The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Top tips for selecting a retirement community

As the number of baby boomers reaching retirement age increases dramatically, the number of retirement communities springing up to serve them also is growing.

Is moving into a retirement community a good decision for you? Selecting a retirement community is very complicated. Here are some factors to consider:

• Review your goals for retirement. Determine what your priorities are. If you need to work part time, but the retirement community is located on the edge of a big city where land is cheaper, it might not be a good location for you.

• Figure out where you want to live. If you’re planning on moving, you need to be certain that the community you’re moving to will meet your needs. One suggestion is to move to the city and rent a home or apartment before you buy a home or condo or sign up for a retirement community. See “How to Choose the Best Place to Retire” for items to consider for selecting the best community for your retirement.

• Find out about health facilities in the region and how far you’ll be from them.

• Tour the retirement communities that you’re considering and have a checklist for each. Spend time in every part of the facility. Have a meal, if meals are offered to some or all residents. Drop in unannounced for a second visit. See “Questions to Ask Series: When Selecting Active Independent Living and Retirement Communities” for a checklist to use.

• Analyze the costs thoroughly. Find out what’s included. There may be a buy-in fee or monthly homeowner’s dues. If so, find out what they cover. Ask if you have to pay extra for items such as art classes at the clubhouse.

• Check out the financial stability of the retirement community. Some don’t do a good job maintaining the buildings and grounds. Ask to see financial statements and homeowner association documents and minutes. Also ask to see licensing and inspection reports and any complaint investigations conducted. Be wary if the retirement community is under construction or is partly constructed. Some communities fail to provide the amenities promised and others go bankrupt. See the article “Searching for Security: How to Tell Whether a Continuing-Care Community Will Be Able to Keep Its Financial Promises” for information.

• Find out if the retirement community is a facility that will allow you to age in place. Check to see if it has grab bars and if it’s wheel chair accessible. You also need to consider how you’ll get around if you can no longer drive.

• Ask if there are any rules about children visiting or living with you. You may need to help an adult child with kids or a grandchild. You need to know if the rules preclude such living arrangements.

• Find out if the facility offers ways to help you keep active and what types of activities are offered in the community. Some people want amenities such as a fitness room, fitness classes, a pool, and walking trails, while others would like arts and crafts, bingo, and card games. Cultural activities, colleges that offer classes, nearby parks, and museums are pluses.

• Ask for the names of residents that you can talk with. Find out if there’ll be other residents that have the same interests as you. Also, ask about the ages of the people who live there.

• Review consumer complaints and pay attention to them.

• Don’t sign a contract until you understand pricing and have read the entire contract.

Good luck with your retirement planning and selecting a retirement community. It’s a complicated consumer decision, but using these steps will help you make the right choice for what you need.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Happy Tax Day, April 15

I filed my taxes last week. I’m so happy I have them done.

If you’d like a free item, especially fast food or sugar, on Tax Day, see my article “Companies Offering Free Items to Help Reduce Your Income Tax Stress.”

I’d go get a donut from Krispy Kreme, which is free if you buy milk, or Potato Cakes from Arby’s, but I had wine and chocolate at a fundraiser yesterday and I’m not planning to go out today so a special trip for free items would be a waste of gas.

However, some of the freebies last beyond April 15. Office Depot's offer of free shredding of five pounds of documents expires May 1. I don’t have to worry about the sugar content of that one.

If you get an e-mail from the Internal Revenue Service or the company you used to file your taxes electronically about a problem with your taxes, check it out carefully. Last year, I received a notice my return was incomplete, but it was a legitimate e-mail. Scammers are taking advantage of e-mails like these to get private information so they can steal your money or identity. Be an alert, informed consumer.

Have a great day. If you’re still struggling with your taxes, my best wishes to you.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Watch out for these top scams

It’s National Consumer Protection Week.

To help you be an alert, informed consumer, the Better Business Bureau is offering information on the hottest scams being used to bilk consumers as part of its consumer week educational efforts:

Learn more about the biggest scams of 2011 – Did Facebook try to give you $1 million? Did you see the video of Osama bin Laden’s death? Did you get a middle-of-the-night call from the hotel front desk? These all were on the BBB’s Top Ten Scams of 2011 list.

Scammers also were at work on tricking consumers about job offers, sweepstakes and lotteries, social media and dating, home improvements, check cashing, e-mail offers, sales, mortgages, and investments.

Know Your Scam: Your Guide to Outsmarting the Top Scams – Here are the top categories of scams the BBB hears about, and what you can do to protect yourself. 

You can sign up to get the BBB’s Scam Alerts by e-mail.

It’s also important to file a complaint with the BBB and/or an agency when you’ve been scammed 

• Better Business Bureau

• Attorney General’s Office in your state

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• Federal Trade Commission – The commission doesn’t resolve individual consumer complaints.

Be sure to be alert, and avoid scams in 2013.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Merck and Schering-Plough to pay $688 million in class action securities fraud litigation

After nearly five years of litigation, a settlement was announced Thursday on behalf of investors totaling $688 million in class actions against Merck & Co. Inc., Schering-Plough Corp., and Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals.

These two actions stem from claims that Merck and Schering, which merged in November 2009, artificially inflated their securities by concealing information and making false and misleading statements about the anti-cholesterol drugs Zetia and Vytorin, attorneys for the plaintiffs said in a statement. 

The plaintiffs alleged that even though the defendants knew that a clinical trial of Vytorin, called “ENHANCE,” demonstrated that Vytorin, a combination of Zetia and a generic statin medication, was no more effective than the cheaper, generic statin drug at reducing artery thickness, the companies championed the “benefits” of the drugs, attracting billions of dollars of capital in the process.

Yielding to public pressure to release the results of the ENHANCE trial, the plaintiffs alleged that the companies reluctantly announced that the cholesterol drugs showed "no statistically significant difference" in plaque buildup, and that news of these negative results and their related consequences caused sharp declines in the value of the companies’ securities, resulting in significant losses to investors.

The law firms Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann and Grant & Eisenhofer represent the Merck class. Bernstein Litowitz and Labaton Sucharow represent the Schering class.

Among the plaintiffs are the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi, Louisiana Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System, Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund, and General Retirement System of the City of Detroit.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Paying off my mortgage is my best consumer experience this week, while low-quality customer service from Comcast disappoints, again

Saying goodbye to my mortgage is making me very happy. However, I’m extremely frustrated with the customer service I had from.

My best consumer experience: Making my last mortgage payment

I’m elated that my mortgage is paid off. It’s quite a milestone.

I’m going to have a party to celebrate.

My worst customer experience: Trying to get straight answers from Comcast

I’ve written before about terrible customer service from Comcast.

This week, I experienced it again.

My sister, who hasn’t had a computer before, decided to buy an iPad. She selected Comcast to provide her Internet service.

She was quoted several different prices for the service, with the first customer service representative saying it would cost $19.99 a month for six months. Others said $34.

Then she got different stories about whether Comcast would provide a router with her modem. I called and was told, “No,” Comcast doesn’t provide routers. She called again and was told that Comcast does offer a modem-router device.

The appointment is tomorrow. We’ll see what the service technician brings.

I asked on one of my calls where the service representative was located. The Philippines was the answer.

When I looked at my Comcast bill, I saw a charge for $5.95 a month for Signature Service, support for wireless home services and connecting devices. Since I never asked for the service, which began Sept. 17, I had it canceled.

Comcast’s billing department is in Mexico. I asked a service representative to connect me. I waited on the phone a half hour. I finally hung up.

Amazingly, when I called again, my call was taken right away. When I asked the service representative about it, he said calls that are transferred from America are always very slow to be answered.

What a frustrating system for consumers.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Great vegetables are my best consumer experience this week, while airline service disappoints

Unusually fine vegetables make my happy, while putting up with airlines makes me cranky.

My best consumer experience: Wonderful green beans and Brussels sprouts

Often during the winter, the organic green beans at my local food co-op look like they have rust or something else on them and the Brussels sprouts are moldy.

This week, both looked amazing. I bought them and cooked them when I was hungry for a snack.

My doctor told me to eat more vegetables because I’m getting close to being in the pre-diabetic category, a concern because diabetes runs in my family.

My worst consumer experience: Airline customer service

I have a respiratory problem, and it works best if I sit in the front of the airplane by the window.

American Airlines does a good job of referring me to a special department and arranging for the seat I need. However, when another carrier operates a leg of my trip on American, things become difficult.

I started out my recent trip to Spain on British Airways. Its planes are configured so that the coach seats are all behind the wing. The agents just tell me nothing can be done, unless I want to pay a lot more for business or first class.

Then there’s Iberia. I tried without success to arrange the seat I needed before my flight because the seat I was assigned was behind the wing for my trip from London to Madrid. The reservation agents I talked to said they couldn’t assign seats in advance. I called six times. They told me to ask at the ticket counter. Often ticket agents say to ask at the gate. Neither one of these options works very well. Most agents just don’t care.

Due to a mix up about the time in London, I was one of the last people to get on the flight to Madrid. There wasn’t time to ask for a different seat. It was quite frustrating. Fortunately, the trip was short, so I didn’t have many problems.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Watch out for diet and fitness cons in the New Year

As consumers ring in the New Year, many make resolutions to improve their health in 2013. If you are one of these, the Better Business Bureau warns to beware of ads promising quick and easy ways to lose weight. Doctors, dietitians, and other weight loss specialists agree that the best way to lose weight is to eat less and increase your physical activity.

In 2012, BBBs nationwide received more than 13,000 complaints about the health and fitness industry. This includes health clubs, health and diet products, and exercise equipment. Consumers have complained about deceptive advertising, ineffective products, and confusing or misleading contracts.

For consumers looking to lose weight this year, the BBB offers the following advice:

• Consult a physician. Before starting any weight loss program, visit your family doctor to discuss your overall health and safe and effective weight loss programs.

• Do research. Always check out fitness clubs, websites, and other health-related companies with the BBB by visiting www.bbb.org.

• Read contracts carefully. When signing up for recurring memberships, such as at a gym or weight control program, be sure to understand all the terms and conditions before signing. Make sure you know how to cancel and whether or not your membership is automatically renewed at the end of the contract.

• Be wary of free trials. Know when the free trial begins and ends and whether or not you have to call to cancel in order to avoid future charges. Be clear on how much you’ll be charged if you don’t cancel and whether or not you have to return any unused product.

• Avoid unproven products. Fad diets and new products are advertised every year that promise amazing results. Many such claims aren’t supported by evidence and some products have dangerous side effects.

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of claims that a product can shed pounds without dieting or exercise or programs that promise unusually good results.

Best wishes on finding a weight loss plan that works for you. It can be done. More than a dozen of my friends have been able to lose weight and keep it off.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Pediatricians group supports research, labeling requirements, and safety standards for cell phones

The American Academy of Pediatrics is supporting pending legislation that would require new research into the safety of cell phone radiation, especially for children; require safety standards that protect children and other vulnerable populations; and impose new labeling requirements for them.

The bill’s endorsement by the nation’s largest organization of physicians specializing in children’s health “should be a wake-up call” to Congress and the public, Renee Sharp, senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, said in a statement.

“We are pleased that this well-regarded doctors’ group has joined the mounting calls for legislation aimed at ensuring cell phone safety,” said Sharp. “The science is not definitive that exposure to cell phone radiation can cause cancer or other health problems, but there is real reason for concern. Given their widespread use by children and adults, the federal government needs to be doing all it can to ensure that cell phones are safe and that consumers are informed. The government’s efforts have fallen woefully short.”

The Cell Phone Right to Know Act would expand research on the potential health effects of cell phone radiation, require the Federal Communications Commission to update its limited and outdated safety standards, and mandate better labeling and right-to-know measures.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is the first physicians’ organization to take a position on the bill.

In May 2011, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified cell phone radiation as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” based on evidence linking it to an increased risk of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, she said.

Although most scientific and public attention on the issue of the safety of cell phone radiation has focused on evidence suggesting an increased risk of brain tumors, research is pointing to a new concern – sperm damage.

In a review of scientific literature released in June, the EWG found 10 human studies that have identified a variety of changes in sperm exposed to cell phone radiation. One example: men who carried their phones in a pocket or on a belt were more likely to have lower sperm counts and/or more inactive or less mobile sperm.

In addition to calling for updated safety standards, the EWG has lobbied for more information be available to consumers about cell phone radiation exposure, supported right-to-know initiatives, and recommended steps that individual cell phone users can take to decrease their exposure, such as using a headset and texting rather than talking.

See the EWG’s “Guide for to Safer Cell Phone Use” for more information.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What do Americans like most, least about the holidays?

A Consumer Reports poll shows that the holiday season is a happy time for most Americans, but there are still some things about this time of year that people don’t like.

Americans’ biggest holiday dreads, according to the poll, include:

• Crowds and long lines (58 percent)
• Gaining weight (41 percent)
• Aggressive or thoughtless driving in store parking lots (40 percent)
• Getting into debt (30 percent)
• Gift shopping (20 percent)
• Seasonal music (14 percent)
• Disappointing gifts (13 percent)
• Seeing certain relatives (12 percent)
• Traveling (10 percent)
• Having to attend holiday parties, gatherings, or events (9 percent)
• Having to be nice (4 percent)
• Holiday tipping (3 percent)

When asked what they wished they could do differently from how they expected to spend their time during the holiday season, 22 percent of Americans said they’d like to change their holiday activities. Thirteen percent wished they could alter their holiday food menu, and an equal amount said they wished they could celebrate with a different group of people. Fifty-three percent wouldn’t change a thing.

The Consumer Reports Holiday Poll also showed that 60 percent of shoppers would rather receive cash as a present than a gift card. And eight-in-10 would rather receive something practical over something expensive or showy as a gift.

More results of the Consumer Reports Holiday Poll are available at ConsumerReports.org.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Eating fruitcake is my best consumer experience while Apple customer service is lacking

The holidays are coming, bringing fun and stress already.

Best consumer experience: Eating fruitcake

I really like fruitcake. I used to make it, but no one in my family liked it.

Now, I often buy a small fruitcake to enjoy with guests.

When I lived in Sydney, Australia, for a couple of years, one job I had was teaching cooking to middle school students.

Among the demonstrations I had to do was make an English style fruitcake.

It was quite the learning experience. Lots of raisins, sultanas or golden raisins, currents, and brandy. Then bake it for a long time.

Next, roll out marzipan and cover the cake.

These English cakes often are covered with intricate decorations. I didn’t have to demonstrate decorations, thank goodness, so we ate ours without.

Since I made that fruitcake, I like to enjoy fruitcake at Christmastime.

If you like fruitcake and want to try your hand at making one, see allrecipes.com’s “Best Fruitcake Recipes” for its top 20 fruitcake offerings.

Worst consumer experience: Lacking customer service from Apple

I have a Panasonic video camera that records on a mini-DVD. Unfortunately, it isn’t compatible with my iMac. I bought a Pinnacle Dazzle, which imports the analog files the video camera produces so that they can be used in the Mac format.

Since Christmas is coming, I wanted to make a movie from the footage I took this summer when my daughter and her family visited from Madrid.

I usually take a half-hour mini-DVD to a video store and have them make copies. However, this summer I made a mistake and put footage on two disks instead of one. So I thought I’d edit the video myself.

After I imported the video, I noticed that the video and audio didn’t match up.

I tried to call Apple Saturday night, but their customer service shuts down at 11 p.m. ET.

I called Sunday and paid $19. After talking with a customer service representative for about 20 minutes, he said the problem was with the Pinnacle Dazzle not iMovie. He told me to talk to Pinnacle. He said there wasn’t any way an adjustment could be made in iMovie to solve the problem.

I asked to speak to his supervisor. The supervisor linked to my computer and after about half an hour said I could detach the audio from the video and move it so it would sync with the video.

I hope I can figure it out. I have dozens of mini-DVDs and want to import them into my computer and make movies about my family and grandchildren.

I made the short movie above from footage I’d imported earlier to see if it was in sync.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist