By Margaret McCormick

Imagine a roomy, comfortable home in a restored historic mansion in a leafy suburb of Syracuse.

You don’t pay the mortgage, taxes or utilities. And you don’t have to mow the grass, shovel snow or have the roof repaired.

You pay rent, but you don’t have to sign a lease. Healthy, home-cooked meals are provided, and you can even request your favorite dishes. You do your own laundry, or you can partner up and take turns with a friend.

You live on your own. But you’re never alone.

Welcome home to The House at 807, a housing alternative for the “well elderly’’ — seniors in overall good health — in the village of Liverpool. The house, with rooms for eight, is on a bus line, a few blocks from Onondaga Lake Park and Johnson Park in the village center.

It’s not a hotel, it’s not a retirement community and it’s not assisted living — though assistance is available in the form of house manager Debra Sacco, who lives on site, and chief cook and shopper Jackie Colasanti, who help residents with their needs, take them on errands and outings and keep the house running smoothly and efficiently.

“Everyone here is very independent,’’ says Colasanti. “The residents like to feel like they’re doing things themselves.’’ At lunch and dinnertime, Colasanti notes, a resident or residents will say: “I can set the table.’’

Norm Andrzejewski, chairman of the House at 807’s volunteer board, says the residence appeals to seniors in good health who desire the atmosphere of a house without the isolation that can come with living alone and without the responsibilities and headaches that accompany home ownership and maintenance. It’s a safe, secure residence with the benefit of companionship and the freedom to come and go. Family members and friends can visit as often as they like.

“The residents don’t have an apartment or house that they have to care for and they don’t have to worry about meals,’’ Andrzejewski says. “They’re with people roughly the same age, and with the same interests.

“From my vantage point,’’ Andrzejewski adds, “I think the companionship is the big advantage.’’

If your travels take you to Liverpool and beyond, you’ve probably driven by House at 807. The large, khaki-colored house with green shutters and orchid front doors is on landscaped grounds, set back from busy Route 57. The house was built in the mid-1800s for Willard Gleason (1823-1883) and his family. Gleason was a supervisor in the Liverpool Salt Yards, according to the Liverpool Historical Society.

In 1994, the house was purchased by the Liverpool Housing Authority, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide housing alternatives in the village for the “independent, well elderly.’’ Prospective residents do not have to live in the village of Liverpool.

House at 807 opened as a residence for seniors in 1997. Renovations and modifications to the house include an open, family-style kitchen for dining and gathering, smoke detectors and sprinkler system and an elevator to the second floor. During the warm weather months, it’s common to see residents relaxing in chairs on the front porch.

As is typical with homes of its age, bedrooms vary in size and closet and storage space is limited. Residents provide their own furnishings and other accents.

For some prospective residents, Sacco says, the thought of downsizing to one room — after a lifetime in a house or many years in an apartment — can be daunting. She says she advises some residents to give the place a trial of several months to see if they like it, placing furniture and other belongings in storage, just in case.

“Once people get here, they love it,’’ Sacco says.

House residents Audrey, in her 70s, and Vonda, 88, support Sacco’s words. The women, who asked that their last names not be used, are sisters-in-law who have known each other more than 50 years.

“I never thought I’d be in here with you,’’ Vonda said to Audrey with a smile on a recent morning.

Audrey lived in Fulton with her niece before moving to House at 807 more than two years ago. She visited three times and gave her transition to new digs careful consideration. She loves the location in the village, and her regular walks there and at Onondaga Lake Park.

“I fit right in,’’ Audrey says. “I love it here. I keep busy.’’

“She keeps us all busy,’’ says Vonda, who lived in an apartment at Harborside Manor in Liverpool before deciding to join her friend at House at 807.

Vonda’s room is on the first floor, a short distance from the laundry room and kitchen. “I’m satisfied here,’’ she says. “I was by myself. My family thinks this is the best move I’ve made.’’

House at 807 often has a waiting list for prospective tenants. In early January, one room was available, and a “for rent’’ sign stood outside in the snow.

With referrals from elder care service providers like Loretto and PACE CNY and positive word-of-mouth from residents like Audrey and Vonda, house manager Sacco guessed the room wouldn’t be empty for long.

“It’s just so homey here,’’ Sacco said. “Everyone looks out for each other.’’

By Pat Malin

John Briant retired from the New York State Police in 1982 following a distinguished 28-year career, including 10 years as a uniformed officer, four years as a station commander and the last 14 years as a BCI Investigator. Thanks to his second calling as an author, however, it’s almost as if he never hung up his uniform.

He now lives vicariously through his alter-ego “Jason Black,” a retired trooper whose dogged pursuit of the criminal element in the Adirondacks has led Briant to pen six novels in the Adirondack Detective series. His next book is due in the spring.

Q.What prompted you to become an author?
A.I always had a desire to write. When I was a kid, I used to write little poems and short stories. When I was still on the force, I wrote some short stories and they were published. One was about an escapee I helped apprehend in Lake Placid. I had my poems and short stories included in 12 anthologies even after I retired.

Q.How did you get started?
A.It had entered my mind a few years before I retired. My first book was called, “One Cop’s Story: A Life Remembered” and it was my autobiography. It was first published in 1995 and reprinted four times.

Q.Were you surprised by the reaction to your first book?
A.I was very pleased. My friend, Dick Case [columnist for the Syracuse Post-Standard] wrote a story about it when it first came out. It’s still available, but it won’t be reprinted. I saw it listed for sale on one website for $260. Apparently, I had autographed the book. It might have been the first edition, and the seller claimed I had written a letter to him.

Q.Why do all your books take place in the Adirondacks?
A. I try to have my storyline within the Blue Line [the park’s boundaries].  My wife [Marge] and I decided to retire here. The next one will also take place in the Adirondacks.

Q.Where are you from originally?
A.I was born in Theresa, outside of Watertown. In 1937, my brother, sister and I and my parents moved to Westvale in Syracuse. Later, we lived in Throopsville, outside Auburn. My father did a lot of things, running a gas station in Watertown; a salesman for Nabisco, and he operated a restaurant called the Suburban in Watertown. We also lived in Carthage. Then when my father moved to Syracuse, he worked for the government at the naval base.

Q.Did you always want a career in law enforcement?
A.No, I didn’t plan it. I graduated in 1948 from Port Byron Central School and then attended Auburn Business School. At that time, I wanted to be a teacher. I was about 17 when I first considered becoming a trooper. When I was a junior in high school, I joined the 27th Infantry Division-108th Infantry in Auburn. I trained for three summers at Camp Drum from 1947-49. I went out to Kansas City and enrolled in a radio and TV school, but I was not successful in getting a job. I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1950 and assigned to food service and radio. From September 1951 to September 1952, I was stationed in Keflavik, Iceland. I was a mess sergeant, but my training was equivalent to that of an executive chef. I was honorably discharged in August 1953. Then I went home to Auburn and my father told me about the upcoming exams for the state troopers. I remember that there were 5,000 applicants and only 125 were considered. I was one of the 50 who was hired.

Q.Where were you stationed as a trooper?
A.I reported to Division Headquarters in Albany, and then on Dec. 16, 1953, I was assigned to Troop D Headquarters in Oneida, and my starting salary was $1,600. We got an additional $4.25 a day for meals. I also worked in Pulaski, Ovid, Waterloo and Herkimer. I was the station commander at the Lafayette barracks from 1960-63. From 1953 till 1960 we all lived in the barracks. I also patrolled the Dewitt and Elbridge areas. In 1973 I transferred voluntarily to Malone and Massena.  In 1976, I transferred to Lowville and spent a year there before going to Syracuse. I also trained 13 troopers during their training phase as a senior trooper. In addition, I was a speaker at many community functions. I retired in 1982 at the age of 52.

Q.What types of cases does Jason Black handle? Where do you get your ideas for the plots?
A.Jason’s investigations are very similar to the cases I worked on.

Recent federal tax bill is mostly good news for seniors and older taxpayers, several local CPAs said. The bill, signed in December by President Obama, extends breaks put in place under former President George W. Bush. It represents “a substantial victory for middle-class families across the country,” Obama said when the time the bill was signed.

Wealthy taxpayers will also benefit.

The bill stopped taxes from automatically going up on Jan. 1. It remains in effect for two years.

Many older Americans continue working to make ends meet in the current economy. The $658 billion package includes a 2 percent reduction in the Social Security payroll tax.

Workers who pay Social Security payroll taxes will see them reduced to 4.2 percent from the current 6.2 percent. The maximum tax break would be a little over $2,000, and the cut would expire after one year.

“You have got to be working (to receive it), so it really kind of left us where we were in 2010. Most 55-plus people should see a lower tax than they otherwise would have,” said Thomas Riley, a tax partner at Testone Marshall & Dicenza LLP in Syracuse.

Art Pearson, principal at Burdick and Pearson, CPAs, in Oswego, said the tax bill is generally positive for all Americans, including those 55 and over.

“The tax rates are going to stay the same for at least two years,” Pearson said. “You will notice that your payroll taxes collected on Social Security taxes will be less.”

The estate tax provision in the Obama compromise package has received a lot of publicity, primarily for what is perceived to be breaks given to those in high income brackets.

Obama and Republicans struck a deal that reinstates the estate tax at 35 percent and to exempt estates worth as much as $5 million per individual.

“Most people are not going to pay the estate tax, but a lot of people got excited about it,” Riley said.

That’s on a federal level.

“New York state is a problem because our taxes are high and our estate tax kicks in at $1 million,” Riley said. “With proper planning, most people can save most of their money. You’re not going to see that many people in Central New York affected.”

Pearson said New York will likely “decouple” from the federal adjustments, “so for New York state, a $1 million tax exemption is still in place.”

The estate tax “allows portability between spouses,” Pearson said. “Although you have no federal estate tax, there is going to be an opportunity even if you passed away in 2010 to apply the estate tax at the 35 percent, $5 million level and by doing that the value of the assets will get a step up in basis,” Pearson said. “What the step up in basis does, it allows you to use your estate best value for when your heirs sell one day. Heirs will have less tax when they sell their assets.

“If you have a good estate plan in place, you’re able to shelter up to $10 million in estate taxes. Generally you have an exclusion of $5 million (per person),” he said.

The 2009 estate tax limit was $3.5 million. There was no federal estate tax in 2010, and if the provision had not been included in the federal tax package, rates would have reverted to 2001 levels — $1 million for an individual or $2 million for a couple.

‘It would have been the last year of favorable tax provisions at the federal level,” Pearson said.

Individual tax rates will remain intact for 2011. Another benefit of the tax package is that capital gains and qualified dividends will have “the favorable (15 percent) tax rates most taxpayers have enjoyed since 2001”, Pearson said.

“If they want to sell stocks or receive dividends they’ll enjoy the tax rate they have enjoyed for the past nine years,” he said.

For the upcoming tax year, things will remain pretty much as they were, Riley said.

“Now it’s kind of status quo. You have a lot of the same (practices) you did the year before,” he said.

Older Americans need to take a comprehensive look at their financial picture at tax time, Riley said.

“It all ties together. A lot of things don’t stand on their own,” he said.

Deductions are one area to look at.

“You would be quite surprised how many people don’t itemize,” he said. Many older Americans opt for short forms or electronic filing and don’t
take advantage of deductions they could use, he said.

Seniors need to reassess health care options, Riley added.

“They need to look at health care and things like that. Costs are going up,” Riley said. “A lot of people don’t understand how expensive health insurance is.”

Another word of advice:

“People need to look at their wills to make sure they are set up properly,” Riley said.

“There are a lot of things you need to take into account, but overall, I would say it’s status quo.”

As our jet touched down at Cyris E. King Airport in Charlotte Amalie  (A-moll-yeh) in St. Thomas, my mind went back to our first trip 40 years ago when we taxied ashore on the beach in a 10-passenger seaplane that had skimmed over the waves from Puerto Rico.

What else had changed since we first visited this ruggedly beautiful island thrust in the South Atlantic half way to Africa? We would soon find out.

While Christopher Columbus was busy searching for a route to India in 1493 he discovered these lush tropical islands, and named them ‘The Virgins’ in reference to the legendary beauty of St. Ursula and her 11,000 virgins (it would be extremely difficult to find that many virgins  in the islands today).

Columbus called the people he encountered ‘Indians.’ In any event, nothing much happened until the Danish West India Company successfully established a settlement at St. Thomas in 1672 consisting of 113 inhabitants. In 1685 the Danish government established a slave trading post and early governors approved of St. Thomas becoming a safe haven for the “Pirates of the Caribbean” (seems as if this would make a good movie — perhaps with several sequels). Their rationale was that this would benefit the local merchants.

The Virgin Islands remained under Danish rule until the United States purchased part of them in 1917 for $25 million in gold. Consequently, St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix became the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Virgin Islands chain is mountains that rose from the deep, eons ago. St. Thomas has the most precipitous terrain of all and runs east-west for approximately 15 miles and is approximately four miles at its widest point. The south shore faces the Caribbean and the north shore — which is sparsely developed — faces the Atlantic Ocean.

This little bit of paradise is swept by 1,500 miles of trade winds that originate from the west shore of Africa — the same trade winds that brought explorers from the European Continent, pirates of the Caribbean — and one of the most ideal climates in the world.

Year round temperatures vary from the high 60s to the high 80s and the gentle Caribbean breezes keep the bugs at bay. Most of the restaurants and other public buildings do not even have exterior walls.

We rented motorcycles during our first trip and enjoyed exploring the remote bays and inlets. We could park our bikes, don our snorkel masks, and enjoy swimming among the most exotic coral reefs, vegetation, and sea life that exists anywhere. Unfortunately 40 years of development and the resultant traffic makes this all but impossible today. Driving your own vehicle is not recommended. The combination of left hand drives with right hand drive vehicles mostly from the U.S. (the worst of both worlds) — narrow curving roads barely wide enough for vehicles to pass each other — and the crazy native drivers all invite mayhem for the uninitiated.

Our group of 19 was picked up at the airport by a taxi driver, who would become our chauffeur, historian and confidant. Oniel Mullaly is descended from slaves, as are most of the native inhabitants of the islands today. I asked him how he came to be named Oniel — he retorted, “Oh mon, I guess my mama just felt Irish that day.” He showed us the original West India Company building, long abandoned, as our van twisted and turned through miles of mountain roads that led to our rented condos. This was just a dirt road during our first visit.Bolongo Bay is but one of dozens and dozens of bays and inlets that dot the perimeter of St. Thomas. The family-operated Bolongo Bay Resort offers all the activities that our active group (which encompasses three generations) all love to do. We scuba-dived to explore an ancient shipwreck, went on a deep sea fishing venture (one of our young bucks almost snagged a shark), snorkeled in waters so clear you could see a pearl in 30 feet of water, hiked in mountain terrain, and just relaxed on the pristine white sand beaches.

The Miller clan started these bi-annual trips to exotic places a decade ago with the first “MilleRennium” in Jamaica, at the turn of the 21st century. St. Thomas would be our fifth “MilleReunion.” We spent the last night together at the top of a mountain, accessible by cable car. Paradise Point is a funky restaurant and night club that overlooks the bay of Charlotte Amalie. Watching the sun go down and listening to the steel drum band and the native’s boogying down with rhythm and fluid movement just put a cap on our wonderful vacation.

All agreed that St. Thomas was our best vacation – yet – but it won’t be our last.

Lillian Slutzker

The first example of a life well-lived is Lillian Slutzker. Many readers might know Lillian Slutzker and her late husband, Manny, from their many years as owners of “Manny’s,” a fixture on the Syracuse University campus for almost 50 years.

She worked all of her adult life in the store, taking over when Manny became ill. Ten years ago, she endowed the Syracuse University “Lillian and Emanuel Slutzker Center for International Services” and she recently received the Global Citizens Award from the International Center of Syracuse.

“I never thought the center would become such a big deal,” said Slutzker. “It just was important to me personally to do this for other people. I came to Syracuse as a refugee, having lost my whole family in the Holocaust. My mother and I had moved to Berlin from Hungary when I was 13 and at 21, I left Germany for England with a youth group; six months later the war broke out.

“I had to start my life over twice, once in England and then in America,” Slutzker said. “When I came to Syracuse, there was no one who reached out to me, and it was isolating and scary. In the hospital when I was having my son, the nurses couldn’t believe there was no one who came to visit me.”

She explained some of the reasons for starting the center at SU.

“I knew how important it was for other people new to our country to have a place to go to talk with others and, particularly, that it should be a nice place to congregate,” she said. “Ever since I was a little girl, it was my dream to go to university. Because of Hitler, even though I qualified, I couldn’t go. So another thing I do is speak to different groups and individuals about the Holocaust because so many people just don’t know about it.”

An all-around supporter of the university, she also funds scholarships for the men’s lacrosse program.

Not content to be “just” a benefactor, Slutzker taught conversational English at the center to international students to help ease their transition. She still goes there to meet with students and staff. A woman of action, her empathy for animals led to her being a founder of the Humane Society of Central New York.

She speaks three languages —Hungarian, German and English — and has a passion for travel that has taken her all over the world.

She is perhaps most proud of her son, Craig, a Yale graduate with a master’s degree from SU. Of his mother, Craig says, “She’s a gourmet cook and a connoisseur of cars. She loves fashion, gardens with an artists’ eye for flowers and landscaping, and is skilled at interior decorating. But with all her talents and accomplishments, she is still a very modest person.”

I met Slutzker at the gym and asked if she had always kept in shape?

“Yes, all my life. My mother was very keen that I exercise; when younger I was a long-distance runner and used to run in the woods. I still keep in shape and go to the gym twice a week,” she said.

Her secret indulgences are “French face creams and cooking, but because I do love to eat, I make it a healthy diet,” said Slutzker.

Lionel Logan

At the Dunbar Center, I caught up with Lionel Logan. Among his many civic activities, he works in the political arena for candidates in which he believes.

“I volunteer for Organizing for America in their phone bank. It is the organization that was at the heart of the Obama campaign,” explained Logan. “I also work with Citizen Action of  New York, an organization that conducts voter training.”

Logan said he feels strongly that everyone should be more politically involved.“The decision makers in power look at the people who vote, and if you don’t vote, you have no voice. It’s a question of ‘If you didn’t put me here, I don’t need to worry about you’, “ he said.

Another lifelong passion is education. “About 15 years ago, I started driving a legally blind teacher who taught [students with multiple handicaps] and had to visit three or four schools in one day,” he said. “I would go into the schools with her, and when I would see a student sitting in the office, I’d ask ‘What are you learning in the office, and why are you here?’ When children see that you are interested, they are mostly honest. When I would ask them if they would behave if I could get them back in class, the answer was always yes, so I would try.” If the teacher had two or more students at a school, Logan said he would volunteer to tutor and then he became a mentor.

“I discovered that city schools really don’t teach students about voting, even in civics or government classes. I called the [Syracuse City School District] Board of Education and told them I was with the NAACP and got permission to go into high schools yearly and register students to vote.”

“My daughter’s a teacher and when I went to her school one day, I ended up answering students’ questions for an hour. You never know what you may say that could change a child’s life. To this day, if I see children on a corner hanging out, I always ask why they’re not in school. If possible, I will try to get them back in, Logan said.”

Logan and his wife raised six children of their own and were foster parents to others. He worked for the federal government in military computerized communications, so he is a fan of computers and even has a Facebook page.

“I have grandkids and great grandkids, and they won’t let me not get into [Facebook]. But then again, I’m interested in just about everything. I’ve always been like that and I think that keeps me young.”

I asked what advice he had for other retirees? “Don’t be a couch potato. Find something that will get you up in the morning. People in nursing homes would love to have visitors,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about what to discuss with them; they just want to impart their knowledge to you and they often have no one else to talk to.”

What about diet and exercise?

“I’m reasonable about what I eat, even though I have no medical problems that would keep me on a strict diet. I do exercise, generally, some light weights along with aerobic exercise. But the most fun I have is golfing and bowling. I started bowling in my 20s and playing golf in my 50s. It’s the participation sports that I like.”

And his secret indulgence?

“I watch very little TV, mostly news and political shows, but I joined Netflix because it forces me to watch movies that I had always wanted to watch.”

Marie Felice

I have known Marie Felice for years, and she is so busy that it was almost impossible to tie her down for an interview.

As the wardrobe steward for IATSE (International Alliance of  Theatrical Stage Employees) Local 9, she does every professional show that comes into Syracuse.
“I call and arrange the wardrobe group of men and women needed for the shows. There are hairdressers, seamstresses, dressers, people who steam and iron, and people who work on shoes,” she explained.

“Many of the people who work for wardrobe have themselves been on stage, so they know how to treat the cast properly,” she said. “For instance, for Legally

Blonde they needed eight dressers, two hair people and one laundry person.”

Felice just finished a modern dance group and is now off to do a musical in the Famous Artists Series. In December, she did “The Nutcracker,” and in January, she did “Disney on Ice.”

I viewed the pages of spreadsheet notes that Felice uses to keep track of each show, and it was overwhelming.

“I [am] the treasurer of Festa Italiana, and I also hire the entertainment. I love working with all the people who work on the Festa and when it all comes together, it is just a great feeling,” she said.

She’s also a bookkeeper for two clients.“My passions are theater and my grandchildren,” she said. “I started in theater with Father Charles Borgognoni when I was 18, and I learned so much from him. He gave me the love for theater.”

Felice goes to sleep around 12:30 or 1 a.m. and gets up at 7:30 a.m. Other than that, she rarely stops moving.

“I have to work even when I watch TV,” she said. “I have to be busy. I cook for myself every day, and I make healthy food. My exercise is touching my toes when I get up in the morning and stretching to get the kinks out of my back [that were] caused by an accident years ago. I also run up and down the stairs all day long because my computer is downstairs.”

So what provides the most fun in her life?

“Cooking and baking, theater, my grandchildren and my kids,” she said.

A neat and well-organized person, Felice has every show bill from every production she’s ever worked on.

“My daughters are trying to make me throw out my check registers that I still have from when they were in college and my Mary Ann comes over every week to go through boxes and makes me throw things out,” she said.

Her secret indulgence?

Chocolate, of any kind!

Buy Young

One of the most basic ways a person can lower their LTC insurance premiums is by purchasing a policy at a younger age. For example, a policy that costs a 55-year-old $2,000 a year in premiums could cost a 65-year-old more than $3,000. Health is another fact that can affect costs. While good health can lower your monthly payments, having a preexisting medical condition can increase your costs, or you may not be able to get insurance at all.

Check Your Employer

Some employers offer LTC insurance as an employee benefit that is often 5 to 10 percent less expensive than buying a policy on your own. Or, if you or your wife is a current or retired federal employee, you can get affordable coverage through the Federal LTC Insurance Program (www.ltcfeds.com).

Tweak the Policy

The cost of LTC insurance depends greatly on the policy’s previsions. Here are some simple ways to trim your premiums:
• Reduce the benefit period: A policy that covers you for two or three years, vs. an unlimited benefit, meets the needs for most people and can cut your premiums in half.
• Lower the daily benefit: You can get a policy that pays $100, $150, $200 per day or more, but the higher the benefit, the higher your premium. To figure out how much coverage to get, check out the nursing home prices in the area you plan to be. Then figure out how much of the bill you could shoulder yourself, and choose a benefit that makes up the difference.
• Extend the waiting period: Most policies have waiting periods (30, 60, 90 days or more) that require you to pay out-of-pocket before the policy kicks in. The longer you wait the lower your premium.
• Get cheaper inflation protection: Choosing a policy that offers inflation protection linked to the consumer price index is about 20 to 40 percent cheaper than standard policies that use a 5 percent compound inflation factor.

Get State Help

Many states today have a LTC partnership program that can help you save. Under these programs, if you buy a LTC policy approved by your state Medicaid agency, you can protect an amount of assets from Medicaid equal to the benefits that your policy pays out. How does it work? Let’s say you buy a policy that provides $200,000 in benefits (multiply your daily benefit by your benefit period). If you use up all the benefits but still need care, you can shield $200,000 of your assets and still have Medicaid pay your remaining nursing home bills. With this program, you can choose a shorter benefit period, which will lower your premiums. Contact your state insurance department to see if your state offers a program or see www.dehpg.net/ltcpartnership.

Add a Supplement

Another option to consider is Uncle Sam’s soon-to-be-established LTC program known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act — see healthcare.gov.

Starting in 2013, this program will allow workers to set aside money from their paychecks for five years, in order to receive a cash benefit of at least $50 a day to help pay for LTC services when needed. While CLASS won’t cover all your LTC costs, it can work as a nice supplement to a LTC policy allowing you to lower your daily benefit and reduce your premiums.

1 Choose a qualified hearing professional — Several types of hearing professionals including audiologists; hearing aid specialists; and ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors can provide information about, and help with hearing aids. Hearing professionals with strong qualifications such as appropriate education, license or certification, experience and a good reputation in the community are generally a wise choice.

2 Research hearing aids types — Learn about hearing aids types and hearing technology to gain a basic understanding of the many choices available.

3 Undergo a hearing test and complete hearing evaluation — A comprehensive hearing test and evaluation is the first step toward identifying hearing loss and finding the right hearing aid for a specific hearing problem. An online hearing test is a good way to get started, but it is essential to visit a hearing professional for a comprehensive hearing evaluation.

4 Honestly identify hearing needs — Some hearing aids are well suited for noisy situations; others are not. Some hearing aids types are perfect for an active lifestyle, while others are better suited for quiet activities such as watching television or listening to music. Features, controls — even color — may be important factors to consider when choosing a hearing aid.

5 Understand hearing aid prices — Hearing aids are a major purchase and as such, the buyer should receive a written contract which includes the cost of the hearing aids, as well as any services provided by the hearing professional. These services may include fitting, training and follow up appointments. Insurance coverage and financing may also be available to help make hearing aids affordable.

6 Get a comfortable fit — Custom earmolds ensure the best fit when purchasing new hearing aids. New hearing aids require a period of adjustment, and any level of discomfort could make the transition difficult.

7 Follow up — Adjusting to new hearing aids takes time as the brain learns to hear again in a new way. Follow up appointments with a hearing aid specialist are imperative to get the most out of new hearing aids.

8 Ask about the return policy — Most hearing professionals will offer a trial period for new hearing aids. Some may charge a fee if the hearing aids are returned; others may offer the opportunity to try a different hearing aid style.

9 Understand the warranty — As with any major purchase, hearing aids may come with a warranty to cover repairs or replacement. An extended warranty may be available to protect in the event of loss or damage to hearing aids after the initial warranty has expired.

10 Consider using hearing aids with other assistive listening devices — Many hearing aids are designed to work well with phones and audio equipment. New wireless hearing aids may be the ultimate in convenience for the hard of hearing. A hearing professional can answer questions about the compatibility of hearing aids with assistive listening devices.

For more information on hearing loss and hearing aids, visit Hearing-Aid.com, sponsored by the National Council for Better Hearing.

Dabigatran

The first new drug is dabigatran, brand name Pradaxa. It’s an oral anticoagulant, a blood thinner that can be taken by mouth. It treats atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm abnormality that predisposes patients to strokes. Most atrial fibrillation patients take warfarin (brand name Coumadin) for this purpose.

Dabigatran prevents strokes as well as, or better than, warfarin, with about the same risk of unwanted bleeding. And it doesn’t require blood test monitoring. Warfarin patients must have blood drawn at least every month and more often when starting the medicine, changing the dose, sick, changing other medicines, etc. So dabigatran can be a boon for people who have trouble maintaining correct warfarin levels or trouble complying with the recommended testing.

Alas, dabigatran is no panacea. It must be taken every 12 hours rather than once daily for warfarin. It’s expensive, costing twice as much as warfarin even factoring in the required blood tests. Warfarin can be reversed with the injection of vitamin K, but there is no antidote if a patient develops excessive bleeding on dabigatran. Patients with serious bleeding on dabigatran need transfusion of fresh frozen plasma. Also, dabigatran is sensitive to moisture and must be used within 30 days of when the bottle is opened.

Denosumab

Another new drug approved in the past year is denosumab (brand name Prolia), an injection for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It’s a monoclonal antibody: an actual specific human antibody produced in the laboratory. It’s given as an injection every six months delivered in the doctor’s office.

Our bones are always remodeling: old bone is reabsorbed and new bone formed. After menopause, bone breakdown often exceeds new bone production, leading to the bone thinning and structural changes of osteoporosis. Denusomab binds to a chemical called RANK ligand, a substance involved in bone breakdown. Denusomab slows both bone breakdown and overall bone remodeling.

In the three-year study leading to the drug’s approval, women taking denusomab had fewer fractures and higher bone density than controls. The medication is approved in special situations, such as women who have failed other osteoporosis treatments, or who have been unable to tolerate other medications.

Because the drug is new, the incidence of serious side effects remains unknown. Scientists don’t yet know whether denusomab will cause the same serious problems over time that were discovered in other osteoporosis drugs. These problems include osteonecrosis of the jaw, atypical thighbone fractures, or delayed healing of fractures. Known side effects include back, muscle, and bone pain, elevated cholesterol, and bladder infections. Because denusomab’s target, the RANK ligand, is also involved in the immune process, women taking Prolia have an increased risk of infection.

Propoxyphene

Propoxyphene (brand names Darvon, Darvocet) has been discontinued. It’s a weak pain reliever, no more effective than acetaminophen. It can cause abnormal heart rhythms, even in patients without known heart disease. Regular users of propoxyphene should taper off the drug to avoid withdrawal, rather than stopping cold turkey.

Meridia

Abbott laboratories withdrew its popular weight loss drug Meridia from the market several months ago. The FDA recommended discontinuing Meridia because its modest effects for weight loss were not worth its increased risk of heart disease.

Super Glue, Ear Wax

The website that I used to research the above turned out to have a section that I hadn’t noticed before, called “Truth vs. Rumor.”  It looks at the evidence supporting various medical rumors. I thought I’d share some knowledge gained from browsing that information.

Can superglue be used to repair skin wounds? I learned that the cyanoacrylate chemical used in household super glue is similar to, chemically different from the chemicals used in medical tissue glue. It’s probably safe to use household superglue for tiny wounds like cracked fingertips or paper cuts. Don’t use super glue on chronic wounds or larger wounds that require closure. Medical adhesives degrade more slowly than household superglue, lasting longer and causing less toxicity.

Can sodium docussate, an over-the-counter stool softener, help soften earwax? There aren’t any studies that show superiority of any one of various substances that have been tried to soften ear wax: commercial wax softeners, hydrogen peroxide, sodium bicarbonate, olive oil, or sodium docussate. But it’s safe and painless, so go ahead and try if desired.