Thanksgiving is behind us and the leftovers are but a memory. The time has come to give serious thought to brushing up on Christmas carols and hoarding sales flyers. There is no denying that this is a difficult economy and people on fixed incomes will feel the pinch. Energy costs and food prices are always a challenge. But as we all know, giving a gift to someone you care about is about much more than the gift itself. It’s about love and thoughtfulness. That said, love or not, shopping can be stressful, especially when there is a person on the list for... 

From all inclusive rates to individual charges for rent and services, find the best match for you or a loved one Many older people who need help with daily activities opt to move to an apartment in an assisted living building. But shopping for the right place can be confusing, especially when it comes to the pricing. Some buildings charge rent and also for each individual service. Other assisted living properties charge what’s called a “bundled” or “all inclusive” rate that includes most of the everyday services. Still other... 

More and more Americans are struggling with gout as rates of the painful and sometimes disabling arthritic condition continue a decades-long upswing, a new study shows. Researchers report that by 2008, an estimated 8.3 million Americans were subject to gout attacks, equivalent to 3.9 percent of the U.S. adult population. That’s a substantial rise from the 2.7 percent prevalence rate noted in the late 1980s to early 1990s. The findings are to be presented this week in Atlanta at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. Other research... 

“If it’s too good to be true, it probably is,” says Fort Dodge, Iowa Police Capt. Kevin Doty after a consumer advisory arrived on his desk from the Iowa Attorney General’s office. “In economic times such as these, people who are inclined to pull these scams do it by tugging at the hearts of people,” Doty says. Attorney General Tom Miller’s warning specifically alerts the public about wire fraud targeting “your mind and your money.” Miller mentioned three popular scams in particular: Grandparent scam:... 

More than half of adults most at risk of complications or death from the flu don’t plan to get vaccinated, a new study shows. Only 45% of Americans in the at-risk category said they will definitely get this year’s seasonal flu shot, which also protects against the H1N1 virus. Only 51% of those 65 and older said they would get this year’s vaccine, a Consumer Reports study shows. “Regrettably, these numbers are in line with the experience we had last year with flu vaccines,” said Dr. Jane Zucker, assistant commissioner with the... 

Seventy-five year-old Dave Reincke smiled as he picked up remote device and stepped forward as if approaching a bowling lane. He is a among a group of senior citizens who gather weekly at the Friendship Center in Suttons Bay to play with a Nintendo Wii gaming system. “It’s good exercise and it’s fun to get together,” said his 70-year-old wife, Marj. “We laugh and pick on each other. It’s a social thing.” Older gaming systems provide passive entertainment. However, the Wii is different in that it allows participants the opportunity to move around... 

Apple Computer (www.apple.com) reportedly spent $1.7 million acquiring one acre of the 225-acre strip of land it is building its Maiden, North Carolina data center on. The one acre of land was originally owned by elderly couple, the Fullbrights. Having lived on the land for 34 years, the couple had no intention of leaving the home they had spent nearly half their lives in. When the couple turned down two of its offers of purchase, Apple decided to let the couple decide their own selling price. After careful contemplation the couple presented Apple with the... 

“Class of 60, going on 70 at 185 miles an hour” That’s Benny Chastain’s motto in life and the saying that motivates the 68-year-old adrenaline junkie to not only chase his dream, but live it. “He’s making it happen and he’s making it happen at very high speeds,” said Dave Bruns, a spokesperson for AARP. Racing cars was never an item on Benny’s bucket list, but what started out as a hobby, later became Benny’s passion and now, profession. “Boy I fell in love, I thought, I could do this,”... 

While September marks that time of year when kids are going back to school, their grandparents are getting flu shots. It’s hard to believe that another flu season is about to begin and after last year’s scare and confusion with the H1N1 virus, most people are hoping to be better prepared. Last year’s virus became the first influenza pandemic — a global outbreak — in 40 years. The Centers for Disease Control advises that the H1N1 virus will most likely continue to spread along with other seasonal viruses throughout the United States during the 2010-2011... 

Monday is a national holiday in Japan — Respect for the Aged Day. But these days, senior citizens are provoking as much angst as admiration. Last summer, Tokyo’s oldest man turned out to be mummified remains. The bones of another would-be centenarian, it turned out, were being stored in her son’s backpack. Both cases involved pension fraud. A government survey of centenarians nationwide released earlier this month found 230,000 citizens were “missing.” Authorities believe most of these had died during war or national disasters,...