Lord of the COGs: The Two Aging Agencies

The holiday season creeps ever closer, and with it the new year! There will be no column next week unless I queue one up, so don't hold your breath. (I know that you all will be eagerly refreshing this page the day after Christmas. Eagerly.)

From the Time's Money Magazine, we have a write-in question from a lady trying to decide if survivor's benefits are something she should apply for immediately.

In Medicare news, there's been a new study published seeking to determine why Medicare spending has gone down, or rather, how much of that decline can even BE explained. I know how much everyone loves dense academic articles, right? Right!! (psst: over here for an explanation of some of the most important points)

The other, slightly less awesome AAA - you know, the driving one - has released a study about how most older people are in favor of license renewal, speed cameras, and cell-phone laws. (I confess that one of my reasons for including this is so that I could say 'the other, less cool AAA.') Road safety culture, am I right? ...Apparently the very eldest folks were much more in favor of red light cameras than their younger peers, though. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Lord of the COGs: Fellowship of the I&As

Happy almost-holidays from ASCOG! It's turning out to be a busy month for us, and, with any luck, a busy month for you, too.

For those of you with a creative side, there's the 40th Annual Conference on Aging poetry contest: always very popular. We even have booklets of the poems from our COG, which you can come by and read if you like! Be famous. ...Semi-famous. ...Sort-of famous. ...You get an awards luncheon on May 5th, and that's pretty cool?

More importantly, people will actually read and think about your poems, and if you're a poet, I know that's basically your favorite thing ever. You can't fool me.

Here's another worthwhile activity for families of any age: have a child in an Oklahoma emergency shelter over for Christmas. It's such a self-evident good idea that I don't even have anything to say about it! I'm not sure if I'd inflict my family's Christmases on an unsuspecting kid, but if your house isn't a disaster area, what could possibly be a more awesome gift to someone?


Ken's Quiz

On this date, in 2012, this nation became the tenth “space power” when it successfully launched a satellite into orbit using its own launch vehicles.  What is the name of this country?

December 5th, 2014 - Return of the I&As

Well, the Aspire Home Health seminar that I mentioned last week went swimmingly! Much information. Such wow. So brochure. I won't tell you all about the things you missed if you didn't go, because that would be cruel. I will, however, mention that living wills, advance directives, DNRs, and memory care facilities may have been discussed.

I hope you all came to Vonn and made sure that your Medicare was in order, because the Extravaganza is closed as of tomorrow. Usually I would tell you not to panic, and I am telling you not to panic. I'm just also letting you know that she'll be at the Lawton Public Library today.

More importantly, we got mentioned in the newspaper! Several times!!! They weren't complaints!!!!! I can't take much credit for how cool the Duncan North Senior Center is, but I'd really like to. I had no idea they had dulcimer lessons! Dulcimer lessons. I want dulcimer lessons... Ahem. Apparently they have Christmas stuff for sale, too! The Banner is on a roll: there's also an article there about the Duncan Community Residence. That's a cool place. Do you know how much assisted living places cost in comparison? I don't even want to tell you.

I can't really take credit for the article from Duncan... the magazine about Ken Jones, my boss and fellow blog contributor, either. I mean, I could try, but he reads this, so: maybe not a good idea.

Today's entry for 'newspaper articles about the obvious' is the Boston Globe's incisive observation that seniors may not really want roommates in nursing home situations. I would never have thought so! ...No, that's unkind of me, it really IS something that people need to have brought to their attention, ideally so that they can do something about it.

So I have a confession: I'm terrible at trivia questions. Mine are basically terrible, so I am instituting the weekly Ken Quiz, contributed by Ken Jones or whoever else I can corner to help me.

Donned with the nickname, “Dandy,” this American football quarterback and sports commentator went on to become an actor in the movie Police Story.  He was known as the comic foil for fellow commentator, Howard Cosell.  He died, on this date, in 2010.  What was his name?