Keep Seniors Healthy- Seniors are Getting Wired

According to a report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, about 8 million Americans 65 or older use the internet. This is a 47% increase from 2000 to 2004. Seniors are getting wired up and are becoming one of the fastest growing groups on the internet.

Are you a senior? Do you find navigating the internet easy or difficult? What are the biggest obstacles you face in using your computer or in getting to feel comfortable with surfing the net?

What are your main reasons for using the internet?

Keep Seniors Healthy-Unnecessary medical testing and Physician Report Cards

Attention Seniors...

What are your thoughts about physician "report cards". These are the newest thing that are being generated by insurance companies as well as private industry to "grade" your doctor. If you ask most physicians, they probably are not in favor of this. You can understand why. What if some beligerent or hostile patient, created a smear campaign for a physician and consistently wrote or submitted negative grades and comments on that particular physician? The doctor would have no real defense of unjustified attacks or unvalidated claims regarding their performance. There is one Michaign Insurance Plan that allows phsysicans to challenge inaccurate data online. Also, an unintended consequence of scorecards or report cards is that htey could motivate physicians to avoid noncompliant patients.

The flip side is... are you the consumer entitled to see this info recognizing that some of it might not be accurate? What are your thoughts? Is it fair to have a "report card" on doctors generated by patients? Whould these only be used internally by health insurance companies or do you the consumer want to see them also?

Keep in mind , it is unclear that report card rankings actually reflect a physician's true quality.

Let us know your thoughts on this issue.

What about Unnecessary medical testing? Why do you think doctors do it? Millions of dollars are spent each year on unnecessary medical tests? Do you think these are motivated by medicolegal concerns by the doctor, ie "if I dont order it, I will be held responsible for this and may get sued". Doctors are concerned about missing diagnoses that could cost them in a malpractice case.. as lawyers will jump all over this... so doctors tend to want to take a "cya" approach to practicing medicine. Can you blame them?

Keep Seniors Healthy-Refund on your long distance phone service tax

You can now claim a refuon on you 2006 tax return when youfile next year. Forms will include a line requesting the refund. For all those long distance phone calls you made to your grandchildren and children, for instance, between March 1, 2003 and July 31, 2006, you may request a refund with interest on the excise tax that yo paid on long distance phone service.

If you dont have the records for that period, you can claim a standard refund rate .

Keep Seniors Healthy- A Place to Call 411 for free

Instead of paying higher and higher rates to call 411 , which now cost anywhere from $1.40 with Sprint PCS to $3.49 with MCI, you can now call 1-800-FREE411 and pay nothing. You may have to listen o a short ad before getting your free listing. The company that provides this service is called Jingle Networks.

Keep Seniors Healthy- Victims of Flood or Hurricane Damage

If you are a victim of a flood or hurricane damage and you are having trouble settling insurance claims. There is a website resource that may help with some good advice on getting advance payments for losses and coverage issues, go to http://www.femainfo.us .

More Hurricane Tips for Seniors

1. keep a 2 week supply of food on hand-mostly canned foods.
2. remember to have bottled water. (a gallon per day per person for drinking and sanitation)
3. Gallon sized freezer bags for ice
4. Household bleach to purify water
5. duct tape
6. basic tools
7. flashlight and extra batteries
8. fire extinguisher
9. matches
10. first aid kit
11. plastic eating utensils
12. 2 week supply of pet food
13. mosquito repellant
14. cat litter for soaking up spills
15. whistle or horn
16. rope or cord
17. blankets or sleeping bags
18. shoes with rubber soldes
19. Know where breaker panel is in the house
20. Stay clear of pudddles
21. Dont use public water until local water utility through media says so
22. avoid driving
23. obey curfews
24. Double check all medical supplies
25. Put valuables and documents in safe place including list of possessions
26. Can store valuable documents online at http://www.KeepSeniorsHealthy.com
27. Use Common Sense.

Keep Seniors Healthy During Hurricanes

Here are some good basic tips:
1. Stock up on plenty of bottle water
2. Stock up on plenty of batteries, the size that fits your am/fm radio and your flashlights
3. Organize any critical papers such as financial documents, living will, pet documents, insurance documents, and bills... pre pay any bills that you think might be due at the same time the hurricane is destined to hit..
4. Organize your medical records, prescriptions, actual pills, and doctors names and numbers..
5. Use a service like ours... http://www.Passportmd.com or http://www.KeepSeniorsHealthy.com to safely store your important legal documents and medical records..it will keep them offsite , easily accessible , and like a "safety deposit box" for information that you may need at any time during the after math of the hurricane.
6. Create a list of emergency phone numbers to keep with you for after the hurricane.
7. Make sure , loved ones or friends, will know where you will be during a hurricane.
8. Find a safe place to "wheather" the hurricane.

Keep Seniors Healthy- US initiates program to improved older citizens health

The US Dept HHS has earmarked a $15 million dollar initiative through public and private collaborations to help older people manage their chrnic disease, improve their diet, increase their activity and and up to 12 states will receive grants for this. Each stat that participates will use evidence based prevention programs in 3 different geographic regions to study this.