Check out our January newsletter!
LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
January 2023
We Help You With Medicare.
TO FLORIDA AND BACK
“Please don’t have a heart attack,” was the opening line on my email to Pun, my newsletter editor. On this particular occasion, I had sent him my newsletter content a day early. He survived that event quite well. Pun emailed me before Christmas, reminding me that my Christmas holiday would be more enjoyable with my newsletter content completed. I agreed. However, Annual Enrollment Period wrap-up and illness filled the late December days, so things seem to revert to the way they’ve been with my writing for January in January! Our friends at the Newsletter Pro do such a great job producing Lyn’s Ledger. I want to take credit for the recipes, but those come as part of the package the Newsletter Pro provides. Some clients have told me they cut out and keep every single one. May I invite myself over for dinner sometime? Kathy and I are on our way to Orlando for a week of meetings and sightseeing. I’m typing this part of my article on the plane. Our recent rains in Ojai have acclimated us for Florida, where the forecast has several days of rain. Today is Jan. 2, and the nationwide holiday flight chaos of the previous several days has abated. LAX was busy but flowing — then again, we are flying Delta not the formerly nimble airline that suffered a complete breakdown of operations during the Christmas snowstorms. Anyone who has made the cross-country flight at 35,000 feet and 588 mph appreciates the marvel of air travel and is very happy not to be exposed to the minus 60 F outside! Amazing
that we plan to be across the country in four hours to enjoy the rest of the day at our destination. Orlando, Florida, is one of the largest tourist areas in the world. After we landed and rented a car, our first stop was at the one Trader Joe’s in the area. TJ’s is Kathy’s favorite store. What was even busier, though, was the Walmart. Near the Orlando Airport, Universal Studios, Disney World, and Epcot Center, this huge store had a half-hour wait to check out and pay. I visited with several people while waiting. Everyone was from somewhere else. We’ve already been to Epcot Center twice, so we’ll probably go to Sea World when our meetings wrap-up. We are safely through the first three days of 2023, and it’s already getting interesting. May the rest of the year go just as well. At the start of this year, I would like to again express my gratitude to the LTI team, Susan, Beth, and Rod. Our growing team is grateful for the opportunity to assist you with your Medicare needs. Next month’s Lyn’s Ledger will highlight the other insurance products we represent that may be helpful to you. Blessings,
–Lyn Thomas
1
www.LT-ins.com
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
OLD PROBLEMS, NEW SOLUTIONS How Marriage Counseling Can Help Senior Couples
No one stays the same forever, so it makes sense that many couples have more difficulty relating to each other as they age. So-called “gray divorce” is rising, with 10% of all divorces occurring between couples 65 and older. It’s never too late to start again and be happy, but it also may not be too late to save a troubled relationship. Marriage counseling helps countless couples reconnect, communicate, and solve their differences. While many people still attach a stigma to marriage counseling, the practice is more common than ever among seniors. And there is a variety of issues counseling can help address. Many couples who have been married for a long time have ingrained negative patterns over decades. Changing them is possible, but it isn’t easy without outside help. People change significantly over 10, 20, or 30 years, leading to conflict and dissatisfaction. And it’s not uncommon to go through a relationship upheaval during an “empty nest” period. Other seniors are in second marriages, and while they’re often newer, they can come with their own sets of problems. After all, integrating two lives is never easy.
And couples of all ages can struggle with routine marital problems like conflicts over money, a loss of romance, infidelity, regular arguments, and simply growing apart. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be contemplating divorce or at each other’s throats to attend marriage counseling — though both scenarios are good reasons to do so. Many people attend marriage counseling when they feel like their relationship is going through a slump, have trouble communicating, or struggle with one specific issue. Counseling also isn’t about proving who’s “wrong” or “right” but about helping you and your spouse work together better to address the problems in your life or marriage. If you think your marriage could benefit from counseling, talk to your spouse and look for therapists through friends and family, your doctor or faith leader, or even Google. Hopefully, your other half will be on board with the idea, but you can’t force them. A spouse that refuses to attend will be a roadblock, but you can still benefit from individual counseling. With a therapist, you can determine the best steps forward for your life and relationship.
TELEPHONE SCAMS THE ULTIMATE LUMP OF COAL FOR CHRISTMAS OR NEW YEAR’S
Christmas may be past, but the scams are coming fast and furious. This morning, my sister-in-law from Montana texted me, “I got a call from a gal who said she was with Medicare and wanted me to get my card and give her information from it to update my Medicare information and send me an updated card. Is that something that they do or is this a scam?” I texted back, “I’m thinking scam.” It’s absolutely a scam! Never forget, the IRS, Social Security, and Medicare NEVER make first contact by telephone. If any of these federal agencies want to communicate with you, they always send you a letter first. Telephone calls may become a part of the ongoing communication on the particular matter, but that is after initial contact by mail. Now, you may call them first and a return telephone call from the agency may follow up, but you would have started the conversation.
Back to Sue’s call this morning. Besides the scratchy telephone connection and hard to understand accent, the substance of the call is a easily recognized scam: • The caller claims to be from Medicare but is asking for her Medicare number. (They didn’t actually have Sue’s Medicare number, did they?) • The caller has her phone number but wants to update her Medicare information. • Sue already has a Medicare card, but the caller wants to send her another card. Sue saw through the scam immediately and hung up on the caller. As an aside, Medicare completed its beneficiary number and card replacement project in April 2019. So, any card replacement scam attempt is completely bogus. And remember, Medicare never makes first contact for any matter by telephone.
So what would have happened if Sue would have given the caller her Medicare number? More likely and less damaging, Sue’s name and telephone number would have been sold to even more lead generators, resulting in even more telephone calls. More damaging would be her possibly being enrolled in a different plan without her consent, resulting in months of hassle trying to figure out what happened, along with any interruption in medical services getting re-enrolled in her previous plan. Legends of a lump of coal as trick Christmas gift go back to the Middle Ages. The ultimate lump of coal for Christmas(and New Year’s!)
are these telemarketing scams that our government regulators seem either uninterested in or impotent to deal with. Never hesitate to contact LTI if you have any questions about what’s happening.
2
CA# 0D96309
1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
www.LT-ins.com
We Help You With Medicare.
MEDICARE SEMINARS, JANUARY–SEPTEMBER While most of our readers are already enrolled in Medicare, you may be interested in or know someone who would like more information about the basics and how the accompanying Advantage, Supplements, and Part D programs function. Our Medicare 101 Seminar is designed to review details and answer questions from our clients on the basics of Medicare and companion insurances. These seminars are presented live on-site at 1211 Maricopa Hwy. in Ojai and live online via Zoom. Medicare 101 Seminar 6 p.m., the third Monday of each month, January–September. Turning 65 or Still Working Seminar 10 a.m., the second Saturday of each month, January–September.
For those not yet in Medicare and seeking information as their entry approaches, our Turning 65 or Still Working Seminar identifies the necessary steps to take as Medicare approaches, whether at 65 or later when retiring from employer-provided group health coverage.
RSVPs requested. To reserve your seat, please call 805-646-6409 or email Susan@lt-ins.com.
Invite a friend to attend with you, or pass this on to someone you know who may benefit from it. These monthly seminars are presented on-site at LTI, 1211 Maricopa Hwy. in Ojai. Each Seminar will also be accessible live via Zoom. The Zoom meeting link is available at LT-ins.com Transitioning to Medicare is one of the most important steps in this stage of life. Our goal is to help you understand Medicare and its insurances and to equip you to make the best decision for your health care needs.
SUDOKU
AIR FRYER ROASTED SALMON WITH SAUTÉED BALSAMIC SPINACH
Ingredients
• • •
3 tsp olive oil, divided
• • • • •
1 garlic clove, sliced
4 salmon fillets (6 oz each) 1 1/2 tsp reduced-sodium seafood seasoning
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes 10 cups fresh baby spinach (about 10 oz) 6 small tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
•
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Directions
1. Preheat air fryer to 450 F. Rub 1 tsp oil over both sides of salmon, then sprinkle with seafood seasoning and pepper. In a greased air fryer basket, place salmon. 2. Cook about 10–12 minutes until fish flakes easily. 3. In a 6-qt stockpot, place remaining oil, garlic, and pepper flakes. Heat over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in tomatoes; heat through. 4. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. Cook until vinegar is reduced by half, then remove from heat. 5. Arrange spinach on serving dish. Place salmon over spinach mixture and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
3
CA# 0D96309
805-646-6409
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
PO Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024
INSIDE
CA# 0D96309 | www.LT-ins.com | 805-646-6409
2 1
To Florida and Back
Resolving Differences With Marriage Counseling
Telephone Scams — The Ultimate Lump of Coal
3
Medicare Seminars, January– September
Air Fryer Roasted Salmon With Sautéed Balsamic Spinach
4
The Furry Saviors of Bangladesh
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
If you wander down a riverbank in southwest Bangladesh, you might happen upon a squealing, squeaking crate of river otters. The otters aren’t in danger. In fact, they’re the pampered helpers of the region’s fishermen and women, who’ve trained them to herd fish. THE FURRY FRIENDS OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY
HOW BANGLADESHIS USE OTTERS TO HARNESS THEIR CATCH
of fish per excursion thanks to their otter helpers. Locals breed otters specifically for this purpose, raising them just like Westerners raise dogs and cats. This otter-human partnership is an important part of Bangladeshi culture. The fish the otters bring in sustain their owners through lean times and help them survive periods of famine. However, according to the BBC, the tradition is slowly fading away. Rivers in the region are drying up, pollution is surging, native fish are disappearing, and families are getting out of the otter business. One third-generation fisherman told Roads & Kingdoms that as of 2015, only 12 families in Gopra Village, where he lives, continue to fish with otters. That’s a tiny fraction of the 100 families that fished when his father ran their family business. However, he told the reporter he “will continue to work with otters as long as there are fish to catch.” To learn more about this fascinating human-animal partnership and see a video of the otters in action, head to YouTube and search “Bangladesh otter fishing.”
Yes, that’s right — just as we use herding dogs to corral sheep and cows into pens, people who fish in Bangladesh use otters to drive fish, crabs, and prawns into their nets. The practice dates back hundreds of years — and it’s impressive to watch. First, in the dead of night, the Bangladeshi anglers load crates of otters onto their boats and head out to fish. Each otter wears a small rope harness and leash attached to a wooden pole. As soon as the boat reaches the fishing area, the fishermen release the otters. They dive into the water and paddle furiously after schools of fish, encouraging them to swim into their owners’ nets. According to the publication Roads & Kingdoms, Bangladeshi fishers can catch more than 20 pounds
4
1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro •www.NewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator