Caregiving and Technology

Caregivers are those we depend on in times of need. But when you’re the caregiver, who do you turn to for support?  According to the AARP, 71% of caregivers are interested in using digital tools yet only 7% of them currently use what is available. If you want to learn more about care giving and technology, contact WSB.

 

Ways to Save Money in 2018

From zero spend days to evaluating your purchases — it all adds up

A new year typically brings resolutions, and for many, it could be a good time to refocus personal budgets. The big question: Where to start? CNBC came up with a few helpful ideas, and AARP has 99 other options for you to consider throughout the year.

1. Evaluate the cost of convenience

Yes, it may be easier to buy a coffee on your way to work, rather than purchasing a to-go cup at the store and making your own cup of joe at home. But, think about it — say you pay $2 every weekday you stop for coffee, but it costs you $1 to make it at home. You could end up saving $20 per month, totaling about $250 a year. If you like that idea, then consider cutting back on other conveniences for more potential cost savings. From eating lunch out daily, to using ride shares instead of public transportation, there’s bound to be many ways to save.

2. Try the zero spend challenge

You might think “If I don’t buy it today, I’ll buy it tomorrow,” but Zero Day Finance says the zero spend strategy will actually help. The founder says he sets aside certain days during which he avoids buying anything, including a morning coffee. Yes, you can still drink and eat — just have what you bought during your weekly grocery run. Cut out the impulse buying and discretionary spending. In all, the 26-year-old founder said he saved $18,000 in one year. (Full disclosure, he said he was spending a lot before he started the challenge that he turned into a game.)

3. Rethink what’s in your shopping cart

Just because it is in your cart doesn’t mean you have to buy it. Take supersaver Cherie Lowe for example. She told CNBC, "Every time you check out at the grocery store, you need to look in your cart and find three to five items that you don't need. You will save $5 to $10 every time you shop without cutting a single coupon." She says the same thing applies to your online shopping cart.

Ready for more? AARP previously reported on 99 ways to save, in areas ranging from banking to utilities to entertainment and more. Check out the list for great money saving tips.

Source: aarp.org

What You Should Know About Medicare Part D

A guide to prescription drug plans

Medicare Part D does not pay for over-the-counter medications like cough syrup or antacids. It also doesn't cover some prescription drugs, such as Viagra when it is used for erectile dysfunction.

What is Medicare Part D?

•Part D is Medicare’s insurance program for prescription drugs. For most of its history, Medicare did not offer a prescription drug benefit. Congress added the coverage, which began in 2006.

How do I buy a Part D plan?

•You can sign up for a standalone Part D plan sold by insurance companies. These plans are used in conjunction with Original Medicare. You can search for a plan at medicare.gov.

Is this the only way I can get Medicare prescription drug coverage?

•No. Most Medicare Advantage plans cover prescription drugs in addition to hospital care and doctor visits. You can see which Medicare Advantage plans include drug coverage at medicare.gov.

What does Part D cover?

•Part D pays for outpatient prescription drugs. But if you go to a doctor’s office or other outpatient facility to receive, for example, chemotherapy, dialysis or other medicines that are injected or given intravenously, Medicare Part B — not Part D — kicks in to pay for those treatments. Part D does cover some self-injected medicines, such as insulin for diabetes.

What doesn’t Part D cover?

•Part D does not pay for over-the-counter medications like cough syrup or antacids.

•It also doesn’t cover some prescription drugs, such as Viagra, when it is used for erectile dysfunction; medicines used to help you grow hair; medicines that help you gain or lose weight; or most prescription vitamins.

Does Part D cover brand-name and generic drugs?

•Yes. But most plans charge more for brand-name drugs. Each plan covers different drugs, and copays vary for those drugs.

What does Part D cost?

How much you pay for prescriptions under Part D depends on the plan you select and how many medicines you take during the course of a year. Here’s a breakdown:

•There may be a monthly premium. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that the average monthly Part D basic premium for 2018 will be $33.50. But premiums vary widely, depending on the drugs covered and the copays. Some plans have no premiums. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, part of your premium may include prescription drugs.

•Plans have the option of charging an annual deductible. That means you have to pay full price for your medicines until you meet that deductible. The federal government sets a limit on deductibles every year. For 2018, a plan can’t impose a deductible higher than $405. But deductible amounts vary widely by plan, and many plans don’t impose a deductible.

•Most plans have either a copay, which is a flat fee for each prescription, or coinsurance, which is a percentage of the cost of the drugs.

•Once the total cost of your prescriptions reaches a certain threshold — set each year by the federal government — you’ll have to pay more for your prescriptions. That’s because of a quirky aspect of Part D called the coverage gap, also known as the “donut hole.” For 2018, once you have incurred $3,750 worth of drug costs, you’ll be in the coverage gap. You’ll pay 35 percent of the cost of brand-name drugs and 44 percent of generics.

•You’ll continue to pay these prices until the total cost of your drugs reaches $5,000. Once you’ve hit that limit, you’ll no longer be in the donut hole and you’ll pay no more than 5 percent of your drug costs for the rest of the year.

How do I decide which Part D plan is best for me?

•You’ll want to go to medicare.gov’s Medicare Plan Finder, an online tool that allows you to compare Part D plans available in your ZIP code.

•On the plan finder page, you’ll be asked to enter the prescriptions you take. This allows you to find out what the various plans charge for them and to see the plan’s monthly premiums and deductibles. You’ll also be able to learn which pharmacies in your area participate in the various plans.

•You can also find out how many “stars” the federal government has given to the plans available in your area. The government’s Star Rating System assesses plans based on factors such as customer service, member complaints and prices.

What if I can’t afford a Part D plan?

•Medicare has an Extra Help program for low-income individuals that will pay some or all prescription costs.

•If you don’t qualify for Extra Help, you might qualify for an assistance program in your state. You can contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or state Medicaid office for more information.

•In addition, some drug manufacturers also offer discounts on their medications.

How do I get help?

•Medicare has a call center that’s open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The toll-free number is 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).

•You may also contact SHIP. You can find contact information for SHIP in your state at Medicare.gov.

When do I need to make a decision?

•This year's open enrollment began on Oct. 15 and concludes Dec. 7.

•If you are satisfied with your current plan, you will be automatically enrolled, and you don’t have to do anything. If your plan is no longer available, you will receive a letter from the insurer about the termination. You will then need to pick another plan.

•However, Medicare officials and experts strongly suggest that you review other available Part D plans — even if you are satisfied with your current plan. Why? Because plans routinely change premiums, deductibles and copays, and you might find a better deal with a different insurer. Plans also modify how much they will pay for particular prescriptions. So, it’s a good idea to review your coverage each year.

What if I miss my enrollment deadline?

•You may incur a penalty. If you are approaching 65, you should plan to enroll in a Part D plan when you sign up for Medicare Part A (hospital services) and Part B (doctor visits and other outpatient care). You need to sign up during your Medicare Parts A and B Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) to avoid any late penalties. Your IEP begins three months before the month you turn 65 and lasts until three months after. For example, if you will turn 65 on June 15, your IEP is from March 1 to Sept. 30. If you don’t sign up during this period, you are liable for penalties that will increase your premiums for years to come.

10 ways to deal with debt while in retirement

Americans are more likely to enter retirement in debt than ever before.

And that, according to researchers and financial planners, poses some concerns.

Why so? Well, in addition to decumulating wealth, aging Americans now need to manage and pay off heavy debt burdens in retirement, according to Annamaria Lusardi, a professor at George Washington University; Olivia Mitchell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania; and Noemi Oggero, a researcher at George Washington University, authors of The Changing Face of Debt and Financial Fragility at Older Ages.

So, how might you deal with debt — be it credit cards, student loans, auto loans, and/or mortgage — in retirement?

►Check your financial fragility. First, consider what Lusardi, Mitchell, and Oggero call your financial fragility, whether the amount of debt you have could be a problem.

So, you might be financially fragile if you have a total debt to asset ratio greater than 0.5; have a primary residence loan to home value ratio above 0.5; have another debt to liquid asset ratio above 0.5; and have a total net worth lower than $25,000, which, the authors noted, “is approximately half of median income, and it is could be thought of as the minimum one might need to weather a health shock or other costly financial emergency.”

►Create a plan. If you are or are close to being financially fragile, create a plan to pay down your debt. “The simplistic, financially accurate answer is to do whatever provides the highest after-tax return,” says Todd Tresidder, a financial coach with FinancialMentor.com.

In simple terms, that usually means, he says:

►Pay off your highest interest debt first, prioritized by non-deductible debt before deductible. Lusardi agrees with this approach. “Try to repay first the highest cost debt since interest rates charged on non-collateralized debt — for example, credit cards — are normally quite high,” she says.

►Liquidate other assets to pay off debt if the return on investment is lower than the carrying cost of the debt. “For example, many CDs are paying substantially less than debt financing costs so it might make sense to liquidate the CD at maturity and use the proceeds to pay off the highest cost debt,” Tresidder says.

►Consider selling off any personal assets that you don't use regularly and aren't bringing you great joy and use the proceeds to pay off debt. “For example, consider selling that boat you haven't used for the last two years, or that fancy jewelry that sits in the safe deposit box and use the money to lighten your financial burden,” says Tresidder.

►Think about debt service. Generally, the assessment of “too much debt” is made relative to “too-little income,” says Don St. Clair, president of St. Clair Financial.

Now most retirees — at least those who can’t work part or full time to pay down their debt — think about reducing their overall debt. But that may be the wrong approach, says St. Clair. “Is it the debt or the debt-service that needs reducing?” he asks. “Recognizing this important difference can help reveal possibilities we might otherwise remain blind to.”

In retirement, this often comes at the expense of taking additional IRA withdrawals. “But if you’re accelerating an IRA distribution to make current debt payments, you may be choosing to pay 25%, 30%, 35% or more in combined state and federal income taxes to accelerate the payoff of something that’s costing you 4%, 5% or 6%,” says St. Clair. “Talk about stepping over dollars to get to dimes.”

►Consolidate your loans. “Reducing your debt service probably won’t reduce your debt,” St. Clair advises. “Consolidating a car loan, credit cards and/or stretching out your mortgage term won’t help you pay off the debt any sooner. But it can cut your monthly debt service and put more month back into your monthly money. And maybe even spare your IRA from a premature death.”

►Want to be debt-free? Consider using either the debt snowball or a debt avalanche strategy to pay down your debt, says Tresidder. With the snowball, you would pay off the smallest debt first while making only minimum monthly payments on all the other debts. With the avalanche, you would pay the minimum payment on each debt and devote any remaining debt-repayment funds to repaying the debt with the highest interest rate, according to Investopedia.

Tresidder favors the debt snowball strategy. “It's the most cost-effective, fastest and emotionally satisfying way to get out of debt,” he says. One resource: https://financialmentor.com/calculator/debt-snowball-calculator.

►Consider a reverse mortgage. If you have a traditional mortgage, examine whether replacing it with a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) makes sense, says Jason Branning, the owner of Branning Wealth Management.

The HECM is Federal Housing Administration’s reverse mortgage program which enables homeowners 62 or older to withdraw some of the equity in the home. It can be used to pay off a traditional mortgage balance and potentially require not additional monthly principal and interest payments.

►Other options. Consider downsizing, moving to a low tax state, and tapping retirement accounts. Lusardi also recommends avoid late payments which can affect credit scores and also generate higher debt payments in the future.

►If you haven’t retired yet. If you are still working and think you might retire with mortgage and other types of debt, consider upping the amount you save or paying down your debt more aggressively before you retire. “In the past, most households arrived in retirement free and clear of their house payments,” says Geoffrey Sanzenbacher, the associate director of research at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. “Today that is less common as more households have some mortgage debt, often from HELOCs or refinancing from the housing boom. This fact means they need to have more saved up in their retirement accounts so they can keep paying that mortgage even once retired.”

 

Source:  Robert Powell contributes regularly to USA TODAY, TheStreet, and The Wall Street Journal. Got questions about money? Email Bob at rpowell@allthingsretirement.com.

Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

It’s easy to spot a heart-health fanatic. She’s the one jogging down the side of the road, wearing tight pants and a heart monitor, then slipping into House of Kale for a superfood infusion. But you don’t need to be the neighborhood greyhound or a health food zealot to dramatically slash your risk of heart attack and stroke. You just need to stop making a few common blunders that elevate your risk of heart disease, says Clyde W. Yancy, chief of cardiology at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. The sooner you make a change, the faster you can reverse existing damage or reduce your risk.

That’s why AARP and the American Heart Association (AHA) are working together to give you simple fixes you can do today to start lowering your risk — dramatically. During February — aka American Heart Month — and all year round, avoid committing these blunders. You’ll set yourself, and your heart, on a healthy new path.

1. You sneak a smoke

Heavy smokers know they should quit. So should occasional smokers. But you might say, “I only bum a smoke socially” or “Just once in a while, I have a cigar on the golf course” or “I switched to vaping. It’s so much cleaner and healthier.”

Wrong answers, one and all. “Cigarettes, cigars, vaping — all of them have the same degree of risk” for your heart, Yancy says. Nicotine has been shown to tighten coronary arteries; the effect is virtually immediate, he notes. “And there is no ‘small dose’ of nicotine,” he adds. “There is no threshold below which you’re ‘OK’ with smoking. That doesn’t exist.”

If you stop smoking right now and you don’t already have coronary artery disease, within two years you can reduce your heart attack risk to what it would have been if you had never smoked.

2.  You skip your walk
Muscle loss as you age is a serious problem, and your heart is the most important muscle of all, says sports medicine physician Jordan D. Metzl, author of The Exercise Cure.

The AHA recommends 150 minutes a week of exercise, or 30 minutes a day at least five days a week. A 2017 study showed that people with stable coronary heart disease who increased their habitual physical activity reduced their mortality rate. The greatest benefits were seen in the most sedentary people who finally started moving regularly.

“This can be so simple,” Metzl says. “Some people hate the word ‘exercise.’ That’s fine. Just move. Get up and get your heart pumping. It won’t care if you’re at the gym or not.” A large-scale study last year confirmed that any physical activity that gets you breathing hard, whether it’s for recreation or not, delivers the same benefits.

Avoid weight creep to protect the health of your heart.

3. You scarf an extra cookie

One of the biggest health issues, if you’re over 50, is weight creep — gaining a pound or two every year until you tip over into obesity. Science has found that meaningful weight loss comes mostly from better eating patterns, rather than from, say, more exercise.

“You shouldn’t expect to lose weight from exercise alone,” Metzl points out. “You can erase 500 calories burned from exercise in a few minutes of eating.” So, the key is to eat the right foods. And that leads us to the next common blunder.

4.  You eat dinner out of a box

Foods that come in boxes and bags are more likely to make you fat and sick than foods you cook yourself. An animal study in the journal Nature showed that emulsifiers in processed foods can trigger obesity and metabolic syndrome.

“An overall healthy eating pattern emphasizes a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes, and non-tropical vegetable oils,” says registered dietitian Rachel Johnson, a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington.

5. You shun your veggies 

A lot of foods seem healthy but are low in nutritional value. Some culprits: granola bars and smoothies loaded with added sugars, Johnson notes.

Try to eat a serving of fruits and vegetables with every meal (yes, including breakfast!). Fry some thinly sliced Brussel sprouts with your eggs, have a healthy salad or vegetable soup for lunch, and make sure there’s a side of broccoli with your salmon. For snacks, stir some fresh berries into a cup of plain yogurt (instead of eating that sugary “fruit” on the bottom), or scoop hummus with some carrots and celery, rather than processed chips. For natural blood pressure control, Johnson recommends potassium-rich foods such as sweet potatoes, spinach, beets, beans and yogurt.

6. You lose your cool

Occasional stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But chronic stress can put your health at risk. One result: elevated blood pressure. Plus, according to a 2017 study of more than 2,500 people age 54 and older, chronic stress is associated with obesity.

Anti-stress techniques abound: Exercise, meditation, yoga, tai chi, enjoying nature and even creative hobbies can all help dial down your stress reaction. But one key to understanding stress is that, in the end, it’s how you react to it that makes all the difference. From that point of view, a big part of the remedy is just to ask, “Why am I so stressed about this?”

7. You over drink

“There are substantial data that say that a modest amount of alcohol daily, or weekly, is reasonable and might be protective of your heart,” Yancy says. “But how do we measure protective benefits on an individual basis? And here’s the really hard part: Are people disciplined enough to keep it modest?”

“Modest” shakes out to one drink per day for women and two drinks for men. If you can do that, you’re probably OK. But if you can’t? The evidence suggests that no alcohol at all is better for your heart than too much.

There’s one thing that makes all of the previous seven blunders more likely: not going to sleep early enough. A study of nearly 440,000 adults over 40 found that those who went to bed later were more likely to smoke, remain sedentary and skip fruits and vegetables than those who got extra shut-eye by hitting the hay early. “Good sleep is the foundation of health,” Metzl says. “When you wake up feeling good, all the healthy choices become more attractive. You feel like eating well, you feel like working out. Sleep just makes everything easier.”

Source:  AARP Magazine: retrieved 2.17.18

 

 

Medicare Beneficiaries and Physical, Speech, and Occupational Therapy

Millions of Medicare beneficiaries will be able to afford the physical, speech or occupational therapy they need because the payment caps on those services were permanently repealed as part of the budget deal the president signed into law Friday morning.

Since January, older adults have lived with uncertainty about whether Medicare would cover all the therapy they need to recover from falls or strokes, or to manage chronic illnesses. It’s common for someone who has had a stroke, hip fracture or other injury to need intensive therapy to learn how to speak and walk again or feed themselves. Patients who suffer from conditions such as arthritis, Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis also often need therapy to handle the tasks of everyday living.

For two decades, payments for these treatments have been capped, with Congress periodically passing bills that provided automatic exceptions for the reimbursement limits when the treatments were deemed medically necessary. Congress did not act in 2017 and, as of January, Medicare beneficiaries who reached the caps — $2,010 for physical and speech language therapy combined, and $2,010 for occupational therapy — worried they might not be able to afford to continue to get the treatments they need.

Friday’s action eliminates that uncertainty.

“Millions of vulnerable patients who need occupational, physical and speech-language therapy will now be protected from an arbitrary limit on how much Medicare will pay for needed therapy,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP’s executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer. LeaMond applauded the inclusion of the therapy cap repeal, which AARP has long supported, in the budget bill.

An analysis commissioned by the American Occupational Therapy Association found that nearly 6 million Medicare beneficiaries used outpatient therapy services in 2015. Rehabilitative care often allows older Americans to maintain their independence and remain at home rather than go to a nursing home or other long-term care facility.

AARP Magazine, retrieved 2.17.18

High thyroid levels may put older adults at risk

High levels of thyroid hormone may put older adults at risk for heart disease and death, a recent study showed.


Middle-age and older people with high or high-normal levels of a thyroid hormone called FT4 had double the odds of high coronary artery calcification scores, an indicator of hardening of the arteries.


Elevated FT4 levels were also associated with an 87 percent higher risk of having a stroke or heart attack and double the risk of death related to hardened arteries. FT4 is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland that helps control the rate at which the body uses energy.


The findings indicate that thyroid hormone can help identify older adults at risk of artery calcification.


Source: news.heart.org / American Heart Association

Study: Almonds and dark chocolate lower bad cholesterol

Study: Almonds and dark chocolate lower bad cholesterol

You can have your chocolate and EAT it too!!


Almonds and dark chocolate can possibly reduce a risk factor of coronary heart disease, according to a recent study.
Researchers found combining raw almonds, dark chocolate and cocoa significantly reduced the number of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, particles in the blood of overweight and obese people. LDL is often called “bad cholesterol” because of the role it plays in clogging arteries.
But portion size was key. The study looked at nearly one-third a cup of almonds a day — either alone or combined with almost one-quarter cup of dark chocolate and 2 1/3 tablespoons cocoa a day.

Source:  news.heart.org / By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS

Library Offering Hot Spots Service

William F. Laman Public Library System has partnered with wireless telephone company T-Mobile to provide hot spots that create Internet access for Wi-Fi-enabled devices at home or on-the-go, according to a library newsletter.
With so many patrons who have "cut the cord," the library has been expanding and improving its electronic resources, the newsletter said.
The hot spots are available for 14-day checkouts without renewals to adult patrons who don't have outstanding fines or lost material fees.  The hot spots are limited to one per household.
More information on this and other library services is available at lamanlibrary.org.

February is just for Valentine's Day!

February is not just for Valentine's Day!  National Heart Awareness Month is in February.

February is when we celebrate National Heart Awareness Month which helps raise awareness of heart disease. According to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States killing more than 600,000 Americans each year. The most common type of heart disease is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.

High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and secondhand smoke are also risk factors associated with heart disease.

There are some things you can change in your diet to keep your heart healthy. Read the nutrition labels and make your food selections based on the following:

•Select fat-free, 1% fat and low-fat dairy products

•Choose heart-healthy fats over saturated fats and trans fats

•Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars

•Purchase and consume foods lower in sodium/salt

•Limit foods that are high in dietary cholesterol. Try to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.

•Choose more whole grains, legumes, fresh produce and low fat dairy products

•Choose lean cuts of meat and pork

•Take the skin off poultry before serving

•Do not salt food at the table

•Reduce the amount of sugar in recipes

•When stir-frying, include fiber rich vegetables, such as peppers, cabbage, broccoli, and carrots

•Include fish regularly in your diet

•Watch portion control at all meals

•Be physically active for 30 to 60 minutes a day

•Stop smoking

•Drink alcohol in moderation

Be good to your heart this month and make some positive changes for a healthier you.

Source: www.nutritioncaresystems.com / By Angie Windhorst, RD, LDN

2018 Blind Idol Contest!

2018 Blind Idol Singing Contest


Legally blind? With a great voice? A Brighter Path Programs and IFB Solutions invite YOU to audition for a chance to compete in the 2018 Blind Idol competition.


Blind Idol is a national singing competition that celebrates the musical talents of Americans who are legally blind.  Submit an audio clip at BlindIdol.com between February 12th and March 30th and the Blind Idol team will select 20 semi-finalists to compete live in two regional semi-finals.  Four finalists will go on to compete in a live finale on August 11th.  The winner receives a prize package that includes $1000.00 cash, recording studio time and head shots.


VISIT BLINDIDOL.COM
Presented by - A Brighter Path Programs & IFB Solutions
For questions or to sponsor, contact Anastasia Powell at apowell@ifbsolutions.org or 336-245-5698


Arkansas Regional Semi-Final:  June 2nd in Little Rock, AR
North Carolina Regional Semi-Final:  June 16th in Raleigh, NC
Finale: August 11th in Winston-Salem, NC

February Events

Thursday, February 22nd we will be demonstrating the UBER Ride app and talking about all the ways you can get rides when LINKS or friends and family are not available.


We look forward to see you all there.  If you want to attend the demonstrations or need transportation, please call Shelly at WSB at 501-664-7100 extension 233.

Eating Healthy Is Good for Your Brain

Survey finds that people who eat nutritious foods report being more mentally sharp

Most adults don’t eat the daily allotments from the five food groups recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

While there’s still no magic bullet that will guarantee a healthy brain, a new AARP survey points to a promising nutritional formula: What’s good for the rest of the body is good for the brain. The trick, experts say, is getting people to follow this commonsense guidance.

Adults age 40 and over who say they eat healthy foods most of the time are twice as likely as those who rarely eat a nutritious diet to rate their mental sharpness as “excellent” or “very good,” according to a new AARP consumer survey on brain health and nutrition. 

The more fruits, vegetables and fish respondents say they eat, the better they rate their brain health and overall health. Sixty-three percent of the adults surveyed say they eat a healthy diet up to three or four days a week. Those who eat seafood in a typical week, but not red meat, report better brain health and higher average mental well-being scores than individuals who have red meat but not seafood.  

The survey results are in line with new recommendations by AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), which conclude that a plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with better brain health and that eating fish and other seafood seems to improve cognitive function. In addition, excessive amounts of alcohol, saturated fats and salt are all harmful to brain health, according to the GCBH. 

The foods that researchers say lead to brain health are the same ones that studies consistently show promote good heart health.

“Many of us have gotten used to the idea of heart-healthy foods, but now we know that those same foods can make a big difference in our brain health, as well,” says Sarah Lock, AARP senior vice president for policy and executive director of GCBH.

Most adults don’t eat the daily allotment from the five food groups recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ChooseMyPlate initiative. It recommends people over 30 eat: 1.5 to 2 cups of fruits; 2 to 3 cups of vegetables; 3 cups of dairy; 5 to 7 ounces of grains; and 5 to 6 ounces of proteins. Only 1 percent of survey respondents say they eat the ideal number of servings from all five food groups, and one-third say they fall short in every food category. Women report eating better than men, and adults ages 40 to 54 cite more barriers that prevent them from eating well compared to adults over 65.

Among the reasons respondents say they don’t eat healthily are: It would be too expensive; it’s “hard” to eat healthy; their family would not like the taste; there’s a lack of nearby stores that sell healthy food; and the belief that eating healthy won’t make a difference. A majority agree that if their doctor recommended a change in diet, they’d be more likely to do it. But only 37 percent say their physician has ever mentioned diet, and only 10 percent say their doctor has recommended they follow an eating plan.

“No one food is the answer to brain health,” said Lock. “Rather, it’s a healthy pattern of your diet with lots of different types of fruits, veggies, fish and healthy fats, along with cutting down on salt, sugar, highly saturated fats and empty calories that seems to help the most.”

Nearly 9 in 10 say they would likely eat healthier if they knew it would lower the risks of cognitive decline, heart disease and diabetes.

GfK conducted the survey for AARP using its nationally representative online panel. A total of 2,033 adults age 40 and older were surveyed between Oct. 25 and Nov. 8. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

Source: www.aarp.org – Written by Victoria Sackett, January 30, 2018

Light Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Rice

Sweet and sour is a flavor combination everyone loves. The meatballs also make a wonderful appetizer. Simply skip the rice.

Difficulty: Easy

Hands-on: 15 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

 

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. ground white pepper

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits

½ cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup sugar

27 frozen meatballs, baked

4 cups hot, cooked white rice

 

Directions

Step 1 - In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 4 minutes. Add bell peppers; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, salt, and pepper; cook until bubbly, about 3 minutes.

 

Step 2 - Add pineapple tidbits with liquid, orange juice, soy sauce, cider vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Step 3 - Add meatballs to sauce and stir gently. Bring back to a simmer; simmer for 10 minutes or until meatballs are hot. Serve immediately over rice.

5 Things your SmartPhone camera can do!

Smartphone Cameras...Not Just for Pictures Anymore!

Your phone’s camera is a powerful tool, capable of far more than regular picture-taking. With the right apps, your phone can absorb visual information and use it for everyday tasks. You can conduct searches, tackle a shopping list, read a foreign language, or solve math problems, all with a lens the size of a marker tip.

1. CamFind App is a bit like a regular Internet search site, except it uses images instead of words.  The app is available for both Android and iOS phones.  Open the app, snap a photo, and watch as it runs through keywords that identify what’s in the picture.  It will then generate a list of similar images and related search results.  It’s not accurate 100% of the time, but it is close.
2. Amazon Mobile Shopping app – click on the camera icon in the Amazon app, pull up your camera view.  You can snap a photo of the item, or scan a barcode, or check and redeem gift cards.  You can also scan the shipping label on the outside of your Amazon box to find out what’s inside before opening the box.
3. eBay app can help you if you find out what an item is called. Open the eBay app and look at the end of the search box for a camera icon.  Touch the camera icon and choose “image search”, which will open the camera on your smartphone.  Point at the item you’re looking for, take a photo, and crop it.  The app will search for Auction listings that match the look of the item in your photo.  It’s a great way to search eBay when you are having trouble with the right keywords.
4. Help with MATH homework! - The Photomath app lets you point your camera at an equation and get an answer.  It can even show you the steps it took to find that answer.  You can use Photomath for simple subtraction, multiplication, addition, and division problems, but it can also tackle more complex equations.  It can even read your handwriting so you can scribble down your math problem and let the app hand you the solution.
5. TRANSLATE FOREIGN LANGUAGES - Google Translate app lets you translate 38 foreign languages.  Start the app, tap on the camera icon, and point the lens at what you are trying to translate.  It will magically change the text right on the screen.  This is good for street signs, store signs, or menus in restaurants.

Source:  USA Today

Success Vision Coupons

Make your tax refund money stretch farther at Success Vision Express. You can get glasses, prescription sunglasses and more for half of what you would normally pay. Plus, you get same day service from a friendly staff.

2 Complete Pairs of Glasses Starting at $39 Ready in About an Hour.

One Stop Shop for Your Eyes.

They have an independent doctor of optometry located next to all their locations.  Of course, you can visit any optometrist. They accept any signed and non-expired glasses prescription.

They make buying glasses fun and easy.  Serving You in Arkansas

West Little Rock

11401 Financial Center Parkway

North Little Rock

4120 East McCain Boulevard

Hot Springs

4043 Central Avenue

Conway

1100 South Amity Road
NOW OPEN

Give them a call for more information at 501-223-2020

Coupons & Offers

2 Pair Regular Bifocals for $79.00
2 Pair No-Line Bifocals for $79.00
$20.00 off Ultra-Thin Polycarbonate Regular Bi-Focal Lenses
$10.00 off Prescription Sunglasses
$10.00 off Designer Frames priced at $129 and up
$10.00 off Pro Plus Warranty (Scratch Coating, UV Coating, Lens Warranty & optional Tent

Get even better values, with some of these great savings!

Click on the link below to print out one of the coupons, or display it on your mobile device at any of their locations.

https://www.successvision.com/coupons-offers

Low-Cost Wireline

 

AT&T is offering low-cost wireline home internet service to qualifying households: 

• At least one resident who participates in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and
• An address in AT&T's 21-state service area, at which AT&T offer wireline home Internet service, and
• No outstanding debt for AT&T fixed Internet service within the last six months or outstanding debt incurred under this program. 

 

Our Heartfelt Sympathies

Our heartfelt sympathies go out to our friend and colleague Christie S. from DSB.  Christie's Georgetown Apartment complex caught fire and claimed Christie's apartment and all her belongings.  We are so thankful that Christie herself was not hurt.  

Top Seven Tax Deductions for Seniors and Retirees over 50

1. Medical and dental expenses. Medical and dental expenses are often one of the largest expenses for retired people. These include health insurance premiums (including Medicare premiums), long-term care insurance premiums, prescription drugs.

2. Selling your house. Retired people often sell their homes to move into smaller places or retirement communities. If you've lived in your home for a long time, you probably have substantial equity and will earn a large profit on the sale. Fortunately, you may not have to pay any tax on your profit. As long as you live in your home for at least two out of the five years before you sell your house, the profit you make on the sale -- up to $250,000 for single taxpayers and $500,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly -- is not taxable.

3. Retirement plan contributions. Just because you are retired or semi-retired doesn't mean that you can't make tax-deductible contributions to retirement plans such as IRAs. Those over 50 have higher contribution limits for traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, and 401(k)s.

4. Investment expenses. The best way to earn money when you retire is in the form of interest, dividends, and capital gains from investments. Dividends and capital gains are taxed at lower rates than ordinary income, ranging from 0% to 20% depending on your overall income tax bracket. Unlike income from a job or business, these types of income are not subject to Social Security or Medicare taxes.

5. Business expenses. Many retirees continue to run their own businesses or start new ones. For example, some retired employees work part-time as a consultant for their former employers and other clients. Having a business (whether full- or part-time) is a great way to get tax deductions. You may deduct all the necessary expenses you incur to do business, so long as they are reasonable in amount. This includes business travel, the cost of business equipment such as computers, and outside or home offices.

6. Charitable contributions. Retirement is a time many people think about giving back to their community by making charitable contributions. Such contributions are deductible as itemized deductions; however, they are subject to special limitations. Cash contributions of up to 50% of your adjusted gross income are deductible each year as an itemized deduction.

7. Standard deduction. This applies if you don't itemize your deductions (many older folks don't if they are no longer paying mortgage interest). Anyone 65 and older by December 31 of the tax year is entitled to a higher standard deduction. Technically, you are considered 65 on the day before your 65^th birthday so you can take the higher standard deduction if you turn 65 by January 1st.  People age 65 and older (or blind) get an additional standard deduction. You can claim the higher deduction if only your spouse is older than 65 and you file a joint return.

Source:  https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/top-tax-deductions-seniors-retirees-29591.html- By Stephen Fishman, J.D.

Dollar General Ad 2/4/18 – 2/10/18

Dollar General Ad 2/4/18 – 2/10/18

 

3 for $6.00 General Mills Cereal

$6.00 Maxwell House Coffee

2 for $5.00 Doritos

$1.50 Campbell’s Chunky or Progresso Soup

3 for $10.00 Coca-Cola 12pk cans Assorted varieties

$4.50 Paper Towels 6 rolls

$3.95 Purex Liquid Detergent

Money Mondays: Tax Tips and Preparation

It's tax season! As you prepare to file and pay your taxes, the following resources may be available at no cost to you.

Free tax help and preparation from the IRS

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers 2 free services to help certain people prepare and file their taxes. Check out the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) to find out how IRS-certified volunteers may help you.

VITA offers free basic tax return preparation to people who:

• Generally, make $54,000 or less
• Have a disability
• Are limited-English-speaking taxpayers
   TCE offers free tax help for all taxpayers, especially those who:

• Are 60 years old or older
• Have questions about pensions or retirement-related issues
  To find your local VITA or TCE sites, call 800-906-9887 or use the VITA Locator Tool.

source: https://choosework.ssa.gov/blog/2018-02-05-money-mondays-tax-tips-and-preparation

FEBRUARY OIB EVENTS

Thursday February 8th - 1PM - 4PM
WSB will be hosting another GAME DAY for OIB clients.  Anyone wanting to attend needs to Call Shelly at 501-664-7100 Extension 233 and let her know a head count and if you need transportation.


Tuesday February 13th - 1PM-3PM
WSB will be demoing the NuWave Cooking equipment.  Call Shelly if you would like to attend and if you need transportation.  501-664-7100 Extension 233.


Thursday February 22 - 1PM - 4PM
WSB will be conducting Instructions on how to download the UBER app for transportation and how to schedule UBER rides when LINKS is not available to you.  If you would like to attend call Shelly at 501-664-7100 extension 233.