HEALTH:
Why This Flu Season Might Be the Worst in a Decade: Experts say it’s shaping up to be the worst flu season we’ve seen in a decade. As of right now, at least 2,900 people have died of the flu this season, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and flu activity is “widespread” in the country. Prevention, Jan. 6.
 
U.S. Cancer Death Rates Continue to Drop, But Progress Is Stalling for Some Cancers: Over the last few decades, the death rate from cancer dropped by 29% in the U.S., according to the latest data from the American Cancer Society. TIME Magazine, Jan. 8.
 
Why Older Adults With Addictions Fare Better in Age-Tailored Rehab: Around 3 million people over 65 battle alcohol abuse, and this number might jump to more than 6 million in the next few years. Next Avenue, Jan. 9.
Seniors Still Wary of Online Reviews When Picking Doctors: Most older Americans don't fully rely on or trust online ratings of doctors, a new study finds. HealthDay, Jan. 6.
 
How One Medical Checkup Can Snowball into a ‘Cascade’ of Tests, Causing More Harm Than Good: For every 100 patients who got this EKG, we counted up to 11 extra tests, treatments, office visits, new diagnoses or hospitalizations in the following three months alone. The Washington Post. Jan. 5.

How Essential Tremor Is Diagnosed and Treated: Often mistaken as a Parkinson's symptom, essential tremor is a common movement disorder and the most common neurologic condition affecting people 65 and older. Next Avenue, Jan. 7.

Want a Long, Healthy Old Age? A Healthy Middle Age Helps: Middle-aged Americans who are exercising and eating right, give yourselves a pat on the back: Your efforts will pay off. HealthDay, Jan. 9.
New Hope for Migraine Sufferers: There are now a number of medications that may prevent or alleviate migraines, as well as a wearable nerve-stimulating device that can be activated by a smartphone. The New York Times, Jan. 6.
MEDICINE:
Two More Heartburn Meds Recalled Due to Possible Carcinogen: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is adding to a list of recalled lots of popular heartburn medications -- including generic forms of Zantac -- because the pills might contain small amounts of a suspected carcinogen. HealthDay, Jan. 10.
MIND:
8 Easy Ways to Keep Your Brain Young — And Improve Your Life: I’m on a mission to get everyone looking after their brain as routinely as they look after their teeth. MarketWatch, Jan. 7.
 
Simple Eye Exam Could Detect Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease: A comparatively simple eye exam that could detect Alzheimer’s disease many years before severe clinical symptoms appear is about to undergo a clinical trial. The Providence Journal, Jan. 6.
MEDICARE:
Now’s the Time to Switch or Ditch Your Medicare Advantage Plan if You Don’t Like it: Of Medicare’s 61 million or so beneficiaries, roughly 38% choose to get their coverage through an Advantage Plan.CNBC, Jan. 7.

3 Medicare Mistakes to Avoid in 2020: The government's healthcare program for seniors is designed to keep costs reasonable. But wrong moves on your part can raise them. The Motley Fool, Jan. 10.
MONEY:
Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before You Retire? Paying off your home mortgage before you retire is a major financial achievement, but you don't necessarily have to eliminate all housing debt in order to retire well. U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 10.

Here’s What Bad Financial Advice Costs You: Good financial advice leaves you better off. Bad advice does the opposite, and may even enrich someone else at your expense. Nerd Wallet, Jan. 9.
Your 2020 Personal Finance Calendar To-Do List: For your financial health and prosperity in the year ahead, there are a few critical dates to put on your calendar and steps to take for them. Next Avenue, Jan. 9.

3 Tax Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Retirement: If you're not correctly budgeting for taxes, they could quickly drain your retirement fund. The Motley Fool, Jan. 9.
Here’s One Option for Guaranteed Income if You’re Delaying Social Security: Sometimes it makes sense to shift a portion of your assets to a single-premium immediate annuity as a way to have income while delaying Social Security. CNBC, Jan. 9.
These Are the Key Questions to Ask Before Buying That Annuity: As retirees struggle to replace their work paychecks with steady income, some may turn to annuities, which provide regular payments in exchange for an upfront lump sum. CNBC, Jan. 9.
Risk of Pension Meltdown Grows Due to Inaction by U.S. Congress: The window is closing on the chance to avert a pension meltdown that will slash the retirement benefits of more than a million U.S. workers. Reuters, Jan. 7.
Saving for Retirement: How to React to Market Volatility: A new poll conducted by Kiplinger and Personal Capital reveals concerns about market swings and potential downturns. See how your savings—and confidence level—measure up. Kiplinger, Jan. 8.
 
Moving Forward Financially After the Loss of a Loved One: Even as you work through your grief, there are some important financial tasks to take care of along the way. Here is a framework to use as a starting point. Kiplinger, Jan. 8.
 
You Can Buy Steady Retirement Income. Experts Are Divided on Whether it’s a Good Idea: As 10,000 baby boomers per day turn 65, they share one common problem: how to turn their retirement savings into a steady stream of income. CNBC, Jan. 5.
Retirees, Get Your Financial Life in Order: Keys to organizing your finances to protect yourself from bogus claims of unpaid debt and scammers. Kiplinger, Jan. 7.
 
Here’s How Changes to Required Minimum Withdrawals May Affect Your Retirement Account: If you turn 70½ after 2019, you can now wait until you’re age 72 to start making those mandated annual withdrawals from your retirement accounts. CNBC, 1/5.
RETIREMENT:
How to Decide Where to Retire: One of the freedoms of retirement is getting to choose where to live. Rather than being tied to a specific city due to work or school commitments, the entire world suddenly becomes a potential place to retire. U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 8.
 
The Retirement Savings Blind Spot You Don’t Realize You Have: When you want to retire, and when you actually will retire, could be two very different ages. CNBC, Jan. 7.
SOCIAL SECURITY:
Should You Invest Your Social Security Benefit Into the Stock Market? Despite the stock market quadrupling its historic average annual return in 2019, the answer to this question is far from cut-and-dried. The Motley Fool, Jan. 11.
 
This Costly Social Security Mistake Could Result in Years of Regret: Americans can claim Social Security benefits as early as age 62. While it may be tempting to begin receiving that monthly income as soon as possible, retirees could leave a lot of money on the table by doing so. CNBC, Jan. 10.
LEGAL ISSUES:
How to Make Plans to Provide Care for Your Pet If You Can’t: The best way to take precautions and ensure your pet will be well cared for is by doing some estate planning. Next Avenue, Jan. 10.
WORK:
Is the Side-Hustle a New Dance Seniors Are Learning? Judging by the growing numbers of people 55 and older seeking out these gigs, the answer is yes. Maybe there's one that is right for you. Kiplinger, Jan. 6.
 
4 LinkedIn Features to Power Your 2020 Job Search: If you’ve resolved to find a job in 2020, I think you’ll want to know about four features LinkedIn rolled out over the past two years that might help you land one. Next Avenue, Jan. 6.
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