Find the Perfect Sleep Position

Tossing and turning all night to find that perfect sleeping position?
Experts say there is no one right way to sleep. But for people with certain types of pain and medical conditions, there are positions that can help keep problems from getting worse and may even alleviate them. In some cases, sleeping in the same position night after night can itself create pain, such as neck or shoulder problems.
"It's important that people take time to think about how they position themselves when they sleep," said Peggy Brill, a Manhattan orthopedic physical therapist. "Rest is important for the muscular skeletal system to recover" from the day's stresses, she said. "The proteins get back into the muscles, there's rejuvenation of the body, so you want to be in a healthy anatomical position when you sleep." Read More.

Tennessee Homecoming King Nominees Give Crown to Another Teen

Three Tennessee homecoming king nominees made a unanimous and touching decision that no matter who won, they would give the crown to a beloved student with a genetic condition.

Students Jesse Cooper, Drew Gibbs and Zeke Grissom were all nominated for homecoming king at Community High School's basketball homecoming ceremony.
The teens got together and decided that the winner would turn over the honor to junior Scotty Maloney, who has Williams Syndrome, a neurological disorder that inhibits learning and speech. Read More.

How to protect yourself from identity theft

(BPT) - Identity theft occurs more frequently in the United States than people want to believe. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, identity theft and identity fraud are referred to as "all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception for economic gain."

The Federal Trade Commission compiles a report every year for identity theft complaints in the United States. These complaints increased more than 78 percent between 2009 and 2011. With identity theft becoming an increasing problem, Professor Duanne J. Thompson, the acting program chair of Criminal Justice at Argosy University, Atlanta, offers some advice for consumers to take in order to protect themselves from identity theft:
1. Protect your identity like you would protect your house.
2. Don't give out sensitive information such as social security information. In most states it is illegal for a business to ask for your social security number for transactions.
3. If purchasing on the Web, make sure you know who you are buying from and that the site is secure.
4. Don't fall for phishing scams. Legitimate websites will never ask for your password or account information. If in doubt contact the vendor before you send your information.
Thompson also says that consumers should be aware that they have a right to have one free credit report from every credit clearing house, such as Equifax, TransUnion and Experian, at least once a year. In some states, consumers are allowed a free credit report at least twice a year. Consumers should look at the information from their reports and ensure that the information is correct and accurate. They should look specifically at each credit statement every month for suspicious fraudulent activity.
The bigger question is what a consumer should do if they find themselves victims of identity theft. Thompson suggests to first notify your credit vendor that your card has been compromised and that there is an individual acting as you. Consumers should then call their local police department and file a report. Afterward, gather as much information as possible about your accounts and all transactions to help aid the investigator in the case. Once the police report is obtained, file an identity theft claim with all three credit clearing houses (Equifax, TransUnion and Experian). All three credit clearing houses will require a copy of the local police report and all the information you have supporting the theft.
With the rise of online trends such as social media and online banking, consumers must be more vigilant about their identity as these trends lead to more and more avenues for identity theft criminals. The best way a consumer can protect their identity to simply be smart and be aware of their financial records.

Go Someplace Warm. Leave Your Investments With Us”

Why stay in the snow belt? Take a cruise to someplace warm! 

Good idea now, and a popular idea fifty years ago. In 1963 even ocean liners were offering cruises. They had to. Jet planes had drained their transatlantic business. Read more and see bank ads for the 1960's

Five things you may not know about hearing aids

 

(BPT) - Hearing aids - those two words alone may conjure up images of unattractive, beige devices that your father or grandmother once wore before finally throwing them in a drawer, never to be seen again. And who could blame them? In the past, hearing aids were big, bulky and fragile - incapable of getting wet or dirty. But hearing aids have come a very long way. Here are five things you may not know about today's digital hearing aids:
1. Hearing aids can adjust automatically based on your listening situation
Digital hearing aids of the past required you to manually switch programs depending on your environment (for example noisy vs. quiet). The latest hearing aids are smart enough to recognize up to six distinct listening environments: quiet, speech in quiet, noise, speech in noise, car or music. The hearing aids continuously detect which of the six situations you're in and automatically switch settings for the best hearing in that environment. No manual adjustments are needed.
2. Hearing aids can act like your own personal headset
Most people who have hearing loss have it in both ears and need two hearing aids. Wireless hearing aids "talk" with each other so touching the volume control or program switch for one hearing aid automatically adjusts both. Today's hearing aids are personal electronics that work with your high-tech gadgets. You can wirelessly stream music into your hearing aids from an iPod, hear a call that just came in on your smartphone, and listen to the television with no delay at your preferred volume - without disturbing others.
3. You can swim, sweat and ski while wearing hearing aids
In 2011, Aquaris, made by Siemens, was the first digital waterproof, dustproof and shock-resistant hearing aid. For high-school swimmer Kristle Cowan of Phoenix, a waterproof hearing aid is life-changing.
"Before my waterproof hearing aids, I felt like quitting the swim team," says 17-year old Cowan. "My old hearing aids couldn't get wet so I couldn't wear them in the pool. I would be at a competition and get disqualified because I couldn't hear the buzzer. Now I can hear everything."
Waterproof hearing aids aren't just for swimmers either. Because they are so robust and stay securely in place behind the ear, many people can benefit, including those who perspire heavily, are active in sports, or who garden or work in dusty environments.
4. Hearing aids are rechargeable
If the idea of having to change tiny batteries once a week (or more) makes you cringe, you're not alone. With rechargeable hearing aids, there's no more constant fumbling with batteries. According to Dr. Gabrielle Filips of Siemens Hearing Instruments, people with arthritis, Parkinson's disease or other conditions that create dexterity problems can really struggle with opening battery packages, accessing a battery compartment and guiding a battery into place.
Rechargeable hearing aids are also friendlier to the environment - and our wallets. Over a three-year time span, two rechargeable hearing aids and a charging station cost less than three year's worth of weekly disposable batteries. They're easy to use, too. At night, you place the hearing aids into a charger and every morning you'll have freshly-charged hearing aids.
5. Hearing aids can be invisible
Like contact lens wearers, most people still want to be discreet about their hearing aids. The stigma associated with wearing hearing aids still ranks among the top reasons why consumers choose not to purchase them. But with invisible hearing aids, only you know you're wearing the device.
Invisible and nearly-invisible hearing aids like Siemens Eclipse are very comfortable, too. According to Filips, because they sit closer to the ear drum, they provide a more natural sound quality without a muffled or over-amplified effect. And, in case you were wondering, a tiny, transparent removal cord lets the wearer safely remove the hearing aids anytime - without having to see a professional.
With all these advances, it's no wonder hearing aid wearers are happier and more satisfied than ever. In fact, the technology may give some wearers an advantage over those without hearing loss. So make that appointment to get your hearing checked that you've been putting off.

Editors note: You can find the top hearing aids experts in the area listed in the Senior GO TO Guide.

Your car security system can also protect you in your home.

Burglar alarms are a strong deterrent—not because they make your house an impenetrable fortress, but because they're loud and indicate the police are being called. If you don’t have an alarm system installed in your home you can gain some protection using your car alarm's panic button:

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get into your house, press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key chain fob. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the intruder won't stick around.--TWG

Planning for a long life

Not many years ago, the typical retirement age, 65, was viewed as the onset of old age. Today, gerontologists define matters differently: If you’re between the ages of 65 and 74, you are one of the “young-old.” To be considered “old”, you need to be in the 75-to-84 age bracket.  After that, you’re known, demographically, as the “oldest-old.”

        Simply put, your chances are good that you are going to live many years in retirement. But will they be healthy years?

Who assumes responsibility?

If illness or injury strikes, you want to know that there is someone on hand to manage the day-to-day finances and your investments.

        Your spouse might want to assume the responsibilities. However, that may be an unreasonable burden if he or she is also responsible for being your caregiver. And, of course, there is the question of his or her health. A long-term plan needs to take into account the fact that a spouse might not be alive or healthy when he or she is needed.

        Single people face similar questions. They may not want to burden children or grandchildren with their finances and their care. Is there even family close by able to take on the responsibilities?

When you don’t take action

If you have not done any planning beforehand, and you become disabled, legal proceedings may be necessary in order to have someone step in and take over for you. A guardian will have to be named to manage your assets. It’s not hard to come up with a list of serious disadvantages to this scenario.

        First, the process can be protracted and expensive. Second, because the legal proceedings are a matter of public record, you and your family may be exposed to unwanted publicity. Finally, and most important, because you may not be able to make your wishes known, the person whom you would want to handle your financial affairs may not be the person chosen by the court.

        As a result, your financial assets may be put at risk. Decisions may be made by individuals not in the best position to make them. Indecision or lack of attention may have the same negative impact on your income, your asset base or both.

One plan: a durable power

A durable power of attorney is a legal document in which you give someone the authority to act on your behalf in the circumstances that you designate. Although a regular power of attorney lapses in the event that you become mentally incompetent, a durable power remains in effect.

        The authority that you grant to your “attorney-in-fact” can be as sweeping or as narrow as you wish. The power to pay bills, collect debts, prepare tax returns, borrow funds, purchase insurance and fund a trust are among the most common powers granted. Parents who want to take advantage of the federal annual gift tax exclusion and make gift-tax-free transfers to children and/or grandchildren of up to $13,000 in 2012 should spell out that authority in the durable power-of-attorney document.

        A durable power of attorney can be an effective tool. Unfortunately, some institutions require that the power be executed on their particular form—simple if you’re in good health, perhaps impossible if you’re incapacitated. Then, too, over several years a question of the validity of the durable power may arise.

A comprehensive plan: a living trust

For long-term financial and estate management, give consideration to a revocable living trust. This arrangement offers you comprehensive protection that can last as long as it is needed.

        You can create a living trust now. The agreement is revocable—you can make changes at any time, even cancel it if the need arises. Initially, the agreement calls for you to retain full control over all investment decisions regarding the assets in the trust.

        The trustee’s responsibilities may, if you wish, be limited to everyday investment chores and recordkeeping duties. If you become incapacitated, or upon your request, the trustee will assume full management of your assets, acting as you have directed in the trust agreement. In addition to handling your investments, the trustee’s responsibilities may be extremely wide-ranging. You may authorize your trustee to use trust income to employ household help, hire nurses and even pay your monthly bills.

Q&A on Advance Directives

While you are doing your planning, you also may want to consider creating an advance directive regarding your future medical care.

What are Advance Directives?

• “Advance directive” is a general term that refers to your oral and written instructions about your future medical care, in the event that you become unable to speak for yourself. Each state regulates the use of advance directives differently. There are two types of advance directives: a living will and a medical power of attorney.

What is a Living Will?

• In a living will you put in writing your wishes about medical treatment should you be unable to communicate at the end of life. Your state law may define when the living will goes into effect and may limit the treatments to which the living will applies. Your right to accept or refuse treatment is protected by both constitutional and common law.

What is a Medical Power of Attorney?

• A medical power of attorney enables you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions about your medical care if you cannot make those decisions yourself. This type of advance directive may also be called a “health care proxy” or “appointment of a health care agent.” The person you appoint may be called your health care agent, surrogate, attorney-in-fact, or proxy. In many states the person whom you appoint is authorized to speak for you at any time you are unable to make your own medical decisions, not only at the end of life.

Do I need an Advance Directive?

• It’s a matter of personal choice. There are many benefits to creating advance directives. They give you a voice in decisions about your medical care when you are unconscious or too ill to communicate. As long as you are able to express your own decisions, your advance directive will not be used, and you can accept or refuse any medical treatment. But if you become seriously ill, you may lose the ability to participate in decisions about your own treatment.

What laws govern the use of Advance Directives?

• Both federal and state laws govern the use of advance directives. The federal law, the Patient Self-Determination Act, requires health care facilities that receive Medicaid and Medicare funds to inform patients of their rights to execute advance directives. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have laws recognizing the use of advance directives.

        If you are interested in finding out more about advance directives and the laws governing them in your state, the not-for-profit organization Partnership for Caring has a Web site at http://www.partnershipforcaring.org, or you can call them at 1-800-989-WILL.

Taking action

It’s important to make your plans while you’re able to do so. Talk over the issues presented here with those closest to you, as well as with your financial and legal advisors.

By Thomas Gerrity, Publisher

© 2013 M.A. Co. All rights reserved.

Senior Nutrition & Diet Tips

Eating Right as You Get Older

For older adults, the benefits of healthy eating include increased mental acuteness, resistance to illness and disease, higher energy levels, faster recuperation times, and better management of chronic health problems. As we age, eating well can also be the key to a positive outlook and staying emotionally balanced. But healthy eating doesn’t have to be about dieting and sacrifice. Eating well as an older adult is all about fresh, colorful food, creativity in the kitchen, and eating with friends. Read More.