It’s tax preparation time and there is no better time to take stock of your finances. Tax reporting forms are piling up and you’re beginning to sort through receipts from last year for deductions (telling yourself next year will be the year you get organized!)

As you look over how much money you made and how you spent your money, it’s a good time to look at some of your insurance expenses and make sure you have the right coverage and take advantage of your tax benefits. Here are  tips:

Life Insurance — Take a look at your life insurance policy in light of last year’s income. Do you have enough coverage to take care of your loved ones in case something happened to you? Often we’ll buy life insurance and then forget to update the coverage to reflect current lifestyle. If you have a term life insurance policy you purchased several years ago, you also may find that you can buy a new policy with more coverage for the same or less premium. A recent survey from MetLife Mature Market Institute found that over 40% of people admit they don’t have enough life insurance coverage or aren’t sure.

Long Term Care Insurance – Long term care insurance policies comes with tax benefits. A Federal tax credit is available to you each year. The amount depends upon your age. If you are using a tax preparer make sure they know you have a long term care policy. Some states also provide a tax credit or deduction. Check your state tax laws to find out what is available to you.

Health Insurance – If you are still working and have a flexible saving account don’t leave money in your account. You have until mid-March to use those benefits so make that doctor, dentist, and optometrist appointment now and use up your funds…or you lose them.

Health Insurance Deductions — For many people reaching the threshold of 7.5% of your adjusted gross income can be difficult. But if you are self employed and paying your own health insurance premiums you’ll want to find out what is deductible. Many seniors with Medicare health insurance plans don’t realize that they may now be eligible for this deduction. Their health care expenses could include their Part B premiums, their Medicare health insurance premiums, co pays and deductibles, their prescription drug costs and most out-of-pocket health care expenses.

For those on Medicare, reviewing expenditures during the previous year may also provide an important picture of whether their Medicare plan is the right plan and if it is appropriate to consider switching to a different type of Medicare plan in the coming year.

Tax day in 2012 is April 17. Once you’ve gathered up your information and sent it off to the IRS, take a look at your insurance coverage and see if some changes need to be made to your insurance plans in 2012.

Guest contributor Laura Rossman heads up communications for iQuote by Longevity Alliance. The independent national insurance broker works with more than 20 companies to help seniors compare and find the best term life insurance, medicare supplement plans, and long term care insurance. Laura has worked in the health and senior care services industries for over 20 years.

      Mrs. C. was 85 years old when our agency was hired by her son to provide home care for her.  Up until that point, Mrs. C. lived on her own while her son lived in another state and traveled a great deal for his work.

      He was relieved to have us step in and initially provide his mother with eight hours of care, seven days per week.  She was very demanding and difficult to please, which took some time for the aides working with her to get used to.  She called the agency day and night, and we seemed to provide direct or indirect care 24 hours a day.

      Mrs. C. was suspicious and did not trust anyone, either in person or over the phone, which is why it was so unusual for her to be a victim of fraud.  Nonetheless she became one.

      A routine was established for Mrs. C. and she seemed to begin to trust the two aides who were caring for her.  The number of hours that we provided home care increased, first to 12 hours per day, then to 24 hours. Basically, Mrs. C. was never left alone anymore. Our aides were well trained to ferret out fraudulent phone calls and attempt to swindle money from patients.

      At some point, Mrs. C. was hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat.   The hospital allowed us to provide her regular aide only during the day.  Therefore, she was on her own in the hospital room at night.

      Within five days we brought the patient back home.  A month later her son called me and asked if any of the aides working with his mother live inFlorida.  I did not understand what he meant, but told him that both aides lived inNew York City.

      He explained that he was billed by a credit company, from which he never had a credit card, for $18,000, for furniture and other household goods that were purchased inFlorida.  The credit card had been created in his mother’s name.

      His mother never had a credit card in her life, and throughout her life she never handled the family’s finances – her husband had taken care of all the bills and check writing.  After he passed away, her son took over the handling of all his mother’s financial affairs.                                                                           

      I knew that my aides had nothing to do with the fraud, and they informed us that there were no suspicious calls in which Mrs. C. gave out any information on the phone to anybody that could have been used for opening a credit card account.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

      With the investigation that the credit card company pursued, it seemed that the personal information had been gotten from the hospital, while Mrs. C. was hospitalized.  Who had penetrated the hospital records, and whether it was done by computer or through paper records, is not quite clear.  She may also have been approached by somebody at the hospital and, thinking that the person was part of the hospital staff, may have given out some information. Either way, it seems that her Social Security number, name, address, and date of birth were accurately lifted.

      In Mrs. C.’s case, all her incoming mail was forwarded to her son and he immediately acted upon this fraud.  But often the target of fraud is a senior who has no one to verify the bills for correct charges, and many times will pay for purchases he or she never made. Some of the seniors may also not know that they are not liable for purchases they have not made and, if contested, the credit card company will remove the charges from their account. It takes some calling and following up, but there is no need to rush and pay for it.

      In many cases, no matter how careful we are, we still can be victims of fraud, but we can reduce the chance of it happening by being suspicious and cautious. For more information, please log onto: www.goldenyearsgolden.com

• Overall Drug Pricing and Patient Safety Rating
• Overall Complaint Rating
• Overall Member Experience Rating
• Overall Customer Service Rating

At this relatively late stage in a person’s life, cost and expenses are endlessly important. I recommend you consider all costs associated with a change in Medicare coverage and that you apply the points raised below to your personal situation:

(1)  MedicareBlu RX – S5743

This top rated Medicare plan has contracts available to consumers in Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming, and North Dakota. Total premiums for these contracts range from $39.70 – $104.60. Paying a higher premium has its benefits, as the drug deductible associated with that higher premium is much smaller. The drug deductibles for these higher premiums are $0.00 compared to $160 associated with the lower premiums.

(2)  Advocare – H5211

Brought to you by Security Health plan of Wisconsin Incorporated, this plan has contracts available to residents throughout the state of Wisconsin. With total premiums ranging from $26.60 – $62.30, all drug deductibles are at $0.00. On top of that, customer service associated with this plan was 40.1% higher than the average customer service rating for all Medicare Part D plans.

(3)  Kaiser Permanante Senior Advantage –  H0630

This plan from Kaiser is offered to residents of Colorado. Contracts for this Senior Advantage plan vary widely with total premiums from $0.00 – $48.70 and drug deductibles from $0.00 to $320. Quality of customer service associated with this plan was about 12% higher than the average rating for all Medicare part-d plans reviewed.

(4)  Excellus Health Plan, inc – H3335

Contracts offered under this plan vary widely with total premiums from $0.00 – 55.40. Drug deductibles also vary widely for this plan ranging from $0.00 – $160. When choosing new plan, it is important to research the quality of customer service. This company’s quality of customer service associated with this plan was rated about 40% higher than that of all Medicare plans reviewed.

Overall, there are many aspects of Medicare part-d coverage that should be considered before choosing a plan. It is most important to find a plan that works best for you. When choosing a new plan, make sure your health care providers accept the coverage that you’re interested in choosing. Also, be sure check into the extension of your plan geographically to avoid unexpected expenses. And don’t forget, make sure the quality of customer service provided for your Medicare plan is what you expect. There are many useful Medicare ratingson the market that review quality of customer service. I highly suggest using one before finalizing such an important decision.

Peter Griggs is a business development associate at FindTheBest Health, which
helps users compare everything from dialysis centers to community health centers.

Marquette, Michigan

As surprising as it might seem, the beautiful town of Marquette, Michigan, has some of the best retirement options to be found in the entire nation. One of the best things about this quiet, picturesque location is the huge amount of options it has for year-round fun.

Although tanning on the beach to the gentle crash of waves may sound ideal at first, doing it every day for the next 30 years could become quite a chore. Marquette, Michigan, is situated on a broad peninsula that extends out into Lake Superior. With a huge body of water never more than a short drive away, you will be able to enjoy as many water sports and activities as you like all summer long. There is plenty of snow during the winter months, and skiing, ice-fishing, and other winter activities will make sure you are never bored when the cold hits.

The average home price in this town is a mere $145,000 and the state income tax hovers at around 4.35%. Marquette, Michigan, sits in close proximity to Northern Michigan University, which offers plenty of exciting indoor activities. Additionally, the city has one of the best cardiovascular hospitals in the nation.

Cape Coral, Florida

Of course, when it comes to retirement, the beach is hard to beat. Cape Coral, Florida, is not only near some of the most beautiful beaches in the United States, but it also has a mild climate, an economic housing market, and low taxes. Real estate prices have dropped an average of 60 percent over the last five years, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. The average home price in Cape Coral, Florida, currently sits at only $95,000. On top of this, there is a cost-of-living index that ranks at an ideal 96, and no state income tax.

If you like water, there is plenty of it in this quiet town. About 400 miles of canals cut through Cape Coral, many of which empty directly into the Gulf of Mexico. Although there is very little nightlife here, there is a great outlet mall, a lively farmer’s market, and a beautiful golf course.

Austin, Texas

Although the summers in this bustling cultural city do err slightly on the sticky side, Austin, Texas, has just about everything else going for it. Knee-deep in performing arts and music culture, Austin has a never-ending line-up of cultural events such as orchestral performances, ballet presentations, and live indie bands. There are no less than three senior centers run by the city of Austin, where you will be able to sign up for a huge variety of fitness classes and other activities. Austin’s University of Texas also features learning programs for all ages.

Austin, Texas, has an average home price of only $124,000 and no state income tax. There are plenty of great nature preserves and beautiful parks to explore, and if you like spending Cinco de Mayo in Mexico, it’s only a short drive away.

Megan writes for Assisted Living Today, a leading source of information on a range of topics related to elderly living and retirement care and facilities including a Maryland Assisted Living guide.

Paul Roarke Jr. is a retired Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sergeant and an Iraq war veteran. He is author of the best selling fitness book Corps Strength and works as a physical training and leadership instructor at the US Navy’s International Training Center located in Pensacola, Florida.

Ms. R. was 89 years old when she called our agency for home care.  She had gone through some minor surgery, and needed someone to be with her for a few days until she fully recovered.  She had a wonderful demeanor and a life full of social activities.  Like many of our patients, she lived independently, and without the support of a family.  She had a few cousins, a niece, and a nephew.  They were not especially close to her, and the contact with them was minimal.

      When our aide started working with Ms. R., she was very vocal about not trusting her family and thinking that their only interest in her was the money she would be leaving them.

      We noticed that a non-for-profit organization, visited Ms. R. regularly, bringing small gifts, and slowly gaining her trust.  As was our policy, we did not interfere in the client’s affairs, unless there is something illegal or endangering to the client.

      Ms. R. decided to maintain home care service, even though she bounced back from her surgery.  Months went by and the service went smoothly, with Ms R. resuming her social life, going to senior centers, small trips, concerts, and religious services. The aide was always by her side.

     One morning I received a phone call from a representative of the organization that was regularly visiting Ms. R. One of their administrators, in a very friendly voice, introduced herself and said that they have a very good relationship with Ms. R., and they are working toward having her appoint them as her guardians. This would transfer the  management of her finances to them.                                                                         

     She proceeded to ask me how much our agency was charging Ms. R. for the services we provide.  I refused to give her this information, stating that this was private information.  “Don’t worry; we will pay you twice as much, when we take over.  And everyone will be happy.” 

     I refused to continue the conversation, and hung up.  I did inform Ms. R. about this call and advised her to let her lawyer know about this.

     Some months went by, until one morning I received a call from Ms. R.; she was crying and told me, “Please come, they are forcing me to sign some papers.” I caught a taxi, and ran up to her apartment, which was not very far.

     In the apartment, a woman and a lawyer representing the organization were trying to explain to me that Ms. R. had asked them to take over the management of her financial affairs.  All the while, Ms. R. kept repeating that she never said any such thing, and she may be old, but she is not crazy.

     I asked Ms. R. “Do you want them to leave?” she said “yes.”  I proceeded to ask them to leave, and informed them that I will inform my client’s attorney regarding what had just happened.  I did just that, and as far as I recall, her attorney wrote a letter to the organization, stating that it is illegal and unethical to try to force an elderly person to sign legal papers without the presence of her attorney.

     For a long time I kept thinking, what if I had not been there?  What if she had no one to call?  Most elderly people can be talked into or intimidated into doing things that may hurt them in the long run.  And this was a so-called legitimate organization that was out to get control over her finances, and in turn, control over her life.

    To prevent this from happening, a person that does not have family or friends involved in their life needs to put in place a financial plan, designating someone their trust to step in to look after their needs, when they are unable to do it independently. It is advisable to designate two people; it may be your attorney and a relative or friend, so they are accountable to each other.

For more info: www.goldenyearsgolden.com

Between my own lifelong experiences with glasses, helping my mom and her battle with readers, and my day job as a writer for Reading Glasses Shopper, I feel that I have some tips worth sharing.

Tip #1: Find your prescription. Figuring out your prescription is easier than you might think. For reading glasses, you do not have to take a visit to the eye doctor to determine your power. A simple test with this print-out diopter chart will help you find the glasses you need. If you still want some reassurance that you’ve diagnosed your correct power, the next time you are in the drug store, just pop over to the reading glasses display and test out a few pairs of specs. If you don’t like the small selection of glasses that drug stores normally carry, you can order multiple pairs of reading glasses online now that you are 100% sure you have your correct power.

Tip #2: Find your face shape. I did not realize the importance of finding your face shape until I had a pair of bad glasses. My face is more round/heart shaped so I should steer clear of round glasses and balance my face shape with a rectangular pair of glasses. Of course I learned this the hard way after wearing a pair of round wire-rims in high school… (It looked pretty bad.) Since that mistake I’ve always chosen rectangular glasses and they are more flattering.

Tip # 3: What colors look best on you? Think about the colors that look best against your skin tone and choose a pair of glasses that fit your complexion. (Ehow has a really great article on finding your skin tone season.) Choosing the color of your reading glasses is really important because the glasses are (obviously) against your face. For example, I look pretty washed out in white and gray so I would never choose frames in those colors. If you don’t want to choose a color at all, you can always go with more subtle clear glasses. Some of the rimless reading glasses are so subtle you barely notice they are there.

Tip #4: Choose frames you love. To state the obvious, your glasses go on your face. The first thing people see when they talk to you. Make sure that you don’t feel uncomfortable or ashamed of your frames– there is no sense in losing confidence because you didn’t take the time to choose a pair you love.

(My clear glasses and I.)

Tip #5: Still having troubles? Don’t be afraid to phone a friend and ask for advice. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by too many options I just ask my mom or a friend. Make sure you choose a friend that will give you their honest opinion.

I firmly believe that life is too short to blindly forge through even one day, so I would love to host a giveaway for any Babyboomers.com reader. All you have to do is leave a comment below with your favorite pair of reading glasses from Reading Glasses Shopper. Once the contest is over I will ship out the winner’s choice!

*US entries only, please.

Stacie Grissom is a writer for Reading Glasses Shopper where she writes about everything from reading sunglasses to eye health. As a lifelong glasses-wearer, Stacie believes that the perfect pair of glasses is a key to positive self-assurance. In her free time, Stacie loves to take pictures with her collection of old cameras, work on her DIY craft blog, and play with her three-legged dog, Bridget.

      The biggest danger to our elders and their health is an unsafe environment.  It is well known that, for seniors, falls are the worst things that can happen to them; many seniors do not recover completely from them.  Fractures can put them in a wheelchair, and render them non-ambulatory for the rest of their lives.  The healing process can be lengthy and complicated by other conditions that they may suffer from, such as diabetes, a poor immune system, etc.

     What is less known is the other types of dangers that can be harmful to the elderly. We as relatives, care providers, friends and neighbors need to be on the lookout for tell-tale signs of mental and physical abuse. When visiting an elderly person, ill, or dependent on others, always be alert to the following signs:

A.   Emotional or Psychological Abuse: Are there insults or threats directed at the elder? Are   they living in social isolation?  The   person may be extremely upset, withdrawn, unresponsive, or exhibiting other unusual behavior. He or she may have a vacant look in their eyes or exhibit fear; they may not always express those verbally, so look for signs in their face or behavior. 

B.  Physical and Sexual Abuse: Look for suspicious bruises or other injuries.  Look for signs of   restraints, such as a rope burns. See if he or she shows sudden changes in behavior, such as unexplained anger, withdrawal, or becoming very quiet.  Note if a worker or caregiver refuses to let you visit the elder, making all kind of excuses.

C.  Neglect: Look for signs of malnutrition, if there is noticeable weight loss, dehydration, bed sores, or if personal hygiene is noticeably neglected.  Note if the elder is in soiled clothing, unkempt, without dentures, with long nails or dirty nails, unshaven, or atmiddaywalking around in night clothing. Listen to complaints the elder voices, if she or he complains about the aide not listening to them or disregarding their wishes and instructions. You should follow up on their complaint with the personal aide, because it may lead to discovery of abuse and neglect.                                                                               

D. Financial Abuse: If you notice unexplained bank withdrawals, unauthorized use of bank  and credit cards, as well as reports of stolen or missing checkbooks and bank cards, or if your parent or elder writes checks as a loan or gift to the aide. Keep an eye out for sudden changes in the will or banking documents, these trigger a red alert.  Be alert if assets are suddenly transferred to a family member or to someone outside the family, valuables suddenly disappear, the elder suddenly makes unwise investments, or a distant relative suddenly appears to claim the right to handle the finances.

     If you become aware of any of the above warning signals, you should correct them, and/or notify the police. The above warning signs should be looked for not only at the home of the elderly, but also if he or she resides in a nursing home, a residential care facility, or an assisted living facility. For more info, please log onto: www.goldenyearsgolden.com

As seasons change from Autumn to Winter, folks across the globe are saving pennies to insulate their wallets from the toll that the holidays could take.  Preparation (and preparing for the worst) is something Americans do well instinctively; however, there are 900 adult deaths each day due to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).  It’s too horrifying a statistic – one I hope will prompt you to take a constructive, smart action to prevent SCA from affecting your family and loved ones.  It’s in your nature as American, after all, right?

Luckily, CPR classes are not expensive.  In fact, CPR programs are so encouraged that the IRS will allow you to deduct the cost of CPR instruction when it comes time to file taxes.  Nothing helps insulate the wallet like a tax break, but what about your time? Can you afford the time it takes to acquire a CPR certification?

I am not saying that the class would not be a good investment, but just because you didn’t spend 4-6 hours of your life on your knees at the Y doesn’t mean you have to stand helplessly aside when someone around you collapses or is in danger.  For the average person, the steps are becoming simpler.

This is your scenario: the man in line behind you in the grocery store check-out suddenly collapses. Just a second ago, this man was fine and now he is lifeless on the floor.  Are you really going to wait for a doctor to appear out of nowhere a la ER or House?  It probably won’t happen and seconds are precious when trying to save a life.  If not you then who?  You know CPR right?  Here are the steps in order:

1) Scene Safety

2) Tap & Shout

3) Call 9-1-1

4) Look For Chest Rise

5) Push Hard & Fast

You just did CPR.  Simple.  Below are each of the steps explained in detail for your perusal.

Step 1-Scene Safety

Ask yourself this question before you attempt anything; Will I be safe if I try to save him?  What?!  There is a person who just fell to the floor possibly dead and you want me to worry about myself?  Stop and think for a second.  You have people you need to go home to and the last thing anyone needs is two victims.  What if he fell into a puddle of water near a wire with a short or collapsed in the middle of the road?  If you aren’t going to be safe, walk away and get help.  If your victim isn’t going to be safe and you can safely move them, please do.  If they are in a place where you can’t do CPR properly, which is any surface that isn’t hard and flat, get them there now!

Step 2-Tap & Shout

Get onto your knees and tap the victim on the shoulders, aggressively, while shouting, ”Are you OK?!”  You want to wake them up.  Do not lean over them while you are doing this.  If they fainted they will wake up by sitting straight up, and if you are in the way you will get a bloody nose for your trouble.  If they lay there motionless, you need to move onto step 3.

Step 3-Call 9-1-1

If you can’t wake someone up, they need help, fast.  If there are bystanders, point to someone, make eye contact, and say “You call 9-1-1!”, and make sure they acknowledge they are going to do just that.  Don’t just shout for help.  If you shout, “someone to call 9-1-1!” then no one is making the call, I guarantee.  If no one is around call 9-1-1 yourself and use the speaker phone feature on your cell.

Step 4-Look For Chest Rise

Look at the chest for up to 5 seconds.  Is it moving up and down?  No.  Then move to step 5.  Do you think you might have seen it move but you aren’t entirely sure?  Then move to step 5.  Are they gasping, gagging, or clicking?  Yes, clicking.  Then move to step 5.  What?!  They are gasping!  That means breathing.  Wrong.  Breathing is gentle, effortless, and almost inaudible.  They found that sometimes people who are having severe heart problems will have agonal breathing.  If you hear anything other than a light wheeze while they “breath” you need to move onto step 5.

Step 5-CPR

This is the hard part.  You need to bare the victims chest completely.  Sorry ladies, you will lose your bra.  You can’t compress adequately if you are wearing one, and the EMS will strip your chest anyways once they get there, and strip you the rest of the way when you get to the hospital.  You need to see the breast bone and where the nipples are. Draw an imaginary line between the nipples and place the heel of your hand over that imaginary line so that the heel of your hand is parallel to the breastbone.  If you are worried about the placement just remember you are putting your hand about two fingers width above where the ribs meet.  Take your other hand and lay it over top, interlacing your fingers and using the top hand to lift the fingers on your lower hand off the chest, keeping the fingers of the lower hand straight.  In the end the heel of your hand should be what is compressing on the chest while the rest of your hand is making minimal contact with the body. Get up on your knees and lean over top of the body, locking your arms in place.  Using the weight of your body, push down as HARD and FAST as you can.  Keep pushing until help arrives, until you feel like you are going to pass out, or the victim physically pushes you off.

If they do push you off and start talking to you, roll them onto their left side and put their left arm under their head.  They are probably going to throw up.  Don’t worry about it.  Your job now is to rest and keep an eye on them.  If they stop breathing again roll them back onto their back and start CPR again.

For a child, anyone over 12 months who hasn’t hit puberty, the steps are the same.  If they are a smaller child you can compress with one hand.  Infants, less than a year old, are a little different.  You can’t tap their shoulders, it can lead to shaken baby syndrome.  Instead you tap the bottom of their foot, which is very sensitive since they aren’t walking.  Instead of compressing with a hand you use two fingers.

CPR is always evolving, so the steps this year may change in the next five or so.  If you forget how to do it right, don’t worry.  A nine year old boy found his sister drowned in the pool and did CPR until he brought her back while his parents watched in terror.  Do you think he did it perfectly?  Of course not.  He just copied what he saw on TV.  When in doubt, do something.  People around will appreciate the effort and initiative.  EMS will be glad you tried and you have the pride in knowing that you did your best to save your fellow man.

Lilly Nelson is a Jill-of-All-Trades.  She is a professional actor, certified CPR Instructor, dancer, domestic goddess, and much more.  Thanks for reading.