Non-financial estate planning, avoid new identity theft scams, bath tub falls, SeniorSSuperStoreS Keeping in Touch newlsetter for baby boomers, seniors, senior citizens and the elderly

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This issue of Keeping in Touch deals with, primarily, Mother's Day matters of interest to Prime Time Surfers:

1.) Connected Moms
2.) Remember Father's Day
3.) Non-Financial Estate Planning
4.) Identity Theft - Avoid These New Scams
5.) Assistive Devices
6.) Why God Created Children
7.) The Danger of Bath Tub Falls
8.) Your Subscription Details

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1.) Connected Moms

(Courtesy of our friends at Business Wire)

Being "online" saves "Moms" time and makes lives easier in their dual roles as "Family CEO" and "Me"

Editorial Comment:
Who says that being "wired" is mostly for teens and men? This article confirms our own conclusions drawn from reviewing our sales statistics, emails that we receive from customers and Keeping in Touch readers, and our list of Keeping in Touch subscribers.)

The online medium, including communication, news and shopping, has made mothers' lives so much easier that they are spending even more time online than teenagers and emerging as the family's online experts. These findings were among the results of the first-ever "Mom-Wired" survey, an online survey of more than 8,000 American mothers conducted for America Online by Digital Marketing Services, Inc. (DMS).

The survey found that:

* Mothers who use the Internet average 16 hours and 52 minutes per week online. This compares to the 12 hours and 17 minutes that teens spend online, found in a recent DMS survey;
* Moms are increasingly the online experts of their family. Seven in ten said that they are as tech-savvy or savvier than their husbands or significant others (71%) and than their children (69%);
* Communications remains the most popular online activity for moms, with 58% of the mothers surveyed using e-mail or instant messaging to communicate with friends and family members every day and another 21% doing so 2-3 times per week;
* Fully 91% of those surveyed say the Internet makes their lives easier by saving them time, with a majority (57%) estimating time savings of at least two hours per week;
* The busiest moms go online the most. Single mothers and those with three or more children each average 20 hours per week, nearly 20% more than the overall average; and
* 84% agree that being online and being part of their child's online experience is an important part of modern-day parenting.

Regina Lewis, AOL's Online Advisor and author of the best-selling "Wired in a Week," said: "Wired moms and the Internet are a perfect fit -- whether they're at home or in the workplace, mothers are busier than ever and are finding online services like AOL an incredibly useful way to save time and stay connected. At its heart, the online medium is about two things - convenience and communication -- that are central to moms' daily lives. It's no wonder moms are taking their place as the online experts."

Women Now Majority Online

These new survey results add to a growing body of information showing that women are coming into their own online. According to a recent Jupiter Media Metrix study, the number of women online has surpassed the number of men on the Web. Not only are more women online than men these days, but they log on as often as men - on average 4.4 days per week.

Growth among women on AOL is mirroring this trend, with the female audience growing faster than any other demographic. From October 2001 to February 2002, AOL's growth among women is 50% higher than its overall expansion rate.

AOL has unmatched reach among women. Roughly 54% of AOL's 34 million members are female and millions of other women access AOL content through the AOL Web Properties, which include Netscape, AOL.COM, MapQuest and MovieFone, among others. Combined, AOL reaches 81% of all online women aged 18 years and older.

AOL Delivers What Women Want for Roles as "Family CEO" and "Me"

Katherine Borsecnik, President of AOL Brand Management and Programming said: "AOL is becoming the Internet's biggest draw for women -- delivering what women want on two important fronts -- as 'Family CEO' and as 'me.' At AOL, we've pioneered time-saving tools and features to make women's lives easier -- from the Internet's leading Parental Controls and health resources to entertainment and beauty advice."

The DMS survey reveals that the Internet is increasingly becoming an integral and essential part of mothers' daily lives, spanning the full range of their everyday activities. According to the survey, the most popular online activities for moms are:

* Communication, with 97% using e-mail and instant messaging to keep in touch with friends and family;
* Getting news and current events information (93%);
* Accessing local information on shopping, entertainment and directions (90%);
* Getting health information online (88%)
* Researching products and services online (83%)
* Visiting kid/family sites with the children (80%); and
* Searching for discounts or coupons (80%).

This time-saving trend is likely to increase, as moms indicated they would like to do even more of their "chores" online. While only 6% of moms said they currently use the Internet to set up appointments, 62% indicated they would like to do so.

The survey also revealed that 8-10 p.m., when the kids have gone to bed, was the most popular time of the day to go online for both stay-at-home moms and working moms (55%). Additionally, the majority of moms who are not employed outside the home go online during the weekdays between 9.a.m. and 12 p.m.

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2.) Remember Father's Day

Here in the USA, Sunday, June 16, is Father's Day. We have already received orders directing us to ship the purchases direct to fathers with all sorts of interesting "Gift Notes" included for us to pass along. Perhaps the most amusing one was from a lady who wanted this note included, "Both you and Mom can use this gift since if it were not for her, you wouldn't be a father!" (We don't need to know more!!!)

We have a number of products selected to enhance the health, comfort, safety and lifestyle of our parents in www.SeniorSSuperStoreS.com. Most of them will make great gifts for the Dad in your life.

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3.) Non-Financial Estate Planning

The Sept. 11 tragedy has prompted more people to face their own mortality, the possibility of unexpected death and the need for estate planning.

Despite the proliferation of will kits and online forms that are supposed to make will preparation easy, experts are telling people to go to a lawyer - their own lawyer - to have a will drafted.

Perhaps the most disheartening aspect of families preparing for the inevitable is that of quarrels over the distribution of property. Many books address estate planning from a tax-savings point of view, but not many speak to the issue of saving families.

Your trusted family lawyer should give practical advice on drawing up a will, appointing executors, organizing personal affairs and possessions so relatives aren't at each other's throats, and avoiding unintentional inequities.

Sometimes family relations are already strained. But you risk making things a lot worse by not anticipating problems and discussing your plans while you're alive.

Some parents, however, find it difficult to talk with their children about death, and some adult children hesitate to broach the topic because they don't want parents to think they're after their money.

But communication is crucial. If, for example, a parent decides to leave more to one child than another or cuts a child out of a will, many lawyers advise leaving a letter or videotape in which the parent explains the reasons for his or her decision.

If a challenge is anticipated, lawyers suggest attaching a doctor's letter attesting to mental competency at the time a will is signed.

Some lawyers have even coined a term, "unintentional inequality," when parents think they're being fair - but unintentionally distribute their estates inequitably, setting up conflicts between heirs. One example: a parent who leaves a coin collection valued at $10,000 to one child and $10,000 in cash to another child. Over 20 years or so the coin collection may have appreciated and be worth considerably more than $10,000, while the cash inheritance remains static.

Therefore, people need to review their wills frequently - at least once every five years - and more often if family circumstances change.

Second marriages can also be a treacherous area when it comes to inheritances unless the deceased has clearly spelled out his or her intentions in a will. For example, one of the partners in a second marriage dies and leaves everything to the surviving spouse with the understanding that when the spouse dies, he or she will provide for the children of the first marriage.

But that doesn't always happen. Sometimes the spouse leaves everything to his or her own children, leaving one set of kids without the antiques that have been in their family for generations, their dad's war medals or a stake in a business a parent may have worked a lifetime to build.

While planning ahead won't eliminate all possible family conflicts over inheritances, lawyers say it should at least minimize the risk of inheriting family turmoil along with the heirlooms.

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4.) Identity Theft - Avoid These New Scams

(Courtesy of our friends at www.ScamBusters.com.)

Identity theft may be as old as Internet commerce, but crooks still come up with new ways to trick unsuspecting people into giving out sensitive personal information like credit card or Social Security numbers. Here's a look at three of the latest scams.

Bank of America Scam
The scam: Someone posing as a Bank of America associate sent out a fraudulent email asking BoA customers to enter personal financial information on a fake Web site posing as a BoA Web site. Fortunately, the bank became aware of this email, and within hours, and authorities quickly shut the scam site down.

The truth: Like most banks, BoA does not contact customers out of the blue to verify personal financial information. You may be asked to verify such information if you call the bank about your banking matters.

What to do: If someone - anyone - contacts you by phone or email, asking you for sensitive personal information, be very wary. Contact the company they claim to represent directly, using a phone number or email address from the company's Web site, and confirm the story. Never be in a rush to give out your information until you know it's safe.

eBay Scam
The scam: You receive an email stating that your order has been completed and mailed, and that your credit card has been charged for your purchase. Of course, you have not bid on or on the auction for the item in the email. To cancel the order, you are instructed to visit a Web site and enter your account information and Social Security Number. The scammer uses this dummy Web site to steal your information.

The truth: eBay never asks its registered users for their personal information by email, and it makes this point very clear on its Web site and discussion boards.

What to do: If you receive an odd request that looks like it comes from eBay, contact their Safe Harbor, which has departments dedicated to fraud protection, fraud prevention, and investigations.
Visit http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/index.html.

PayPal Scam
The scam: You have a PayPal account. You receive an email that promises you a small payment if you visit the Web site and update your account (including, of course, your credit card information). The cited Web site is fraudulent, and the scammer steals your information.

The truth: PayPal representatives will never ask users for their password or other sensitive information.

What to do: As PayPal's Security Tips note, "The only site you should ever type your username and password into is at www.paypal.com." If you receive suspicious emails, never click any Web site links they contain.
Visit www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/fraud-prevention-outside.p> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5.) Assistive Devices

We have added a number of new products to our line-up (with several more each week), especially Assisitive Devices. These are handy gadgets (some even more sophisticated) that are designed to make daily living easier and more enjoyable. We encourage you to take a look at them in our <"http://www.seniorssuperstores.com/cart/html/Products/ASSISTIVE-DEVICES/">Assistive Devices department.

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6.) Why God Created Children

To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students...here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing he said was "DON'T!"
"Don't what?" Adam replied.
"Don't eat the forbidden fruit." God said.
"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve...we have forbidden fruit!!!!!"
"No Way!"
"Yes way!"
"Do NOT eat the fruit!" said God.
"Why"
"Because I am your Father and I said so!" God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants. A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked!
"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit?" God asked.
"Uh huh," Adam replied.
"Then why did you?" said the Father.
"I don't know," said Eve.
"She started it!" Adam said.
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"DID NOT!"
Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY!

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven't taken it, don't be hard on yourself. If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!

1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.
2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.
3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.
4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.
5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.
6. We child proofed our homes, but they are still getting in.

ADVICE FOR THE DAY!

Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home.

AND FINALLY: IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:
"TAKE TWO ASPIRIN" AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"

Editorial Comment:
Thanks to one of our readers who submitted this bit of insight to us. If you wish to share some thoughts along these lines, just email them to us at mail@seniorssuperstores.com. If you wish for us to include your name and / or email address, please indicate that to us; otherwise, we will publish your input anonymously.

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7.) The Danger of Bath Tub Falls

As quoted from the National Safety Council National Safety Agenda:

"In 1998, falls in the home and community caused or led to 15,900 deaths. All age groups are vulnerable, but older adults are most at risk. Eight out of 10 of those killed by falls are over age 65, and falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among the very elderly, those over 80.

"Falls are the number one cause of injury death for males 80+ years old, the number one cause of injury death for females 75+ years old, and falls are also the leading cause of injury and hospital admissions for older adults.

"It may come as no surprise that the most serious injury resulting from such falls is hip fracture. Yet many of us would be shocked to learn that more than 24% of all people suffering a hip fracture die within a year of the fall and another 50% never return to their prior level of mobility or independence.

"Of fall-related deaths, 41% take place in the home, 14% in residential institutions and the rest in other public places, according to the National Center for Health Statistics."

For a long time, hotels, motels, nursing homes, hospitals and other public institutions providing bathing facilities, have been concerned about their liability for falls in tubs and showers. In response to this, companies developed a product to treat the entire bottom surface of tubs and showers - much more effective than rubber mats and adhesive strips. It was sold exclusively to public facilities and upscale hotels and motels, but not for general household use.

Just recently, these companies started making the product available for the general public and home use. We feature the TreadSafe Tub and Shower Slip-Resistant Treatment Kit product which can be applied in only a few minutes and will last for years. Learn more about it and buy it in our Safety Products department. (Because of the chemical makeup of the product, it cannot be used on fiberglass surfaces, but all others.)

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8.) Your Subscription Details

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