AARP Report: Using Public Wireless Network Can Be Costly

Published in Woonsocket Call on August 2, 2015

This week Rhode Islanders learned about a secret NSA map obtained exclusively by NBC News detailing China’s cyber attack on all sectors of the U.S economy, including major firms like Google and Lockheed Martin, as well as the U.S. government and military.

But, they also learned that the stealing of personal and financial information isn’t just taking place nationally at federal agencies and Fortune 500 companies but throughout the state, too. Internet users who put convenience ahead of protecting financial information stored on their laptops and mobile devices are becoming more susceptible to hackers, too, says a newly released 21 page AARP report.

Giving Hackers Easy Access to Your Personal Info

A new survey of internet users, ages 18 and over, released on July 29, 2015, shows that the freedom and convenience of public wireless networks may come at a cost. Nearly half failed a quiz about online and wireless safety, while tens-of-thousands admit to engaging in activity that could put them squarely in the sights of hackers looking to steal their personal information.

An AARP Fraud Watch Network report, “Convenience versus Security,” shows that among adults who access the Internet, a quarter (25%) use free public Wi-Fi once per week or more. “A free Wi-Fi network at an airport, hotel or coffee shop is convenient,” said Kathleen Connell, State Director of AARP Rhode Island. “But without a secure network, Americans risk over sharing, leaving themselves vulnerable to attacks by con artists and hackers.”

In response to these cyber threats recognizing the need for greater awareness of the risks of internet scams, the Washington, DC-based AARP is launching the “Watch Your Wi-Fi” campaign to educate Americans about the risks of free public Wi-Fi and how they can protect themselves.

Researchers identified a high incidence of risky online behaviors that might lead to financial theft and fraud. According to the findings, among those who say they use free public Wi-Fi, more than a quarter of respondents (27%) say they have banked online via public Wi-Fi in the last three months. Similarly, 27% of those who use free public Wi-Fi have purchased a product or service over public Wi-Fi using a credit card.

Additionally, the findings noted that 26% of the respondents who use smartphones do not use a pass code on their phones. Sixty one percent do not have online access to all of their bank accounts. Finally, among those who have set up access to all or some of their online banking accounts, almost half (45%) say they have not changed their online banking passwords in the past 90 days. Experts say that online bank account passwords should be changed every 90 days.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

The researchers found that nearly half of survey respondents (45%) failed a quiz about online and wireless safety. The findings also indicated that approximately 40% of respondents were not aware that it is not okay to use the same password on more than one site even if it contains a complex mix of letters, numbers and symbols. Even if you are not using the Internet, if you’re in a location with a public Wi-Fi network, you should disable your wireless connection, say the researchers, adding that it is NOT safe to access websites with sensitive information, such as banking or credit cards, while using a public Wi-Fi network, even if the website is secured by https.

More than 8 in 10 (84%) people surveyed did not know that the most up-to-date security for a home Wi-Fi network is NOT WEP — Wired Equivalent Privacy. Experts advise using at least WPA2 wireless encryption for better protection.

“The Fraud Watch Network’s “Watch Your Wi-Fi” campaign is giving Rhode Islanders the information they need to stay connected without sacrificing their personal security,” Connell added.

Protecting Yourself on Public Wi-Fi

A newly launched FWN cyber scam website features “Four Things Never to Do on Public Wi-Fi” You can protect your financial data by following these website pointers. First, “Don’t fall for a fake.” Scam artists often set up unsecure networks with names similar to a legitimate business, coffee shop, hotel or other free Wi-Fi network. Always “Mind your business.” To reduce indentity theft and fraud, do not access your email, online bank or credit card accounts using public Wi-Fi. Always “Watch your settings” too. Keep your mobile device from automatically connecting to nearby Wi-Fi. Finally, “Stick to your cell:” Don’t surf the internet by using an unknown public network if the website requires sensitive information – like online shopping. Your cell phone network is safer to use. .

“The survey by AARP on Americans’ knowledge of how to protect themselves online is alarming. With more people online than ever before, the public needs to be more aware of the dangers that lurk in cyberspace and take the necessary measures to protect to protect themselves from being a victim of cyber crimes and scams,” said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin, whose Consumer Protection Unit is often the first place consumers call when they have been victimized online.

Attorney General Kilmartin offers these pointers on how to protect yourself while cruising cyberspace: When creating a password for an online account, the key to remember is to make it “long and strong,” with a minimum of eight characters and a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Always use dual verification and ask for protection beyond passwords based on information only you would know, like your first elementary school or the name of your first pet. Many account providers now offer additional ways for you verify who you are before you conduct business on that site. Finally, use different passwords for different devices and different accounts.

According to Kilmartin, it may be easier to remember one simple password for all your accounts, but you make it easier for hackers to figure out your password and gain access to all your online accounts. “I write down my passwords in a notebook which is kept in a safe place, separate from my electronic devices. This may seem like a cumbersome step, but trust me, it’s much easier than trying to reclaim your identity and clean up your credit if someone steals your identity,” he says.

Pawtucket Police Chief Paul King sees increase in identity theft and fraud in the City of Pawtucket. It’s a national trend, he notes.

“In many incidences these crimes are perpetrated far beyond the borders of the United States,” says King, noting that Detective Hans Cute is assigned to the cyber and financial crimes beat. Detective Cute has received specialized training and works very closely with the US Secret Service, US Postal Service, and other state and federal agencies when this type of crime occurs, he says.

Pawtucket residents can report a cyber and identity theft crime to Detective Cute at (401) 727-9100, Ext. 758. For Woonsocket residents, call the Woonsocket Police Department at (401) 766-1212.

If you would like to schedule the Attorney General’s Office to visit your organization for a consumer protection presentation, please visit www.riag.ri.gov or call 401-274-4400 and ask for the Consumer Protection Unit.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12 is a Pawtucket writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.

Unpaid Caregiver Care Saves State Money

Published in Woonsocket Call on July 26, 2015

With the graying of state’s population, Ocean State caregivers provided 124 million hours of care—worth an estimated 1.78 billion —to their parents, spouses, partners, and other adult loved ones in 2013, according to a new AARP Policy Institute’s report. The total estimated economic value of uncompensated care provided by the nation’s family caregivers surpassed total Medicaid spending ($449 billion), and nearly equaled the annual sales ($469 billion) of the four largest U.S. tech companies combined (Apple, Hewlett Packard, IBM, and Microsoft) in 2013, says the 25 page report.

AARP’s report, Valuing the Invaluable: 2015 Update, noted that family caregiving for relatives or close friends with chronic, disabling, or serious health problems – so they can remain in their home – is nearly universal today. In 2013, about 134,000 family caregivers in Rhode Island helped another adult loved one carry out daily activities (such as bathing or dressing, preparing meals, administering medications, driving to doctor visits, and paying bills), says the report issued on July 16.

Log on to AARP Rhode Island’s caregiving Web page (www.aarp.org/ricaregiving) to download the report as well as access information on recent caregiver legislation passed by the General Assembly and other resources: www.aarp.org/ricaregiving.

The Difficulty of Caregiving

The AARP report detailed how caregiving can impact a person’s job, finances and even their health, says the researchers. More than half (55%) of family caregivers report being overwhelmed by the amount of care their family member needs, says the report. Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) family caregivers report a moderate (20%) to high degree (18%) of financial strain as a result of providing care. In 2014, the majority (60%) of family caregivers had full- or part-time jobs, placing competing demands on the caregivers’ time.

According to AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell, AARP’s study on caregiving affirms the state’s record as a trailblazer in the field of caregiving. In 2013, Rhode Island became just the third state to enact paid family leave, which is known as Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI). Also in 2013, Rhode Island enacted the Family Caregivers Support Act, which requires a family caregiver to receive an assessment,” she said.

Connell said that this year the Ocean State remained in the forefront of helping caregivers with passage of the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act, which calls for hospitals to provide instruction to designated caregivers. Additionally, Rhode Island became the 42^nd state to enact the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act. In Rhode Island, a court-appointed guardian can make important decisions across state lines.

“This new report, however, does demonstrate that we need and can do more to assist the many caregivers in our state,” said Connell. “Some of the ways we can help family caregivers include continuing efforts to improve workplace flexibility, respite care, tax credits and home care services,” she says.

Adds Charles Fogarty, Director of the state’s Division of Elderly Affairs (DEA), “This study demonstrates that the backbone of long-term services and supports are family members and informal caregivers. Quantifying the hours and economic value of caregiving provided by Rhode Island families and informal caregivers raises public awareness of the impact these services have upon Rhode Island’s health system and economy. It is clear that there is a significant need to support caregivers who, at a cost to their own health and economic well-being, work to keep their family members in the community.”

DEA works with the state’s Aging Disability and Resource Centers and local nonprofits and agencies such as the RI Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Office of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Providence, local YMCAs and Adult Day Care programs, to provide programming, support groups and information to Rhode Island’s caregivers, according to Fogarty. “Rhode Island also requires that a caregiver assessment be conducted when a recipient of Medicaid-funded Home and Community Based Services has a caregiver providing support in the home,” he says.

Improving State Support for Caregiving

Although Maureen Maigret, policy consultant for the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island acknowledges Rhode Island as being a leader with progressive laws on the books supporting caregivers, specifically the Temporary Caregiver Insurance Program, more work needs to be done.

Maigret calls for better dissemination of information to caregivers about what services and programs are available. “In this day and age we should have a robust Rhode Island specific internet site that offers caregiving information about state specific resources,” she says, noting that too often caregivers “just do not know where to turn to find out about programs like DEA’s co-pay program.” This program pays a share of the cost for home care and adult day care for low-income persons whose incomes are too high to meet Medicaid eligibility.

Rhode Island also falls short in providing subsidies to caregivers of frail low income elderly to keep them out of costly nursing homes, says Maigret, noting that the program’s funding was cut by 50 percent in 2008, creating waiting lists which have occurred over the years, It’s “short sided” to not allocate adequate resources to this program. The average annual cost of $ 1,200 per family for the caregiver subsidy program can keep a person from going on Medicaid, at far greater expense to Rhode Island taxpayers, she says.

This AARP report must not sit on a dusty shelf. It gives an early warning to Congress and to local lawmakers. As Americans [and Rhode Islanders} live longer and have fewer children, fewer family members will be available for caregiving duties. Researchers say that the ratio of potential family caregivers to the growing number of older people has already begun a steep decline. In 2010, there were 7.2 potential family caregivers for every person age 80 and older. By 2030, that ratio will fall sharply to 4 to 1, and is projected to drop further to 3 to 1 in 2050.

With less caregivers in the trenches providing unpaid care to keep their loved one at home, the state will have to step in to provide these programs and services – for a huge price tag to taxpayers. State lawmakers must not be penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to caregiver programs. Funding should not be slashed in future budgets, rather increases might just make political sense especially to tax payers.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12 is a Pawtucket writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.

Survey: Older Americans Puzzled About LTC Programs and Services

Published in Woonsocket Call on July 19, 2015

Planning for your golden years is key to aging gracefully. But, according to a new national survey looking at experiences and attitudes, most Aging Boomers and seniors do not feel prepared for planning or financing their long-term care for themselves or even their loved ones.

This Associated Press (AP)-NORC (NORC) Center for Public Affairs Research study, funded by The SCAN Foundation, explores a myriad of aging issues, including person-centered care experiences and the special challenges faced by the sandwich generation. These middle-aged adults juggle their time and stretching their dollars by providing care to their parents, even grandparents while also financially assisting their adult children and grandchildren.

Older American’s Understanding of LTC

This 21 page survey report, released on July 9^th, is the third in an annual series of studies of Americans age 40 and older, examines older Americans understanding of long-term care, their perceptions and misperceptions regarding the cost and likelihood of requiring long-term care services, and their attitudes and behaviors regarding planning for possible future care needs.

The survey’s findings say that 12 percent of Americans age 40 to 54 provide both financial support for their children and ongoing living assistance to other loved ones. Federal programs are often times confusing to these individuals, too. More than 25 percent are unsure whether Medicare pays for ongoing living assistance services like nursing homes and home health aides. About 1 in 4 older Americans also overestimate private health insurance coverage of nursing home care.

Researchers noted that about half of the respondents believe that a family member or close friend will need ongoing living assistance within the next five years. Of those who anticipate this need, 7 out of 10 reports they do not feel very prepared to provide care, they note.

More than three-quarters of those surveyed age 40 or older who are either receiving or providing ongoing living assistance indicate that their care includes at least one component of “person-centered care.” This approach allows individuals to take control of their own care by specifying preferences and outlining goals that will approve their quality of life.

The survey also finds that most of those reporting believe that features of “person-centered care” have improved the quality of care

Paying for Costly LTC Services

The 2015 survey findings are consistent with AP-NORC survey findings from previous years, that is older Americans continue to lack confidence in their ability to pay the costs of ongoing living assistance. Medium annual costs for nursing homes are $91,260; the cost for at-home health is about half that amount, $45,760, says the report.

Finally, only a third of the survey respondents say that they have set aside money for their care. More than half report doing little or no planning at all for their own ongoing living assistance needs in their later years.

“The three surveys on long-term care [by AP-NORC] are helping us create a comprehensive picture of what Americans 40 and older understand about the potential need for these critically important services,” said Director Trevor Tompson, at the AP-NORC Center in a statement. “Experts estimate that 7 in 10 Americans who reach the age of 65 will need some form of long-term care, and our findings show that many Americans are unprepared for this reality,” he says.

Dr. Bruce Chernof, President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation, says that the 2015 study takes a look at public perception regarding long-term care and most importantly, how people can plan for future long-term care needs. “The insight provided by this research is critical because it will help us promote affordable health care and support for daily living, which are essential to aging with dignity and independence.” he says.

AP-NORC’s 2015 study results are validated by other national research studies, says AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell. “AARP’s research, both nationally and state by state, reveals that people in the 50+ population are concerned about the cost of retirement and especially long-term care,” she says, observing that “very few people seem worry free on this question and rightfully so.”

Beginning the Planning Process

Connell adds, “I would say our response to this survey is that it adds to the awareness that people need to start thinking about this at an earlier age. And that means not only focusing on saving but also getting serious about health and fitness.”

What can a person do to better prepare for paying for costly long-term care and community based services? “AARP.org has an abundance of information on long-term care. There’s advice on long-term care insurance, a long-term care cost calculator and many other resources. We also need to remain strong as advocates for programs that support seniors. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid need to remain strong in order to support Americans entering the most vulnerable chapters of their lives,” she says.

Amy Mendoza, spokesperson for the American Health Care Association (AHCA), a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents over 12,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities, calls for increased conversations to help planning for potential future need. “Given that the need for long-term or post-acute care is a life changing event, it demands some considerable thought, discussion and research,” says Mendoza.

“AHCA’s “Care Conversations” program helps individuals have the honest and productive discussions needed to plan and prepare for the future long-term care needs,” adds Mendoza. Care Conversations has a Planning Tools page on its website which provides information on advance directives. Learn more at: http://careconversations.org/planning-tools.

Todd Whatley, a certified elder law attorney, notes that some of his best clients are middle age adults who after taking care of their parents want to avoid costly nursing home or community based care services. “They are then suddenly very interested in some type of [insurance] coverage for the extraordinary expense of long term care when a year earlier, they had no interest whatsoever,” he says.

Whatley, President-Elect of the Tuscan, Arizona-based National Elder Law Foundation, suggests contacting a financial planner or Certified Elder Law Attorney when purchasing long term care insurance, “Get early advice from someone with their best interest at heart. There are many times that a person simply doesn’t need this product financially, but most people do.

To locate a Certified Elder Law Attorney, contact Lori Barbee, Executive Director, National Elder Law Foundation. She can be reached at 520-881-1076 or by email: Lori@nelf.org.

For a copy of the study, go to http://www.longtermcarepoll.org/Pages/Polls/long-term-care-2015.aspx.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12 is a Pawtucket-based writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.