The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Boomers have a low-key beginning of summer this year

On Friday, I advised readers to have a barbecue with people in their household for Memorial Day and skip going out to a restaurant or to the beach.

I took my own advice and had a quiet holiday. Since I’m home so much and didn’t get to go to Madrid and visit my daughter and her family in Madrid for the month of May, I’ve spend a lot of time in my yard. I’ve arranged dozens of bouquets, a first. See my Memorial Day arrangement on the above.

I have 40 rhododendrons and about 10 azaleas in my yard. When I moved into my house, they were small bushes. Now, they’re huge. Thank goodness I met a forester who is helping me prune them. I can’t imagine why the previous owners bought 50 plants. I wonder if there was a big sale.

Meanwhile, boomer bloggers are writing about:

Consumer groups criticize CFPB for faulty process in roll back of payday rules

Last February, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or CFPB proposed new rules that would roll back key provisions of the CFPB’s 2017 Payday Rule, which enacted modest protections for borrowers. The roll backs proposed were set to be finalized by the end of April 2020.

The New York Times reported on April 29 that the process to repeal the 2017 rule was riddled with research manipulation and inconsistencies. The Consumer Federation of America joined five other consumer groups on May 1 to call on the CFPB “to suspend the finalization of the rule pending a full investigation of the facts,” and state that “there is a strong case to be made that CFPB needs to restart the regulatory process entirely.”

In addition, on May 1, more than a dozen lawmakers joined in asking for “an examination of political pressure at the consumer bureau,” as The Times reported.

Baby boomers struggling like most Americans to get through these covid-19 days

Today is my birthday. It’s so different to be home alone celebrating. I usually go to Madrid to spend the month of May with my daughter, who also has a birthday in May. Then, of course, in May, there’s also American Mother’s Day and Spanish Mother’s Day to celebrate.

That makes many occasions to drink cava, Spain’s amazing sparkling wine. It’s aged in underground caves for a year in a second fermentation.

I talked with my daughters today over WhatsApp, then enjoyed pizza and chocolate cake with my cava.

Spring 2020 is so different – no travel, no family events, no movies or theater performances, no eating out, no face-to-face classes, no crowds, and no long lines.

Let’s hope enough states will continue social distancing so that we don’t have a second wave of the covid-19 pandemic with thousands of deaths.

Here’s what the other boomer bloggers in our group are writing about:

• Future travel for baby boomers, which includes taking small trips before venturing too far from home.
• Good quotes and life lessons scattered among the various displays of goods and wares in tourist shops on a shopping trip before the pandemic.
• A survey that shows Americans are much more concerned about the coronavirus pandemic in April than they were in March, with Hispanic and black adults having higher concerns.
• A Bob Marley quote that points out we never really know how strong we are until it matters.
• How to prepare for walking into the unknown during pandemic times.

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting writes about these articles for the Best of Boomer Blogs #648. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to leave a comment. Boomer bloggers love to converse with readers.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Foodborne illnesses increasing, CDC says, but Trump administration drags its feet on enforcement

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday infections caused by Campylobacter, Yersinia, Cyclospora, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, and Vibrio increased in 2019 compared to 2016-2018, with progress in reducing Salmonella, Shigella, and Listeria infections stalled.

“This latest CDC data makes clear that the status quo is not working,” said Thomas Gremillion, director of food policy for the Consumer Federation of America. “The food industry can do much better, particularly when it comes to meat and poultry.”

A CDC report, based on preliminary data, emphasizes the role of chicken as an ongoing source of disease. Campylobacter, usually associated with eating chicken, remained the most commonly reported pathogen associated with foodborne illness in 2019. The rate of Campylobacter infection increased by 13 percent.

Understanding rosacea: It’s more than just a red face

It’s Rosacea Awareness Month. April has been designated Rosacea Awareness Month by the National Rosacea Society or NRS to urge those with the warning signs to see a dermatologist for diagnosis and treatment.

It’s estimated that more than 16 million Americans have rosacea. It tends to strike people in their 30s, 40s, or older.

“Although the occurrence of rosacea has been well documented over the centuries, virtually everything we now understand about the disorder in medical science has been discovered in the last 20 years,” said Julie Harper, M.D., clinical associate professor of dermatology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. “As a result of these advances, dermatologists are now able to identify and prescribe specific therapies for the various signs and symptoms based on a thorough understanding of the underlying disease process.”

Rosacea affects an estimated 415 million people throughout the world. Among the most famous rosacea sufferers is former President Bill Clinton. Others reported to have had rosacea include Princess Diana, actresses Renee Zellweger and Naomi Watts, singer Sam Smith, and comedian Amy Schumer.

Shoppers want grocery staff to wear masks and have paid sick leave, survey shows

Eighty-four percent of consumers would prefer that grocery store employees wear masks, according to a survey of more than 1,000 Americans conducted for the Center for Science in the Public Interest. In addition, 93 percent think it’s important or very important for ensuring shoppers feel safe at the store that grocery retailers offer paid sick leave benefits for employees who are diagnosed with, experience symptoms of, or become exposed to covid-19.

Similar numbers think sick leave benefits are important or very important for preventing the spread of covid-19, 95 percent, and for workers’ health and livelihood, 94 percent.

Grocery stores are struggling to adopt policies that keep consumers and workers feeling safe while also facing labor shortages, supply chain challenges, and growing competition from online retailers. But grocery employee illnesses and deaths are being reported.

Tips for delaying mortgage payments in the era of coronavirus

If you’re unable to make your mortgage payments due to the coronavirus pandemic, you could lose your home to foreclosure. Federal lenders and some private lenders are offering borrowers temporary help, such as stopping or delaying foreclosure or modifying the mortgage. However, these measures aren’t available for everyone.

If you need help, research the options available. The Federal Trade Commission offers these tips for navigating the process.

Learn about new relief for federally backed mortgage

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or CARES offers two protections for some borrowers. To be eligible, you need to have a federally backed mortgage and be having financial hardship due to the coronavirus. The options include:

Facts and figures for Easter 2020

It's such a strange year for celebrating Easter Sunday. The coronavirus pandemic has shut down so much of the United States so that the usual Easter activities, such as attending church, aren't happening. In addition, about half of Americans say they won't be buying Easter candy, a new outfit, or Easter foods this year, according to a WalletHub survey.

Here's more information on the WalletHub Easter 2020 survey:

Source: WalletHub

 

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Corporate leaders and conservative shock jocks pressure Trump to open the economy soon, report shows

A group of billionaires, corporate executives, and conservative commentators has been urging the rollback of social distancing recommendations, despite public health warnings, a Public Citizen report shows. In arguing for a return to economic “normalcy,” the group ignores the devastating health consequences of its recommendations and the difficulty of returning to normal while the coronavirus pandemic rages on.

Public health experts have made it clear that by adhering to social distancing recommendations and requirements, Americans will prevent the crisis from becoming a catastrophe. One study warns that inadequate action could result in the deaths of 2.2 million Americans from the virus.

However, after a mid-March meeting with Wall Street executives, President Donald Trump held a press conference to announce he intended to push for a hastened end to the social distancing measures. Since then, a number of big business executives and conservative media joined the call, forcing the government’s top public health officials to intervene to postpone Trump’s rushed coronavirus deadline.

How to make a face mask using cloth and rubber bands

In the richest country in the world, the U.S. surgeon general is showing people how to use a piece of cloth, such as a bandana, and fold it, incorporating rubber bands, to make a cloth face mask.

It's better than nothing when you need to go to the store or pharmacy. But, it makes you wonder how this country could have so poorly prepared for a pandemic that it didn't have enough personal protective equipment for its health care workers and for the general public, too.

Mike Bowen, executive vice president and partner of Prestige Ameritech, the nation's largest surgical mask manufacturer, said his company has yet to increase its staff or extend its production times, citing the uncertainty that comes with outbreaks like the current one. Hiring more staff to work longer hours may help to meet the growing needs of the nation's health care workers, but if the outbreak subsides, Bowen said in a CBS News article, his businesses would be forced to downsize.

"We're caught between a rock and a hard place," he said. "We don't like to lay people off." 

So much for capitalism coming to the rescue during a pandemic that's expected to kill 100,000 to 200,000 people.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist