Since Jacksonville the city and its county merged together in the late 1960s, Jacksonville is now known as the largest city in land area in the United States as well as the 13th largest population wise.

Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and has a lot of tourism related to golf so golf-loving retirees will find it a great new home. Jacksonville is also a major port so day cruises and longer cruises are available for quick vacations. Jacksonville also has many theaters and art venues so you can easily plan day trips. Jacksonville is close to St. Augustine, which is considered the oldest city in the United States.

Many consider Jacksonville Florida to be among the best retirement cities in the U.S. Here are some other reasons to choose living in Jacksonville.

Social Opportunities: studies have shown that a good group of friends is more important to a happy retirement than money or health. Jacksonville offers many opportunities with civic groups and hobby clubs to generate a solid core group of friends. These friends can help ward off the problems of aging like dementia and health issues.

Public Transportation: rural living isn't good for seniors who can't drive since they require someone's help to get around. The expenses of transportation add up quickly for fixed-income seniors so the public transportation of Jacksonville is quite beneficial. Even better is that most public transit systems have senior rates that are much cheaper than normal.

Access to Medical Services: it's pretty obvious that if you live near a hospital, you're more likely to survive a medical emergency. Despite how your mind feels, the body starts to break down and there's a good chance you'll need a hospital visit during your retirement years. Living in Jacksonville is great since there are more specialists and medical services available and at cheaper rates.

Access to Local Businesses: city living offers walking distance to most businesses that you'll ever use in your retirement years. Even if you need to travel, there are a lot more shopping centers and discount stores in urban areas.

Fitness: exercise is critical to keeping healthy during your retirement years. Cities have every type of fitness facility from standard fitness centers to niche fitness places like indoor rock climbing walls so there's something for everyone. Even if you want to exercise on your own, there's tons of parks or indoor malls to enjoy walking in.

Continuing Education: todays seniors know the importance of exercising their brains, as well as their bodies. Urban living provides access to a wide range of classes, through local universities, museums, city recreation departments, etc. Enrolling in these types of courses can help stave off the depression that some people feel once they stop working full time.

Food and Entertainment: retirement should be full of activities you never had a chance to enjoy while working. Dinners out to fancy restaurants or weekend getaways to a nearby city or historical site are all possible living in a city. Usually, cities have tons of entertainment venues like theaters and museums and there's always something going on.

Retirement Housing Options: In Jacksonville there are unique housing options which include condos, apartments for rent, hi-rises, retirement communities, lofts, co-ops, luxury condominiums, top end townhouses and other housing for over 55 boomers and seniors.

Read this article:
Jacksonville FL Retirement Living - Best Retirement Cities

Set in the magnificent First Coast in Florida, the Glenmoor Resort has become one of the best retirement communities in northern Florida. As a non-profit, independent accreditor of health and human services communities, we pride ourselves on our extensive range of services. We are always happy to receive feedback that helps us improve our service to you.

We are among the top retirement communities and homes, and we offer a retirement community that provides assisted living, long term care facilities, on-site health care, and memory-support for those in the greatest need. Being a Life Care Center community, our aim is to give you the peace of mind in your retirement to make it as worry-free as possible.

If living near a golf course is your perfect idea of retirement, then look no further. There are world class courses right outside your front door. Your new retirement home can be a cottage, an estate home or an apartment right next to the beautiful and pristine Florida beaches. You can also enjoy the benefits of fine dining, elegant shopping and an abundance of cultural activities that will keep your retirement busier than your working life was. Only you can define how you live out your retirement and you can start by looking at Glenmoor. Want to enjoy the independent living facilities with a cushion for later on in your years, choose Glenmoor as your retirement home, you will be safe in the knowledge that when you need extra care it will be available to you.

If you are looking in the Florida area for your ideal retirement home, call for an appointment and we will be happy to show you around, let you know your choices and offer the financial options that will get you the retirement you deserve. If you can see yourself retiring to Florida, you can see yourself living in Glenmoor.

Link:
Retirement Communities in Jacksonville Florida - Glenmoor

Florida Retirement Systemoffers two retirement plans, the Pension Plan and the Investment Plan.

Pension Plan: Traditional Plan (8 year vesting requirement, effective July 1, 2011). A defined benefit plan sponsored by the State of Florida which provides a monthly retirement benefit based on years of creditable service, the value of each year of service and the average final compensation of the five highest years of salary.

Deferred Retirement Optional Program (DROP) DROP is available when you are vested and have reached your normal retirement date. It allows you to retire while continuing to be employed by an FRS employer for up to 60 months (96 months under certain circumstances if employed as instructional personnel for the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind or a grades K-12 school). You must elect DROP participation within (12) twelve months after you reach your normal retirement date, unless you are employed as "instructional personnel.

Investment Plan: After 1 year of FRS service. You are always fully vested in your own contributions as long as you remain in the Investment Plan. Your FRS-covered employer provides the majority of your FRS retirement plan contribution based on a fixed percentage of your gross salary (total employee and employer rate is 6.3% for Regular Class employees). A mandatory 3% pretax contribution is deducted from your paycheck and deposited into your retirement account.

Visit http://www.myfrs.com to learn more.

Originally posted here:
Employee Benefits / Florida Retirement System

We Balance Assistance with Independence

Brookdale Mandarinis a premier senior livingcommunity in Jacksonville, Florida near the St Johns River. We offer Assisted Living carewith attentive service and well-appointedamenities, including a convenient location with shopping, banks, area hospitals, and physicians offices near campus. Residents and their families enjoy access to many local attractions, including beaches and waterways for swimming, fishing and other water sports. Popular attractions include the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, the Museum of Science and History and our regions world-class golf courses.

Just a short drivefrom the beach, our cozy campus features an outdoor covered porch, an outdoor courtyard, and beautifully-landscaped grounds with walking paths shaded by live oaks. We also have a heated, outdoor swimming pool with a pool deck. Our residents enjoy spacious common areas, including a comfortable family room perfect for entertaining guests or meeting friends, a bright elegant dining room complete with table linens and place settings, a bright lofty atrium lobby and our library with its extensive collection of all of your favorite books and magazines.

We understand you may be concernedabout the health and safety of your loved one. You may worry that they may not take their medications properly or that they may suffer a fall with no one around to help. You probably feel a little overwhelmed with demands on your time or withthe guilt of not being able to do more. Maybe you or your loved one fear moving and losing the comforts of home, independence, or connections with friends and family.

We can help you and your family as you consider a move. Assisted Living services are the unique contribution we can make to your loved ones well-being and quality of life. At Brookdale Mandarinwe serve our residents by providing just the right amount of assistance and care to make theirlives easier, while enabling them to live as independently as possible. Our associates are here to support the care that you and other family members already provide. We offer an engaging lifestyle and comfortable accommodations, combined with an exceptional blend of service, care and hospitality.

Experience our distinctive blend of hospitality, attentive service, and compassionate care. Complete the online form for more information or call today to schedule a tour.

There may come a time when you or your loved may need additional help with daily tasks. At Brookdale Mandarin, we offer Assisted Living care so youll be prepared, if or when you need more assistance.

It all begins with a personal service assessment. We take the time to listen to our residents, so we can understand their needs; then we establish clinical, dining and program support that works for them in a meaningful way. We partner with our residents, recognizing their individual needs and preferences, and adjust services to meet their changing needs. So whether its a unique snack, the celebration of a favorite season or a lifelong interest, we value the privilege of knowing our residents and building relationships with them to create a truly personalized living experience.

With our exclusive personal service system, you can live your life the way you want with the right care at the right time, delivered by the right people. Through years of experience serving seniors, we have developed a process that allows us to customize personal care plans for our Assisted Living residents. Your customized care plan means you only pay for the services you need and want, giving you the flexibility to change your plan.

Remember your own days in a college dorm or summer camp, living with people your own age that shared your interests and experiences? You played cards and board games, and talked for hours swapping stories. We recreate that fun, communal experience of living with a family of friends.Here at Brookdale Mandarin, we know that sustaining social relationships and friendships is an integral part of aging well. Well help your loved one connect with others who share similar interests, and enjoy a vibrant life.

We offer care that balances independence with assistance and delivers service with compassion, understanding and respect. With well-appointedaccommodations and an impressive line of features and amenities, Brookdale residents enjoy life with the confidence of knowing we are here, partnering with you and your family, to customize solutions that support your needs as they evolve.

Let us help provide the care you or a loved one need and amenities and services you want. For more information about our services or to schedule a tour, complete the online formor call today.

Brookdale Mandarinisa connected community where each of our four floor feels like a neighborhood. Our spacious, light-filled residences have full kitchens and several floor plan options, plus small pets are welcome.

Our monthly calendar is filled with enriching activities for residents to enjoy such as bunko, wine and cheese gatherings, music performances and fitness classes. We also offer devotional services, field trips for shoppingand lunch, and ice cream socials.In addition to an exciting calendar of activities, classes and outings, our residents enjoy the following amenities and services:

Learn more about the how we can help you or your loved one live an engaging life that balances independence and assistance. Complete the online form or call today to schedule a visit.

Read the rest here:
Jacksonville FL Assisted Living Facilities

Jacksonville Florida is one of the hottest senior markets in the U.S. With fantastic weather and a wide range of available activities, many seniors move to Florida for their retirement. With over 14% of the population being elderly, much of Jacksonville has adapted to the needs of seniors to create more housing and senior care options. Jacksonville has at least 5 CCRC, dozens of independent living communities, and even more options for assisted living and nursing homes. Options range from affordable assisted living complexes to luxury assisted living communities.

Jacksonville also has over 30 Alzheimers care centers. If you are on a limited budget, make sure to check out the home senior care options. This service typically runs for about 40% of the cost of living in a facility and it can really stretch your retirement dollars if live in a debt-free home.

For proactive seniors, continuum care retirement communities and independent living communities are a great way to make the initial transition into senior living. Regardless of what type of senior living you desire, SeniorLiving.Org has every possible option listed so enter your desired area into the search bar to see all the surrounding senior care and senior living options.

See original here:
Jacksonville Senior Living Communities & Senior Apartments

I was provided this product for an honest review. I personally am not a big sports shake enthusiast, so I let my husband try and review this product. Below is his honest opinion.

The Vega Sport Protein powder (Chocolate) is used to "recover" after a vigorous workout. The 29.2 oz tub contains 23 servings, and each scoop/serving contains 23grams of protein. I compared this product to other proteins/recovery products that I have taken in the past (i.e., EAS Recovery, Casein). My favorite is the EAS Recovery, in terms of taste, quality and results.

Benefit #1: Compared to other products, Vega has more protein per serving. 1 serving (scoop) contains approximately 23grams of protein. When I compare it to EAS, you get 20grams of protein in a serving, which is 2 scoops.

Benefit #2: For those who are looking for healthy alternatives in terms of protein recovery powders, there is no soy, dairy, gluten or sugar in this product. Which could affect the taste and smell.

Smell: When I opened the container, I noticed the smell was not as pleasant as some other proteins (i.e. whey, casein) that I have tried in the past. It didn't stink, but had a different kind of smell. Again, this may be because it is plant based.

Taste: I ordered and received the chocolate flavor. I didn't try with water, but used vanilla rice milk. It does taste a little different than other proteins powders but isn't horrible. **This product mixes well in the shaker. I was able to drink without lumps and clumps of unmixed powder.

Side effects: I did not experience any of the stomach discomfort that some complained about and I have a sensitive stomach. After a few weeks of use, I can honestly say that I have had no issues with bloating, gas or upset stomach.

See the article here:
Amazon.com: Vega Sport Performance Protein, Vanilla, Tub ...

Welcome to PowerPictures - our rapidly expanding line of professional stock photos with over 20 million images to choose from! Whether you are looking for visually-stunning photos for your next marketing campaign or eye-catching pics for your website or presentation, weve got what you need for very low prices. All images are supplied in the popular JPEG file format and are available in both lower resolutions (suitable for websites and presentations) and various higher resolutions (suitable for print applications).

We also provide a sophisticated search engine that is designed to show you the best results for whatever you are searching for. Not just good photos that happen to use the words you searched on, but actually great photos, sorted to first show the best, most relevant, inspirational, motivational and powerful pictures that other people like you have purchased in the past. And, as you know, that really helps when youre short on time!

The pictures you see below are just small thumbnail pics of some of our (much bigger) images we offer for purchase and immediate download. (Just click on any thumbnail pic to enlarge it, learn more about it and/or buy it.) But dont just look on this page. The pictures you see below are just the tip of the iceberg. Using the search tool (above) youll find a total of309,183Investmentimages and photos for you to choose from!

Read more:
Investment Images - Photos - Pictures - CrystalGraphics

Key Message

Without investment, sustainable development is impossible. Well planned, high quality foreign investment in developed and developing countries can help make current economic practices more sustainable. Inappropriate investment, however, can undermine communities and the environment, as well as domestic development strategies. IISD examines how the rules and institutions that govern international investment flows can be improved so as to help developing countries, in particular, attract the sort of investment that promotes sustainable development.

Brazil has developed a new model investment agreement, the Cooperation and Investment Facilitation Agreement (CIFA). Unlike traditional bilateral investment treaties (BITs), which are geared towards investor protection, CIFAs focus less on investor protection and more on institutional arrangements and agendas for investment facilitation and cooperation. They promote amicable ways to settle disputes and propose state-state dispute settlement as a last resort. Notably, CIFAs do not include provisions on investor-state arbitration.

CIFA negotiations were launched in 2013. Between March and May 2015, Brazil concluded the first three agreements, with Mozambique, Angola and Mexico. Negotiations with Malawi are reported to have been concluded, and Brazil is also negotiating with Algeria, Chile, Colombia, Morocco, Peru, South Africa and Tunisia.

IISD has prepared unofficial English translations of the two first CIFAs, to draw attention to the new model that Brazil has been promoting in recent years. Download the English translations of the Brazil-Mozambique and Brazil-Angola CIFAs here.

IISD applauds the UNCITRAL Secretariats establishment of a Transparency Registry that will function as a repository for the publication of information and documents in treaty-based investor-State arbitration. This important step follows the entry into force of the UNCITRAL Rules on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration (the Transparency Rules) on April 1, 2014. The Transparency Registry will contain information on the commencement of an arbitration, and make available a wide range of documents, including transcripts of hearings; orders, decisions and awards of the arbitral tribunal; and submissions to the tribunal. The UNCITRAL Transparency Rules are an integral part of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules and will apply on a default basis to UNCITRAL investor-State arbitrations conducted under investment treaties concluded after April 1, 2014.

World Bank Land and Poverty Conference, 24-28 March, 2014 IISD participated at the annual World Bank conference on land and poverty issues. We participated in the panel, The African land policy initiative: Advances made and next steps, on 25 March. IISD was also a guest speaker at the Swiss reception, providing insights into how IISD's investment programme is supporting efforts by governments and parliamentarians to improve investment in land, water and other natural resources.

IISD has been breaking new ground on investment and sustainable development issues since 1998.

Investment is critical for sustainable development, which requires fundamental changes in how we produce, distribute and dispose of goods. Today this kind of change must come mainly through investment in new technologies and new processes that can replace unsustainable practices. In developing countries, where domestic sources of capital are scarce, foreign direct investment plays a significant role.

But not all investment leads to sustainable development, and not all of the global rules and institutions relating to international investment have been conceived through a sustainable development lens. IISD's work on investment and sustainable development focuses on this critical linkage, and provides new approaches to ensure that investment law and policy will make a positive contribution to sustainable development.

Thematic Priority and Research IISD's work on investment is built upon a track record of solid research on emerging issues and key developments. Our priorities include: Agriculture, Water and Investment; Mining and Investment; Clean Energy Investment; Chinese Outward Investment; and Institutional Reform.

Investment Law The law that applies to transnational investments consists of a complex bundle of international and domestic law and contracts between investors and states. It is important to understand the relevance of each, as well as their interrelationship.

Investment Dispute Settlement Investment treaties allow investors to sue state parties directly through investment arbitration. This is a powerful tool allowing investors to challenge a wide range of government conduct, including environmental and health measures, as well as many other public interest measures.

Capacity Building The highly qualified international lawyers of IISD's Investment Program advise on international investment treaties and contracts, with respect to investment negotiations, implementation and disputes.

Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators Annual Forums for Developing Country Investment Negotiators is as a place where developing countries can freely consider and develop their own negotiating priorities and goals in relation to international investment treaties.

Investment Treaty News IISD offers a free reporting service on international investment law and policy. It covers issues relating to international investment protection treaties and contracts, as well as investment disputes and their policy implications.

Read more here:
Investment and Sustainable Development

Find out more about emotional health topics including mental health disorders such as phobias, depression and drug abuse. Learn about child development with this online guide for parents. Find information about building self-esteem in children and helping them deal with exam stress and bullying. Find primary PSHE resources for children aged 4-11 and their teachers including PSHE activities and games. Guide to personal and professional development for teenagers who want to increase their employability. Find information on careers, goal setting, self-improvement and personal presentation. Learn about mental health with this library of videos on happiness, depression, binge drinking and self-harm. Increase your knowledge of personal development with these training courses listed by the UK's leading course finders. If you're interested in a career in counselling or life coaching, why not consider training as a Samaritan? Comprehensive online guide on all aspects of psychotherapy. Find counselling training courses, jobs and news. Get invaluable practical advice on tackling bullying, racism and challenging behaviour with this site for parents, teachers and those working with children. Learn more about personal growth with relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support through this website. Stay informed, up-to-date and interested in the study of psychology with this collection of educational material on psychology and psychiatric disorders. Back to Learning homepage | Back to top

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Continue reading here:
BBC Learning Personal Development

As the New Year begins its the ideal time to reflect on how youre going in life and what you want to change. My personal issue is learning how to heal hyperthyroidism. You see, it was about a month ago that my hypothyroidism swapped over to the hyper version and

Continue reading

Lets start with Personal Development Objectives they are the foundational reason the motivating force to keep you moving forward to improve your life. What do you REALLY WANT in life? If youre like most people the bottom line for self improvement is to be more HAPPY and SATISFIED in life.

Continue reading

Personal development is a journey, not a destination. So, get yourself deeply settled into learning a myriad of personal development techniques so you feel empowered to change your life as you desire. Its time now to live a life you love! Here are some of my favourite personal development quotes

Continue reading

Setting a goal starts with you and personal development. What do you REALLY want in life? And, how badly do you want it? Its getting close to the New Year so why not have a look at what you want to create in your life for 2016. This is an

Continue reading

Personal Development planning is an amazing exercise of inner reflection. You first start with wanting to make changes in your life and so you think about who you are and how you can improve yourself. You see, as a child you were given a certain personal matrix that dictates how

Continue reading

Improve motivation to do anything. Motivated people work better, live more satisfied lives and are generally healthier and happier. Motivation is the energy that gives direction and focus. When youre low in motivation youll find yourself stuck in old patterns feeling bad about yourself or guilty that you didnt get

Continue reading

Originally posted here:
Personal Development Insights and Inspirations