tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69359859413060654812024-03-13T10:28:06.731-04:00Senior GO TO Guide • BLOGA DIRECTORY OF HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR SENIORS AND THEIR FAMILIESSenior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.comBlogger964125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-72310909376821949142020-08-14T08:28:00.000-04:002020-08-14T08:28:04.521-04:00The “9PM Routine” Provides Peace of Mind While Protecting Your Home and Valuables <p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">There is a popular </span><span style="font-family: Cambria;">new</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">phenomenon sweeping the country that is helping people protect their homes and property. Started in 2016 by the Sherriff’s office in Pasco County, Florida, it’s catching on nationwide because it is simple to do and extremely effective.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Every night at 9:00, everyone in the community is encouraged to lock up their property, turn on lights, and bring in valuables to reduce the likelihood of falling victim to property crimes. This is the new “9PM Routine.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">What to do:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vehicles<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><u><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Remove keys, wallets, cash, phones, phone chargers, sunglasses, garage door openers, and all other valuables from the vehicles.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you can’t remove items of value, lock them in the trunk or glove compartment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ensure all vehicle windows are closed and locked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Store your vehicle keys away from doors and windows. Some criminals use scanners to gain the code for your remote key fob. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-right: -31.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-right: -31.5pt;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Property<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-right: -31.5pt;"><u><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Don’t leave property in your yard that may be attractive to thieves.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Close and lock house and garage doors and windows.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Turn on outside lights. Motion activated lights work great!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Keep shrubbery around your home trimmed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Set up a home security system. They are easier to use and more cost-effective than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Have a neighbor grab your mail and keep an eye on your house when you’re away.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Beware of door-to-door scams.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-right: -31.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Report all suspicious activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-right: -31.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-right: -31.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Angela DeLeon, a Crime Prevention Specialist at People’s United Bank, likes the 9PM Routine because it’s an easy and engaging way to help people protect their property. Angela also recommends that people make sure all windows are locked in the house, and if they are open for fresh air, to make sure that they are pinned so that nobody can raise them high enough for a person to enter the home. Also, store all ladders outside in a locked garage at night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-right: -31.5pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Community effort<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors about the 9PM Routine. Call your local police department. Ask if they are participating, and if they aren’t, ask them to join the movement. Commit to the routine seven days a week. And if you are social media-savvy, post, share, and tag! You’ll feel better, and you’ll feel<i>safer. </i>Who couldn’t use a little feeling better and safer ... particularly now?<o:p></o:p></span></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:466048694;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-1398108510 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:468206768;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-1791961800 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
-->
</style>Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-13398931851245233512020-08-14T08:26:00.000-04:002020-08-14T08:26:12.888-04:00 SMILING WITH A MASK ON<p><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">With face masks now part of our everyday lives, how do we compensate for the apparent loss of the friendliest facial gesture of all—the smile? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">If a person is friendly, will you recognize it? If you smile, will he or she know it?</span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;">The answer is yes — it’s still worth it to smile while wearing a mask, says body language expert Janine Driver, founder and president of the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: black;">Body Language Institute</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in Washington, D.C.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;">“We’re lucky a lot of information shows up in the eyes and the eyebrows,” Driver, who was trained as a lie detection expert and teaches online courses about the techniques, said. “With true happiness, we see it with the wrinkles on the side of our eyes.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even above a mask, you can see the raised cheeks and narrowed but sparkling eyes that indicate a smile (also known as <i>smiling eyes</i>). There are also additional ways to help get that smile across more easily:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="css-158dogj" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Take off your sunglasses</span></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Wearing a mask and sunglasses while talking with someone is a deal breaker: "You are blocking how you are feeling from the world. When we can't see your eyes, we can't interpret your emotions, and if we can't interpret your emotions, we are left with uncertainty and this uncertainty leads to us not trusting you and us feeling uncomfortable around you," Driver said.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Keep your three “power zones” open</span></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">They include the throat, belly button, and groin areas. Blocking them by crossing your arms or holding your throat blocks rapport, Driver noted. Keeping them open increases your approachability and likability.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Be mindful of your head tilt</span></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Tilting your head to the side while talking or listening is seen as compassionate; keeping it straight on your shoulders is saying “I command attention,” Driver noted. If someone is standing too close to you in line, for example, and you want to ask them to keep their distance, doing so with a head tilt may be more effective</span><br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Watch the eyes</span></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Relaxed eyes mean a person is feeling comfortable. When they begin to narrow, as if someone is threading a needle, the person may be stressed, upset, or feeling threatened, Driver said.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Pupils dilate when we're feeling comfortable; they constrict when people see something they don't like.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">If you can see the white of the eyes "north, south, east and west" of the iris, that person is likely afraid, she noted.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Observe the eyebrows</span></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">You can observe sadness when a person's inner eyebrows are pulled together and up. Eyebrow muscles are some of the hardest muscles to manipulate, Driver said. The brows come down in anger and up in surprise.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Try to position yourself at eye level with others when possible</span></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">People are communicating with their eyes more than ever before. Many deaf people, for example, rely on reading lips (although there are now clear masks available so you can see the other person’s mouth). Maintaining contact at eye level makes it easier to read emotions in someone’s eyes. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="css-158dogj" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="css-158dogj" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Find other creative ways to smile<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="css-158dogj" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Some people have even created “surrogate smiles,” like the clever health care workers at Stanford Health Care in California who pasted their smiling pictures on their lab coats!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman";">The bottom line is: Your face is your vehicle for showing emotions, even when a large part of it is covered up. Keep smiling behind the mask!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-90979279063276993002020-08-06T09:43:00.001-04:002020-08-06T09:43:56.496-04:00Youngsters once gathered around radios to hear dramas about the Wild West<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The golden horse’s hooves striking the stone floor echoed in the secret cave as the stalwart Indian rode out to combat the outlawry of evil men in the Old West. The Comanche warrior called out to his galloping horse, “Kane-e-e-wah, Fury!”</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
In the modern West, in the Big Bend country of Texas, a group of cowboys was “riding fast and riding hard. Out in front is the cowboy kid himself riding his golden palomino Amigo.”</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Adventures and some humor were ahead.</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
It would not be long before television killed these and other radio dramas. But in the late 1940s and early 1950s. “Straight Arrow” and “Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders” were two of the favorite shows of youngsters who gathered in front of their radios to listen to them and other shows on the 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday children’s adventure hour on the Mutual and ABC radio networks.</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The dramatically written lead in to “Straight Arrow” tells what that show was about:</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
To friends and neighbors alike, Steve Adams appeared to be nothing more than the young owner of the Broken Bow cattle spread. But when danger threatened innocent people and when evildoers plotted against justice -- then Steve Adams, rancher, disappeared – and in his place came a mysterious stalwart Indian, wearing the dress and war paint of a Comanche -- riding the great golden palomino -- galloping out of the darkness to take up the cause of law and order throughout the West—comes the legendary figure of Straight Arrow.</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
In the Bobby Benson show, ranch foreman Tex Mason was young Bobby’s guardian. Also serving as Bobby’s protectors and supporters were cowboys Irish, Harka the Indian and Windy Wales, teller of tall tales.</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Much greater fame lay ahead for the comic actor who played Windy. He was in his 20s at the time of the radio show. But years later Don Knotts rose to national fame when he played Barney Fife on the “Andy Griffith Show.” His comic skills also took him to starring roles in movies and other popular TV performances.</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Howard Culver, who played Straight Arrow, had a long and successful acting career. He was radio’s last Ellery Queen and played ‘Mark’ Dillon in the pilot show for radio’s “Gunsmoke.” Although William Conrad won the lead role as radio’s Matt Dillon, the pilot did not mark the end of Culver’s association with “Gunsmoke.”</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
He played Howie the hotel clerk in 49 episodes of TV’s “Gunsmoke” during the series’ first 10 years. Culver also had supporting roles in many other TV shows and movies before his death in 1984. He was in Jack Webb’s group of actors and was a regular in Irwin Allen productions in addition to the many other roles he played.</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Good accounts of the Straight Arrow and "Bobby Benson" and the B-Bar-B as well as all other radio Westerns can be found in the 2014 book “Radio Rides the Range,” edited by Jack French and David S. Siegel.</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Several episodes of “Straight Arrow” and Bobby Benson can be found on old-radio sites on the Internet for free listening and downloading.</div>
<div data-mce-style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: #444444; line-height: 27px; font-family: 'Open Sans';" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Straight Arrow and Bobby Benson are still riding.</div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-84290222294598390852020-07-02T09:08:00.000-04:002020-07-02T09:08:53.808-04:00U.S. CENSUS 2020 AND CORONAVIRUS . . . WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW<h2 align="center" style="break-after: avoid-page; font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="border: 0px; float: left; font-family: "open sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 7px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; width: 200px;">
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
- <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; float: left; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 7px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 200px;">
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/news/90263/census-2020-what-to-you-need-to-know#" style="border: 0px; color: #e64946; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" src="https://s24507.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_us-census.jpg" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 3px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 200px;" /></a>-</div>
</div>
<div class="extraBox" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 200px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="extraBox" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-family: "open sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; width: 200px;">
</div>
</h2>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">The novel coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating effect on life as we know it . . . or knew it. Those 55 and over have been hit particularly hard. High-risk status and other concerns have led most seniors to choose to hunker down. It’s a great decision health-wise, but it can also lead to less-apparent complications. One of which being an accurate representation of seniors in the U.S. 2020 Census.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">The door-to-door method of collecting census data has been temporarily halted due to the pandemic, giving seniors one less option to participate. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Also, with many senior centers and programs closed or suspended due to the virus, plus restrictions on entering nursing homes and skilled-care facilities, there are more roadblocks than ever to achieving accurate representation from seniors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is the first time the majority of Americans will fill out their census information online. By now, everyone has received official U.S. Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail. A majority of seniors, however, would rather not complete the census on a computer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">A recent U.S. Census Bureau survey found that 56% of those 65 and older aren’t comfortable with an online response. “The concerns over privacy and cybersecurity will have to be overcome, and those concerns are highest for those over 50,” says Steve Jost, a former Census Bureau official. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">What the census means for you<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is vital to the senior community to have everyone participate in this important decennial process. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The data collected by the census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives (a process called apportionment), and it is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">That includes money for schools, roads, hospitals—and programs that specifically aid older Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income people and those age 65 and older, is the largest federal program that uses census statistics to determine funding. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the second-largest program that uses census statistics to allocate funds, and t<span style="color: #333333;">hird is Medicare Part B.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">In addition, adult day care, community center lunches, home-delivered meals, protection and remedy from abuse—both physical and financial—are mostly funded by Social Services Block Grants. The funding levels for these grants, in part, are derived from statistics produced by the Census Bureau. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The State of Connecticut receives about $10.7 billion in federal aid based on the census. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ask for computer help if needed<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
If you aren’t as comfortable as you’d like to be using a computer, try to get some assistance from your more computer-savvy family members and friends. If you still have concerns, you can also complete the census by mail or on the phone. The number is 844-330-2020.<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Watch out for scammers</span></b><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">A very small percentage of people who knock on doors claiming to be from the Census Bureau are looking to gather personal information so they can steal from you. Door-knocking is scheduled to resume soon, so keep your guard up. Real census employees won’t ask for your full Social Security number, for money or donations, or for bank or credit card numbers.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Textbody" style="font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Check to make sure that the person has a valid identification badge with his or her photograph, a Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date. If you still suspect fraud, call the Census Bureau at 800-923-8282 to speak to a representative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-22045699361951944862020-06-09T15:56:00.001-04:002020-06-09T15:56:36.902-04:00New IRS webpages<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The IRS has established www.irs.gov/coronavirus to<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
provide information specifically related to the pandemic.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
News releases, statements, and guidance will be collected<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
there. The initial statement concerned health savings<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
accounts and high-deductible health plans. “Health<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
plans that otherwise qualify as HDHPs will not lose that<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
status merely because they cover the cost of testing for<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
or treatment of COVID-19 before plan deductibles have<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
been met.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The IRS also noted that, as in the past, any vaccination<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
costs continue to count as preventive care and can<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
be paid for by an HDHP.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Guidance was also provided for the “Families First<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Coronavirus Response Act,” which was signed by<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
President Trump on March 18. Key elements:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
• Paid Sick Leave for Workers. For COVID-19-related<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
reasons, employees receive up to 80 hours of paid<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
sick leave and expanded paid childcare leave when<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
employees’ children’s schools are closed or childcare<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
providers are unavailable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
• Complete Coverage. Employers receive 100%<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
reimbursement for paid leave pursuant to the Act.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Health insurance costs are also included in the<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
credit. Employers face no payroll tax liability. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Selfemployed individuals receive an equivalent credit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
• Fast Funds. Reimbursement will be quick and<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
easy to obtain. An immediate dollar-for-dollar tax<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
offset against payroll taxes will be provided. Where<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
a refund is owed, the IRS will send the refund as<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
quickly as possible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Finally, the IRS created https://www.irs.gov/businesses/<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
gig-economy-tax-center to collect in one place the links<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
relevant to self-employed gig workers and those who use<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
digital platforms in their employment.<o:p></o:p></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-17003787549882920262020-06-09T14:51:00.000-04:002020-06-09T14:51:54.517-04:00The 2020 Report of the Social Security Trustees<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
In April, the Social Security Trustees issued their annual<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
report. Their figures and conclusions are based upon last<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
year’s experience, and do not take into account the effects<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The report for 2021<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
will certainly be much worse, because the high unemployment<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
we are experiencing now must lead to a major drop<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
in payroll tax revenue. It’s also possible that the pandemic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
will cause an increase in disability claims and accelerate<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
early retirements, increasing the benefit payouts. Finally,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
there are serious proposals to suspend payroll taxes for a<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
period of time, though such proposals usually include a<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
proviso for a transfer to the Social Security trust fund from<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
general tax revenue to offset lost collections.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
That is all speculative. Here is what we know for certain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Key findings<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Because the American economy was strong in 2019, Social<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Security’s reserves increased by $2 billion during the year,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
reaching $2.9 trillion. Under the intermediate economic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
assumptions, the trust fund will be sufficient to pay full<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
benefits until 2034. Because disability claims have fallen<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
sharply since 2010, the disability insurance trust fund<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
should be sufficient until 2065, which is 13 years later<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
than last year’s projection. The combined program would<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
go bust in 2035, at which point payroll taxes would only<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
be able to cover 79% of promised benefits.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Reserves in Medicare’s hospital insurance fund fell by<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
$6 billion, to $195 billion at the end of 2019. This fund’s<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
projected depletion date is 2026.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
During 2019, total benefits were paid as follows: $903<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
billion in Social Security benefits, $322 billion in Medicare’s<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
hospital insurance, $145 billion in disability payments, and<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
$463 billion in supplemental medical insurance.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
These figures might seem pretty good, but the fact<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
is that these programs are facing difficult demographic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
hurdles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
announced that the year 2019 saw the fewest number of<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
babies born in the United States in 35 years, just 3.745<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
million. That is a 1% drop from the year earlier. Except<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
for 2014, the U.S. birth rate has fallen steadily since 2007.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Accordingly, in their actuarial assumptions the trustees<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
reduced the expected total fertility from 2.0 to 1.95 births<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
per woman. That means fewer taxpayers paying into the<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
system in the future as current workers reach their retirement<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
age.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
At its peak in 2010, the Social Security trust fund was large enough to cover four years of benefits. Now it is less than 3½ years. The downward<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
slopes in the graph for the years after 2020 is based upon<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
the current demographics and cost projections, not the<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
effects of the pandemic. That will only make it worse.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Perspective<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The graph also shows that the Social Security trust funds<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
nearly ran out in 1983. In 1982 it was projected that full<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
promised benefits would not be payable by July 1983. A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
commission was created, headed by Alan Greenspan, to<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
make recommendations to head off the disaster.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
In the spring of 1983, just three months away from<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
insolvency, those recommendations were turned into a<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
bipartisan legislative compromise. Key elements included:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
• accelerating a previously scheduled tax rate increase;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
• phasing in a higher normal retirement age, going<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
from 65 to 67 (that phase-in is not yet complete);<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
• requiring government workers to pay into Social<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Security; and<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
• up to one-half of Social Security benefits were made<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
potentially subject to income tax for higher income<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
retirees. The thresholds for taxation were not indexed<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
for inflation, so over time more and more retirees<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
are making these additional payments to the Social<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Security trust funds during their retirement.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The effects of these changes were dramatic, as the<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
graph shows. Another key change, one not anticipated by<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
the Greenspan commission, was the boom in women’s<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
workforce participation in the late 1980s and 1990s. More<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
women working meant more Social Security taxes collected,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
even though the benefit payouts proceeded as projected.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
What’s more, there is an underappreciated marriage<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
penalty built into Social Security benefits for two-earner<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
couples. Each spouse must choose between his or her own<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
earned benefit, or the benefits determined by the earnings<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
record of the other spouse.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
On the one hand, given that 1983 rescue plan for Social<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Security was achieved with only three months left before<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
insolvency, one might think that 15 years should be plenty<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
of time to correct the actuarial imbalances in the current<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
system. On the other hand, the country was much less<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
polarized in the 1980s; bipartisanship and compromise<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
were more regular features on the national political scene.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The 1983 Social Security tax increases followed 1981’s<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
bipartisan Economic Recovery Tax Act, which had cut<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
taxes for nearly all Americans. That may well have made<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
the increases more palatable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-48896891109183316452020-06-09T11:41:00.002-04:002020-06-09T11:41:29.797-04:00How to keep grandkids safe at beaches and pools this summer<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
With the recent sad news about the drowning of former Olympic skier Bode Miller’s 19-month-old daughter Emeline during a neighborhood party in California comes a potent reminder that water accidents can happen very quickly.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
There’s nothing that kids love more than a day at the pool or beach… and if you suggest a fun-filled, water-logged adventure, your stock may rise in your grandchild’s eyes. But kids are too busy enjoying themselves to think about safety — that’s your responsibility.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“Think about how you will manage things before you allow swimming, and discuss it with your grandchildren before you allow them in the water,” said B. Chris Brewster, a moderator for <a href="https://www.watersafetyusa.org/" style="color: purple;">Water Safety USA</a>, a group of nonprofit and governmental organizations focused on water safety and drowning prevention. “Let them know the rules. Remember, you’re the lifeguard for your grandchildren when you take them swimming.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
If safety is overlooked, a special day can turn tragic, even if lifeguards are present: Drowning is the second-highest cause of unintentional death for children under age 14, with nearly 1,000 kids succumbing annually. Thousands more are rushed to ERs due to near-drownings.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
Fortunately, drowning is preventable. Here’s what you should know:</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px;">
Watch Your Grandchildren Constantly</h3>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
Designating a water watcher to keep an eye on children at all times can reduce the likelihood of drowning, according to Water Safety USA. A water watcher should be able to rescue someone in distress or alert someone nearby (like a lifeguard) who has the ability to do so.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
It’s important to formally designate one water watcher to ensure that someone is doing the job. Take shifts, if need be.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“If everyone is in charge, no one is in charge,” Brewster said. “Reports of drowning accidents often involve lots of parents nearby who were distracted by conversation and other activities.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
When you’re the water watcher, don’t chat with friends or check your smartphone.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“It takes less time to drown than finish a conversation or send a text,” said David Hill, a pediatrician in Wilmington, N.C.</div>
<h3 style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px;">
Don’t Over-Rely on Lifeguards</h3>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
The presence of lifeguards may provide a false sense of security, if you decide to lie back and enjoy the sunshine. You still need to watch your grandchildren constantly.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“Even the best lifeguard cannot see everything at all times,” said Tom Gill, spokesperson for the <a href="https://www.usla.org/" style="color: purple;">United States Lifesaving Association</a>. “Distractions such as a medical emergency on the beach, multiple victim rescues, patron questions and incidents, along with massive crowds on some beaches, diminish the ability of the lifeguard to maintain constant vigilance on every swimmer.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px;">
Disregard Drowning Stereotypes</h3>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
Drowning is almost always a silent occurrence, not the loud splashing and shouting often depicted in the movies and on TV. Children slip below the surface without making a sound.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“If you think, ‘I’m going to look up when I hear them drowning, that isn’t going to happen,'” Hill said. “Kids drown silently and quickly. They go under the water, and they never come up.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
People who are drowning rarely call for help.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“They are too busy trying to keep themselves afloat,” Brewster said. “Non-swimmers and poor swimmers who suddenly find themselves in water that is overhead can submerge immediately and silently.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px;">
Stay Within Arm’s Reach of Youngsters</h3>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
Wear your bathing suit and get in the water with small children. Sitting in a chair at the water’s edge near an inexperienced swimmer isn’t good enough.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“Children who have limited, or no, swimming skills must be within arm’s reach because they can easily slip into water over their head and quickly, quietly submerge,” Brewster said.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
Your close presence is even more important at the beach, where rough waves or undertow may knock a child down.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“Small children should never enter ocean or open water by themselves,” Gill said. “The coasts are incredibly dynamic environments that look safe but may have multiple dangers lurking beneath.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px;">
Older Kids Need Monitoring, Too</h3>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
Just because your older grandchild can beat you in a race across the pool doesn’t mean he’s exempt from your watchful eye. It’s important to keep tabs on <em>all</em> grandchildren.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“Adolescents who are strong swimmers may be able to safely enjoy the water most of the time, but accidents happen,” Brewster said. “Medical issues, trauma from horseplay and other things may cause even a strong adult swimmer to suddenly become incapacitated.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
Your grandchild may be out of his element in the ocean, so it’s crucial to be vigilant at the beach.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“Children and adults who consider themselves good swimmers are not always prepared for the many variables consistent with open-water beaches,” Gill said. “Rip currents, troughs, wave action and drop-offs are just a few of the reasons to carefully watch children as they swim in the ocean.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px;">
Swim Only When Lifeguards Are Present</h3>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
Unguarded swimming pools can be dangerous, but unguarded beaches are even more deadly. In 2016, 153 people drowned on beaches without lifeguards on duty.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
If you get to the beach after hours, don’t allow anyone into the water, not even up to her knees. Your grandchild may be pulled into the surf without anyone nearby to rescue her.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“Lifeguards are trained first responders,” Gill said. “I doubt [anyone] would live in a community without police or fire protection. Why would anyone enter the water without lifeguard protection?”</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px;">
Take Group Breaks</h3>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
When you need to go to the bathroom or make a phone call, get your grandchildren out of the water, so you’re certain they aren’t struggling. Insist they come with you, even if they promise to stay dry until you get back.</div>
<div style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">
“Don’t assume they’re running around the pool, or up and down the beach, and not going into the water because you said they shouldn’t go in the water,” Hill said. “They should be in your sight and in your field of attention at all times.”</div>
<div class="writer-info-block" style="font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 20px;">
<div class="writer-info">
<span class="writer-info-name" style="font-size: 0.8em;">By <a href="https://www.nextavenue.org/writer/lisa-fields" style="color: #5471a3;">Lisa Fields</a></span><div class="writer-info-description" style="margin: 1em 0px;">
Lisa Fields is a writer who covers psychology and health matters as they relate to the workplace. She publishes frequently in WebMD and Reader’s Digest.</div>
</div>
</div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-82216944580863402702020-06-09T11:37:00.002-04:002020-06-09T11:37:46.967-04:00Sunscreen Safety Tips for Older Adults<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px;">Summer is a season when most families spend a lot of time outdoors. Picnics, baseball games, family reunions, and trips to the beach are fun intergenerational activities. One thing that isn’t much fun is sunburn or sun poisoning.</span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Older adults grew up in a time when the benefits of sunscreen weren’t widely known. Today we know more about the importance of sun safety. The need for protection is especially true for seniors who often have very fragile skin. Some seniors also take medications that have sun sensitivity as a side effect.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Here are sunscreen basics that seniors and their caregivers should know in order to protect their skin from the summer sun.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<strong style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Sunscreen Basics for Senior Safety</strong></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<strong style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">1. Older adults need sunscreen.</strong></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
A popular myth is that sun damage that leads to skin cancer occurs during childhood. If a senior grew up not using sunscreen, they might not think they need it now either. <a href="https://www.skincancer.org/healthy-lifestyle/anti-aging/seniors" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #f9575a; cursor: pointer; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-skip: objects; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">According to the Skin Cancer Foundation</a>, over half of skin cancer related deaths are people over the age of 65. Because the risk of developing or dying from skin cancer rises each year, everyone needs to use sunscreen.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<strong style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">2. Sun damage can happen fast.</strong></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause skin damage in as little as 15 minutes. So even if you are only running outside to water plants quickly or pick a few flowers, apply sunscreen.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Some UV rays can even penetrate glass. That means if you will be sitting inside near a large window or riding in a car, you likely need sunscreen.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Finally, don’t let cloudy days fool you. The sun’s rays can still affect you. Layer on the sunscreen before going out.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<strong style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">3. Choose a sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher.</strong></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
A sunscreen’s SPF (sun protection factor) determines how well it can absorb and reflect the sun’s rays. A sunscreen that is labeled SPF 30 absorbs 97% of the sun’s burning rays.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
It’s also important to know that wearing sunscreen with a higher SPF does not mean you can stay outdoors longer without applying more. You’ll still need to reapply it to protect your skin.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<strong style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">4. Protect skin from UVA and UVB rays.</strong></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
When you are purchasing sunscreen, look for one that offers broad-spectrum protection. That will help you stay safe from both UVA and UVB rays.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
UVA rays penetrate the lower levels of the skin. They account for 95% of rays. UVB rays make up a smaller percentage of UV rays, but they cause most sunburns and sun damage.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<strong style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">5. Utilize different sunscreen formats.</strong></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Research shows there is very little difference in effectiveness between sunscreen sticks, sprays, gels, and creams. Buying several formats can make it easier to protect small or hard-to-reach body parts, such as the back of the ears.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Sunscreen sticks are good for ears and noses, and are also easy to take with you on bike rides and walks. Sprays and creams can cover larger surface areas more efficiently, such as the back, arms, and legs. Gels tend to adhere better on areas with hair, like the hairline and scalp.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<strong style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">6. Follow the directions on the bottle.</strong></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
A mistake most people make when applying sunscreen is using too little. You should layer it on thickly instead. Also reapply it every two to four hours as directed on the bottle. If you are swimming or sweating heavily, you need to reapply it more often.</div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-25303967022083212802020-06-02T14:36:00.000-04:002020-06-02T14:36:04.104-04:00Just saw this post and want to share it with you.We need more of this!<br />
<div class="post-caret-menu-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; position: absolute; right: -10px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; top: 0px; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="dropdown story-caret-menu story-moderation-caret-menu pull-right post-moderation-caret-menu user-not-author" id="mod_dropdown_150170078_post" style="-webkit-user-select: none; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: right !important; position: relative;">
<button aria-label="Options" aria-live="off" class="post-caret-menu dropdown-toggle button-text" data-toggle="dropdown" style="-webkit-appearance: button; -webkit-user-select: none; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #676e7a; cursor: pointer; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 10px 10px; text-transform: none; transition: all 100ms; white-space: nowrap;" type="button"></button><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<div class="content clearfix" style="box-sizing: border-box;" tabindex="0">
<h5 class="content-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; cursor: pointer; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, HelveticaNeue-Medium, "Helvetica Neue Medium", Helvetica-Bold, Roboto-Medium, "Segoe UI Semibold", Arial-Bold, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px 0px 4px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">
Visitors</h5>
<div class="content-body" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px 0px 8px; overflow: hidden; padding-right: 20px; text-overflow: ellipsis;">
<span class="truncate-line-truncation-wrapper" data-testid="truncate-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;"><span class="truncate-line-truncation-content content-body-full" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Linkify" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;" tabindex="0">Positive post here! 3 young ladies just rang our doorbell and said they wanted to say hello and wish us well during this time. We are still new to the area and it meant the world to us! Friendly, well spoken, and beyond mature! Thanks to them (and their awesome parents) for making our day.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<div class="avatar _19oAvlxW" style="border: none !important; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="author-menu-box-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="menu-box-inline" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">
<div class="avatar-toggle-node" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 30px;">
<div class="avatar-link" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;" to="/profile/51695353/">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="_37iC3bl-" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; max-width: 490px; orphans: auto; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" tabindex="0">
<br /></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-43333116850571173282020-05-11T13:51:00.002-04:002020-05-11T13:51:35.032-04:00United Airlines said it would try to keep middle seats empty. This photo shows a nearly full flightD<img alt="Ethan Weiss, a doctor who had been working in New York City hospitals, shared a photo over the weekend of his United flight." class="Image__image" src="https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_auto,w_1100,c_fill,g_auto,h_619,ar_16:9/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F200511092627-united-full-flight.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; filter: none; font-family: CNNSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; height: 618.75px; left: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1100px;" />Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-42391596062490464682020-05-11T09:41:00.002-04:002020-05-11T09:41:49.847-04:00How to not “waste” a crisis<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Every cloud allegedly has a silver lining. Estate planners have discovered a potential silver lining in the current economic crisis. Estate planning strategies now may be implemented at a much reduced tax cost, because asset values have fallen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="font-family: Times; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> At today’s lower</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> asset values, much more may be transferred via gift before breaching the taxable threshold of $11.58 million per person. It’s not just publicly traded stocks that are down in price. Nonmarketable securities, the value of family businesses, and real estate are down similar percentages, according to estate planner Alan Gassman, as reported in <i>Tax Notes</i>. For those who have been contemplating major gifts within the family, this may prove an opportune moment to pull the trigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <i>Roth IRA conversions. </i>One response to this year’s loss of the stretch IRA for long-term wealth management has been the recommendation to convert retirement assets to Roth IRAs. The immediate tax cost of such a conversion can be hard to swallow. Today’s lower asset values mean lower taxes for conversions now. Should prices recover after the pandemic recedes, all that gain will be tax free. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Several estate planning strategies rely upon the “Section 7520” interest rate in determining taxable values of transfers. As the Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates to help the economy, the 7520 rate has fallen, standing at 1.2% for April 2020 (it was 2.2% in February). Lower interest rates improve the math for some strategies, especially when coupled with reduced asset values.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <i>GRATs</i>. In a grantor-retained annuity trust, the trust creator is paid a fixed dollar amount for a term of years. If the grantor survives the term, assets pass to the remainder beneficiaries and won’t be included in the grantor’s taxable estate. The GRAT is a useful tool for transferring asset appreciation in excess of the 7520 rate without further transfer taxation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <i>Asset freezes</i>. A grantor may sell an asset to an intentionally defective grantor trust in exchange for a note. If the note equals the value of the asset, there will be no gift tax, it will be a sale for full consideration. The interest rate on the note should match IRS guidelines—for April 2020, the mid-term interest rate is 1.9%. The note will be included in the grantor’s estate, but asset appreciation in the trust assets will pass without further transfer tax, freezing the taxable value. The grantor will owe tax on the trust income, which may further deplete the taxable estate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> On paper, these strategies appear to confer substantial tax benefits. However, estate planners have been reporting that many clients have not looked at the opportunity with enthusiasm. There is just too much uncertainty about how the pandemic and its economic fallout will play out. Still, if you’ve been thinking about taking a major estate planning step, this could be an ideal time to move ahead with the plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="Body1" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Times;"> (May 2020)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="Body" style="font-family: Times; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
© 2020 M.A. Co. All rights reserved.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-34669259633080053932020-05-11T09:33:00.001-04:002020-05-11T09:33:26.659-04:00Pandemic Delaying Medical Care of Older Americans<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
THURSDAY, April 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The coronavirus pandemic has led many older adults to postpone medical care, a new survey finds. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The University of Chicago survey found that 55% of U.S. adults aged 70 and older experienced a disruption in their medical care during the first month of social distancing. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Thirty-nine percent put off non-essential care and 32% delayed primary or preventive care since social distancing began. And 15% said they delayed or canceled essential medical treatment, the survey found. </div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.300000190734863px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
"The first month of social distancing in America certainly saved lives, and yet it also created a situation where many older adults are not getting the care they need to manage serious health conditions," said Dr. Bruce Chernof. He is president and CEO of the SCAN Foundation, an independent charity focused on care of older adults, that co-sponsored the survey.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
"As our nation grapples with when and how to reopen, the health care system will reckon with unaddressed medical needs and learn how to maximize new protocols to care for older adults with complex needs in flexible, person-centered ways," Chernof added in a foundation news release.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The researchers found that older adults are worried about delays in getting support to manage their medical conditions. Many doctors, however, are using telehealth to keep tabs on their patients. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Nearly 25% said that their doctors had reached out to them since the start of the outbreak to check on how they were doing. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
More than 20% had a telehealth appointment since the start of the pandemic. And nearly 50% said it was like having a personal visit. Only 4% said it was worse. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Terry Fulmer is president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, a survey co-sponsor. "Health care organizations have stepped up quickly to help older adults get their care needs met with this important technology," she said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
"Comfort levels with telehealth vary, but we are seeing rapid uptake in both urgent and primary care delivery. The survey results offer a promising glimpse into the future," Fulmer added.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
In all, 83% of older adults said they were ready to self-isolate for several months, if necessary. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
A month into social distancing, however, 33% said they felt lonely. To combat it, many were spending more time on hobbies, watching TV, chatting with family and being physically active. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Older Americans also said that health care professionals and non-elected public health officials were the most trustworthy, not elected officials. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The survey of 1,039 adults was conducted April 10 to 15. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.28 percentage points.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">More information</b></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
For more on telehealth, visit the <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000919.htm" style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">U.S. National Library of Medicine</a>.</div>
</div>
<div class="source" style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
SOURCE: John A. Hartford Foundation/The SCAN Foundation, news release, April 27, 2020</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="font-family: -webkit-standard;" /></div>
<div class="midrelated" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(228, 228, 228); border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(228, 228, 228); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 20px 0px; padding: 20px 0px 10px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-27260527254956380982020-05-11T09:32:00.001-04:002020-05-11T09:32:20.644-04:00Seniors, Getting Off the Sofa Brings Big Health Benefits<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Physical activity may help seniors live longer and healthier -- and exercise doesn't have to be intense, two new studies say.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
"Finding a way to physically move more in an activity that suits your capabilities and is pleasurable is extremely important for all people, and especially for older people who may have risk factors for cardiovascular diseases," said Barry Franklin, past chair of the American Heart Association's Council on Physical Activity and Metabolism.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Brisk walking, for example, can help manage high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and improve blood sugar, Franklin said in an AHA news release.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.300000190734863px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Here's the evidence:</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
One study of more than 1,200 U.S. adults, average age 69, found that those who did at least 150 minutes a week in moderate to vigorous physical activity were 67% less likely to die of any cause during the study period than those who didn't do that amount of exercise.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
However, even light exercise was beneficial. Each 30-minute session of light-intensity physical activity -- such as household chores or casual walking -- was associated with a 20% lower risk of death from any cause.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
In comparison, each additional 30 minutes of inactivity was associated with a 32% higher risk of death from any cause, according to the study.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The results were scheduled for presentation Thursday at an American Heart Association meeting, in Phoenix.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
"Promoting light-intensity physical activity and reducing sedentary time may be a more practical alternative among older adults," said study author Joowon Lee, a researcher at Boston University.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The other study -- also scheduled to be presented at the AHA meeting -- included more than 6,000 U.S. women, average age 79.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Those who walked 2,100 to 4,500 steps a day were up to 38% less likely to die from heart attack, heart failure and stroke than those who took fewer than 2,100 steps a day.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Those who walked more than 4,500 steps a day reduced their risk by 48%, according to the study.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
"Despite popular beliefs, there is little evidence that people need to aim for 10,000 steps daily to get cardiovascular benefits from walking. Our study showed that getting just over 4,500 steps per day is strongly associated with reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease in older women," said study lead author Andrea LaCroix, a professor and chief of epidemiology at the University of California, San Diego.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
"Taking more steps per day, even just a few more, is achievable, and step counts are an easy-to-understand way to measure how much we are moving," LaCroix said in the release.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
She said there are many inexpensive wearable devices on the market.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
"Our research shows that older women reduce their risk of heart disease by moving more in their daily life, including light activity and taking more steps. Being up and about, instead of sitting, is good for your heart," LaCroix said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Data and conclusions presented at meetings are usually considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">More information</b></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about <a href="https://go4life.nia.nih.gov/how-exercise-helps/" style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">exercise</a>.</div>
</div>
<div class="source" style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
SOURCE: American Heart Association, news release, March 5, 2020</div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="font-family: -webkit-standard;" /></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-69248767179209940522020-03-17T14:32:00.001-04:002020-03-19T10:35:24.614-04:00STAND UP AND BE COUNTED! <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Lyon Text", Georgia, Garamond, serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1.875rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">
Update 3.18.2020</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Lyon Text", Georgia, Garamond, serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1.875rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i>The Census Bureau announced that all field operation have been suspended for the rest of March due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. This includes census workers walking neighborhoods and canvassing by telephone.</i></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Lyon Text", Georgia, Garamond, serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1.875rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i>The move puts increased emphasis on households to respond online, over the phone or by mail in the current phase of the census, which is trying to count more than 300 million people across the country over the next few months. </i></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Lyon Text", Georgia, Garamond, serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1.875rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">What to know about U.S. census 2020 and why it is vitally important to seniors</b></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Lyon Text", Georgia, Garamond, serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1.875rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">April 1</span><sup style="font-family: helvetica;">st</sup><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">is rapidly approaching, and it’s not just April Fool’s Day this year. It is also Census Day 2020, and this is the first time the majority of Americans will fill out their census information online. Official U.S. Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail, is on the way. As always, if you don’t reply by a certain date, they’ll come to you in person. That being said, there is some concern about the challenges of getting older people to participate this time around.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">A recent U.S. Census Bureau survey found that 56% of those 65 and older aren’t comfortable with an online response and prefer to fill out a paper census form—which is still an option in addition to providing the information by telephone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">“The concerns over privacy and cybersecurity will have to be overcome, and those concerns are highest for those over 50,” says Steve Jost, a former Census Bureau official. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">What the census means for you<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">It is vital to the senior community to have everyone participate in this important decennial process. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">The data collected by the census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives (a process called apportionment), and it is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">That includes money for schools, roads, hospitals—and programs that specifically aid older Americans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income people and those age 65 and older, is the largest federal program that uses census statistics to determine funding. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the second-largest program that uses census statistics to allocate funds, and t</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">hird is Medicare Part B. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">In addition, adult day care, community center lunches, home-delivered meals, protection and remedy from abuse—both physical and financial—are mostly funded by Social Services Block Grants. The funding levels for these grants, in part, are derived from statistics produced by the Census Bureau. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">Watch out for scammers</span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">A very small percentage of people who knock on doors claiming to be from the Census Bureau are looking to gather personal information so they can steal from you. Real census employees won’t ask for your full Social Security number, for money or donations, or for bank or credit card numbers. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7.7pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;">Check to make sure that the person has a valid identification badge with his or her photograph, a Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date. If you still suspect fraud, call the Census Bureau at 800-923-8282 to speak to a representative.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 7pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-8873011220079457972020-03-13T08:36:00.001-04:002020-03-13T08:36:18.489-04:00Planning for a long life<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5px;">by Thomas Gerrity</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Not many years ago, the typical retirement age, 65, was viewed as the onset of old age. </div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Today, gerontologists define matters differently: If you’re between the ages of 65 and 74, you</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
are one of the “young-old.” To be considered “old”, you need to be in the 75-to-84 age</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
bracket. After that, you’re known, demographically, as the “oldest-old.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Simply put, your chances are good that you are going to live many years in retirement.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
But will they be healthy years?</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Who assumes responsibility?</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
If illness or injury strikes, you want to know that there is someone on hand to manage the</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
day-to-day finances and your investments.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Your spouse might want to assume the responsibilities. However, that may be an</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
unreasonable burden if he or she is also responsible for being your caregiver. And, of course,</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
there is the question of his or her health. A long-term plan needs to take into account the fact</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
that a spouse might not be alive or healthy when he or she is needed.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Single people face similar questions. They may not want to burden children or</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
grandchildren with their finances and their care. Is there even family close by able to take on</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
the responsibilities?</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
When you don’t take action</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
If you have not done any planning beforehand, and you become disabled, legal proceedings</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
may be necessary in order to have someone step in and take over for you. A guardian will</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
have to be named to manage your assets. It’s not hard to come up with a list of serious</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
disadvantages to this scenario.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
First, the process can be protracted and expensive. Second, because the legal</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
proceedings are a matter of public record, you and your family may be exposed to unwanted</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
publicity. Finally, and most important, because you may not be able to make your wishes</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
known, the person whom you would want to handle your financial affairs may not be the</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
person chosen by the court.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
As a result, your financial assets may be put at risk. Decisions may be made by</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
individuals not in the best position to make them. Indecision or lack of attention may have</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
the same negative impact on your income, your asset base or both.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
One plan: a durable power</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
A durable power of attorney is a legal document in which you give someone the authority to</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
act on your behalf in the circumstances that you designate. Although a regular power of</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
attorney lapses in the event that you become mentally incompetent, a durable power remains</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
in effect.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
The authority that you grant to your “attorney-in-fact” can be as sweeping or as narrow</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
as you wish. The power to pay bills, collect debts, prepare tax returns, borrow funds,</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
purchase insurance and fund a trust are among the most common powers granted. Parents</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
who want to take advantage of the federal annual gift tax exclusion and make gift-tax-free</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
transfers to children and/or grandchildren of up to $14,000 in 2015 should spell out that</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
authority in the durable power-of-attorney document.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
A durable power of attorney can be an effective tool. Unfortunately, some institutions</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
require that the power be executed on their particular form—simple if you’re in good health,</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
perhaps impossible if you’re incapacitated. Then, too, over several years a question of the</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
validity of the durable power may arise.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
A comprehensive plan: a living trust</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
For long-term financial and estate management, give consideration to a revocable living trust.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
This arrangement offers you comprehensive protection that can last as long as it is needed.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
You can create a living trust now. The agreement is revocable—you can make changes</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
at any time, even cancel it if the need arises. Initially, the agreement calls for you to retain</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
full control over all investment decisions regarding the assets in the trust.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
The trustee’s responsibilities may, if you wish, be limited to everyday investment chores</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
and recordkeeping duties. If you become incapacitated, or upon your request, the trustee will</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
assume full management of your assets, acting as you have directed in the trust agreement. In</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
addition to handling your investments, the trustee’s responsibilities may be extremely wideranging.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
You may authorize your trustee to use trust income to employ household help, hire</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
nurses and even pay your monthly bills.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Q&A on Advance Directives</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
While you are doing your planning, you also may want to consider creating an advance</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
directive regarding your future medical care.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
What are Advance Directives?</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
• “Advance directive” is a general term that refers to your oral and written instructions about</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
your future medical care, in the event that you become unable to speak for yourself. Each</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
state regulates the use of advance directives differently. There are two types of advance</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
directives: a living will and a medical power of attorney.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
What is a Living Will?</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
• In a living will you put in writing your wishes about medical treatment should you be</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
unable to communicate at the end of life. Your state law may define when the living will goes</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
into effect and may limit the treatments to which the living will applies. Your right to accept</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
or refuse treatment is protected by both constitutional and common law.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
What is a Medical Power of Attorney?</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
• A medical power of attorney enables you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
about your medical care if you cannot make those decisions yourself. This type of advance</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
directive may also be called a “health care proxy” or “appointment of a health care agent.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
The person you appoint may be called your health care agent, surrogate, attorney-in-fact, or</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
proxy. In many states the person whom you appoint is authorized to speak for you at any time</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
you are unable to make your own medical decisions, not only at the end of life.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Do I need an Advance Directive?</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
• It’s a matter of personal choice. There are many benefits to creating advance directives.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
They give you a voice in decisions about your medical care when you are unconscious or too</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
ill to communicate. As long as you are able to express your own decisions, your advance</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
directive will not be used, and you can accept or refuse any medical treatment. But if you</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
become seriously ill, you may lose the ability to participate in decisions about your own</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
treatment.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
What laws govern the use of Advance Directives?</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
• Both federal and state laws govern the use of advance directives. The federal law, the</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Patient Self-Determination Act, requires health care facilities that receive Medicaid and</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Medicare funds to inform patients of their rights to execute advance directives. All 50 states</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
and the District of Columbia have laws recognizing the use of advance directives.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
If you are interested in finding out more about advance directives and the laws</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
governing them in your state, the not-for-profit organization Partnership for Caring has a</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Web site at http://www.partnershipforcaring.org, or you can call them at 1-800-989-WILL.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Taking action</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
It’s important to make your plans while you’re able to do so. Talk over the issues presented</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
here with those closest to you, as well as with your financial and legal advisors and an</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
institution such as ours, experienced in establishing living trusts for our clients.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
© 2020 M.A. Co. All rights reserved.</div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-71535805516900688382020-03-12T10:10:00.001-04:002020-03-12T10:10:44.543-04:00Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now<h2 class="bw dx dy ej ea ek ec el ee em eg en cb" style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.541176); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.541176); font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px;">
Politicians, Community Leaders and Business Leaders: What Should You Do and When?</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt cx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="23b5" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; word-break: break-word;">
With everything that’s happening about the Coronavirus, it might be very hard to make a decision of what to do today. Should you wait for more information? Do something today? What?</div>
<div class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt cx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="6f1b" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; word-break: break-word;">
Here’s what I’m going to cover in this article, with lots of charts, data and models with plenty of sources:</div>
<ul class="" style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style: none none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt gv gw gx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="dce0" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-left: 30px; margin-top: 2em; padding-left: 0px;">How many cases of coronavirus will there be in your area?</li>
<li class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gy ea gz gn ha gp hb gr hc gt gv gw gx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="5ad6" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-left: 30px; margin-top: 1.05em; padding-left: 0px;">What will happen when these cases materialize?</li>
<li class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gy ea gz gn ha gp hb gr hc gt gv gw gx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="52c1" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-left: 30px; margin-top: 1.05em; padding-left: 0px;">What should you do?</li>
<li class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gy ea gz gn ha gp hb gr hc gt gv gw gx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="baa7" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-left: 30px; margin-top: 1.05em; padding-left: 0px;">When?</li>
</ul>
<div class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt cx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="d347" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; word-break: break-word;">
When you’re done reading the article, this is what you’ll take away:</div>
<div class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt cx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="d0f4" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; word-break: break-word;">
The coronavirus is coming to you. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />It’s coming at an exponential speed: gradually, and then suddenly.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />It’s a matter of days. Maybe a week or two.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />When it does, your healthcare system will be overwhelmed.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Your fellow citizens will be treated in the hallways. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Exhausted healthcare workers will break down. Some will die.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />They will have to decide which patient gets the oxygen and which one dies. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />The only way to prevent this is social distancing today. Not tomorrow. Today.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />That means keeping as many people home as possible, starting now.</div>
<div class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt cx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="2e33" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; word-break: break-word;">
As a politician, community leader or business leader, you have the power and the responsibility to prevent this.</div>
<div class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt cx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="6de7" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; word-break: break-word;">
You might have fears today: What if I overreact? Will people laugh at me? Will they be angry at me? Will I look stupid? Won’t it be better to wait for others to take steps first? Will I hurt the economy too much?</div>
<div class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt cx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="e264" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; word-break: break-word;">
But in 2–4 weeks, when the entire world is in lockdown, when the few precious days of social distancing you will have enabled will have saved lives, people won’t criticize you anymore: They will thank you for making the right decision. <a href="https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca">Click here to continue reading.</a></div>
<div class="gi gj ap bx gk b dy gl ea gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt cx" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="0b2d" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.843137); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; word-break: break-word;">
</div>
<figure class="ic id ie if ig ih co cp paragraph-image" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; margin: 56px auto 0px;"></figure></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-64814369984623964412020-03-06T09:47:00.001-05:002020-03-06T09:47:38.684-05:00The Real ID Is Nearly Here, and You Can’t Fly Without It!<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 26.25pt 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: justify;">Beginning on October 1 of this year, the U.S. federal government will require anyone boarding an airplane for domestic travel or entering certain federal buildings to have a “verified” driver’s license, state-issued ID card or show additional proof of identification, such as a passport. This verification is indicated on your driver’s license or ID card by a gold star in the top right corner and is commonly referred to as a “REAL ID.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why? In 2005, Congress passed the REAL ID Act of 2005, a federal law modifying the security standard for identification documents. Congress passed the legislation in response to the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the federal government set requirements and issue standards for federal identification document recognition. Travelers will start to notice signs at airports across the country with reminders about the law going into effect.<span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The law was passed to stop terrorists from using fraudulent identification,” said William Csontos, the Transportation Security Administration director for Connecticut. “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the federal government to improve the reliability and accuracy of driver licenses and identification cards," he said.<span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">With the October 1 deadline rapidly approaching, it is important to know what you need to do to make your domestic and international airline travel go as smoothly as possible.<span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">You <b>need</b>a REAL ID if:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span>You do not have a valid U.S. passport, passport card; and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span>You use airplanes as a mode of domestic transportation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">You <b>do not need</b>a REAL ID if:</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2.85pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 2.85pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span>You have a valid U.S. passport or passport card, but you must carry it with you when you fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2.85pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 2.85pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span>You do not use airplanes as a mode of domestic transportation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you have a “Drive Only” license, you are <b>not</b>eligible for a REAL ID license. The Connecticut DMV has a program of issuing “Drive Only” licenses to undocumented individuals or people without a Social Security number.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you already have a Connecticut license or ID card, getting your identity verified through DMV is optional. The verification process is a one-time check; therefore, if you have the gold star you are all set and meet federal standards.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">To apply for a REAL ID, you can visit any DMV office or partner office like DMV Express in Milford, North Haven, Stamford, and West Haven). Bring your required documents, including your U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate, Social Security card, and two pieces of mail (from two different sources and date stamped within 90 days) to prove that you live in Connecticut. If your Social Security card is not available, you also may present a W-2 form, 1099 form or a pay stub with your name and SSN listed. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you are not due for renewal, but would still like to obtain a REAL ID, you can convert your license or ID for a $30 duplication fee. It may take approximately two weeks to receive your REAL ID in the mail, so if you have any travel plans, or have a license that is expiring soon, you should start this process immediately.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:•;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:2;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:2 101 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:•;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
-->
</style><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once you have completed the process of obtaining your REAL ID card or have secured the other documents necessary to travel domestically, you’re ready to go! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-84133641738719312102020-02-21T14:02:00.002-05:002020-02-21T14:02:20.055-05:00IRS is knocking <div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 4px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px; text-align: justify;">The IRS does not make telephone calls to taxpayers. Anyone who receives a call purporting to be from the IRS demanding immediate tax payment should hang up the phone; it’s an imposter running a scam. Another tip-off is a demand that the tax be paid in gift cards—that is not how the IRS works. Three Pennsylvania residents were recently indicted for wire fraud for impersonating IRS agents, for example.</span><span style="font-size: 10px; text-align: justify;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 12px;">
However, the IRS will make in-person contact. In February the Service announced that it is stepping up a program of agents making unannounced face-to-face visits to high-income taxpayers who have not filed their tax returns for 2018 and earlier years. “High income” is defined as $100,000 and up. The announcement did not specify whether the calls would be at the taxpayer’s home or place of business. </div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 12px;">
In general, these taxpayers will have been contacted earlier by mail, and so already should be aware that they are in tax trouble. Real IRS revenue officers will always provide two forms of official credentials, and both include a serial number and photo of the IRS employee. Taxpayers have the right to see each of these credentials. </div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-26428657187427536502020-02-20T16:47:00.002-05:002020-02-20T16:47:53.614-05:00GO TAKE A HIKE!<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Sleeping Giant CT" class="size-large wp-image-713478 aligncenter" height="354" sizes="(max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px" src="https://ctw-temp.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SleepingGiant-595x354.jpg" srcset="https://4nx6oh1lzw-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SleepingGiant-595x354.jpg 595w, https://4nx6oh1lzw-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SleepingGiant-600x357.jpg 600w, https://4nx6oh1lzw-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SleepingGiant-300x178.jpg 300w, https://4nx6oh1lzw-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SleepingGiant.jpg 720w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: "Open Sans"; height: auto; margin: 0px auto 30px; max-width: 100%; text-align: start; vertical-align: middle;" width="595" /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
by Rich Gelfand </div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
With the warmer weather rapidly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about getting back outside. One of the most rewarding outdoor activities is just a stone’s throw away, and it’s almost always free...hiking! There are numerous local hiking trails, ranging from easy and flat to challenging with inclines. Pick the right hiking trail for you and explore!</div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hiking usually offers spectacular views and the opportunity to become one with nature. It’s also a great choice as exercise for your overall health. Several important reasons hiking is beneficial include:</span></div>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Improved cardio-respiratory fitness in your lungs, heart, and blood vessels;</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Increased muscle strength and bone density, as well as slowing down bone density loss;</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Lowering the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, depression, anxiety, osteoporosis, arthritis, and many cancers.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hiking is also an activity you can do by yourself or with others; it’s a great way to bond with friends and family, while also bonding with the great outdoors! It is important, however, to choose the right level for everyone. Sticking with easy, flatter trails is a safe way to start off. Also, don’t forget the essentials: food, water (there’s nothing like a picnic on a beautiful day), sunscreen, binoculars, bug repellant, weather-appropriate clothing … and your cellphone. If you have a smartphone, you’ll want to take pictures of the beauty you will see; it’s also good to have handy in case you need to get in touch with someone for any reason.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A great resource for information on hiking trails both local and elsewhere is alltrails.com. They also offer an easy-to-use app. A few beautiful trails located in Fairfield County include:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mianus River Park —</b> This 391-acre park straddles both Greenwich and Stamford and features woodlands, wetlands and riverbanks. You'll find a network of rolling trails that run along the river, winding past vernal pools, outcroppings, wooded ledges and small knolls. The paths are hard packed and easy to navigate, making it a great place to hike with kids. The park also features a 2.6-mile "nature trail" that includes 12 educational stations with information about the local ecology and wildlife. There are two entrance points, one in Greenwich and one in Stamford.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Mianus River Park, 360 Merriebrook Lane, Stamford, CT 06902; 450 Cognewaugh Road, Greenwich CT, 06807</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Devil’s Den —</b> At 1,756 acres, this preserve is the Nature Conservancy's largest in Connecticut. You can choose from a wide variety of loops depending on the distance and type of terrain you want to explore. The Laurel Trail Loop around Godfrey Pond is a little over a mile, and the views around the pond are spectacular year-round.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Devil's Den, 33 Pent Road, Weston CT, 06883, 203-226-4991</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Tarrywile Park —</b> The park is 722 acres and features trails that wind past ponds, fields and orchards toward spots with amazing views of downtown Danbury and Candlewood Lake in the distance. You'll also find the Tarrywile Mansion and Hearthstone Castle, both listed on the National Register for Historic Preservation. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Tarrywile Park, 70 Southern Blvd, Danbury CT, 06810, 203-744-3130</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b></b><a href="http://www.aspetucklandtrust.org/"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Aspetuck Land Trust</b></span></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"> — The Aspetuck Land Trust has preserved over 1,700 acres of land, open space, and natural resources in Easton, Fairfield, Weston, and Westport. Visitors are welcome to explore all of their 45 trailed preserves from dawn to dusk.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Aspetuck Land Trust, Leonard Schine Preserve, 1 Glendinning Rd, Westport CT, 06880</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Lake Mohegan — </b>This park offers 170 wooded acres that surround a freshwater lake, close to the Merritt Parkway. The Cascades at the northern end is a short section of rapids on the Mill River, which is the river that feeds into the lake. This is a very popular place for families and dogs, so feel free to bring Fido as long as you keep him on his leash. There are two main trails: Red, which is 1.6 miles and follows the edges of the lake and river, and Yellow, which is 2.5 miles around the perimeter. Lake Mohegan manages to make you feel like you're in a much more remote location, and the views and foliage are gorgeous. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Lake Mohegan, 960 Morehouse Hwy, Fairfield CT, 06825</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Shelton Lakes Recreational Path </b>— The "Rec path" is a popular multi-use path located along the Shelton Lakes Greenway. The path passes along all three of Shelton's lakes as well as dams, gatehouses, streams and meadows. The path itself is 9-12 feet wide with a crushed stone surface, making it easy for walkers as well as strollers and wheelchairs. This lovely trail is flat and winds through the Shelton Lakes Greenway for nearly 5 miles. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Shelton Lakes Recreation Path, 135 Shelton Ave, Shelton CT, 06484</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>New Canaan Nature Center — </b>If you're looking for an easy, fun, and educational hike, this is the one! Located on 40 acres, you'll find wet and dry meadows, ponds, woodlands, thickets, a marsh, and an orchard. You can experience all kinds of ecosystems while walking across the two miles of trails. The trails include marsh boardwalks and two observation towers that overlook the wetlands and cattail marsh. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">New Canaan Nature Center, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan CT, 06830, 203-966-9577</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><b></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Audubon Greenwich</b> — Here you'll find 7 miles of trails across 285 acres of woodland, wetland and meadow habitat. The trails are open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. The views are breathtaking and the environment is very diverse, from open fields to forests and shrub swamps, vernal pools, wildflower meadows and an old apple orchard. On the Lake Loop Trail, you'll find a boardwalk and two bird blinds which are camouflaged shelters that allow you the chance to observe wildlife without scaring anything away. In addition to the birds, you might spy a river otter, flying squirrels, owls, wild turkeys and bats. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Times; font-size: 11.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 7px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich CT 06831, 203-869-5272</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></li>
</ul>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-10211860121491397522020-02-20T09:10:00.002-05:002020-02-20T09:10:33.116-05:00Guilford Police will be at the Senior Center for an update on the latest scams<span data-mce-style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT';" style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT"; font-size: 12pt;">During lunch at </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT,Bold';" style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT,Bold"; font-size: 12pt;">noon </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT';" style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT"; font-size: 12pt;">on </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT,Bold';" style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT,Bold"; font-size: 12pt;">Friday, March 6th</span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT';" style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT"; font-size: 12pt;">, Sargent Martina Jakober, Guilford Police Department will be at the Guilford Senior Center to provide an update on some of the latest scams being targeted toward seniors. Sign up for lunch that day to meet one of our local officers and hear important information they have for you & learn how to protect yourself from people who go to great lengths to take advantage of innocent seniors. There will be an opportunity to ask questions.</span>Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-69718159906766346172020-02-20T09:04:00.002-05:002020-02-20T09:04:55.624-05:00Madison Seniors Are You Aging Masterfully?<span data-mce-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond;" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 11pt;">Madison Senior Center and the CT Healthy Living Collective are pleased to announce an innovative ten-week health and wellness program to residents age 60 and over. </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond; font-weight: bold;" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">The Aging Mastery Program</span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 7pt; font-family: Garamond; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: 3pt;" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: 3pt;">® </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond; font-weight: bold;" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">(AMP</span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond;" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 11pt;">) was developed by the National Council on Aging and has been successful at helping older adults build their own playbook for aging well. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to participate in, and reap the benefits of, this cutting-edge program. AMP is a free, fun, innovative, and person-centered education program that empowers participants to embrace their gift of longevity by spending more time each day doing things that are good for themselves and for others. The program encourages mastery—developing sustainable behaviors across many dimensions that lead to improved health, stronger economic security, enhanced well-being, and increased societal participation. The CT Healthy Living Collective is a network of partners dedicated to delivering </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #282928;" style="color: #282928; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 11pt;">programs and services that </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond;" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 11pt;">promote healthier people, better care, smarter spending, and health equity. If you are interested in learning more about the program, call Ellie Gillespie or Austin Hall at (203) 245-5627 If this program piques your interest stop by or call to learn more. We are currently recruiting 20-25 adults to participate in the ten-week educational program. Please register for this event. </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond; font-weight: bold; color: #3d5a8c;" style="color: #3d5a8c; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">We are hosting an informational meeting on Friday, March 20</span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 7pt; font-family: Garamond; font-weight: bold; color: #3d5a8c; vertical-align: 3pt;" style="color: #3d5a8c; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: 3pt;">th </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond; font-weight: bold; color: #3d5a8c;" style="color: #3d5a8c; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">at 10:30am FREE</span>Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-73355102356854842912020-02-19T16:16:00.001-05:002020-02-19T16:16:34.074-05:00This fish stew will warm you with flavors of summer<br />
<figure class="article-image image-standard" style="float: left; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 437.5px; position: relative; width: 700px;"><img src="https://bdn-data.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/02/33219661_H26127231-720x445.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; left: 350px; position: absolute; top: 218.75px; transform: translate(-50%, -50%); width: 700px;" /></figure><div class="figcaption" style="clear: both; font-family: "Open Sans", HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; padding: 5px 2px;">
</div>
<section class="article-section article-author" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: initial; line-height: initial; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><span class="auth_byline" style="display: inline;">By <a href="https://bangordailynews.com/author/sandy-oliver/" style="color: #3987c6; text-decoration: none;">Sandy Oliver</a></span> <span class="auth_sep" style="display: inline;">•</span> <span id="published-time">February 17, 2020 6:00 pm</span></section><section class="article-section article-author" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: initial; line-height: initial; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><span>Bangor Daily News</span></section><section class="social-sharebar-amp" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 15px;"><amp-social-share data-param-app_id="748756371893770" data-param-href="https://bangordailynews.com/2020/02/17/homestead/this-fish-stew-will-warm-you-with-flavors-of-summer/?amp=1" type="facebook"></amp-social-share><amp-social-share data-param-url="https://bangordailynews.com/2020/02/17/homestead/this-fish-stew-will-warm-you-with-flavors-of-summer/?amp=1" type="twitter"></amp-social-share><amp-social-share type="email"></amp-social-share><amp-social-share type="sms"></amp-social-share></section><div class="content-p" id="p-0" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
“Maybe you have a recipe like this,” wrote Bobbie Lehigh from Eastport, “but when I made it earlier this week, I thought: I should send this to Sandy.”</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-1" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
Well, I didn’t have a recipe like the “Fish Stew from Germany” Bobbie found in a booklet fifteen years ago entitled “The World’s Best Fish and Seafood.” Plus she sent along all kinds of advice on how to prepare it.</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-3" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
The recipe recommends ocean perch. “But I’ve used haddock, cod, etc.,” Bobbie wrote. It also specifies frozen fish, but Bobbie starts with thawed fish and says “it can be made with fish scraps so it can be inexpensive,” which is helpful.</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-4" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
Bobbie cuts back the amount of salt: “Recipe says 1 tablespoon, but that is too much, try 1 teaspoon for starters.” She also substitutes evaporated milk for 1 cup of the 5 cups of milk called for, a great Maine practice which makes for a creamier fish chowder or stew.</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-5" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
If you make this stew over the summer, you’ll want to use fresh dill. But this time of year Bobbie uses dried dill and I did, too. I love the horseradish and dill pickle in the stew, something a little different from my usual with fish dishes. I added in a little more of each, so be sure to sample the stew and adjust the flavors to suit your taste. Off hand, I’d say that if you don’t like onions, don’t bother to make this. The recipe calls for quite a few. It is an important part of the dish.</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-6" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
The stew goes together quickly — under 45 minutes — and tastes lovely right away. Yet Bobbie let this stew rest, as she said, “to mellow out.” I did the same and concluded that it is definitely better the next day.</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-7" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
The whole time I ate my mug full, I thought about how it reminded me of my favorite tuna salad with its onions, celery, dill and pickles. Only that’s more for summer on the front porch, and this stew is perfect for these chilly days sitting in the kitchen next to my wood burning cookstove. I’m so glad Bobbie wrote to me.</div>
<h4 class="c10" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 3rem; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: -0.025rem; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px;">
German Fish Stew</h4>
<div class="content-p" id="p-8" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
<em>6-8 servings</em></div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-9" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
2 tablespoons butter</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-10" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
4 medium onions, sliced</div>
<div id="87913" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 15px;">
</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-11" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
1 rib of celery, chopped</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-12" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
2 pounds white fish (cod, haddock, etc.), cut into chunks</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-13" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
5 cups milk (part evaporated, optional)</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-14" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
½ cup sour cream</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-15" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-16" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
1 tablespoon grated prepared horseradish</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-17" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
Dried or fresh dill, chopped</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-18" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
Dried or fresh parsley, chopped</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-19" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
1 teaspoon salt or to taste</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-20" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
1. Put the butter, onions, celery and fish into a large heavy pan, and add the milk.</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-21" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
2. Over a medium high temperature, bring just to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-22" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
3. Add the sour cream, dill pickle, horseradish, dill, parsley and salt, and stir to combine well.</div>
<div class="content-p" id="p-23" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
4. Reheat briefly and serve, or let season overnight and reheat gently the next day.</div>
<section class="article-section article-media article-image-inline pos-center" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline-block; float: left; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 700px;"><figure class="article-image image-inline size-full pos-center" id="figure-2937494" style="margin: 0px auto; max-width: 720px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 393.75px; position: relative; width: 700px;"><br /></figure><figure class="article-image image-inline size-full pos-center" id="figure-2937494" style="margin: 0px auto; max-width: 720px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 393.75px; position: relative; width: 700px;"><h4 class="c10" style="font-size: 3rem; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: -0.025rem; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px;">
German Fish Stew</h4>
<div class="content-p" id="p-8" style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.667; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 720px;">
<em>6-8 servings</em></div>
<img src="https://bdn-data.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/02/sandyoliver021820-2-720x405.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; left: 350px; position: absolute; top: 196.875px; transform: translate(-50%, -50%); width: 700px;" /></figure></section>Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-35896502309442288072020-02-19T16:06:00.002-05:002020-02-19T16:06:58.375-05:00No more dueling in DC<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">History for </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">February 20</b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> - On-This-Day.com. 1673 - The first recorded wine auction took place in London. 1792 - U.S. President George Washington signed the Postal Service Act that created the U.S. Post Office. ... 1839 - The U.S. Congress prohibited dueling in the District of Columbia.</span>Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-54398685466823032092020-02-19T16:04:00.002-05:002020-02-19T16:04:33.550-05:00Against The Wind<div class="kp-header" data-mce-style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" data-ved="2ahUKEwiygevLwN7nAhVWknIEHX6GBj4Q3z4oAHoECA4QAQ" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<div class="kp-hc" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 12px; position: relative; display: inline-block; width: 638px;" style="display: inline-block; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 12px; padding-top: 12px; position: relative; width: 638px;">
I had the pleasure of going to Bob Seger's show last fall at Madision Square Garden with some long-time friends. He played for 21/2 hours and it seemd like everybody there new the lyrics of every song. I like songs that the words have a meaning. here are the lyrics to one of my favorites.<div class="NFQFxe Hhmu2e viOShc LKPcQc mod" data-hveid="CA4QAg" data-mce-style="clear: none; overflow: inherit; padding-top: 0px;" data-md="16" data-ved="2ahUKEwiygevLwN7nAhVWknIEHX6GBj4QhygoADAAegQIDhAC" style="clear: none; overflow: inherit; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="Ftghae iirjIb" data-mce-style="padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 16px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative;" style="margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 16px; position: relative;">
<div class="SPZz6b">
<div class="kno-ecr-pt PZPZlf gsmt i8lZMc sKbx2c" data-attrid="title" data-local-attribute="d3bn" data-mce-style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588); line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: -3px; overflow: hidden; font-family: arial, sans-serif-light, sans-serif; display: inline; font-size: 30px; position: relative;" data-ved="2ahUKEwiygevLwN7nAhVWknIEHX6GBj4Q3B0oADAAegQIDhAD" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588); display: inline; font-family: arial, sans-serif-light, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: -3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="SALvLe farUxc mJ2Mod" data-mce-style="border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #ebebeb; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" style="background-color: white; border-top-color: rgb(235, 235, 235); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<div class="i4J0ge">
<div class="NFQFxe siXlze yp1CPe mod" data-attrid="kc:/music/recording_cluster:lyrics" data-mce-style="clear: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 16px;" data-md="113" style="clear: none; padding-bottom: 16px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div data-hveid="CAQQAA" data-ved="2ahUKEwiygevLwN7nAhVWknIEHX6GBj4QsEwwAXoECAQQAA">
<div class="uHNKed" data-mce-style="margin-top: 12px;" style="margin-top: 12px;">
<div class="Oh5wg" data-mce-style="margin: 0px 16px;" style="margin: 0px 16px;">
<div class="PZPZlf" data-lyricid="Lyricfind002-292472">
<div class="bbVIQb">
<div class="bbVIQb">
<div class="ujudUb WRZytc u7wWjf" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.57;" data-mh="-1" style="line-height: 1.57; margin-bottom: 0px;">
It seems like yesterday, but it was a long time ago<br />She was lovely, she was the queen of my nights<br />There in the darkness with the radio, playin' low<br />The secrets that we shared, the mountains that we moved<br />Caught like a wildfire out of control<br />There was nothing left to burn and nothing left to prove<br />And I remember what she said to me<br />How she swore that it would never end<br />I remember how she held me oh, so tight<br />Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then<br />Against the wind<br />We were running against the wind<br />We were young and strong<br />But just running against the wind<br />And the years rolled slowly past, I found myself alone<br />Surrounded by strangers I thought were my friends<br />I found myself further and further from my home<br />I guess I lost my way, there were oh, so many roads<br />I was livin' to run and runnin' to live<br />Never worrying about paying or how much I owed<br />Movin' eight miles a minute for months at a time<br />Breakin' all of the rules I could bend<br />I began to find myself searchin'<br />Searchin' for shelter again and again<br />Against the wind<br />We were running against the wind<br />I found myself seekin'<br />Shelter against the wind<br />All those drifter's days are passed me now<br />I've got so much more to think about<br />Deadlines and commitments<br />What to leave in, what to leave out<br />Against the wind<br />We were running against the wind<br />Well I'm older now and still<br />Running against the wind<br />Against the wind<br />Against the wind<br />Against the wind</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935985941306065481.post-65285796190771491232020-02-19T15:56:00.001-05:002020-02-19T15:56:19.728-05:00Where You Store Your Toothbrush makes a difference<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
<img alt="image" class="lazyimage lazyautosizes lazyloaded" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://hips.hearstapps.com/ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/15/23/980x490/landscape-1433346524-toothbrush-storage-mistake.jpg?resize=480:*" data-srcset="https://hips.hearstapps.com/ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/15/23/980x490/landscape-1433346524-toothbrush-storage-mistake.jpg?resize=640:* 640w,https://hips.hearstapps.com/ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/15/23/980x490/landscape-1433346524-toothbrush-storage-mistake.jpg?resize=768:* 768w,https://hips.hearstapps.com/ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/15/23/980x490/landscape-1433346524-toothbrush-storage-mistake.jpg?resize=980:* 980w" sizes="739px" src="https://hips.hearstapps.com/ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/15/23/980x490/landscape-1433346524-toothbrush-storage-mistake.jpg?resize=480:*" srcset="https://hips.hearstapps.com/ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/15/23/980x490/landscape-1433346524-toothbrush-storage-mistake.jpg?resize=640:* 640w, https://hips.hearstapps.com/ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/15/23/980x490/landscape-1433346524-toothbrush-storage-mistake.jpg?resize=768:* 768w, https://hips.hearstapps.com/ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/15/23/980x490/landscape-1433346524-toothbrush-storage-mistake.jpg?resize=980:* 980w" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; image-rendering: auto; left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: opacity 0.4s linear; width: 739.1875px;" title="Toothbrush Storage Mistakes" /></div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
A new <a class="body-link" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150602130650.htm" href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150602130650.htm" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(249, 228, 226) 0px, rgb(249, 228, 226) 100%); background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(210, 68, 50); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; padding-bottom: 0.05rem; padding-top: 0.05rem; text-decoration: none; transition: background 0.4s ease-in-out, color 0.4s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">bathroom cleanliness study</a> from the American Society for Microbiology has our skin crawling — and double-checking our toothbrush storage tactics.</div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
Researchers found that when college students use communal bathrooms, their toothbrushes often share the group's collective fecal bacteria. This feels pretty obvious (force a swath of not-so-clean college kids together, and bacteria is bound to make the rounds), but we can't help but think that conditions could be similar in a highly trafficked family bathroom. </div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
Your knee-jerk reaction to protect your toothbrush from germs might be to store it inside a medicine cabinet or travel container, away from other surfaces and, of course, your toilet. But this tactic is actually a really bad move.</div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
"Using a toothbrush cover doesn't protect a toothbrush from bacterial growth, but actually creates an environment where bacteria are better suited to grow by keeping the bristles moist and not allowing the head of the toothbrush to dry out between uses," <a class="body-link" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150602130650.htm" href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150602130650.htm" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(249, 228, 226) 0px, rgb(249, 228, 226) 100%); background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(210, 68, 50); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; padding-bottom: 0.05rem; padding-top: 0.05rem; text-decoration: none; transition: background 0.4s ease-in-out, color 0.4s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">says</a> Laura Aber, the study's graduate student researcher.</div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
The American Dental Association <a class="body-link" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-toothbrush-care-cleaning-storage-and-" href="http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-toothbrush-care-cleaning-storage-and-" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(249, 228, 226) 0px, rgb(249, 228, 226) 100%); background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(210, 68, 50); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; padding-bottom: 0.05rem; padding-top: 0.05rem; text-decoration: none; transition: background 0.4s ease-in-out, color 0.4s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">recommends</a> that you store toothbrushes so they can air-dry in upright position, and so they don't touch each other.</div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
But the real key to minimizing the spread of germs <a class="body-link" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a26125/dirty-bathroom-mistakes/" href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a26125/dirty-bathroom-mistakes/" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(249, 228, 226) 0px, rgb(249, 228, 226) 100%); background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(210, 68, 50); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; padding-bottom: 0.05rem; padding-top: 0.05rem; text-decoration: none; transition: background 0.4s ease-in-out, color 0.4s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">starts with your toilet</a>. Closing the lid before flushing is essential — lest you want poop particles to land on your toothbrush (and everywhere else <a class="body-link" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a26125/dirty-bathroom-mistakes/" href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a26125/dirty-bathroom-mistakes/" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(249, 228, 226) 0px, rgb(249, 228, 226) 100%); background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(210, 68, 50); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; padding-bottom: 0.05rem; padding-top: 0.05rem; text-decoration: none; transition: background 0.4s ease-in-out, color 0.4s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">within six feet of the bowl</a>).</div>
<div class="body-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; margin-left: 47.59375px;">
As for your college kid who can't control what her dorm-mates do in the bathroom? The study's researchers suggest following the ADA's <a class="body-link" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-toothbrush-care-cleaning-storage-and-" href="http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-toothbrush-care-cleaning-storage-and-" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(249, 228, 226) 0px, rgb(249, 228, 226) 100%); background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(210, 68, 50); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.0625rem; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; padding-bottom: 0.05rem; padding-top: 0.05rem; text-decoration: none; transition: background 0.4s ease-in-out, color 0.4s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">guidelines</a> as closely as possible: Rinsing the brush thoroughly after use, replacing it after three or four months, and storing it so it can air-dry (a cup in a discreet corner of her room is better than a travel case).</div>
Senior GO TO Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033658578724958237noreply@blogger.com0