Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults
Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults
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The IRS has announced decreased tax-deductible limits for long-term care insurance for 2024, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI). “This is a significant change in practice after yearly increases,” said Jesse Slome, director of AALTCI. “The 2024 deductible limits are still significant and few people, especially business owners, are aware that premiums paid for long-term care insurance may be tax-deductible.” The just-announced 2024 limits for an individual age 70 or over is $5,880,...
Gen Zers who plan to be involved in their parents' senior care anticipate their parents moving in with them or them serving as their parents' primary or supportive caregivers Caring.com, a senior living referral service and a site for senior care reviews, recently published a report that examines how Gen Z-ers plan to care for their parents as they age. The report shares insight into Gen X-ers' and Baby Boomers expectations of their children's involvement in their future...
Every year, thousands of people become victims of holiday scams. Scammers can rob you of hard-earned money, personal information and, at the very least, a festive mood. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, non-payment or non-delivery scams cost people more than $337 million. Credit card fraud accounted for another $173 million in losses. Also this time of year, beware of auction fraud, where a product is misrepresented on an auction site, and gift card fraud, when a seller asks you to pay with a pre-paid card....
Tulare County has been seeing an increase in COVID-19 activity in late summer/early fall, according to Dr. Sharon Minnick, senior epidemiologist, Tulare County Public Health. "As of late September, the variants that seem to be increasing the most are EG.5 (Eris) and XBB.1.16 (Arcturus), but these have both been found in California all summer," she said. "Historically, large surges have been associated with the sudden rise of a brand new variant, which is very hard to...
Boston College's Center for Retirement Research published a study that explores what Americans think are the biggest risks to their retirement - as opposed to what they objectively are. The center found "a big disconnect between how actual and perceived risks are ranked." That disconnect could be hurting people's retirement planning. The study says the biggest risk to retirement is longevity - living so long that we run out of money. But the survey found that the biggest...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that average premiums, benefits and plan choices for Medicare Advantage and the Medicare Part D prescription drug program will remain stable in 2024. Improvements adopted in the 2024 Rate Announcement, as well as the 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule support this stability. CMS works to ensure these programs work for people enrolled in Medicare, that benefits remain strong and stable, and that...
The first-ever statewide needs assessment for Californians aged 55 years and older is now underway. The Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) is not just another survey; it is your chance to shape the future. CASOA empowers you to voice your needs and preferences. According to a press release, California is "committed to designing programs, supports and services that are centered around the evolving needs of older Californians." "Let the state know what you...
In July, Tulare County Public Health received a report of a human case of West Nile virus (WNV) in a Tulare County resident. On July 11, the Kings Mosquito Abatement District, which serves Kings County, reported that 13 mosquito samples collected in Kings County tested positive for WNV. The district also announced that Aedes aegypti, a mosquito introduced to the area in 2017, has spread throughout the county and is currently prevalent in the cities of Hanford, Lemoore and...
If you’re like me, you’ve had enough of being cooped up with the cold, winter weather, and are chomping at the bit to get outside and enjoy the spring sunshine! But a note of caution – while we’re out there frolicking in the beautiful spring weather, let’s remember to be mindful that just about everybody likes the springtime – even scammers! Yes, even scammers. And most recently, their fraudulent schemes are targeting seniors outdoors – in parking lots. So, let’s educate ourselves, and take a look at what some popular parking...
June is World Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA) is participating by encouraging community members to Wear Purple on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), June 15, to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was launched on June 15, 2006, by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations. The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for...
Portugal took the top spot in InternationalLiving.com's 2023 Annual Global Retirement Index. "Despite its compact size, Portugal offers something for everyone, from vibrant cities like Lisbon and Porto with buzzing nightlife, culture, history and culinary delights, to coastal havens along the Atlantic Ocean where camel-colored sand meets the turquoise water embellished with jagged rock formations, caves and grottoes," says Terry Coles, an International Living contributor...
Happy New Year! Hopefully, January is a month of continuing snow, rain, fog and misty mornings. Although plant growth slows down in the cold soils of winter, some growth continues, often only underground. Our winter and early-spring blooming shrubs, bulbs and perennials love all this frosty damp weather. And whatever moisture is not used can be stored deep in the soil for later use. Planting Although we can plant year-round, we usually delay most planting until the...
The love of dance and glitter bonds an unlikely group of 60-plus women in southwest Florida – The Calendar Girls. But under the veil of fake lashes and unicorn horns, lurks the deeper truths of what aging women face within society. Sisterhood, love and loss all come into play in this uplifting film about trying to age on your own terms and refusal to become invisible. "Calendar Girls" is a coming-of-golden-age film, following senior volunteer dancers in Southwest Florida, w...
Older people in Ukraine have been disproportionately impacted by death and injury during Russia's invasion and are unable to access housing on an equal basis with others after being displaced, Amnesty International said in a new report. The report, I Used to Have a Home: Older People's Experience of War, Displacement, and Access to Housing in Ukraine, documents how older people often remain in or are unable to flee conflict-affected areas, exposing them to harmful and dangerou...
The 2022 flu season is different from recent flu seasons, according to Tulare County Health Officer, Dr. Karen Haught. “During the 2020 and 2021 flu seasons, most people were using masks while in indoor spaces, which served to protect themselves and those around them from being exposed to respiratory viruses and from spreading the viruses,” she explained. “Masking protects against all the respiratory virus so though it was initiated due to the COVID pandemic, it also protected against influenza and respiratory syncytial virus...
Kathy Waters, executive director and co-founder of Advocating Against Romance Scammers, advises people not to befriend someone online unless you know them. "Unfortunately, there are too many scammers looking for people who are vulnerable, lonely, widowed, divorced, maybe who have lost children – anything that puts them in a spot," Waters said. "Sometimes it can be a new loss or it can be over years. (Scammers) do a lot of research." Waters said that seniors are especially v...
The following article was posted at https://www.AlzheimersResearchUK.org on September 22. We are sharing the post with only minor edits so we don't lose any of the enthusiasm of the anonymous writer. It's news we've all been waiting for. Today, the pharmaceutical company Eisai announced that their drug Lecanemab has shown small but clear benefits for people with early Alzheimer's in a rigorous, well-conducted phase 3 trial. The drug is one of several in development that work...
Perhaps you have noticed the days are getting shorter? A sure sign that summer is winding down and fall is around the corner. I think of the garden year not from January to December, but from autumn to autumn, since so much of our garden creation and re-creation happens in the fall. The first half of September is preparation, and the second half is when the action really begins. Planting The vegetable garden transitions from warm to cool season, so there will be some of each...
Tulare County Public Health has reported two cases of St. Louis Encephalitis (SLEV) in the county. An additional five cases are currently under investigation and may result in either illness due to SLEV or West Nile Virus. Public health officials urge residents to take precautions against mosquito bites, as mosquito samples positive for West Nile Virus have been detected in multiple locations within the county. In addition, this case indicates that SLEV is also present,...
The first human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) of the year has been detected in Kings County. The Kings County Department of Public Health (KCDPH) reported the case to the California Department of Public Health on July 14 and it is the first case reported this season in the state. “West Nile Virus can have severe consequences for the elderly or others, including those that have pre-existing health conditions” said Rose Mary Rahn, director of the KCDPH. “It is important that anyone experiencing related symptoms seek medical att...
In a quick update to our last column, the Veterans Crisis Line has a new number: Dial 988 then Press 1. This option was added effective July 16, however, even after July 16, you may still call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat or text 838255. Women Veterans Health Care addresses the health care needs of women veterans, ensuring those needs are met in a timely, equitable, high-quality, comprehensive manner, while also ensuring that these services...
Be easy on yourself and on your garden this month. Do everything you can to conserve water. Enjoy the harvest of the summer garden. Planting Don't plant ornamental plants in July. Instead use your water to keep the vegetable garden, orchard and existing plants (especially trees) healthy. Late in the month, you can start seeds for fall-harvested vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, chard, kale and cabbage. Plant in the ground or start seeds in containers for transplanting in...
While May can bring a mix of warm and cool weather, June typically means hot and dry, with occasional drops in temperature. Without adequate snowpack and rainfall this winter and spring, we are in another drought year, but we know how to keep our gardens healthy and growing with water-efficient practices and low-water-use plants. Our gardens will get through this drought cycle too. We may even be surprised, as in the last drought, how well some of our established garden plants...
For the 11th time, Panama takes the top spot in InternationalLiving.com's Annual Global Retirement Index. "Some say the only constant in life is change," says Jessica Ramesch, International Living Panama editor. "But after more than 15 years in Panama, I've found that some of the best things in life remain the same. It's no surprise to me that this tiny powerhouse has once again taken the number one spot in International Living's Annual Global Retirement Index. "We've been her...
Dividat, a research-based company based in Zurich, Switzerland, recently expanded into the United States with an office in Boulder, Colorado. More than a decade ago, Dividat set out to improve the aging population’s wellbeing through the use of novel technologies initially discovered at ETH Zurich. The outcome was the development of the Dividat Senso Smart Platform – a unique exergaming solution that end-users employ to improve their cognitive motor skills and physical mobility. Dividat helps people with mild cognitive imp...