FREE | Published monthly Eastern Edition | June 2016 | Vol. 42 | No. 6 | 24 pp. Fighting Fraud AARP Fraud Watch Network offers tips to fiftyplus protect yourself advocate page 2 Day Tripping Plan a ‘staycation’ this summer page 6 Above: A couple enjoys a bike ride in Harvard. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHNNY APPLESEED COUNTRY A Legacy of Providing Exceptional Care for Seniors Since 1874 For More Information Contact Tracey King at 508-868-0967 www.goddardhomestead.org 2 • fiftyplus advocate + June 2016 + www.fiftyplusadvocate.com Fighting fraud BY MIKE FESTA, STATE DIRECTOR the second most reported fraud AARP MASSACHUSETTS in Massachusetts in 2015 was the Every imposter scam. This scam in- n the heels of a new re- volves someone pretending to be port showing the top a relative or friend in trouble, or scam in Massachusetts who falsely claims to represent 2 seconds Oinvolves debt collection, the a corporation, law enforcement, AARP Fraud Watch Network or government agency in order offers tips so you can learn how to get you to reveal personal in- to protect yourself from the five formation or send money. someone’s The third most frequent type top scams reported by of scam involved telephone and Massachu- mobile services, which included identity setts resi- complaints about advertising dents in 2015. related to mobile plans or rates, Accord- unsolicited text messages or fax- ing to the es, or unauthorized charges. is stolen. Number four of the top five Mike Festa FTC’s Con- sumer Sen- fraud complaints in the Bay State tinel Network Data Book, of were about banks and lenders. the 46,414 Massachusetts com- Consumers reported deceptive We’re fighting back with the AARP plaints recorded last year, 37,884 mortgage lending practices, ac- Fraud Watch Network. It provides were fraud-related, ranking the count issues with banks or credit Bay State at number 22 of 50 unions, payday loans, auto title resources to help you spot and avoid states. loans, or unauthorized fees or identity theft and fraud so you can Debt collection scams, where overdraft charges. a debt collector calls repeatedly, Rounding out the top five protect yourself and your family. often falsely representing the were scams surrounding shop- Sign up to get watchdog alerts and amount or status of debt, topped at-home and catalog sales. Com- the list of consumer complaints. monwealth residents reported stay up to date on con artists’ latest Nationwide, age-wise, those in undisclosed costs, failure to de- tricks. It’s free of charge for everyone– their 50s and 60s filed about 20 liver on time, non-delivery and refusal to honor a guarantee with members, non-members and people of all percent of all fraud complaints. Because con artists are out purchases made via the Internet, ages. Because for more than 50 years to steal your hard-earned mon- telephone and mail. Nationwide, Massachusetts AARP has been committed to safeguarding ey, AARP launched the Fraud Watch Network to help you ranked 18 of the 50 states with Americans’ financial futures. outsmart con artists before they 8,530 complaints from victims strike. Our mission is to help of identity theft in 2015, up you and your family safeguard from 5,116 in 2014. The major- aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork against identity theft and scams ity of identity theft complaints so you can keep the money you (58 percent) stemmed from gov- have worked so hard to make ernment documents or benefits and to save. fraud. The second most common The AARP Fraud Watch Net- ID theft complaint concerned work arms you with the tools you credit card fraud with 1,151 com- need to spot and avoid scams. A plaints (13 percent). free resource for people of all The agency’s Consumer Senti- ages, the Fraud Watch Network nel Network Data Book is based offers real-time alerts about the on consumer complaints filed latest scams in each state, a scam- with the Federal Trade Com- tracking map where you can mission to help identify fraud report on scams so friends and trends, research cases, identify Watchdog Alerts neighbors know what to watch victims and track possible tar- Tips & Resources out for, a guide to outsmarting gets. It does not include “Do Free for Everyone con artists, and a helpline where Not Call” complaints. you can talk to a trained volun- For more information, sign up 877-908-3360 teer for advice if you or someone for free at http://www.aarp.org/ you love has been scammed. fraudwatchnetwork or call 877- After debt collection scams, 908-3360. www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + June 2016 + fiftyplus advocate • 3 FREE Consultation a $150 value Restore Your Smile With Mini Dental Implants Do you suffer from loose dentures? Embarrassed to smile because you are missing teeth? Mini Dental Implants are the Affordable Solution for replacing teeth & stabilizing loose, uncomfortable dentures. • A simple and gentle procedure • Half the cost (and size!) of conventional implants • Get your smile and your confidence back! 508.847.4981 ParkAvenueDentalCenter.com NewEnglandDentalGroup.com Marlborough | Southborough | Worcester Dr. Gammas, Dr. Ghazi, Dr. Panajoti, Dr. Swamy, & Associates 4 • fiftyplus advocate + June 2016 + www.fiftyplusadvocate.com Index of Services Accessibility Real Estate AccessNSM.............................14 SellMomsHouse.com ............22 Adult Day Care Adult Day Club at Dodge Park...12 Rehabilitation june Reservoir Center for Health Cooperative Elder Services......7 and Rehabilitation ..................23 Affordable Housing Inside this issue Recreation/ Transportation Bigelow Village ......................20 Sherwood Village, Natick....24E* Fuller RV ...............................13 Sitkowski Apartments .............7 Hampton Jitney ......................15 Honor Flight Attorneys, Elder Law Senior Services treats local Durbin & Veglia, Attorneys ......21 AARP of MA ...........................2 WWII veteran Automotive Services Rest Homes Haddad Auto Detail .................13 Goddard Homestead ................1 to D.C. trip Oasis at Dodge Park ..........14C* Banking Services Avidia Bank ............................14 Subsidized Housing Binnall House ........................17 Bixby/Brockton Centre ........24E* Page 9 Cemetery/ Mausoleum St. John’s Cemetery Colony Retirement Homes.....15 & Mausoleum ........................10 Congregational Retirement Homes, Melrose ................24E* Athlete, Crafts/Gifts Emanuel Village .......................5 Craftworks .............................21 Green Hill Towers ...................11 musician and Hawthorne Hill ........................ 8 Dentists Illyrian Gardens ........................9 broadcaster New England Dental Group ......3 Lamplighter Village, Canton ..24E* reflects on Mt. Pleasant Apartments, Funeral Homes Somerville .........................24E* achieving Shaw Majercik Funeral Home..22 Vein Services goals Home Care Services Americas Vein Centers ...........22 Century Home Care ............24C* Old Colony Elder Services ......17 Walk-in Medical Doctors Page 17 Hospice & Primary Care Doctors Express, North Andover, Burlington, Hope Health Hospice ................6 Saugus, Malden, Waltham, Medical Research Studies Natick, Watertown, Dedham, Departments Brigham & Women’s Hospital ...18 Braintree, Marlborough, New Bedford, Worcester ...............13 Caregiving Tips .................8 Money Matters .............19 Mortgage Financing *E = Eastern edition Travel ..............................12 Viewpoint .................... 20 Direct Finance ......................23 *C = Central edition Publisher: David Bagdon Advertising Sales: Publisher Emeritus: Philip Davis Diane Sabatini: 508.366.5500 ext. 12 Mary Ellen Cyganiewicz: 508.366.5500 ext. 17 fiftyplus Managing Editor: Bonnie Adams ext. 14 Cindy Merchant: 508.366.5500 ext. 15 Bob Cofske: 508.366.5500 ext. 21 advocate Creative Director: Tina Berthiaume Barbara Clifford: 508.366.5500 ext. 19 Kevin Clinton: 617-966-1674 Fifty Plus Advocate is published monthly, 12 times annually by Bagdon Advertising, 32 South Street, Westborough, MA 01581. Serving the fifty-plus community since 1975 Fifty Plus Advocate accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and does not return them to sender. Retractions for any inaccuracies will be printed when necessary. Unsolicited letters to the editor become the property of this newspaper and can be reprinted in part or in whole unless otherwise stated. Fifty Plus Advocate columnists writing under a www.fiftyplusadvocate.com byline are expressing their personal opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper. Contact us: 508.366.5500 • 32 South St., Westborough, MA 01581 www.fi ftyplusadvocate.com + June 2016 + fi f t y plus advocate • 5 10 reasons to get off the couch and take a walk t can be daunting and over- 7.Whether you enjoy the whelming to consider start- ocean, a forest or a beauti- Iing an exercise program; es- ful park, walking is a great way pecially when you have not been to appreciate the beauty and that active. That’s why walking is wonder of nature. Start off easy such a great way to exercise – just and work your way up to a more about all of us can do it, it doesn’t invigorating routes. require much more than good 8.Take a walk and help clean supportive shoes and can be done up your neighborhood. Put almost anywhere at any time. your shoes and rubber gloves on and grab some plastic bags. Now that spring has Sure, you may be a bit grossed arrived, here are 10 great out about what you will fi nd but reasons to get going: once you’re done you will have Just the act of getting out pride