Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you offer some tips on how seniors can guard against 2010 census scams? I’ve heard that there are a lot of potential scams going on and I want to protect myself.

Suspicious Senior

Jim Miller, creator of Savvy Senior, answers questions about senior living.

Dear Suspicious,

Unfortunately, scams have become a persistent problem when the U.S. Census Bureau does its once-a-decade count of the U.S. population. Here’s what you should know.

Fill Out Your Census

In mid-March, nearly every U.S. household received a 2010 Census form in the mail. If you haven’t already done so, you need to answer the 10 questions (it only takes a few minutes) and mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope provided. If you did not receive your census form or if you’ve misplaced it, call the census questionnaire assistance center (866-872-6868) by April 21 and they will mail you another one.

Watch For Scams

While census participation is very important and required by law, you also need to be vigilant of census-linked scams. This is especially important for seniors who tend to be prime targets. The Better Business Bureau warns against e-mail scams as well as con artist masquerading as census workers who will try to solicit your personal financial information. Here are some tips that will help you recognize a census scam and what you can do to protect yourself.

Guard Your Info

Don’t give out your personal or financial information. The Census Bureau or a legitimate census worker will never ask for your Social Security number or any information regarding credit cards, banks or financial accounts. Nor will they ask for money or a donation. If you’re asked for any of these, whether it be via phone, mail, e-mail or in person, it’s a scam and should be reported to your regional census office. See census.gov/regions or call 800-923-8282 for contact information.

Check Worker’s ID

If you don’t mail in your completed census form, a census taker will visit your home sometime between May and July to fill out the questionnaire for you. A legitimate census taker must present an identification badge that contains a Department of Commerce watermark and expiration date. The taker will also carry a hand-held device that’s used to take your information, a canvas census bag and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see a photo ID and their badge before answering any questions.

However, you should never invite anyone you don’t know into your home. The census taker will only ask you the questions that appear on the questionnaire – your name, gender, age, race, ethnicity, type of residence and number of people living with you. They will not ask for sensitive personal information, such as your Social Security or credit card number. If you don’t trust their ID, close the door and call your regional or local census office to verify that person is an actual census worker.

Avoid Phony E-mails

The Census Bureau is not conducting any part of the census on the Internet, nor will it send e-mails regarding the census. So ignore any e-mails that direct you to a census-related Web site. No matter how legitimate the e-mail and Web site look, it’s a scam looking to acquire your Social Security number or other private financial information. And, don’t reply to the e-mail or open any attachment. Attachments could contain viruses that could infect your computer. Forward the e-mail or Web site address to the Census Bureau at itso.fraud.reporting@census.gov. Then delete the message.

Savvy Tips: For more information on the 2010 Census survey and how to guard against potential census-related scams, visit 2010census.gov.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit http://SavvySenior.org.

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller, creator of syndicated column The Savvy Senior

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times. In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television.

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County, CA

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Sonoma County area which includes Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Windsor and more. For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 707.586.1516 anytime.

Dear Savvy Senior,

Is pill splitting safe? I have several friends who split their prescription pills to save money, and several who don’t because they don’t think it’s safe. What can you tell me?

Split Decision

Dear Decision,

Splitting your pills – literally cutting them in half – is a simple way to save money on your prescription drugs but be sure you talk to your doctor first, because not all pills can be split. Here’s what you should know.

Savings and Safety

The reason pill splitting is such a cost cutter is because of a quirk in the way drugs are manufactured and priced. A pill that’s twice as strong as another may not be twice the price. In fact, it’s usually about the same price. So, buying a double-strength dose and cutting it in half may allow you to get two months worth of medicine for the price of one. But is it safe? As long as your doctor agrees that splitting your pills is OK for you, you learn how to do it properly, and you split only pills that can be split, there’s really no danger.

What to Do

If you’re interested in pill splitting, the first step is to talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out if any of the medicines you use can be safely split. It’s also important to find out whether splitting them will save you enough money to justify the hassle.

The pills that are easiest to split are those with a score down the middle. However, not every pill that’s scored is meant to be split. Pills that are most commonly split include:

• Cholesterol lowering drugs, like Crestor, Lipitor, and Pravachol
• Antidepressants, like Celexa, Paxil, and Zoloft
• High blood pressure medicines like, Monopril, Prinivil, Univasc, Zestril, Avapro and Cozaar.

Having the right equipment helps too. Don’t use a knife to cut your pills in half. It can cause you to split them unevenly resulting in two pieces with very different dosages, which can be dangerous. Purchase a proper pill cutter. They only cost around $5 to $10 and are available at most pharmacies and large discount stores.

For convenience, you might be tempted to split the whole bottle of pills at once. But check with your doctor first. It’s possible that exposing the interior of the pills to the air could reduce their effectiveness. It’s also important to know that pills are only safely split in half, and never into smaller portions such as into thirds or quarters.

Unsafe Splitting

Many medicines, because of their ingredients or design, cannot be split safely. Here’s a list of pills that should not be split:

• Blood thinners.
• Chemotherapy drugs.
• Anti-seizure medicines.
• Birth control pills.
• Capsules of any kind that contain powders or gels.
• Pills with a hard outside coating.
• Extended-release pills that deliver medication over time in your body.
• Pills that are coated to protect your stomach.
• Pills that crumble easily, irritate your mouth, or taste bitter.

Again, your doctor or pharmacist will know which drugs can and cannot be split. If you’re taking a medicine that can be split, you’ll need to get a prescription from your doctor for twice the dosage you need. Then you can start splitting and saving, safely.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit http://SavvySenior.org.

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times. In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television.

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County, CA

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Sonoma County area which includes Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Windsor and more. For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 707.586.1516 anytime.

Jim Miller, creator of Savvy Senior, answers your questions about senior living.

Dear Savvy Senior, 

What are the risk factors for glaucoma? My 82-year-old father lost much of his vision from it about 10 years ago and my sister was recently diagnosed with it, and neither had a clue anything was wrong.  

Blindsided

Dear Blindsided, 

It’s called the “silent thief of sight” for a reason. With no early warning signs or symptoms, most people that have glaucoma don’t realize it until their vision begins to deteriorate. Here’s what you should know. 

What is Glaucoma? 

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss and blindness if it’s not treated. This typically happens because the fluids in the eye don’t drain properly, causing increased pressure in the eyeball. The two main types of glaucoma that affect most people are:    

• Open-angle glaucoma:  This is the most common form, accounting for around 80 percent of cases in the U.S. This type progresses very slowly when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged over time, leading to blind spots in the peripheral vision, but by the time you notice it, the permanent damage is already done.
• Angle-closure glaucoma:  Occurs when the drainage canal gets blocked, causing a rapid increase in eye pressure. Symptoms include nausea, blurred vision and severe pain. If you have these symptoms, get to an emergency room immediately.  

Are You At Risk? 

It’s estimated that more than 4 million Americans today have glaucoma but only about half of them know that have it. Are you one of them? Here are the key factors that can increase your risks: 

• Age: While anyone can get glaucoma, people over the age of 60 are six times more likely than those younger.
• Family history: Having a brother, sister or parent with glaucoma increases your risk of developing this disease by four to nine times. 
• Race: African-Americans are six to eight times more likely to get glaucoma than are Caucasians, and they are much more likely to experience permanent blindness as a result. Hispanic-Americans also have an increased risk of developing glaucoma earlier in life, and Asians also have a higher risk for developing angle-closure glaucoma.
• Health conditions: Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, hypothyroidism, migraine headaches and even being nearsighted can increase your risk.
• Medications: Studies show that long-term use or high-doses of steroid drugs or cortisone can put you at a higher risk. 
• Injury: An injury or trauma to the eye can cause glaucoma even years after it happened.

 What to Do 

Early detection is the key to guarding against glaucoma. So if you’re age 45 and older and have any risk factors, you need to get a comprehensive eye examination every year or two. Or, if you notice some loss of peripheral vision, get to the eye doctor right away. 

While there’s currently no cure for glaucoma, most cases can easily be treated with prescription eye drops which can prevent further vision loss (it cannot restore vision already lost from glaucoma). If that doesn’t work, your doctor may recommend oral medication, laser treatments, surgery or a combination of these methods. 

Screening Help 

If you have Medicare Part B, annual eye examinations are covered for those at high risk for glaucoma. Also check out the Glaucoma EyeCare program through EyeCare America (www.eyecareamerica.org; 800-222-3937). This is a nationwide program that provides free or low-cost glaucoma eye exams and the initiation of treatment, if needed, and there are no income restrictions.  

Savvy Tip: To learn more, the Glaucoma Research Foundation offers comprehensive information on their Web site along with a variety of free educational booklets you can order. Visit www.glaucoma.org or call 800-826-6693. 

 Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit http://SavvySenior.org 

About Jim Miller 

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).   

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times.  In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television.  

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County, CA 

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Sonoma County area which includes Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Windsor and more.  For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 707.586.1516 anytime.