March is Fraud Prevention Month.

Older adults lose billions of dollars each year to scams and fraud. Get tips to protect yourself and your money. Learn how to spot common scams, keep your money secure, and report financial fraud if you suspect you’re a victim.

Tax-related Scams

Tax-related scams are on the rise. In 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation (CI) unit opened 1,409 tax crime investigations and identified $5.5 billion in fraud. Older adults are especially vulnerable to these insidious schemes. Scammers know people in this age group often have substantial savings, retirement funds, and Social Security benefits—making them high-value targets.

IRS tax refund scams can take a major financial and emotional toll on those they impact, and they can happen to anyone. Scammers are now using artificial intelligence (AI) and other powerful tools to appear legitimate. These predators are highly skilled at persuading taxpayers to hand over their money and personal data.

Learn to recognize the red flags of IRS tax scams—so you can stop fraud dead in its tracks. The first step is understanding how the IRS typically communicates with taxpayers.  

Top 5 Scams Targeting Older Adults

Defrauding older adults is lucrative business. Worldwide, people age 60+ lost a combined $3.4 billion to financial scammers in 2023 alone. Most commonly, criminals target older adults with tech support, grandparent, and government impersonation scams—all of which work by gaining trust.

Knowledge is power. Learn how to identify and stop the top 5 financial scams and what to do if you or someone you know is a victim of fraud.

5 Warning Signs of a Medicare Scam—and How to Protect Yourself

With Medicare scams, criminals try to steal your identity and use it to file fraudulent claims for health care services, supplies, and medicines.

How do you know if you’re a target? Learn common telltale signs that can help you identify, spot, and report Medicare scammers.

Healthy eating is recommended throughout life, but as we age certain factors can affect our nutrient needs. Choosing a variety of foods from all the food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein foods) will help you build a healthy eating routine.

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. 

Eat a variety of different colored vegetables, including ones that are dark-green, red, and orange. Beans, peas, and lentils are also good choices. Fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables can all be healthful options. Look for “reduced sodium” or “no-salt-added” on the labels. Add fruit to meals, snacks or as dessert. Choose fruits that are dried, frozen, or canned in water or 100% juice, as well as fresh fruits. 

Make at least half your grains whole. 

Choose breads, cereals, crackers, and noodles made with 100% whole grains. Whole grain corn tortillas, brown rice, bulgur, millet, amaranth and oats all count as whole grains, too. Also, look for fiber-rich cereals to help stay regular and cereals that are fortified with vitamin B12, which is a nutrient that decreases in absorption as we age or due to some medications. 

Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese. 

Older adults need more calcium and vitamin D to help keep bones healthy. Include three servings of fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese each day. If you are lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk or a calcium-fortified soy beverage. 

Vary your protein choices. 

Eat a variety of foods from the protein food group each week. In addition to lean meat, poultry and eggs, choose seafood, nuts, beans, peas, and lentils when planning your meals. Spread your protein intake throughout the day by including a source with meals and snacks. Protein foods derived from animal sources also provide vitamin B12, and certain plant-based foods may be fortified. If you’re at risk for low levels of vitamin B12, your doctor may also recommend a supplement.

6 Ways to Eat Well

Managing a health condition or nutrient deficiency is best done with a registered dietitian, but these tips can ground your food choices in decades of research and simplify eating well.

Click here for more healthful habits for healthy weight loss or check out the handy guide below. Click on the image to download and print!

Falls lead to nearly half of traumatic brain injury (TBI) related hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls can affect individuals of all ages and may happen at any time. Unlike other causes of brain injury, such as combat, motor vehicle accidents, and near drowning, falls are not restricted to specific environments and can happen anywhere, anytime—this makes them particularly dangerous.

The following information explores how you can reduce the risk of falling, including making lifestyle changes and adjustments to your home.

How can you prevent falls through lifestyle changes?

Stay physically active – Exercising and moving regularly strengthens your muscles and also helps to keep your body parts flexible, which will minimize the risk of both falling and being injured by a fall.

• Get your sight and hearing regularly checked – Vision and hearing are essential in knowing what is going on around you. Any vision or hearing loss can greatly increase your risk of falling. Be sure to get your eyes and ears checked regularly by a healthcare professional.
• Review the side effects of the medications that you take with your doctor – Some medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and other symptoms that increase your likelihood of falling. Speak with your doctor to ensure you know all the side effects of your medication and ask about alternative options if you have concerns.
• Check your Vitamin D levels – A recent study found that a daily dose of vitamin D can reduce the risk of falls in older adults by 19%.
• Wear appropriate footwear – Wearing shoes that are uncomfortable, don’t fit correctly, or that are not suitable for your environment greatly increases your chances of falling.
• Evaluate your risk with a doctor – Some people are more prone to falling than others. Age, medication, and preexisting conditions are just some of the factors that can increase risk. Talk to your doctor about your unique situation to learn about potential risk factors and what steps you can take to decrease your chances of sustaining a brain injury as the result of a fall.

How can you prevent falls in the home?

• Avoid uneven surfaces – Be aware of any places in your home where there is uneven flooring. If possible, replace the flooring altogether. Keep your walkways clear of clutter and wires.
• Install bars or railings – Adding supports to areas in your home where falls are common, such as stairs and bathtubs, can reduce the risk of falling and sustaining a brain injury.
• Ensure you have adequate lighting – A simple way prevent falls in your home is to have ample lighting. Make sure that you have easily accessible light switches and bright light in all the rooms in your house.
• Avoid using ladders and stepstools – Ladders and stepstools present opportunities for injury. If you are at particularly high risk of falling or can adapt a task, try to avoid using these items. Alternatively, ask a friend or relative to spot you, or hire an expert.

Making small adjustments in your daily life and taking the proper precautions can prevent you from sustaining a brain injury as the result of a fall. Falls occur in all population segments and can occur in any situation. 

For more information on preventing traumatic brain injuries from falling, click the below button:

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month reminds us that early detection is key to treating colorectal cancers. The month-long observance shines a spotlight on risk factors, research, and aims to raise awareness.

The American Cancer Society recommends that people at average risk* of colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45. This can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test), or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam). These options are listed below.

People who are in good health and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years should continue regular colorectal cancer screening through age 75.

Catch it early. Reduce your risk.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women in the US. Cancer screening tests look for cancer in people who don't have any signs or symptoms. When colorectal cancer is found early during screening, it's usually smaller and might be easier to treat.

Click the image below to download and print this handy guide from the American Cancer Society.

What can you do to help prevent cancer? 

• Get screened: Know your family medical history and get recommended cancer screenings.
• Protect your skin: Limit exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation.
• Eat well: Eat a plant-based diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.
• Limit alcohol and tobacco: Drinking alcohol and using tobacco have been linked to many types of cancer.
• Stay active: Physical activity is linked to a lower risk of several types of cancer.

Get more information about cancer prevention in the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Cancer Progress Report 2024, including facts about how modifying behaviors can impact cancer occurrence and outcomes.

Take the AACR Cancer Prevention Quiz to test your knowledge and learn more about cancer risk reduction.

On February 24, 2025, we hosted the second Yuba-Sutter Aging & Disability Action Plan (LADAP) workshop, bringing together nearly 30 participants from across Yuba and Sutter counties. The session built on the priorities identified in December, leading to the development of clear objectives and strategies to address key issues affecting older adults and individuals with disabilities.

The high level of engagement and collaboration demonstrated the strong commitment of our partners in advancing this work. Thank you to everyone who contributed! We will continue refining these strategies and look forward to sharing next steps soon.

To stay updated on our progress and learn more about LADAP, click button below.

We’ve selected a variety of health and wellness classes for you through GetSetUp, an organization created by older adults, to help people 55+ learn new skills, connect with others, and unlock new life experiences. 

All those 60+ are welcome and workshops are free when using passcode "area4-ca". 

This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. The materials or product were a result of a project funded by a contract with the California Department of Aging.