Vial of Life Provides Vital Information to Emergency Responders

The Vial of Life is a free program that helps put vital health information into the hands of emergency responders when seconds count.  Vial of Life programs are commonly used by Senior Citizens but this life saving program can be used by anyone in need.

Inside the kit is a form to fill out which includes the patients’ name, pertinent medical history and emergency contact information.  Once completed the form will be put into an oversized “pill capsule” then stored on the top shelf of your refrigerator door. A magnet and sticker are provided with the kit.  The magnet should be placed on your refrigerator door and the sticker should be placed near the front door to notify emergency responders to check for the Vial of Life in your refrigerator.

Update your information when you have major changes in your health history or if your medications change.  A good rule is to verify that your information is correct twice a year when you change the batteries in your smoke detector.

The Arlington Fire Department along with Texas Health Resources offer the Vial of Life kits free of charge.  You can also download the forms and request a kit from VialofLife.com.

For more great tips for Seniors, visit our website.

Technorati Tags: Vial of Life,Seniors,Emergency

Medicare Open Enrollment Runs October 15 through December 7

Medicare open enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7.  During this enrollment period, Medicare members have the opportunity to enroll in or make changes to their Medicare Advantage or Medicare prescription drug coverage for the following year. 

The changes that can be made during the Open Enrollment period include:

• Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan.
• Change from a Medicare Advantage Plan back to Original Medicare.
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan.
• Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage.
• Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage.
• Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
• Switch from one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
• Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage completely.
  

If you aren’t sure whether you have the best plan to fit your needs, Medicare.gov offers a Plan Finder tool that can help you decide.  Make sure you have a list of your medications ready so you can personalize the search and have the Plan Finder estimate the monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs for you.  The Plan Finder will also let you compare plans, and provide links so you can go directly to the plan you choose and enroll.

If you need help using the Plan Finder, Medicare has provided a tutorial that will guide you through the process.

For more great tips for Seniors, visit our website.

 

Technorati Tags: Medicare Open Enrollment,Medicare Advantage Plan,Medicare Prescription Plan,Medicare Part D

Early Voting by Mail for Seniors in Texas

It’s no secret we have a big election coming up on November 4, 2014.  If you plan to vote absentee, or what Texas calls "early voting by mail," then you need to get your application done ASAP.  Early voting for this election runs October 20 – October 31.

You may vote absentee in Texas if you are:

• 65 years or older;
• disabled;
• going to be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or
• confined in jail, but otherwise eligible

You can start applying for an early voting ballot up to 60 days before the election. The last day to apply for this election is October 24.  You can download and complete the Texas application for an absentee ballot and then mail, fax, or hand-deliver your completed application to your County Clerk. If you opt to hand-deliver your application, it must be delivered before the start of the early voting period (prior to October 20 in this case).  Once early voting has started, absentee ballot applications will only be accepted by mail, common or contract carrier, or by fax.

If you are unsure if your voter registration is in or

Technorati Tags: SEniors,voting,absentee,vote in texas,election

der, you can verify your information here.  You can search by your driver’s license number, your unique voter identification number or your first and last name. If you find you need to register, you can do so on that site as well.

Let your voice be heard!  Vote by mail, vote early, or vote on November 4.

For more great tips, visit our website.

Technorati Tags: voting,election,vote in texas,absentee

Keep Your Mind Sharp With Brain-Stimulating Exercise

A new book by former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona suggests that brain stimulating exercises such as puzzles and crosswords might be a key to preventing memory loss.

In Canyon Ranch 30 Days to a Better Brain, Carmona explains the anatomy of the brain and gives advice on how to keep the mind agile and sharp. Some of the strategies Dr. Carmona recommends for combatting the effects of aging on the mind include adequate sleep, good nutrition, exercise and brain-stimulating exercises.

In a recent interview, Dr. Carmona equated brain-stimulating exercise to physical exercise.  “As we get older, if we don’t exercise our biceps, they atrophy. And if you don’t continue to stimulate the mind, it does tend to undergo atrophy, too. MRI images show the brain shrinks if you don’t use it. It requires that you develop the neural network. It’s not clear whether a crossword puzzle is better than a video game. But generally, challenging and stimulating the brain with new things is good.”

So break out that crossword puzzle, play that online puzzle game, or work that jigsaw--It might be just what your brain needs.

For additional tips for seniors, visit our website.

Technorati Tags: Senior Tips,Brain Stimulating Exercise,Memory,Richard Carmona

3 Must Knows About Successfully Selling Your Home

Sometimes the hardest part of selling a home is making the decision to sell it. Our homes give us roots, provide sanctuary, house memories and, hopefully, give us some financial security. It's a huge decision to sell a home. Once made, however, additional decisions will come fast and furious, so take some time now, before the frenzy, to understand these 3 Must Knows About Successfully Selling Your Home in today's real estate marketplace.

 

What is Market Value?
One of the most challenging aspects of selling a home is determining the list price. Many homeowners will go online to find homes nearby that are for sale and base their price assumption on those that are most similar.

The list price of a home, however, is a fantasy. It represents an amount of money the seller thinks, or hopes the home will bring. Until the home sells, he may be right or he may be wrong.

Buyers set market value for homes. What a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured buyer pays for a home is the home's true market value. Therefore, when pricing a home for the market, one must always look at the sold prices of similar homes nearby.

This is the method both real estate agents and appraisers use when determining a home's market value.

First Impressions Matter
Think back to when you were house hunting. Were there houses that you arrived at that you just couldn't bear to get out of the car to look at? Chipped or peeling paint, sagging window and door screens, and overgrown or dead landscaping do not make a good first impression.

Before you do anything else, clean your house, inside and out. Make cosmetic repairs, especially outdoors where the house makes its first impression. Even if it's merely a new coat of paint on the front door, shiny new house numbers and some fresh mulch in the planting beds, it may help folks want to see more.

Don't neglect the interior either. If you don't know where to start, take a look at some websites with ideas on how to declutter and stage the home.

Since 95% of home buyers are finding their home on the internet, you want to make a good impression on real estate websites as well.  That’s why the Sullivan & Sullivan real estate team has every home that they list and sell professionally staged and photographed by a professional photographer.  See our Ultimate 55 Point Home Selling Plan

Don't Attempt This on Your Own
I know what you're thinking: Of course a real estate agent is going to tell me not to take the for-sale-by-owner route. So, I won't ask you to take just my word for it. Let's look at the cold, hard numbers.

First, only 9 percent of homeowners attempt to sell their homes without the aid of an agent, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). Of those, almost half said they took this route because they were selling their home to someone they knew.

The next most commonly stated reason that a homeowner gave for not using an agent was that he or she didn't want to pay the real estate commission. That's understandable when one isn't sure exactly what an agent does to get a home sold. Once you get a look at that list, you'll understand that you definitely get what you pay for.

You should also take into consideration the fact that a home that is for sale by the owner is considered a bargain to most homebuyers. Many will walk in expecting you to kick back some of that money you're saving by not using an agent. This is why, according to NAR, homes sold by agents sell for 16 percent more than those sold by owner.

Selling a home is a big deal and, thankfully, something we don't often do. When it's time to sell yours, start with the basics, as outlined above, and you'll be ready to list your home before you know it.  Contact the Sullivan & Sullivan real estate team to see how we sell homes in an average of 18 days for 99% of list price!

Technorati Tags: home selling tips,home seller,real estate sales,home sales,home value,staging