Signal Winter 2019 Newsletter

www.alliancecom.net 7 Educate Yourself to defend Against Medicare Scams Knowing that Medicare has been sending out new cards, scammers may call you pretending to be a Medicare representative and asking for your personal information before they can send you a new card. They may also tell you you’ll be charged a fee if you don’t provide certain information, or use other ways to try and trick you into divulging information they can use to steal your identity. Some of these calls may sound convincing, but Medicare will never ask for your personal information over the phone, so don’t give this informa- tion to anyone who calls asking for it. Instead, hang up, call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE yourself, and report the scam. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (ftc.gov/complaint) . Additionally, visit medicare.gov/forms-help-resources/ identity-theft-protect-yourself to learn the truth about Medicare’s card replacement initiative. With a healthy dose of skepticism, you won’t be fooled by Medicare scammers. These Sites Offer a Healthy Dose of Information M anaging your health can become more challenging as you get older due to age-related problems, chronic dis- eases, and even minor issues that become harder to shake. If you’ve brushed off health care in the past, now’s the time to dedicate some attention to this critical aspect of your life. Healthy Aging (hhs.gov/aging/healthy-aging/ index.html) While staying healthy can involve many factors, this site helps you understand the basics. It offers resources on staying active, getting the right nutrition, main- taining community connections, and managing health issues. Family Caregiver Alliance (caregiver.org ) As a senior, it’s likely there’s a caregiver in your life—whether it’s you giving care to someone else with health issues or someone taking care of you. Caregivers can use this site to learn about health conditions and caregiver strategies as well as find needed support. Managing Medicare (medicare.gov) One of the biggest changes to your health care as a senior is receiving Medicare benefits. This site is a one-stop-shop for understanding and managing your coverage. It also offers guides for finding doctors, hospitals, home health services, and more. Aging in Place (ageinplace.org ) This extensive site offers numerous resources including a list of in-home service providers (and a search function to find them in your area); “practical advice” articles on housing, health, transportation, and more; and a list of organization chapters throughout the country. Telehealth for Seniors ( aginginplace.org/ telehealth-and-seniors) Telehealth is used to deliver healthcare virtually. This Aging In Place webpage will help you understand what telehealth is, its benefits and drawbacks, what types of situations it’s best for, and how you might be able to use it to optimize your health. QUICK TIP: Popular tools for staying healthy are Fitbit activity trackers and smartwatches (fitbit.com) , which help you count steps, monitor heart rate, and more.