This is the January 26, 2007 edition of Keeping in Touch from SeniorSSuperStoreS.com

Welcome to our new subscribers; and to our established subscribers of Keeping in Touch, a special Welcome Back. We're glad to see you again.

You are receiving this free newsletter because you subscribed to it or because someone thought you would enjoy it.

If you like the content of Keeping in Touch, please feel free to forward each copy on to as many folks as you wish. And, encourage your friends and family to visit with us at www.seniorssuperstores.com/ and sign up for their own subscriptions. Or, they may sign up for their own subscriptions by emailing us at "seniors-request@seniorssuperstores.com" and include the word "join" in the body of the e-mail message.

This issue of Keeping in Touch deals with several matters of interest to Prime Time Surfers:

1.) You Can't Mess With The Experts

2.) Fall Prevention Checklist

3.) FTC Releases Survey of Identity Theft in U.S.

4.) What Is Light Therapy And How Does It Work?

5.) Making your Money Last

6.) Your Subscription Details

1.) You Can't Mess With The Experts

We thought we would start off this edition of our Keeping in Touch newsletter with a little humor.

(Courtesy of Linda at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.)

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment.

The next week, the man realized that he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (AND LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM."

The next morning the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and that he had missed his flight.

Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't awakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM. Wake up."

The Moral: Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

2.) Fall Prevention Checklist

The following guidelines can minimize the risk of falls:

* Wear clothes that will not interfere with walking and transferring; ie: long gowns are a hazard.
*Wear properly fitted, low-heeled, non-slip footwear for walking and transferring.
* Keep your pathways and steps free of ice, snow, newspapers and leaves.
* Keep your place of residence clutter-free.
* Make sure all areas of the home are properly lit, including hallways and stairways.
* Keep floors dry, wiping up any spills immediately.
* Remove all area rugs.
* Keep all electrical wires and telephone cords secured safely out of pathways.
* Have regular eyesight check-ups, and adjust your eyewear accordingly.
* Engage in a doctor approved exercise program to increase strength and general mobility; normal aging brings with it changes that can affect your balance and walking.
* Ensure your doctor and pharmacist are aware of all your medications, including non-prescription and herbal remedies as they can have interactions or side-effects which affect mobility and walking.
* Be aware that some medications can affect your blood pressure.
* When moving to a standing position from a lying position, it is important to rest in a sitting position, and again in a supported standing position prior to walking. This gives your blood pressure a chance to stabilize.
* Have frequently used items stored in easily accessible places, to avoid reaching and climbing.
* Ask for assistance with heavy work.
* Proper placement / installation and use of support products will increase safety and independence.

DISCLAIMER: The above checklist is for information purposes only and may not apply in whole or in part to your particular situation. Always speak directly with your health care provider about ways to prevent falls.

HealthCraft has compiled the following information to help educate therapists, caregivers, and end users on fall prevention...

The Facts:

* More than one-third of adults ages 65 years and older fall each year.
* The #1 cause of injury for persons 65 years of age and older is falls.
* Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths.
* Among older adults, the majority of fractures are caused by falls.

Researchers have found that environmental risk factors may contribute to about half of all home falls.

Common environmental fall hazards include tripping hazards, lack of stair railings or grab bars, slippery surfaces, unstable furniture, and poor lighting.

Our thanks to our friends at HealthCraft Products for allowing us to present this information to you.

While on the subject of falls, take a look at the unique TreadSafe Tub and Shower Slip-Resistant Treatment Kit in our Safety Products department. Once a secret kept for years by the hospitality industry - major hotel and motel chains have been using similar products for nearly three decades, and it is now available for home use. Also, we offer a variety of useful products to help you be more steady on your feet in our Mobility & Lift Seats department.

3.) FTC Releases Survey of Identity Theft in U.S.

27.3 Million Victims....Billions in Losses for Businesses and Consumers.

According to a survey by The Federal Trade Commission released in 2003, some 27.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft in the prior five years, including 9.9 million people in the year 2002 alone. According to the survey, 2002’s identity theft losses to businesses and financial institutions totaled nearly $48 billion and consumer victims reported $5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses. The agency also released a Commission report detailing its ID theft program since its inception.

The FTC is the nation’s consumer protection agency. Since 1998, the FTC has had an Identity Theft Program to assist identity theft victims and provide guidance on how to resolve the problems, provide law enforcement training, maintain a nationwide database of ID theft complaints available to law enforcement and refer complaints to criminal law enforcement agencies, and provide business and consumer education. The FTC also maintains the nation’s primary identity theft Web site, which provides critical resources for consumers, businesses, and law enforcers at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/.

A number of laws limit consumers’ liability if they are the victim of identity theft. Not all costs are covered, however. The survey reviewed the different impact on victims who had existing accounts misused and those victims where the thieves opened new accounts in their names. Where the thieves opened new accounts, the per-victim dollar loss to both businesses and victims was higher and the time spent resolving the problems was greater.

The 2003 survey found in the past 12 months that 3.23 million consumers discovered that new accounts had been opened, and other frauds such as renting an apartment or home, obtaining medical care or employment, had been committed in their name. In those cases, the loss to businesses and financial institutions was $10,200 per victim. Individual victims lost an average of $1,180. Where the thieves solely used a victim’s established accounts, the loss to businesses was $2,100 per victim. For all forms of identity theft, the loss to business was $4,800 and the loss to consumers was $500, on average.

According to the survey results, fifty-two percent of all ID theft victims, approximately 5 million people in the last year, discovered that they were victims of identity theft by monitoring their accounts. Another 26 percent - approximately 2.5 million people - reported that they were alerted to suspicious account activity by companies such as credit card issuers or banks. Eight percent reported that they first learned when they applied for credit and were turned down.

While most identity thieves use consumer personal information to make purchases, the survey reports that 15 percent of all victims - almost 1.5 million people in the last year - reported that their personal information was misused in nonfinancial ways, to obtain government documents, for example, or on tax forms. The most common nonfinancial misuse took place when the thief used the victim’s name and identifying information when stopped by law enforcement or caught committing a crime.

Sixty-seven percent of identity theft victims - more than 6.5 million victims in the last year - report that existing credit card accounts were misused and 19 percent reported that checking or savings accounts were misused.

The survey reports that 51 percent of the victims - about 5 million victims - say they know how their personal information was obtained. Nearly one-quarter of all victims - roughly 2.5 million people in the last year - said their information was lost or stolen, including lost or stolen credit cards, checkbooks or social security cards. Stolen mail was the source of information for identity thieves in 4 percent of all victims - 400,000 in the last year.

The report detailing the FTC’s ID theft program since its inception in 1998 states that complaints to the agency about identity theft have nearly doubled each year since then. Consumers can file complaints by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT or through the FTC’s identity theft Web site at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

The complaints are entered into a secure database, the Identity Theft Clearinghouse, which can be accessed by criminal law enforcers across the country. Today, more than 725 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have access to the database, providing more than 4,200 individual law enforcement agents access to the system from their desktops, 24 hours a day.

The FTC report notes that the Agency also has worked with private industry on identity theft issues. In conjunction with industry and consumer advocates, the FTC developed a single, standard form for victims to use in reporting identity theft. In addition, the FTC has worked with the three major credit reporting agencies, who now share victims’ requests for fraud alerts with each other, eliminating the need for consumers to contact all three agencies. The agency will soon publish a guide to help businesses and other organizations securely maintain the personal identifying information they have.

Consumers can download a consumer education book, "Identity Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name" in English or Spanish. The FTC has distributed 1.2 million copies of the booklet since its release in February 2000, and other government agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission have printed and distributed copies.

Copies of the reports are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. To file a complaint, or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1 877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov.

For further information we have gathered on the subject of protecting yourself against identiy theft, please visit our Financial Resources category in our Community Room.

4.) What Is Light Therapy And How Does It Work?

During winter months, the days grow shorter, and many people, especially the elderly, suffer from what is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD). Almost 4 Million North Americans suffer from SAD; over 36 Million North Americans who seasonally feel light-deprived, loose their energy, and experience "the winter blues." (People who need powerful work lamps due to poor eyesight or engage in crafts or stitchery also benefit from the same powerful light source.)

SAD sufferers often resort to light therapy to relieve the symptoms, but many people don't know about such treatment. While this subject matter gets rather "deep," technologically speaking, such is necessary to present to you how light therapy counteracts the effects of SAD on your body.

Photobiological research points to the importance of the internal biological clock, or body clock, in your overall well-being. A quality light source provide daytime light intensity (early morning/late afternoon spring-time levels) to help you put your body clock "in sync."

An overwhelming amount of research shows that the light of daytime intensity is a critical element in body clock synchronization. The daylight deprived do not receive adequate light of daytime intensity from conventional lighting.

When light hits the retina of your eye, the retina transmits impulses to your body clock located in the hypothalamic center of your brain. When your body clock is working properly, your day/night activity pattern is synchronized with your work schedule and lifestyle and you "feel better."

You can enjoy the light of springtime every day. Therapy lights can be helpful for anyone who feels light deprived. A daily session of 30 minutes in duration, sitting 12 to 15 inches from the light, is sufficient for most people during the fall and winter months.

We at www.SeniorSSuperStoreS.com are proud to have been selected to feature the highest quality light therapy product available - the Day-Light. The Day-Light 10,000 Classic model has been used in light therapy clinics across North America for over ten years. It was also used in several of the studies that led to the Canadian Consensus Guidelines recommending light therapy as a first line treatment for SAD. In Canada, physicians recommend Day-Lights more often than any other bright light system. This is due to the Day-Light's proven track record.

Day-Lights produce 10,000 lux, level of light illumination, which is roughly equivalent to light levels on an early spring morning. (The typical illumination level in an office is between 250 and 1,000 lux - comparable to light levels at sunset.) Generally, 10,000 lux is considered optimal for increasing the light requirements of the daylight deprived.

Day-Lights also feel sunnier than ordinary fluorescent lights because they emit rays of the warmer color spectrum (3000 Kelvin), and minimize the blue spectrum. (Kelvin is a measure of the light color spectrum). Office and home lights typically emphasize cool white light (5000 Kelvin, higher blue spectrum). Soft white light produces less glare and is easier on the eyes.

Because of the potentially harmful effects of the ultraviolet light spectrum, a Day-Light needs to be ultraviolet light free. Unlike sunlight or a tanning lamp, Day-Lights will not give you a tan or burn

Remember, it is the brightness of light, not the color spectrum, that determines the light therapy benefits. Using a Day-Light is as safe as taking an earlymorning walk outdoors on a clear spring day.

Experts recomend a 30 minute duration, at a distance of 12 to 15 inches from a Day-Light source. You should begin at this level and personalize your routine from there.

The most effective time to use a Day-Light is in the morning, though use in the afternoon is also effective. Use of a bright light in the evening is not recomended as it may inhibit your regular sleep routine.

If a Day-Light is going to help you, you should notice a difference within a week, and realize the full benefits in less than one month.

PLEASE NOTE: Day-Lights are innovative light supply systems and are not listed medical devices. If you suffer from a mood or sleep disorder such as depression, if you are under a physician’s care, or if you have other medical problems requiring regular use of medication, you should consult a physician before exposure to any bright light source such as Day-Lights. If you have any eye problems, you should also discuss with your physician whether there are any ophthalmological indications precluding the use of Day-Lights.

When you are shopping for a bright light therapy system, be careful to compare each lamp on a feature by feature basis. Quality bright light products are constructed with only the finest materials: money-saving shortcuts are never taken that might compromise the safety and effectiveness of the lamp.

The Day-Light is flicker-free - only high-efficiency electronic ballasts that cycle at 20,000 cycles per second are used to construct Day-Lights. Electronic ballasts do not emit electro-magnetic radiation and are flicker-free. Lights constructed of inferior magnetic ballasts cycle at only 60 cycles per second, which causes them to flicker and trigger headaches.

WARNING ABOUT INFERIOR PRODUCTS: Beware of untested light therapy equipment. Using unfiltered or improperly filtered equipment for 20-30 minutes per day over a period of months can be hazardous to your eyes and skin.

Learn more about the Day-Light 930 Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder in our Health Products department.

5.) Making your Money Last

What's the secret to making your money last through retirement? How much of your nest egg can you spend during retirement and still have money left when you die? Besides the obvious factors of investment return and the number of years you spend in retirement, it turns out that your withdrawal rate, or how much of your nest egg you spend each year, is critical.

Recent studies by Harvard, Yale, and Trinity Universities experimented with a variety of withdrawal rates from investment portfolios to see under what conditions you can be reasonably sure that you'll outlive your money. The studies used several asset allocation percentages of stocks and bonds. Some studies assumed 50% stock and 50% bonds, others assumed a 75% stock and 25% bond allocation while other studies tested a variety of mixes. (Stock returns were always represented by the S&P 500 while the fixed income portion was represented by either intermediate government bonds or long-term corporate bonds.) Only withdrawal rates between 3% and 6% generated consistently high success rates.

At 3% withdrawals, the Trinity study found a 100% success rate with every portfolio - regardless of the asset allocation. At 4% and 5% withdrawals, the importance of having a mix of stocks and bonds could be seen. Portfolios with some bonds performed better than 100% equity portfolios. Using a 6% withdrawal rate, the stock/bond portfolios outperformed both all-stock and all-bond porfolios, but there was a one in ten chance that you would outlive your investments. However, once withdrawal rates exceed 7%, it becomes increasingly difficult to have a high degree of certainty that you'll outlive your money.

Since your investment returns are clearly not in your control and neither is the number of years you spend in retirement, you should focus on the one aspect of your retirement that you can control: your withdrawal rate. If you aren't sure that you'll have enough at retirement, get creative with your expenses, so you head into retirement with enough confidence to enjoy it. If you want to have money left to pass on to your heirs, keep your withdrawals between 3% and 5%.

A person who retires at 50 today probably should assume a retirement lasting anywhere from 33 to 45 years, according to many financial planners. Will your money last? We have found a very useful tool (it was even recommended on the CBS Saturday Morning "The Early Show" financial segment) to help. you with these calculations. It is called the Retirement Calculator, and you can find it online at Retirement Calculator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6.) Your Subscription Details

You are receiving this free newsletter because you subscribed to it or because someone thought you would enjoy it.

If you like the content of Keeping in Touch, please feel free to forward each copy on to as many folks as you wish. And, encourage your friends and family to visit with us at SeniorSSuperStoreS and sign up for their own subscriptions. Or, they may sign up for their own subscriptions by emailing us at "seniors-request@seniorssuperstores.com" and include the word "join" in the body of the email message.

So, until next time, here's goodbye. Remember, if you want us to add any resources or items of interest, just drop us an email from the SeniorSSuperStoreS Contact Us page. Watch your email box for future newsletters!

To stop receiving messages from the SeniorSSuperStoreS Keeping in Touch newsletter list, just send us an email message to: "seniors-request@seniorssuperstores.com" and include the word "unsubscribe" or the word "leave" in the body of your message.

Until next time, happy Prime Time Surfing!