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New Caregiving Tips Forum!

AARPMichaelP — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 18:06:32 GMT

Hello Community Members!

Welcome to our new Caregiving Tips area! This new feature provides an easy way to ask for a caregiving tip or leave one for other community members. We hope you find this area to be a helpful resource for providing care for your loved one or for supporting other caregivers. Together, we can meet the challenges of caregiving in a positive, informed, creative and loving way.

On the main Caregiving Tips page you can filter for the section of your choice, i.e. Transportation and Mobility, Home Safety, Personal Care, Day to Day Activities, Difficult Behaviors, Getting Help, Getaways, Money Matters and Legal. You may notice these topics are also found in the Family Caregiving channel of aarp.org, and which can provide additional information. Additionally, you’ll see links to the right of the page under the ‘Tip Feed’ where you can bestow your knowledge to the community or utilize others’ expertise. Under the ‘Message List’ you will see a link for “Leave A Tip” and “Ask For A Tip” where your submitted tips will populate.

When you ask for a tip or leave a tip make sure to completely fill out the required details and choose a label so that your tip applies to the appropriate section.

Thank you for your contributions to making Caregiving Tips a valuable resource for all.

Coronavirus isolation - Things to Do with Loved Ones when Stuck at Home

AARPMichaelP — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 17:59:24 GMT

If you're caring for loved ones at home, much of your regular schedule may be disrupted. You may be desperate for ways to keep your loved ones busy and yourself from tearing your hair out! Here are some ideas to help out:

Reading - Choose a book to read together and read aloud to them. Or connect with other family members and friends on the phone or video chat and do a book club - either sharing info about the books each are reading or you could all read the same book and discuss. Re-read an old favorite or try a new book. You can order books online for delivery or download ebooks or audiobooks from your publilc library (if you don't already have a membership you can join the library online in most places).

Send a card or letter to family members and friends - it's the perfect chance to revive that old tradition that people don't do much anymore! Write to first responders and military and thank them for what they are doing in this crisis. Write to nursing facility staff, home care staff and others who care for older adults. Write to friends you know are also stuck at home.

Document your loved ones' life story - it's the perfect time to start that memoir or make a video of your loved one telling stories about their life. You can check out StoryCorps for guidance on how to do that (and they also have an app you can use).

Try jigsaw puzzles, board games and card games. My Mom loved to play Uno and we just adapted it so Dad could play too (he had Alzheimers). Sometimes the older, simpler games are easier for your loved ones to play (remember Chutes and Ladders?!), and others will relish a competative game of Monoply or Checkers.

Take an online adventure. Virtually tour museums or explore outer space with NASA’s free online video and image library. From bees to birds to bison to bears you can observe nature and animals with Explore.org’s livecams. Re-live your own adventures by flipping through photo albums and videos. And dream about (and plan) your next adventure — near or far — when the coronavirus social distancing advisories are a thing of the past.

Movies and TV shows are always good - but if your loved one is getting too anxious about coronavirus you might want to limit time watching the news. Think about TV series you can "binge watch" - it's fun to watch an entire series in a row! Old movies are fun and bring back memories, and musicals are fun to sing along and the plots aren't too complicated!

Get organized - have them help you organize a drawer or closet. Scan paperwork and shred to get rid of paper. Organize photos and make photo albums.

Go for a drive or get outside and take a walk - that is still allowed in most communities.

Enjoy time together - for some this is sort of a unique opportunity to spend time with loved ones and have good conversations, reminisce and just "be".

What are you doing to pass the time?

How do I approach my parents about preparing for their future?

AARPMichaelP — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 17:51:13 GMT

My parents are in their early eighties, both with health issues. They don't seem to think that there should be plans in place when they can no longer do for themselves. We live 2000 miles apart, I'm an only child. They won't consider moving closer to me and I fear that if something happens to either of them, we will be faced with making poorly thought-out arrangements. They won't engage in a serious conversation and I feel they are in denial.

How do others approach their parents? Are there articles on this topic?

wrote:

My parents are in their early eighties, both with health issues. They don't seem to think that there should be plans in place when they can no longer do for themselves. We live 2000 miles apart, I'm an only child. They won't consider moving closer to me and I fear that if something happens to either of them, we will be faced with making poorly thought-out arrangements. They won't engage in a serious conversation and I feel they are in denial.

How do others approach their parents? Are there articles on this topic?

This is one of the KEY issues for adult children of aging parents. My guess is one of the AARP amazing experts will respond with article suggestions. I know that "Prepare to Care" as a guide is TERRIFIC and on this site. Step by step and very thorough.

What I'm guessing is that you are trying to bring up this difficult topic by phone rather than in person since you are 2,000 miles away. I think in person would be much better, but since not too many people are traveling, perhaps zoom or facebook messenger or google hangouts or if they have apple then facetime... Looking and watching their faces and their ability to see your expression will help. And there are ways to frame the discussion. WIth Covid19 there's always the 'would you want to be on a ventilator' issue. But its not a good idea to dive in with that. Oy.

It might be helpful to inform yourself about how other elders in the family are planning ahead: is there an uncle or aunt who has done advance directives? Talk to cousins and find out? If one of your parents' sibling has done any of this, it mght help to bring that up. Do they have a pastor they trust? Call up the pastor and say, would you back me up if i start talking to my folks about what they would want done if they became incapacitated? Enlarge your caregiving circle ... so you aren't doing this all solo.

Also, doctors talk about 'goals of care' and POLSTs rather than 'living wills'. It might help to talk to their doctor. It's now telehealth time because of COVID and you could probably get a chance to talk to their primary care provider about what she or he recommends in terms of care. For example, for people with Parkinsons Disease, its a good idea to assume that once the person cannot swallow safely, its time for home hospice rather than time for a feeding tube... there are specific thoughts for each illness as to what is ideal end of life care.

i hope that's helpful...

Jane

Hi Laura! gave you some great suggestions! Just to add a tad bit to that...

Here is my short blog post with 4 Tips for Difficult Family Conversations - you'll find also on that page my video on the topic with more tips! (both are quick and I loaded them with practical stuff!)

It sounds like you're in that position that so many adult children face - I know it's hard!

One approach that works for some is to couch it as they will be doing something for. YOU by talking about current and future situation and plans. Many parents don't want to "burden" their kids with this stuff or with care, but what they don't understand is that it actually causes MORE stress for the kids when plans aren't in place for all the contingencies that might come up. If you can get them to understad that it is actually MORE of a burden to feel so up in the air about all of this maybe they would make the effort to start the conversations and share their plans with you.

Many people just fear change or are happy where they are and really don't want change. That is understandable. But there are many options along the way that don't necessarily lead to them re-locating - at least not right now. Now is the time to be researching the options. Home-based care. A senior community in their area. Technology to keep you more connected and help you monitor how they are doing....lots of options.

Sometimes legal issues are a good place to start - just making sure advance directives are in place - and as Jane mentioned you can open with "X family member" just got theirs done, or I just got mine done - and stress that any adult should have advance directives in place at any age - sometimes it helps to not make it about age. Here's a good article from my friend and colleague Amanda Singleton about powers of attorney.

I hope this is helpful - take a look at the blog and video and let me know how else I can help!

Take care,

Amy Goyer, AARP Family & Caregiving Expert

Author, Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving

You may want to start with very small steps and keep it an on-going, non-confrontation thing. Perhaps start with a general conversation about what THEY want done when, down the road, they can't get around too well anymore.

As mentioned, Advance Directives are very important - our Family Doctor is very pro-active about these - hopefully theirs is too. Perhaps you can ask if they have discussed this with their doctor.

Finances will also play a large role in where they get cared for in the future, ideally you have a general idea of their resources, though that may also be another tricky conversation to start.

P.S. My response is based on personal experience and opinion, and is not any kind of professional advice, as some of the others responses may be.

Thank you, for your input. It's challenging. They are so often on the defensive when I try so hard to frame my questions in concern for their future... I get, 'Oh don't worry honey'. And yet thy don't, as far as I can see have anything in place.

I'll work on opening the conversation, maybe by giving them information about planning and see where it goes. At least it's a start.

Laura

Thanks, Amy,

You make a lot of great points. I find myself in a difficult position. No siblings. Dad has only one much younger sister. Their doctors do not appear to be getting involved in such issues. My parents are sure they have everything under control even though they have nothing in place and rarely listen to any suggestions I give them on health care. It is amazingly frustrating.

Can you suggest any articles that are directed at them for preparing for their future that I can pass on to them? This may be a way to start the conversation.

Thanks

Laura

Hi Jane, Thank you.

I'm in the difficult position that there are very few people in my family and none at this stage in their lives. They have no religious affiliations. My parent's doctors don't seem too involved in their future planning. It appears to be left to me to initiate the conversation, even from this distance. They seem to think everything is in control while nothing seems to be in place.

I may try to frame the conversation around my concern about my mother-in-law, who also didn't plan ahead and is now in Europe by herself after choosing to move there with my now-deceased father-in-law while in their seventies. At least she is looking into senior facilities.

Thank you for your input, I'm going to look into some of your suggestions.

Laura

Parents aren't the only ones you should talk to about this. Many younger people with children have no instructions in place about their children or estates. Everyone needs to have some kind of a will as well as medical instructions. I was appalled to find out that my daughter and her husband had no will when they were getting ready to cruise to Europe, leaving minor children at home with their Aunt in charge. They have one now!

Here are some articles that might be helpful!

Estate Planning During Coronavirus

Create Your Will for Free

The Ultimate Guide to Estate Planning

5 Estate Planning Documents Every Family Should Have

Hope these help - let me know how it's going and if you need any more suggestions!

Take care,

Amy Goyer, AARP Family & Caregiving Expert

Author, Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving

Resources For Caregivers By Location

AARPMichaelP — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 17:41:49 GMT

Did you know that there is a whole AARP local resources and solutions page! Take a look, change the location to your area and get the help you are looking for! There is an even a COVID-19 specific portion.

Anything on the page stick out to you? How was it able to help? How can we make it better?

Coronavirus Restrictions By State

AARPRachelA — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 17:11:54 GMT

Here is a fluid list of which phases different states find themselves in with the intent to re-open. How has re-opening affected you and your loved one in your area, or has it?

AARP Rewards Tip – Sorting the Earn List by Frequency

AARPRachelA — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 15:57:43 GMT

Did you know you can now sort the AARP Rewards Earn List by frequency? Here's how:

Click on the red “Filter By” box at the top of the Earn Page (https://www.aarp.org/rewards/earn/)
Sort by: Recommended, Point Value and now Earn Frequency
You can also add additional filters like Quizzes, Videos, etc. to find your favorite activities faster
Once your options are chosen “Click Apply”

Visit the AARP Rewards Earn Page for a complete list of all activities, and join fellow community members for a chance to earn rewards and for updates.

Tips for Coordinating with the Health Care Team

AARPRachelA — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 15:39:49 GMT

AARP Expert Amy GoyerCoordinating the never-ending doctor appts, trying to get lab results, setting up therapy appts, getting new medicines and treatments - it's all exhausting! I did all this for more than a decade for my parents and some for my sister when she was hospitalized so I know how hard it can be. Here are a few quick tips to help make things go as smoothly as possible:

Get the legal authority to coordinate care - Make sure your loved ones have advance directives in place. A power of attorney (POA) for health care gives you or someone else on the caregiving team the legal right to talk with practitioners, manage your family member's health care and make decisions if the person is unable to do so.
Be prepared for appointments - If you make their job easier and faster, medical professionals will be much more responsive to you. For example, download new patient forms and complete them ahead of time; bring your notes and questions with you; bring medical history and other medical documents; allow plenty of time so you aren't late and your loved ones aren't rushed.
Ask about telemedicine - Virtual medical appointments can be an effective and convenient tool for both practitioners and patients, especially for those with significant mobility issues or health conditions that make them more vulnerable to infections.
Take notes - Document everything! You never know what might be important someday. I take notes at every appointment and procedure and also record when tests take place, as well as the results. Often, I can find what the doctor said at the last visit more quickly in my notes than she can on her computer.
Clarify roles - If you're lucky, you are not the only person working with the health care team. While I held the primary health care POA for my parents, my sisters sometimes helped coordinate care. It was important that we kept one another updated and that practitioners knew it was OK to talk to any of us about our parents.
Don't assume one doctor knows what another is doing - You are the information hub. Keep track of tests, diagnoses, treatments, and plans, and share that information with each of your loved one's physicians. Many health care offices have online portals on which you can set up a profile for yourself or a family member, exchange messages, get doctors’ notes, and see the lab and other test results.
Establish mutual respect - Establish positive relationships with doctors, nurses, assistants, technicians, therapists, social workers, support staff, and others, and be respectful of their skills and time. And when any of them does a good job, be sure to express your gratitude. At the same time, gain their respect. Model the kind of interaction you'd like to have from them, including being pleasant and patient. Ask clear and concise questions to avoid stretching out appointments, but be firm about getting them answered.
Focus on what gets results in each office - I've saved time and improved communication with providers by building relationships with receptionists, office managers, billing staff, and physician's assistants. It may take some trial and error, but you'll figure out who in each office is most likely to get a question answered and get back to you.

You'll find more details on these tips and a few additional ones in my column on AARP.org "Tips for Family Caregivers Managing Medical Matters"!

Take care,

Amy Goyer, AARP Family & Caregiving Expert

Author, Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving

Find more Caregiving Tips by visiting our Caregiving Tips forum today.

Tips to Find Transportation for Older Adults or Those with Disabilities

AARPRachelA — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 14:57:46 GMT

AARP Expert Amy GoyerHere are some tips if you are looking for transportation for an older adult or someone with disabilities:

Start by contacting the Eldercare Locator to get contact information for your local area agency on aging. You can also call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. Ask the area agency on aging about the availability of transportation services available in your area. The area agency on aging contracts with local organizations to provide transportation services. They may include home health agencies that provide personal care as well as transportation, organizations that offer a variety of services for older adults or those with disabilities or they may be organizations that only provide transportation.

You can also search in the online Community Resource Finder. Click on "Care at Home" and then "Transportation" and enter your zip code. You'll then get a list of organizations that provide transportation services (some may be home health agencies that also provide transportation).

You can also use rideshare services like Uber or Lyft, and in some areas, they partner with organizations to provide special services for seniors. But if you do that be sure they are following safety protocols for COVID-19. If you want to go that route, you might try using a service like GoGo Grandparent - a service in which you can call to get a rideshare instead of using a smartphone. They also offer communication with caregivers.

Contact the VA if you or your loved one is a Veteran, and ask if they provide any transportation services for Veterans or if they know of local organizations that do. You can contact your local VA office, medical center, or your social worker, and if you aren't already connected with the VA you can start with the VA Caregiver Support Program website or call 1-855-260-3274.

Ask about the cost. Some offer free or sliding fee scale (based on your ability to pay), or flat rate transportation for older adults or those with disabilities. If using a rideshare service you can ask about typical rates for some of the places you go to frequently.

Ask about who drives and what type of vehicles are used. Are drivers paid staff or volunteers and what training do they receive? Vehicles might include taxis, buses, vans, wheelchair vans, SUVs, sedans, black cars, private vehicles.

Ask about exactly what services are offered. Will they:
- Help you go to and from the house and into the car?
- Manage a transport wheelchair or walker and put them into the car for you?
- Offer a wheelchair van with a lift so you can stay in the wheelchair?
- Drop you off at an appointment or store and come back when you call to say you are ready?
- Wait in the parking lot until you are ready to go?
- Offer "escort" service - where they will help you into the appointment or store, help you there and wait with you?
- Offer additional services, like carrying and unpacking and putting away groceries, doing housekeeping, etc.?
- Also, ask if there will be other passengers in the vehicle.

Ask about safety and security, including a background check and other screening for drivers and vehicle upkeep. In this time of COVID-19, it is very important to ask about safety precautions to protect you from infection, including cleaning the cars and opening the windows between passengers, wearing masks, other people in the vehicle, etc.

A few additional resources:
- This article has a good explanation of the various options "Where Can I Find Affordable Transportation Services"
- This article is geared toward caregivers but even if the transportation is for you it has good info for you! "Transportation: What Caregivers Need to Know"
- The Mobility Management Center might also be helpful - there are often local mobility managers who can help you set up transportation.

I hope this is all helpful!

Take care,

Amy Goyer, AARP Family & Caregiving Expert

Author, Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving

What do I need to know about using promo codes for AARP Rewards?

VickiM68 — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 15:57:11 GMT

How can I find and use promo codes for AARP Rewards?

You can find promo codes in the AARP Rewards newsletter. Sign up!

You can also find the promo code in the promo code module: upside down underneath the button.

Make sure you don't use special (non-alphanumeric) characters, including spaces, when you enter the promo code.

Tips: Stay Connected During Coronavirus

AARPTeri — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 19:24:36 GMT

How are you staying connected while physically distancing?

I am staying connected by daily calling on the phone or texting and facebook. I have turned to read the bible daily and listening to soft gospel music for the soul. I video chat so I can see my grandbaby. I also go on AARP daily to do all the activities. God bless the USA and the whole world. -kw32519950

After many years of not being connected with my cousins (we basically live on opposite sides of the country) I proposed a Zoom meeting. We all enjoyed ourselves and are planning on making it a regular practice.

Not being able to carry on, as usual, tends to make one's mind wander and it comes up with solutions!

-byteguy

My family is doing a phone round robin. Each week we all contact different designated family members and take turns. It a fun way to be sure that a member of the family has been in touch with aunts cousins family friends stay connected. We then share with a nearby family member if there are any needs - food, medical care, a wellness check, etc. -MonicaG439784

We have a 3-mile walking trail that surrounds our golf course. The golf course is closed but we are still allowed to use the trail around it and stay 6 feet apart. When I started walking, no one said anything to each other. Now we wave and smile every time we see each other on the trail. I think we are genuinely glad when we see each other and that the other person is ok. -MichelleT816943

My children and I video chat every other day. I get to see not only my children but my grandchildren. My youngest grandson loves singing so we sing songs of his choice. I am with 2 of my granddaughters and they join in on the singing as well as I do. I love to see their adorable faces. -YvonneM390253

To see more about this article topic, visit the Rewards Forum thread.

Pen Pal Safety Precautions

AARPLynne — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 20:04:02 GMT

AARP Expert Amy Nofziger

Pen pals are a great way to find connection and talk about our favorite hobbies, sports teams, etc. I have even seen some senior centers sponsoring pen pal programs for their members. Sadly, though, as your resident AARP Fraud Expert, I must add a few safety precautions.

As much as we want to assume everyone looking for a pen pal is an honest, upstanding citizen, from my 20 years in the fraud business, I know they are not always. Scammers will try any method and tactic to steal from you. They will create a fictional persona to befriend you to gain trust and then ask for money or personal information. A few things to keep in mind:

Do not give any personal or identifying information they could use to steal from you or create an Identify theft situation.
Do not post your mailing address on public websites (if you want to share with someone do so via a private message), specific date of birth or anything too personal.

Here are some other red flags your new pen pal might be a scammer:

They will ask for money to help with an emergency. Do not send money, ever!
After building a friendship, they might ask for nude photos. Seems crazy right, but it happens more than you would think. They get you to send these and then try to extort money from you with threats of sending them to your work, church or friends.
They will claim to be from the United States but stuck outside the country on a work trip that was interrupted by the travel restrictions or they are on a mission trip. There are many mission trip “doctors” who had their wallets stolen in foreign countries recently and only their new friends can help them. Cough, Cough, of course these are not doctors but scammers trying to steal from you.
They ask for prepaid gift cards, wire transfers, cash or for you to open a bank account. Do not ever send money. If they ask for money ignore the request and stop communication with the person.

If you have any gut feelings that something seems off. Listen to that feeling, it’s usually correct. Also, report any suspicious request to the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 877-908-3360 we are here to help.

If you'd like to connect and become pen pals with a fellow AARP Online Community member, check out this topic today.

How to Have Difficult Family Conversations

AARPRachelA — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:04:29 GMT

AARP Expert Amy GoyerRegardless of your specific caregiving situation, there will be numerous conversations you'll need to have with loved ones - those you care for, siblings, etc. And some of them are difficult, like talking about the future, legal issues, estate planning, future care plans, treatment plans, financial matters, housing, stopping driving, and more. Here are some of my tips to help make these conversations easier:

1. Talk early and often. Early because it's just easier to talk about things when they are seen as being in 'the future' (not now or not looming overhead). Also because one never knows when there will be a sudden health change, an accident, a sudden financial change...it's better to be prepared. And often because things change. Years ago, you may have talked about your parents' wishes for where they want to live as they age, but as the years roll by they may change their minds, or their financial situation changes, or their health needs changed, and you need to be aware of their wishes NOW. Another example is they may have powers of attorney set up but whomever they had designated has had a change - someone passes on, moves is no longer to assume that role. Things need to be updated.

2. Observe before you act. Before you even begin a conversation, spend time with loved ones observing and gathering accurate, specific information about your concerns. If you want to talk about driving, ride along first to make sure your concerns are valid. It helps if you can spend a few days with them and actually stay at their home. Is the mail piling up? Are they having trouble navigating stairs? Are they able to prepare healthy meals? Try to be objective, talking with other family members, and key people who see them regularly. Then do your homework: Research the options for support and care for them. Never bring up a change unless you have realistic alternatives to offer. For example, if your loved ones stop driving, how will they get to the store, appointments, etc.? (Note that it helps if you can talk about a problem before it’s a major issue. It’s always easier to discuss how you might handle a situation when it's still hypothetical.)

3. Approach with love, concern, and support. Make sure your mind and expectations are in the right place to set the tone. Starting out with a confrontational, negative attitude will sabotage the discussion. Don’t make it a power play. Remember that your role is always to support your loved ones and help them be as independent as possible, for as long as possible — not to take over their lives.

4. Communicate effectively.

Use conversation starters. If you’re uncertain about how to bring up the subject, try an indirect approach such as discussing an article or a book you read, a friend’s situation, or a television show. You'll find many great articles and videos at AARP.org/caregiving.
Ask them for input. It’s not a one-way conversation, so ask how they think they are doing and what adjustments they’ve thought about. Specific questions can be helpful, such as, “Are you ever worried about taking care of the house and yard?” “Is there anything you’d like to have more help with?” “Do you have any worries or concerns?” “If/when it’s time for you to hang up the keys, have you thought about other changes you’ll need to make?”
Use “I” statements. Starting sentences with “You need to…” or “You just have to…” puts people on the defensive. Instead, try “I am concerned about…” or “I want to support you with….”
Listen, reflect, and validate. Listen with an open mind, then rephrase and reflect back what you’ve heard from loved ones. Have compassion for their situation and understand that change is hard for anyone and that the “unknown” is the biggest fear for all of us — at any age. They may feel scared, angry, confused, or hopeless. Try to understand their fears and concerns. Confirm that you understand their views and feelings, and take them into consideration when you talk about options.

5. Include key people in the conversation. Sometimes the right people at the table can make all the difference. It may be a certain family member they listen to or a respected adviser such as the lawyer, doctor, faith community leader or friend. You might even consider an objective third party, like a care manager, counselor or mediator, to help facilitate the conversation

Hope these tips are helpful!!! Let us know how YOUR conversations are going!

Take care,

Amy Goyer, AARP Family & Caregiving Expert

Author, Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving

Guidance for Caregivers as Restrictions Loosen around Coronavirus

AARPRachelA — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:07:52 GMT

AARP Expert Amy GoyerMany states and communities are loosening up on restrictions, but what is really safe? Here are some tips to help you navigate the "new normal":

Find out what is open in your area.
- Keep in mind that parts of a state may be more "open" than others. Individual counties and cities can impose (or loosen) restrictions regarding what is open, how many people can be in a place of business and whether or not face masks are required etc.. So it's best to check on your city or county website or check with a local news station to find out what's going on near you. AARP provides this list of states and their current state of restrictions (it's updated frequently because things change so much).
- To find out what services for older adults are resuming, contact the service provider or facility directly, or contact your local area agency on aging (to find your local area agency on aging go to the Eldercare Locator at www.eldercare.acl.gov or call 1-800-677-1116).
- Be sure to take safety precautions for yourselves and your loved ones.
Make good decisions for you and your loved ones.
- While states and local governments issue restrictions, it's still up to us to take care of ourselves. Remember that the virus is still out there and some area numbers are still going up. Just because things start to open up doesn't mean the danger is gone. Also be aware there are a lot of myths about coronavirus floating around so educate yourselves about the truth.
- You may adjust your precautions according to where you are - this article has many specific examples for what to do in various places, like restaurants, hair salons, retail shopping, beaches, golf course, etc.
- Find safe ways to visit loved ones who are at risk. If your loved ones live at home, in a facility or a senior community, visitors are starting to be allowed in some places, generally on a limited basis. Weigh the risks and plan visits carefully, erring on the side of caution. Many people are making window visits, talking on the phone but still being able to see each other. Using video chat, or take a walk outside observing distancing precautions. Here are more tips about visiting older family members at home.
- It's wise to continue to be very careful, especially if you or your loved ones are more vulnerable or at-risk. You can still stay home, use grocery delivery services, wear face masks, use telemedicine for doctor appointments and therapies, continue being careful about touching your face and washing your hands if you do go out, etc. Remember that people of all ages can be asymptomatic carriers of the virus too.
- Continue to take care of your health, get plenty of sleep, eat healthy foods, exercise, manage stress, and find ways to socialize in safe ways.

For more information about dealing with the pandemic, visit www.AARP.org/coronavirus.

How to Find Coronavirus Help in Your State

AARPRachelA — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:13:48 GMT

Need help finding local resources during the Pandemic...check out this resource that AARP is offering. You can get the contact information you need by state!

How to Become an Online Community ACE

AARPRachelA — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 19:48:31 GMT

Hello Community Members!

We’re proud to offer the AARP Online Community ACE program, which helps recognize your contributions to our community by using recognition from your peers as the key criteria!

Why did we create this program? Because YOU are the key to our community. You are what keeps it strong by being there for others, by providing short cuts that help many, by providing insights that help us think differently, by answering questions and providing tips. Sometimes you make a difference just by being you – helping us smile, laugh, and get through the day.

So, for doing the little things and for contributing in a big way, you deserve to be recognized by the people you serve, engage with, and support. That’s why we’ve designed the program to be primarily based on the kudos you receive from fellow community members.

To date, 24 individuals have already qualified as ACEs and we’d like you to be one too. Here’s how:

Upload your Profile Picture
Fill Out “Tell Us About Yourself” section
Share Your “Areas of Knowledge”
Receive 25 Kudos* a rolling six month period or since program launch (12/13/19)
Be in good standing without Community Violations for at least 30 days

*excluding on Politics, Current Events forum posts

It’s easy to get started by expanding the information about yourself in your newly enhanced "My Profile." You’ll also see a progress bar so you can see how close you are to becoming an ACE.

Once you become an ACE you will notice the ACE icon on your profile picture and the language / bar will change at the bottom of your profile.

Others will be able to see when you have become an ACE too, via the icon and viewing your profile.

Get started today and join the ranks of other ACEs who help keep our Community strong!

For any questions or if you need help completing requirements, simply reply to this post or send us a private message!

How to Help Yourself and Others Process Grief

AARPRachelA — Wed, 27 May 2020 16:21:35 GMT

How do I help myself and others process grief? - LydiaN586309

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness.

Should you accelerate debt payoff?

AARPLynne — Fri, 01 May 2020 18:03:41 GMT

AARP Expert Martin BookerShould you accelerate debt payoff?

During the uncertainty of COVID-19, many people are concerned about their finances or continuing to pay off their current debt. One thing to consider when it comes to debt during these uncertain times is should you accelerate debt payoff. Right now, there is uncertainty about the future of jobs and companies across America.

As you consider how to manage your money right now, one important thing to prioritize is liquid savings. If you have not saved an emergency fund (3 months of your expenses if you’re in a double income household or 6 months of your expenses if you’re in a single income household), then you may want to take measures to increase your savings now. Here are some ways to do so:

Reach out to your financial planner to discuss where you can make changes to increase your liquid savings
Contact your mortgage lender or leasing office to discuss options for payment deferral
Take advantage of the Student loan payment deferral
Pay only the minimum balances on debt and move excess money to savings
Reach out to companies where you make payments and ask about COVID-19 relief
Save money from expenses that have been lowered such as transportation cost

When asking for a deferral or deciding to defer in order to save money, be sure to understand the terms of your deferral before you make a decision. Ask the following questions when contacting a representative:

When will payments begin again?
What are my options for payback after the deferment?
Will you report missed payments to the credit bureau during this deferral?
What will happen to any interest that I owe during a payment deferral?

Be as informed as possible so that you in a better situation after we make it through these uncertain times. For more information on managing your budget and debt, check out this recent expert series.

3 Most Important Numbers to Know When Budgeting

AARPLynne — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:53:42 GMT

AARP Expert Martin BookerWhat are the three most important numbers to know when budgeting?

AARP Expert Martin Booker offers the following tips:

Income: List all of your income from all sources. Be sure to include sporadic and variable income as well when you budget. When creating your budget, it is better to round down on your variable income in order to prevent a deficit. For example, if your take-home pay is between $489 and $515 a week, you may want to set your projected income at $480 and adjust the income line on payday. Your income is what you will use to fund your current lifestyle and reach your goals.

Expenses: Include all expenses in your budget. It is easy to forget about spending related to self-care or gratuity but as much as you can estimate these expenses, the more accurate your budget will become. It’s important to round up on your expenses if it is a variable expense. By doing so, you can prevent a deficit in your budget when you make payments. For example, if a utility can range between $40 and $55, you may want to set it in your budget at $60 and adjust your budget when you make the payment.

The difference: This is the balance remaining after subtracting your expenses from your income. The difference is the amount of money that you are able to use, for example, to pay off more debt, give to charity or increase your savings. The more that you can increase your income and/or lower expenses the larger the difference. When you determine how you will use the difference, you can determine how soon you can reach that goal by knowing your difference. Any time that there is a deficit when subtracting your expenses from your income, you have two choices. You can either increase your income or decrease your expenses in order to break even or have excess.

After creating your budget, become familiar with your numbers. If you have a significant difference between your income and your expenses, create some important goals to reach such as increasing retirement savings, paying off debt, or saving money for a child’s college. When you know these three numbers, you will be more aware of your finances which can lead to better money management.

Sync your username with AARP Games profile

AARPLynne — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 16:19:25 GMT

Did you know? You can sync your AARP.org username with the Games leaderboards. To ensure your username updates in Games, please be sure to log out fully while on Games, then log back with your credentials to confirm the username update was successful. You can find the logout and login prompts in the red header bar – at the caret next to your name on the right side of the bar, or by opening the menu on the left corner of the bar and then opening the caret at the top.

When will my credit score increase after paying off credit card debt?

AARPLynne — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 15:40:14 GMT

AARP Expert Martin Booker answers this question during a March 2020 online event, Ask The Expert: Making Smart Decisions About Credit:

I paid off 4 credit cards in the last three months. My credit score dropped. Will it get higher?
-by FrancesO708191

Credit card debt is some of the highest interest rate loans that a person can possess. Paying off those credit cards will allow you to save more towards your future, instead of paying for your past. Your score may have dropped because you have no debt utilization from the credit cards at the moment. Once you paid the loan off you have no utilization which can cause a slight drop in your score before it begins to rise again. It is a good idea to keep the cards paid off and if you have other loans, the activity from those loans being paid on time will assist in pulling your score back up. If you do not have any other loans that are being paid and reported to the credit bureau, you can use the following strategy to keep loan activity without going further in debt or paying interest:

Link one bill or pay for a necessity (food or transportation) with your credit card each month
When you receive the credit card bill, pay the full balance each month to avoid paying interest.
Be careful not to overspend because you’re using a credit card. Use only what you have enough cash to pay off in full. Usually by paying a bill that you’re already schedule to pay, you can keep from overspending.
If carrying your credit cards will lead to more spending, do not carry your credit card with you. Use it then put it in a safe place away from yourself.

You do this because 35% of your score is factored by paying your bill on time and another 30% is factored by keeping your debt amount low. So, using this method will allow you to get the activity you need while not carrying a balance on your loans which will cause you to pay interest.

To view "Ask The Expert: Making Smart Decisions About Credit" in its entirely, click here.

What are some common health conditions/causes of vitamin deficiency?

AARPLynne — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 18:36:34 GMT

What are some common health conditions/causes of vitamin deficiency that our audience should be aware of as they age? –by AARPLynne

There are several vitamins that can become deficient depending on health conditions:

Vitamin B12: Although most people get plenty of vitamin B12 from foods (e.g., meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, and fortified breakfast cereals), older adults may become deficient in this vitamin as our ability to absorb this vitamin decreases with age. Also, people with celiac disease or other illnesses of the small intestine, and those who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery are also at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. To learn more about vitamin B12 deficiency, please visit our blog post on this topic.

Vitamin B6: Although most people get enough vitamin B6 from their diets (e.g., poultry, fish, organ meats, potatoes, and some fruits), people with kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and several other autoimmune disorders sometimes have low vitamin B6 levels. Symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency can include numbness/tingling in the hands and feet, confusion, and a weakened immune system.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D can come from food (e.g., salmon, tuna, mackerel, and fortified milk), or produced by our skin when exposed to sunlight. The skin’s ability to produce vitamin D can decline with age, so vitamin D deficiency can be common in older adults. People who are obese can also be at an increased risk for vitamin D deficiency. Your doctor may also advise you to take vitamin D (and calcium) supplements if you are at a high risk for osteoporosis. For more information on vitamin D, see our vitamin D rating page on CognitiveVitality.

If you are concerned about vitamin deficiencies, talk to your doctor—a simple blood test can tell you whether you have enough of these vitamins.” –by Howard Fillit, MD

(Source: Vitamins for brain health? Experts answer your questions. 06/26/2019)

How do I stop my elder loved one from being scammed?

VickiM68 — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 14:45:03 GMT

The following is part of the Ask the Expert series with Amy Nofziger on Identity Theft and Cybersecurity Scams, October 2019. In addition, you're invited to join our current event with Ms. Nofigzer, now thru Monday, March 30, 2020: Ask the Expert: Protect Against Coronavirus Scams

Question

My 72-year-old mother is ordering and shipping cell phones to a person and others she met online and has never met to other countries. We have confronted her and she continues to do this. At one point, she owed over $1,000 for phones, and her account had to be closed due to lack of payment. She is not senile, and we have had many discussions and she promised not to do it again. Obviously, the behavior has continued. However, she paid a $300 cell phone bill and did not have enough money to pay her rent. She is on a fixed income and has no savings or assets. We are continually having to cover her expenses. How do we put an end to this?

Answer

Your mom is definitely involved in a scam, and from my 18 years’ experience, it's very difficult to convince some people to stop. These criminals are skilled at what they do, and they have overtaken your mom's cognitive thinking and they are making her think emotionally, with possible fear tactics. I'm not sure from your message how this scam started, but I imagine it was either they claimed that she won a sweepstakes or that they fell in love with her and need these phones for various payment or to stay in communication with her.

If you haven't already, please report this to your local law enforcement and/or file a complaint with ic3.gov or call your local FBI office. What we want to focus on now is getting your mom to STOP sending these phones, and if she realizes that law enforcement is involved, it might jar her into the seriousness of this.

I can imagine you are frustrated and even a little angry, however when speaking with your mom, it's recommended to lead with compassion and empathy. From my experience working with families’ anger towards the victim doesn't help them open up and trust. Remember the criminal is telling them one story in their ear and they are trying to turn your mom against her family. These stories are far too common and we sadly hear them all the time.

Please do not hesitate to call the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 and ask to speak to a fraud specialist who can provide you with more support and guidance.

Here is a family that shared their story with AARP. I'm sure you will find some of the feelings similar. https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/mother-conned-sweepstakes.html

*Part of the Ask the Expert series with Amy Nofziger on Identity Theft and Cybersecurity Scams, October 2019. Learn more tips and/or share your stories in our Scams & Fraud forum.

Is online banking safe?

VickiM68 — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 18:13:21 GMT

Why should you bank online?

What are some tips for navigating an airport as a caregiver?

VickiM68 — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 18:07:43 GMT

Find out how to navigate airports trouble-free as a traveling caregiver.

How do I place a freeze on my credit report?

VickiM68 — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 20:37:46 GMT

How do I place a freeze on my credit report?

What’s the best way to create and keep track of passwords?

VickiM68 — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 20:37:26 GMT

Question

What’s the best way to create and keep track of passwords?

Answer

We are all overwhelmed with passwords, and a password manager might be a good solution for you. As the name suggests, a password manager helps you easily create, store and remember passwords. Many of them are both a website and an app, so you have access to all your passwords regardless of what device you’re on. Many of them are free. In most cases, you set up an account by providing your name, email address and a “master” password to enter your digital locker. Often times people worry about what would happen if their phone or tablet would get lost or stolen — wouldn't the criminal then have access to all their passwords. You need not worry about this, as your device has to be unlocked first — that is, a person would first need to know your PIN or password — and then guess your master password, too, which is highly unlikely, unless you make it easy like 1111 (please don’t use that). And since you can log on to your password manager from virtually any device, you can log in from another machine and change your master password — just in case.

If a password manager doesn't seem like something you would be willing to try, I think two-factor authentication is a good solution as well. Two-factor authentication, is a security process in which the user provides two different factors to verify themselves to better protect both the user's credentials and the resources the user can access. So it could be you need to enter a password for the first step and then answer a secret question for the second step.

*Part of the Ask the Expert series with Amy Nofziger on Identity Theft and Cybersecurity Scams, October 2019. Learn more tips and/or share your stories in our Scams & Fraud forum.

How do credit alerts work?

VickiM68 — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 20:37:07 GMT

What you should know about credit alerts

What can I do about a family member with dementia who still drives?

VickiM68 — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 01:08:38 GMT

Question

My mother is caring for my stepfather with dementia. It has been explained to us that it is alcohol-induced dementia, due to his heavy drinking. He no longer drinks, BUT he drives!! As everyone on this site has said, he has good days and bad days. My siblings and I all live 7+ hours away from my mother, and she is caring for him by herself. She continues to let him drive, so as not to rock the boat. She has to tell him where to go, when to turn, and where they are. They have lived in this community for 30 years! My siblings and I have told our mother that we are not comfortable with him driving her around. She says, "he still knows driving rules and shows good judgement when driving!" She does not want to take this away from him, as he can be a very angry man! I have told her that since he has been diagnosed with dementia, if they get in an accident, their insurance may not pay for the damage. But our concern more than that is her safety!!! I need to hear from people who have dealt with this issue and how we might deal with this.

Answer

It sounds like you are in a tricky situation - and your Mom is too! I understand your concern about your mother's safety. A few thoughts about what you could do:

Have you or your siblings taken a ride with him? It's always a good idea for you to ride along so you can get a sense of his judgement and skills. Your mom says it's good, but is she saying that partially because she doesn't want to rock the boat?
You can suggest she talk with his doctor and have the doctor talk to him about not driving - sometimes it's better received from a non-family member who your step-dad respects (lawyer, doctor, etc.). One family told me they had the doctor write a prescription and put it on the refrigerator that said "no driving until further notice" (which made it sound temporary so their mother was ok with that - she kept asking when she could start driving again, but eventually stopped asking.)
What is the back-up plan if he can't drive anymore? Is your mom ok to drive? Is there public transportation? Can they use uber or lyft? Is there senior transportation (contact your local area agency on aging to ask about that - go to www.eldercare.acl.gov). It's always best to have back up options and alternative transportation when you have the talk about hanging up the keys.
You might want to put a GPS device in the car in case he takes the car on his own and gets lost. There are tracker devices you can get now that are quite small and could be put in the trunk etc. where he won't notice them. Or, he could wear a medical alert device that has GPS tracking and can be worn anywhere in the community. If he uses a cell phone your mom can get an app (with his knowledge) that tracks where his phone is.
Does he have any other health conditions you can pin it on? My dad had dementia, but he also had Glaucoma, so his doctor focused on the visual impairment and the fact that it made it unsafe for him to drive - he wasn't buying the fact he had dementia but the visual issues were obvious to him.
AARP has a great free online seminar - a resource about driving that's called "We Need to Talk: Family Conversations About Driving" You can go through that online and there are a lot of other great resources there too.

The bottom line is he will eventually have to stop driving in terms of safety - so it's good you and your siblings are looking at this! Glad he's not drinking anymore but you're right, the driving is a big safety factor. He will have good days and bad days, but you never know when his skills will change so a good day can turn into a bad day really quickly!

Why shouldn't I use public Wi-Fi?

VickiM68 — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 21:06:54 GMT

Question

Why is using Wi-Fi in public spaces like coffee shops and airports risky? What should you do instead?

Answer

When you are on public Wi-Fi, which is usually found for free at coffee shops, malls, airports, or other public places, you may be putting your personal information at risk, especially if you are inputting credit card numbers, passwords, or bank account information. Hackers will often sit near these Wi-Fi spots and hack into the Wi-Fi to steal any information that is transmitted.

This actually happened to me* a while back. We were in Vegas and I needed to check-in for my flight and purchase a seat. I knew I was taking a risk, but went ahead and did it anyway, hoping for a good outcome. Nope, within one hour I was getting calls from my credit card company that my card was being used across the country. Don't take the risk. If you must do some sort of personal transaction on free Wi-Fi use your cell service, it's safer than free Wi-Fi for sure!

Here are some more tips on keeping safe online from AARP Fraud Watch Network: Public Wi-Fi Scams

*Part of the online community forum Experts Series where AARP Expert Amy Nofziger was asked questions on protecting ones' savings and digital identity.

What should I do about a data breach?

VickiM68 — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 01:01:29 GMT

Question

What steps should people take if they suspect they’ve been compromised in a data breach?

Answer

First, I would consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report. A fraud alert is free and good for one year. You need to make one phone call to one of the three major credit reporting agencies. A fraud alert can make it harder for an identity thief to open more accounts in your name. They will have to notify you first before opening up new credit. The reason I recommend this as a first step is that it's a fairly simple step to take if you are in the midst of finding out your information has been breached and the potential for fraud is high. After this, consider placing a freeze on your credit. Also known as a security freeze, this free tool lets you restrict access to your credit report, which in turn makes it more difficult for criminals to open new accounts in your name. That’s because most creditors need to see your credit report before they approve a new account. If they can’t see your report, they may not extend the credit.

The new credit law, which took effect in 2018, made it so anyone in the country can get a free credit freeze – including children and incapacitated adults (many of whom do not have credit files). On the credit freeze websites, for example, you’ll see options to either place the freeze for yourself or on behalf of another person. For security purposes, some people choose not to send in copies of birth certificates and Social Security cards. But each person looking to do that for the minors in their life will need to make the decision that is best for them.

For more information about both of these options, visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0497-credit-freeze-faqs

Should I get identify theft insurance?

VickiM68 — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 01:00:42 GMT

Question

Does identify theft insurance work, and is it worth the premium?

Answer

That’s a decision each person will have to weigh for themselves. Most of what ID theft protection can do, you can do for free. The premium is paid, and that might be worth the peace of mind for some. However, make sure to read what the insurance covers. Many people who are victims of ID theft recover most of their financial losses, but they can’t recover their loss of time recovering their identity, and that’s not usually covered by insurance.

How do I send a private message?

VickiM68 — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 13:56:42 GMT

Do you know how to send a private message in the online community?

How do I post photos in the forum?

VickiM68 — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 19:57:55 GMT

A step-by-step tutorial on inserting images in a forum post

Which is better: Carry-on or checked luggage?

VickiM68 — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 14:47:01 GMT

Figure out if you should be using a carry-on or checking your luggage at the airport.

How do I use the Accepted Solutions feature?

VickiM68 — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 20:34:41 GMT

Question

What is "Accepted Solutions", and how does it work?

Answer

With our "Accepted Solutions" feature, you have the opportunity not only to ask questions, but also to rate the best answers—for yourself and for others.

How It Works

A user posts a question in the forum.
This original poster chooses one reply (or more, if applicable) that best answers their question and marks it as an “Accepted Solution” by clicking on the ellipses option button (the three dots) in the top-right corner of the post and choosing the "Accept as Solution" option.
A check mark icon then appears next to the original post and the solution and the header and background for the solution change to a distinctive color so that users scanning the post can easily locate it.
A “Go to Solution” link is displayed in the original post to go directly to the solution.
If the original poster doesn’t designate a reply to the post as a solution after 7 days, they will be sent a reminder to check responses to see if their question has been answered.

What are the minimum system requirements for AARP Games?

AARPLynne — Fri, 17 May 2019 20:44:15 GMT

What are the minimum system requirements for AARP Games?

How to Clear Your Cache

AARPLynne — Fri, 17 May 2019 20:42:53 GMT

How to Clear Cache

Why do I need to clear my cache?

AARPLynne — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 17:22:04 GMT

Why do I need to clear my cache?

How do I update my browser?

AARPLynne — Fri, 17 May 2019 20:40:33 GMT

How do I update my browser?

What are some common browsers?

AARPLynne — Fri, 17 May 2019 20:39:19 GMT

What are some common browsers?

What is my browser?

AARPLynne — Fri, 17 May 2019 20:37:06 GMT

What is my browser?

How do I make my home better for aging in place?

VickiM68 — Fri, 10 May 2019 15:04:13 GMT

Question

Any suggestions on resources or lists for how to make a home easier to move around/cook/bathe in and also safer as one gets older?

Answer

AARP has a terrific Homefit Guide -- Click on that and you'll find the landing page where there are numerous other links, resources, and worksheets you can download. You can download a copy of the Homefit Guide (or order a print copy to be mailed to you. You might want to do both, as the print copy has some great illustrations of options to make a home better and safer). The guide has super-simple things that you can do in each room of the house, including steps and stairways, bathrooms, laundry room, living room, bedroom, garage, outside, etc.

Just make your motto "safety first" and you'll do great! But comfort and quality of life are also very important. For example, make sure you can comfortably put clothes in the washer and dryer. Front-loading appliances that raise up might be helpful.

I also included an entire chapter about caring for loved ones at home in my book, Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving, and that chapter also includes info on who can help you assess the home in person. There is also a checklist for home modifications and "smart" (or universal) design.

Fall prevention is the first step -- and it's important to remember that means home modifications from simple things like clearing clutter and removing throw rugs, to increasing lighting, adding handrails, moving the laundry to the main floor, looking out for stray electric cords or other tripping hazards, changing the type of chair you sit in (one with arms and not too low is easier to get up out of. At some point a lift chair may be helpful too.), and also using technology like monitors and alerts and motion sensors.

A medical alert system (to detect falls or call for help), and one that includes GPS if going outdoors, is usually the first step for home safety. Here is my column about how to choose one: How Caregivers Choose a Medical Alert System.

A few other suggestions: First, we have a Care Guide just for this -- Help Caring for a Loved One at Home. This free guide that you can download can help you step-by-step with this transition.

We also have a document and video on how to prepare your home for safe mobility. And here's another great article on how to make your home safe.

Some other resources include:

https://homemods.org/

https://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/checklists/checklist_homeSafety.html

https://www.seniorsafetyreviews.com/tips/guide-home-senior-safe/

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/pubs/english/booklet_eng_desktop-a.pdf

What is a health surrogate, and what do I need to know about finding one?

VickiM68 — Fri, 10 May 2019 14:01:36 GMT

As the Baby Boomers advance in years, due to divorce rates, less children, and several other factors, there will be lots of seniors who don't have relatives at the ready to assist with medical and other needs. For those who may not have extra hands on deck, it is an important part of your planning to assemble a care and advocacy team before you need it.

In 2012, the American Geriatrics Society published a study describing tens of thousands of patients nationwide who had no family members or designated surrogates available to help with medical decision-making. The study found that 16% of patients in intensive care units, 3% of nursing home residents, and a large (unspecified) number of individuals in a variety of settings who were facing end-of-life decisions were all facing the absence of a relative or designated surrogate.

What do I need to know about living wills and advance directives?

VickiM68 — Thu, 09 May 2019 19:57:20 GMT

Question

What is the difference between a living will and a will?

Answer

A "living will" is a document that formalizes your wishes for medical decision making at the end of your life. If this is what you are looking for, there are many excellent resources available online, and AARP offers a state-by-state guide that will bring you to a form that may be used in your state. Here is the link for that page: https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/free-printable-advance-directives/

A "will" is a document that formalizes your wishes for how your property will be distributed after you die and names a person (or people) to be the executor/personal representative who can manage your property until it is distributed.

Question

Is it possible to get a will form from AARP that we can just fill out ourselves and have notarized, or do I need a lawyer for a will?

Answer

There are form wills out there, but they generally don't cover the full picture (including the practical side of how everything works after you've passed). In general, form wills are not often suggested because there is a lot that goes into that type of planning. Even if we think our assets aren't much or if we don't own much property, there is always some work that needs to be done to close up a person's affairs after they pass away. If we can dictate that through thoughtful planning in a way that can avoid probate, reduce possible conflict among surviving family members, and streamline the whole process, then it makes that work so much easier.

Consider talking to a professional and perhaps seeking out what services are available in your state (there are many programs that do pro bono or low bono wills and estate planning). It can be a small up-front investment, but the benefit to you and your loved ones can be significant.

Wills are not as simple as knowing who you want to inherit what assets. All the bases may not be covered by simply filling out a form. For example, an attorney can work with you on the best ways to leave assets to charities to maximize your gift to them, whether there are deeds that can pass your home directly to someone without need for probate, how to avoid your assets going to creditors instead of your loved ones, ways you can title your accounts now so that they go right to your loved ones when you pass, and countless other ways. It is possible that probate can be avoided completely and you can squash any possible conflicts among your heirs by way of a well-crafted estate plan.

Question

What is the difference between a living will and a POLST? I have a POLST from one state and recently moved to another. Do I need to make changes or update it because of the move?

Answer

A POLST is a Physician's Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment. It is a document for people with advanced illnesses that specifies the type of care they would like in an emergency situation. Because it is a "Physician's Order," a physician or medical professional is the one who signs this document along with the patient making it. These are not the same as advance directives, which are legal documents. Think of POLSTs like medical orders.

Every state has its own rules and practices. Many states have documents that are conceptually similar to the POLST, but may go by a different name (MOST, MOLST, POST, SMOST, SAPO, etc.). It may be worth your while to do a refresh of all your documents in your new state (both your advance directives and your medical orders). Consult with your medical providers on this point. In the meantime, here are some resources that may be helpful:

Here is an AARP article that provides more information about POLSTs.

Here is the POLST.org webpage, which includes state-by-state information.

Question

Can the government (state or federal) or a place where the dying might be being cared for outside the home—hospice facility, hospital, assisted living, nursing home, specialized care facility—somehow intervene to force tube feeding on a dying person despite having an advance directive? If I specify in my Health Care Directive that I do not want tube feeding to keep me alive, and my appointed health care directive representative also knows of my wishes, can a health care provider or a state force it upon me because of "humanitarian" gestures of not wanting me to starve to death?

Who has the final say in carrying out my wishes at times like these—the state or the individual?

Answer

There are serious clinical, ethical, and legal implications in this kind of example. The guidelines of an advance directive are what should determine a patient's end-of-life care, and this is why they are such an important part of our conversations about living and dying according to our own wishes.

All fifty states and the District of Columbia have laws that legalize the use of advance directives like living wills, health care proxies/surrogates, and durable powers of attorney. In 1991, the federal government passed the Patient Self-Determination Act that validated all of the states' laws. These documents allow a patient to receive care that is consistent with their desires.

Tube feeding is very specifically addressed in many advance directives. Here is a link to the Oregon Advance Directive. If you look, you'll see that this advance directive doesn't just address tube feeding but it also talks about it under a variety of scenarios (what if the patient is close to death, has an advanced illness, is permanently unconscious, etc.) and gives options like "I do want tube feeding," "I do not want tube feeding," and "I want as the physician recommends."

It may not be pleasant to think about, but half of all patients lose decision-making capacity at the end of life. Of this half, over two-thirds face choices on specific end-of-life treatment options. A living will is what speaks for the patient when they cannot communicate about those end-of-life treatment options themselves. Despite this, while 92% of people have heard of living wills, only 36% have actually completed them.

In short, living wills and advance directives are the tools that allow us to truly be the "captain of our own ship" right up until the time of death, up to and including decisions such as tube feeding.

How do I stop Amazon and Google from listening to my conversations through my smart speakers?

VickiM68 — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 16:48:40 GMT

Digital assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant, include privacy settings that prevent Amazon and Google from listening to conversations. Here’s how to adjust the settings.

Amazon Alexa

Step 1: Delete your voice history. This is necessary to keep your past conversations private.

Open the Alexa app on your phone.
Go to the Menu on the top left of your screen.
Select Settings, then Alexa Account and then Alexa Privacy.
Log into your account if you’re not already logged in.
Select Review Voice History.
Select one of the options under Date Range.
Mark the recorded interactions you want to delete.
Select Delete All Recordings for [timeframe selected].

Step 2: Prohibit your data from being used by Amazon to improve Alexa. This is necessary to prevent future conversations from being examined. As mentioned in a recent news story, Amazon has been hiring thousands to listen to a random number of conversations on smart speaker devices for research and product development purposes. But, you can avoid this by following these steps.

Click Menu in top left.
On the Alexa Privacy options page, select Manage How Your Data Improves Alexa.
Toggle off Help Develop New Features.
Toggle off all names under Use Messages to Improve Transcriptions.

Google Assistant

Step 1: Prohibit Google from accessing your Voice and Audio activity

Visit myaccount.google.com
Select Data & personalization on the left sidebar.
In the Activity controls section, for Voice & Audio Activity select Paused.

Step 2: Delete your voice and audio activity

Scroll down and in the Activity and timeline section, select My Activity.
On left sidebar, select Delete activity by. (On mobile, find this under the menu in the top-left corner.)
Click on the first pull-down arrow under Delete by date.
Select All Time.
Click Delete.
Select Delete when Google asks if you’re sure you want to delete all data.

How do I use the AARP Online Community subscriptions?

candacepc263387 — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 13:28:37 GMT

How do I use the AARP Online Community subscriptions?

Subscriptions let you get email updates whenever new content appears in an area of the community that you're interested in. You can subscribe to a forum, topic of conversation, a specific post, or an Ideas, Tips & Answers article in the community.

You can take the following steps to activate your subscriptions. Be sure to add AARPCommunity@aarp.org as a safe sender with your email.

Subscribing to a Specific Post

Go to the specific post you want to subscribe to.
Click the dot, dot, dot option in the upper-right corner of the specific post [^{. . .}]. This is known as the options menu.
Click on the subscribe option and wait for the confirmation of your subscription. It will appear in green across the top of the page.
You have now signed up to receive an email when someone replies to the post. Clicking the post link from this email will take you directly to the post in the AARP Online Community
Summary: Specific Post > (Post) Options > Subscribe

Subscribing to an Individual Conversation or Topic

Go to the topic of conversation you want to subscribe to.
Click the dot, dot, dot option just below the conversation title at the top of the page, and to the right of the reply button [^{. . .}]. This is known as the options menu.
Click on the subscribe option and wait for the confirmation of your subscription. It will appear in green across the top of the page.
You have now signed up to receive an email when anyone posts to the individual conversation. Clicking the conversation link from this email will take you directly to the topic in the AARP Online Community
Summary: Topic of Conversation > (Topic) Options > Subscribe

Example: click the photo to enlarge your view.

Subscribing to a Forum

Go to the forum (e.g., Caregiving) you want to subscribe to.
Click the dot, dot, dot option just below the forum name at the top of the page, and to the right of the start a conversation button [^{. . .}]. This is known as the options menu.
Click on the subscribe option and wait for the confirmation of your subscription. It will appear in green across the top of the page.
You have now signed up to receive an email when any new posting activity happens within the forum (new threads created and new posts in those threads). Clicking the link provided in this email will take you directly to the new topic or post in the AARP Online Community
Summary: Forum > (Forum) Options > Subscribe

Example: click the photo to enlarge your view.

Originating Author Subscription

Also know that you are automatically subscribed to any new thread, post or reply you author. In the screen capture below, the “Email me when someone replies” is auto checked unless you’ve turn this feature off under your “My Settings” or unchecked the box as your composing your post.

To view and manage your AARP Online Community subscriptions:

Go to My Settings > Subscriptions & Notifications.
Click My Subscriptions to see a list of the items you've subscribed to.
You can click a subscription to go to the item.
To delete a subscription, click the check box for the subscription and click Email Subscription Options > Delete Selected Subscriptions.

Example: click the photo to enlarge your view.

How Do I Stop Communications From a User?

candacepc263387 — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 17:13:14 GMT

Most users in an online community get along very well. Sometimes, however, you might encounter someone you consider a nuisance.

What are some tips and tricks for living on a budget?

candacepc263387 — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 18:50:29 GMT

Question

Living on a budget? What are your top tips or tricks for tracking expenses and creating a budget? Share your top ideas below!

Answer

Here are some community generated tips for living on a budget:

Helps if you’re cheap and only buy when given a great deal. That keeps me from going to Disneyland or overpaying at restaurants or anywhere else.

"Don't spend money when you do not have to." I have always remembered what I was told years ago – reminds me to look at other options.

My mantra has always been: Do I need it, or do I want it? I grew up on skid row, south of San Francisco, next to the railroad tracks. As a child we sometimes didn't have food to eat for 1 or 2 days, but we didn't know we were poor, even with holes in our clothes and shoes. Those days taught me to be frugal. And if I need it and can't afford it, I don't make the purchase. But we were happy and I didn't know until I was older that we were poor. I am still a very happy soul and give to others when I can. Our mother taught us to give not because we had a lot, but because we knew what it was like to have nothing. You would be surprised how much you can give to others "when you have nothing."

See a quarter - pick it up! Another way I save is to pick up coins from the ground when I spot them. Cash my coins in and get a gift card or buy a meal out that I would not do if I were not spending my change.

One of my best savings tricks is to pay bills early in the month, leave $100 in checking for things, and moving the rest of any money to savings. Once in a while I have to pull some back as I overlooked an annual bill or had an unexpected car repair. This discipline has allowed me to save several thousand dollars by the end of a year. Plus, savings usually has a higher interest rate! Retired at 51 1/2, was fortunate to have a pension that I could survive on. Able to live this way until I could withdraw annually from 401K account. And, this year I am able to claim my full SS benefits. Will continue with my savings scheme, as it has allowed me to travel and open education savings for the "great" niece/nephew generation.

Self-evaluation. I don't have a budget, per se. What I did most of my life, was to re-evaluate the day, each evening and morning, as to what things were done or still needs tending to. Therefore, I had a new "budget' each morning. As long as I didn't waste my money, and lived within my means, everything always worked out (more or less).

If possible, wait to retire. My suggestion, and I realize that we all do not have the opportunity to employ this, is to not retire until such time as we can access retirement funds that are about 10% more than what we need. My belief is that there will always be the unforeseen expense that presents itself....and we better be ready for it.

Create a realistic budget, based on what you have been spending over the last year or so, then track future spending against it. Lots of free computer apps will help but paper and pencil works too. Key is to have realistic expectation and self-assess progress on a continuing basis.

I use Intuit's Quicken to track my expenses and plan out my monthly budget.

Buy in bulk. I like to buy certain items at Costco but the amount is generally too large for one person; so I have 3 friends who like some of the same things and we share the products and the cost which usually turns out then to be cheaper than in other grocery stores.

Shop for birthdays and Christmas year round - I buy at the end of the season - it takes time to go through the sale racks - department and discount stores are best. I keep a box in my closet with a list by name of everything I’ve purchased. I picked up some “dog tag” style Star Wars chain in March $1.99. It was the hit of my 10 yr.old granddaughter’s birthday in July. You will be surprised how many perfect gifts you find at 70-80% off

Eat out. It is just my husband and I at home. When we go to the store for a week at a time and plan out our meals we actually usually spend more than if we just eat out. There are always coupons for places to eat and some places have specials on certain days. Plus there is no mess to clean up afterward.

Play hardball. My local newspaper subscription jumped to $261.83 for the next 13 weeks. I called and said, "Can't do that. How much would you charge for the digital subscription instead?" The response was "I can offer to extend the same print subscription to you for that same price for 6 months instead, if you'd like." It took 3 minutes to save $261.83. And, I was bluffing. I prefer to read the paper.

Price comparison shopping. I can do a lot of price comparisons for an item and eventually get tired of doing it and decide to not buy it. It ends compulsive purchases.
Use deal sites. Have you tried signing up for free grocery cash back programs? Try ibotta.com, savingstar.com or checkout51. You won't find all the products you’re looking for but I received $73.00 cash back since July on ibotta alone.It's worth a look. Try Groupon for restaurants and most definitely worth trying ebates. Received over 8.00 off my new Fitbit tracker plus 10.00 for spending over 25.00. As long as you’re buying only what you would buy anyway and not buying just for the fun of a cashback reward.

One other tip I wanted to share is a site called "Brad's Deals" I like this site for several reasons. Almost everything is free shipping. All merchandise is from "legitimate" stores, not a website managing orders. When something is on sale, with a manufacturers rebate, store credit (Kohl's cash), etc. ALLof the forms you need to submit for rebate are right there on the site. So you don't have to go hunting around on coupon sites to locate a rebate which may or may not exist.
- Example: Daughter wanted Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (Retail $499.00) - found on Brad's deals at Kohl’s. $100.00 rebate Kitchen Aid, 30% off on sale, $75.00 in Kohl’s money NET: $121.00 for the Stainless Steel Stand Mixer. (Purchased in Oct.)
One drawback is sometimes it can take a while depending on location - I just got some PUMA leather sneakers for $15.00 shipped from a retailer in Florida and it took 2 weeks.
They give you a "market overview" as to how the price on this deal stacks up with other prices out there.

More tips from a savvy saver:
- I'm 70, married with no children. Having no children definitely helps live easier during retirement. Believe it or not, I planned my retirement at age 14. It came to past. During my working years, I saved as much as possible. We did travel all over Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean but we NEVER went into debt for anything until our first home. Too many people buy boats, RV's, motorcycles, etc. Most of which they might use once a year. Rent it. It's cheaper. When planning your retirement, decide if you want to move. If you do, check out the income taxes, property taxes, etc. I live in Oregon with high income taxes. But, I do not pay any as I am not working and my retirement is exempted due to a special law that exempts a portion of or all of your military retirement if your duty covers certain years. Otherwise I would have had to live in a state I did not want. Pay off your mortgage before you retire. Don't keep giving money to adult children and relatives or you will never retire. Don't co-sign for any loans for anyone for anything. Unless you are very wealthy, you will never retire if you have any loans. Move to a smaller house or apartment, at least half the size of your current one. Once retired work part-time if you want and if anyone will hire you after age 50. Once we reached social security age, i.e. 62, we both took it. Yes, one receives a reduced monthly payment, but, how long do you really expect to live? I've known too many who died at age 70 through 76. Why wait to collect SS? Keep at least two years annual pre-retirement income in savings. Six months savings is nothing. Don't touch any types of IRA's until your late '60's. Make sure you take out just enough to keep you from going into a higher tax bracket. Save what you take out. If you have retirement from your job and healthcare - great. Use them. If you do not have any retirement but have to retire on savings alone, then you need at least 1.5 million saved in order to take out only 4% a year to get $60,000 pretax dollars. Of course this must be adjusted so that you never use your base savings amount - until you get really old. The wage earner needs to provide income for the spouse if that person dies first. Get insurance on yourself. The most important thing after the above has been done - don't overspend, i.e. go into debt or spend all of your savings. We live comfortably, buy what we want and still save. We don't scrimp. Hope this helps.

A fun alternative - Best way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket. My parents used to say that, as they were depression era.

Read AARP's 6 Ways to Get Your Finances Ready for 2019 article for financial advice.

How do I protect myself from identity theft?

candacepc263387 — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 18:21:09 GMT

Question

What's some advice for protecting your identity online?

Answers

Never give your Social Security number, phone number, where you reside, or bank information.
Make sure you create your personal Social Security Account with the the Social Security Administration, even though you may not be drawing Social Security checks yet (each SS# can create only one, and by you creating one then scammers cannot use your SS# to create one & steal your money). Put a credit lock on yourself with the three major credit bureaus and remember to put the “unlock” code in a very safe place.
Enroll in a good identity theft monitoring service that includes the black web, and provides you with access to monthly credit reports and FICO scores.
The Federal Trade Commission has excellent information on their website about protecting your identity and your children's identity
Closely monitor your financial accounts.
Create strong passwords, and change them at least quarterly. Use different passwords for different sites. Keep your passwords private. Mix up the characters so that there are no distinguishable words and use/subscribe to a password app/service such as Dashlane or 1Password or Lastpass, so that you don't have to worry about memorizing your password and more importantly, so it will make the process of creating complex passwords more convenient and safe for you, since you won't have to memorize them, or write them down! Never write them down anywhere. Password apps like these have counterpart apps for your phone, Mac or PC, so they'll be accessible and encrypted where ever you go.
Shred any snail mail that you receive before tossing it.
Protect your web access at home. Learn about protecting your home network. In a nutshell, try to turn off the broadcast to your routers SSID or network name. Set up encryption for your network and password protect access to it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, that's not a good thing. Talk to an expert or research to learn more.
Don't open Emails you do not recognize. These are often physhing exercises. Have security software on but know hackers can break through.
Add NOMOROBO.com if it's available with your phone system, it's free for many land lines.
Avoid responding with confidential information when using a public/ guest hotspot.
If you do need to access the internet while out and about, use Virtual Private Network (VPN) software or better yet, a VPN device to encrypt your public Wifi session. Or at the very least, use your phone or tablet and connect over your cellular account to surf the web instead of using Wifi.

Learn from the personal experiences of others:

Last week I got a call from "Social Security" stating there were some type of fraud going on, I looked at the number they used to call me and then I began asking questions like - who are you and what is your name? I also said this is "Social Security" correct and he said yes, he then asked me for my social security number to verify if it is me. I then said to him if you were "Social Security" you would already know my number and then he hung up. Always get a name and their number and hang up. And then you can Google the information to find out if it's fraud.

I was a victim of fraud many years ago, so I have first hand experience unfortunately. Locking your credit won't protect you online, but it is an identity issue that could result if you do not take seriously, steps that will reduce your chances of having your identify stolen because of online internet access. To help minimize your exposure. Protect your computer and web experience. There are quite few in the marketplace. Most of the good ones require a monthly or yearly subscription. The important thing is, there are many ways for you to get hacked when accessing the web, and online security is like a service. The more you scrimp, the more you increase your chances of being hacked. Go with nothing and your risking a lot. A tool such as this will reduce the chances of vulnerability.

What are some home made remedies to prevent colds and the flu?

candacepc263387 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 22:16:58 GMT

Question

What are some home made remedies to prevent colds and the flu?

Answer

As the weather changes, our bodies become more susceptible to catching colds and the flu. Some potential home made remedies to help prevent sickness include:

Good subject for the season ! My sister makes a solution using horse radish & God-knows-what-else to stay healthier in cold/flu season. Says it does perk you up during the winter as well as being a preventive for those who don't want flu shots. What I'm asking is : how many of you seniors do this also & what do you take ? I'd welcome ideas, what sites to go to for recipes, most anything !

Vitamin C in high doses. The root of all anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-histamine is Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid). It's cheap and extremely effective. Dr. Andrew Saul has an excellent presentation on this. Do your research and look for the Chemist, LINUS PAULING (Noble Prize winner) and his discoveries about Vitamin C. Dr. Robert Cathcart cured thousands of people with all kinds of maladies, in a small CA town basically only with Vitamin C. I get the simple inexpensive tablets that are 1,000mg each...I take 2-4 tablets per day. I never get colds or flu. Ever.Try it.

From Mayo Clinic on taking high dosage vitamin C:

".......Possible interactions include:

Aluminum. Taking vitamin C can increase your absorption of aluminum from medications containing aluminum, such as phosphate binders. This can be harmful for people with kidney problems.

Chemotherapy. There is concern that use of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, during chemotherapy might reduce the drug's effect.

Estrogen. Taking vitamin C with oral contraceptive or hormone replacement therapy might increase your estrogen levels.

Protease inhibitors. Oral use of vitamin C might reduce the effect of these antiviral drugs.

Statins and niacin. Taking vitamin C with niacin, which might benefit people with high cholesterol, could reduce niacin's effect.

Warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven). High doses of vitamin C might reduce your response to this anticoagulant...".

I'm always against advice for 'taking a pill' for which this society has an obsession. Want to prevent colds? Diet, exercise, proper sleep, proper hand washing (or better, sanitizer). The stuff you should be doing every day.

Elderberry in any form—tea, syrup, cough drops, tablets—a proven anti-viral.

Traditional Medicinal "breathe easy" tea. I have no health problems, this tea 3x a day for 3 days works wonder. Keeps the respiratory system clear, which I believe, helps me. This tea includes licorice root, and some people can not take that due, I think, to their blood pressure. Am not a doc, so not sure if that is the reason. Check first, but then if all systems are go, why not try it? That’s exactly what I have done for years, and never get a cold, I also eat well, exercise, wash my hands frequently, take vitamin supplements and I am 79 years old.

Vitamin D3. It's not vitamin C that you need. It's vitamin D3 the sunshine pill. Ever since I started taking 2000 IU a day, I don't get colds. I've been doing this for many years. If I start to feel run down or I might be getting sick, I take double the dosage and the next day I'm fine again. Most people are deficit in D3, especially when the days get shorter and less sunlight.

I didn't realize until I read this comment that I haven't had a cold/flu for about three years since I started taking 5,000iu's of vitamin D3 daily. My vitamin D blood results came back low and are normal now.

Apple Cider Vinegar. I have gargled with Apple Cider Vinegar for years with any sign of sore throat or cold, I also clean and wipe down surfaces when kids and I come down with anything we think may be contagious.

Echinacea. Check w doctor first but whole herb echinacea and Vitamin C twice a day for 7 days immediately when you feel your first symptom. Also get more sleep and drink more fluids.

Food supplements. I take daily whole food supplements that are fruit veggie grapes and berries as well as eating lots of fruits and veggies everyday. I rarely get sick and when I do which is maybe once a year it is very short lived. I also make a syrup of cut up lemons, cut up ginger root, and honey. You can take a few times a day and it will boost your immune system and heal you quickly.

Chicken Noodle Soup. Homemade chicken noodle soup with onions and garlic , 600mg Motrin, orange juice, tea with honey and lemon

Alcohol (For those who are interested in alternative methods).
- This may not work for all, but my mother swore by it. Her daddy was a country doctor who carried a bottle of whiskey around in his buggy in East Texas - Hot toddy, lemon juice, honey, water an dark liquor - Brandy, Scotch or Whiskey. Make the first one weak, if you aren't used to the hootch, then make the second one stronger. Sip in bed and by the time you're done you don't care if you're sick or not!
- My grandmother also believed in a little honey, lemon and brandy for cold or flu.

What are some good financial planning software options?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 20:51:55 GMT

Question

I'm looking for Windows software that will help with projections. I know my Social Security and pension at diffferent ages and my income from my IRA. I'd like to try some software that allows me to input these incomes and also expenses and tax assumptions for several decades. Can anyone suggest anything?

Answers

Excel.

https://www.mywealthtrace.com/ I used the free version for a year, then became a paid subscriber. Good stuff. Monte Carlo simulations, variable inputs, what-if scenarios, slider bars for instantaneous feedback on changing returns, retirement age, expenses, etc. Feeds from all your accounts if you want. I meet periodically with the fellow that authors the software to go through my plan. I also have the Vanguard and Fidelity planners, and have used T.Rowe Price. I like this more.

In addition to looking at the MyWealth subscription products, I might also look at some Mac products, e.g., Quicken, etc.

(1) I use my own Excel workbooks that I have developed since around 1992. Yes, it's a lot of work.

(2) I *also* recommend a free online retirement planner (works for you during retirement, too).This is at www.i-orp.com. This is a retired guy's life's work and it is really strong. It does take some time to understand it, but it is very powerful and will hold its own against anything, paid commercial or otherwise. I am getting concerned about it as I have *just* retired and I'm afraid the author will not be maintaining this for too many more years. Still, it is well worth some serious investigation. The big thing for this software is that it optimizes your retirement draws from SS, tax deferred accounts, taxable accounts, etc., to determine your optimal annual draw from all accounts so you don't run out of dough at the end.

(3) I love the commercial products put out by Professor Kotlikoff from Boston University. Cost is manageable for a single license of any of them. "Maxifi" is similar to i-ORP.

(4) i-ORP does not link to your existing financial accounts, nor does Maxifi as far as I know. For this consolidated record keeping there are lots of new "apps" out there such as Mint, etc. For this use I simply use my Excel workbooks (and use a Google Sheet with Google Finance functions to get the daily prices).

How should my loved one receive mail if in an assisted living facility?

VickiM68 — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 18:23:50 GMT

Question

We are selling my mom's house and I am not sure what to change her address to—the assisted living facility where she resides, or my address so I am sure to receive anything important. Thoughts?

Answers

It depends on a bunch of factors. A couple questions to ask include:

Do you live near the assisted living facility and will be visiting her regularly to bring her "social mail"?
Who takes care of her "business mail"—Does she handle her own checkbook, or do you take care of all of that?

You may decide to have important mail sent to your house to make sure it isn't lost and you can handle it promptly. But have social mail sent to her—greeting cards, newspapers, magazines, etc., if you don't visit her often.

If you have financial power of attorney (POA) or an agreement with your mom to help her pay the bills, I'd have the mail sent to you and then you can hand deliver personal mail when you visit (at least weekly).

If you have POA, like the others have said, make your address her legal address so all bills, tax documents, bank statements, brokerage statements, Medicare EOB, and anything from Social Security, etc., come to your address. This will be the address that you will use for her for tax document and anything legal.

You could give her Assisted Living address to friends and family who might want to write to her. Many assisted living places do not have a secured mailbox for the residents, so keep that in mind. Sometimes a resident may pick up the mail of others by mistake or because they have a mental impairment.

You probably need to change her address officially to your address on Medicare and Social Security. Sometimes this is a problem when picking a Medicare plan since they are by area. But if you are not very far from her, this is no big deal.

If there is a need, now or later on, she needs to add your name to the Medicare and Social Security file so that you can talk to them about any matter. If she becomes mentally incapacitated, you will have to become a Representative Payee on Social Security. This only means that you are authorized to spend this money for her benefit and will have to account for such with them.

What are some good romantic movies?

VickiM68 — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 00:38:30 GMT

Question

What movies would you recommend for Valentine's Day? What are your favorite movies about love?

Answers

Moonstruck. Nicholas Cage and Cher....what a great movie. Great stars, great story, and great script.
Love Actually. The world needs more Hugh Grant movies..just saying.
Something’s Gotta Give. A fantastic movie about relationships.
As Good as it Gets. Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. Great movie!!
An Officer and a Gentleman. Richard Gere and Debra Winger. The ending every woman wants to see.
Working Girl. Harrison Ford and Melanie Griffith
So many great ones: especially classics like Casablanca, The African Queen, Philadelphia Story—either version, but i'm partial to Kate and Cary. One of my lifelong romantic phrases: "We were yar" like their boat "the true love". Subplots w/ Jimmy Stewart and (gal reporter Liz). Jimmy and Kate were great.
Titanic (1997). Evergreen movie. Seventeen-year-old Rose hails from an aristocratic family and is set to be married. When she boards the Titanic, she meets Jack Dawson, an artist, and falls in love with him. Titanic is the world's second-highest-grossing film of all time.

What do I need to know about hiring an insured caregiver?

VickiM68 — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 21:07:51 GMT

Question

What do I need to know about hiring an insured caregiver?

Answer

If it is time to hire an in-home caregiver, make sure the person you hire is adequately insured. Whether the caregiver is employed by a service or is an independent contractor, it is important to verify the following:

Workers Compensation. The caregiver should furnish proof of their insurance that covers medical bills and lost income should the worker be injured on the job.
General Liability. This covers claims of bodily injury or property damage should the caregiver's services injure someone or damage a customer's property.
Professional Liability. Some caregivers possess advanced medical certifications and training. In these instances, a general liability policy might not be sufficient to cover their errors, if one should occur. They might need professional liability insurance.
Auto. If the caregiver drives a client to and from errands, appointments, etc., verify that his auto insurance will cover damage to vehicles and bodily injury to passengers or others and that the limit of insurance available for such claims is sufficient.

You may be asked to enter into a contract with the caregiver or their employer. That contract could contain clauses that expose you to financial liability that falls outside your homeowner's liability. Talk with your insurance agent or broker about the extent to which your homeower's policy covers in-home caregivers.

Do you use a password manager? Why or why not? If so, which one do you recommend?

VickiM68 — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 20:55:03 GMT

Question

Do you use a password manager? Do you have one you recommend? Share it here and tell us why it's your choice.

Answers

None

Absolutely not! Any online service can be hacked. So no way, never, would I use a password management app/service.

One of my daughters does know my password for banking. Other than that, no one.

My phone has a bio finger login as does my banking and other services. The finger login is good enough for me (it prevented someone from taking my money when they stole my phone).

Aside from that, I don't want to pay for "ID Protection" that I can do through my insurance company (The Hartford) or myself.

Makes no sense (to me) to have an app know or genrate all your passwords. Every website is hackable. What makes a password manager website immune?

Then there is the "inside man (person)" possibility. All companies can have greedy or vengeful employees that sell or give out the sensitive information. Even the CIA and FBI have had employees who have done this with a long prison sentence hanging over them.

98% of my passwords are the same for frivolous websites. Who cares if they hack that password? Just vary/change the password for the very few websites that are important.

I'll manage my own passwords, thank you. Written down where only I (and hubby) can see them. Nothing is safe online!

No password manager. We keep a document updated on all userid/password/challenge questions. As others have stated, a password manager is just as vulnerable to hacking as anything else.

1Password

I use 1Password. The product has been consistently rated as a top performer for many years. Their website provides a good overview of features, etc. After using their Mac desktop product for several years, I switched to their subscription (cloud-based) service. I use the product on all of my Apple devices: iMac, iPad, and iPod.

I also use 1Password. I've been using it for many years across platforms. I currently have about 1500 items in it. Here are my pros and cons:

Pros:

Cloud-based with encryption — Probably as good as you will get aside from keeping data locally.
Web-based interface — Useful if you are on someone else's device or shared computer.
Multi-client — Native client for Mac, Win, IOS, Android, and of course a web browser. Opens with fingerprint on IOS.
Good track record of data availability — Cannot recall experiencing any service outage.
Personal and family versions — You can selectively share certain passwords with others.
Many different item types — Login, software license, bank account, email, document (currently 18 different)
Password generator is easy to use and it remembers your old passwords automatically when you update.
Free trial period

Cons:

Revenue model has moved from 'perpetual with annual support fee' to a 'monthly or yearly subscription' ($36–$60/yr). So now it represents an ongoing monthly expense for me.
Takes a bit of effort to set it up including logging in with a long key that they initially give you along with your master password on each device you own. Adding additional users is also a bit tedious.
Has the ability to capture passwords you use on the web, but that sometimes can create multiple entries for the same website.

Yes, I use a password manager. I tested both LastPass and 1Password back in 2013 and chose to go with 1Password. It has been very useful, as I have over 100 logins and I have never used the same login for multiple websites.

As a blind person using iOS, I have found that 1Password works well for me and has been accessible using voiceover with minor occasional difficulties.

I have either my Apple product or my 1Password choose strong passwords for me. The minimum password length that I use is 18 characters. And, to log into it, I use a very long password that is easy for me to remember. But, how many people would be able to guess a password that is over 20 characters long.

Additionally, I use 1Password to store my passport data and my VISA data. In the past, for photos of the passport and normal data, I have had to copy this in using my computer. I do not know whether that can now be done simply on my phone or not, as I have not needed to do that in several years.

It also does a better and more complete job of filling in credit card data than the built-in capability in iOS.

Additionally, I have over 100 secure notes that provide me additional data such as history for various websites and information on other more personal data such as my data for security questions for my banks and other websites.

I also have my state ID in it as both a photo and the number coded in.

It has the capability of also allowing you to paste in the software keys for your various pieces of computer software.

Although I do not have it, it does allow me to have both a family information vault that is shared among family members and my own personal vault, which is what I use all the time.

Regarding what the other person said about the possibility of them being hacked because the data is stored (by my choice so that I can use the information on my computer, my iPad, and my iphone) in my Dropbox, that password is also a strong password and is stored in my 1Password on my phone and iPad. So, before anyone can access it to try to de-encrypt that data, they have to find a way to hack into my Dropbox account. The data is not stored on 1Password servers. And, I think that the same is true for LastPass, if I remember correctly, but I am not positive on how it is set up any more.

You do not need to have access to the internet to be able to use 1Password. But, it does use the internet to synchronize the encrypted data from your phone, iPad, and computer.

One additional thing that I should mention is that as a blind person, in addition to allowing me to have over 100 passwords and the other things mentioned above, it is much more accurate getting the login data put in for websites than when I try to type it in. So, for me, using 1Password has been extremely beneficial. And, at times while traveling, it has been very beneficial by having both my passport number and a photo of my passport accessible whether I am connected to the internet or not.

1Password. I like the ability to change a password on my iMac and, within minutes, my iPhone and my MacBook know the new password.

1Password (my favorite) also keeps my password history, generates random passwords with a configurable recipe to match the website requirement, and let's me add custom fields to a record when needed. Not to mention that you can add specific types of records like credit cards and driver's licenses, and even store a receipt or other document.

I also use 1Password to keep track of my software licenses. It knows when I purchased the software, how much I paid, and most importantly, what the license key is in case I have to reinstall later.

Although I do use Keychain, I make sure that 1Password is always holding the correct info and that becomes the de facto place to look.

SafeInCloud

I have been using SafeInCloud for several years. All you have to remember is one code to access your data, which is store in the cloud with 256-bit advanced encrption standard. You can specify how many attempts you allow to unlock the software before that account is permanently locked for good for that device. The software developer has no backdoor to recover your code and data. The Windows and Mac desktop versions are free. The mobile versions for Android and IOS are reasonably priced. You can access your account data from any one of your devices running SafeInCloud. There is a password generator. The software also give you an indication of the strength of your password in terms of estimation of time to crack it.

LastPass

LastPass. Been using it for years, free personal edition. It has served my needs for these years and has served me well without problems.

I have used LastPass for several years. Works well and I have had zero issues. As stated, the personal version is free.

I use "LastPass". I purchased the full subscription. I have been very happy with the program's features. I would recommend this program to anyone looking for a password manager program.

I use LastPass and have done so for years. I only have to remember three passwords, one for my phone, one for my laptop, and one for LastPass. I can launch webpages right from LastPass and have the userid and password auto fill. All of my passwords are unique and random, nothing that could be guessed, and I don't have to remember any of them. Other family members also use LastPass, and we can share passwords with each other.

LastPass for more than 6 years. Love it.

Yes, LastPass.

1. It is supported on all of the devices I use.

2. It supports access by an approved member in the event I die or am otherwise incapacitated.

3. It's free!

4. My selection was based on a combination of talking with others using a password manager and rating/rankings of the various options based on capability, features, etc.

It has made my life much simpler and I have a greater confidence in my online security with every site having its own, unique, random and robust password.

LastPass for me too! I work on many computers and also use Linux to test new distros so I can login from any of them and have all my sign-ons and passwords at hand.

I am currently using the LastPass manager. I have tried others, but I like this one best because:

* It’s easy to create and retrieve passwords.

* It has fingerprint recognition for my mobile devices.

* It can create complex passwords that you set the parameters for.

* It is reasonably priced (or free at the basic level).

* It can auto fill.

* You can also use it to store notes for things other than passwords.

I have used LastPass for several years and love it! User friendly. Although I use the free program, the few times I've needed to contact Customer Service, they have answered promptly. Paying customers receive expedited responses. LastPass also offers the free option of adding someone who can access your account in case something happens and you aren't able to access it yourself, due to illness for example.

LastPass. Great product. Great value. Most of the IT people I know (I'm still one) use it. Follows me no matter which browser I use no matter which device (home, work, iPad, iPhone).

I use LastPass because it is very secure. The simple test: if you lose your password for the password manager, can the company recover it? If so, their security is unacceptably low. LastPass does pass this test; all data is encrypted on your device, and no unencrypted data ever leaves your device(s). LastPass securely syncs among all my devices (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows PC), so my data is always available on every device. AES 256-bit encryption is great, but only if properly implemented. LastPass creates the key from your email, password, and more (for the techie, a unique random "salt" and then passes it though an algorithm designed to create 256 bits of seemingly random bits over 100,000 times. All that and more is necessary to make the encryption really strong.

LastPass has prebuilt forms specifically for a wide variety of needs (credit cards, social security, software licenses, and many more). I use it for all the security questions and answers for each site, and I use a unique lie for each and every security question on each and every site). It has two different types of entries — one for web sites, and one for "Secure Notes", which can be used for almost everything else. LastPass also lets you add fields and insert images (like copies of my passport). Almost all my passwords are randomly generated by LastPass, with options to include or not include groups of characters (lower case, upper case, numbers, special characters), and to select the length.

I used to use Keychain, but found that LastPass provided everything I need, and does it securely. It also works perfectly on Windows systems and Linux, and even allows secure access via the web.

What LastPass does not do is to record a password history for each web site. When I am changing a password, I manually add the previous password to the Notes for that site, so that I have both the old and the new (random, LastPass-generated) password.

B-Folders

I use B-Folders (www.jointlogic.com/b-folders) because (1) it uses AES 256 encryption and (2) it does not save your passwords on their servers. You can sync your passwords easily with other devices (phone, laptop, tablet) via a peer-to-peer connection on your own home network. It's also free (for the mobile version) unless you want the fingerprint login option, which is well worth the $6.99 price tag IMO.

I checked out Dashlane and Keeper and they had some user features, too, but B-Folders synched across all my devices without having to save my passwords on their servers.

mSecure

I have been using mSecure for a number of years. The data is accessible from all my Apple devises. I like the format and security of the app. They keep it up to date as Apple changes its technology. Never had a problem with the app or support. It has a PC version as well.

Roboform

I have used Roboform for years and I love it. I paid for a subscription to Roboform Everywhere, which allows me to access my passwords from any computer, anywhere, and log in with my password without having to type it in, which means my passwords cannot be hacked in an unprotected hotspot.

I don't know about other password managers, but Roboform is encrypted. A master password (which should be easy to remember) is required to even access it. I have found it secure, dependable, and easy to use.

Roboform Everywhere. Depending on how many passwords you need to manage and whether you use multiple devices, the free version may suit your needs. We have been using Roboform for around 10 years now.

Auto synchronization between devices, emergency access for a trusted friend after a delay period you set. Safe notes: text notes encrypted and stored like passwords. Password generator to encourage proper password usage (different password for every site).

I have used Roboform for 20+ years. I believe it is the best on the market. Most of my passwords involving money are 13+ characters, and I change them every 2 months. Roboform helps me to keep track of all of these, I have the deluxe version for $9.95 a year since I am online at least 6 hours a day, but the basic free version would be fine for a light user.

TrueKey

I have used TrueKey from McAfee and find that it works well across platforms (PC and Mac) and my iPhone. Synchs between all devices as long as you stay logged in. Allows for fingerprint login on my iPhone. It produces some wicked generated passwords...good thing it remembers them too. I don't know what the level of encryption is. I will be checking that out. Easy, intuitive, free.

I have using True Key for over 2 years. I have re-install it sometimes when the browser gets a major update and when I refresh Firefox. It takes less than 30 seconds to re-install.

Dashlane

I used to use Dashlane, until they started getting overpriced. $19.95 per year, then $39.95 year and now $59.95 per year. It will probably keep going up each year as people become more dependent on it. People should be careful which plan they choose because of increasing fees.

I use Dashlane and I love it! It's so much easier and safer having all of my passwords on this app instead of writing them in a notebook like I used to do. They are all alphabetized and the app does an excellent job of controlling my information, suggesting safe passwords, letting me categorize the web sites by type, reminding me how often I've used the same password, storing my personal information, tracking my ID, securing notes and receipts, and (best of all) automatically inserting my password when I reach a site that requires log in — after I've authenticated my identity with Dashlane. I have the Premium plan, which costs just $12.95/year. I prefer the Premium plan because it allows me to store and access my information on my smart phone as well as my laptop, and synchs all my data on the two platforms. It also allows me to import and export passwords and provides a VPN as well. The standard Dashlane app is free.

Years ago, I started using Dashlane, which has been rated on the Web as the world's #1 password manager. I like it for several reasons: (1) They offer a free version (which have proven to be sufficient for my use); (2) I don't have to remember my password; Dashlane logs in for me once it recognizes the website I'm logging onto; (3) If I change my password, Dashlane prompts me to ask if I want it to record the new password; (4) If for any reason I need to know — or to see — my password, I can easily navigate to it from the computer where Dashlane has been installed; and (5) If keylogging software has been nefariously installed on a computer, you're safe because you never have to type your password. It has safely been stored in Dashlane and, again, Dashlane will log you in.

Good idea. I use the free version of Dashlane, but it sometimes seems to be erratic.

I’ve used the free version of Dashlane for several years. It’s easy to use and if you enter basic info (name, address), the free version will populate online forms with the info. Although I keep a record of all passwords, having to routinely remember just one password is very helpful.

I have used Dashlane for several years. I like it as it supports not only my PC but mobile devices. I use Roboform for access to local applications (eg., Quicken). I was pleased with, and would have stayed with, Roboform if it had supported mobile apps sooner.

Sticky Password

I have used Sticky Password for several years and am very happy with it. I pay $30 a year and consider it worthwhile. I keep dozens of high-security passwords in it. A favorite feature is the password generator that creates complex, randomized passwords with my choice of character types including numbers, upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and my choice of special characters (some sites don't allow certain special characters). The PC and Android versions are user-friendly. I am a dedicated fan of password managers and recommend them to everyone.

I've used StickyPassword for some years, now, and find it a godsend. Since one of the most egregious failures of password usage is using the same password for multiple accounts, SP generates a brand new password (according to user specs) for each account. (You can also create your own password and SP will tell you its strength). It can be set to automatically log one in to the designated website. One master password, which only the user knows, accesses SP's encrypted database. You can also synch with any other device.

I was an early adopter of StickyPassword, and was gifted with a lifetime membership, so I don't know about costs. I think you can use their freeware for a limited number of accounts.

Password Safe

Password Safe, used it for years, free.

I've been using a progam called "Password Safe" for several years now, and so far so good. No hacks, it's been very secure for me.

I have used Password Safe for years and found it capable of generating 12 letters numbers and characters with no problem. I have one long password to enter the program. I am not sure how it ranks with other programs.

For many years I've been using Password Safe. As a locally installed stand-alone application/database, it lacks some of the sophistication of cloud-based services, but I have the assurance that I have full control of both program and its vault of passwords. Versions are available for PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, and others. The database CAN be kept in the cloud to simplify sharing it between devices, but I always have a local copy so that I can access the passwords even when I can't access the Internet.

KeePass

Using KeePass for years. It’s free and open source, and supports autofill, copy/paste, and drag and drop. It uses SHA-256 AES encryption. A master password is stored in a generated encrypted file and not on online servers. There are apps for both desktop and mobile devices. I think the most operative word here is it’s free.

Password Vault

I bought a password vault from Sharper Image, which operates by battery that was supplied when I purchased it. I have had it over a year now, and I have not had any problems. It is definitely worth the investment!!

Safari Keychain

I would be lost without my password manager. I use the one in Safari. I also have my passwords on index cards and keep them updated with changes to passwords. There are 59 cards.

I use Keychain because it is built into Apple computers, tablets, and phones and is free to use, and synchs across devices. So if you’re in the Apple ecosystem you’re all set.

FlyingBit Password Keeper

I use FlyingBit Password Keeper. It saves everything locally to my machine, and the password file can be copied between machines to share it. It's an older program, but it works well and does not rely on a hardware key as some of the others do.

Kasperski

I use Kasperski. Recommended by Kim Komando.

eWallet

I started using eWallet several years ago and it was fine, but I have been having technical issues with it recently and I can't reach anyone to help me. It makes me nervous to think that these password managers are created by unknows and then the company or individuals disappear and you are STUCK and unable to get service if there is a problem. I also wonder if the people or companies creating these managers have access to your passwords?

Keeper

I use Keeper. I have used it for years. I have well over 100 passwords in it. It's on my phone and computer.

See also AARP's article Password Managers: What You Need to Know for the importance of having a password manager and what you need to know to select the right one for you.

What are some great musical artists/bands to listen to?

VickiM68 — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 19:02:12 GMT

Question

Name one artist/band whose music you think the world should love as much as you do? (tough I know, but try to pick just one)

Answers

John Coltrane

Maitre Gims

Yo Yo Ma

Nina Simone

Vivaldi

Phil Vassar. His concerts are so good! He's personable, talented and cute!

Jerry Garcia and The Greatful Dead, always loved them, saw them at Woodstock!

The one and only Beatles! I’ve been a fan since late December 1963 at age 8 when I first heard I Want To Hold Your Hand. Going to see Paul McCartney for the 8th time (since 1976) in 2019!

David Bromberg—if you are into Blues and Folk...he combined the two with a fabulous sense of humor..start with Keep on Drinkin!

The Beach Boys

Queen — and this is not because of the current movie just relased. They have great sounds and words.

Eva Cassidy. Her voice and ability to interpret music are the iconic models for every serious pop and jazz performer. Her interpretation of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" got the world's attention. Her limited number of recordings are a treasure. It's so sad that she was "discovered" after her death. If you listen to her sing and know her tragic story, you can't help but feel the loss of a great talent.

Glenn Miller...his music is timeless. Just a few notes of "String of Pearls" and we are kids again!

Don’t miss the “Civil Wars”. I discovered this great duos music while sitting in a coffee shop in Mexico recently.

Bob Dylan! fact is there are only 2 types of musicians in the entire world ... (1) Bob Dylan and (2) those that wish they were Bob Dylan. Peace to all.

Toto is the band I currently enjoy. "AFRICA" is a masterpiece. The vocals are superb. The instrumentation is exceptional. The words tell a story. And the ending is innovative— the fading of instruments is very effective. There is something about really good music which compels you to listen over and over.

Gene Watson — best country singer since George Jones! (just listen to Farewell Party if you don't know who he is.)

The North Country (out of Washington, DC)

Lorie Line, great piano stylist

Pink Floyd

Eric Clapton in all his various iterations. If you enjoy listening to astounding guitar compositions and execution, listen to the master.

Rhonda Vincent (and the Rage). Great voice versatile, hard working, can do any genre, but being a bluegreass girl is where her heart is

The Eagles! !! Just saw them at the new Fiserv Forum (new Milwaukee Bucks Arena). My #1 Bucket List event achieved... Lived! When the 2 1/2 hour concert was over, my musician husband and I were emotionally drained-happily! My first comment was "How do you ever top that?" The Eagles are exceptional musicians that meld together in the most glorious way, creating their unique, phenomenal sound. I think they're even better than they were in the 70's — their beginning. Finally... Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Deacon Frey, Vince Gill, Timothy B. Schmit, and Steuart Smith... Thank you for giving me priceless memories of a night I will never forget.

I have two...one group and one individual. The group is Alabama. I think Randy Owen is terrific. The indivudual is Yanni.

Paul Simon

Follow Stillwell Blue on Sound Cloud, You Tube, iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify. Incredible lyrics and music!!!

Jennifer Warnes

Jesse Winchester

John Prine

The timeless band is Chicago. After all, they don't really care what year it is!

Anything by Michael Bublé!

Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw

The grown folk music of Will Downing!

Bazzi and Camila

Tuba Skinny on YouTube

Without a doubt, the ONLY band that could provide the soundtrack, should my life ever be made into a made for TV movie, is the incomparable Fleetwood Mac. Throughout the decades of turmoil, love, hits, misses and changes, they've stood the test of time and while not always coming out a shining example of morality on the other side, they've always managed to remain the one constant fixture of musical comfort in my life! For that, I will be forever greatful !!!

Stevie Landslide

AC/DC. They are timeless. My 30-year-old son loves them, my 7-year-old grandson loves them. Bon Scotts back story is intriguing. Love their music and music history

The genius of Ray Charles!

I peronally think everyone should like Earth Wind and Fire. Oldie but goodie band that had a lot of good music for everyone.

Janis Joplin. She truly sang from her soul. She's always #1 in my world!

First pick would have to be The Beatles. They were at the center of my universe during the 60's! So much of their music has stood the test of time. As they turned solo, I have always enjoyed the music of George Harrison; also timeless, often spiritual, always beautiful, that was George.

Whenever someone asks me about my favorite musician(s) I say The Moody Blues, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking "well, after the Beatles, of course" because that goes without saying. They are in a class all by themselves.

I think Glen Campbell should be admired and loved. He had a fantastic voice and was an amazing guitarist and could play banjo and bagpipes as well! He was always my favorite artist.

How do you eat well when traveling?

VickiM68 — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 19:13:15 GMT

Question

How do you plan eating when you go on vacation? Are there apps or special things you to do save money or eat healthier? Share what works for you!

Answers

Whenever I travel I make sure i download the "YELP" app on my smartphone. It uses your phones location to recommend eating places close by. You can enter a particular favorite cuisine for a more refined search. People leave pictures and recommendations to help you choose. If you are ever in Santa Barbara, California, and craving Mexican food, I highly recommend "Los Agaves" restaurant. All the food is great but the house burrito is the bomb. I found this place using YELP.

If we are driving, we picnic. That is, we purchase some things to make sandwiches, have some canned goods and beverages, and stop at rest areas for lunch. We carry utensils and paper plates, etc.

We always stay in places with a kitchen and cook ourselves. On a multi-week trip, we might eat out a couple of times, but that is it. We mostly stay someplace around national parks in U.S. and Canada, and restaurants are overpriced, mediocre, and unhealthy, imho.

We choose hotels with a breakfast bar (not to eat their junk food packaged as breakfast, but so we don't have to pack a toaster, et cetera) and a room with a kitchen.

We plan our meals to support our activities. At this stage of life that means we eat an athlete's diet: whole wheat toast, boiled eggs, bananas, avocado, raw veggies and fruit, olives, sardines plus a pickled veggies, rich pasta salad and/or a simple green salad. I also make a nut-coconut flake-dried fruit trail mix, and we take a few of those savory Kind bars for race nutrition. Once our sporting events have concluded — and not before — we will eat out with the gang. We so often feel bad after we've eaten out that we simply don't risk that before a race. And then we are extra careful about what we eat. I'll pack peanut butter for a quick rest stop sammie on the way home, but I don't know the last time we stopped at a greasy spoon.

If we are traveling somewhere unrelated to recumbent racing — going from memory here 🙂 — we'll seek out an organic or health food restaurant. But we research them first and tend to grill the waitstaff about preparation methods ... yeah we're those people ... in order to sample a local cuisine.

When we are looking for a place to eat and we want a simple lunch or dinner we ask a local, construction worker, store clerk, etc., where they go for lunch or dinner, or where is their favorite place to take company that comes to town. We travel by motorcycle and camp most of the time, so we eat a late breakfast/lunch with first gas up (we call it blunch), then cook dinner at the campground. Simple fare, but good.

You never know if local restaurants are safe, so stick to well known restaurants like McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King and such where you know they operate with stringent food safety standards. You do not want to contract food poisoning while traveling and wind up in the hospital! 🏨

I learnt quickly that you need to plan your meals ahead of time. If your flight arrives at 9 PM, by the time you get to the hotel and ready to eat your only choice might be fast food, and that is not going to work out well. I try to schedule flights that leave me time to eat before boarding, or when I get there. Check ahead and see what's around your arrival destination that would offer a suitable meal at the time you will be there.

My wife and I always try to book rooms or a timeshare with at least a partial kitchen. We hit the local grocery store and buy healthy snacks, items for at least a couple picnic lunches, breakfast foods, and drinks. We always come out way ahead dollar wise and save valuable family time out of busy restaurants. As far as eating healthy food, that’s up to an individual's choices when in the grocery aisles. This works well for us and I’m sure it can for you also depending on what your priorities are while vacationing. The main thing is to relax and enjoy!

When we travel, in our camper, we always eat our usual healthy breakfast at camp. Then we will usually have a late lunch out, as we are exploring. We try to choose healthy options. Then at night, back at the camper, we will have soup or a salad for a light dinner. on a recent trip for 3 weeks, neither one of us gained a pound. We actually lost a few because we did a lot of walking.

When we fly and stay in a hotel, same thing. We stock up on fresh fruit, yougurt (if we have a fridge), nuts, etc. Sure we want to try out the local cusine, but we try to eat smart.

We invented the "gelato diet." Since gelato has no cholesterol and is low in fat, when traveling in Europe particularly we make a point to stop for a small container of gelato around 3 pm. That way we're not so hungry at dinner time and eat a smaller meal. We do the same on cruises so we don't overeat. We combine this with lots of walking and have each lost 5 lbs on average every time we travel or cruise.

We've been to Hawaii over a dozen times. For healthy eating, get a condo with a kitchen and an outdoor grill. Ahi tuna, grilled....to die for! (Get a saver card at most groceries. Some groceries are expensive, some aren't.) Check out farmers markets and buy locally produced produce.

To save money, eat where the locals eat; not necessarily healthy, but cheap and fun!

Avoid the touristy restaurants, overpriced and you may as well have stayed on the mainland.

Aloha.

Pack your own snacks: fruit, nuts, crackers, veggies for the road or the air. Choose the yogurt and fruit at the ‘free’ hotel breakfasts, skipping the high fat/cal pastries, bagels, waffles. Choose hotels with at least a refrig and maybe a microwave. Stock some lunch items like cheese or cold cuts to lunch on in addition to fruit and veggies. Save half your restaurant dinner, refrig it, and reheat in the microwave to eat for lunch the next day. Visit local specialty food shops and pick up parts to a meal, probably less $$ than a restaurant. Visit and purchase wines at the local winery, a definite saving over restaurants. Choose a restaurant with BYO alcohol. For years we ate breakfasts and lunches from local grocery stores and splurged on a great evening meal. And, back when traveling with a hungry teen son, I’d push a peanut butter sandwich prior to dinner: it reduced the $$$ because it took the edge off his appetite and he didn’t order everything on the menu. Remember food handling safety!

I enjoy food markets while I wander new surroundings. I like to try local foods especially if I am somewhere I have never been before. Trying new dishes is part of the over all experience for me.

What are some tips for saving money for a trip?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:37:16 GMT

Question

When you make travel plans, how do you save money for the trip?

Answers

Travel off-season for better rates. Frequent travelers can save by using reward points, like airline miles or hotel loyalty programs to offset costs.

I use a mileage credit card for flights. Travel during mid season, on the cusp between winter or summer. I have a portion of my check direct deposit into a travel savings account. When I can, I try to book hotels with breakfast. And last of all, look for deals

I only do two things. I use airline points I've accumulated throughout the year towards an airline ticket and I budget my total trip expenditure (including an airline ticket if not enough points). Each month I put my trip expenditure funds in a vacation account. This is easily done automatically from my online savings accounts. When I go on vacation, then I buy my tickets and pay for my vacation when returning from this vacation fund. Ready to start contributing to the next months. So far I haven't overspent my account, but I haven't gone to Vegas yet either. 🙂

Taking advantage of my experience using military allotments to automatically pay bills or provide money to my spouse while deployed, I have established a seperate money market account for savings and initiated an automatic monthly transfer from my checking to that money market account. The money that accumulates is used for vacations, large expenses (homeowners and auto insurance, etc.) and unexpected expenses. Since the money is automatically transfered, it is out of sight, out of mind, and not part of my budget. It is also almost an automatic response to enter the transaction in my check book, since my bank sends me a transaction notice of the transfer. The tactic has worked for me for many years and usually results in enough of a surplus to accumulate a nice savings account.

Every day I throw my pocket change into a bucket in the hall. By the end of the year, I have enough cash for an all-expense-paid trip to the destination of my choice.

What are some tips to stay safe when traveling?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 17:06:33 GMT

Question

What are some of your tips for staying safe while traveling?

Answers

See three of AARP's travel safety tips here.

Driving Safety

Defensive driving, going the speed limit, seat belt (duh), doors locked, sunglasses, usually no radio — I enjoy the silence, Uber to an evening benefit that will include cocktails, leave on time so there’s no rushing, a little talking thru bluetooth is ok — but make it quick, don’t look at the phone — it can wait until I get to my destination. If someone displays road rage, I try to not reciprocate. These are my primary rules.

I drive an RV so my travel tips maybe a little different: Check your vehicle daily for any mechanical issues (ie: lights, turn signals, tires,everything in place, etc.) Give yourself plenty of space all around you and for braking. Drive rested never tired!! Always drive ahead and antiscipate leaving yourself an out if need be. Breakup the trip with a rest stop every two hours if you can and if you have a dog, give him a potty break too. Plan your route the night before and use your phone apps to see if the weather, road conditions, construction or detours do not suprise you. Limit your driving to maybe 300 miles a day, so you don't wear yourself out trying to get where ever. I also use RV Park Review both on my phone and computer, so that you get an opinion on your next campground. It can save you alot of grief. Driving an RV is a full time job and should be treated in that manner because that is alot of money in your hands. Happy trails!!

International Travel

Notify your credit card company where you are going. This will avoid having your card declined.
Keep a photocopy of your passport, license, medication perscriptions separate from your other documents. If possible, email a copy of each to yourself.
Place items like a wallet in your front pocket instead of the rear to make it harder for pickpockets.
Keep some small bills in a pocket separate from your wallet so you don't have to open your wallet or purse for small purchases.
Use pants or purses which have both zippers or snaps plus flaps covering the pocket, again making it harder for pick-pockets
When possible, wear purses in the front, not the side.
Sign up for The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to enroll your trip with the nearest consulate or embassy. (They will contact you if there is a travel warning in the country you are traveling in.)
Find out the emergency number in the country you are going to. (Not everyone uses 911)
Don't write about your trip ahead of time on Facebook or Twitter.
Keep money in a few different places, and remember where they are.
If there is a room safe, use it. Take what you need when you go out.
Ask the hotel clerk, AIrbnb host, etc., for tips about keeping safe. They have to deal with their local communities and probably can share some good tips. Ask about taxis, ride-sharing services, walking, transportation, local food kiosks, and places to visit and to avoid.

On my recent trip, I used a very thin money clip type RFID protected wallet in my front pocket and a "decoy" old wallet in my back pocket. The money clip wallet held ID, some money, and two credit cards. The decoy only had garbage papers in it to pad it.

I would only email the documents if you have zipped and password protected or encrypted them. A Google documents account would let you store them encrypted online but be accessible from any computer or phone.

I would add a wallet cleaning before the trip to the list and leave at least one credit card in the room safe in case your wallet gets lost or stolen. There are lots of things you may not need in your wallet during the trip, especially on an overseas trip. Like a Sam's Club card, Costco card, casino cards, etc.

I recently found several brands of pickpocket-proof clothing. They aren't cheap, but not outrageous for quality clothing. There are shirts, pants, and jackets for men and women in casual and dress levels. Clothing Art has a video on their website on how their line works to prevent pickpocketing.

More Tips for a Safe Vacation

Alert your bank and credit card company to your travel plans. If you don’t, charges you make might be declined if you’re in a location where you don’t usually travel.

Also, depending on where you’ll be visiting, you may need to arrange for special health insurance coverage prior to departing.

Surf the internet wisely. Hotel room, coffee shop and airport Wi-fi networks may be unsafe. Learn how to use a VPN, purchase your own mobile wireless hotspot, investigate purchasing a SIM card for use in a country you’re visiting, or set up your smartphone to serve as your computer’s Wi-fi connection. In your hotel room, use an Ethernet cable instead of in-room Wi-fi to connect to the internet.

Bank wisely. And avoid conducting financial transactions using your smartphone or computer on the road. Visit a financial institution in person.

Protect your airline frequent flier miles. Your airline miles represent valuable currency to fraudsters. Protect your miles by making the password on your airline account at least eight characters and hard to guess and check your mileage balance regularly.

Make and store copies of important documents. Make color copies of your passport, driver’s license and insurance cards, and emergency contact information. Give one copy to a trusted contact back home, put one copy in your travel bag separate from where you keep the originals. Scan a third and upload the files to a password-protected location in the cloud such as Google docs or OneDrive.

Protect your privacy on social media. Share your photos on social media, but wait until after you return home. Even if your privacy settings limit who can see what you post, it’s risky to let on that you’ll be away from home.

Only take the essentials to protect against theft. Do you really need to bring along expensive jewelry? Can your smartphone replace a high-end camera? Apart from the risk of carrying and showing off expensive items in public, your hotel room isn’t as secure as it might seem. Hotel key cards can be hacked — it doesn’t even have to be a valid card, and some members of the hotel staff can open in-room safe deposit boxes.

What are some good tips for traveling with pets?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 20:37:11 GMT

Question

What are some of your tips for traveling successfully with your dogs or other animals?

Answers

We found it's getting easier to travel with your favorite companion: https://www.aarp.org/travel/vacation-ideas/family/info-2018/how-to-travel-with-pets.html

Keep Your Dog With You

Pets should be with you as much as possible during your stay so they do not bark and whine longingly for you or get into mischief while you are away. If you must leave a pet alone, we recommend leaving them in a pet crate or cage designed for them.

If your dog barks loudly, the neighbors may complain or hotel security may be alerted. Once notified, security is obligated to visit the situation. You may be requested to leave if the dog is considered a nuisance.

Locate Off-Leash Dog Parks Near You

Most communities require your dog to be kept on a leash. After being on a leash all day, you want your dog to have a safe spot for your dog to run, sniff and socialize. A Google search can help you locate parks along your road trip path. Or ask your vacation rental host/hotel concierge for recommendations.

Use Your Seat Belt — Especially if Transporting Dogs

Of course, you know it’s important to buckle up your passengers and yourself when on the road. But did you know that the California vehicle code requires your dog to be restrained too?

According to California’s Vehicle Code: All animals are to be restrained or contained when being transported on a load-bearing part of the vehicle, unless the space is enclosed.

Obey Laws for Transporting Dogs

There are no federal laws restricting transporting dogs. Other states, like California, do have specific restrictions. Many laws look to protect the animal, while others focus more on protecting you and your passengers.

Before you take off cross-country or just to the vet’s office, make sure you are familiar with the laws that pertain to transporting dogs. Many states specifically require animals to be secured when transported in an open area of a vehicle. In some cases, the laws apply only to dogs.

It is best to review the state(s) you will be traveling in for their specific laws, especially as laws and regulations are frequently updated.

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Rhode Island laws require transporting dogs on some part of the exterior of the vehicle, such as a pickup truck bed to be restrained or contained. While Massachusetts requires all animals to be restrained or contained unless the space is enclosed.
Nevada and Washington's laws focus on safety and cruelty to animals, making it a misdemeanor to transport an animal in a vehicle (1) in a cruel or inhuman [sic] manner in Nevada, or (2) in a manner that will jeopardize the safety of the animal or the public in Washington.
New Jersey will fine you at least $250 and as much as $1,000 if law enforcement believes that you are transporting an animal in an improper way. You also could potentially face charges under animal cruelty laws. The law also forbids dogs from hanging out of windows (and also riding in the beds of pickup trucks). Proper restraints needed for your pets when in New Jersey are defined as:
- Buckled up with restraints specifically designed for pets, or
- Safely stowed in a pet crate.
Arizona, Connecticut, and Maine can charge you using their distracted-driving laws if you have your pet on your lap.
Hawaii is stricter in its laws. They explicitly forbid you from holding a pet on your lap.
At least 14 states and many local jurisdictions have laws against leaving pets unattended in a vehicle. This is especially critical, no matter what state you are in.

Four reasons why leaving a dog in a hot car can be deadly:

Dogs are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness because they can only cool off by panting and through the pads in their feet.
Even on seemingly mild days, an enclosed car can be deadly. Enclosed cars heat up quickly. In a study by San Francisco State University, when it was 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car rose to 99 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 20 minutes. In a Stanford University study, when it was 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature climbed to 116 degrees within one hour.
A dog’s normal body temperature is between 101 to 102.5 degrees; a dog can only withstand a high body temperature for a short time before suffering nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage, or even death.
Studies show that cracking the windows has little effect on a car’s internal temperature.

While none of the laws require your pet to be restrained or secured if, inside an enclosed part of your car, it’s safest to do so for both your sakes. Here are a few tips on how you all can be both safe and law-abiding while transporting dogs in your cars.

Pick the Right Car

When transporting dogs it's easiest to do so in an SUV, or minivan if your furry friend is large. For a smaller pet, a hatchback or small wagon would be sufficient. These cars provide space for not only your extra gear but also a pet carrier. Look for ones with tie downs to secure a crate in the back. The important aspect is to be sure you have sufficient space to allow your pet to stand up and stretch its legs. A larger vehicle for larger dogs is definitely helpful, especially if your Great Dane is part of a larger family.

Ask your carmaker if they provide optional plastic liners and pet barriers for the cargo area. If not, you can find them at pet stores or on the internet.

Use Car Crash-Tested Crates

The safest and best way for transporting dogs is to use a car crash-tested crate. You can then use this crate as your pet’s own special private room when staying at your destination.

Cesar Millan, also known as the Pet Whisperer, recommends when selecting a crate that it:

Has durable aluminum and plastic reinforced with fiberglass
Is designed to allow for good air circulation for ease of breathing by your pet
Has good insulation for year-round comfort
Was produced with strict quality guidelines. Reputable brands will offer you at least a two-year warranty.
Includes the option for crash bags inside the crate for added protection in case of emergency braking.

You may also want to consider purchasing a ramp or steps designed to help your furry passenger to climb in and out of the car effortlessly.

For those of you who prefer a safety harness for your dog, only one has thus far passed the car crash test according to the Center for Pet Safety. The Sleepypod Clickit Sport was rated 5-stars.

Schedule Travel Breaks for Both You and Your Pet

You’ll want to be sure to schedule plenty of breaks along the way to stretch both your legs and your pooch’s. It’s also a great opportunity to take photos of the marvelous vistas. Plan your travel time to include a break every 2-3 hours.

Pack Food, Water, and Bowls

Make sure you have enough food and water. This is especially important if transporting dogs for many days or if the day is hot. Five gallons of fresh water will last the average dog about a week. Pack standard dog kibbles that your dog is accustomed to at home, but consider some other food items to stimulate his appetite and provide added energy for when your dog is too tired to eat much or sometimes anything. A meat-based canned dog food or some savory chicken noodle soup full of fat and carbohydrates poured over kibbles will usually do the trick.

We like to use a cloth bowl that zips up into itself or plastic collapsable bowls for easier storage.

Treat Your Dog As You Would Your Own Baby

Not only must you plan for frequent stretch and potty breaks; you must also NEVER leave your child or your pet in a closed car. Doing so when the weather is warm can literally be a death sentence for your both your baby and your pet.

Bring Along a Doggy First-Aid Kit

Another essential for transporting dogs is a doggy first-aid kit and any medication your pet may be on. Before you leave, discuss with your vet the items that may be needed for your dog’s kit. Be certain to have your kit and other essentials quickly accessible.

Our kit includes:

Antibiotics
Eyewash/drops
De-skunking ingredients

Checklist of Essentials to Pack

Are you ready to head off on your trip? Just use our handy checklist when transporting dogs to make sure you have all the essentials listed above, plus a few other recommendations to make sure you and your pet have a fabulous vacation.

Carrier or crate — We strongly recommend you crate your pet
Sturdy, well-fitting nylon or leather collar or harness, license tag, ID tag(s) and leash
Birth certificate and other required documents
Food and water dishes
Manual can opener and spoon for canned food for when you are on the road
An ample supply of food, plus a few days’ extra
Medication, if necessary
Healthy treats
A blanket or other bedding — Please do not let your pets on the furniture without it.
Litter supplies and plastic bags for on the road- Guests must pick up after their pet to avoid added cleaning charges.
Favorite toys
Chewing preventative — To keep your dog from teething on the furniture
Grooming supplies as needed
First-aid kit
A recent photograph and a written description, including microchip number, name, breed, gender, height, weight, coloring and distinctive markings

Question

How can I travel alone from Tenn to Oregon with a 35-lb. elderly dog? He won't fit under a plane seat nor can he sit in a crate on a train seat for 64 hours. I can't put him in cargo. I don't believe I want to attempt the drive by myself, but have no one to go with. It is intended to be one way but I can't find a way to accomplish it.

Answer

It sounds like a solution might be to find a someone(s) you could drive cross country with to share the driving and be able to stop regularly for your dog. There are several posts in the Solo Travel forum here (https://community.aarp.org/t5/Solo-Travel/bd-p/bg117) looking for travel partners — many traveling with RVs, which could be a very good solution and more room for your dog to move around on the road.

You also might try contacting an animal organization such as Best Friends Animal Sanctuary or North Shore Animal League and see if they have any recommendations, as they sometimes deal with transporting animals.

What are some good packing tips?

VickiM68 — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 21:34:28 GMT

Question

What are your best packing tips? How do you pack for a weekend getaway vs. a week or multiple-week trip?

Answers

Take less, not more. We went to South America for 6 weeks with a carryon and tote bag each. Once you ditch the checked bag, you'll never go back. It's incredibly freeing.

For longer trips, I always pack old underwear and t-shirts that would otherwise be thrown out or used as cleaning rags. I leave the old stuff behind as I travel, and can use the space for souvenirs, instead of bringing back a bunch of dirty laundry.

I am a 45-year flight attendant who has traveled extensively — both domestic and international destinations. Whether packing for work or simply a short getaway with my husband, we always follow a couple simple packing rules that seem to work in keeping the quantity of what's packed down and taking only that which you'll probably use.

A few days prior to departure, spread out all intended items for travel on a bed and re-evaluate them in the following days.That is, will I really use this? Can I coordinate a couple items to reduce the number of garments taken? (layering is a good way to go) Reconsider the weather at the destination, ensuring appropriate clothing is packed in lieu of that which would be too cool or warm. It's this prior evaluation that helps to pack only that which you'd probably use and/or need, depending on the length of the trip.

One last suggestion is in the packing process... and that is to 'roll' up items, allowing more space to be available in the suitcase. Items that roll-up nicely include underwear, T-shirts, slacks, etc. These items can then be placed around the sides of the suitcase as well as in other small areas not taken up with other essentials. Any space that can be saved allows an additional item or two to be packed — or a last-minute item just thought about. Packing with a purpose is our motto!

Make lists on your computer. One for electronics, one for toiletries (we keep ours constantly packed) and meds, predeparture (cancel papers, hold mail, alert only a couple of trusted folks, alarm company, police), and other categories. Update those checklists and change the computer file. Make sure someone has access to your vital medical and financial info. (I wear a medical bracelet with a flash drive in it — lots of info in there. Or park info in the Cloud where only your password can get it.) Lay out clothes, shoes, etc., and pack smart. (If your hotel has a coin laundry, pack pods of detergent, dryer sheets — which keep your suitcase smelling nice!) Take collapsible "walking poles" — your body will thank you. Pack sensible shoes!!! Check your smartphone settings to not run up a huge bill (especially if traveling outside the US!). When you know you are organized, it is far easier to relax and enjoy yourself!

I travel quite a bit on a motorcycle so have learned that "less is more". My #1 tip is to use packing cubes, particularly the ones with a compression zipper option. As some others have mentioned, I also roll my clothes as much as possible. It's amazing how many rolled up articles of clothing will fit in one compression packing cube! I also pack clothing that will mix and match as well as things that I can layer should the weather cool off. I have other tips too but these are the ones that allow me to travel by motorcycle for 8-9 days with only two saddlebags and a small travel bag on the passenger pillion.

I keep major items packed in a small suitcase (for short trips, for longer trips contents just get dumped into the bigger size one): There is a permanently packed cosmetic-medical kit (just needed on September trip to Germany where travel mate got stung by several wasps - had Benadryl stick in medkit), also containing toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.. Some of the items — like medical, dental, are in a smaller transparent plastic bag which fits into the bigger one; it contains everything in tiny sizes and never gets disassembled, only refurbished (such as the Benadryl stick upon my return) and not put away until everything is back in there. The full cosmetic kit is extremely practical. It consists of outside covers which are non-transparent and there is a handle. It can be carried like a purse when zipped together. Opposite the two covers, inside, are transparent equivalents, each inside zips. It's easy to see the contents of the two inside compartments that form, when all-round outside zipper is unzipped (to make this easier to understand, it's like a little like a book with handles).

The permanent suitcase also contains rolled panties, 3x7 each in a cheap flexible plastic bag inside a bigger cheap flexible plastic bag. For short trips, I can remove 2x7, which get replaced upon my return. It also contains a tiny short terry bathrobe and a pair of black C. — can't think of the famous name, they are sold as street wear — shower shoes (in plastic bag because it may be wet on days of departure, and the shower shoes could even double as an extra pair of streetwear shoes) — in Europe you don't always get enough towels, if any; there is a pair of very light-weight winter-silk pyjamas, which wash easily and can double as warm underwear in an emergency but are not too hot in summer. There are a few more small essentials that I cannot think of right now.

How do you have a great layover?

VickiM68 — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 17:18:23 GMT

Question

How do you like to spend your time at the airport when you arrive a little early or have an extended (or unplanned!) layover?

Answers

Samantha Brown shares her tips:

Well, I probably spend a fair amount of time on my phone, clearing emails, checking the singles sites (ha!), reviewing Amazon deals, etc. But, the most fun is people watching. So grab a cup of coffe, get a good seat close to your gate, and just enjoy the many diverse and interesting travelers.

I haven't traveled in 20 years, but I will be visiting my sister who lives in Florida in about 2 weeks. I will spend my free time at the airport probably people watching some of the time and working on one of my puzzle books.

We usually have an iPad or another device with lots of reading material downloaded to pass the time. I also enjoy visiting with the folks sitting in the terminal waiting for a flight like me. You can meet some pretty interesting and nice people as you wait for your flight to depart.

On long delays, I like to walk around and get some exercise. I always travel with music and a good paperback, as well as reading on my iPad. Sometimes it's just nice to have the book in hand, and it doesn't weary the eyes as much as screen reading.

Don't forget to bring a good dose of patience with you. I know that may be hard for a lot of folks but there are some things you cannot control. So why get your feathers all ruffled? Stay calm and carry on. You'll feel better when you finally reach your destination.

What I do while in the airport: Buy a bottle of water $4.00, grab a newspaper $1.50, and finally 4 mixed drinks or beers, so I can sleep the whole flight. The skies are not friendly anymore !

I spend the time in the bar!

I always get to the airport early. I usually bring my ipad and play words with friends (50+games). I bring 2-3 mystery books and several magazines (Bottom Line Personal, Morningstar Fund Investor & Dividend Investor, Readers Digest).

I normally arrive early but like to spend the time walking, especially if it is a large airport. After that I do some praying/meditating, read, or play games on my iPad.

Some of the bigger airports have great shopping — and often items are marked down. Airports offer a variety of stores, and they are small and easy to manage.

How do you prevent excess international cell phone charges?

VickiM68 — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 16:54:45 GMT

Question

How do you prevent excess international cell phone charges?

Answer

When travelling overseas and using a Consumer Cellular mobile phone, use caution. I just finished a work trip aboard a cruiseferry in Scandinavia. I was in and out of mobile phone range and have roaming enabled on my phone to text and call home. When I returned, I had over 50 minutes of incoming voice charges ($0.30 per) from a Skype number that is probably a telemarketer or scammer.

The thing is, my phone never rang nor was voicemail left. After a long call with CC customer service, they said that the charge begins when a foreign tower receives the call over a landline. If the signal to your phone is weak or no longer vald, it doesn't matter. You are charged for the minutes it tries to ring you.

CC was unwilling to correct the charges saying it is "out of their hands".

My advice whren roaming abroad is to keep your phone in airplane mode until you wish to make a call or send a text. This means you can't receive calls you may want. If you wish to stay available for incoming calls, you may have to eat excess charges when telemarketers and scammers call your number.

I too received a large phone bill with a different company while travelling overseas. I was charged for incoming text messages that I never opened. Now I either just turn the phone off or use airplane mode. I find I use my tablet more but only where there is free wifi.

What are some good tips for traveling with meds?

VickiM68 — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 15:40:29 GMT

Question

Are there any tips on how to travel with a bunch of meds? We will be away from home 4-6 weeks.

Answers

I use those little plastic containers that have 7 sections in them, one for each day of week. I have one for morning meds, one for evening. I preload those. If needed, they can easily be carried.

As much of a pain as it might be, when traveling to some countries, like Mexico, it is safer to have prescriptions in their original bottle. If you know you don't have those issues, I'd suggest using the little plastic weekly pill holders. If you need to travel with things that must stay cold, use a small cooler tote bag with a freezer pack. If flying, those items will need special security screening, but they are allowed, with no restrictions on liquid amounts. Finally, always keep medications in a travel bag that you carry, never in luggage that will be checked or stowed away from you. Primarily this is in case you get separated from your luggage.

I use Ziplock sandwich bags for extended trips. Lightweight, easily packable. All my supplements go in one bag, the scrips go in separate bags for each one with the labels attached.

Really no easy way. I put all my meds in a large ziplock, in their original packaging bottles that are labelled. Then I preload the weekly case I have that has removable day containers, for travel day only. At the first destination, I preload the entire container for the week. I have to carry 14 different prescriptions in varying size bottles. But it doesn't really take up that much room.

I put each prescription med in a single snack size zippie, along with the paper rx that I get from the drug store as my receipt. It takes up very little space and meets the requirement of having the prescription to go with the med. I don't worry about otc stuff. If they take that from me I'll be OK.

I get my prescriptions from a national chain (Rite Aid) locally. If I run out of anything on vacation, the local Rite Aid where I'm staying can look it up and refill it for me. I've done this twice in the last few years. They also have my insurance on file so it cost the same no matter where I'm at. I'm sure it works at other chains also.

I take a plastic case with a week's worth of meds in the correct day and time slots all set up. In addition, I take enough of each med for the length of my trip plus 5 days. These I place in very small (1 x 2) labled plastic bags (obtained at Walmart or a craft store). All of the small bags are then placed in either a quart or gallon bag. When a week is up, I set up another week from the small bags. And i never, ever pack any meds in checked luggage. I do this with non-prescription as well as prescription meds.

We use an app called CareZone, and we also keep a printout of prescriptions from our doctor, which we print from his website. We also have our meds listed in the Emergency feature of our iPhones, and on a pocket card in our wallets. We carry drugs with us, purchase supplements at our destination, and pack empty sorters. We then fill the sorters when we arrive at our destination. You only have to set up this system one time, then you're good for a few years. We travel by plane monthly to international destinations and have never had problems.

The answer to this is different whether you are traveling within the U.S. or out of the country. When in the US, we usually put meds in baggies, and by using a pharmacy that's nationwide, we can get refills anywhere.

However, when traveling internationally it's best to keep them in the original pill bottles. One reply suggested carrying a copy of the prescription, but then you run into the issue of whether it's readable (if handwritten) and whether a customs person is able to read English. It may only delay you for a short while as they get things sorted out, but that could be stressful and even cause a missed flight.

Due to a gastrointestinal issue, my supplements are just as important to me as my meds. I place all my meds in their containers in an Eagle Creek bag with a zipper top. It is flexible and durable and waterproof. I use the Lewis N. Clark AM/PM Folding Pill Organizer. Each organizer has 16-slide locking durable plastic pouches. I fill each pouch in the organizer prior to my trip. It is so easy to organize your supplements and simply take a pouch with you. I have 3 of these organizers in case I am on a 21- or 28-day trip. It is fantastic. I take both the Eagle Creek bag and the AM/PM organizers in my carry-on luggage.

Just be sure you are not staying anywhere overnight before your flight if you are carrying a freezer pack. It will defrost and will count as a liquid and will be confiscated. Happened to me.

We purchased the small craft bags from Walmart in the craft section. They are about 2 x 3 and 3 x 4 in size and are the ziplock type. We put am in one bag and pm in another bag. Then we put all the am in a larger gallon ziplock and the same for the pm. The bags won't open like the pill boxes and they hold quite a few big pills. (I take 3 of the horse sized Omega 3-6-9 daily plus 4 GI meds that are close to it in size) My mother's pills, my pills and my husband's were packed that way and we traveled by cruise and car for a month. The gallon baggies are flexible so no trying to make sure the pill boxes are packed in such a way as to not open during travel We reuse the little baggies each time we travel. Or as cheap as they are, just throw them away.

Hope that helps!

Your meds should always be in your carry-on bag in the container they come in from the pharmacy. Plus the name on the bottle should always match your name exactly as the name on your passport. All non-prescription meds should be in the original bottle they came in. Always put the bottles in clear plastic bags so you have them all together.

I've done a lot of traveling, both short trips and long trips, domestic and abroad, business and pleasure. I have never ever been confronted about the pills I carry in ziplock bags. My scrips come in 90-day supplies, which are large bottles or packages. I am not inclined to carry all those bottles with me when space is in short supply. I do put them in my carryon always, but I will continue to use ziplocks for most trips.

To add to my comment, no one takes narcotics. If we had to travel with them, I would definitely carry them in the original pharmacy bottle. I also ask the Dr. for written prescriptions for each med or a list from the pharmacy. The pharmacist can give you a list that includes illustrations of the specific pills. Keep that information in the baggies with the pills. I even obtain prescriptions for antibiotics and have them filled before we travel just in case someone gets sick while we are out of town. So far, we have never used them, but they are definitely a good investment if your Dr. will agree to it. Try going to a clinic out of town or on a cruise ship or out of the country! We also consolidate our bags, so more than one person's pills are in the same bag. We put the carryon with all the pills through the scanner. I have never had any problems wherever we have traveled. TSA changes daily. So does protocol. Much may depend on who you get at the scanner!

Happy travels!

We just returned from 24 days in Alaska and Canada. We took small craft bags, put our daily meds/vitamins in each little bag. I put all the bags in one large ziplock bag with a typwritten list of everything in each bag. We kept liquid meds in the unopened boxes with pharmacy labels on them. No one ever said a word about our meds. We carried them in our backpacks, I use sugar-free coffie flavoring, which I put in 3 one-ounce bottles in my backpack. Hubby and son carried their CPAP machines. CPAP gave us trouble in Canada. Security not customs. We missed our Canada flight by 1 minute because security practically dissected the machines. This happened both in Vancouver and Toronto. (Missed our flight in Vancouver, slept in Toronto airport over night) So, if you carry a CPAP give yourself extra time in the airport security lines outside the US. We survived! And the trip was GREAT!

Hi I'm glad you had a great trip regardless of the problems with the CPAP machine but your trip could have been a complete disaster the way you were carrying your other drugs. Never put coffee creamer in little bottles in your carryon (you're lucky they did'nt think it was a an illegal drug. Vitamins should be in checked luggage, and always take your pills in the bottle you get from the pharmacy (the pharmacy can always make up smaller bottles for you so you can take along what you need). I always take Tylenol and allergy meds in my carryon, and all my other prescriptions go into a quart-size plastic bags in the original bottle. Make sure the name on your bottle is the same exact name as on your passport. I also take an opiod pain patch and it can be a problem, so always have a letter from the prescribing Dr. telling what it is and why you take it. I travel to Europe a lot, which in itself can be a problem because some meds are illegal in some countries. I'm not trying to tell how to travel just how to be safe and have a fun time.

What is the best advice you received from your mother?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:58:07 GMT

Question

Mothers, tell us the one piece of advice you hope your kids take to heart. In other words, if you had to choose just one bit of wisdom dispensed with the best of intentions that will echo in your children’s minds for the rest of their lives, we want to hear it. Sons and daughters, share the one piece of advice from Mom — replaying in a constant loop in your head — that has most shaped or inspired you.

Answers

My mother used to say "The money is just as green in your pocket as it is in theirs." She was the daughter of depression parents who had done well surviving the national catatophe (they ran a dairy farm, sold farm produce in neighboring towns — chickens, strawberries). And my grandfather sold fish flies, which was curious as there wasn't much water in their part of Illinois!). My grandfather had the first automobile in town.

Over the years, I hear this echo every time a telemarketer calls, everytime I get emails about fabulous sales. I have learned that this is the underbelly of capitalism: money is of high value in parts of our society. My mother's admonition rings loud sometimes and now, looking back over my life, I realize what she told me has helped me make financial decisions, both big and small.

"Let your head save your heels!"

My mother, Margaret Cooper, was a fabulous classical pianist and she and Dad gave their four daughters the opportunity to study music from an early age and to become musicians. Minutes before my first violin recital, as a ten-year-old, I suddenly told Mom that I had "butterflies" — in other words I was nervous and afraid to play in front of all those people. She told me very matter of factly, "Oh no, that's not nervousness. What you're feeling is excitement! Excitement to get up on the stage and share your beautiful music with everybody and make them all very happy." Well, that's all it took. And for the past 53 years as a performer in music, theater and dance her words have never failed me. I was a young adult when I finally realized that she had tricked me, but in doing so she had given me a valuable life skill, the ability to channel my thoughts, feelings and energy in positve directions that would aid me most. And the joy of sharing.

My parents were married over 50 years and my Mom always said the secret was never go to bed fighting or mad with each other — settle the argument before you fall asleep.

"Secure the place you live before anything else." This has been passed down to my children, her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Her other advise was "Your only friends are your Mother and the money in your pocket." These words bring warmth to my heart when I hear my children tell their friends the same.

When I would tell my mother something that I had heard that was hurtful or seemed untrue, my mother would always say, "Consider the source." If you hear something from someone who loves to gossip or is known to talk a lot without checking the truth before speaking, it is best to forget what you have heard from that person.

My mother always told us to treat others the way we would like to be treated.

My mother always said if you cannot say anything nice about someone, do not say anything at all.

My stepmother told me that learning to cook using fresh ingredients and leaving commercially canned or packaged foods at the grocery store would never fail me. She was right about that.

In a similar vein to gossip, my maternal grandmother ALWAYS said, 'when you grow up, you will realize that common sense is not all that common.' How True!

Always be independent. Never rely on anyone but yourself.

When all else fails...read the directions.

My mom told me that NO One Can Take Care of my Children like i do...not even her. Not that my mom wasnt a good guardian or grandma...she simply meant your children should be your priority. Trust no one to take care of them like yourself. I always remembered that.

My mother always led through example. Make your bed every morning, put a dab/spray of perfume between your breasts, and look into a mirror with a smile. She had 6 children, 2 of whom were severely disabled due to Polio, and persevered. She never complained and faced each day with courage and grace.

Make sure you have a job so that you can always suppport yourself, and don't have to just rely on a man to support you.

When returning home from doing errands, my mom would always take an indirect route to drive down a particular street. One day, I asked her why. She said, "I always go the pretty way" and pointed out a particular house with lovely landscaping. No matter where we went we saw some simple beauty because mom always went the pretty way.

My mom's most oft repeated words of advice are:

"You need to get along with everyone."

"If you share, you'll have more friends."

and that old favorite: "Try not to fight!"

My Mom always told me "You're known by the company you keep" and "the world doesn't revolve around you" great things to remember! She was a great Mom and grandmother, kind and thoughtful. She is missed every day. Happy Mother's day in Heaven!

Give others the benefit of the doubt. Always look for the good in people. Look both ways and never forget to look up.

My mother would tell me "you are just as good as anyone else and better than most."

She would always tell me in the grocery store ... I carried you for 9 months; you can carry this out to the car. I loved that!

My mom always reminded us girls that a LADY is kind, considerate of others, always polite, never raises her voice, helps others when needed without having to be asked and . . . even more importantly, ALWAYS behaved in a manner that made people glad to see you COME, not glad to see you GO!!! Can you tell I'll be 83 in 4 months? I don't think many parents teach these things any more.

Be always brave and intelligent and move forward irrespective of the hardships faced.

My mother told me and my siblings that we always represented home, and never let anyone tell us who we are or what we can become. And never compare ourselves to others, if we've given the best that we can do or we have, that's all we can ask of ourselves.

While my dear Mom suffered her entire life from pretty severe mental illness, which affected our entire family, she had many moments of loving clarity. I most remember her oft-repeated and heartfelt words, "be kind."

Actually the one of piece of advice that I think of daily as I get older was from my grandmother. She alwys told me "that any day is good as long as you can get out of bed." This puts my problems in perspective for me. I am out of bed and moving so I am thankful.

Actually, my grandmother was pretty wise. This is probably where her daughter (my mom) got it. Her advise was "Keep moving, don't just stand there. It's hard to hit a moving target!" This really makes sense now that I will be 83 in November, still work, don't go to the doctor, don't take medications . . . well, you get the idea. When I talk with my customers, they can't believe my age. I owe it all to older loved ones.

What are your tips for a great marriage?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:53:50 GMT

Question

Married a long time? Share advice that makes your marriage work after many years.

Answers

Be the right person.

Annnnnd that person is: accepting, gracious, slow to anger, kind, unselfish, forgiving, flexible, trusting, positive and hopeful.

I have never once spoken ill of my husband in public. Anything I have to say to him, I have to say to him. No other audience can solve the issue: only the two of us can. Thus I simply do not air our problems. And, listen, we're human: obviously we have our share of problems. 🙂

It doesn't hurt to like and admire the attributes of your spouse. This will take you through those smelly-feet,-uncouth-remark,-wrong-side-of-the-bed days.

One of the practices that I think has contributed to DH and me staying together through high tide and low is that we have the habit of giving each other gifts of experience (AKA gifts of self) rather than material goods. For instance, we hike to a new mountain top or cycle somewhere new to celebrate milestones. But we haven't exchanged store bought gifts in decades. We find gifts of self to have the most value. Those days when you are in danger of drowning in discontent, believe me, shared experiences will become the raft keeping your love afloat. To me, that's worth every diamond pendant in the world.

Where I think marriages begin to fall apart is when one of the partners begins to feel or they begin to think they no longer can "say certain things to him or her".

With the loss of my 23-year marriage, regardless of who was right or wrong, I can now see that in the top five "long term" successful marriages, "friendship" MUST be in the top five, not in any specific order, but my opinion "friendship" would be in the top 5. I really don't want to get much into the "divorce" theory stuff on this post, but I think it will help reinforce as to why the "friendship" is KEY in any successful marriage.

Epster, what I like about your post is that you seem to have clear visions of what you expect out of your partner and you probably communicated your expectations, and that's half the battle is when we "men" know what a woman expects. I am not saying we "men" need to know everything and I agree some mystery needs to be left to the imagination for the marriage growth, but some major hints upfront would be nice........................................and contrary to what every woman thinks....................................."we men cannot read minds!".......................................................I know, it's a shocker to hear a man admit that men are not like the "Great and Powerful Oz", just kidding, humor you have to love it ................................................................................so back to serious............

...................................................and vice versa as I am sure there are many women out that don't want to be second guessing if they are doing right or wrong in their marriage, so we "men" need to say what we mean, and mean what we say.....................and NOT just walk into the room and say "The Great OZ has spoken" and then just walk away from our partner with no further discussion or input from them.

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd...................that brings me back to the friendship thing.

I think many married/divorced couples I have spoken with either got separated mentally somewhere in the marriage, and it seems to always boil down to "expectations", or more so leads to the "lack of understanding" towards those expectations.

Once again, I think one of the key aspects of any "long-term relationship" is that some level of friendship is included in that relationship. I have seen both man to man, and woman to woman that are just good old long-term friendships that have from time to time, they have lied to each other, hurt each other, and even some of the man to man friendships beat the heck out of each other, but.........................somehow, someway, they talk it out, they forgive each other and they become better and closer friends (in most cases, not all).

So why is it that marriages seem to fail to get over those same hurdles as compared to common friendship problems?.........................................and here comes that word again, friendship...................it all leads back to the marriage having the "lack of friendship", which in turn leads to less communication and eventually turning that marriage into another statistic failure.

Yes: we started as best friends, telling each other everything — our hopes and hurts, exposing our frailties and fears. We continue as such all these many years later, though of course those hopes and hurts, frailties and fears have changed.

We still want the absolute best for each other and that, I think, drives this marriage.

Maybe what we have is just an old-fashioned marriage, I don't know.

Me and Ma have been married 3 decades going on 4. It hasn’t all been a walk in the park. Many, many years ago she helped me to find my true north and any success I’ve had in life I have her to thank for it.

I think patience, laughing often together, and being true to each other has been the key ingredients in our love potion.

If you made a commitment to God and your partner — keep it come hell or high water. Period. Worked for me for 33 years nowj.

Get to know each other before the wedding, not after. Men, don't be so much of a man that you can't admit when you're wrong. Always consider her feelings.

What are some good dating tips for men over 50?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:42:20 GMT

Question

What are some good dating tips for men over 50?

Answers

Life is not high school. Act mature. You are missing out on a LOT of great women because you still think the prom queen is waiting for you. Really?
Take a look at yourself in the mirror — Are you neat, clean, hair cut, clothes pressed, beard trimmed? Seriously — please make an effort. We don't care about the belly or the bald spot — we DO care about someone who takes a shower and brushes his teeth.
Act interesting as well as be interested! Some of you are advertising for mothers, nurses, and maids — not friends and partners. It shows. If you can't initiate a conversation at this point, and ask questions about her and her life....what makes you think we are willing to do the same? We may be lonely, but we are not desperate.
We get you all like football, cars, and NASCAR. So — go enjoy it. We don't have to be joined at the hip. Hopefully, if we TALK we will find mutual likes, etc.
Drop the "I don't do drama" line. This has to be the most selfish line ever written because what you are really saying is that you never figured out how to discuss and resolve a conflict with another human being, and you are not even willing to try. And you say you are ready for a relationship?
Be OK in terms of taking care of yourself; it's not about a lot of money; it's about knowing what to do with what you have. Take care of your business. It's how you build trust with us.
Great physical intimacy isn't always about an erection. It's about being willing to be romantic; it's about touching; it's about exploring; it's about deriving pleasure from what you CAN give as much as from what you can get. Buy a book — read about it. Or better yet, ASK us.
Don't lie, cheat, steal, etc. It's wrong. And you don't have to; believe us when we tell you, we women have been through so much by this time in our lives, we can smell a line of BS at 50 paces. Save us all the time and trouble. You want want to go — tell us and go. We will eat a pint of ice cream this time, and go to bed. The sun will still rise in the morning and set at night.
Life on this side of the line is shorter — we ALL could use a lot more laughter, love, great sex, and someone that cares in our lives. We are ALL looking for each other. What we need you to do is clean your window and let us really see you as you are.
Life IS shorter — stop wasting time. Ask. Dare to start something. Do something — ANYTHING. Just don't sit there and let us pass by.

For those of you who are tired of being alone I empathize. I lost my wife of 52 years to cancer. I had not dated for, here goes, more than a half century. I was alone for a while and at 73 my chances of finding some one was declining with my age. To add insult to injury I had to call my 47 year old son to see what the rules were.

I quickly enliminated bar hopping, church and friends. That left living by my self, standing on the corner with a sign, or going on the Internet. I decided to join a dating site for seniors. I am fairly tech savvy so the mechanics of the search were easy. Figuring out who I was and what I wanted was the hard part then writing that with a semblance of understanding was daunting as well.

Then came the pictures. I seldom was in our pictures I was the picture taker, so I had to have someone take them for me.

I hit the enter button and was out there. Trust me on this there are a lot of very nice women out there. As irishmist says "dare to do something" and that means get out there and seek dates. After one mistaken relationship, I regrouped, refocused, and hit the dating scene again. This time I knew who and what I was seeking as well as I knew what my deal killers were.

I dated about 12 to 15 very nice women before I found the one that knocked my boots off. Unlike the recommendations, our first date was 8.5 hours long. I had scheduled a four week cruise to get away from it all and do some writing. Through email and phone calls we fostered feeling for each other and fell. In love. We have been together now for going on two years.

Love is out there, however it will not fall in your lap. Be willing to follow irishmist's comments, be sure you 8nderstand what you want, a be sure you never compromise on your deal killers.

Now get out there.

BINGO! I like your number 5 "I don't do drama". I see many posts with the statements...........

"AND NO DRAMA PLEASE"...........................really, I think to myself.

Is not life filled with drama? As we get older do we just let all of our emotions leave us and become unfeeling and unthinking?????????????

Statistically men that reach the 50ish age bracket should have a clue about relationships, yeah I know, sorry ladies, it takes us that long to get the wisdom we need, just the way that it is.

Since I am a man, here is my advice for any man. Look at her for the "Look".

Remember the "Look" guys?????

Only a woman can give you that special look. It's in her eyes (AND NOT THE BEDROOM EYES). That "LOOK" she has when you enter a room........It doesn't matter if she is 18 or 118, a woman's look will always remain one of the most grandest looks on earth. If you miss the look, then you're still a fool..................And by the way guys, if you're staring at and rating her breasts to measure up to your standards....................YOU WILL MISS HER LOOK...................because she will stop looking at you because she knows what you are looking at and focused on. So you best read Irishmist's post, she is correct on her thoughts and ideas. And not only 50+ year women think this way, women have always thought this way even when they were 18 years old. We men are the ones who got MOST of it wrong, we didn't really mean to screw things up, but we did it all the same.

I also agree with Irishmist, we men and women all get old, we get wrinkles, get some grey hair, we might lose hair, etc., but that's no reason to not try and maintain what we have left and wear some clean clothes once in a while : ) :.............................and DO NOT give up on yourself because you are getting OLD. Quit sitting around thinking of how nice it would B2B 25 years old again. Too late, those years are gone. Chin up and have fun with what you have and what time you have left.

If you get that look from a woman again in your life, then as suggested in the original post,

don't lie to her AT ALL

(LYING IS THE TOP of the DO NOT DO LIST with woman, so don't do it)

and tell her everything she wants to know about you. Tell her about your past mistakes if she wants to know and you might just have your new best friend, and that's what it's all about.

I disagree with Irishmists post concerning the statement:

"we can smell a line of BS at 50 paces"

guys........ Women can smell a line of BS from 500 paces and beyond that!, they always could, they just tolerated it when they were younger ladies. Am I wrong here ladies? I think not.

So guys, READ Irishmist's post, read it another 10 times so it will sink in, and read the replies to the post..........................bottom line is gentlemen, it's what most woman WANT, it's what they have always wanted.................and it's time for us men to want the same thing...............an honest relationship, some smiles and laughs together, a hand to hold, side by side and a best friend, all the other stuff will naturally fall into place if you give it a chance too.

On second thought guys, read the original post another 20 times..........just in case it doesn't sink in at first 🙂

I was very heartened to see Irishmist's post such an on-point comment about what we men should he thinking about when we go back into dating. As a single male for the past 8 years, I have had my share of misadventures disguised as bad dates. Well, bad from her perspective. I did not have a clue. I was unceremoniously dumped by my latest ex-wife and found myself basically a mess. My dating exploits would have made 50 First Dates a horror flick.

My internet profile picture was the “Dummy” in Dating for Dummys.

A friend of mine who is new to the 50+ dating scene asked me just last night what is the biggest difference between now and then. I couldn’t name just one, but I started with she is not the same woman you dated when you were in your 20s. She is free, has her own life and does not need a man. And she is not looking for someone who “needs” her.

I believe the most important trait in the early stages of a relationship is listening. Actually not just in dating, but in life. You will get a chance to tell your stories. Listen to hers. Be genuinely interested. Pay attention. It is natural for people to like to talk about themselves. It makes them feel good if someone responds positively to it. Ask follow-up questions and wait for her to make it your turn.

I learned a lot of things the hard way. Therapy and learning from 50 Worst Dates helped me deal with the reality of dating at this age.

OMG!!! Loved this, especially the line of smelling BS. The last one really hit home. As someone who has been doing the online dating thing for the past 16 months since my hubby of 20+ yrs and I separated. Good grief! The number of men online that are so afraid of taking a step of any kind to meet someone they may actually like is absolutely astounding!

If I were going to add anything to this it would be "don't wait for someone else to make the first step. If you are interested in getting to know someone better and want to meet them, ask for a date. If you don't, someone else will." PERIOD!!!

Start with the gym wookout, church, yard sales, grocery store, sports venues, or playing coed sports.

Ice skating or ice fishing, roller skating, boating, going to a sports game.

Try starting a Meetup. You can start anything: walks, hikes, movies. You can meet like-minded people and have fun too.

I had not dated for over 1/2 century. My 50-year-old son was no help, so I thought about asking my grandchildren and well no.

There is no reason to be afraid. I chose a dating site. It offered options, and privacy. If I found someone of interest, I could ask questions via messages. If it went past that, I could do due diligence.

What is difficult is realizing who you really are and who/what you are looking for. Until you answer these questions, do not start. I say that from expirience. I didn’t at first and made a recoverable mistake.

I went back to the drawing board and had success. She and I have been together for almost 4 years now.

What options does a 63-year-old nonworking person have for collecting Social Security?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:21:00 GMT

Question

I am 64 and plan on working until I am 70. My wife is 63 and has not worked for 15 years. Also we have 2 adopted children ages 18 and 8. What are my wife's options to start collecting benifits now?

Answer

Did she pay into the SS system while she was working? If she worked for a government agency — federal, state or local — sometimes they are outside the system, and other rules would apply.

Social Security retirement benefits are based on a person's earnings record over their working years. A person needs at least 40 credits (10 years of work for most Americans) to qualify for retirement benefits, and the 35 years with your highest earnings count toward your benefit level.

If she did pay into the SS sytem while she was working, worked long enough to be vested, and had substantial earnings, she should be able to get her own benefit — probably a small one because of these last 15 years, i.e., not working. It would also be reduced because she is filing earlier than her full retirement age.

She should register at the mySocialSecurity website and see her statement.

mySocialSecurity.gov - My Account Registration

Don't think she will get anything for the kids since you are still working.

Once you retire (70), she may want to switch to her spousal benefit which will be 1/2 of yours — but it is 1/2 of only your full retirement benefit and not the extra you will be getting due to working until 70, IF that is higher than her own benefit. By then the 18-year-old will be out of the dependent picture due to age, but you may get a bonus for a few years on the younger one.

She can also go to a local Social Security office and get the figures from them and make a decision — the mySocialSecurity account would be easier, and it will also block anybody else from filing for her benefit fraudently. Keep the info when she sets it up.

How do Social Security benefits for an ex-spouse work?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:09:55 GMT

Question

For a couple that is married for 10 years, if the husband pays into Social Security for those 10 years while his spouse does not work, when they get divorced, is the non-working ex-spouse eligibible for Social Security benefits (because the marriage lasted 10 years)?

If the husband keeps working for years after the divorce, will the ex-spouse's benefit amount be impacted?

Answer

The divorced spouse, if all the eligibility requirements are met, is entitled to 50% of the ex-spouse's benefit at retirement age as long as her own benefit, if she qualifies for one, is not greater than this amount.

Social Security - Divorced Spouse Benefits

All the other rules for benefits still apply — early filing, full retirement age, etc. If the ex-spouse keeps working until he is 70 — to earn a higher benefit for himself than he would have gotten at his FULL Retirement age, it does not count towards any sort of spousal benefit — married or divorced.

Question

This is assuming the ex-wife will not work in U.S. and will have zero Social Security credits, the husband's post-divorce payments into Social Security will grow the ex-wife's Social Security benefit amount, right?

Answer

As long as all eligibility rules apply (see the link), her full retirement age divorced spouse benefit will be 50% of his benefit at full retirement age. If he continues to work past his full retirement age to age 70, she will get none of this benefit bonus.

If she wants these divorced spouse benefits received while she is living outside the U.S., that has more rules of its own.

How does Social Security work with disability benefits?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:59:09 GMT

Question

I just turned 62 and applied to start collecting my checks early. My first one will arrive next month. I am still working, but now my doctor is talking about putting me on disability due to some medical issues. So if that happens and my checks have already started, will the amount go up to the amount you would receive when on disibility or will it stay the amount collected at 62?

Answer

You perhaps need to talk to SSA before beginning your early retirement benefit.

Being declared disabled by the SSA, you would get 100% of your retirement benefit as your SSDI amount. Filing early (at 62, or earlier than your Full Retirement Age) for your old age SS retirement benefit, you will get a reduced retirement benefit because you are filing for it early — and it will continue to stay reduced forever by the calculated "reduction factor"..

If you get disability benefits — which are your full benefit — at your full retirement age, the amount will not change but the classification of it will change from SSDI to SSOAI (from Social Security Disability Insurance to Social Security Old Age Insurance).

However, you cannot just file for disability and get it. It has to be approved by the SSA — sometimes a very long process depending upon your medical condition and diagnosis.

Now certain medical conditions or being terminally ill can make this disability qualification pretty much a certainty. Here are the medical conditions which the SSA approves pretty readily. If your disease is not listed, you can submit it for consideration.

SSA: Compassionate Allowance Conditions

The thing about disability is the approval might take a while depending upon your condition. If one of the above Compassionate Allowance Conditions isn't met or you are not terminally ill, you might not get approval at all. Also keep in mind, depending upon your condition, they may also make a ruling to see if you could work again at some job that does not tax your health — although for people over 60, that is not too much of a deal.

Once the disability claim is approved, there is a lag time of about 5 months from the last time you had income from employment to begin disability benefits.

I am pretty sure there is a way to file for both at the same time and get the early retirement benefit started — then if you are finally approved for disability, there are some cost adjustments done by the SSA. You would need to work closely with the SSA to handle all of this so as to not get caught up in government complexity — need I say more? The calculations would be based on your paying back the early retirement amount to be offset against the (whatever) disability award and how far back they go with it. It is this part for which you need to visit your local SSA office and talk to a knowledgeable person about it. If you consider this, you might want to hold off on the early retirement application.

What is a QLAC and is it a good investment?

VickiM68 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:52:47 GMT

Question

I was curious if anyone has looked at longetivity annuities/QLACs? I'm trying to figure out if I should be looking at these, or if there are too many pitfalls.

Answers

It's an annuity that can be used to reduce your RMD. Of course, that's not the only idea. It's simply an investment vehicle to guarantee a lifetime of income.

I know there are some major downsides like dying before you start receiving the annuity, in which case, none of it goes to your estate. It all goes to the company from whom you purchased (unless I misunderstand). A number of financial advisers are stating it's a pretty good idea, for someone with substantial assets, to put some portion of their portfolio into one of these.

I need to be sure I understand all the risks — all the 'worst case' issues if I purchased one.

"....In 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Treasury revised rules regarding MRDs. These rules may provide you with greater flexibility for a portion of your pre-tax assets, allowing you to delay taking income payments until you may need them. A QLAC is a deferred income annuity that allows income to begin beyond age 70½ without conflicting with MRD rules. QLACs provide you with flexibility to defer the income start date until age 85 and can only be funded with assets from a Traditional IRA, or with assets from an eligible employer-sponsored qualified plan — 401(k), 403(b), and governmental 457(b). With a QLAC, you shift the risk of outliving your income to the insurer, who promises to pay you a certain amount of income for the rest of your life. The insurer also assumes your interest and market risk; even if the market and interest rates go down significantly during your deferral period, you still get the same guaranteed income stream...".

People commenting here don't seem to know about QLACs. You specify the start date for receiving income, it does not start at age 95. You actually cannot defer it past age 85. You can do single or joint life. Also surviver payments and and a Return of Premium death benefit less any payment that has been made to you.

https://www.immediateannuities.com/qlac-qualified-longevity-annuity-contract/

I won't repeat the basics you can get by googling "what is a QLAC." What I can tell you is to think of it exactly like an immediate annuity with payments starting at age 85 (rather than now).

You do not want to buy a QLAC or immediate annuity now because you get stuck with a very low interest rate. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT TELL YOU THE RATE! (It would be very good for AARP to lobby for disclosure of the rate with the NAIC.) It is clearly and obviously taking advantage of seniors — those who buy these products — to not disclose the rate. The insurance companies will tell you how much to deposit and how much you will get as a payout. YOU need to calculate that compounded rate of return (you would think your financial advisor could do this, but most do not have the competence — ask your CPA).

If you die before age 85 or before you have recovered your initial deposit, you are guaranteed to get back whatever you invested (with 0% interest).

It occurs to me that an investor who has done well in stocks and wants to remain in stocks may be best suited for a QLAC (or a deferred longevity annuity). It allows the investor to take risk while knowing that they have a guaranteed income later in life (i.e, it is a good emotional tool)

You can also buy a QLAC with a total refund option on it where you don't lose your deposit. I ran some numbers at QlacQuote.com for a 64-year-old female starting income at age 85. Life only (No return of $) at age 85 $3,467/month vs. total refund at death $2,758. Loss of some income with the refund option, but they both give lifetime income.

It's a fixed annuity plain and simple. When used in an IRA, you don't need to take distributions from it until age 85 (rather than age 70.5). If you are a conservative investor, this may be fine for you as fixed annuities typically pay 1% more than long-term CDs at the bank. Currently, the yields on QLACs is 3-4%. You won't ever see that rate published — you need to know how to use a financial calculator. You cannot lose money (assuming the insurance company stays in business, which is a very good best given the low rate they pay you). For an investor who usually chooses mutual funds, QLACs will likely not be a rewarding investment.

I am sorry, but may I suggest that you check your sources. QLAC stands for Qualified Longivity Annuity Contract. It is a setup so that a portion of the seniors' long-term savings is NOT EXPOSED to the risks of the market's volatilities. How is that ever a BAD thing, when us seniors do not know when we may kick the bucket or required higher withdrawls? The whole goal of the QLAC is not about the returns but to deferr a portion (the lesser of the $130,000 or 1/4 of your retirement savings) to a later RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) age of 85 from 70.5. So for those who are able to plan out their usage, they can move their retirement to a GUARANTEED payment schedule and earning.

This move tends to take $ away from money managers who see it as a threat to their managed portfolios. In reality, it is a lower risk, as the payout is far more than your suggested 1%. The payment is based upon # of years in deferral, and your age. If a female, 64, choses to put away $125,000 until age 80, at the time she is 80, she will receive a little over $1700 per month for the rest of her life.... GUARANTEED, as stated on the contract per requirement from our government. It will not matter if the market goes up or down...

This was an important piece that the securities (401K) and mutual fund companies avoid... It helps seniors to put their retirements away in GUARANTEED CONTRACTS at a VERY REASONABLE RETURN so that their retirements are away from the volatilities of the market.... Think how you would feel when 2008 rolled around and suddenly over 1/3 of your retirement evaporated overnight. And it would take nearly 6 years for it to get back to where it was IF YOU DON'T TOUCH THE PRINCIPLE... imagine all the seniors who had to live off the principles at the time!!!!!!! They pretty much will never be able to get back to even!!!!!! I really get irritated when people skew the facts to make that extra commission.... I am in that business, but there is not need twist the facts.

Peace,

Steven Chao

QLAC is one of the best hedges against longivity and the volatility of the market. Remember, this is NOT all your retirement. It is most likely that some of your retirement are still invested in the growth sectors (through your multiple mutual funds).

Congratulations on that sale to the 64-year-old woman who is going to get a whopping $1,700 a month starting sixteen years from now. Did you tell her what that $1,700 will mean in actual dollars in the year 2034? Or did you tell her what her $125,000 would grow to — based on historical returns — if she put it all in VG Index500 and just forgot about it for 16 years?

No, market volatility and "longivity" are not the biggest threats to senior citizens. Inflation is the bigger threat. And the best protection against that is to develop a disciplined plan of investing in low-cost, no-load mutual funds with an emphasis on asset allocation (AA). Re-balancing when appropriate for aging.

There is good reason why annuities have always had a bad rep. Nothing has changed. Salesmen still trot out the gloom and doom talk of a bear market coming, other scare tactics. Hoping that the prospect is too feeble-minded to look up the published average annual returns of stock investing since 1926. Which is around 10%.

Let us take your suggestion with the lady that purchased QLAC (a version of Guaranteed Income Annuity). Since I am not a fortunate teller, I cannot look into the future. Hence, I have to use history as a point of reference (even though according to some, it is not likely to repeat).

So, my client purchased 125,000 worith of S&P 500 stocks around the first week of August 2000. Tossing out commission and dividents, she will receive 88.03 shares at $1420

Year	S&P 500	Value
2000	1420	125000
2004	1064	93663.92
2008	1296	114086.9
2012	1391	122449.7
2016	2183	192169.5
2018	2820	248244.6

So as of today, if my client took your advice, she would have profited $123,103. Basically at a withdrawl rate of $1700 per month, that profit would have lasted her 6 years until it eats into her principle $125,000 (reglardless of the value of the $). Which is all good, until you realize that it took you 18 years to generate 6 years of income! You're right, I am using history to scare the readers. You're right history never repeats. You tell that to the seniors who worked at Walmart between 2000 and 2014 who could not retire because they could not withdraw from their principle retirement accounts that were tied to the market.

BTW, the average return on the S&P 500 between 2000 to today is around 5.48% (as you can see). However, in reality it is no better than the same account receiving a fixed annual 4.12%. You can see the evidence below;

2000	125000
2001	124999
2002	130148.9
2003	135511.1
2004	141094.1
2005	146907.2
2006	152959.8
2007	159261.7
2008	165823.3
2009	172655.2
2010	179768.6
2011	187175.1
2012	194886.7
2013	202916
2014	211276.1
2015	219980.7
2016	229043.9
2017	238480.5
2018	248305.9

Here is another thing... if you actually purchased a deferred income annuity back in 2000. You would have received a monthly income of well over $2,000 per month.

On the final assessment of your suggestion that inflation is the enemy: I don't disagree, but might I remind you, inflation, deflation, stagnation, hyper inflation, and a host of other possible economic issues may all be unknow risks that become problems. However, it is only a problem if the client lives that long. Therefore isn't the unknown in the story of longivity the issue at play here. I don't suggest people to avoid the growth in the market, but I would not paint a rosy picture either. You can do so with your money. More power to you. My client choses to use a portion of her $ to have a safety net. You clearly don't know people who had to work at Walmart.

If you can tell me when someone dies, when the payments end, then I can figure out the return of the QLAC. Its all about INCOME in retirement.

Example:

1. S&P500 fund $100,000 getting 8% annually would give you $215,893 in 10 years (4% income, $8,636/yr) Google "4% rule"

2. QLAC $100,000 at age 61, Male income at age 71 would give you $13,356 income for life!

The QLAC gives you $4,720 MORE guaranteed income for life than the S&P 500 portfolio. You don't have to wait until age 85 to start income with a QLAC. Anytime from deposit to age 85 to start income.

-income rates at www.QLACQuote.com/get-quote

You can choose the "refund" option to allow your deposit to go to your name beneficiaries. By choosing this option, your income will be a little lower than the full "Life only" option. You can also add your spouse for the income payments which cut down the risk of losing the income.

Why is there a windfall with Social Security?

VickiM68 — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 23:01:57 GMT

Question

I receive none of my husbands benefit since I have a pension from driving a school bus. He ran his own business and paid into the system BOTH parts for 24 years before he passed with cancer. I still work and must work to maintain what little we have. A $236 check from SSI after medicare and my $900 check after taxes for the pension leaves little without working. The federal pensioners receive SSI if they had earned it. Why don't state pensioners?

Answer

As a widow/widower or spouse with a government pension from a federal, state or local government who did NOT participate in the Social Security system, you are being affected by the Social Security - Government Pension Offset

It affects both Social Security spousal benefits as well as widow/widower benefits.

If you receive a pension from a government job in which you did not pay Social Security taxes, some or all of your Social Security spouse's, widow's, or widower's benefit may be offset due to receipt of that pension. This offset is referred to as the Government Pension Offset, or GPO.

The GPO reduces the amount of your Social Security spouse's, widow's, or widower's benefits by two-thirds of the amount of your government pension. For example, if you receive a monthly civil service pension of $600, two-thirds of that, or $400, must be used to offset your Social Security spouse's, widow's, or widower's benefits. If you are eligible for a $500 spouse's benefit, you will receive $100 per month from Social Security ($500 - $400 = $100).

Some individuals are exempt from the offset. Generally, your Social Security benefits as a spouse, widow, or widower will not be reduced if you:

Are receiving a government pension that is not based on your earnings; or
Are a federal (including Civil Service Offset), state, or local government employee whose government pension is based on a job where you were paying Social Security taxes; and
- You filed for and were entitled to spouse's, widow's, or widower's benefits before April 1, 2004;
- Your last day of employment (that your pension is based on) is before July 1, 2004; or
- You paid Social Security taxes on your earnings during the last 60 months of government service. (Under certain conditions, fewer than 60 months may be required for people whose last day of employment falls after June 30, 2004, and before March 2, 2009.)

The Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision reduces the Social Security benefits of the person who has earned it with some work covered by Social Security but not enough to give them a full benefit and they also have a government job with a government pension where they were not covered by Social Security.

More information:

Social Security Administration pamphlet - Government Pension Offset:

There is a lot more conversation on each of these provisions under the board here entitled "Social Security". AARP Community Board: Social Security

What do I need to know about estate planning for an elder relative?

VickiM68 — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 22:28:31 GMT

Question

What do I need to know about estate planning for an elder relative? Is there a good book or information out there to help my Mom with her will and estate planning? She is 75 years old and has asked me to be her executer of her estate.

Answers

I usually post responses that often have a theme of 'take personal responsibility' and do your homework. But, I'm a believer in consulting a lawyer (of course, one that specializes in elder law) to handle will and estate planning. There are different laws among the states, and it's too easy to leave something out of a will that should be noted. It also depends on how complex your mom's finances are, and if other family members are involved.

Now, having stated that, I still believe in doing some homework, which you are asking about.

Planning Your Estate: Ten Things You Should Know ... - Law

AARP - Estate Planning - Living Wills, Trusts, Inheritance ...

Do I Need Estate Planning? - The State Bar of California

(This last link is for California, but I believe it contains a lot of good info in general)

It is always recommended that you consult an estate planning lawyer with experience in drafting wills before attempting to make or interpret a will.

Your local probate court or the probate court that your mother's estate would go through when she dies would also be a good resource about a role as an executor or personal representative. Although they cannot give legal advice, they do have information and answers about administering an estate.

Yes, I agree that you should contact an estate planning attorney, for example:

https://estatelawtexas.com/

It would be a good idea to search for a local elder law attorney in your area on the NELF website.

https://www.nelf.org/

The National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) is the only national organization certifying practitioners of elder and special needs law. There are nearly 500 Certified Elder Law Attorneys across the country.

What are some good resources for deciding on a Medicare plan during Open Enrollment?

VickiM68 — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 12:52:28 GMT

Once a year, Medicare beneficiaries get a chance to change their coverage. Here are a few links to help you make the best choices for your healthcare needs:

Your Guide to Medicare Open Enrollment

Your Health Your medical condition should be top of mind as you review your Medicare coverage.

Your Home Where you live and where you travel makes a difference. Be sure to review this section.

The Cost Out-of-pocket expenses can add up, so it pays to shop around each year.

Your Current Insurance When you should enroll in Medicare depends on your current coverage.

Learn more by visiting the Medicare Resource Center on AARP.org.

What is happening with the AARP Medicare Plan and Silver Sneakers?

VickiM68 — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 16:38:37 GMT

We understand you have concerns regarding the removal of the Silver Sneakers program as a value-added benefit to your AARP branded Medicare plan. We are sorry that this program is no longer going to be offered in your state.

How Changes Are Determined

Decisions about the SilverSneakers program markets are made jointly by UnitedHealthcare, SilverSneakers and AARP. The evaluation process must take into account a variety of different factors, such as the availability of locations, number of insured members in a state, marketing factors, regulatory concerns, etc.

What is Happening

At this time, SilverSneakers is being replaced with a variety of new services such as a special membership rate at participating YMCAs and fitness centers and a personal wellness coach available over the phone to help you set and meet your fitness and health goals.

UnitedHealthcare can also connect you to valuable community resources to help you live as healthy and active a life as possible. You can use a participating YMCA or fitness center and receive a special program offer of 50% off the monthly membership rate. There is also a waived or reduced enrollment fee. This change will allow UnitedHealthcare to offer more options to more insured members.

How to Find More Information

You can call 1-888-887-5963 to learn more about these services, or if you would like to join a YMCA or fitness center. By calling this dedicated health and wellness line, you can also inquire if your current fitness center is participating in the network and, if it’s not, to nominate it.

How to Nominate Your Fitness Center for Participation

Another way to nominate your local fitness center and help the network grow is to give the referral letter to your fitness center manager. That way your fitness center knows of your interest in having them join the network and they have the information to learn more.

We hope that this information is helpful. We do appreciate you taking the time to inform us of your concerns, and thank you for being a member of AARP

What are the changes to AARP games?

VickiM68 — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 21:06:34 GMT

Why AARP Games are Changing

AARP games are being updated. This update is primarily being driven by a shift in the digital world, away from using Flash technology. Flash will be fully discontinued by its manufacturer, Adobe, by the end of 2020, and browsers have already started to phase out supporting it.

A number of AARP’s games are created using Flash, and many of you have contacted us or commented in our Community forum about the increasing difficulty you are experiencing using them. These games now need constant re-enabling on your browser in order to play. Moreover, these popular games aren’t available at all on your smart phones and tablets. Support for Flash is on the decline, and so the issue is only going to increase and your playing experience is apt to continue to deteriorate. After careful consideration, we decided that now is the right time to prepare to discontinue all Flash games.

What You Need to Know

The good news is that we will be replacing the games going away with newer games, which use the faster, mobile-friendly technology called WebGL.
With the new technology, there will be no need on your end to buy or download anything new. This will make all AARP games available to all players on any browser and device — desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets. It also will provide a smoother and more secure playing environment without the need to download additional software like Flash.
Unfortunately, personal scores and leaderboard positions in Flash games cannot be carried over. Scores earned on the current WebGL games will not be affected.
As this transition is happening, we pledge to be as transparent and accommodating as we can. We are dedicated to providing you a fun and challenging games experience!
If you have questions, please post them on this forum. If you need additional assistance, please reach us at member@aarp.org or call customer service at 1-888-687-2277.

What Will Happen

On October 29*, we will add over 30 new games, built in WebGL. (*New date: previously scheduled for October 25.)
From October 29 to November 26, we’re giving you an opportunity to continue playing Flash games, while getting acquainted with their replacements. We understand that this will be an adjustment, but many of the new games will be nearly identical or be very similar to the old Flash counterparts. Take a few weeks to try them on for size and maybe even find a few new favorites.
On November 27, all Flash games will be removed, but the new WebGL games will remain.

Non-Affected Games Already in WebGL

Jigsaw

Jigsaw - Daily

Landing Party

Mahjongg Candy

Mahjongg Solitaire

Mini Crossword

Slots - Hollywood Dreams

Solitaire - FreeCell

Solitaire - Klondike

Solitaire - Pyramid

Solitaire - Spider

Solitaire - Tri Peaks

Sudoku

Sudoku - Daily

Sudoku - Daily Diagonal

Trizzle

True?

Wander Words

Eggz Blast*

Flip Out*

Mahjongg Dimensions*

Mahjongg Toy Chest*

Space Hunt*

Spellbound*

*These games are already in WebGL on your mobile devices. The same games are in Flash on your desktops and laptops, and will be replaced with their WebGL counterparts.

Flash Games to be Discontinued on November 27

A lot of these games are going to be replaced with same or similar WebGL counterparts.

5 Roll

52 Card Pick Up

AARP 50th Anniversary Crossword

Addiction Solitaire

Alu's Revenge

Arctic Tri Peaks Solitaire

Backgammon

Baseball

Beach Sudoku

Bridge

Bryx

Bubble Boo

Bumper Cards

Carniball

Circuit Smash

Crescent Solitaire

Crossword Expert

Crossword: Easy

Cryptogram

Daily Crossword

Déjà Vu Solitaire

Dice Dice Baby+

Eggz+

Eggz Blast New

Eggz Classic+

Find It+

Find-o-Vision

Freecell Solitaire

Golf Challenge

Grid Lock

Hollywood Solitaire

Ice Cream Blast

Jigsaw Puzzle Beginner

Jigsaw Puzzle Intermediate

Jigsaw: Hard

Klondike Solitaire

Klondike Solitaire Gold

Kritter Krawler

Mahjongg

Mahjongg Age of Alchemy

Mahjongg Dark Mimensions+

Mahjongg Dimensions New

Mahjongg Garden

Mahjongg: Mom Jongg

Match & Merge

Metro Match

Minesweeper

Minesweeper New

Mini Golf

Mixology

Monkey Gems

Nit Pix

Outdraw Poker

PegLand+

Photo Recall

Picture Pieces

Pool

Pyramid Solitaire

Pyramid Solitaire Silver

Roulette+

Score+

SlingShock

Slots: Big Cats

Slots: Golden Pharaoh

Slots: Under the Sea

Sparks+

Spider Solitaire

Splitarature+

Sport Fishing

Sudoku

Suds

Sumatra

Surf Solitaire

Train of Thought

Treasure Hunt

Tri Peaks Solitaire

Tumble Tiles

Type Writer

Video Poker

Word Search 2

Yarnz

Eggz Blast*

Flip Out*

Mahjongg Dimensions*

Mahjongg Toy Chest*

Space Hunt*

Spellbound*

+Members Only

*These games are already in WebGL on your mobile devices, and will not be affected there. The same games are in Flash on your desktops and laptops, and will be replaced with their WebGL counterparts.

New Games

5 Roll

Alu's Revenge 2

Backgammon

Black Jack+

Bridge

Bubble Dragons

Mahjongg Dark Dimensions

Mahjongg Dimensions Candy

Mathdoku+

Outspell

Pool - 8 Ball

Pool - 9 Ball

Solitaire - 40 Thieves

Solitaire - Addiction

Solitaire - Canfield+

Solitaire - Classic

Solitaire - Crescent

Solitaire - Golf

Sweet Shuffle

Word Search - Daily

Word Wipe

Bubble Dragon Saga+

Jigsaw Blast

Eggz Blast*

Flip Out*

Mahjongg Dimensions*

Mahjongg Toy Chest*

Space Hunt*

Spellbound*

+Members Only

*These games are already in WebGL on your mobile devices, and will not be affected there. The same games are in Flash on your desktops and laptops, and will be replaced with their WebGL counterparts.

What computers/browsers will the new games work on?

All of the new games will be available on all computers and mobile devices, without the need to invest in any new devices or technology on your end. In fact, that's one of the advantages of WebGL: you don't need anything special to play these games. You don't even need to worry about "re-enabling" anything on your browser, like you have to do with Flash sometimes. These new WebGL games will be supported on all computers, so all you have to do is find the game you want to play and enjoy!

Replacements

Treasure Hunt is being replaced with the similar Space Hunt.

Eggz has the new game, Sweet Shuffle, and the similar Eggz Blast.

The destop version of Eggz Blast will be replaced with an identical game on October 25, but the version of the game available on mobile devices today will not be affected.

What's the best exercise for aging muscles?

VickiM68 — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 22:30:18 GMT

Question

What exercises do you do and what advice do you have to counteract the toll aging takes on the body?

Answers

I am 61 years old and have been an big fan of the Elliptical for the past 15 years averaging 20+ miles per week. About 3 months ago, I purchased a high-quality rowing machine. I have added 15000 meters of rowing to my weekly elliptical training. The difference in my body is just incredible!

I’m 69 and have been working out since I was 39. My workout is lifting weights 3 days a week also for cardio I walk 7 days and do the elliptical machine. I do not feel my age and hope to continue my work out for many years to come. It is the best way to grow older.

I was a fitness instructor as a second job for many years. I taught "tricks" to keep a person moving even if they "didn't have time". At age 78 I still run, but now I mix walking with the running and it keeps my leg muscles strong. When I'm waiting for my bathtub to fill up, I do wall pushups for both my biceps and triceps. I do squats and toe raises near the stove when I'm waiting for my oatmeal to cook at breakfast. Isometrics for the stomach all the time and I don't even need to get down on the floor. I hold in my "tummy" and make sure I keep breathing. When I pass a mirror or window where I can see my reflection, I make sure I stand up straight — "taller" I tell myself — and hold in those abs. I keep a small rubber ball near the phone and when I'm talking I sqeeze the ball, alternating hands, to strengthen my hand and finger muscles. And the best exercise of all — I smile a lot to keep those facial muscles from drooping. It's interesting, but when I do that other people return the smile, so we're exercising together! C'mon — try it with me.....smile! Thanks.

Every morning, I do a mix of strength exercises, including "hard" pushups, and some yoga asanas — cow/cat, bridge, boat, plank, downward dog, warrior. That is followed by fast walking about 2.5 miles outdoors, no matter the weather.

Twice weekly I teach a one-hour Tai Chi for Health class, and once a week take a yoga class.
Nightly, before bedtime, I do a 5–6 minute Tai Chi form. Proper breathing, posture, balance and strength are key elements of all.

I'm 70, have osteoporosis with high risk of fracture (so they say), and have been exercising daily since my mid-twenties.

How do I persevere? It's like brushing your teeth — you do it regardless. If I have to, I'll modify and do what I can, as long as I can.

I do walking around my pool in the wintertime and in the summer, begin to swim laps, jump, whatever suits your fancy. I do sit-ups, leg stretches, arm wind ups and reverse, hugs galore and the doctors also told me I have osteoporosis, which can result in fractures (so they say, as well).

I have already fallen down, missed my back and head, hit my ribs on a end table, that point and my arm hit the table with a loud thud. I kept telling myself it didn't happen until the pain subsided. Did I break anything? NOTHING!! So, believe in yourself and keep on exercising, you can do what ever you want. Try 2 days then build it to 3 days, and yes, do breathing exercises — it makes your mind at peace.

The best exercises I do on a regular basis are Go4life from the NIH, 4x4 by JJ Virgin and Walk Away the pounds by Leslie Sansone these exercises work every muscle in the body.

Exercise is the best activity to make muscles strong. If you are an initiator start from basic exercise then go for hard. You can try aerobics, jogging, running, yoga etc, it will help you to boost your energy as well as it improves your fitness easily but for this continuation is necessary by the person who wants to stay fit.

I'm 63 and have been weight lifting regularly since I was 43. I was also a personal trainer. I weight lift 3× a week and walk or hike each day that I don't weight train. I don't feel my age and although I was diagnosed with osteopenia recently, I wonder if I hadn't been consistent, possibly I'd have full fledged osteoporosis. Keep working out! Start slow if not used to it, and you will start enjoying the benefits of being active in no time.

* Aerobic exercises like jogging may help reverse some heart damage from normal aging.

* Strength-training moves like tai chi are best for preserving muscles from age-related decline.

* There may be a powerful link between regular cardio, like swimming and walking, and a lower risk of dementia.

* Cardio workouts may also improve the look and feel of your skin.

* Activities like cycling may also protect your immune system from some age-related decline.

* Other types of strength training can include moves like planks and squats.

* Aerobic workouts may guard against age-related decline because of reduced brain connectivity.

The next time you have a medical checkup, don’t be surprised if your doctor hands you a prescription to walk. Yes, this simple activity that you’ve been doing since you were about a year old is now being touted (along with other forms of regular physical activity) as “the closest thing we have to a wonder drug,” in the words of Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Judging from the research, it’s a well-earned reputation.

Walking can have a bigger impact on disease risk and various health conditions than just about any other remedy that’s readily available to you. What’s more, it’s free and has practically no negative side effects.

Walking for 2.5 hours a week — that’s just 21 minutes a day — can cut your risk of heart disease by 30%. In addition, this do-anywhere, no-equipment-required activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and keep you mentally sharp. In fact, according to some estimates, walking regularly could save Americans over $100 billion a year in health care costs. Even a quick one-minute jaunt pays off. A University of Utah study in 2014 found that for every minute of brisk walking that women did throughout the day, they lowered their risk of obesity by 5%. No more “I don’t have time” excuses!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/walking-for-health

Are you a diabetic with practical advice for other diabetics?

VickiM68 — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 22:31:39 GMT

Question

Nutrition and physical activity are important parts of a healthy lifestyle when you have diabetes. Do you have some practical advice you can share with others?

Answers

Move! Physical activity doesn't have to be viewed as punishment. Walk the dog, walk (don't drive) to the corner store, stroll a shopping mall. Find ways you enjoy to get yourself out and about. Its not a myth that movement helps keep blood sugar in control.

I was diagnosed as diabetic on 10/23/18. I was 65. My sugar # was over 300 and my A1C was 12.1. Today my sugar averages under 110 and my A1C is 6.1. They have cut the pills I was taking to 1 instead of 2 a day. I hadn't been to a doctor in 30 years and weighed over 220 lbs. at 5'4". I followed the doctor's advice for what to eat — I hate vegtables and love pizza. I gave up the pizza, bread, etc. (anything that tastes good) and eat string beans, pears, blueberries, unsalted peanuts, and food cooked without salt. I walk 2.3 miles every day with few exceptions. I lost 40 lbs. and went from size 44 pants and XXL shirts to size 36 and size L shirts. I could eat a frozen pizza right now because I still want it, but I don't. I feel 100x better and have 2x the energy. Again, I listened to the doctor and argued with her that I could not live without pasta...but everything she told me worked. Also, I could not have done any of this if my wife was not a saint and cooked all the right things for me and checked contents on everything we buy. I do now and then have pasta and pizza in less amounts than I used to...and they taste great.

How do you fit in walks and exercise when on travel or in bad weather?

VickiM68 — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 22:33:34 GMT

Question

How do you fit in walks when on travel or in bad weather? It is always difficult to keep a routine when travelling, how do you keep up? Do you walk in the rain?

Answers

I travel for business all the time so I do have to plan my walks/workouts. So, what I do is try to wake up 30 minutes earlier to squeeze in a quick walk before I jump in the shower and begin my day.

But, when it rains, depending on what I have to do that day and my hair (because I don’t want to wash it and blow dry it again), I do an indoor walk workout with toning and yoga based on my workout videos on the AARP website. They are easy to do, and you can stream them on your tablet, computer, or even your phone.

I personally don’t mind walking in light rain and I love to walk when I travel for fun or business because that’s how I soak in the character of a town..and stay active too.

I've been known to walk in the rain and the snow. I'll do this first thing in the morning, as Denise suggests.

I recently sold my weaving equipment and supplies, so moved all our exercise equipment into that room and created a home gym. We have hand weights (2.5–12 pounds), a resistance band, a magic circle, ab roller, an exercise ball, a thigh master, a hula hoop and a mini trampoline. I bought quite a bit of this stuff through AARP's Rewards for Good program, and spent around $125 total. Both hubby and I used this home gym religiously this winter and spring, and we've both improved our conditioning. It helps to have a designated spot in the house for exercise, we find.

We can do everything from muscle toning floor exercises to a serious sweat fest on the mini-trampoline no matter what Ma Nature is cooking up for us outside. 🙂

How do you kick a sugar addiction?

VickiM68 — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 22:34:33 GMT

Question

There are tons of articles that tell you the reasons that sugar is bad. Obviously they all tell you to cut sugar out of your diet... but how do you do that when you are so used to eating sweets all of the time.

Answers

Read nutrition labels on all products. Chose snacks with 4 grams of sugar or less and chose all products with less or no added sugar. Learn to eat cereals and other foods without adding sugar at the table. Eat more vegetables and less carbohydrates to avoid snacks. On Netflix Streaming, watch the program "Sugar Coated" for more information and tips. As often as allowed under your health care program, get lipid panel blood tests to monitor your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

I don't drink sodas or sugar in coffee or tea, but giving up cookies, ice cream and other desserts has just been plain hard. No easy way to do it as far as I can tell, and fruit just doesn't fill the void. However, I have stuck with it and after a week or so I found I no longer had cravings for sugar. I've also found that eating a square or two of dark chocolate occasionally doesn't bring back the cravings, and it gives me the sense that I'm not being deprived. I'm beginning to feel much better too, which is it's own incentive.

For snacks, keep your kitchen stocked with things like apples and a good quality (not filled with added oils, sweeteners or salt) peanut butter and snack on this for dessert instead of a piece of additive-laden carrot cake from the grocery store (which also has like 800 calories: twice the caloric count of an average 'diet' meal).

Keep carrots, cauliflower, olives, hummus and mustard on hand. Take carrot sticks along with other items to make a meal on the go with (thus avoiding snacking altogether). Or use this as a ready snack.

Mandarins are a good go-with-you snack. As are raisins (though if carbs are an issue, raisins might not make your list). Keep siracha almonds, unsalted dry roasted peanuts, mandarins, apples and pretzels on hand. The key, of course is moderation. So instead of, say, a 3 pound container of pretzels in your desk drawer, take a small serving with you.

String cheese is another good snack. In moderation, of course.

Is there a shared caregiver schedule/calendar tool with a to do list?

VickiM68 — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 13:08:49 GMT

Question

My sister and I are struggling with juggling the caregiving schedule. We both live an hour away from our mom and are looking for a way to share a calendar and a To Do List. It seems like there should be an easy-to-use tool for this. I'm not looking to recruit volunteers, etc. We just need to be able to look at the caregiver schedule and check in on our To Do List.

Any suggestions? I haven't found anything online that looks user friendly.

Answer

I wrote a column about this! "Apps to Help Caregivers Stay Organized" here on the AARP Family Caregiving website. Lotsa Helping Hands focuses more on coordinating a lot of volunteers, and CaringBridge has an emphasis on providing updates to a wide number of people who are following the care journey—but also has shared calendar and task options. Carezone is a bit more focused on managing various aspects of caregiving and includes a shared calendar and task list, as well as medication lists, automatic reminders, and many other features but you can choose to use just the features you want to use.

I'm partial to apps and sites that I can use both on my computer and on my phone and tablet. There are many "to do list" apps—I use Wunderlist for a task list, and you can create lists that you do then invite other people to, so they can also add tasks and also check off tasks. You can assign tasks to people as well. I use it for my personal, work and caregiving. For a calendar I primarily just use my iCal on my Apple products and send my sister mtg invitations and vice versa. Then we both have the appointments in our personal devices that we also use for the rest of our life. I have color coded so that I can easily see which appts are for me, those I'm caring for, work etc. Google calendar is very similar.

I provide more tips in my column, "6 Tips for Choosing Family Caregiving Technology"!

How do I know if an online employer is legitimate?

VickiM68 — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 20:34:00 GMT

Question

I am having problems finding a legitimate company in my area. Can anyone help me find one I can trust? I have been scammed before and need to be careful, but I still need to work.

Answer

These three things are important to look for when determining if an employer is legitimate:

Their website isn't extensive, the content is consistent with clear business writing, and the business concept makes sense.

They list all their employees (and there are a lot) with pictures, and each links to a legitimate LinkedIn profile.

They have a company page on LinkedIn with lots of recent posts and employer branding-type content that is directly related to what they do.

What You Need to Know About the Grandparent Scam

VickiM68 — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 19:42:57 GMT

Grandparents are often among the most important people in our lives. As we celebrate them on September 9, know that they are at risk for the “grandparent scam.” Here’s how grandparents are targeted. Have you ever encountered this scam?

How It Works:

You get a frantic call from someone claiming to be your grandson or granddaughter. The caller says there’s an emergency and asks you to send money right away. But there’s a good chance this is an imposter trying to steal your money through the “grandparent scam.”

Scammers usually claim to be in a desperate situation, such as being involved in a car accident or needing money to get out of a legal mess. The caller poses as your grandchild, or a law enforcement officer or attorney calling on your grandchild’s behalf – whatever it takes to sound convincing. Read an account of how the scam played out for one grandmother.

What You Should Know:

The caller may have personal information, such as family member’s names that they could have found on social media sites.
The caller will likely ask that you send the money by wire transfer or gift card.
They will likely beg you to not tell anyone.

What You Should Do:

Try to reach the person the caller is claiming to be directly. If you can’t reach him or her, contact a friend or family member to try and validate the emergency.
Ask some questions that would be hard for an imposter to answer, like a pet’s name or a mother’s birthday.
Don't send money unless you're sure the situation is real.

How can I protect myself from the Tech Support Scam?

VickiM68 — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 22:20:46 GMT

Question

How can I protect myself from the Tech Support Scam?

Answer

The Tech Support Scam is one of the most common scams right now. Microsoft did research around 2015 and found out that billions of dollars had been lost to this scam. So thank you for warning the AARP online community.

A few things about this scam to keep in mind and to help you stay safe:

Computer companies don't proactively reach out to consumers to let them know about potential virus on their computers.

If anyone calls asking to remote access into your computer, hang up.

If you receive a pop up on your screen telling you that there is a virus and you need to call a phone number, click out of the box, or you may even have to "hard shutdown" your system to get it to go away, but don't call the number or click on any links.

Never give personal or financial information to anyone who calls you, nor pay for any services like this, in pre-paid gift cards.

Are all games available on mobile phones and tablets?

VickiM68 — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 22:06:10 GMT

Question

Are all games available on mobile phones and tablets?

Answer

Some games you play on your computer are not available on your mobile device. AARP currently offers many games that are built using Flash-based technology. Mobile devices have stopped supporting programs that use this technology, so those games are not accessible on your mobile phone and/or tablet. To play all available mobile games, please visit All Games from your mobile phone or tablet. And, by the way, you can play AARP's complete collection of games on your desktop or laptop computer.

How should I treat dates and unrelated work experience on my resume?

VickiM68 — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 22:01:06 GMT

Question

Should I remove dates from my resume so that my approximate age cannot be determined? Should I include previous work experience that does not apply to the field I am currently looking to work in?

Answer

As far as dates on your resume, if you want to go with a chronological resume (i.e., one that shows your job history in chronological order), don't remove the dates—just include the last 10–15 years of experience. Chronological resumes are good when you want to show how your experience has been building progressively within one or two fields that directly relate to the jobs you're applying for. However, if you are making a career change or jumping into an adjacent field, you may want to consider a functional resume instead. A functional resume allows you to organize your experience around skills and job functions, rather than dates and employers. AARP's resume kit has a section that explains the differences between these options and provides examples.

Regardless of which resume option you go with, I would omit work experience that is not relevant to the job you are applying for. Also, don't include a mission statement at the top of your resume—these are considered outdated unless there is something specific you need to convey that isn't covered in your resume. The best place for a mission statement (or, a paragraph that communicates your personal brand) is on LinkedIn at the top of your profile, and/or woven throughout your cover letter. Whatever you write, make sure it showcases the unique combination of strengths and skills you bring to the table, rather than your mission (what you are seeking—recruiters don't care what you are seeking). Here's a good all-purpose article on resume writing, and another on tips for updating your resume for the digital age.

How do I protect my mother's financial assets from irresponsible or abusive relatives?

VickiM68 — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 21:46:43 GMT

Question

How do I protect my mother's financial assets from irresponsible or abusive relatives?

Answer

Contacting the bank sounds like a good idea. Your mother may need to be present, as it is her account. You may want to be added to her accounts or she can appoint you as her "Power of Attorney".

Many states have laws in place to protect their senior residents. Elder financial abuse and exploitation are not taken lightly, and often come with higher criminal penalties. If there is imminent danger to your mother, 911 is always the first course of action. Theft of any kind should be reported to law enforcement. You may find helpful information through your state's Adult Protective Services, and any local or state social services agencies. Your state should also have an elder abuse hotline that you can find through the National Center on Elder Abuse (https://ncea.acl.gov)

The bank should be made aware of this situation ASAP, whether it is through the authorities or through you. Just please know that the bank will probably not speak with you about much detail unless your name is on the account or your mother designated you as her agent.

Where do I go to sign up to care for my parents and get paid?

VickiM68 — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 19:55:03 GMT

Question

Where do I go to sign up to care for my parents and get paid?

Answer

The first place to start depends on what state you live in. Here in Florida, the Senior Resource Alliance is the place to start. Find your state's equivalent to that. Your loved one will have to qualify for what is called a Medicaid Waiver. So, once you find your state's equivalent to a Senior Resource Alliance, you call them and tell them you are looking for a "home and community-based Medicaid waiver for a long-term care program" for your loved one. They will walk you through the process from this point.

What is an app to alert of scams on mobile devices?

VickiM68 — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 21:27:07 GMT

Question

What is an app to alert of scams on mobile devices?

Answer

There are many apps in the App Store. Some are free, some cost. A few of the products are hiya, Truecaller, PrivacyStar, and many others. Find the one that looks best for you by reading through the reviews and knowing which features you want.

Also, on your landline, there is a service called nomorobo, that operates similar blocking services on traditional landlines.

What should you look for in a yoga class or teacher?

VickiM68 — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 21:38:47 GMT

Question

What should you look for in a yoga class or teacher?

Answer

In my experience, yoga classes vary greatly in terms of physical exertion. Popularized yoga in the U.S. tends to lean toward the more vigorous end of the spectrum with "power yoga", various types of vinyasa, and the more codified form of ashtanga created by Pattabhi Jois. Although their ultimate goal may be of a spiritual nature, these styles of yoga tend to appeal to the younger population and those who are interested mainly in a physical workout.

Traditional yoga, on the other hand has always been more about spiritual awareness, controlling the mind to reduce self-imposed suffering, and creating adaptability toward life. As such, yoga becomes an "inner" practice and asanas (physical poses) are used more as a way to prepare the body for seated meditation. Similarly, pranayama (control of the "life force", often associated with breath) is used to quite the mind in preparation for meditation. Forms of yoga that incorporate these techniques and promote self awareness tend to be more mindful yoga styles including classical or raja yoga (the original ashtanga) and any form of hatha that encourages one to slow down and pay attention to physical movement, sensations and alignment; the breath; the quality of the mind (calmness, thoughts, emotions, distractions, focus, presence etc.); and the interplay between these elements.

So, finding the right yoga style(s) and instructor(s) is an exploration that requires spending time on the mat, understanding your goals or reasons for wanting to practice yoga in the first place, and recognizing your limitations in terms of time, physical movement, conditioning, and willingness to expend mental energy. I would encourage anyone who wants to try yoga for the first time to start out slowly with a gentle yoga, yoga basics, or restorative yoga class before attempting more vigorous classes. Take the time to read the descriptions of the yoga classes on the studio websites or hard copy literature and talk to the instructors who teach the classes that you feel drawn to. As you sample different styles of hatha yoga (which emphasizes physical movement) you may find that you are more interested in sweating and physical exertion, developing inner awareness, or just checking out for a much needed mental vacation. I would venture to say that you can find a yoga style that is well suited to any of these goals. In time, this exploration may lead to developing your own, regular yoga practice at home.

Yoga studios may seem intimidating at first, but yoga teachers are generally open, accommodating and easy to talk to. They are nice people; they will help you to make informed choices. Experienced yoga instructors who have been teaching for many years and are certified by recognized teacher training organizations should be sought when first starting out - they are best equipped to guide you. Community fitness and recreation centers, local colleges, and universities increasingly offer good yoga instruction and provide effective alternatives to commercial yoga studios.

How do I control game sounds?

VickiM68 — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 19:16:08 GMT

Question

I would like to listen to something else on my PC while I play the games, so muting the PC sound isn't an option. Can the sound in the online games be controlled?

Answer

The sound can be controlled on all the games I’ve played without adjusting your computer speakers. It’s a simple click on the speaker icon to mute the sound. The speaker icon is located either on the home screen before you start the game or under the menu tab for that game. It’s easy to mute the sound before you begin playing a game.

How do you determine if your small business idea is a good one?

VickiM68 — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 22:45:37 GMT

Question

How do you determine if your small business idea is a good one?

Answer

Many successful small business owners simply had an idea they believed in and took that leap of faith and "just did it". But as someone aspiring to become an entrepreneur and not sure if your idea is a good one or not, there are some things you might want to ask yourself about your product or service:

Who will you sell your product to—essentially, who's your audience?
Who's your competition—is there another product similar and how will yours be different?
What problem or need are you solving?
How will your product/service help make someone's life easier or simpler?
How will you market the item?
How will you measure success?

These are a few things to consider as you think of your business idea.