Rutherford Weekly - Shelby NC
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Thursday, September 2-September 8, 2021 www.rutherfordweekly.com 828-248-1408 Rutherford Weekly - Page 17 Housing Info • Events & More! To Advertise Your Business, Please Contact Mike Marlow At 828-248-1408 • Email Advertising@RutherfordWeekly.com To Advertise Your Business, Please Contact Mike Marlow At 828-248-1408 • Email Advertising@RutherfordWeekly.com ©Community First Media Community First Media Pharmacy Compounding Home Medical Equipment CPAP Supplies Mastectomy Supplies Diabetic Shoes & Orthotics Local Friendly Home Town Pharmacy Close By with Professional Caring Staff * Home Health Care Equipment * CPAP * Mastectomy *Orthotic/Diabetic Shoe Corporate Big City Supplier with Mail Service and Complicated Unfriendly Customer Service ... too much hassle 139 E. Main St., Forest City 828-245-4591 SmithsDrugsFC.com Mon-Fri 7:30am-7pm, Sat 7:30-4pm You Choose... You Always Have The Right To Choose Who Takes Care Of You Adults confront various age-related side effects as they transition from middle age to their golden years. Skin may begin to wrinkle and hair may turn gray, but those are just the vis- ible side effects of aging. Many additional effects are unseen, but those changes can have a profound effect on adults' quality of life. According to the Mayo Clinic, various parts of the body are affected by aging. For example, the cardio- vascular system changes as people grow older. Blood vessels and arteries stiffen as adults age, forc- ing the heart to work hard- er to pump blood through them. Though many changes are linked to aging, other changes commonly asso- ciated with aging, such as a decline in memory, rea- soning and other thinking skills, are not natural. The Alzheimer's Association® notes that dementia is not a normal part of aging. There are many different types of dementia, includ- ing Alzheimer's disease, and these are the result of damage to brain cells that affect a person's ability to communicate. That dam- age is not inevitable, even if it's commonly associated with aging. The Harvard Medical School notes that fl eeting memory problems expe- rienced with aging often refl ect normal changes in the structure and function of the brain. But it's impor- tant that those changes not be mistaken for dementia, and it's equally important that adults recognize there are many ways they can protect and sharpen their minds as they age. • Continue learning. HMS notes that a higher level of education is associated with improved mental func- tioning in old age. The rea- sons for that are unknown, but experts theorize that advanced education com- pels people to remain mentally active, which in turn helps them maintain a strong memory. Even aging men and women who are still working in challeng- ing fi elds can benefi t from pursuing a new hobby or learning a new skill. • Use the tools at your disposal. It may seem counterintuitive to suggest that organizational tools like planners, maps and lists can help people main- tain their memories. How- ever, HMS notes that ex- pending mental energy on fi nding car keys or trying to remember what to buy at the store makes it harder to learn new and important things. • Let all your senses play a role. HMS reports that the more senses a per- son uses to learn some- thing, the more his or her brain is involved in retain- ing a memory. HMS cites one study in which adults were shown a series of emotionally neutral images that were each presented along with a smell. Par- ticipants were not asked Simple ways to maintain memory as you age DENTURES PALMETTO DENTURE CARE Dr. Don Gregory Dr. Keith Fields • Dr. Robert Stark Spartanburg 1-864-582-4308 SAME DAY SERVICE FREE Adjustments Lab on Premises Dentures..........................from $ 315 Partial Dentures................from $ 305 Full Mouth X-ray........................ $ 70 Simple Extraction per tooth........... $ 90 Insurance Claims Accepted. Relines & Repairs While You Wait! Serving the Upstate since 1974 By JIM MILLER Editor Dear Savvy Senior, Does Social Security offer any special help to benefi ciaries who struggle managing their benefi ts? My aunt, who has no children, has dementia and struggles keeping up with her bills and other fi nancial duties. Inquiring Niece Dear Inquiring, Yes, Social Security actually has a little- known program known as the "representative payee program" that helps benefi ciaries who need help managing their Social Security ben- efi t payments. Here's what you should know. Representative Payee Program Authorized by congress back in 1939, the Social Security representative payee program provides money management help to benefi - ciaries who are incapable of managing their Social Security income. Benefi ciaries in need of this help are often seniors suffering from de- mentia, or minor children who are collecting Social Security survivors' benefi ts. Currently more than 5 million Social Security benefi ciaries have representative payees. Representative payees also handle benefi ts for nearly 3 million recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a Social Security ad- ministered benefi t program for low-income people who are over 65, blind or disabled. Who Are Payees? A representative payee is typically a relative or close friend of the benefi ciary needing as- sistance, but Social Security can also name an organization or institution for the role – like a nursing homes or social-service agency. Some of duties of a representative payee in- clude: • Using the benefi ciary's Social Security or SSI payments to meet their essential needs, such as food, shelter, household bills and medical care. The money can also be used for personal needs like clothing and recreation. • Keeping any remaining money from benefi t payments in an interest-bearing bank account or savings bonds for the benefi ciary's future needs. • Keeping records of benefi t payments re- ceived and how the money was spent or saved. • Reporting to Social Security any changes or events that could affect the benefi ciary's pay- ments (for example, a move, marriage, divorce or death). • Reporting any circumstances that affect the payee's ability to serve in the role. As a representative payee, you cannot com- bine the benefi ciary's Social Security pay- ments with your own money or use them for your own needs. The bank account into which benefi ts are deposited should be fully owned by the benefi ciary, with the payee listed as fi - nancial agent. Some payees, generally those who do not live with the benefi ciary, are required to submit an- nual reports to Social Security accounting for how benefi ts are used. For more information on the responsibilities and restrictions that come with the role, see the Social Security publication "A Guide for Representative Pay- ees" at SSA.gov/pubs/EN-05-10076.pdf. How to Get Help If you believe your aunt may need a represen- tative payee, call Social Security at 800-772- 1213 and make an appointment to discuss the matter at her local offi ce. Applying to serve as a payee usually requires a face-to-face inter- view. Social Security may consider other evidence in deciding if a benefi ciary needs a payee and selecting the person to fi ll the role, including doctors' assessments and statements from rela- tives, friends and others in a position to give an informed opinion about the benefi ciary's situation. You should also know that if you become your aunt's representative payee you cannot collect a fee for doing it. However, some organiza- tions that serve in the role do receive fees, paid out of the benefi ciary's Social Security or SSI payments. For more information on the program visit SSA.gov/payee. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of "The Savvy Senior" book. Little Know Social Security Program Helps Seniors Manage Their Money to recall what they saw, but were later shown a set of images and asked to indi- cate which they had previ- ously seen. The participants had excellent recall for the odor-paired images, and researchers believe that's because additional parts of the brain were activated when participants were asked to use more than one sense. Memory loss is not an in- evitable side effect of aging, especially for adults who take steps to maintain their memories as they age.