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Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter

June 1, 2006               

Issue Vol. 6 No. 6

In This Newsletter

Introduction

Healthfully yours

Health Hints

 Introduction***

 The Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter is written monthly, solely for information to help seniors, baby boomers and anyone who may have an interest in staying healthy, living a vigorous, active lifestyle and combating the aging process. It does not constitute the practice of medicine and is not meant to prescribe treatments. It is offered strictly as an educational aid. Any medical problems you may have, we recommend that you seek the help of your physician or other healthcare professional. Discussing your intentions with your doctor is always the proper procedure. The newsletter also includes know-how in the form of useful tips and links to more extensive material on the Internet. You may wish to share this newsletter by sending a copy to a friend, neighbor or relative and suggesting they subscribe to it.

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 Healthfully Yours***

 Safety…A concern for everyone…

 We live in dangerous times. You only have to pick up a newspaper, turn on the television or radio to read, hear or see the latest happenings to see what horrible thing is happening to people. Some of the incidents are so horrible as to be unbelievable. If you were to read these occurrences in a novel, they would be hard to imagine.

 I don’t mean this article to be morbid in any aspect, but it is important for people to realize we live in dangerous times. This should only heighten their resolve to protect themselves and their loved ones. Personal safety begins in the home and becomes paramount when you go out the door of your home.

 Safety not only mandates that you protect your physical self, but you need to know there is a need to protect your good name and financial assets as well. Identity theft has grown by leaps and bounds, and is continually on the increase. There are always scam artists waiting to steal your identity and turn your life into a nightmare. Many of these con artists are completely without conscience, and their actions mimic an animal that will seek out the weakest or wounded and attack them because they are the easiest prey. That is why they especially target the elderly and those who leave their guard down. This is not to say that only the elderly are at risk, but age is not a criterion when it comes to being safe.

Have you ever given thought as to what is going on in your own neighborhood? Usually in your local paper there is a daily report of crimes that have occurred in your area. I am willing to wager that the greater majority of the readers just skim by this report without ever reading it. Read this report the next time you read the paper, and I guarantee it will be an eye opener. These are only the police reports for the immediate area, but you can be sure that there are other incidents, such as robbery, house invasions, scams, etc.

 Protecting yourself starts at home. The next step is when you open the door and leave your home. Continued protection you must be aware of is on your drive to work, shopping, etc. Arriving at your destination, and your guard should be continued. How to be on guard through all the phases mentioned will be discussed in the health hints below. Before we do, let me say that this newsletter is not to be alarmist, it is meant to be a wake-up call that everyone can be at risk at one time or another and that we need to be on the alert at all times.  

 Health Hints***

 Safety at home:

  1. Always keep doors locked. Windows should also be kept locked, especially at night.
  2. If you have an alarm system, keep it on even during the day when you are at home. Make sure you have a sticker displayed on the door, and even a sign on a posted stating that this property has an alarm system.
  3. If someone comes to your door, be sure to check who it is before opening your door. They may say they are from the electric, telephone or some other company. They may even flash a badge and say they are from the police. Should that occur, call the local police department and ask them to verify the badge number before opening the door. If they are legitament they won’t mind waiting. If they aren’t they won’t be waiting around long. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
  4. Protecting your-self when the phone rings is paramount. Know who your caller is .Ask for their name, company, etc. If they ask for personal information, inquire what the reason is. They may say they are from some financial institution, such as a credit card company, and they need to update your information. NEVER, give out this information because these companies do not ask for this information on the phone. JUST HANG UP!
  5. Always leave a little light on in the evening. This can prevent a break in when the thief realizes there is someone at home.
  6. Do not have high hedges or foliage that will give a thief covers and makes it less visible to break in.
  7. Know your neighbor and look out for each other. Be aware of any suspicious noises that may be coming from their house or apartment. Discuss these things with them before so that you both can be on the lookout for anything of a suspicious nature. Should something occur, do not hesitate to call 911 immediately.

When leaving your home:

  1. If your car is in he garage of your home, get into the car, lock the doors and open the garage door.
  1. If your car is parked outdoors. Look around before leaving your home. Should you see anyone lurking nearby, or a car parked behind you for no apparent reason, go back inside and lock the door. Observe from the window, until you feel it is safe to leave the house. If these suspicious individuals remain even for a shot time call 911. When you feel it is safe to leave, have your car keys in hand when you approach your car. Get in immediately and lock the the doors.
  1. f you are not using a car and are walking to a bus stop, be aware of anyone that seems to be observing you or following you. If there is someone that seems suspicious to you, do not hesitate going into the nearest home or store and tell him or her that someone is following you and ask to use the phone and call 911.
  2. When you arrive at your destination, if it is your place of employment, park as close to the entrance as possible. Be aware of your surroundings as you enter the building. If you used public transportation, and are offered a ride home by another employee, be sure you know them well before getting into a car, or accepting an invitation to visit their home. Do not work in a building at night if you are alone. If you do, do not open the doors to anyone, even if they say they have a delivery. Try to do the necessary work at home if at all possible. If you drove to work and you have to work late, try to walk to your car in the company with another person. The same applies if you used public transportation.

 Precautions for making your home secure when leaving for a few days or on vacation:

1.      Check your alarm system to make sure it is working properly.

2.      Use a timer in 2 or 3 rooms that are connected to lamps that are set to go on and off at different times.

3.      Stop your newspaper and mail delivery if you expect to be away for an extended period of time. Or, ask a neighbor to take your newspaper and mail in and hold it until your return.

4.      You can purchase a simulated dog alarm that will go off when it detects motion or noise.

5.      Place a window sticker or put a sign on your door displaying the name of your alarm company as previously mentioned. If you do not have an alarm, get a sticker or sign anyway from any company and use that.

6.      Make sure you have double dead bolts on all doors. If you have sliding doors, place a piece of wood, even the handle of broom or mop on the slide part of the door.

 Safety when you are in your car:

  1. Always buckle up.
  2. Lock your car doors as soon as you get into the car.
  3. Drive at posted speed limits.
  4. When stopped at a red light and it changes, always be sure that another car is not running a red light before you start into the intersection.
  5. If you have the right of way at a stop sign, always make sure that another car is not running the stop sign before you proceed.
  6. When parking, never leave packages, laptops, cameras, etc. on the front or back seat in plain view. Always place them in the trunk.
  7. If you stop at a gas station, always stop the motor and remove keys and hold them in your hand. Here too, never leave a handbag, or other valuables in plain view while you are pumping gas, or going inside to pay. Valuables should not be in plain sight even if you don’t leave the car and pay by credit card.   

Personal Safety

  1. Here your safety starts in protecting your good name. You should have a shredder at home.
  2. Shred all papers that have any personal information on it such as social security number, bank account records, credit card statements and any other papers that might contain personal information.
  3. You certainly will be getting blank checks from your credit card companies. If you are not going to be using them, make sure to shred them.
  4. Check your credit card and bank account statements carefully. If you notice any suspicious activity in your bank statement, or charges to your credit cards that you didn’t make, report them to the proper company or bank immediately. If your credit card has been compromised, the company will deactivate that card and issue you another with a new number.
  5. Also be sure to check your phone bills and in particular your cell phone statement for calls you didn’t make. This can happen more often than you think.
  6. You may receive an e-mail that looks official and seemingly is from your bank or other institution you may or may not be doing business with. They will be asking you to update your account information and ask you to click on a link to do this. This is called “phising”. Never under any circumstances click on this link. However, you should forward this email to the institution it seemingly came from, and then delete it.
  7. If you have inadvertently responded to any of these phishing links, contact your credit card company, bank or any other institution involved and report this immediately. They will start the ball rolling to protect you. If you feel extremely comprised concerning this fraudulent e-mail report it to:

Internet Crime Complaint Center: www.ifccfbi.gov . This agency is a partnership of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.

  1. You should also report the fact that you have been fraudulently compromised to the three major credit bureaus, and tell them to place a fraud alert on your files. These are:
    1. Equifax at: 1 (800) 525-6285
    2. Experian at: 1 (888) 397-3742
    3. TransUnion at: 1 (800) 680-7289
  2. You also need to contact the Federal Trade Commission’s fraud hotline to report this fraud at: 1 (877) 438-4338

I would greatly suggest that the above information be printed out so that you have the contact numbers readily at hand if ever the need arises.

 Doc Cane

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