sponsored by Friendship Manor

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Protect your financial future by thwarting identity theft now
 

[June 20, 2011]  (ARA) - With a combination of good decisions and some luck, you've managed to build a tidy little nest egg for retirement. Having enough saved for retirement can help ensure your golden years are the best they can be. But what are you doing right now to protect the nest egg that's essential to your future financial well-being? (Click here for the rest  of the story)

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The Best Way to Avoid Telephone Scams Is Also the Easiest: Just hang up

[June 20, 2011]  Every day, seniors throughout Illinois fall prey to smooth-talking con artists who call them up and tell all kinds of convincing stories to get their money.
The Office of the Illinois Attorney General wants you to know that it’s shrewd, not rude, to hang up the phone when a stranger asks you to send them money or give out your personal information.
The following are some common warning signs of telephone scams. If you spot any of these signs while on the phone, don’t think twice: (Click here for the rest of the story)

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Seniors face Medicare cost barrier for cancer meds

[June 20, 2011]  WASHINGTON -- (AP) Facing a life-and-death struggle with kidney cancer, Rita Moore took her prescription for a new kind of chemotherapy pill to her local drugstore. She was stunned when the pharmacist told her the cost for a month's supply would be $2,400, well beyond her income. (click here for the rest of the story)

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A handsome gift for dad 

[June 20, 2011]  Father’s Day is right around the corner. Perhaps you’ll give Dad the usual gift: a necktie, shaving set, leather wallet, or new fishing lure. But there’s something he may appreciate even more. People all over the country are helping their dads save nearly $4,000 a year on the cost of prescription drugs. You can help your dad too — and it won’t cost you a dime.  (Click here for the rest of the story)

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Governor Quinn announces state efforts to address seniors' health during warm summer months

Urges Illinoisans to take precautions, check on elderly

[June 20, 2011]  SPRINGFIELD –  As temperatures rise, Governor Pat Quinn has announced services available to protect people from excessive summer heat, and asked people across Illinois to look out for those most vulnerable to the high temperatures, including the elderly and children during the upcoming summer months. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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More June questions and answers from Social Security

[June 20, 2011]  Question:  

I’m applying for disability benefits. Do I automatically receive Medicare benefits if I'm approved for disability benefits? 

Answer:

You will receive Medicare after you receive disability benefits for 24 months. When you become eligible for disability benefits, we will automatically enroll you in Medicare. We start counting the 24 months from the month you were entitled to receive disability, not the month when you received your first payment. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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Watch out for Green Dot scam

[June 20, 2011]  A woman in Springfield was approached by this “Green Dot” card scam. Please keep in mind that there are legitimate Green Dot Cards, but con artists have picked up on this system to fraud people.

“Green Dot Cards are re-loadable debit cards that can be purchased at almost every convenience store. The Green Dot re-loadable debit cards are the latest scam for con artists working a well known type of grant scam. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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June questions and answers from Social Security

[June 20, 2011]  Question:

Is it true I must now receive my benefits through direct deposit? 

Answer:

Anyone applying for benefits on or after May 1, 2011, will be required to receive their payments electronically, while those already receiving paper checks will need to switch by March 1, 2013. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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Important links to protect senior citizens

[June 20, 2011]  As the elderly population grows in Illinois and across our nation, protecting older citizens continues to be one of the most important responsibilities of the Attorney General’s office. Far too often, scam artists perceive senior citizens as vulnerable and relatively wealthy due to their ability to access retirement accounts and pensions. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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Could CT scans for lung cancer save lives?

[June 20, 2011]  (ARA) - Lung cancer kills more people each year than any other form of cancer. However, a recent medical study found that one screening procedure for those who are at the most risk for lung cancer could be helpful in catching lung cancer in its early stages. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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Most Americans unaware of gout risk factors
 

[June 20, 2011]  (ARA) - Most Americans need to know more about the risk factors for gout, according to the findings of a new consumer survey. Gout, sometimes called gouty arthritis, is chronic and painful. If left untreated, it can become disabling. It now affects an estimated 8.3 million Americans. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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Social Security: Make sure you get the right amount 

[June 20, 2011]  At Social Security, our goal is to make sure you are paid the correct amount, on time, every month. 

Some things have made that job easier over our more than 70 years of paying benefits, such as direct deposit and electronic application systems. But some of the factors that determine your payment amount still depend on good old fashioned human intervention. And in some cases, getting the correct payment amount depends on you. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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You can rely on electronic payments

[June 20, 2011]  You probably don’t need a reminder that natural disasters lurk around the corner when we least expect it.  

Many natural disasters force people to leave their homes.  The last thing a person who falls victim to this kind of devastation needs to worry about is how they’re going to get their next Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment.  (Click here for the rest of the story)

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Grandpa John's lesson

By Mike Fak

[June 20, 2011]  Like many of us, I have fond memories of grandparents. My grandpa John and Grandma Mary gave me a lifetime of treasured memories but none as important to me as this story I am about to tell. (Click here for the rest of the story)

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