“The Retirement Squeeze” is the topic this week on The Art 2 Aging’s feature podcast.

That’s what our guest refers to as the financial aspects of retirement that many fail to take into consideration.

Now, we have gone in depth in the past on what goes into a financial plan for retirement and it pretty much boils down to one thing: pay yourself first when you are a working stiff and invest wisely.

That means having a budget and a good dose of self discipline to stick to the plan as much as possible.

But many of us know there’s much more to it than just saving and investing to reach some magic number; you have to consider long term healthcare costs, a retirement residence perhaps (very costly, these days); what it might take cost-wise, to stay in your own home as long as possible – those sorts of elements.

David Conti, a financial writer who spent years with Vanguard, the enormous investment fund advisory with more than $13 trillion in assets under its management (gee, almost as much as Elon Musk!) is our guest.

What David has done is to create something called the Retirement Fear Index which he updates each month to track changes in 10 different categories that directly impact retirement and retirement planning.

David and I get pretty deep in discussing retirement and its surprising hidden costs and it’s a must-watch if you are close to or already in retirement. Look for 10 Ways Your Retirement Can Mess Up in your inbox, Friday morning on The Art 2 Aging.

When was the last time you saw a healthcare ad for older adults that actually spoke to you, that didn’t offend you by using demeaning, ageist language, or images?

Probably not in a long time because those ads are few and far between.

This week on The Art 2 Aging, a wide-ranging conversation with two marketing and advertising experts who were top of their field and who are still involved in the industry today.

Dave McCaughan has been a frequent guest on the show and has done research most recently for the Global Wellness Institute on what aging means in different countries around the world. Dave also spent decades in market research for McCann Advertising.

He’s joined by Jeremy Perrott, former Global Creative Director at McCann Health, who has created many ad campaigns that have won worldwide Clio awards – the advertising equivalent of Hollywood’s Oscars – along with many others.

Under his leadership, McCann Health was recognized as the most creatively awarded healthcare network in the world, four years in a row.

Together, Jeremy and Dave offer their opinions on why advertising keeps missing the mark when it comes to older adults and how ad agencies could make their messaging far more effective.

Diet.

Think about that word. It has two meanings, doesn’t it?

The first one connotes trying to lose weight, as in “I have to go on a diet.”

The second meaning relates to what we put in our mouths and stomachs three times a day, as in “My diet consists of healthy vegetables, lean meats and lots of protein.” Hopefully.

Somehow, both meanings of the word ‘diet’ have come together into such things as the Scarsdale Diet, the Atkins Diet, the South Beach diet, etc.

Each one favours certain foods and each one – if followed – claims some weight loss.

As we age, our dietary needs change along with our bodies. And we need to be aware of this. Instead, many people fall into diet camps: the Keto camp, the Paleo camp, the Carnivore camp and so on.

Dr. Richard Rocker, our guest this week on The Art 2 Aging, believes that ideology, rather than common sense, is leading many of us astray. Richard is an Integrative and Natural Medicine practitioner in Ireland who also holds certification as a blood chemistry analyst.