Still Clickin

Every once in a while, you find yourself laughing so hard that your sides hurt. Last weekend, I encountered such a time. My wife had corralled me into an evening of square dancing, so I went along - naïve, nonchalant, and non-western. I probably would not have done well “out on the range”.

Our group entered a very clean, spacious facility which we had completely to ourselves . . . until some others showed up. It was obvious that these strangers took this western theme seriously. A lot of cowboy hats, vests, string ties, and even some boots. Many of the gals wore those flared skits that spread out like an upside-down funnel. A few sported badges that certified either their expertise or longevity at this activity, which they all took seriously, but with a smile. In all, they were an engaging group.

In the corner, the Caller set up his gear. It was all high tech, i.e. a PC and amp with speakers and a microphone. He made it very plain that he clearly liked his microphone. He explained that square dancing was a purely American dance that has now spread around the globe. He also revealed that the people assembled here were all volunteers that thoroughly enjoyed square dancing and were here to teach us in order to spread that joy. Then, he started the music.

These folks really started moving, following the changing directions of the Caller. One or two couples were in there 50’s, but most were older. I was surprised at how physically intense this activity was, for they hardly stopped moving. As the routines kept changing, even these ‘pros’ made a misstep every once in a while, but they handled it with humor and grace. In truth, theirs was a class act.

After a short break, each of the ‘pros’ grabbed one of us onlookers as their new partner. Some of us were ‘excess’, so we formed our own square without a pro to guide us.

It was fortuitous that I was in this excess square. All of my life, I have never been able to tell right from left. I now know that I am dyslexic, which means that I am not wired to reflexively respond to that direction. When told to take a right turn, my mind has to go through a logical process. It has to first think of which hand it is that I write with and then turn toward or away from the location of that hand. Since this process takes a bit of time, I can be a little slow on the uptake in an activity like the square dance.

The results were hilarious. Because of delaying or going the wrong way, I not only threw myself off, but the other dancers as well. A few times we were as perfect as the “pros’, but most of the time it was like riding bumper cars. With each bump, we laughed harder and harder, so that it was best there were no “pros’ in our group to embarrass.

Although it could never be my cup of tea, I was very impressed by the enthusiastic fun and healthy exercise everyone experienced. I became convinced that square dancing is a vigorous activity that every senior should seriously consider. It engages your mind, muscle, and sense of humor.

To start your search for groups in your neighborhood, this site contains links to a number of square dancing resources on the Internet. Enjoy your dosado!

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If you are turning 65 this year, and you haven’t yet joined the “Social Security Club”, then this is your year to enroll. The questions that you will encounter in this process are presented below with a few typical answers.

1. When do I qualify for full retirement benefits?
   People who turn 65 during 2009 will not qualify for full retirement benefits until they reach age 66. You can choose to start benefits earlier, but you will pay a hefty penalty for that choice. You can assess your retirement benefits using the BEST calculator for Social Security Benefits.
2. Why should I enroll this year if I don’t qualify for full retirement benefits until next year?
   Although those born 1944 do not qualify for full retirement benefits until they reach age 66 during 2010, Medicare benefits still begin at age 65.
3. Do I need to register for Medicare if I am still covered by my company’s health plan?
   You need to check with your company’s health plan. Their plan may revert to a Medicare supplement when you turn 65.
4. When, during this year, should I enroll with the Social Security Administration?
   Typically, you should sign up for Medicare about three months before you turn age 65. This allows time for your records to be fully activated prior to your birth date.
5. Medicare has different plans, A, B, C and D. What is the difference?
   These letters represent the different parts or plans in Medicare.
   • Part A is Hospital Insurance that the government pays.
   • Part B is Medical Insurance for visits to doctors that you must pay monthly to be enrolled.
   • Part C is the HMO/PPO type of non-government private plan, called “Medicare Advantage”, that you must pay for monthly.
   • Part D is the prescription drug insurance for which you must pay monthly.
6. What is the difference between traditional Medicare, the new Medicare Advantage Plans, and the Medigap plans?
   • The traditional Medicare plan is a government program whose benefit amounts are set by the government program. Physicians accepting Medicare patients are also agreeing to accept the Medicare benefit amounts as their payment. Seniors can choose their own doctors and hospitals with traditional Medicare.
   • Medicare Advantage works either like an HMO, where you use assigned doctors and hospitals, or a PPO, where you select from a list of pre-approved doctors and hospitals. Although subsidized by government payments, these are private plans that set their own rules.
   • Today, most seniors still select the traditional Medicare program. Some will supplement that with a private Medigap policy which provides coverage for the few things that Medicare doesn’t cover. The coverage provided by these policies is strictly formalized by Medicare, i.e. F-level coverage from two different companies must provide identical benefits.
7. What is this November 15th - December 31st enrollment period that I hear about?
   Each year, people enrolled in the Part D (Drug) program may change to another plan or provider without penalty. It is called the Free Enrollment Period.
8. If I do nothing, what happens?
   Obviously, you will receive no benefits. In addition, if you change your mind and decide to enroll later, you may be assessed some penalties. The website of the Social Security Administration offers a number of other answers about Medicare.

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“The weather outside is frightful!”

One of the assurances my children gave us when they encouraged our move to the northwest was - “It rarely snows. When it does, it’s gone within a couple of hours.” They lied! This very morning we even had THUNDERSNOW!

Last night, it started snowing once again. It wasn’t the 32″ we experienced our last winter in Rhode Island, but enough for ice to form under your feet. That ice will not go away within two hours because the thermometer is projected to stay below freezing for a number of days. I have to admit, I am very wary.

I fell twice on the ice during the week we moved out of Connecticut in 2003. I learned then that a ‘frozen shoulder’ has nothing to do with the cold. I landed more softly on my Rhode Island slips. However, I managed to find black ice during my first winter in Seattle and had to have my scalp stapled. That’s why I am wary.

I have since learned that simple falls become the greatest accident exposure for senior citizens. We need activity to keep our bodily systems engaged, and the simple act of falling can result in enough damage to curtail that activity for prolonged periods. The snow may be pretty, but the ice is dangerous.

To cope with the situation, I am -

• staying indoors as much as possible despite the fact that I can’t stand the cabin fever,
• wearing ugly high-traction boots whenever I must go out,
• driving only on tires with decent tread,
• carefully selecting parking places that are somewhat drier and closer to covered walkways,
• noticing some of my fellow seniors using ski poles while walking, and am considering adapting their style, and
• spreading kitty litter (my latest ‘wonder product’ discovery) on the walks around our house.

Love to hear any other ideas that would forestall a visit to the ER. Other than that, the snow is beautiful to see. I love to watch the kids rolling around in it.

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Last month, before I went “under the knife”, my surgeon asked if I had any questions. I know I mumbled a few things, but I really felt stupid. Everyone tells you that, in this day and age, you must become your own advocate. It is your obligation to learn about what is going on and become involved with and knowledgeable about the process.

I confess. I didn’t do any of that. I was raised in an era where you trusted your doctor to give you the best care and physical pain was something you absorbed stoically. That style is not PC today, but it seems to be how I always react after I turn over the Medicare card.

In hindsight, although I can’t abandon my “boys don’t cry” orientation, becoming informed doesn’t mean that I consider the doctor my adversary. It simply means that I can be a better patient. I need to be aware and provide proper feedback to help the medical professionals provide the quality of care that they want to deliver.

That said, where do you go to learn enough to ask intelligent questions? In today’s world, that means the Internet. The following sites I found after my surgery seem to offer a sufficiently broad range of information to help with the most common health questions.

• The Google Search Engine - This is an obvious place to start looking, but you need to enter your search criteria carefully, not logically. Start with the most important word first and place the following words in decreasing importance. E.g. surgery heart ventricle left, rather than heart surgery of left ventricle. Google led me to The British Medical Journal, which I never would have found on my own.

• WebMD - This is the granddaddy of Internet medical information sites and is quite comprehensive. However, it is broad, rather than deep, so you might want to use it to make sure you are using the correct terms before you dig deeper. It is a commercial site, so you will see a lot of ads.

• The Mayo Clinic - You have to bounce around this site to locate everything you are looking for, but the information goes much deeper. It would be helpful if the site offered more graphics.

• The Merck Manual of Medical Information - This is a well organized resource that has extensive information as well as helpful graphics. It is very easy to navigate through this site. Its inclusion of associated topics can help expand the scope of your search.

• RN Central List of 100 Health Sites - Leave it to the nurses to reach out and lend a hand. They have done just that with a list of 100 health and wellness sites for seniors. These sites not only deal with health, but with aging as well. The RN Central site is actually a place on the web for nurses, but they created this list specifically as a help for seniors.

• The National Health Information Center - A site oriented more toward living a healthy lifestyle than information on diseases. This is a US government service. It has no commercial aspect.

• Tips for Understanding Medical Information - This site contains some guidance from the University of Connecticut about how to deal with all of the medical information that we encounter in today’s world. It’s a dose of common sense.

Hope this has been helpful. Click below to make a comment. Or, if you would prefer to make an enhancement to the original article, please go to wikiSenior and click on edit.

‘Tis the season, 11/15/07 - 12/31/07, to review drugs. Today, I’m changing my Medicare-Part D Plan, the one that covers drugs. Last year, I just kept the same plan and let it roll over to the new year. Now, it is time for a change.

During this time, it is worth repeating a word of caution on ID Theft, i.e. DO NOT RESPOND TO A TELEPHONE SOLICITATION OR INQUIRY REGARDING ANY MEDICARE ISSUE. You have to initiate the call to a number listed for Medicare. Never give information over the phone if you do not initiate the call.

This is the way I understand the 2008 Medicare-Part D rules.

• It is a one-year policy with a Medicare-approved insurance company that complies with or exceeds Medicare rules.

• You have to sign up for a policy during your initial “Medicare Eligibility Period” or pay a penalty if you decide to join later.

• The policies may limit the specific drugs covered, as listed in their “formulary”, as well as the participating pharmacies, as listing in their “network”.

• You can either pay the monthly fee or have Medicare deduct it from Social Security.

• You pay the first $275 of any drug costs.

• The plan pays 75% of the next $2,510 of drug costs, and you pay 25%.

• You pay all of the costs ($3,216.25) between $2,510 and $5,726.25, i.e. for the famed “Donut Hole”.

• Once the total drug costs exceed $5,726.25, you make co-payments of $2.25 for generic prescriptions and $5.60 for all other drugs.

There are slightly different rules for folks that already have some drug coverage, are institutionalized, or are on Medicaid.

To evaluate the various plans for my state, I went to Medicare.gov and clicked on “Prescription Drug Plans”, then selected “Plans in Your Area”. This gave a concise list of available plans. After reviewing the formulary, network, and premium of a few plans, I picked a new plan that seemed to suit me better. I was able to complete the enrollment right online, and the deed was done well before the year-end deadline.

N. B. Click below to make a comment. If you would prefer to make an enhancement to the original article, please go to wikiSenior.com and click on edit.