Monthly Archives for December 2023

Pew Survey takes a look at America’s view of spirituality 

Published in RINewsToday on December 25, 2023

The late Ray Whitman, a former economist who taught at the University of the District of Columbia, didn’t really consider himself spiritual or begin his spiritual quest until his late 30s. Ray’s desire to understand his spirituality was a long, complicated and somewhat painful process, he told me, noting that a mid-life crisis at age 39 forced him to reevaluate his personal life, goals and religious beliefs, including his ties to the Episcopal Church.

Whitman’s personal crisis would lead him to exploring spiritual beliefs and activities.  During his search, he learned how to cast astrology and numerology charts, attended metaphysical church services, practiced yoga, became a Life Spring graduate and even sought advice from psychics and the counsel of gurus, even traveling to Brazil to see John of God, a self-proclaimed medium and psychic surgeon.

For years, the Rockville, Maryland economist studied the teachings and meditation practices of Guru Mayi Chidvilasananda, the current head of the Siddha Lineage of gurus.  

At the end of his life, Whitman, who passed away on Aug. 26, 2021, at the age of 85, like many Americans who described themselves as spiritual in a recent Pew Research Center report, he described himself as being spiritual and not religious and being tied to mainstream religious beliefs.

Being Religious, Spiritual, or both

Just weeks before Christmas, the Pew Research Center released a report, “Spirituality Among Americans,” that shows that belief in spirits or a spiritual realm beyond this world is widespread, even among those who don’t consider themselves religious.  Seven in 10 adults (70%) describe themselves as spiritual in some way, however, many of these individuals also view themselves as religious.  Still, 22% indicated that they consider themselves spiritual, and not religious.

According to the results of Pew’s survey, 83% of all U.S. adults believe people have a soul or spirit in addition to their physical body. Eighty-one percent of the respondents believe there is something spiritual beyond the natural world, even if we cannot see it.  Almost three-fourths of the respondents say that there are somethings that science cannot possibly explain while 45% noted that they had a sudden feeling of connection with something from beyond this world.  And 30% say that they have personally encountered a spirit or unseen spiritual force. 

Overall, the survey findings, conducted July 31-Aug. 6, 2023 among a nationally representative sample of 11,201 members of Pew’s American Trends Panel, and released on December 7, 2023, found that 70% of U.S. adults can be considered “spiritual” in some way, because they think of themselves as spiritual people, or say spirituality is very important in their lives. 

As to spiritual beliefs, the survey’s findings indicated that half of all Americans believe that spirits can inhabit burial places, such as graveyards, cemeteries or other memorial sites.  Forty-eight percent believe that parts of mountains, rivers or trees can have spirits or spiritual energy.

And respondents believed in an afterlife.  Fifty-seven percent believe that people definitely or probably can reunite with loved ones who also have  died.  About four-in-ten also accept that dead people definitely, or probably, assist, protect and guide the living (46%), be aware of what’s going on among the living (44%) or even communicate with them (42%).

As to spiritual practices, 77% of U.S. adults say they spend time in nature, usually a few times a month, and 26% note they do so to feel connected with something bigger than themselves or with their “true self.” 

When asked to describe what ‘spiritual’ means to them in their own words, one respondent said, “To me, spiritual means to be in touch with nature, see the beauty in everything, feel the love of Mother Nature, to know that there is something out there that is greater than me, that loves me, that looks out for me. I find that mostly in nature – the sun, the moon, trees, flowers, wild bunnies running through my yard, the deer standing stoically as if posing for me to enjoy their beauty. In addition, I try to follow the teaching of Jesus, because he had some pretty good advice.”

Another said, “Spiritual means to discover your own self by deep meditation and contemplation. Love everyone, hate no one.”

Thirty-eight percent of U.S. adults reported meditating at least a few times a month, including 22% who meditate mainly to connect with their “true self” or with something bigger than themselves.

Finally,  the survey’s findings reveal that for spiritual purposes more than one-third of U.S. adults say they wear a cross, and 15% say they maintain a meditation shrine, altar or icon in their home.  Twelve percent have crystals for spiritual purposes and 9% have a tattoo or piercing for spiritual purposes.

Are Spiritual beliefs superseding traditional Religious Beliefs?

The researchers say that previous research has shown a decline in traditional religious beliefs and practices, including those who say they believe in God with absolute certainty, regularly attend religious services, and pray daily.

Like Whitman, articles appear in newspapers noting that Americans are turning away from organized religion and replacing it with their “own mix of spiritual elements” drawn from Hindu, Buddhism, Native American shamanism, and New Age beliefs.

While the Pew Research Center’s survey attempts to ask questions about spiritual beliefs and practices, researchers say it’s difficult to determine if considering oneself spiritual is more or less common today.

Previous Pew Research Center surveys say it’s difficult to determine if religion is being replaced by one being spiritual because it’s difficult to define and separate those concepts.

Researchers say that this survey is intended to “fill the gap.”  These results will be used as a baseline and the re-asking of questions about spiritual and religious practices can indicate whether there is an increase or decease in one’s turning away from organized religion and just considering oneself spiritual.

Stay tuned…

To read Pew Research Center’s Spirituality report, go to:

https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/religion/

Protecting your hard earned money from Holiday scammers 

Published in RINewsToday on December 18, 2023

f the Christmas holidays and consumers ramping up their holiday shopping, the Washington, DC AARP warns shoppers to be aware of the uptick of scams. A new 2023 AARP Fraud Watch NetworkTM report puts the spotlight on how criminals target consumers during the holiday season.  

According to the report, 80% of U.S. consumers say that they have experienced some type of fraud in 2023 – many occurring during holiday shopping season.  The researchers say that these scams have increased from last year’s report, from receiving fake notifications about shipments, to online ad scams, and more.

“The concerning findings from our annual survey are that fraud is on the rise and that knowledge about how to stay safe from fraud is dropping,” said Kathy Stokes, AARP Director of Fraud Prevention Programs in a December press release announcing this year’s findings. “Education plays an important role in combating fraud, but we can’t educate our way out of what is now a rampant issue,” she said.

AARP’s report noted that in 2023 significantly more consumers plan on shopping online compared to the last two years. With this increase in internet shopping, scammers often place fake ads online and across popular social media sites offering steep discounts on the hottest items. 

Although peer-to-peer payment platforms such as Venmo, PayPal, Square Cash, and Zelle, etc. have been around for awhile, they have become increasingly popular as a way to make online payments to businesses. Consumers turn to these platforms for convenience, speed and security.  

According to AARP’s findings, the use of these services have increased significantly for a second year in a row. A large majority of respondents shared they do business those, or similar, apps – such as sending money to businesses they have no previous relationship with. In the unfortunate event of fraud, these apps provide little protection to scammed consumers, warns the report.

Gift cards continue to be popular gifts, 66% of those surveyed planning to purchase them this holiday season. However, 27% of consumers have experienced either giving or receiving a gift card with no monetary value on it. “Criminals have old-school ways of manipulating cards hanging on retail racks and high-tech ways of searching online for cards with balances and draining them,” says AARP’s Stokes. “It may be safest to purchase a gift card directly from the card issuer’s website,” she notes.

In a 10-question fraud knowledge quiz that was again part of this year’s AARP survey, most respondents failed with only 28% of being able to answer only 7 or more questions correctly.   The quiz results call for the need to make consumers aware that retailers will never request your login information to provide customer support.  

AARP’s recently released report suggests: 

It’s better to use credit cards for purchasing gifts because they offer the most consumer protections of any payment method.

It’s important to regularly accept some upgrade prompts for your devices because these updates are to patch known fraud vulnerabilities.

It’s risky to do a web search for a company’s customer support network because criminals buy ads impersonating those companies. Check billing and credit card statements for customer service, use the number on the back of your credit cards, or go directly to the company by typing in their web address, like www.aarp.org.

AARP Rhode Island – Fighting Fraudsters

“AARP Rhode Island works hard every day to make sure that Rhode Islanders have all the information they need to protect themselves and their families from scams, especially around the holidays,” said AARP Rhode Island State Director Catherine Taylor. “We hold regular fraud-prevention tele-town halls, our Speakers Bureau volunteers give free Fraud Watch presentations to audiences across the state, and we fight fraud via AARP’s Fraud Watch network (www.aarp.org/fraudwatch), which provides vital information and scam alerts. Anyone can subscribe for free,” she says.

“Last summer, AARP Rhode Island held free document shredding events around the state where more than 900 people dropped off nine tons of documents,” Taylor added. “And we are so pleased that the General Assembly passed our bill to address gift card fraud this year. Retailers are now required to post warnings to consumers that it is always a scam if someone asks you to buy a gift care to pay a bill or fee.  If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam,” she says.

Approaching holidays gives more opportunities for deception says RI Attorney General

“The best way Rhode Islanders can avoid falling victim to a scam during the holiday season, and year-round, is to stay vigilant and stay educated,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha. “Scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated in the way they target their victims, and the holidays provide new opportunities for deception. Rhode Islanders can and should call our office or visit our website for advice and information if they are faced with a possible scam situation.”

Watch out for text or phone scams that appear to be from UPS, FedEx, or other mail services, warns the AG’s Consumer Unit. This can be as simple as a text message stating that UPS tried to deliver a package, but was unable to do so, or as deceptive as a phone call telling a consumer they will not receive their package unless they pay money in cash or gift cards. Consumers should not click on any links they receive via text message or Facebook message from numbers they do not know.

The AG’s Consumer Unit says that paying by credit card gives consumers more protection than other forms of payment. The payment apps mentioned (Cash App, Zelle, PayPal, etc.) cannot offer the same level of protection as paying by credit card. Gifts cards and cash payments are a red flag that a consumer may be the victim or potential victim of a scammer. Do not buy from individuals who request payment outside of a trusted online marketplace’s payment system.

Always do your own research.  A consumer may be able to quickly determine whether they are being targeted by scammer from a simple online search including keywords and “scam” or “complaint.” User feedback on the Better Business Bureau website may also help consumers identify whether the company they are interacting with is legitimate or fraudulent, says the AG’s Consumer Unit.  

Before spending hard-earned money on an opportunity, good, or service that may be a scam, consumers can reach out to our Consumer Unit with questions or concerns at (401) 274-4400 (prompt 1). An investigator or attorney will get back in touch as soon as possible. Alternatively, consumers may file a complaint online at http://riag.ri.gov/forms/consumer-complaint.

To read the full 2023 AARP Fraud Watch Network Report and learn more visit: www.aarp.org/holidayscams2023

Additional Resources:

Finally, AARP Fraud Watch NetworkTM is a free resource that equips consumers with up-to-date knowledge to spot and avoid scams, and connects those targeted by scams with our fraud helpline specialists who provide support and guidance on what to do next. Anyone can call the helpline at 877-908-3360. AARP Fraud Watch NetworkTM also offers free, facilitated peer discussion groups that seek to provide emotional support for those experiencing fraud; and advocates at the federal, state, and local levels to enact policy changes that protect consumers and enforce laws.

For a copy of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, “Fighting Fraud: Top Scams in 2023, go to https://www.aging.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fraud_book_2023__english.pdf.

Unique Partnership Creates Pilot Senior Fellows Program

Published in RINewsToday on December 11, 2023

Buoyed by the success of a pilot Senior Fellows Program, Leadership Rhode Island (LRI) and Age-Friendly Rhode Island (AFRI) are hoping to find the funding to offer another session in the summer of 2024.

The initial effort “to lift the voices, knowledge and vision of Rhode Islanders, age 62 and ver” prepared 25 Senior Fellows to advocate for improvements that address age-elated challenges. The initial eight-week program was tuition-free.

The first crop of Senior Fellows, residents of 13 different cities and towns in Rhode Island, ranged in age from 62 to 83. Nearly half were retired.

The idea to develop a senior advocates program came from Marianne Raimondo, a graduate of LRI’s Core Program, who made the connection between Leadership Rhode Island and James Burke Connell. Connell is the executive director of Age-Friendly Rhode Island, an initiative at Rhode Island College that represents a coalition of public and private agencies, organizations and individuals committed to healthy aging.

Empowering Seniors to Become Advocates

Connell proposed the pilot program because, he says, empowering seniors to become advocates, activists and champions of age-friendly thinking and practices “will result in a Rhode Island where older adults thrive and live their best lives.”  He was inspired by similar programs in Maine and New Hampshire.

Connell pitched the idea to Michelle Carr, LRI’s executive director, who could easily see the benefits of the proposed joint venture. One such positive: Nearly a fourth of LRI’s 3000 alumni are 62 years or older, many of whom are prime candidates for the program.

More importantly, Carr adds, LRI and Age-Friendly RI are both propelled by the belief that citizens of all ages who are actively engaged in their communities can make lasting impacts.

Age-Friendly RI raised the funds for the pilot program, and relied on LRI’s “talented team” to handle recruiting, participant selection, curriculum planning, and guiding participants in the development of individual community commitments, Connell says.

Gilda Hernandez, a 65-year-old research librarian at Providence College, participated with two goals in mind.  As the medical advocate for her 88-year-old parents, Hernandez wanted to become an educated caregiver, one who knows how to navigate state agencies to get appropriate services for them.  She also wanted to develop advocacy skills so she can address the societal problem of ageism, especially in the education sector.

The program was “what I expected. . . and more,” says Hernandez, who gave a thumbs up to the “exceptional programming and top-notch presenters.”

Most session days were divided into two parts, with half focused on knowledge-building around relevant issues, such as housing, food insecurity, transportation needs, and health care.

The other half focused on skill-building, such as writing persuasively,  public speaking and network building, to enable the Fellows to develop and eventually execute their own Civic Commitments.

Pitching Personal Civic Commitments at State House

The Fellows took turns describing their Civic Commitments during their final session, held at the State House.  The presentations, which included several “poignant and pin-drop moments,” were well received by the audience, which included representatives from the state’s Office of Equity and Engagement, and  from the AARP,  House of Hope, Meals on Wheels Rhode Island, and the United Way.

Senior Fellow Ron Caniglia, 77, from Warwick, applauds the advocacy program for emphasizing the importance of “living in place,” rather than “aging in place.”  In fact, his Civic Commitment — to urge the expansion of Medicare benefits to adequately cover hearing, vision and dental care — would enable more older adults “to live life to the fullest.” 

A retired contractor, Caniglia’s arguments for the expansion of these benefits are passionate and personal.  Hearing loss, if not addressed, can contribute to the breakdown of family and everyday social relationships, he says. This could lead to unhealthy isolation.

 Teresa DeFlitch, LRI’s director of leadership development, says she has high hopes that Rhode Island’s first 25 Senior Fellows will have a positive impact on senior citizens throughout the Ocean State. They are expected to begin their advocacy work within six months of leaving the program.

We hope, she says, that the Fellows have expanded their knowledge, network, and confidence when it comes to making a difference.

It is also hoped, she adds, that each participant feels more connected to a supportive and joyful community, including their fellow Fellows, and the LRI and Age-Friendly networks.

“We are eager to run the program again and incorporate feedback from this year’s cohort. Working with Age-Friendly Rhode Island has been wonderful and we are learning a great deal from the cohort members about what’s affecting them as older adults in the state. It’s been an inspiring and energizing experience,” DeFlitch says.