My profession takes me into the homes of many elderly who have had to face the decision to leave all they know and hold familiar to move into assisted living, or into the house of a loved one. I think it benefits all of us if we think of ways to help our loved ones stay independent and thriving on their own as long as possible. After the life long job they have done for us we owe them nothing less than the best possible scenario for them to live out the end of their days as  independent as possible.

So in that frame of thought I present this article again. I do so because I know that technology advances exponentially so fast that new ideas are developed quickly. As Mr. Wang says in the article, “There are more and more products out there, more and more technologies available,” Wang said. “It’s an emerging field. I don’t think we’re done with all those brilliant ideas yet.” So once again here is a thought-provoking article. As usual, thanks for reading…..

New Devices Help Seniors Stay Longer in Their Own Homes

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 18, 2011 (HealthDay News) — Seniors who want to remain in their homes despite illness and infirmity can get a high-tech assist these days.

So can their children who might worry about an elderly parent living alone, often far from family members.

The 1980s-era medical alert pendants made famous by their television advertising (“I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!”) are now among a wide array of devices that can help keep an eye on aging parents and get them help when they need it.

Available technologies include:

• Sensors in the home to track an older person’s movement, from the front door to the medicine cabinet to the refrigerator to the stove. The sensors are linked with computers that can issue alerts when people deviate from their routine.
• Global positioning system devices, using the GPS technology that’s become so common in cars, that can help locate someone with dementia who’s wandered from home.
• Computerized pill boxes that track whether medication is being taken on time.

“The notion behind these technologies is that people stay in their homes with some peace of mind on both their and their families’ part,” said Elinor Ginzler, AARP’s senior vice president for livable communities. “In many cases, sensors are actually placed in various places throughout the older person’s home. They are continuously tracking data. More or less all of them are looking for changes in that typical pattern and can note that change and alert responsible parties.”

Ginzler gave the example of a “sensor checking to see if the front door is opened to pick up the newspaper every day by a certain time, because that’s what Dad does.” If he usually gets the paper by 7:30 a.m. and it’s now 8:30 a.m., an alert might be sent to his son or daughter letting them know about the deviation in his schedule. They then have the option of calling to check in on him.

It might seem that older parents would reject the loss of privacy that can come with so much electronic eavesdropping, but that’s an incorrect assumption, Ginzler said.

Nearly nine in 10 seniors in an AARP survey said they would be willing to give up some privacy if it allowed them to remain in their own homes longer. When asked about specific home safety technologies, seniors often said they would be willing to use them even if they weren’t previously aware of the devices.

“Resoundingly, people said, ‘Yeah, I’ll learn new things,’” Ginzler said. “There’s a resounding motivation for learning new things when your independence is on the line.”

Though such devices aren’t in wide use yet, a significant number of people seem to be taking advantage of them.

Harry Wang, director of health and mobile product research for Parks Associates, a Dallas-based market research firm that tracks digital technology trends, said that with “the senior safety tracking and monitoring that helps seniors remain in the home longer, we’ve seen a little bit better traction over the last several years.”

About one in 10 caregivers of senior citizens use tracking sensors that can remotely detect a potential safety hazard in the home, according to an AARP survey of caregivers. About 16 percent of caregivers said they had used some type of emergency response system.

Parks Associates has projected that by 2012 more than 3.4 million senior citizens in the United States will be using networked sensor applications to monitor their movements and improve their health.

“There are more and more products out there, more and more technologies available,” Wang said. “It’s an emerging field. I don’t think we’re done with all those brilliant ideas yet.”

However, Wang and Ginzler cited three things that must happen for such technologies to succeed:

The design must be simple, elegant and enticing so that seniors can easily learn how to use the device — and perhaps even enjoy it. “You have to make sure the solutions are well-designed, in the sense that it’s exciting,” Wang said. “It’s not reminding seniors that they are old and fragile in the home, but reminding them that they are still young and able to enjoy life and remain in the home.”

The devices must come down in price. “The No. 1 barrier is the cost of the system,” Wang said. “They must be affordable to seniors.”

Companies and families must market the devices properly. “A lot of this has to do with the way the technology is presented, and the family conversation about this,” Ginzler said. “The message needs to be, ‘We want to make sure you can stay in your house and be independent the way you want to be, and we can respond if you get in trouble.’ When that family conversation goes well, it results in peace of mind both for that person and their family members.”

I realize we are not in a perfect world, and observing the myriad of ways individuals treat, or mistreat their fellow man, woman or child I am always surprised at what people do or how far they will go. The lack of integrity in our world is disheartening at times. I’m rambling, so I will get to the point.

Two nights ago I was having a nice dinner with my dear friend. After dinner I went to the Verizon store to iron out some issues with my new phone. Without realizing it, I somehow dropped or kicked my wallet out of my truck. I had just cashed my Christmas checks and had well over $500 in the wallet. As soon as I realized what had happened I backtracked my steps. The wallet was turned into the store, thankfully, but of course the cash was gone. I keep trying to console myself by telling myself it could have been worse. The entire wallet could have been gone, with those ramifications; so I am trying positive thinking. In going over the issue in my mind for two days, it brought to mind another time in my life when my car was stolen back in 2003;  these thoughts leading to my lack of understanding. I will never understand the attitude of someone who sees something, wants that something, so they just take it. Damn the consequences to the victim. I was fortunate my money had no definite earmark, but I kept thinking, what if it was my rent, car payment, medication money.

Where does the integrity break down? Who is responsible? Is it the parents lack of influence? Is it the examples of government officials or corporate leaders who cheat, steal and lie, and are never brought to justice?  Is it the schools, churches? When does a person decide to be the person they will be? At what age? One would like to think that at some point of adulthood, a person takes the reins and decides who and what they will be in spite of the past, present or future. I know there is no easy answer, and people continue to live as they want and justify whatever they do, be it good, bad, or gray. In contrast there is much good done by people to and for people. It isn’t black and white. It just leaves me frustrated to be a victim of someone’s lack of integrity. I just hope maybe it was a family with children who really needed the money. Still not a lot of comfort in that. It belonged to me, dang-it and I want it back! Just felt the need to vent.

Thanks for reading.

So long as people click on unsolicited attachments in e-mail, scammers will invent new ways to take their money, identities and more. The FBI last week issued a warning on one such new Internet blight called “Gameover,” which, once ensconced on your PC, can steal usernames and passwords and defeat common methods of user authentication employed by financial institutions. MORE ON CYBERCRIME: From Anonymous to Hackerazzi: The year in security mischief-making The FBI said it has seen an increase in the use of Gameover, which is an e-mail phishing scheme that invokes the names of prominent government financial institutions — the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA), the Federal Reserve Bank or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FBI says Gameover is a newer variant of the Zeus malware, which was created several years ago and specifically targeted banking information. Here’s how the FBI describes the scam: “Typically, you receive an unsolicited e-mail from NACHA, the Federal Reserve, or the FDIC telling you that there’s a problem with your bank account or a recent ACH transaction. (ACH stands for Automated Clearing House, a network for a wide variety of financial transactions in the U.S.) The sender has included a link in the e-mail for you that will supposedly help you resolve whatever the issue is. Unfortunately, the link goes to a phony website, and once you’re there, you inadvertently download the Gameover malware, which promptly infects your computer and steals your banking information. “After the perpetrators access your account, they conduct what’s called a distributed denial of service, or DDoS, attack using a botnet, which involves multiple computers flooding the financial institution’s server with traffic in an effort to deny legitimate users access to the site — probably in an attempt to deflect attention from what the bad guys are doing.” The FBI went on to say some of the funds stolen from bank accounts go towards the purchase of precious stones and expensive watches from high-end jewelry stores. “The criminals contact these jewelry stores, tell them what they’d like to buy, and promise they will wire the money the next day. So the next day, a person involved in the money laundering aspect of the crime — called a ‘money mule‘ — comes into the store to pick up the merchandise. After verifying that the money is in the store’s account, the jewelry is turned over to the mule, who then gives the items to the organizers of the scheme or converts them for cash and uses money transfer services to launder the funds.”

Smartphones and tablets are evolving from niche luxury devices to mainstream consumer gadgets. As mobile devices become a ubiquitous part of the mainstream culture, malware developers are paying attention and are anxious to exploit the fertile new territory.

Android is the low-hanging fruit because it combines the leading smart phone platform with an open ecosystem, and the ability to purchase apps from diverse, rogue app repositories. Other platforms seem inherently more secure, but are still not invulnerable. Despite the “walled garden” and strict curation of iOS apps, a security researcher recently demonstrated that the Apple App Store has its weaknesses as well.

Follow these five tips to avoid malware on your mobile devices.A statement from McAfee proclaims, “While reported mobile malware incidents are still relatively low in number, McAfee Labs is seeing significant growth in the mobile malware threat landscape.”

To guard against mobile malware and protect yourself and your data, here are five things you should keep in mind when buying or downloading apps for your mobile devices:

Be Aware

Malware on mobile devices is nowhere near the threat that it is on PCs–particularly Windows-based PCs…yet. Malware developers aren’t looking for a challenge. They will develop malware for the platforms and devices that have the largest pool(s) of potential victims, and those that are easiest to exploit. Step one in protecting yourself is to simply be aware that the threat exists.

Do Your Homework

Think before you download. Just as it makes sense to read some Amazon reviews before buying a book, or some Yelp reviews before testing out a new restaurant, it makes sense to read some reviews of an app before you jump off the cliff. General word of mouth support for an app is good, but it is even better if you can get input from your social networks–friends and family you trust–before downloading an app.

Check Your Sources

Not all third-party sources of apps are bad, but the odds are much higher. For a platform like iOS, you have to go out of your way to jailbreak the device in order to use apps that aren’t approved by Apple. If you have taken such drastic measures, you are hopefully already aware of the risks involved as well.

Android users may not be as conscious of the threat because third-party app repositories are normal for that platform. Still, the safest source of Android apps is the official Google Android Market, or at least an app store from a trusted source like the Amazon App Store. To avoid shady apps, you should deselect the “Unknown sources” option in the Android Applications Settings.

Watch the Permissions

Mobile operating systems have enough security in place that apps generally have to request permission to access core functions and services of the device. Think about the permissions you are granting before you just tap and blindly accept them. Does that Sudoku app really need access to your contacts, camera function, and location information?

Use Antimalware

As the mobile market grows, and the malware developers take notice and begin to target it, the security vendor  are working to try to stay a step ahead of the malware attacks with security tools and software.

Following the first four tips will help you avoid a majority of potential threats, but antimalware software can help detect and identify any threats that slip past your defenses.

Facebook is a blessing for busy women. You can easily and quickly stay connected with friends and family, find old friends, foster new relationships and network professionally. There’s only one problem: Facebook etiquette isn’t always as clear-cut as are good manners in the real world. In fact, navigating social situations in a virtual world can be downright tricky.

All it takes to avoid a Facebook faux pas, however, is knowing a few do’s and don’ts. Check out this guide to Facebook etiquette:

1. DO write a personal message when making a friend request.
If you haven’t talked to the person in years, it’s likely he or she may not remember you, says Linda Fogg Phillips, a social media expert and author of Facebook for Parents. Just go with a short message that puts you in context, like, “Haven’t seen you since college! Let’s reconnect.”

Want to friend someone you’ve never met? Send a separate message before making a friend request. Otherwise, you can seem intrusive, not to mention presumptuous, and they may ignore you. In the message, explain yourself — that a mutual pal suggested you connect, for example — then wait for a response before sending the friend request.

2. DON’T be a Debbie Downer.
It’s OK to vent and commiserate on Facebook, but if you make it a regular habit, your pals will get tired of your grumbles. Instead, stay positive and hold back when angry. That way, you’ll never regret an online rant. “You can delete a post, but you can’t erase the words from [the minds of] the people who’ve already read it,” says Phillips.

3. DO make and manage friend lists.
“The list function is one of Facebook’s best tools,” says Phillips. It allows you to choose who sees certain posts, so you can set it so only your college pals see those bachelorette party photos. Phillips suggests creating an “A List,” of your closest friends and family. Then, make a larger family or friends list, a list of work contacts and so on. (Friends can be part of more than one list.)

4. DON’T make Facebook a popularity contest.
Do you really need — or want — 800 friends? “Studies have shown that people can only manage about 150 relationships in their lives — face-to-face or online,” says Phillips. When you get a request from someone you don’t want to befriend, neither confirm nor decline it. (If you decline, she could send another later.) Don’t worry about offending her: “Most people send requests, then forget about them; they may not even notice you aren’t responding,” says Phillips.

5. DO be careful of what you post.
It seems obvious, but even something as benign as “The weekend cannot come soon enough!” may appear sour to your boss or co-worker. Plus, your next job opportunity could come from a Facebook contact, so always cast yourself in a positive light, says Phillips. Making and managing friend lists helps avoid problems, but also apply a common-sense filter to all posts.

When people run into Facebook etiquette problems, it’s usually because they’ve taken liberties they might not have taken in the non-virtual world. But stop for a second and use your common sense, and you’ll master the manners of Facebook in less time than it takes to poke your old college roomie.

Necessity is the mother of invention, they say, and it’s forced the current generation of scammers to get just a little more creative when they’re trying to convince you to part with your hard-earned cash or valuable personal information. As people continue to move away from email, these criminals have shifted their focus to social networking services. Twitter, Facebook, and other online communities are plagued with spam bots and other nasties ranging from annoying to downright dangerous. We’ve rounded up the worst offenders to show you how to stay safe online.

1. The Facebook flim-flam
This scam has cost well-wishing friends millions of dollars around the world and is often spread via Facebook, although it’s made the rounds on Gmail as well. This one assumes the friends in your address book care enough about you to help you out after a mugging or other catastrophe while traveling.

This trick is simple in its execution. Someone gains access to your Facebook account (possibly through the sort of scam mentioned above) and then sends messages to everybody in your friends list. The message is a variation on a simple theme: “Help! I’ve been mugged in London! They took all my passport and all of my money!”

The sting comes when the scammer asks one of your friends if they could possibly spare a few hundred bucks to fund your emergency passport application, help with accommodations, purchase return airfare or food, or handle other things necessary for survival. Rather than using a bank transfer or other secure method, the scammer offers some excuse why the money would be better sent by Western Union or another untraceable method.

If you’re on the receiving end of a plea for help like this, try another way of getting in touch with your friend. Call his cell phone, send an email, or text him. Even contact his friends or family to find out if he really is in trouble in London. If he’s home, safe and sound, suggest that he contact Facebook to reclaim his hacked account and change the passwords on other online services.

Scams aren’t always this obvious

2. The Twitter trap
One particularly new scam that has swarmed Twitterjust last month preys on humanity’s innate desire to know more about themselves. Sent as a direct message from someone you follow, it seems innocent enough: “Someone said this real bad thing about you in a blog…” The message arrives with a link attached, presumably to the offensive content.

At first glance, this is a friend or colleague looking out for you, bringing something unpleasant to your attention so you can deal with it accordingly. In reality, though, it’s a program that will hijack your Twitter account, post to your stream, and send the same Direct Message to your followers. The link won’t take you to a blog post (ego-crushing or otherwise) but instead goes to an online survey or page full of advertising designed to earn money for the scammers at a few cents per click.

While many scams and hoaxes are obvious, it can be difficult to resist finding out if that’s really you getting bad mouthed on the internet. Really though, ignoring and deleting them is the only way to treat messages like this. If you’re feeling friendly, contact the friend whose account sent the message to let them know their account’s been hijacked; they should delete all of the compromised messages and change their online passwords.

3. The reverse Nigerian Prince
We’re all familiar with the Nigerian Prince scam that’s spammed our email in boxes. In the scam, an emotional plea from Western Africa promises you gold and riches if you’ll just help out with a little money first. Even though this is one of the most played-out email swindles in the history of the internet, it’s still going on today. Now, however, a new variation has popped up.

An email arrives supposedly from Citibank Nigeria offering to help victims of the Nigerian Prince scam. Those responding with their full name and address are “eligible” for $50,000 in compensation. It won’t take long for “Citibank” to reply, explaining that their names cannot be found in the database after a cursory search. There’s still hope, however, by sending in a nominal fee ($50? $100? $500?), which will of course be refunded in full once their name has been found and the payment process started.

A closer look at the email reveals that it is hosted on a domain ending in .cn, which the email goes to great lengths to point out stands for Citibank Nigeria. Unfortunately, that’s not true. The .cn extension actually indicates that the domain is based out of China — a fair distance away from Africa, wouldn’t you say? Adding insult to injury, the addresses included in this email are sent from 9.cn, which is a Chinese version of Windows Live Mail; yes, the scammers are again using a free web mail provider.

The Nigerian government does not keep track of everybody who is tricked into sending money via the scam bearing the name of its country (many “Nigerian” scams come from all over the world, including the United States and Europe). There is no fund chock-full of compensation. While Citibank does have a branch in Nigeria, the company is not involved in getting you any money back and does not have email addresses ending in the .cn extension.

If this one pops up in your email, have a laugh over the latest spin on this age-old scam and its feeble attempt to hook you in, and then hit delete. It’s safest.

As the internet offers us new and interesting ways to connect, there will always be scammers trying to use those services to swindle you. But a little common sense goes a long way no matter what form the scam takes. Messages offering easy money, a plea for help, or any kind of emotional response from you need to be ignored. If you feel compelled to look further, make sure you verify the source to make sure it’s not coming from a friend’s account that has been hijacked.

This article was written by Jessica Citizen and originally appeared on Tecca

I teach classes to Seniors at the Sebastopol Senior Center in Sebastopol, California. I have students who want to only email and maybe search for interests, some who only email, but now and then I get a Senior who realizes there is more to the internet than email and searching for interests. They want to find old friends, get to know Facebook to keep in contact with family and friends. They want to bank, communicate with their doctor, invest, buy gifts, find books, music, pay bills and so on. They want to learn how to download and manipulate pictures and more. I see these Seniors as enlightened and technology savvy people. It became a challenge for me to motivate other Seniors to realize this reality.

I created a brochure that speaks to this need. I have included a copy here for anyone to read and pass on to anyone who can benefit from it.

It truly is my hope that more and more Seniors will push open and walk through the technology door that is fast closing on them and rendering them forgotten.

Seniors Need Technology

As computers grow in popularity and the number of people who use them increase, the need for competent repair techs increases exponentially. Anyone can hang a computer repair shingle outside their office and begin a business. The average consumer doesn’t have a clue about how computers operate. Other than pushing a button to turn the computer on, and moving the mouse to get online, the rest is pretty much a mystery. Computers are an unknown or uncharted area. In talking to my customers and students I have come to realize there are many people who are unschooled in repair or may be out right charlatans when it comes to computer repair.

Some of my students have had a less than satisfactory experience with tech repair. One elderly student was told the motherboard was damaged and the laptop couldn’t be repaired. The true problem, he needed a new power supply. Another lady was given the same diagnosis for her motherboard, by the same repair person. It was the operating system. The hard drive was erased and the operating system was reloaded. Another student was told that she had viruses and trojans. She was told that the trojan couldn’t be removed so the tech would just go around the trojan and she shouldn’t use Internet Explorer anymore because that was where the trojan was hiding. One doesn’t go around a trojan. Viruses and malware of any kind must be removed. A store chain worked on another student’s computer. They erased the drive without saving the customers data, and loaded the operating system incorrectly. He has an unusable computer.

I encourage you to be careful when handing your computer to someone for repair. Not everyone who says they know how to fix computers can fix computers. It is even hard for me to tell you what to ask or look for. There are no guidelines. Other then asking to see a diploma, there is no measuring stick for choosing a computer tech. Even with a diploma, there is no guarantee. Computers and all things about computers changes by the week, sometimes by the day. There are many good techs out there but there are many charlatans too. Be wise, be smart and ask questions of others who have had repairs done. Get recommendations from friends or family members that have used someone they were satisfied with. When you find a good tech you can trust, stick with him/her. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I’ll be glad to help in any way that I can.

Stacey