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Successful families from around the world share these 6 qualities, according to experts
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Does your family have all 6? - photo by McKenna Park
Experts in the field of family science have found that in order to help families with problems, its beneficial to study the common strengths all strong families have. So, they researched families across the globe and found that all successful families, no matter where they lived, have the six same qualities.

These strengths, scientists found, are the foundation for the families continued growth and healthy change.

According to family science experts David H. Olson, John DeFrain and Linda Skogrand in Marriage and Families: Intimacy, Diversity, and Strengths, the most extensive study of families strengths was conducted by Nick Stinnett and John DeFrain involved 28,000 family members from 38 countries. After 35 years of research, these are the consistent six qualities they found all strong families share:

1. Appreciation and affection

Family members in just about all families have feelings of appreciation and affection to some degree. The difference between families that just get along and families that excel is the expression of appreciation and affection. This encompasses simple acts, like saying thank you to each other often, giving hugs to each other and between spouses having healthy sexual relationships.

2. Commitment

This quality has everything to do with priorities. Unsurprisingly, individuals in healthy families put their family at the top of their priority list. They are committed to each other and they invest time and energy into making their family the best it can be, whether that be through time together, teaching lessons, creating traditions and practicing fidelity between spouses.

3. Positive communication

Its no surprise that the quality of good communication makes the list. Ironically, most people know this as a key to good family relationships," yet few people are actually open with their loved ones nor spend much time talking to each other.

Good family communication covers several bases: problem solving, listening, staying connected, humor, learning, opening up and even rambling conversations. Strong families dont have to agree all the time, and they will always have differences in opinions, but they do speak directly and honestly without blaming each other.

4. Enjoying time together

When the researchers interviewed 1,500 schoolchildren on what they thought made a happy family, most kids replied that happy families spend enjoyable time together. Think of all the happy family memories you have from childhood- all those moments no doubt strengthened and solidified your familys bond together. Everything from reading picture books before bedtime to summer vacations to Christmas morning are strengthening aspects for families; its almost impossible for families to spend too much enjoyable time together, and healthy families share a lot of it.

5. Spiritual well-being and shared values

Spiritual well-being in families can be related to religion, but it doesnt necessarily have to do with Church and God. This quality can take form in optimism about life, hope, morals, faith and a feeling of oneness among family members. Remember, this study was done around the world, which means the studied families had a wide range of spiritual beliefs and values. It didnt necessarily matter what specific faith or beliefs each family had, as long as they shared values together and members felt a sense of spiritual well-being. An important related aspect to this quality is the care, love and compassion it creates among family members.

6. Ability to manage stress and crisis effectively

All families experience stress, and few families are lucky enough to get through life without crisis. No ones immune to trouble, not even strong families, but strong families are the ones to approach such experiences with zest, positivity and efficiency. They look for opportunities to grow together in the middle of trying circumstances.

If you feel like your family might be lacking in one or some of these six qualities, no worries- strong families arent perfect, but they have the strength to admit they need to improve in some areas, whereas troubled families do not admit they even have troubles. For all six of these qualities, all it really takes is starting out with small, simple things, and your family will be well on their way to growing stronger.
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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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