Extraordinary People of the Senior Kind - Bruce

In his early years Bruce, who stood all of 5 feet tall, was a giant in his own way. He had owned and operated 3 drug stores for 40 years and amassed a veritable fortune along the way. Bruce's wife died tragically at a very early age. Their one son had already left the house, but the son and Bruce became estranged over time. I first met Bruce at age 90. You could tell why Bruce was successful, because he was strong willed to say the least.

Bruce was non-compliant and cantankerous. He had several million dollars and no one to talk to. His son Bobby was a multi-millionaire in his own right and had no interest in his father or his father's money. He was currently living with wife #3 in a northern city. However, as I listened to them both I knew in my heart that each one really loved the other. Thus began my quest to reunite them.

My hardest job: teaching Bruce how to show his love for his son. Second hardest job: teaching Bobby how to listen. Every time I saw Bruce I made him hug me. Every time I saw him I kissed him on the cheek. I did everything I could to force him to show affection and receive affection. I invited him to my family gatherings. I forced him to see what a loving family unit actually looked like. I forced him to feel what it was like to be loved.

As the father aged, the son developed a debilitating disease. Well, it took several years and many visits to get these two on the right track. We never told Dad that his son had medical issues. We hid the symptoms. People in their 90's are pretty self-absorbed so it wasn't that difficult. They eventually developed a loving relationship and got on better than they had in 50 years. I was delighted to see that Bruce finally found all the love and affection he had suppressed in his life and it was soon channeled in my direction. He called me every single day and worried that I was working too hard. If I visited him after 5pm he tried to send me home.

He decided (while he was still alive) to turn over all his assets to his son. We accomplished this quite easily. The son didn't need the money and it made no difference to his lifestyle as he battled his disease. My Bruce died about three years ago and I still miss him. But here's the interesting part:

About one year ago at the height of the financial meltdown in this country and at the bottom bottom of the stock market decline out of the clear blue I got a call from Bobby and here's a summary of what he told me:

"Hi Ronnee, I wanted to tell you once again that you made Dad's final years the best of both of our lives, my illness is getting the best of me at the moment, and here's something interesting that happened to me. Last year, I had a chance meeting with Warren Buffet and he encouraged me to sell everything I owned and to go short the market. I've made so much money I really can't spend it all, so - if there's anything you ever need, for whatever the reason, please call me."

I can tell you that there's a first time for everything......Ronnee

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Extraordinary People of the Senior Kind - Evelyn

Here's quite an interesting story, not only to demonstrate its final outcome , but the trip along the way:

One night I received a call from an condominium complex that one of their ladies was acting out of character. She was only in her 60's but, according to them, had gone off the deep end and was threatening her neighbors with bodily harm.

I went over there on a fact finding mission. I invited my fiancee to accompany me so he could see what I did for a living (actually I needed him to keep her busy while I searched through her papers).

I found the following: Her name was Evelyn.

Evelyn had never been married. She owned her own condo. She had worked her entire life at low level positions. She had quite a chunk of money and had no debts. It probably took me an hour to glean this information from her papers. I found that she came here from West Virginia in the 1960's but I could not find any family records.

In the meantime my fiancee was chatting with Evelyn. My fiancee (just like a lot of guys) considers himself an expeert in the stock market. So when Evenly asked him if he wanted to see her trading records, he agreed. Out came books and books of detailed stock transactions that Evelyn had made over the years, recorded virtually to the penny. According to my expert, she had done amazingly well.

But sometime about 4 months earlier, the records ended abruptly. About 15 minutes into the conversation, her grasp on reality had ended as well. If I had taken another 10 minutes, my upcoming marriage would have ended as well. It wasn't too difficult to figure out that some event, a mini-stroke or something like that had happened and although she was still functioning, she was in trouble living by herself.

My fiancee took me to the closet and showed me at least 50 shoe boxes, each filled with papers. Each shoe box represented all her keepsakes and memories from ocean liner cruises she had taken. Each box was labelled with ship and date of cruise. Fifty shoe boxes meant she had taken 50 cruises. She loved cruising. She had the money, she was spending it.

Those days the next step in situations like this was to apply for an emergency temporary guardianship. A guardianship court is asked to determine if the person is competent to handle their own affairs. There's a lawyer for the condominium complex who we filed for, and there is a court appointed lawyer assigned to protect Evelyn.

Evelyn was to be examined and at the Court hearing her competency is adjudicated by a judge or a general master. In order to take the necessary steps to protect someone in this scenario, you have to be appointed the guardian or work for the guardian. The court met and determined that Evelyn was fully competent and did not need a guardian.

My fiancee was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe it. He was ready to call the newspapers and the t.v. stations and make a big stink. I told him to wait. It would all work out, not to worry. Six weeks later Evelyn attacked her next door neighbor with a spoon. Luckily spoons do not do too much damage. Evelyn was taken in and held for psychiatric examination in a large lock down facility. The same court people as before, came in and committed her.

No one expected Evelyn's reaction, but when she saw the large facility and the large dining area, she settled right in for the "Cruise of the Rest of her Life".
She was safe. She was happy. She made friends. She had activities.
Strangely enough, this was the best thing for Evelyn and my (now) husband has never forgotten her story and never will.

Ronnee

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Extraordinary People of the Senior Kind - Frankie

Frankie was a retired New York City Police Officer. He was a tough guy through and through. His wife had died and the light in his eyes simply went out. Frankie also was a packrat of the highest order. His three bedroom home was filled floor to ceiling with "junque". His attic was full, and his garage was piled high with more. There were pathways amongst the mountainous clutter which you had to navigate through, but if you needed to get a wheelchair into the house, there was no way.

Getting a packrat to get rid of some of his "junque" is one of the more unique and bizarre negotiations I have ever been involved with. If you will let me clean out 1/3of the garage, I'll let you keep the pile in the second bedroom. This went on and on.

Pulling teeth is an apt description!

I can only thank the Lord above that Frankie did not live in the days of the Home Shoppong Network. Had he been alive at that time, I'd still be getting rid of the stuff.

Frankie was suspicious of everyone and everything. Getting him to go to the doctor involved taking inventory before and after. Frankie was one of the strangest cases I've ever handled. Where he got his stuff no one knows, but I was convinced a lot of it had "fallen off a truck."

Newspapers, magazines, toaster ovens, old t.v.'s, boxes and boxes of linens, tools, hardware and on and on. What a pile of crapola.

The good stuff was actually in the attic, but we couldn't open the door or lower the ladder. But after his death when we were in the process of cleaning out the interior of the home, someone (who obviously knew) broke in and cleaned out the attic. To this date we have no idea what was up there.

Ronnee

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Extraordinary People of the Senior Kind - Philippe

We used to work for (HMO) insurance companies. They would fax us cases to handle. When we received a fax, it meant that the insurance company was paying out "too much" money and they wanted something done about their problem ASAP.

Philippe had been transported to the E.R. six times in the last 3 months and he had been hospitalized for a total of 7 days. The HMO has to pay the ambulance company and the hospital costs. They were not happy campers.

Most seniors don't realize that when they join an HMO they give up their Medicare. Most seniors don't realize that HMO's are insurance companies that get paid to take care of them. The HMO bets it can provide complete healthcare for the senior at a cheaper rate than, so that then the US Government reimburses the HMO. Now you can figure out why it sometimes takes so long to get a referral to a specialist.

I visited Phiippe at his condominium. Upon entering there was a pathway from the door to the kitchen, and then to his favorite chair in the living room. On either side of the pathway was 3" of dust.

I'm not kidding.

By the chair in the living room, pill bottles were strewn all over the floor. The sheets on the bed were black. There were two months of dirty clothing lying on a bedroom chair and the clothing was equally black. Cockroaches were all over the condo. There was a container of milk, one package of donuts, and one package of hot dogs in the refrigerator.

Philippe had a girl friend, but she never entered the apartment. They always went out to eat.
He had family in Detroit, but they were estranged. Philippe had his monday night card buddies, but he stopped playing with them because he hated losing all the time. His girlfriend bought him the food in the fridge. Philippe had a car, but he could no longer see ahd he wouldn't get behind the wheel. His card buddies called every once in a while to check on him.

Remember I told you that there were social work solutions to clinical problems?

This is a prime example. Not only couldn't Philippe remember if he took his pills, if he dropped the pills, he couldn't find them. He had lost 90% of his vision and he could barely read the names or the instructions. He had no one to help, and he was afraid to ask anyone for fear he would lose his independence. The HMO was not at fault. They were treating him properly. He was just physically unable to comply.

It took as little as four telephone calls to arrange for Philippe to continue to live safely in his own condo. It only takes nominal funding and a Care Manager to make the arrangements. I can't tell you what became of Philippe. I made him safe. I brought him back into compliance with the HMO's directives and I was done.

Ronnee

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Extraordinary People of the Senior Kind - Molly

When you're in this business as long as I have, you develop referral sources. As I've said countless times, my company, Senior Solutions provides social work based solutions to seemingly clinical problems. We do not provide clinical solutions. So one day about 25 years ago, one of those sources, a local geriatric psychiatrist sent me over to the 3rd floor at Mt. Sinai Hospital to see if I could be of any help to one of his patients who was going home in a couple of days.

Her name was Molly. I sat and talked with Molly for over 3 hours. She had led an unbelievable life. She had marched with Dr. King and she had been on the front lines with Caeser Chavez. This lady was an activist pure and simple. She was a little confused by the present and she had eyesight issues, but if half of the things she was telling me were true; my goodness what a woman!

The stories kept bubbling out of her. She had done this and she had been there. On and on and on. She wasn't bragging. she was reliving those events. I don't think she had had anyone who listened to her for the last 15 years since her husband died. I could see why someone might have put her in the psych ward, but there were too many facts mixed in with these incredible stories.

I agreed to take her home from the hospital and get her settled in and to watch over her for the readjustment process. When we arrived at her modest 2 bedroom apartment, there was an Aide living there. She was very brusque and insisted that she had been and would continue to care for Molly and no help was needed, ....thank you very much!
Goodbye!.... and please don't come back!

For me that's the proverbial red flag. Something was going on here. Dynamics were at play beneath the surface. I stayed and asked Molly for her banking information. Together she and I went to the bank. It didn't take long to discover that the Aide waa taking advantage of Molly. I won't say she was stealing, but she was earning way too much money in relation to what she was actually doing for Molly. In short, Molly had millions of dollars. Her last name matched one of the pre-eminent Jewish brokerage/ investment houses on Wall Street.

It was a second marriage, so she was Aunt Molly to a ton of cousins and other family members. They were sort of too busy (and she was quite a handful) to keep up with their "crazy" aunt by marriage. So Molly langished in Florida. She might hear from a couple of them every so often, but for the most part, she did not.

I listened to fabulous stories for another ten years. People like Molly are not a renewable resource. She was amazing and unique. I don't think we'll see her kind ever again.

Ronnee

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Retirement:The anxiety of moving to a smaller home

Excerpted from the Will Rogers Institute:

Moving to a new and smaller retirement home is certainly a big task, but fortunately professional senior move managers can make it easier and less stressful. Consider hiring a senior move manager company that is a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), a non-profit, trade association dedicated to assisting seniors and their families with the physical and emotional demands of home modification or relocation.

All members of the NASMM must carry liability insurance and directly provide at least four of the following services:

~Customized floor plans
~Sorting services
~Move planning and move management oversight
~Arranging shipments and storage
~Professional packing services
~Unpacking and setting up the new home
~Disposal of remaining items

To find local senior move manager companies, visit the NASMM Web site at or call 877- 606-2766.

Above all, don’t be discouraged! You have maintained a home and developed skills that will help you get through this and move.

We suggest you read “Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash,” by Vickie Dellaquila,

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Are Medicare Cuts in OUR Best Interest?

The California Medical Association said Friday it’s calling on Congress to “act immediately” to prevent deep Medicare cuts that are slated to take effect Monday, saying the 21 percent cuts to doctors’ reimbursement in the federal program “would hamper senior citizens’ access to care and force physicians to contemplate turning away patients or dropping out of the program altogether.”

However, Congress has adjourned for the weekend, so an immediate reprieve is unlikely. (The House of Representatives has passed a bill blocking the Medicare pay cut for doctors, but the U.S. Senate has not.)

The dance involving Medicare cuts and national and state medical associations’ anguished concerns over them is one that takes place every year in Washington, D.C. But this year, the debate over President Obama’s health reform package and Thursday’s Health Care Summit resulted in the issue getting shunted aside, at least for the moment.

The Sacramento-based CMA said the looming 21 percent cuts to doctors’ Medicare reimbursement -- meant to keep the overall system solvent over the long term -- are “unconscionable.” It joined the American Medical Association, AARP and other groups representing seniors and physicians to attack the pending cuts, and is encouraging its 35,000 physician members in the Golden State to contact U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein and their congressional representatives about the issue.

“It’s unconscionable that Congress has not intervened to prevent this coming train wreck,” said Dr. Brennan Cassidy, the state medical association’s president. “Sadly, if these cuts take effect, senior citizens will have a tougher time getting access to a doctor because many physicians will not be able to afford to deliver care under Medicare.”

Proponents of the cuts argue that unless programs like Medicare and Medicaid are limited, they will consume ever-greater portions of the federal budget, threatening its overall solvency.


For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Extraordinary People of the Senior Kind - Sarah

One day I received a call from a small rental building in Bal Harbor, FL. It seems that they were worried about one of their tenants. The tenant just stopped going out. There was no one to bring her food. She had no relatives and no friends. They were convinced she was starving to death because she had no money. Actually they didn't really know what was going on at all, so they called me.

The first thing I did was stop at Burger King for food to bring with me. As I knocked hesitantly on her door I held up the food so she could see and and more importantly smell it. This is no ploy, it invariably works better than any key and within 30 seconds I was invited inside the apartment.

Inside was clean and bare. There was not one luxury item in evidence. Everything was old and functional. There was no art, no beautiful objects, no nice clothes or shoes or anything like that. There was only Sarah. Sarah was barely five feet tall and she weighed no more than 95 pounds soaking wet. There wasn't enough food in the apartment to feed a good sized ant. She was timid but not afraid. She was not very communicative, but she was very smart and very aware. She spoke with a mild European accent.

After about 90 minutes I suddenly stood up and said:

"Come on Sarah, I'm going to take you food shopping."

She brightened noticeably and went to get her money. She returned dragging a suitcase with her.

"No Sarah honey, we're just going to the market, you don't need your suitcase."

Actually she did need her suitcase, because it was full of 5's, 10's and 20's.

My eyes must have been as big as saucers. I'll never forget, it was 4:30 in the afternoon.
In panic mode, I called my friend at HSBC bank and begged:

"Pleae don't close - I'm coming down with a suitcase full of cash"

They promised to stay open for me, but we weren't through. Sarah dragged another suitcase out of her closet and I called the local police department and asked for an escort to drive us both to the bank.

In those days they didn't have those fancy cash counting machines. So it wasn't until 9:30pm that the count and recount was completed by the bank. It totalled just a tad over $600,000. Sarah was quite specific and lucid as to the reason she had so much cash on hand; the last time the Germans came she was unprepared and couldn't flee. If they ever came back, she would be prepared this second time. Sarah and I just made it to Burger King for dinner before they closed.

I kept Sarah as a client for about ten years until her death. Every time I saw her she would kiss my hand in greeting. She was a gentle soul. She never wanted to move. She never wanted the trappings of money. She lived a simple life. She told me heart wrenching, harrowing stories of the Holocaust. She had no living relatives, but there was one friend of hers she was still in contact with in New York. When she passed, he received the balance of her estate.

You never know, you just never know......................

Ronnee

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Doctors turning away Medicare patients

By Michelle Langowski
NewsChannel 10,Amarillo, TX

As the health care debate continues across America, the panhandle is seeing a growing problem.Fewer and fewer doctors in our area are accepting patients with medicare, forcing senior citizens to possibly go without.

And this is forcing many seniors to go door to door to find a physician.
The High Plains Clinic sees an average of 15 patients a day with medicare insurance...and for many, it is a sigh of relief to come across a doctor who accepts this form of health insurance.

"I see a lot of fear in some of those patients eyes, they know they have health problems and yet it is so frustrating to not find a physician and that's got to be terrifying at 65 70 and 80 years old, knowing that you have things you need taken care of medically and you can't find help," said High Plains physician Dr. John Turner.

He says he is one of the only clinics in our area treating our geriatric population.

Many physicians shy away from medicare because of the lack of money attached.

Medicare recipient Patricia Sue Cunningham Hand has had medicare for years and says, "I look at some other people sometimes and wonder if they're taken care of. It hits me right here, that there are some people who don't get taken care of." The Amarillo Senior Citizens Association says they fear if elderly patients continue to struggle with finding a doctor that will treat them, many will forgo going to the doctor all together.

"The issue is that medicare has not been run properly in the best fashion. So doctors are being very cautious getting into that medicare loop and then not being able to get the return on the patients they're seeing."

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

What about High Blood Pressure?

Excerpted from the Will Rogers Institute

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded as two numbers: systolic pressure (as the heart beats) and “over” diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats).

Blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day, but when it stays high over time it is called high blood pressure. Usually a blood pressure level higher than 140/90 mmHg is considered hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure. Blood pressure between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg is considered prehypertension.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), one out of three American adults has high blood pressure. Since there are usually no warning signs of this condition, it is very important you have your blood pressure checked regularly. If not controlled, high blood pressure can lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke and blindness. Ask your doctor what you can do to help lower or prevent high blood pressure. The NHLBI reports that high blood pressure can be prevented and lowered by:

Maintaining a healthy weight
Being physically active
Following a healthy eating plan
Reducing sodium in your diet
Drinking alcohol in moderation
Taking prescribed drugs as directed
Quitting smoking

Senior Solutions encourage you to learn more about high blood pressure.

Request the Will Rogers Institute’s free brochure, “Controlling High Blood Pressure,” by clicking HERE or (877) 957-7575.

Read the NHLBI’s free brochure, “Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure,” available at or (301) 592-8573.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Modifying your home for the necessities of Senior Living

Today, most home doorways are 32 inches wide, but the opened door and its hinges reduce the actual opening to 30 inches. I don’t know how narrow your doorway is, but assuming the door has standard hinges, it might be possible to inexpensively increase your husband’s access to the full width of the doorway by using offset door hinges, also known as swing clear hinges to retrofit the door.

These Z shaped door hinges can swing the door clearly out of its frame, placing it flush against the wall. These hinges are often used in older commercial buildings to meet the Standards of Accessible Design set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Perhaps an extra 2 inches will help your husband avoid bumping his elbows when he walks through the doorway. A pair of offset hinges can be purchased online for less than $15 at www.allegromedical.com or www.activeforever.com and are usually installed by using the existing screw holes.

If you should need to widen the doorway, you might consider the benefits of discussing the plan with a building contractor who is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). This certification indicates the completion of additional training in the needs of older adults and home modifications to allow aging-in-place. The National Association of Home Builders provides a web-based directory, which lists Certified Aging-in- Place Specialists.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

What is Peripheral Arterial Disease? PAD?

Excerpted from the Will Rogers Institute

Today, many Americans are discovering they have PAD, thanks to a national PAD awareness campaign. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a sponsor of the campaign, points out that PAD awareness is very important because one in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has PAD.

PAD develops when plaque (extra cholesterol and other fats) builds up in the walls of the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the legs, arms, head, kidneys and stomach. Just like narrowed arteries in the heart, narrowed arteries in the legs increase a person’s risk for having a heart attack or stroke. PAD may also limit a person’s mobility and in some cases lead to amputation.

Most people with PAD do not experience symptoms, but those who do report some of the following signs:

~Pain, fatigue, heaviness, tiredness cramping in legs that occurs during activity
~Pain in the legs and/or feet that disturbs sleep
~A lower temperature in one leg
~Sores or wounds on toes, feet or legs that heal slowly, poorly or not at all
~Paleness or blueness in the color of feet
~Poor nail and hair growth

There are other factors that may be preludes to PAD. You may have two of the following risk factors associated with PAD:

50 years of age or older
Smoker or former smoker
Diabetes
High blood pressure
High blood cholesterol
History of vascular disease, heart attack or stroke
African American

I suggest you see your doctor and discuss your risks for developing PAD. Also, learn more about PAD by clicking any of these hyperlinks

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Senior Solutions directs you to "Extra Help" Medicare Program Reduces Drug Costs

"Extra Help" is a low-income subsidy program for Medicare recipients. It helps with prescription drug premiums, deductibles and co-payments. If you are single with an annual income less than $16,245 and resources less than $12,510, or if you are married with a combined annual income less than $21,855 and combined resources less than $25,010, you might qualify for this benefit.

Unfortunately, the "Extra Help" program will not assist with benzodiazepine costs or many of the higher priced drugs because this program only helps with drugs covered by a Medicare recipient's drug plan. Benzodiazepines are one of several drugs Medicare doesn't require drug plans to cover. Drug plans that cover benzodiazepines will often charge higher annual premiums because they provide this extra benefit.

However, it might still save you money by helping you with premiums, deductibles and other drug co-pays should you qualify for the program. Ask your doctor if there is another drug covered by your plan that might help you sleep instead of benzodiazepines, which are covered by only a few Medicare drug plans.

You can apply for "Extra Help" by calling the Social Security Administration at (800)772-1213. Don't assume your resources will disqualify you for this benefit. A number of assets, such as the home you live in, are not considered resources when determining your eligibility for "Extra Help."

Sources: Your Guide to Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage, a free publication of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.



For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

How long do I Have to Keep My Tax Records?

Question: My file cabinet is bursting at its seams because I have receipts and records from the last ten years! I need to toss all old records but the essentials. How long are you required to maintain personal records in the event of an audit? I was told three years. Is this correct?

Answer: Most people find it annoying to hang onto reams of paper over the years in case of an audit or tax question. But there is something frightening about throwing these old records away.

What to do? Three years is the minimum period of time to hold records after you file a tax return. Six years is even better because, in certain cases, the IRS has that long to audit you.
And, for some types of records - primarily long held assets like real estate or stocks - the records should be kept from the date of acquisition until three or six years after the date of disposition of the item, which could mean a decade or longer

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

How safe is it for me to make my own legal will online?

Most people with moderate estates can make a will online. In some ways, making a will online is very similar to estate planning with the help of a lawyer. You simply answer interview questions tailored to your situation, get answers to your legal concerns, and in the end receive a legal document tailored to the laws of your state - just like you would with a lawyer. Your main task will then be to sign the document and have it witnessed. Of course, an online will costs a lot less and takes much less time than going to a lawyer, and you don't have to leave your home or office to do it.

Is it safe to make a will without a lawyer?

Yes.

Making a will rarely involves complicated legal rules, and most people with simple estates won't need a lawyer to make a will.
However, there are certainly some situations that warrant hiring a lawyer. When you make your will online, if a situation arises in which you may benefit from the advice of a lawyer or other expert, the computer program will let you know.

Is your information safe when you make a will online?

Yes.
Security issues are the highest priority so do take every precaution

Can you assign a guardian for your child in your will?

Yes.

A will is the right place to name someone to care for your children if you are unable to.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

The AARP Helps Seniors with their Tax Returns !!

Senior Solutions presents Tax Aide a free, volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service. It is available to taxpayers with low and moderate incomes and gives special attention to people age 60 and older. Trained in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service, volunteers help more than 2.6 million taxpayers file federal, state and local tax returns each year. The program is offered nationwide in senior centers, libraries, community centers and other convenient locations.

Volunteers are trained to assist with filing the 1040 Form and standard schedules, including Schedules A and B. Taxpayers with complex tax returns are advised to seek paid tax assistance. Electronic filing (e-filing) is offered at most sites, with no charge to the taxpayer. E-filing ensures more accurate tax returns and faster processing of tax refunds.

Tax Aide also allows taxpayers to pose questions online, year-round, 24 hours a day, seven days aweek, from the comfort of home. To learn more, just click HERE or visit the general AARP site HERE

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Senior Solutions addresses Stress, Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure in the elderly and has links to free downloadable booklets

Will Rogers


To help provide easy access to important health information Senior Solutions is providing our readers via the Will Rogers Institute links to free downloadable health booklets.

To get a free downloadable booklet just click HERE

Available Online Titles:

•A Guide to Managing Stress
•Adding Activity to Your Life
•Controlling Cholesterol
•Diabetes
•Healthy Eating: Getting Back to Basics
•Managing High Blood Pressure


For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

I am 88 years old. Am I too old to have new pet?

From the Will Rogers Institute.

It's important to consider the pros and cons of adopting another companion pet. Just giving a a wonderful home and excellent care may not be enough. Your concern about outliving a new pet also tells me you are very wise about the lifetime commitment an adoption may require - more than 15 years for most pets according to the Humane Society.

I suggest you contact 2nd Chance 4 Pets, or (408) 871-1133, to learn more about lifetime care planning for companion pets. This is the process of documenting instructions for the care of a companion pet, formally identifying guardians and setting aside funds for the care of a companion pet. Arranging for a trusted guardian and caregiver may relieve your worries. The information provided by 2nd Chance 4 Pets is free, but it is not a substitution for legal advice, especially if you are considering setting aside funds for a companion pet's care.

Your local Humane Society is another free source for information and advice. Their counselors may help you assess your ability to care for a companion pet by asking:

•Do you have time for a pet?
•Can you afford a pet?
•Are you prepared to deal with special problems that a pet can cause?
•Is it a good time for you to adopt a pet?
•Is your home suitable for the pet you have in mind?
•Do you have a caregiver if you are away?
•Are you prepared to care for your pet for his or her entire lifetime?

I also suggest you discuss your concerns about pet adoption with your children, doctor and/or veterinarian. They are likely to be aware of your emotional and physical needs as well as your ability to care for a companion pet.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

If I Delay Retirement - Do I Get More Money????

From the Will Rogers Institute

The Social Security system entitles you to an increased amount in benefits for each year you wait to claim your benefits- up until age 70. It also reduces your benefits if you retire early. If you'd started claiming benefits at any time between age 62 and your full retirement age (65, 66, or 67, depending on your year of birth), the amount would have been permanently reduced a fraction of a percent for each month before your full retirement age.

But you've already passed that point, and are entitled to full benefits - but still not as much as they'd be had you waited longer. You can get a graphic depiction of your potential benefit amounts directly from the Social Security Administration.

Contact the SSA at (800) 772-1213 or go to its website at www.socialsecurity.gov to request your Social Security Statement.

You'll get a complete record of your lifetime earnings-along with an estimate of the monthly benefits you will receive at various retirement ages.

Even though you'll receive more money per month the longer you wait, it's not always better to delay. For example, you may want to claim benefits earlier if you need money to cover your basic living expenses, or if you have a medical condition that makes it likely that you won't live past age 75.

You can use the Senior Solutions Calculator to see what retirement age makes most financial sense for you.

Just Click HERE and enter your current earnings information without a planned retirement date.

The Senior Solutions Calculator will give you your benefit estimates for three different retirement ages, just like your Social Security Statement. But unlike your statement, if you click on "break-even age," the calculator will tell you how long you must live to make delaying benefits worthwhile.

For instance, if a person could collect $900 per month when turning 62, but would get $1,700 per month by waiting until age 70, the calculator will show that he or she would have to live at least until age 80.5 to break even. That means that if the person lived beyond age 80 and a half years, it would be worth delaying retirement to age 70. But if the person were to die before age 80, collecting benefits earlier would have been better. Now we just need a calculator to tell us how long we'll live. (But would we really want to look?)

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Getting Started: Retirement Planning Tips

From A Will Rogers Institute Newsletter:

I am pleased you heard about Retirement Planning: Getting Started, the newest addition to our Life Planning Series. You will be happy to know there is no charge to view this collection of online articles at our Web site, www.wrpioneers.org. You may also print the articles from our website as often as you like without any charge.

As you begin your retirement planning, you may find it helpful to explore and consider your personal goals for each of the six areas introduced in Retirement Planning: Getting Started:

•Estate Planning
•Financial Planning
•Insurance
•Social Security
•Staying Healthy & Enjoying Life
•Supportive Services & Housing

The short articles listed under each of these six areas will give you a basic understanding of important retirement planning issues and the resources to help you begin planning. The articles are written by knowledgeable lawyers and are regularly revised to keep current with changes in the law. I think you will find the articles concise and easy to understand.

I suggest you request The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning, a free booklet that is also available through our Life Planning Series. This booklet focuses on long term care planning, but it offers a wide range of resources and strategies that can also be applied to retirement planning.

Setting aside time now to plan for a successful retirement is usually a challenge for people as young as you. Ask yourself each year when you complete your income tax return, what you did the past year to plan for your retirement. Always set goals for the coming year, even if it is just to explore and understand another aspect of retirement planning.


For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524