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Friday, March 22, 2024
Email: TheSeniorLog@Protonmail.com
QUOTE
“Writing is throwing spaghetti at a wall
to see what sticks.”
― Kelly E. Lindner
News Release
SOCIAL SECURITY
Social Security Announces Four Key Updates to Address Improper Payments
Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley today announced he is taking four vital steps to immediately address overpayment issues customers and the agency have experienced. Commissioner O’Malley testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging and the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance (excerpt):
“For 88 years, the hard-working employees of the Social Security Administration have strived to pay the right amount, to the right person, at the right time. And the agency has done this with a high degree of accuracy over a massive scale of beneficiaries. But despite our best efforts, we sometimes get it wrong and pay beneficiaries more than they are due, creating an overpayment.
When that happens, Congress requires that we make every effort to recover those overpaid benefits. But doing so without regard to the larger purpose of the program can result in grave injustices to individuals, as we see from the stories of people losing their homes or being put in dire financial straits when they suddenly see their benefits cut off to recover a decades-old overpayment, or disability beneficiaries attempting to work and finding their efforts rewarded with large overpayments. Innocent people can be badly hurt. And these injustices shock our shared sense of equity and good conscience as Americans.
Read full news release
House Republican budget
calls for raising the retirement
age for Social Security
By Sahil Kapur
A new budget by a large and influential group of House Republicans calls for raising the Social Security retirement age for future retirees and restructuring Medicare.
The proposals, which are unlikely to become law this year, reflect how many Republicans will seek to govern if they win the 2024 elections. And they play into a fight President Joe Biden is seeking to have with former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party as he runs for re-election.
The budget was released Wednesday by the Republican Study Committee, a group of more than 170 House GOP lawmakers, including many allies of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Apart from fiscal policy, the budget endorses a series of bills “designed to advance the cause of life,” including the Life at Conception Act, which would aggressively restrict abortion and potentially threaten in vitro fertilization, or IVF, by establishing legal protections for human beings at “the moment of fertilization.” It has recently caused consternation within the GOP following backlash to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that threatened IVF.
Read more
Do Personal Injury Settlements
Affect SSI or SSDI Benefits?
The answer to how personal injury settlements affect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits depends on your specific situation. However, there is a general answer:
SSDI – No, your settlement does not affect SSDI benefit payments.
SSI – Yes, in general, a personal injury settlement negatively affects SSI benefits.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the SSDI program as well as the SSI program. Personal injury settlements uniquely affect these two SSA programs in part because each program follows different requirements to qualify. In addition, SSDI and SSI fit different purposes.
To qualify for SSDI benefits, a person must fit the federal government's strict definition of disability. They also must have paid into the Social Security system for a certain amount of time.
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Difficulty walking
a curved path
may be an indicator
of cognitive decline
About 20% of the world’s population has mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 10%–15% of whom will develop dementia
- There is currently no cure for MCI, but early diagnosis and intervention can help slow progression.
A new study has developed a way to use gait analysis to test for early cognitive decline.
The researchers found that difficulty walking a curved path was associated with early cognitive decline.
About 20%Trusted Source of the world’s population has mild cognitive impairment (MCI)Trusted Source — a condition affecting a person’s memory or thinking.
People with mild cognitive impairment are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other types of dementia.
Read more
Downsizing for older adults
can be an emotional
but rewarding process
BY LAUREN J. MAPP
As the parents of El Cajon resident Lisa Bowen began to get older, it became more apparent that having them age in place in the Alpine house they had called home for more than 40 years would no longer be a safe option.
Selling and emptying the three-bedroom, 2,200-square-foot home so they could transition into a one-bedroom apartment in a senior independent living facility was no easy task. The house, which her father had built in 1978, held a lot of memories as the place where the couple had raised their three children. However, the multi-acre property had become too much for Bowen’s parents to continue managing.
Her father was recovering from a second stroke that had left him paralyzed on the left side at the time that her mother’s dementia had progressed to the point where her doctor decided she could no longer drive.
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How solo agers,
those older people
without children,
can prepare for later years
By HELEN DENNIS
Q. As a single woman in my late 70s with no children or grandchildren, I worry. Who will be there for me when I need someone – particularly if I need care? Also, as the years go by, I am increasingly uncomfortable when friends go to great lengths to tell stories about their children and share their photos. I am happy for them but feel like an outsider. Any suggestions? G.T.
Solo aging is an often overlooked topic. The term refers to singles or couples without children or other family support. AARP designates 50 as the qualifying age. The concern about care in later life is based on reality. Among those age 65 and older, 70 percent will need care at some point. However, 30 percent are unlikely to need care. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to determine which percentage will apply to which individual.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Sara Zeff Geber, author of “Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers: A Retirement and Aging Roadmap for Single and Childless Adults” (Mango, 2018). She advocates to “plan, form and maintain a community that becomes one’s support network.” And geography matters. Social networks evolve around where one lives. In our mobile society, families often live far away. Those in our network can help with a trip to the grocery store, a ride to an appointment, or assist with technology. See the Village movement as a support network in later life: https://www.vtvnetwork.org/
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Age Is No Barrier:
How Dental Implants
Benefit Seniors
By Jeffrey Gomez.
Tooth loss is a common experience as people age. While dentures and bridges have traditionally been used to replace missing teeth, dental implants have emerged as a superior and long-lasting solution.
For many seniors, concerns may linger about whether implants suit their age group. However, this article aims to dispel those myths and demonstrate how dental implants can significantly improve their quality of life.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant acts as a biocompatible anchor, a screw-like post made of titanium that replaces a missing tooth root and supports a natural-looking crown. Once the implant fuses with the jawbone through osseointegration, it becomes a strong and sturdy foundation.
Learn more
Learning something new every day is not just a hobby or a pastime for me; it is a way of life. It is an essential part of my existence, as it fuels my curiosity and drives me to constantly expand my knowledge and understanding of the world around me. I know it has helped me cognizant and aware here at the A.L.F. Learning has allowed me to adapt and grow in an ever-changing world.
However, I have noticed that not everyone here at the A.L.F. shares this same enthusiasm for learning. Many individuals, particularly seniors, seem to have lost interest in acquiring new knowledge or staying updated on important global events or health-related matters. It is disheartening to engage in conversations with them, only to be met with indifference or a blank stare.
I often wonder when and why we lose our desire to learn. Is it a natural consequence of aging, where the mind becomes less receptive to new information? Or is it a result of societal factors, such as the overwhelming amount of information available or the fast-paced nature of modern life? Perhaps it is a combination of both.
Regardless of the reasons, I find it unfortunate that some individuals lose their passion for learning as they grow older. Learning is not just about acquiring facts; it is about staying intellectually stimulated, broadening our perspectives, and challenging our preconceived notions. It is about embracing new ideas and experiences, fostering personal growth, and remaining relevant in an ever-evolving world.
For me, learning something new every day is not just a means to an end; I actually enjoy it. It keeps my mind active and my curiosity alive. It allows me to engage in meaningful conversations, contribute to discussions on important topics, and make informed decisions that impact my life and the lives of those around me.
In a world that is constantly evolving and changing, the importance of lifelong learning cannot be overstated. It is through continuous learning that we can adapt, grow, and thrive in an ever-changing landscape. So, let us not lose our desire to learn, but instead, let us embrace it wholeheartedly, for it is through learning that we truly come alive. .........
IS YOUR BALANCE OFF?
WHEN TO SEEK
MEDICAL ADVICE
BY CLAUDINE AHERNE
Have you noticed changes in your balance recently? Are you wondering whether these changes are normal or a sign of something that should be investigated?
Have you considered seeing your doctor but worried you might be wasting their time?
We often hear from people who have concerns about their balance but aren’t sure whether these warrant a visit to the doctor.
In this article, I will tell you the important signs that it’s time to consult a medical professional about your balance. You’ll find out why many people don’t visit their doctor (so you don’t make the same mistakes). I’ll share some inspiring personal stories of balance reclaimed.
Read more
5 Loan Options
That Senior Citizens Could Explore
To Fulfill Their
Money Needs In Retirement
By Karla Lopez
No one wants to face financial hardship in their golden years, yet the reality is that many do. Imagine still working well into your 70s, your back aching, your energy waning, and your dreams of travel and relaxation fading. Thankfully, many loan instruments are available to senior citizens to help pay for their retirement expenses. Read on to know more.
Online Personal Loans
A personal loan can be used for practically any purpose. For senior citizens, these reasons include making home improvements, financing medical expenses, or fulfilling long-held travel aspirations.
Find out which CBD product is best for you
Generally, you can apply for a personal loan in person or online. However, applying for a personal loan in person can be frustrating and tricky. That’s why online loans have gained immense popularity. The digital application process provides accessibility and convenience that traditional in-person applications often lack.
Read more
Baby boomers
are spending big on
travel right now.
Here’s why.
By Christopher Muther
Welcome back to Survey Says, a carefully curated collection of travel surveys that have piqued our interest. Translation: We found some fun tidbits and slapped them together. This week, we dive into the travel generation gap.
The airport is going to look a bit older this holiday season, and I’m not talking about the worn carpets in front of gates where passengers pace while waiting for their boarding group to be called. Baby boomers are making a grand return to the airport this year, according to several studies that claim those born between 1946 and 1964 have shaken off their COVID fears and are ready to head back out for the holidays and beyond.
Last year, baby boomers made up a fifth of passengers traveling for the holidays. This year, a third of passengers will be in the 60-plus club. According to the tax advisory company Deloitte, those Boomers will not only return in force for holiday travel, but they’re also saving up for 2024 excursions. Translation: if you have a parent or grandparent in the Woodstock generation, start lowering your holiday gift expectations. They’re saving up for a trip to Italy next year, so you’re getting a Chia Pet for Christmas.
Read more
Martin Scorsese:
“I Have To Find Out
Who The Hell I Am.”
Now 80, the legendary director is on one of
the most creative runs of his career—
and consumed by the challenges (and opportunities)
of all that he has left to do.
By Zach Baron
For years, Martin Scorsese would ask himself: What will happen when I get old? As a child, Scorsese was often sick with asthma, and as an adult, he spent a good part of his 30s weakening his heart, through excess and exertion, to the point of ending up in the hospital. Mortality has always been a specter in his life, and particularly in his films, which are a vast record of violent and untimely endings. But this recurring question wasn’t about death. This was: What will happen when I get old? What kind of work could I do? he would ask himself. Would there be any more depth?
In November, Scorsese will turn 81. Since his debut, 1967’s Who’s That Knocking at My Door, he has never stopped working for any noticeable amount of time. He has worked through addiction, four divorces, critical and commercial failure, and 13 losses (and one win) at the Academy Awards. He has made so many good—so many great—feature films and documentaries that I can’t begin to list them all, though we can marvel at even a partial list: Mean Streets, Italianamerican, Taxi Driver, The Last Waltz, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino, No Direction Home, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence, The Irishman. A fun dinner party topic: Did Scorsese make the best movie of each decade since the ’70s? Probably not (I think his case is weakest in the first decade of this century), but you could argue it, and many people have. Still again, in the back of his head, this question about his talent and whether it would endure: “I always wondered, would it develop into anything if I got older? If I became old. Would it develop into anything? Would it be making the same movie? And if making the same movie, is that bad?”
“I don’t really belong there,” Scorsese said of his relationship to the Academy. “I don’t know if I think like them. I just mind my own business here.”
Learn more
High blood pressure?
Reducing salt in your diet
may be as effective as a
common drug, study finds
BY SARA MONIUSZKO
Want to lower your blood pressure? Cutting back on salt in your diet could help do just that — and according to new research, for many people it may be as effective as taking a common blood pressure medication.
The study, published Saturday in JAMA, found that reducing sodium consumption significantly lowered blood pressure in the majority of participants.
Researchers examined 213 participants aged 50 to 75 on their usual diets as well as high- and low-sodium diets. The high-sodium diets contained approximately 2200 mg of added sodium daily, and low-sodium diets contained about 500 mg of sodium daily. The group included a mix of people with and without existing blood pressure issues.
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HISTORY OF SPAGHETTI
Spaghetti and meatballs as a dish isn't as widely loved in Italy as it is in the U.S.
Spaghetti is arguably the most famous pasta shape to come out of Italy, and its early history is also not that clear. We know the name means “little strings,” and that spaghetti is the plural form of the singular spaghetto.
Spaghetti was being made in Sicily by at least the 1100s, but it wouldn’t achieve ubiquity until it arrived in the United States centuries later. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, spaghetti was one of few Italian ingredients available stateside. The millions of Italians immigrating to America at this time also had access to meat and canned tomatoes, which is how spaghetti and meatballs became a staple of Italian-American households and restaurants.
Pedantic gourmands will tell you that actual Italians would never eat the two dishes together, and they’re probably right, but the story of pasta and meatballs isn’t quite that simple. In Abruzzo, for instance, a traditional dish pairs pasta with pallottine, which are a type of small meatball. According to David Gentilcore, professor of history at the University of Leicester, as early as 1632, a comic theater character says that he dreams “of a big dish of macaroni with meatballs on top.”
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MONDAY MARCH 25, 2024
©2024 Bruce Cooper
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