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In this issue: Health Medicine Mind Medicare Personal Finance Taxes Retirement Caregiving		Health: Osteoporosis Patients Advised to Delay Bone Density Retests: A new study is asking whether frequent bone density measurements make sense for the majority of older women whose bone density is not close to a danger zone on an initial test. The New York Times, Jan. 18. What if the Doctor Is Wrong? Some Cancers, Asthma, Other Conditions Can Be Tricky to Diagnose, Leading to Incorrect Treatments. WSJ, Jan. 17. Upper Normal Blood Pressure Linked to Heart Risk in Men: Those with levels in the high end of the normal range may later develop irregular heartbeat, study says. HealthDay, Jan. 17. Walking Clubs Offer Senior Citizens a Simple, Free Way to Better Health, Fitness: American Heart Association adds another national program to promote walking as most effective physical activity. SeniorJournal.com, Jan. 17. Daily Aspirin Is Not for Everyone, Study Suggests: Nearly a third of middle-aged Americans regularly take a baby aspirin in the hope of preventing a heart attack or a stroke or lowering their cancer risk. But new research shows that aspirin is not for everyone, and that in some patients this so-called wonder drug is doing more harm than good. The New York Times, Jan. 16. Go ahead, run into old age: Several studies suggest that running does not lead to joint injury. So growing older doesn't have to mean abandoning the exercise, so long as you're careful. Los Angeles Times, Jan. 16. Lifelines for People With Hearing Loss: Hearing loss, a disability currently untreated in about 85 percent of those affected, may be the nation's most damaging and costly sensory handicap. The New York Times, Jan. 16. Medicine: Lipitor patent ends; generic drug available: What now? Lipitor patients may be switched to a generic or may continue to get Lipitor (and for less), depending on insurance company deals with Pfizer. Here's a guide. Los Angeles Times, Jan. 16. Mind: New Insight Into Aging Brains: Nearly a quarter of the changes seen in a person's intelligence level over the course of a lifetime may be the result of genetic factors, an innovative genetic analysis has shown. WSJ, Jan. 19. How Exercise May Keep Alzheimer's at Bay: A new study from the Archives of Neurology suggests that for some people, a daily walk or jog could alter the risk of developing Alzheimer's or change the course of the disease if it begins. The New York Times, Jan. 18. GPS Devices in Shoes a Growing Solution to Wandering Alzheimer's Patients: GTC sets goal on worldwide network, ships more miniature GPS devices to Aetrex Shoes. SeniorJournal.com, Jan. 18. U.S. launches national war on Alzheimer's: Alzheimer's, which is a form of dementia that causes progressive loss of intellectual and social skills, is the only disease among the top killers for which there is no prevention, cure or treatment that will slow its progression. USA Today, Jan. 17. Medicare: Big penalties await those who delay Medicare filing: Most seniors on Medicare will pay $99.90 per month this year for Part B outpatient coverage. But how would you like to pay 10 percent more for that coverage, or 50 percent more? Reuters, Jan. 20. Personal Finance: Protecting retirement savings for the long haul: Drawing down retirement savings can seem scary in volatile markets, especially when the markets drop like they did in 2008-2009. USA Today, Jan. 21. Why boomer widows are financially at risk: With life-expectancy rates being markedly different between the sexes – on average, women live five years longer than men – it means that waves of women among the 78-million-member boomer generation are finding themselves having to grapple with financial matters alone. Reuters, Jan. 20. Amid Squeeze on Home Equity, A Revival for Reverse Mortgages: Converting home equity into cash has been a challenge for homeowners since the real-estate downturn, but a growing number of lenders are quietly reviving a loan for seniors that does just that: the reverse mortgage. WSJ, Jan. 17. Taxes: Investors, prepare for tax headache on cost basis: Investors who buy and sell stocks have a new tax form and new reporting rules to contend with this year when they do their tax returns – and some tax pros say the new rules could cause confusion. MarketWatch, Jan. 19. What's the Tax Advantage of 401(k)s? Tax reform is high on the nation's agenda. While Republicans and Democrats may disagree about the extent to which tax increases should be part of the deficit reduction effort, they generally agree that a broader base and lower rates for the federal income tax would promote fairness and boost economic growth. SmartMoney, Jan. 18. Retirement: To maximize retirement benefits, know the rules: When the oldest baby boomers start turning 66 this year, they'll be eligible to file for full Social Security benefits. But pollsters say many Americans plan to work well past that age, reflecting tough economic times and a general desire to reshape the idea of retirement. Reuters, Jan. 18. How to get your affairs in order: Organizing your important papers and personal information is a smart move and a great gift to loved ones. The Oklahoman, Jan. 17. Biggest retirement planning mistake? Doing nothing: It's the time of the year when investors set the goal to open a retirement account, start saving more and start planning for the future. USA Today, Jan 16. Caregiving: Alzheimer's heaps unparalleled stress on caregivers: 70 percent of Alzheimer's patients live at home and are being cared for by about 15 million unpaid family members and friends. USA Today, Jan 16. As baby boomers retire, a focus on caregivers: A study released last week found that Americans caring for aging and chronically ill relatives reported higher levels of stress, poorer health and a greater tendency to engage in unhealthy behaviors to alleviate stress than the population at large. CNN, Jan. 16.
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