This guest blog post is contributed by Boomerater, a free online resource for Baby Boomers helping you find top financial advisors, evaluate different retirement locations and more. Seniors for Living’s properties are featured in Boomerater’s Assisted Living directory.A new article from Boomerater appears here each Friday. In this week’s post, Boomerater explores investing in gold.  It seems you can’t turn on the radio these days without hearing pitches for gold investment.  What are the risks? Boomerater asked Certified Financial Planner® Ben Boettcher.

Is it wise to invest in gold? Here’s Ben’s advice, pointing out the pros and cons of gold investment:

If you tune into conservative talk radio or financial television programming, undoubtedly you have been inundated with advertising to buy gold.  With the continued uncertain economic picture, many view gold as a “safe-haven” for their money.  Fears about inflation, the strength of the US dollar, and national security provide additional concerns.  Certainly with gold still trading at near record highs, the interest in this commodity continues to grow.

To properly analyze if you should hold gold in your investment portfolio, you should consider some additional facts.  If the price of gold has risen to record highs, who has been buying gold?  The vast majority of buyers have been central banks around the globe.  They certainly have incentive to buy gold since it allows them to diversify away from the US dollar and provides an inflationary hedge.  In addition to central banks, exchange traded funds and hedge funds have been buying gold as well.  This purchasing has inflated the price of gold and caught the attention of most investors.

From an investment perspective, other facts must be considered.  Gold does not pay a dividend or provide any cash flow.  Profits are based solely on price appreciation driven by supply and demand.  Currently demand is very high, and some analysts already believe that production has already peaked.

With gold sitting at record prices, is it a prudent move to buy gold at nearly three times the price it costs to produce?  It currently costs about $400 an ounce to produce.  If you are not holding gold today, buying gold at record high prices may not be a prudent move.

Prudence aside, the key question is “could gold go higher?”  The short answer is “yes”.  From an economic perspective, triggers for a massive run-up that would see gold prices rise by hundreds of dollars per ounce include anything from a double dip recession, to escalating deficits or purchases by the Chinese government.  This reason alone is enough reason for some investors.  They view owning gold as an “insurance policy” for their investments.  They assume gold will rise while other asset classes fall and will provide a hedge against their losses.  It should be noted however, that while gold serves as a currency hedge for nations, most domestic investors are buying and selling goods in their own currencies so the devaluation of the US dollar has little meaning.

So let’s say you decide to invest in gold, how do you go about it?  Find out different ways to purchase gold, how much of your portfolio should be held in gold, and resources that offer a gold mine of information about the pros and cons of gold investing.

Ben Boettcher is a Certified Financial Planner® and Chartered Financial Consultant®. He is also a partner and investment advisor in The Helmstar Group and may be reached at ben@helmstargroup.com. Investment advisory services offered through The Helmstar Group® is a Registered Investment Advisory firm in the State of Idaho.

No two Alzheimer’s stories are ever alike. This stark truth is not entirely comforting in the face of such a distressing disease. While some Alzheimer’s victims (and their caregivers) could relate parallel symptoms or comparable experiences, there is no blueprint for how the disease will unfold. The best thing you can do from wherever you stand on the Alzheimer’s timeline is to breathe deeply, let go of all expectations, arm yourself with knowledge, and plug in to as many resources as you can find.

Lucky for you, we’ve done some of your homework for you. Here’s a list of compassionate and helpful Twitter users who provide information about Alzheimer’s and loving someone affected by the disease.

http://twitter.com/AlzheimersRead - With its multitude of followers, the Alzheimer’s Reading Room is your own personal Alzheimer’s library.

 

http://twitter.com/melabev – Based in Israel, Melabev touts itself as a leader in Alzheimer care and certainly has many informative tweets to prove it.

 

http://twitter.com/SternNursing – When you’re dealing with a difficult disease that often renders its victims unable to communicate, a patient advocate, LPN, and geriatric care manager like Lisa Ann Stern is a huge help.

 

http://twitter.com/LyndaCanas - Texas-based Lynda Canas calls herself “chief cook and bottle washer,” but she’s also an Alzheimer’s expert.

 

http://twitter.com/nanonavi - Wandering is a major issue for persons with dementia. Check this site for latest nano-device to keep track, virtually, of the one(s) you love.

 

http://twitter.com/bethpo - Beth Parker-O’Brien is a clinical social worker and researcher who spends a great deal of her time studying Alzheimer’s and related dementias, and other issues facing older adults. And she shares her findings on Twitter!

 

http://twitter.com/AD_Research - An offshoot of the American Health Assistance Foundation, AD Research is great source for the prevention tips, coping strategies, or other news from the Alzheimer research front.

 

http://twitter.com/dearkaty - A home care advisor from the San Francisco Bay Area, Katy can arrange the specialized care that someone with an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis needs.

 

http://twitter.com/AlzheimersTips - The play-by-play guide to Alzheimer’s caregiving from Coach Frank Broyles is top of the line. When the full-court press is on, the playbook gives you practical tips, right at your fingertips.

 

http://twitter.com/dwayneclark – Dwayne Clark may be the CEO of Aegis Living (a corporation of 34 senior living communities in Washington, California and Nevada), but his Journey with Mom – My Mother, My Son blog is a deeply personal look at how Alzheimer’s has affected his mother and consequently, Dwayne and his family.

 

https://twitter.com/deannalueckeno6 - Author Deanna Lueckenotte has worked for a decade to educate those in communities/health care settings about Alzheimer’s and dementia. Check out her Alzheimer’s Days Gone By blog.

 

http://twitter.com/alan_arnette – Alan’s mother, Ida, died of Alzheimer’s in 2009. A passionate advocate and a speaker on the subject, Mr. Arnette is also a mountaineer who is climbing a mountain of a cause: seeking to raise $1 million for research toward a cure.

 

http://twitter.com/CureAlzheimers - The folks at the non-profit Cure Alzheimer’s Fund are focused like a laser beam on breakthroughs in Alzheimer research. Even better? They keep followers on top of the latest news.

 

http://twitter.com/alzassociation – As the premier voluntary health organization committed to Alzheimer care, support, and research, look no further than the Alzheimer’s Association for every step of the journey. The 24-7, 365 days a year toll-free helpline (available in 120+ languages) is a lifeline for caregivers, those diagnosed, and anyone who wants to know more about the A word.

 

http://twitter.com/alzfdn – The Alzheimer’s Foundation is a leading non-profit dedicated to providing resources for Alzheimer caregivers via advocacy, education and professional development.

 

http://twitter.com/silveralert – Florida is one of many states joining a national movement towards passage of legislation for Silver Alert systems, akin to an Amber Alert, to help locate those with cognitive impairments who are lost or missing.

 

http://twitter.com/FisherCenter - A strong research focus distinguishes this powerhouse Alzheimer’s information site… lots of good stuff minus the fluff here.

 

http://twitter.com/AlzheimersInfo – Spot-on tweets on Alzheimer’s care is the calling card for this site.

 

http://twitter.com/BannerAlzheimer – West Coast-based Banner Health Systems sponsors the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute (located in Phoenix), where a memory-disorders clinic, memory screenings, and support groups are among the top-notch menu of services offered to community caregivers and their loved ones.

 

http://twitter.com/alzrestrust – They may be physically located across the pond in Cambridge, U.K., but this leading research charity for dementia with its relevant resources are easily accessed on the world wide web. It’s a small world after all.

 

http://twitter.com/Neuro_Support - Another U.K.-based site, Neurosupport is a great place to find info on the full spectrum of neurological conditions.

 

http://twitter.com/alzheimerssoc – Northern Ireland, Wales, and England join forces in the fight against dementia at this Twitter site.

 

http://twitter.com/AlzSociety – Look to the North, where our fellow Canadians at the Alzheimer’s Society are “working for a world without Alzheimer’s disease.”

 

http://twitter.com/AlzServices – Alzheimer’s Services makes its home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where their mission is helping people in their 10-parish coverage area cope with this challenging disease.

 

http://twitter.com/AAQIUpdate – The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative is a truly unique fundraising and awareness effort. Fifty-two stunning art quilts express via texture, color, fabric, shapes and patterns the dynamic experience that Alzheimer’s is. Whether you purchase a quilt or a book with photos of the unparalleled collection, or if you visit the exhibit and see these works of art live, proceeds go towards Alzheimer’s research.

 

http://twitter.com/fordementia – In London, Admiral Nurses have served those with dementia and their “carers” since 1990. This special cadre of nurses, who work within the National Health Service, provide thoroughly comprehensive practical and emotional support from day one of the diagnosis all the way through the stages of grief.

 

http://twitter.com/ArtsDementia – The brains behind this Canadian-based program – defined as “an interdisciplinary forum for creative expression in dementia care” – are all about maintaining dignity post-diagnosis.

 

http://twitter.com/Dementiadays – This self-described dementia patient shares glimpses of daily life with dementia and Parkinson’s.

 

http://twitter.com/AlzSpks – Lori LaBey is a self-described Alzheimer’s “advocate on steroids;” her mother is currently in the final stages of the disease. A trainer, blogger, author and speaker, Lori believes that sharing knowledge and experiences is one way to fight back against the Alzheimer’s disease monster.

 

http://twitter.com/HadleyHopeFund - A rare form of Alzheimer’s known as Niemann-Pick Type C can actually affect children. Oregon-based Shannon D. Jones wants to accelerate ethical research to find a cure.

 

http://twitter.com/alzIllinois – The Greater Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is doing great things in their home state – and on the web – to increase Alzheimer’s awareness and connect people to their much-needed services.

 

http://twitter.com/Alzheimersline – Ever wish you could get a second, third or fourth opinion? We probably all would if it was free. At Alzheimer’s Line, it is. This San Francisco-based health care resource offers doctor-reviewed information on Alzheimer’s disease, among others.

 

http://twitter.com/defortier – Dennis DeFortier, President of Medical Care Corporation, promotes the benefits of dementia risk management and advocates for early intervention against memory loss…all in a day’s work.

 

http://twitter.com/AlzSociety – Canada made headlines early this year when it hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics – but there is more to Canada than snow and ice. The Alzheimer Society of Canada is working towards a worthy goal: a world without Alzheimer’s.

 

~Michelle Seitzer

 

For more helpful Twitter resources:
Senior Caregiving Resources on Twitter With a Lot of Heart
Top Senior & Boomer Blogs & Sites on Twitter

 

Residents and staff at The Heritage of Green Hills in Reading, Pennsylvania, are wondering if their Happy Hour celebration on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day will be enough to lure the little green man that has been lurking around their community out for a beer and a chat. So far, he’s been spotted in a number of places around campus; accounts have been recorded in the video montage below:

Leprechauns (from the Old Irish lurchopan, meaning “little body”) have been a part of Irish folklore for centuries. Encyclopedia Britannica defines him as a “fairy in the form of a tiny old man often with a cocked hat and leather apron.” Known to make shoes and brogues, he feeds his need for solitude by living in remote places; the only way to track him down is to listen for the sound of his hammer. When threatened by captors seeking his famed pot of gold, the old fairy just might reveal his hiding place, but more than likely, the tricky little man will cause the thief to glance the other way… and promptly vanish.

Opening just in time for St. Patrick’s Day is the National Leprechaun Museum, in the heart of Dublin, Ireland.  The first of its kind in the world, the one-story 16,000 square foot museum is set up like a fairy tale, with 12 “chapters” dedicated to different parts of Irish mythology and folklore, with many adventures and surprises in between to captivate the minds and hearts of young and old visitors alike.

According to the museum’s director and creator, Tom O’Rahilly, “Irish culture is famous the world over,” but there are many fascinating stories behind the cultural traditions that are perhaps lesser known. The museum shares these stories in an interactive and charming setting that O’Rahilly hopes will join the ranks of other famous Dublin sites, like the The Book of Kells and the Dublin Writers Museum.

Leprechaun or not, what a fabulous idea by The Heritage of Green Hills for showing off what appears to be a stunning, well-appointed full-service 55+ community in a fresh, creative, and funny way!  Bonus points to the marketing team there.

SFL readers, how do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?  Ever seen a leprechaun?

-Michelle Seitzer

I’m not sure how many of our readers are familiar with Weird Al Yankovic, but his parody of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”, called “Couch Potato” is absolutely appropriate comic relief for this frightening WebMD article on the deadly toll of too much TV.

A new study from researchers down under “found that each hour spent watching television on a daily basis is associated with an 18 percent increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease (published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association).” Other substantial risks from just one hour of TV per day included an 11% increased risk of death from all causes and a 9 percent increased risk of cancer death. Yikes!

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who thinks watching lots of television actually improves your health. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of people who are addicted to the boob tube, because we all know there are, but the general understanding is that being a couch potato is not exactly a healthy state of being.

So maybe you don’t consider yourself a couch potato. Well, this report seems to indicate that even just an hour in front of the TV – whether for Grey’s Anatomy, Antiques Roadshow, the Weather Channel, or even Jeopardy! – increases the risk of death. Those are some serious, serious statistics, folks.

Our modern-day sedentary lifestyles are just not natural, and our health suffers for it, say the researchers. Even though many of us feel like we’re always on the go, we’re moving from sitting position A to sitting position B to sitting position C…  from the car, to the office, to the couch when you finally “crash” at home after a long day on your butt.  Maybe you can’t change your one-hour commute or quit your desk job, but you can certainly change how often you get up and move during the work day – and you can most definitely change what you do when you get home.

If you absolutely have to know who gets the final rose or what medical oddity House will uncover tonight, move some furniture, grab a jump rope, and stay on your feet/off your duff while you partake.  And when the show is over, turn off the TV and do something else.

-Michelle Seitzer

This guest blog post is contributed by Boomerater, a free online resource for Baby Boomers. Seniors for Living’s properties are featured in Boomerater’s Elder Living directory.

A new Boomerater post appears here each Friday.  This week Boomerater interviewed the guest relations folks at Disney World and added insights from Boomerater members about: how to get the most out of your Disney World family vacation.

Are you thinking of visiting Disney World in Orlando with your grandchildren, or maybe taking the whole family? Keeping a promise to give them a magical vacation, while keeping the cost down, can be quite a challenge.  We spoke with the folks at Disney World about their 2010 promotions and also got great advice from Boomerater members about how to make the most out of your trip to Disney World.

“Give a Day, Get a Disney Day”
This 2010 promotion is one of the best deals around for a number of reasons.  Everyone who volunteers to work at a charity listed on the official Disney site will get a free pass to a Disney Park for use on a specific date before December 15, 2010.  Just go to this link and type in your zip code to find out all of the available volunteer opportunities.  What a great way to teach the importance of volunteering to members of your family.  And in some cases, children as young as 6 can participate, so you can get your grandkids involved in helping their community.  There are lots of different charities, depending on where you live.  Everything from helping seniors to building houses to tutoring children to working at a wildlife center.  There is a limit of 1 million passes and 600,000 have already been issued, so sign up soon.  Also, if your plans change and you can’t make it to Disney, your volunteer efforts will still be rewarded.  Not only will you be helping others, but you may also donate your free pass to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Florida, as detailed on the site.

Other Discounts…

• There are two promotional deals currently available if you book by March 31^st and travel by August 14^th.  You can receive a gift card when you check in at the resort (of escalating value depending on the resort and duration of your stay), or you can receive a discount of 25 – 45% off the price of your room.  Black out travel dates for this promotion are 3/28 – 4/10.  If you book by calling Disney make sure you ask for the special offers… the phone operators are not permitted to suggest them to you.

• New offers typically are announced on the site http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ mid April to early May for the rest of the year.  Definitely check the site before booking a summer, fall or winter trip.  Historically these deals have been great money-savers.  And remember if you book over the phone that you must specifically mention the offer you are interested in at time of booking.

• If you have other questions, you can always call 1-407-W-DISNEY and talk to a rep. They are very helpful with giving information and pricing.

Tips from Boomerater members who are frequent Disney visitors:

• If you want to go ala carte and book things separately, the best place I’ve found to get park tickets is undercovertourist.com.
• For great Disney hotel deals, check out Travelzoo.com.
  • One great benefit of staying at Disney is the free shuttle from Orlando Airport, “Disney’s Magical Express.”
  • Take advantage of “Extra Magic Hours” where each day a different park either opens an hour early or stays open three hours late for on-site guests.
  • We love “The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World” and its associated website Touringplans.com. Using their advice we never waited more than 15 minutes for anything, and saw everything we wanted to see.
  • We have been to Disney in Orlando 4 times and each time we rented a house within 10 minutes of the parks. Each came with 3 bedrooms, a full kitchen and a private pool. The price for the whole house was less per night than the cost of one room at a Disney resort. Two sites I use are VRBO.com (vacation rental by owner) and Rentalo.com.
• Though it is tempting to buy souvenirs for your grandchildren at the parks, you can get Disney character keepsakes at all of the area drugstores, grocery stores and discount stores.  You will save a lot of money, AND you won’t have to tote them around the park all day.

This is just a small selection of tips available in the article on Boomerater about making the most of your Disney vacation. Go to the article to learn about:

• A special perk for AAA members (in addition to the 15% discount)
• The best time to visit the parks
• How to keep kids safe in the parks
• What are the best “unofficial” sites to get the scoop on discounts and attractions
• A phone number to call to make sure your group is booked in the same area of the resort.  Without this info you could be located on different floors, in different weeks.
• Tips on types of rooms, character breakfasts, celebrating special occasions at the parks, etc.

We also hope you will add your own Disney tips at Boomerater.com.

While the economy seems to be recovering somewhat, it’s plain that things are nowhere near back to normal. Many people are still without jobs and are searching day after day.

There’s a lot out there about younger workers being hired over ones with experience and you would think that the hiring news for Boomers would be bleak, but it seem the jobless trends aren’t equal for all age groups, and things may be looking up for them:

In October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced the jobless rate had increased to 10.2 percent, but it turns out joblessness is not equal for all age groups. In fact, workers from the baby boom generation and above are the only age group whose job prospects improved during the past few months. And that’s not the only good news.

For people over 45, the jobless rate was 6.8 percent in October, down from 7.3 percent in July. Compare that to 25- to 34-year-old workers, who jobless rate rose from 10 percent in July to 10.8 percent in October. Workers in the 35-to-44 age range saw joblessness rise to 8.5 percent in October, up from 7.9 percent in July.

However, much of the job growth is in temporary positions that many older people, skilled people are taking to survive. Though not ideal, these jobs may, in turn, lead to permanent employment as employers see the value of older workers.

Another reason things are improving for Boomer-age workers, is that they are persistent; at this age, they don’t have the choice to withdraw from the workforce:

Tory Johnson, owner of Women for Hire, which for the last decade has run job fairs in America’s 10 largest cities, has been struck by the toughness of the boomer work force. “With the 20- and 30-somethings, the attitude is, ‘No one is hiring, what’s the point of going to a job fair?’ ” Ms. Johnson said. “With the boomers, it’s, ‘Even if there’s one job, I’ll try.’ ” At her 16 job fairs so far in 2009, she said, attendance is up 10 percent over all, and it’s because of boomers; every other age group has declined.

My own salary is paid by a grant that will end soon. I hope I’m not destined to become a Boomer job seekers, but it’s still good to know that the news is getting better.

-Elizabeth Thielke

Whenever I’m depressed about the state of the long term care (LTC) system in America, my mind wanders to other countries. What’s it like in Uganda, France, or Kazakhstan? Is it better, worse, or about the same?  Apparently, Howard Gleckman heard my cry. A senior research associate for the Urban Institute (and author of “Caring for our Parents”), he tackled this topic (in response to a Washington Post piece) in a recent column for Kaiser Health News.

Starting with a nutshell history, Gleckman states that, even just 20 years ago, most developed countries approached LTC in much the same way that our current Medicaid system operates. If you’re poor enough or sick enough, you’ll get the care you need. But if you are a person of modest means, well – give us a ring when you’re broke or too sick to manage on your own. Not really a great system, and certainly not financially sustainable.

Purchasing private long term care insurance has yet to turn the system around for the US, despite a strong government push towards this solution. Even today, only 7 million Americans have a policy.

European countries built on their existing national health systems to integrate a social insurance approach to paying for long term care, rather than the welfare bent so familiar to American citizens. But countries like Germany and the Netherlands have been forced to reduce benefits in response to rapidly increasing costs… so I guess the grass isn’t necessarily greener there.

In Japan, the creation of a national long term care insurance system – funded by taxes and premiums based on income – successfully covers 90% of the cost of care for their 65+ citizens. Despite this achievement, Japan is also struggling to keep up with the rising costs of LTC like their European friends mentioned above.

So who’s got it right?  The Washington Post seemed to think England had done a bang-up job, but Gleckman disagrees, stating, they “may face the biggest mess of all.”  Entrenched in a failing welfare model and in need of reform (sound like any place we know?), the United Kingdom has struggled for more than a decade to improve its LTC system.

I’m afraid, Mr. Gleckman, that I’m just as depressed as I was before I found your article. It seems that long term care is and will be the elephant in the room for years to come, both here and abroad. The global population is aging as rapidly as the costs for care are exploding. Nothing, especially health care, is getting cheaper, and seniors aren’t getting any younger. Maybe no one has it right yet (has anyone checked that island where good health and longevity seems to be the norm?), but someone needs to figure it out soon.

SFL followers, what are your ideas for improving the massively flawed LTC system? Any thoughts on how we got in this mess in the first place?

-Michelle Seitzer

Poetry can change a person from the inside out. Frances Kakugawa believes this, just as she also believes in the transforming power of poetry writing as an essential release and recharge for persons caring for a loved one with long-term disabilities, particularly Alzheimer’s/dementia.

Like many who lead support groups for Alzheimer caregivers, Kakugawa was the primary caregiver for her mother after she was diagnosed. Kakugawa discovered that journaling and poetry writing helped immensely, bringing “dignity and insight to her caregiving experience.”  Thus inspired, she started her first poetry writing support group in partnership with the Hawaii Alzheimer’s Association.

Participants in the group share the challenges and occasional triumphs of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s; the group provides a safe haven to expose these deep feelings and find comfort in knowing others understand the pain of such a distressing disease. But in Kakugawa’s group, it’s more than just sharing your stories with others. It’s about your own story. It’s about bringing those troubling emotions forth – emotions like fear, resentment, or bitterness – and allowing the healing process to begin, both on the page and eventually in the deepest part of the person.

Says Kakugawa:

“Writing poetry allows each of us to find our true voice; often this voice is one of compassion and love. It’s wonderful to have people attend the workshops who feel helpless, scared and impossibly burdened and hear them say at the end of the session, ‘I can hardly wait to get home, so I can be a different kind of person.’ ”

By sorting through the icky feelings of denial, hopelessness, and frustration in a poem or a journal entry, participants can more easily find those noble qualities like courage, perseverance, and hope. It’s a beautiful thing.

Writing has always been a source of emotional release and creative expression for me. I’m far more comfortable behind a pen or keyboard than in front of an audience or microphone, especially when it comes to talking about that which most deeply troubles me, or even that which most deeply inspires me. And yet, when I went through the pain of dealing with my dear grandfather’s dementia, I couldn’t put pen to paper. Paralyzed by such a feeling of helplessness, I couldn’t find the words to make sense of my feelings. I couldn’t even find the energy to release those feelings even on a journal page, without the pressure of creating a polished, completed poem. Suddenly, the thing which had always been such a comfort to me – my writing – was just as insurmountable as the challenge of losing Grandpa in this agonizing way.

Now, a year later, I would say that the healing process happened in a much different way for me… although I’m sure the story I’ve been carrying for the past four years will eventually find its way to the pages of a journal.

Readers, do you think writing can help you heal? Let us know what you think!

-Michelle Seitzer

Many seniors are dependent on Medicare for their health, but Medicare fraud and abuse could be endangering the program and increasing costs. But, a group of seniors, along with the government is doing something about it.

The Senior Medicare Patrol is sponsored by the Administration on Aging, and is made up of senior volunteers who work with medicare and medicaid recipients to help protect against fraud:

Billions of federal dollars are lost annually due to health care fraud, error and abuse. Since 1997 AoA has funded SMP projects to recruit and train retired professionals and other senior citizens about how to recognize and report instances or patterns of health care fraud.

In addition they are made aware of how threats to financial independence and health status may occur when citizens are victimized by fraudulent schemes. These SMP projects partner with the aging network, as well as community, faith-based, tribal, and health care organizations. Together they utilize a variety of outreach strategies to educate and empower their peers to identify, prevent and report health care fraud. Currently, the SMP program funds 54 projects in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Learn more about the Senior Medicare Patrol, find out how to become a SMP volunteer or report a possible Medicare fraud.

According to the website, over $105.7 million in savings, including Medicare and Medicaid funds recovered, beneficiary savings and other savings have been attributed to the project as a result of documented complaints, and the senior volunteers who have put their years of knowledge, good sense and experience to use.

And in this day in age, every dollar counts.

-Elizabeth Thielke

This guest blog post is contributed by Boomerater, a free online resource for Baby Boomers. Seniors for Living’s properties are featured in Boomerater’s Senior Housing directory.

A new Q&A discussion from Boomerater’s forums appears here each Friday.

In this week’s post, Boomerater members suggest online resources for financial information that can save you time and money.  Making wise decisions regarding finances can be confusing, especially in a volatile market.  Add changes in tax laws, credit card rules, stimulus incentives, social security questions, financing medical and education expenses, and it can be overwhelming.  Here are web sites suggested by our members to help you find the information you need.

Free online financial “webinars”- NAPFA gives free online Webinars for consumers. They are held every month, sometimes several times a month. The Consumer Webinar Series is for everyone – no matter how in tune you are with personal financial issues. Some topics are basic in order to give you an overview of a specific topic while others are slightly more advanced to dig a little deeper into a topic.  For more information and to see upcoming seminars go to: http://www.napfa.org/consumer/UpcomingSessions.asp

A wealth of info about health benefits – For a financial education on health benefits check out www.planforyourhealth.com. This site has information about health benefit planning for every stage of life, including empty nesters, retirement, the newly widowed, updated COBRA changes for the recently unemployed, etc. The “Health Insurance 101” section offers great descriptions of different kinds of health benefit policies and what they cover. You can also get a free copy (by mail or download) of “Navigating Your Health Benefits for Dummies.” The site also has a calculator to help plan future health expenses based on age, health care needs, medical conditions, prescriptions, etc.

Making sense out of Social Security- The place to go for information on your social security benefits is http://www.ssa.gov. Not only can you determine what your benefits will be using the site calculator, there is also information on practically everything imaginable.  The Q&A section covers benefits, disability, Medicare issues and supplemental Security Income.  An Information section is broken down by groups, for example women, self-employed, school teachers, etc.  Additional links provide further information on every stage of life or condition that could affect your benefits.

A highly-rated real estate site- Whether you are buying or selling a house, or investing in commercial or foreclosed real estate, knowing the financial ins and outs of real estate can be tricky. biggerpockets.com is a free site that that has a real estate and investing FAQ, info on property management and tenant screening.  Under “tools” you’ll find real estate investing abbreviations, a term glossary, info on credit reports and legal services and a mortgage calculator.  They also have info on real estate auctions and a Foreclosure Resource Center where you can learn about the foreclosure process, bank REO listings and state foreclosure laws.  If you are interested in enrolling in a school to learn about real estate, the site also offers a directory of schools and what they offer.

Which sites would you recommend? Share with us your favorite financial info websites and learn about several others.

Boomerater is looking for your answer to:  “HAVE YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER EVER USED A MEDICAL ALERT MONITORING SYSTEM?”  Many of us worry about an older family member or friend who lives alone with a medical condition. “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” has been drilled into the collective Boomer conscience.  If you have experience with a medical alert monitor please let us know which product, and what were the results?  Please help others by sharing your thoughts about medical alert monitoring systems.