a class or club.
Offer a helping hand.
Make a quick call.
Say hi to your mail carrier or delivery driver.
Go to a local café and chat with regulars.
Attend a community event and introduce yourself.
Ask for a recommendation.
Start with a light joke.

Let us know one thing you tried this week and we’ll send you honey! Plato loves to stay connected!

Keep squeezing the juice out of life and look for ways to help others!

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

If you know someone who might like to receive The Big 65 newsletter, forward this link.

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@TheBig65.com.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here
Happy with my Service? Click Here to Leave a Review.

Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Medicare insurance broker and independent Medicare agent licensed to help Medicare recipients in thirty states around the country, including:

Alabama
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The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 10 organizations that offer 50 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Hello and may this blog find you in great health with your Medicare insurance coverage working well this Memorial Day Weekend.

For questions, quotes, or quandaries, email Gray@TheBig65.com or book a time on my calendar and we’ll get it sorted.

While my wife, Quantz, was visiting her dad in the low country of South Carolina, our daughter Susanna and I visited my brothers where I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

When Robert, Haas, and I get together, one thing is certain, there will be chess.

Dad once claimed he’d played Bobby Fisher in New York in the late fifties.

True or not, Chess was our religion, and Bobby Fisher, our hero. We three boys watched on our black and white TV, cheering as Fisher defeated Spassky the Russian in twenty-one games to become world champion.

As many chess games as we could get in with Dad before Mom made us clear the pieces and set the dinner table. Dad, spotting us a glass of beer and his queen, placed two minutes on his chess clock and eight minutes on ours, decimating us with time to spare.

None of us brothers ever rose above amateur. Yet, we retain a love of the game, and through this old chess board and the pieces, a connection to our father’s love. The ghost of Rinehart remains in those pieces.

Never underestimate the mental and physical benefits of social connections between you, your family, and your community.

Maintaining strong social ties can significantly enhance mood, health, and quality of life. A study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found that older adults who engage in regular social activities are less likely to experience depression.

Social interactions provide emotional support, which can help individuals manage stress and anxiety more effectively. After dinner, we did a stroll around the old city of Staunton. If you ever visit, check out the Shakespeare Theater and take a walk up onto the hill at Mary Baldwin College. You can also visit Woodrow Wilson’s birthplace.

Engaging with family and friends can also help keep the mind sharp. Research indicates that social interactions stimulate cognitive functions, potentially delaying the onset of dementia.

A study in the American Journal of Public Health documented seniors with strong social networks had a 70% reduced risk of cognitive decline compared to those who were less socially active.

Maintaining social connections often encourages more physical activity, whether it’s going for a walk with a friend or participating in group activities. The CDC notes that physical activity can help manage chronic conditions, improve balance and coordination, and enhance overall physical health.

Haas lives about twenty minutes south of Robert on his farm in Spottswood and he spends as much time outside hunting, fishing, and farming as he possibly can. Do me a favor and stay out of the trees and off of your own roof, please!

Being connected to family and friends provides a sense of belonging and purpose, which is crucial for a fulfilling life. This sense of community can lead to increased happiness and life satisfaction.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development has shown that close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives. I’m so glad Sus came along on this trip to reconnect with her aunts, uncles, and cousins. Don’t forget about loving on animals as well.

We took a quick trip down to Charlottesville with Aunt Cristi to see cousin Mia right after Mia finished her first semester as a graduate student studying physics at UVA. Both Sus and Mia got our dad’s red hair and his deep love of learning. I guess it skipped a generation.

There is also evidence to suggest that strong social ties can lead to a longer life. A meta-analysis published in PLoS Medicine found that individuals with strong social relationships had a 50% increased likelihood of survival compared to those with weaker social connections.

Quantz’s dad is proof of this. He still volunteers weekly at Brookgreen gardens, walks daily to check out the birds at Huntington State Park, and hangs out with his coffee klatch buddies causing plenty of general mayhem. He’s proof of aging well by staying connected and repeating my favorite adage, “getting old ain’t for sissies!”

Some of the different ways to stay connected include participating in local clubs, volunteering, or attending community events. Video calls, social media, and messaging apps can also be great tools when physical distance is an issue.

By embracing the power of social connections, you can enhance your well-being and make the most of every day. Keep reaching out, stay active in your community, and cherish the bonds that bring joy and health into your life.

Or you can keep it simple and do like Buddy does: fish, laugh with friends, and love on Puff, the noisiest, sweetest Javanese I have ever met.

Keep squeezing the juice out of life and look for ways to help others!

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

If you know someone who might like to receive The Big 65 newsletter, forward this link.

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here
Happy with my Service? Click Here to Leave a Review.

Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Medicare insurance broker and independent Medicare agent licensed to help Medicare recipients in thirty states around the country, including: