Identity theft is a growing concern and scammers are finding new ways every day to get sensitive personal information on consumers. With that information they can run up charges on credit card accounts, deplete bank accounts and set up new accounts in the name of the victim.

AARP has an online seminar called Preventing Identity Theft. To take the course you will need a network connection of 56kps or faster and you must be using Internet Explorer 6 or higher, Netscape 7.2 or higher or an equivalent browser. I was able to take the course using the Firefox browser.

In this course, you will:

* Know what identity theft is
* Do a wallet check to protect yourself from identity theft
* Take steps to protect yourself from identity theft in your home and on the road
* Recognize early warnings of identity theft
* Take the first steps if you’re a victim of identity theft
* Have the numbers to call to get help or more information

For more information on the course go here

When you are ready to take the course, click on the link at the AARP page or click here.

When it comes to choosing a vacation that is within your means, the AARP service is invaluable. They have a comprehensive list of suggestions for destinations and ways to make your money go further.

One I looked at was Seeing New York for Free, an excellent article giving details of places to visit where the costs are very low or non-existent. These include such famous places as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Public Library and the Rockefeller Center, as well as suggesting the use of a Big Apple Greeter.

We all know the disadvantages to getting older - how the body begins to show the results of all those years of hard work, stress and strain; so it’s great that there are benefits too and we should use whatever is available, including such useful services as AARP’s.

AARP Destinations Site

Would you rather play Checkers or watch TV? According to researchers, just switching from a passive activity like television viewing to playing a board game can keep your brain exercised through mental challenges and activities. Mental activity is a way to keep your brain young and has been shown to reduce rates of dementia in people over 75.

In an article at the AARP website, Lawrence Katz, Ph.D., a professor of neurobiology at Duke University Medical Center, has some suggestions on ways to keep your brain flexible and agile. His suggestions include:

* Think in new ways
* Change your routine
* Turn off the tube
* Surprise your senses

For more information on employing Dr. Katz’s suggestions in your daily life, read the article.

De-Age Your Brain.

You may also like to visit our sister sites on this subject : Brain Boomers and Arts and Mind.

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mark McClellan have introduced a new program to help beneficiaries make the most of their health care and coverage choices with the My Health.My Medicare campaign.

“My Health.My Medicare is the next step in helping the 43 million Americans with Medicare make the most of their benefits, so they can stay healthier and spend less on their medical care,” said Dr. McClellan. “By providing personalized assistance – online, on the phone and in person, with the help of partners all across the country — we can help beneficiaries and their families make informed and confident choices about their health and Medicare coverage.”

Partners called upon to participate include the AARP, Medicare Today, the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged and the Annapolis State Health Insurance Program.

Fall is the time for beneficiaries to make changes or enroll in new prescription drug plans, between November 15 and December 31. For information on My Health.My Medicare, see the CMS website.