Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
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Dear Savvy Senior, What steps need to be taken after a loved one dies? My 71-year-old uncle, who’s divorced with no children, has terminal cancer. He’s asked me to take care of his affairs so I would like to find out what I need to do after he passes away. Unsure Nephew Dear Unsure, I’m very sorry to hear about your uncle. The death of a loved of can bring about a host of different tasks and responsibilities. Here’s a list of some things you can do now, and after his death, that can help ke...
Dear Savvy Senior, Falls and fires are the two things I worry most about for my elderly father who lives alone. Do you have any suggestions on what we can do to help keep him safe, and keep an eye on him from afar? Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, Of course! There are a number of small adjustments and modifications you can make to your dad’s home to help protect him from falls and fires, both of which cause thousands of injuries and deaths each year. Here are some tips to get you start...
Dear Savvy Senior, What tips do you recommend to Medicare beneficiaries dealing with hefty medical bills? My husband recently had open heart surgery and is recovering slowly, but the medical bills are coming in fast and furious and they’re putting us in medical debt. Struggling in Springfield Dear Struggling, I’m sorry to hear about your billing struggles, but medical debt has unfortunately become a chronic problem in this country. According to U.S. Census data 19 percent of Americans househo...
Dear Savvy Senior, What tips do you recommend for long-distance caregivers? I help take care of my stubborn 86-year-old mother who still lives at home about 150 miles from me. Need Advice Dear Need, Providing care and support for an aging parent who lives far away can present a variety challenges that can make the job difficult and stressful. Here are some tips and resources that may help you. When it comes to monitoring and caring for an aging parent from afar, you have a couple of options. You...
Dear Savvy Senior, I recently learned about a property-tax relief program for seniors in the county where I live. Apparently, there are hundreds of these programs across the country that many retirees, like me, are eligible for but don’t know about. What can you tell me about this? Overtaxed Eddie Dear Eddie, Great question! Residential property-tax refund and credit programs exist in nearly every state, but unfortunately few people know about them. These programs can help retirees and many o...
Dear Savvy Senior, I’m interested in getting some of the new over-the-counter hearing aids that just became available a few month ago. Can you offer any tips to help me with this? Straining to Hear Dear Straining, The new FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids that started rolling out this fall are a real game changer for the roughly 48 million Americans with hearing loss. Adults with impaired hearing can now walk in and buy hearing aids at a pharmacy, big box chain, consumer e...
Dear Savvy Senior, I started a walking program a few months ago to help me lose weight but I’ve been having problems with my legs and hips hurting during my walk, although they feel better once I stop. I thought it was just because I’m getting old, but my neighbor was telling me about a leg vein disease she has called PAD and thinks I may have something similar. What can you tell me about this? Limping Linda Dear Linda, The health condition your neighbor is telling you about is known as “per...
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any services that can help my elderly mother with her financial chores? My dad always used to handle the bill paying and paperwork, but he passed away last year, and mom struggles to keep on top of things. And I don’t live close enough to help her on a regular basis. Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, It sounds like your mom could use a good daily money manager (or DMM). These are financial savvy professionals that can help older adults who have diffi...
Dear Savvy Senior, What are the most common scams today that target elderly seniors? My 75-year-old mother has been swindled several times over the past year, so I’m being extra cautious. Paranoid Patty Dear Patty, Great question! While many scams today are universal, there are certain types of fraud that specifically target older adults or affects them disproportionately. And unfortunately, these senior targeted scams are on the rise. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), i...
Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve read that retirees will be getting a nice cost-of-living increase in our Social Security benefits next year but what about Medicare? What will our Medicare Part B monthly premiums and other Medicare costs be in 2023? Planning Ahead Dear Planning, From an entitlement program standpoint, 2023 is going to be a very good year for retirees! Not only will you receive a nice 8.7 percent cost-of-living increase in your Social Security retirement benefits – the largest since 1981...
Dear Savvy Senior, How do I go about looking for an old former company 401(k) plan that I think I contributed money to many years ago, but forgot about until recently? Retired in Rochester Dear Retired, If you think you may have lost track of an old 401(k) retirement account, you aren’t alone. As Americans move from job to job, many leave scraps of their company sponsored 401(k) plans behind, believing they’ll deal with it later, but never do. In fact, according to a recent study, Americans hav...
Dear Savvy Senior, I saw a news segment on television a few months ago about home sharing programs for seniors and would like to learn more. I’m 68, divorced, and am interested in renting out a room in my house to help make ends meet. What can you tell me? Interested Boomer Dear Boomer, Because of inflation and rising housing costs a growing number of baby boomers are opting to rent out a spare room in their house as a way to generate some extra income, and for some, increase companionship. T...
Dear Savvy Senior, How much does a typical funeral and body burial cost today? My wife and I are interested in prearranging our funerals but would like to have a cost idea before going in so we can plan and budget appropriately. Planning Ahead Dear Planning, It definitely pays to know what charges to expect when pre-planning a funeral. Most people don’t have a clue and can often be upsold thousands of dollars’ worth of extra services they may not want or need. Here’s a breakdown of what you can...
Dear Savvy Senior, Do you know of any car gadgets that can help older drivers? I drive a 12-year old car and have arthritis in my neck, back and knees which limits my mobility making it more difficult to get in and out of the car and look over my shoulder to back up. Almost 80 Dear Almost, To help keep older drivers safe and extend their driving years, there are a number of inexpensive products you can purchase that can easily be added to your vehicle to help with many different needs. Here are...
Dear Savvy Senior, I just turned 65 and would like to learn more about the stronger flu shots I see advertised for older adults. What can you tell me about them and how are they covered by Medicare? Senior Novice Dear Novice, There are actually three different types of senior-specific flu shots (you only need one) that the CDC is now recommending to people age 65 and older. These FDA-approved annual vaccines are designed to offer extra protection beyond what a standard flu shot provides, which i...
Dear Savvy Senior, I am interested in finding some type of travel escort service to help my elderly parents fly across the country. My son is getting married in the fall and would love for my parents to attend, but they’re both in their 80s with health issues, so they’ll need help getting there. Can you direct me to any travel services that can help us? Looking for Assistance Dear Looking, Traveling can be challenging under the best circumstances, but for seniors with medical problems, phy...
Dear Savvy Senior, What kind of changes can Medicare beneficiaries expect to see in the Inflation Reduction Act that was recently signed into law? I’m enrolled in original Medicare and have a Part D prescription drug plan but spent more than $6,000 out-of-pocket last year on medications alone. Overpaying Paul. Dear Paul, The climate, tax and health care bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden last month includes significant i...
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any services that check in on elderly seniors who live alone? I live about 200 miles from my 82-year-old mother and worry about her falling or getting ill and not being able to call for help. Worrywart Daughter Dear Worrywart, There are actually several different types of check-in services, along with some simple technology devices that can help keep your mom be safe at home while providing you some peace of mind. Here are some top options to look into....
Dear Savvy Senior, Last year I received a “notice of change” letter from my Medicare provider. Should I expect another one this year, and what should I do with it? Medicare Rookie Dear Rookie, The letter you’re asking about is actually referred to as the Annual Notice of Change (or ANOC), which is a letter you receive from your Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D prescription drug plan in late September. (People with only a Medigap plan don’t receive these because Medigap plans do not have be...
Dear Savvy Senior, What types of financial resources are available to help seniors pay for long-term care? My 86-year-old mother will need either an assisted living facility or nursing home care in the near future, but she doesn’t have long-term care insurance and her savings are minimal. Searching Daughter Dear Searching, The cost of assisted living and nursing home care in the U.S. is very expensive. According to the Genworth cost of care survey tool, the national median cost for an a...
Dear Savvy Senior, What tips can you recommend for choosing a good active adult housing community? My husband and I, who recently retired, are planning to relocate to an area closer to our grandkids and are interested in buying a house in an age-restricted 55-plus housing community. Active Retirees Dear Active, If you’re contemplating moving into an age-restricted community, finding one that’s right for you takes some legwork. While active adult communities generally offer the opportunity for...
Dear Savvy Senior, A few months ago, I read a column you wrote on extremely cheap smartphone plans for budget-conscious seniors. Can you do a similar column for those of us who still use basic flip phones? My old 3G flip phone is about to become obsolete, so I’m looking for the cheapest possible replacement. I only need a simple cell phone (no data) for emergency calls when I’m away from home. Penny Pincher Dear Penny, For many seniors, like yourself, who only want a simple basic cell phone for...
Dear Savvy Senior, How do I go about selling unwanted burial plots in my hometown cemetery? When my parents died about 25 years ago my husband (at the time) and I bought two plots near them in the same cemetery. But we’ve gotten divorced since then and have both moved out of state. Besides that, I would like to be cremated instead of buried. Looking to Sell Dear Looking, Life changes such as relocating, family disputes and divorce, along with the growing popularity of cremation in the U.S., i...
Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve been taking daily aspirin for almost 20 years now because I have a family history of heart disease. But I recently read that using aspirin is not recommended anymore. What can you tell me about this change in philosophy? Confused Aspirin User Dear Confused, There’s no doubt that taking low-dose daily aspirin is beneficial to most people who’ve had a heart attack or stroke. But if you don’t have heart disease, should you take it as a preventative measure? The answer for mo...
Dear Savvy Senior, A while back I read an article about some online tools that can help people search for lost or forgotten money left behind by their deceased relatives, but I’ve misplaced it. Can you help me with this? My mom, who passed away in January, was always bad about keeping up with her money, so I’m wondering if there was anything she left behind. Searching Son Dear Searching, Forgotten or lost money is actually very common in the United States. According to the National Ass...
