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6 things you need to do with your grandparents before it's too late
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Our grandparents wont always be around, but if we take the time today to get to know them and record their memories and experiences, their influence will live on long after theyre gone. - photo by Karlie Brand
The rustling newspaper from the corner chair. A gruff, but friendly voice. The smell of steaming coffee. Worn out jeans and carefully combed grey hairs. A hearty laugh and a warm smile. These are the memories I have of my grandfather who passed away from Alzheimers in 2008.

Even though hes been gone for nearly ten years, I often think about my grandfathers subtle but powerful influence on me and my family- his commitment to education, his dedication to years of civic and community service, and his journey through grief when his eldest son died much too young. His values and life experiences have shaped me, but what if I didnt know as much about him as I do? And what if I knew more?

When my grandpas memory began to fade, my dad met with him a few times to interview him about his life. My dad asked him about his parents, his siblings, what it was like growing up, how he met my grandma, etc. These recordings, in my grandpas own voice, are priceless. Thanks to these interviews, we have a record of my grandpa and his family, most of whom passed away long before me and my siblings were born and never met.

Our grandparents wont always be around, but if we take the time today to get to know them and record their memories and experiences, their influence will live on long after theyre gone. Check out the ideas below to get to know your grandparents and preserve their memories:

1. Record an interview with your grandparents

With the miracle of modern technology, the only tool you need to interview your grandparents is probably tucked in your pocket. Video or voice record the interview on your cell phone, type a transcript of the interview, and then save and share the interview with other family members. Everyone in the family will learn something new, and your grandparents valuable and precious memories will be preserved. This is especially important if your grandparents know or remember family members that you or your siblings or parents never met. Ask them to describe these individuals and share their stories.

2. Spend quality time with your grandparents and let them know you care

While it may come easy for some, spending quality time with your grandparents outside your annual reunion or the occasional holiday may not feel totally natural to others. Perhaps you didnt grow up with a close relationship with your grandparents, but you can choose now to get to know them better. Take them to lunch. Give them a call or send them a text. Visit them at home. Play a game with them. Send them a handwritten card. You will never regret quality time spent with family or efforts to express love and affection, especially once your grandparents are gone.

3. Learn from their experiences

Your grandparents have likely gone through many of the same struggles and challenges you will experience- dating, family life, career choices, buying a home, traveling, tragedy, discouragements, etc. Ask them questions about how they handled these life experiences and managed change, discouragement, prosperity and difficulty. You will learn more about your grandparents and gain some valuable insight and advice to tackle your own challenges.

4. Review photographs and identify family members

Remember that your grandparents are your link to the past. Sit down and review old family photos with them and have them help you identify great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and others youve never met or who may no longer be living. Ask your grandparent to recount stories about the individuals in the old photographs- once your grandma or grandpa is gone, there may no longer be anyone else living who remembers these people and their stories.

5. Learn about special items and heirlooms

Maybe your grandmother has always worn the same necklace, or perhaps there is a special dish in her china cabinet that has been passed down for several generations. Do you know where these items came from, and why theyre important to your family?

Take an afternoon to walk around your grandparents house and ask them to describe these special items and where theyre from (dont forget to pull out your phone to record!). Youll want to know the provenance of these items, even if theyre only of sentimental value to your grandparent or your family. What a shame if the items story or meaning is lost when your grandparent departs.

6. Learn family recipes and traditions

Everyone has special memories associated with food. Is there a recipe that takes you back to Saturday mornings at grandmas or to your favorite holiday with family? Ask your grandparent to teach you how to make the recipe or simply save it to share with your family.

Food is a wonderful and powerful tradition, but there are other traditions, too. Write down or save songs, stories, games and other activities that have been longstanding traditions with your grandparents and continue them with your own family.
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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