ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

Sleep trouble? You're certainly not alone, but some definitely have more problems than others. At least you've never done this:

Nothing like a good laugh at the end of the week. Have a great weekend, and try to take it easy on the sleepwalking.

I am in love with this woman. Clara, 93-year old cook and great grandmother, not only shows us how food was cooked during the Great Depression, but tells us stories from her childhood during that time. It's a wonderful way to learn how to cook while listening to some intriguing tales. You can also check out her website here.

Cook on, Clara!

Even for a guy who claims to be pretty easy-going and stress free, President Obama has a lot on his plate right now. The daunting road ahead would put a strain on anyone, so it's hardly surprising to see the Presidency taking a toll on Obama in the form of gray hair. A few different writers have noticed a bit of gray working its way into President Obama's hair since he moved into the White House. There have been all sorts of theories on the President's hair from him dying it black to appear young or gray to appear more mature and dignified. His barber insists the look is totally natural.

Know someone over 60 who is changing the world? They could win $100,000 for their passion. Nominate them for the Purpose Prize.

The Purpose Prize awards up to $100,000 to social innovators over 60 who are creating new ways to solve pressing social issues - from education to health care, poverty to global warming. Winners are finding purpose in an encore career and putting their experience to work for the greater good.

Click Here for stories on past winners and the nomination form.

Good luck!

Ratings aren't just for restaurants anymore. With the rise of websites like Angie's List, you can rate the performance of just about any kind of service provider for anyone to see. The medical field is just one of the latest industries to come under the scrutiny of customers. Sites like RateMDs.com allow users to post comments regarding their doctors and the treatment they have received. Well now doctors are fighting back, sometimes requiring a patient sign a waiver saying they won't post negative comments about them online before seeing them. Some doctors claim that these sites allow people to spread negative comments without any sort of verification, needlessly harming their reputations. Several doctors are trying to force websites to identify commenters and remove comments made by people who have signed non-disclosure waivers. So what do you think? Should a patient's right to discuss treatment trump a doctor's need to protect their reputation or vice versa?

With the announcement of President Obama's loan modification plans on the horizon, there is hope for all those homeowners out there who are struggling to keep up with their bills. Today, Citigroup Inc. announced their own mortgage modification plan to aid certain borrowers who are in trouble. They will let some people with loans through their company temporarily lower payments to around $500 dollars per month. This program only applies to people who have lost their jobs and are at least 60 days behind on their payments. Still, Citi thinks the plan will help out thousands of homeowners. If you think you might qualify, be sure to call Citi and find out.

Looks like sunny California isn't as sunny as it seems. New research conducted by UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that 47% of California residents aged 65 and older are unable to pay for basic needs. The Mercury News reports:

The new data reveal far deeper poverty rates among seniors than was previously known. According to the decades-old standard of measuring poverty, only 9 to 10 percent of California seniors were considered poor, that is, earning less than $10,000 a year. Researchers note that amount is peanuts in high-cost California, failing to reflect the true cost of survival.

"For us, what's striking is that these numbers are not even taking into account the latest economic crisis," said co-author Susie Smith, a program director at the nonprofit Insight Center for Community Economic Development. She noted the report used 2007 census data. "We can only imagine when we update this information next year, what the numbers are going to look like."

While Obama's stimulus will provide temporary relief to SSI recipients who are blind, elderly or disabled, stronger initiatives needs to be taken in-state to track poverty rates among older people so appropriate local action can be taken. Assemblyman Jim Beall, D-San Jose, has introduced a new bill, the Elder Economic Dignity Act of 2009, which calls for California to track seniors in poverty, but by using new measurements. Believe it or not, officials currently use a 50-year old federal measure to decide who is above or below poverty.

"There are a lot of hungry seniors, a lot of seniors who have suffered economically over the last decade," said Beall, "So to use a measurement that goes back to the 1950s is clearly not appropriate."

Can't get much clearer than that! Sheesh. Let's cross our fingers that this bill gets picked up.