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Health Beat: Alternatives to Using a CPAP Machine
By Mark McNease
I’ve been using a CPAP machine for over five years now. I got lucky, as far as I’m concerned, by only needing the nostril pillows. It’s not uncomfortable, and I quickly got used to having a hose coming out of my face onto a machine set up by the bed. But I would still prefer not having to use it. It’s especially inconvenient when we travel and I lug this thing around with us wherever we go. There’s the added hassle of either taking sterilized water, which is used in the machine, or buying it when we get to our destination.
My machine recently started making bag-motor noises and I need a new one. However, I was told I have to be tested again, and to get a new prescription from my “sleep doctor.” I have an appointment to see him in October, when my Medicare kicks in. In the meantime, I thought I’d take a look at some possible alternatives to having your life tied to a CPAP. I don’t know if the weight loss suggestion will work for me, since I’m perpetually trying to lose weight. Hopefully we’ll find out soon. In the meantime …
Possible Alternatives to a CPAP Machine
One alternative to using a CPAP machine is an Oral Appliance, also known as a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). This type of appliance fits inside the mouth like a mouthguard and helps to keep the airway open during sleep by bringing the lower jaw slightly forward. Oral appliances are typically adjustable, allowing users to find the most comfortable setting.
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Savvy Senior: How Seniors Can Protect Themselves from Cybercrimes
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I spend a lot of time online and love the convenience of paying bills, shopping, and keeping up with my grandkids on Facebook and Instagram. But a few months ago, my computer was infected with malware, and I just found out some cyber crook opened up a credit card using my identity and went on a shopping spree. Do you have some simple tips to help me stay safe while online?
Paranoid Patty
Dear Patty,
Unfortunately, cybercrimes against seniors continue to be a big problem in the U.S. According to the FBI 2022 Elder Fraud Report, cybercrime cost Americans over age 60 more than $3 billion last year, a whopping 84 percent increase from 2021.
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Savvy Senior: How Seniors Can Save on Prescription Drug Costs
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I take several medications for multiple health conditions and the prices keep going up, even with my Medicare prescription drug insurance. Can you recommend any tips that can help cut my costs?
Tapped Out Tina
Dear Tina,
The high cost of prescription drugs is an ongoing problem that stings everyone, but it usually affects seniors more because they have a greater need for medications and because Medicare doesn’t cover all their drug costs.
While the Inflation Reduction Act, that was signed into law last year, will help seniors save on their medications by negotiating lower drug prices and caping out-of-pocket spending at $2,000, it will be a few years before the law is fully enacted. In the meantime, here are some different strategies that can help reduce your costs so you can afford what you need.
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The Weekly Readlines September 7
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Burger King will have to face a lawsuit claiming it’s Whoppers are too small to be whoppers.
Bomb threats against public libraries are on the rise. Home insurers are dropping natural disaster coverage in light of the climate change we’re told isn’t real, and Hunter Biden is being indicted in one of the biggest ‘whatever’ media narratives of the modern era.
Ron DeSantis had his handlers man-handle a 15-year-old in New Hampshire whose question made him uncomfortable. And a Massachusetts teenager died after eating a spicy tortilla chip, attributed to the ‘one chip challenge’ TikTok craze.
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Book Review: Not Forever but For Now, by Chuck Palahniuk
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm SezNot Forever but For Now” by Chuck Palahniuk
c.2023, Simon & Schuster $25.99 256 pagesYou always wanted the family business.
Started by your grandfather, nurtured by your parents, aunts, and uncles, you hoped to be the next generation of caretakers to help it grow, succeed, and readied for its owners in the future. You trained all your life to take the reins of the Family Empire, and in the new book “Not Forever but For Now” by Chuck Palahniuk, you’ll do it, even if it kills you.
They were probably too big to be in a nursery, but he didn’t care.
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On the Map: Provincetown Paradise with a Side Trip to Wellfleet
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr.com offering travelogues and recommendations. Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
As we come to the end of another annual trip to Provincetown, I’m reminded why we value our visits here. Frank has had a timeshare for 35 years or so, at a place called Eastwood at Provincetown. It’s like a sprawling motel complex on the far east side of town, and has been very lesbian-centric for years. Plenty of gay men, too, but a lot of women come here. This time I noticed several children with their opposite-sex parents, and I found myself hoping it’s not losing its edge. We’ll see.
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The Twist Podcast #238: P-town Paradise, Summer’s Finale, and an interview with Mark S. King
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we chat with Mark from Provincetown, enjoy the waning days of summer, and catch up with Mark S. King, founder of My Fabulous Disease, in Rick’s exclusive interview.
Enjoy The Twist on Libsyn, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and TheTwistPodcast.com.
Copyright 2023 MadeMark Publishing
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The Weekly Readlines September 1
The Weekly Readlines is a feature at LGBTSr.com offering news you can use every Friday.
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
First things first: Happy belated birthday to Peanut, the world’s oldest living chicken! What’s her secret?
Hurricane Idalia slammed into Florida, causing a 100-year-old oak tree to fall on the governor’s mansion in retaliation for his anti-woke policies.
Canada issued a warning to LGBTQ travelers to avoid the United States. Mitch McConnell froze again during a press conference, with the ever-classy Marjorie Taylor Greene calling him unfit for office.
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The Weekly Readlines August 25
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) is a feature at LGBTSr providing news you can use every Friday.
In Memoriam: Laura Ann Carleton, murdered for being a friend of the LGBTQ community. Her killer was a Christian extremist, no surprise there.
Republicans had their first debate in Milwaukee, without Trump. Be very afraid.
Students say bans on LGBTQ topics and discussions are pointless: they were never taught in class anyway.
And the ‘war on woke’ is flopping as a fire starter for the GOP. Most Republicans are over it, if they ever cared in the first place, which is unlikely.
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The Twist Podcast #237: Married 10 Years, COVID Double Whammy, and An Interview with Keto Baker Rebecca Hall
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we congratulate Mark and Frank on 10 years of marriage, hear how awful a second bout of Covid can be, and enjoy an interview with Keto Baker Rebecca Hall.
Enjoy The Twist on Libsyn, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and TheTwistPodcast.com.
Copyright 2023 MadeMark Publishing
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Podcast Pick: Where Do Gays Retire? with Host Mark Goldstein
Are you retired? Semi-retired? Planning to retire? And to where? Explore the myriad places LGBTQ people choose to retire, and why, in this fascinating podcast. Full disclosure: I was interviewed for it recently and will share that when it comes out. I wanted to put a word in for Lambertville, NJ, New Hope, PA (twin cities with a bridge and the Delaware River between them), and the rural New Jersey area we call home.
Host Mark Goldstein talks to people in places as different as Brisbee, AZ, Cathedral City, CA, Durham, NC, Dordogne, France, Pattaya, Thailand, and many, many more.
CLICK TO VISIT THE WEBSITE AND STARTE LISTNING
Behind The Mic
Mark Goldstein
Show HostMark grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and lived in Queens, NY, Westchester County, NY, and Stamford Connecticut before moving to the Tampa Bay area in Florida. Soon after moving to Florida, Mark and his husband Peter realized that retiring in Florida wasn’t a great choice. This is when Mark started a Facebook group called “Where Do Gays Retire.”
It took a few years for the group to gain momentum, and then suddenly there was an explosion of growth. From a handful of members, to today’s 12,300+ membership, the group continues to grow and provide the LGBTQ+ community with information on where to retire globally.
Mark started Zoom sessions with people from all over the world who are living in LGBTQ+ desirable locations to educate others.
His latest project was to expand on the Zoom idea to gain a larger audience. The Where Do Gays Retire Podcast was born.
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Savvy Senior: Best Medical Alert Systems You Don’t Have to Wear
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Are there any monitored medical alert devices that you know of that don’t require pushing a wearable help button? My 82-year-old father, who lives alone, has fallen twice during the past year but doesn’t like wearing an SOS pendant button.
Searching Daughter
Dear Searching,
Yes, there are actually several monitored medical alert systems and other technologies on the market today that have voice-activated capabilities that let seniors call for help using voice commands, without pushing a wearable help button.