Wednesday, October 29, 1997 — North Shore News - 35 ~~! - Plan now for retirement THE message is clear. Whatever your age, don’t be retiring about retir- ing. And do prepare for a major lifestyle adjustment. I asked readers to share their retirement planning experi- ences, whether they were stil! working or had already retired. The financial tips were straightforward: save regular- ly and diversi- . But most readers focused on how to deal with the more personal changes retire- ment brings — although there is vena | an underlying financial ele- ment, too. I drew the’ names of 12 people, each of whom will be receiving a helpful retirement planning The winners are Allan Ferrell, Anne Moon, Bob Woima and nine others who contacted me by e-mail so I need to hear from them again with their addresses. They are Ian Cameron, Ann Campbell, Maureen Hickey, Leo Buijs, KNOCK (and please send me your name, too), Nancy McCulloch, Charlene Misurelli, Dianne Scoles and Carole Weaver. “My husband Ted decided he would like to retire at 55, in 1993, so we developed a five-year plan,” Scoles said. “We decided we would live for those five years on a reduced income equivalent to what we believed we would Via “My husband Ted decided he would like to retire at 55, in 1993, so we developed a five- year plan.” have at retirement. We used the extra income to pay off a mortgage. Of course, others could save that money for a retirement home, vacation fund, recreation vehicle and so on.” Scoles said there were days “when we wondered whether we had made life more difficult than necessary for ourselves since we had to think much more carefully than we had in the past about how we spent our money. But in the end it paid off. It became casicr and ecasi- er — and when we made the change to pension income everything went very smoothly. This reduced income idea in preparation for retirement really works!” Scoles and her husband read about retirement, attended semi- nars, talked about what retirement would be like and discussed how they would deal with problems. “We also talked a lot to other retirees — and lis- tened.” Anne Moon said her best move was to rent out her Toronto condo- minium while she made a trial move to Victoria. “I spent cight months, including winter, in a fur- nished basement bed-sitter, just to make sure I could handJe grey rainy days under the least optimum condi- tions. Obviously, from my address, Victoria won.” - Copyright 1997 M & M Creations Ltd. Mike Grenly is a columnist and independent financial adviser who works with indi- viduals; he'll answer questions in this column as space allows but cannot reply individually - contact him at 2444 Haywood Avenue, West Vancouver, B.C. V7V IY]; e-mail: Mgrenty@ael.com Liquid assets INFLUENZA 4. acute contagious and infec- tious febrile disorder caused by virus, usua!- ly with fever, rapid prostration, and severe aching and catarrh. — The Concise Oxford Dictionary No matter how you define it, getting the flu stinks. And the person sick with the flu isn’t the only one who suffers. These days, more and more companies are realizing bottom-line benefits by offering flu_ immunization programs in the workplace. “With the influenza sea- son fast approaching, we’re secing a steady increase in interest from a variety of companies who want to invest in this type of wellness initiative,” said Bev McMaster, president of We Care Health Services Inc., which provides a flu vaccina- tion program to employers. Influenza epidemics are becoming increasingly Retirement Planning Seminar ~~ RRSP Conversion Strategies How, why and when to convert Investment Strategies in a Low Interest Rate Environment Tax Minimization Are you doing all you can? Our free seminar is especially important if you are 69, 79, or 71 this year. Deibrook Community Centre Oak Room. 600 West Queens, North Vancouver Thursday, November 6, 1997 Afternoon 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Evening 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. § There is no charge for the seminar, but as seating is limited, please call to reserve your space at the session of your choice. severe. In hospital costs alone, it has been estimated that flu is now an annual $500 million drain on our national health care system. For businesses across Canada, the costs are even more staggering and can be counted in lost productivity, mounting payroll expenses for replacement workers and higher short-term disability benefits. “Companies are realizing that they, like their employ- ees, can avoid this suffering,” said Barb Munholland, owner of North Shore We Care, which is offering a workplace influenza program for the second year. She pointed to a study published in the 1995 New England Journal of Medicine which found that immuniza- tion resulted in a 43% decline are you losin Find out with a 4 AT the entrance to the Grouse Grind trail sits ... a vendin upscale marketing move by the company that selis Evian water, the machine offers crisp, cold water to hikers tackling the gruelling Grind. u sickens business in absenteeism due to upper respiratory illnesses. For healthy adults, a bout of the flu, which can also be accompanied by chills and a dry cough, c2n mean being sick in bed for up to a week. It has also been documented that even after returning to work, the performance of employees can be affected for up to one month. But vaccinated employees, says an Ontario Health Ministry survey, have a 70% or greater chance of avoiding the iliness altogether. We Care Health Services Ltd. was founded in Ontario. To find out more about offering a flu iramunization program at your company, contact North Shore We Care at 980-6350. (Catarrh, by the way, means nasal congestion.) — Deana Lancaster x NEW photo Paul McGrath ae gw n¢ lothes make. the'man..” bXelusts e bairopean Desig: bastion” | West Vancouver: ho O25-45345, ur Hair? : Visualization Microscopic Test. A number of men and women experience Hair Loss and Scalp Disorders what will lead to baldness. Most people ALLOW THEIR PROBLEM TO GET WORSE DUE TO PROCRASTINATION, NEGLECT, IGNORANCE, LAZINESS AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. Before you decide what to do about your thinning hair, there is a fact to consider. 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