Блог Анкара

In This Chapter

^ Self-help books and therapist manuals ^ Books for learning more about CBT

Book recommendations for tackling specific kinds of problems using CBT

Tumerous self-help and professional manuals on CBT are available. # W We’ve tried to choose books that reflect the diversity of CBT as an approach, and that can add to your armoury of knowledge and skills in tackling disturbing emotions or behaviours.

Cognitive Therapy – Basics and Beyond

This an excellent step by step guide to the basics of CBT. Written by Judith S Beck (Guilford Press, 1995), Cognitive Therapy – Basics and Beyond Provides a sound overview of the theory and application of CBT. The book is useful to the CBT practitioner and other mental health professionals interested in using CBT. It also contains enough good, hands-on advice to be useful as a self-help book or to be used in conjunction with a therapist.

Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders

Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders By Aaron T. Beck (Penguin Psychology) is the founder of cognitive therapy’s original text on his research-based approach to emotional problems. Beck’s contribution to the field of CBT has been phenomenal, not least because of the emphasis placed on scientifically evaluating CBT treatments. This is an historic book, and a good introduction to the fundamentals of CT.

Full Catastrophe Living

Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and Illness, By Jon Kabat-Zinn (Delta) is a guide to stress reduction based on the principles of mindfulness meditation. This is part of a new wave in CBT that focuses more on what we Do With our mind rather than the Content Of the thoughts that go through it. This book helps readers identify different kinds of stress in our daily lives and outlines a programme of mental and physical exercises to help combat stress.

Overcoming…

The Overcoming. . . Books (published by Robinson Press) are an excellent series that attend to specific kinds of problems. These books are usually written by experts in their field and are frequently recommended by professional therapists. The series includes: Overcoming Childhood Trauma By Helen Kennedy; Overcoming Depression By Paul Gilbert; Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder By David Veale and Rob Willson; Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness By Gillian Buttler; Overcoming Traumatic Stress By Claudia Herbert and Ann Wetmore; and Overcoming Mood Swings (bipolar affective disorder) by Jan Scott.

Overcoming Anger

Windy Dryden, author of Overcoming Anger (Sheldon Press) has written or edited more than 150 books in the areas of counselling and psychotherapy. In a clear and forceful style, Windy shows how we create our anger with our attitudes and beliefs. He goes on to show how thinking rationally helps overcome unhealthy anger and communication with others.

Oxford Guide to Behavioural Experiments in Cognitive Therapy

The Oxford Guide to Behavioural Experiments in Cognitive Therapy, Edited by James Bennett-Levy, Gillian Butler, Melanie Fennell, Ann Hackman, Martina Mueller, and David Westbrook (Oxford University Press) is like a distilled essence of CBT. Many cognitive behavioural therapists wish that the book had been written years earlier! Focusing on the ‘lets find out’ element of CBT,

The book covers a huge range of psychological problems, and how to test out the negative thoughts related to them.

Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy

Dr Albert Ellis, the author of Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Method for Treating Human Disturbances, Revised and Updated (Birch Lane Press), is the true founding father of cognitive behavioural therapy. The rational emotive behaviour therapy approach described in this extensive volume, was the first fully developed cognitive behavioural theory and treatment, dating back to the mid-1950s. This version of Ellis’ seminal text gives an insight into the philosophy underpinning the approach and Ellis’s phenomenal mind. Anyone interested in how reason and philosophy can be applied to reduce human suffering would do well to read this book.

Reinventing \lour Life

Reinventing Your Life: How to Break Free from Negative Life Patterns By Jeffrey E. Young, and Janet S. Klosko (Penguin Putnam Inc, USA) gives an introduction to a variant of CBT called ‘schema focused therapy’. This therapy focuses on the ‘maps’ we develop of the world, ourselves, and others from early in our lives. The book aims to help readers identify their unhelpful longstanding thinking patterns and suggests ways of tackling them.

Status Anxiety

Status Anxiety By Alain De Botton (Hamish Hamilton Penguin Books) explores what De Botton describes as ‘the universal anxiety about what others think of us’. The book looks at where our status worries come from historically, showing how society encourages us to link self-worth to achievement.

A Woman in \lour OuJn Right

A Woman in Your Own Right By Anne Dickson (Quartet Books) is a classic self-help book on becoming more assertive. It gives clear and practical guidance on overcoming the need for approval, effective communication, and dealing constructively with criticism. And yes, men can benefit from it too!

In This Chapter

^ Introducing brainteasers involving practical applications

^ Thinking outside the box

^ Presenting ten tests of your true mettle

7he math word problems that I present in earlier chapters of this book are categorized, grouped, and discussed for their common elements and special properties. I provide suggestions and procedures for handling the types of problems in each chapter.

The ten brainteasers in this chapter are some that you may have seen elsewhere, some that seem vaguely familiar, and others that are completely new to you. These brainteasers are meant to be fun and mind boggling at the same time. Try to work them out before you peek at the answers. You’ll feel so clever.

Three Pirates on an Island

Ti.

^tAS6y Three pirates arrived on an island after successfully relieving a merchant " ^ of his bars of gold. The pirates put their booty in a pile in the center of the ^M^Wtiii Island and all fell asleep while guarding the gold. After a while, the first pirate woke up and decided to take his share of the gold and hide it. So he buried his fair share of the gold bars under a palm tree and went back to sleep. The second pirate woke up and took what he thought was His Fair share and buried those gold bars next to a boulder. He then went back to sleep, too. Then the third pirate awoke, took what he thought was his fair share, and hid it under a boat. He went back to sleep. In the morning, all three pirates woke up and discovered that there were eight bars of gold in the pile. How many bars were in the pile in the beginning?

Answer: Working backward, the 8 bars that remained must have been two-thirds of what was there when the third pirate did the splitting up. So the third pirate saw 12 bars, took his 4, and left 8. If the second pirate left 12 bars, then 12 was two-thirds of what he saw, so he saw 18 bars — he took 6 and left 12. The first pirate left 18 bars, which was two-thirds of what was there in the beginning. One-third of 27 is 9, leaving 18 bars. There were 27 bars of gold when the pirates all went to sleep.

Letter Arithmetic

A father received yet another letter from his son asking for money. The father was tired of doling out the cash. So, instead of money, the father sent the following addition problem for his son to solve.

SEND + MORE MONEY

He said that if his son could figure out which digit each of the letters stood for, he would send his son another installment of cash. What does each letter represent to make this addition problem correct?

Answer: S = 9, E = 5, N = 6, D = 7, M = 1, O = 0, R = 8, Y = 2

9 5 6 7 + 10 8 5 10652

You figure this out with a little trial and error and a smattering of reasoning things out. You’re pretty sure that the letter M represents 1, because it’s the carryover from adding the number that M represents to the number that S represents. If M represents 1, then S must represent 8 or 9 in order for the sum to be large enough to have a carryover. Work your way backward, trying out different digits for the different letters until you find the unique solution.

Pouring 4 Quarts

^jliASej A farmer needs to add exactly 4 quarts of weed killer to the fertilizer mix that

He’s preparing to spread over his field. Unfortunately, he has only a 3-quart [^M^Mil Container and a 5-quart container, not a 4-quart container. He can’t just guess.

The accuracy of his measurement is most important. How can he measure exactly 4 quarts with the two containers he has? (There are several possible solutions, but the farmer wants the one that takes the fewest number of steps.)

Answer: The farmer fills the 5-quart container and empties 3 quarts from that container into the 3-quart container, leaving 2 quarts in the 5-quart container. Then he empties the 3-quart container and pours the 2 quarts from the 5-quart container into the 3-quart container, leaving room in the 3-quart container for another quart. He fills the 5-quart container again and pours 1 quart into the 3-quart container that already contains 2 quarts. That leaves exactly 4 quarts in the 5-quart container.

If this is a bit confusing, use Figure 21-1 to visualize it.

2 2

Figure 21-1:

Finding 4 quarts from 5 quarts and 3 quarts.

5

4

2

Magic Square

A magic square is a square array of numbers — three by three, four by four, and so on — such that the sum of the numbers in any column, row, or diagonal always adds up to the same number. Place the digits from 1 through 9 into Figure 21-2 so that each row, column, and diagonal adds up to 15.

Figure 21-2:

A three-by-three magic square.

Answer: Figure 21-3 is a solution for the magic square. You solve this pretty much by trial and error, but you also make some strategic moves, such as putting the number 5 in the middle, because it’s the middle value in the list of digits. You need to put the larger digits in positions where they won’t be added together. Play around with the numbers a bit, and you’ll find the solution. That solution is a pattern for any other list of nine consecutive numbers to be put in a magic square and have a particular sum.

Figure 21-3:

A solution for the magic square.

Getting Her Exercise

Seven-year-old Caitlin lives on the 50th floor of her apartment building. Every morning she gets on the elevator outside her door and rides down to the ground level where she waits for the school bus to pick her up for school. Every evening Caitlin gets on the elevator on the ground floor, rides to the 40th floor, and walks up the last ten flights of stairs to her apartment. Why does she do this?

Answer: Caitlin can’t reach the elevator button for the 50th floor — she can only reach as high as the button for the 40th floor. So she takes the elevator to the 40th floor and walks the rest of the way.

Liar, Liar

^jliASej You approach two doors. One leads to a fabulous prize, and the other leads to a pile of coal that needs shoveling. If you pick the door to the fabulous prize, you get to take it home. If you pick the other door, you’ll be busy for quite a while. Each door has a huge guard, protecting what’s on the other side. The guard in front of the prize always tells the truth, and the guard in front of the coal always lies. You’re allowed to ask just one question of one of the guards to determine which door leads to the prize. What question do you ask to determine which door goes to the prize?

Answer: You ask a guard, "If I were to ask the other guard which door leads to the prize, what would he say?" And then pick the opposite door of what he tells you.

If you ask that question of the guard who always tells the truth (and who stands in front of the prize), he’ll know that the other guard lies and would have answered that you should pick his door (the one with the coal). So the guard telling you the truth will tell you, honestly, that the other guard would get you to pick the door in front of the coal.

If you ask the question of the guard who always lies (and who stands in front of the coal), he lies and say that the truth-speaking guard would tell you to pick his (the liar’s) door. So, in either case, you want to pick the opposite door.

Weighing Nine Nuggets

You’re given nine identical-looking nuggets and are told that eight of them are fool’s gold and the ninth is real gold. The nuggets are so close in weight that you can’t tell, by holding them in your hand, which is the heavier nugget. You have a balance scale (shown in Figure 21-4) that you’re allowed to use exactly twice. You can put as many nuggets in the pans of the scale as you want. How can you single out the heavier nugget?

4

Answer: Put three nuggets in one tray and three nuggets in the other tray. If the scale is balanced, then you know that one of the three nuggets not on the scale is the heaviest. If one side of the scale is heavier, then you know that the gold nugget is one of those three. In any case, you’ve isolated a group of three nuggets that contains the gold nugget. Do another weighing with the three nuggets, putting one nugget on each tray. If the trays are the same height, then the nugget not being weighed is the heaviest and is the gold. If one side is heavier, then you’ve spotted your gold nugget in that tray.

Where Did the Dollar Go?

Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel went out for lunch together. The waitress brought them a bill for $30, so each one paid her $10. When the waitress took the cash to the register, she realized that there’d been an error, and she should have charged them only $25. So, when she brought the change back, Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel each took $1 and left the other $2 as a tip (they hadn’t read Chapter 6 of this book and didn’t know how to figure out a fair tip). Because each friend paid $10 and got $1 back, each person actually paid $9. Multiply $9 by 3 and add the $2 tip, and you get $27 + $2 or $29. What happened to the other dollar?

Answer: This puzzle definitely belongs in the category of Sleight of hand. Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel actually paid only $9 each, totaling $27. The bill was $25, so subtract $25 from $27 and you have the $2 left to leave for a tip.

Figure 21-4:

A balance scale is level when the items weigh the same.

Many Weights?

A merchant has a balance scale (refer to Figure 21-4) and wants to be able to weigh any item between 1 and 50 pounds, to the nearest pound. How many different weights does he need to buy?

Answer: He only needs six different weights to weigh anything from 1 to 50 pounds. The weights are: 1 pound, 2 pounds, 4 pounds, 8 pounds, 16 pounds and 32 pounds. Any number from 1 through 50 (actually, you can go up to 63 pounds with these weights) can be created using combinations of the weights.

Transporting a Fox, a Goose, and Corn

^tASfiy A farmer has a dilemma. She needs to transport her fox, her goose, and her corn across a small river. She only has room for herself and one of the others in her small boat. She’ll have to take one across the river, leave it, and go back for the others. But if she leaves the fox alone with the goose, the fox will eat the goose. If she leaves the goose alone with the corn, the goose will eat the corn. How can she get everything across without someone being eaten?

Answer: For simplicity’s sake, let the fox be represented by F, the goose by G, and the corn by C. I map it out for you in Table 21-1. The arrows indicate the direction of the boat.

(continued)

How

Chapter 22

■ J Ery often, the help you need to deal with Part D plan issues is only a tollEr Free phone number or a Web site away. In these pages, I give contact information for government help lines and online resources; independent organizations that offer direct help; where to go for updated info on Medicare and Part D and for ways to save money; and advocacy organizations that work on behalf of people in Medicare. Throughout, I note special help provided for people whose first language isn’t English.

Government Help Lines and Web Sites

The go-to sources for help provided by federal and state governments are the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), and the Eldercare Locator.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

CMS is the federal agency that runs Medicare and Medicaid (under the umbrella of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services) and is responsible for overseeing the Part D drug coverage program. It provides updated information and direct help to consumers in English and Spanish.

The Medicare & You Handbook is sent to everyone on Medicare every October. This basic overview of Medicare services also includes brief details of the Medicare private health plans and Part D stand-alone drug plans that will be available in your area for the following year.

Medicare’s toll-free help line at 800-633-4227 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (TDD users should call 877-486-2048.) The folks on the other end of the line can answer your questions, send you free fact sheets, and give you help on many Medicare and Part D issues. If neither English nor Spanish is your first language, you can ask for an interpreter — more than 70 languages are available.

W Medicare’s Web site, Www. medicare. gov, offers a huge amount of information. Go to this site to compare Part D plans, Medicare private health plans, nursing homes, and hospitals.

The Social Security Administration

SSA is the federal agency that administers Social Security benefits. Call SSA toll-free at 800-772-1213 (TDD: 800-325-0778) or go to its Web site at www. Ssa. gov for information on Social Security, enrolling in Medicare Part A and/or B, and applying for Part D’s Extra Help program.

The SSA Web site can be read in Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, French, Greek, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, as well as English. To choose a language, click the "Other Languages" button at the top of the home page. You can also ask for an interpreter in any language when you call the help line (press 2 for Spanish or 1 for any other language) or when you arrange to visit a local Social Security office.

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs

SHIPs are valuable resources for anyone who needs help with Medicare issues, especially Part D. They offer free, expert, personal counseling when you want to find a Part D plan that fits your needs, apply for Extra Help, get help making an appeal, or resolve a variety of other problems. If English isn’t your first language, the program can provide interpreters or refer you to local organizations that offer counseling in your own language.

SHIPs, which are funded by the federal and state governments, are available in every state, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. The programs have different names in some states (for example, HICAP in California; SHINE in Florida). The following list includes every program, its name, the state agency that runs it, a toll-free telephone number (except for D. C. and the territories, which have local numbers), and the Web address. If the number you call isn’t working, call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 or go to Www. shiptalk. org or Www. hapnetwork. org/ ship-locator for an updated number. (Find out more about the Eldercare Locator in the next section.)

Alabama

SHIP, Department of Senior Services Montgomery, AL

Phone 800-243-5463

Web site Www. ageline. net/ ship. cfm

Alaska

SHIP, Department of Health and Senior Services Anchorage, AK

Phone 800-478-6065

Web site Www. hss. state. ak. us/ dsds/shipMedicare. htm

Arizona

SHIP, Aging and Adult Administration Phoenix, AZ

Phone 800-432-4040

Web site Www. azdes. gov/aaa/ Arkansas

SHIIP, State Insurance Department

Little Rock, AR Phone 800-224-6330

Web site Www. insurance. Arkansas. gov/seniors/ homepage. htm

California

HICAP, Department of Aging Sacramento, CA

Phone 800-434-0222 (TDD

800-735-2929)

Web site Www. cahealthadvocates. org/HICAP/index. html

Colorado

SHIP, Division of Insurance Denver, CO

Phone 888-696-7213 (TDD

303-894-7880)

Web site Www. dora. state. co. us/ insurance/senior/senior. htm

Connecticut

CHOICES, Department of Social

Services

Hartford, CT Phone 800-994-9422

Web site Www. ct. gov/aging services/site/default. asp

Delaware

ELDERinfo, Insurance Department Dover, DE

Phone 800-336-9500

Web site delawareinsurance. gov

District of Columbia

Health Insurance Counseling Project, George Washington University Washington, D. C.

Phone 202-739-0668

Web site Www. law. gwu. edu/

Academics/Clinical+Programs/

Health+Rights+Law+Clinic. htm

Florida

SHINE, Department of Elder Affairs Tallahassee, FL

Phone 800-963-5337 (TDD 800-955-8771)

Web site Www. floridashine. org Georgia

GeorgiaCares, Division of Aging Services

Atlanta, GA

Phone 800-669-8387 (TDD 404-657-1929)

Web site aging. dhr. georgia. gov/portal/site/DHR-DAS

Guam

Division of Senior Citizens, Department of Public Health and Social Services Hagatna, Guam

Phone 671-735-7388 or 671-735-7393 (TDD 671-734-7415)

Hawaii

SAGE Plus, Executive Office on Aging

Honolulu, HI

Phone 888-875-9229 (TDD

866-810-4379)

Web site Www4.hawaii. gov/eoa/ programs/sage_plus

Idaho

SHIBA, Department of Insurance

Boise, ID

Phone 800-247-4422

Web site Www. doi. state. id. us/ shiba/shibahealth. aspx

Illinois

SHIP, Department of Insurance Springfield, IL

Phone 800-548-9034 (TDD (217-524-4872)

Web site Www. idfpr. com/DOI/ Ship/ship_help. asp

Indiana

SHIIP, Department of Insurance Indianapolis, IN

Phone 800-452-4800

Web site Www. in. gov/idoi/ 2399.htm

Iowa

SHIIP, Insurance Division

Des Moines, IA

Phone 800-351-4664 (TDD

800-735-2942)

Web site Www. shiip. state. ia. us

Kansas

SHICK, Kansas Department on Aging Topeka, KS

Phone 800-860-5260

Web site Www. agingkansas. org Kentucky

SHIP, Division of Aging Services

Frankfort, KY

Phone 877-293-7447 (TDD

888-642-1137)

Web site Chfs. ky. gov/agencies/ os/dail/ship. htm

Louisiana

SHIIP, Department of Insurance Baton Rouge, LA

Phone 800-259-5301

Web site Www. ldi. state. la. us/ Health/SHIIP/index. htm

Maine

HICAP, Bureau of Elder and Adult

Services Augusta, ME

Phone 800-262-2232 (TDD

800-606-0215)

Web site Www. state. me. us/dhs/ beas/hiap/purpose. htm

Maryland

SHIP, Department of Aging Baltimore, MD Phone 800-243-3425 (TDD

800-637-4113)

Web site Www. mdoa. state. md. us/ ship. html

Massachusetts

SHINE, Executive Office of Elder Affairs Boston, MA

Phone 800-243-4636 (TDD 800-872-0166)

Web site Www. mass. gov/elders

Michigan

MMAP, Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Project Lansing, MI

Phone 800-803-7174

Web site Www. mymmap. org

Minnesota

SHIP, Minnesota Board on Aging

St. Paul, MN Phone 800-333-2433

Web site Www. mnaging. org/ advisor/SLL. htm

Mississippi

MICAP, Division of Aging and Adult Services Jackson, MS

Phone 800-948-3090

Web site Www. mdhs. state. ms. us/ aas_info. html#MICAP

Missouri

CLAIM, Patient Care Review Foundation Columbia, MO Phone 800-390-3330

Web site Www. missouriclaim. org

Montana

SHIP, State Office on Aging Helena, MT

Phone 800-551-3191 (TDD

406-444-2590)

Web site Www. dphhs. mt. gov/

Sltc/services/aging/ship.

Shtml

Nebraska

SHIIP, Department of Insurance Lincoln, NE

Phone 800-234-7119 (TDD

800-833-7352)

Web site Www. doi. ne. gov/shiip Nevada

SHIP, Division of Aging Services Las Vegas, NV

Phone 800-307-4444

Web site Www. nvaging. net/ship/ ship_main. htm

New Hampshire

NH ServiceLink Resource Center Laconia, NH

Phone 866-634-9412 (TDD

800-735-2964)

Web site Www. nh. gov/service

Link

New Jersey

SHIP, Division of Senior Aging and Community Services Trenton, NJ

Phone 800-792-8820

Web site Www. state. nj. us/ health/senior/ship. shtml

New Mexico

Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Corps

Santa Fe, NM Phone 800-432-2080

Web site Www. nmaging. state. nm. us/benes. html

New York

HIICAP, State Office for the Aging Albany, NY

Phone 800-701-0501 Web site Www. hiicap. state. ny. us

North Carolina

SHIIP, Department of Insurance

Raleigh, NC

Phone 800-443-9354 (TDD 800-735-2962)

Web site Www. ncshiip. com

North Dakota

SHIC, Insurance Department Bismarck, ND

Phone 888-575-6611 (TDD 800-366-6888)

Web site Www. nd. gov/ndins Ohio

OSHIIP, Department of Insurance Columbus, OH Phone 800-686-1578 (TDD

614-644-3745)

Web site Www. ohioinsurance. gov

Oklahoma

SHICP, Insurance Department

Oklahoma City, OK Phone 800-763-2828

Web site Www. oid. state. ok. us/ www2.oid. state. ok. us/ divisions/shicp. asp

Oregon

SHIBA, Division of Insurance

Salem, OR

Phone 800-722-4134 (TDD 800-735-2900)

Web site Www. oregon. gov/DCBS/ SHIBA/index. shtm

Pennsylvania

APPRISE, Department of Aging Harrisburg, PA

Phone 800-783-7067

Web site Www. aging. state. pa. us/aging/cwp/view. asp? a=553&q=253 802

Puerto Rico

Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs San Juan, PR

Phone 787-725-4300

Rhode Island

SHIP, Department of Elderly Affairs Cranston, RI

Phone 401-462-4000 (TDD 401-462-0740)

Web site adrc. ohhs. ri. gov

South Carolina

I-CARE, Office on Aging Columbia, SC

Phone 800-868-9095

Web site Www. aging. sc. gov/ Seniors/ICARE. htm

South Dakota

SHIINE, Center for Active Generations Sioux Falls, SD

Phone 800-536-8197

Web site Www. shiine. net

Tennessee

SHIP, Commission on Aging & Disability

Nashville, TN

Phone 877-801-0044 (TDD

615-532-3893)

Web site Www. state. tn. us/ comaging/ship. html

Texas

HICAP, Department of Aging Austin, TX

Phone 800-252-9240 (TDD 800-735-2989)

Web site Www. dads. state. tx. us/ services/dads_help/aaa/ hicap. html

Utah

SHIIP, Division of Aging and Adult Services

Salt Lake City, UT

Phone 800-541-7735 Web site Www. hsdaas. utah. gov/ insurance_programs. htm

Vermont

Area Agency on Aging St. Johnsbury, VT

Phone 800-642-5119

Web site Www. medicarehelpvt. net

Virgin Islands

VI SHIP

Christiansted, VI

Phone 340-772-7368 (St. Croix);

340-714-4345 (St. Thomas/St. John) Web site ltg. gov. vi/vi-ship-medicare. html

Virginia

VICAP, Department for the Aging Richmond, VA

Phone 800-552-3402 (TDD 800-552-3402)

Web site Www. vda. virginia. gov/ vicap2.asp

Washington

SHIBA, Office of the Insurance Commissioner Olympia, WA

Phone 800-562-6900 (TDD 360-586-0241)

Web site Www. insurance. wa. gov/ shiba/index. shtml

West Virginia

SHINE, Bureau of Senior Services

Charleston, WV Phone 877-987-4463

Web site Www. wvseniorservices. gov

Wisconsin

SHIP, Bureau of Aging and Long Term Resources Madison, WI

Phone 800-242-1060 (TDD

866-796-9725)

Web site Www. dhfs. state. wi. us/ aging/SHIP. htm

Wyoming

SHIIP, Wyoming Senior Citizens Inc. Riverton, WY

Phone 800-856-4398

Web site Www. wyomingseniors.

Com/WSHIIP. htm

The Eldercare Locator

The Eldercare Locator is a free public service run by the U. S. Administration on Aging. It acts as a national clearinghouse for Americans age 60 and over to find help and resources in their own communities. It can connect you to local agencies and organizations that provide many different kinds of services and assistance programs, typically those that help people continue to function at home or in their communities as they age.

V Phone: 800-677-1116 (toll-free), Monday through Friday, 9 a. m. to 8 p. m. Eastern Time. The Language Line can handle 150 languages.

V Web: Www. eldercare. gov. (For a list of links to home – and community-based services, go to Www. n4a. org/locator/el_hcbs. cfm.)

Independent Sources of Direct Help

The following agencies are nonprofit organizations that are very similar to the SHIPs I list earlier. They offer free direct help to consumers on Part D issues, but are national and sometimes provide more specialized services. They also act as advocates on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries in Congress and state legislatures.

The Medicare Rights Center

The Medicare Rights Center (MRC) is an independent, New York-based organization that offers information and free legal help and representation on Medicare issues to consumers throughout the country. It also acts as a consumer watchdog and advocate for improving Medicare benefits (including Part D).

V Consumer hot line: Call 800-333-4114 (toll-free), Monday through Friday between 9 a. m. and 6 p. m. Eastern Time, to talk to a counselor about health insurance options, Medicare rights and protections, billing problems and payment denials, and complaints and appeals.

V Medicare appeals hot line: Call 888-466-9050 (toll-free) Monday through Thursday, noon to 2 p. m. Eastern Time to leave a message. This service provides free help with appeals if your Medicare health plan or Part D plan has denied you care or coverage that you need.

V LINCS hot line: Call this program Only If you’re a low-income New Yorker. LINCS (Linking Individuals in Need to Care and Services) can help you apply for Extra Help in Part D and/or connect you to other programs in New York that may reduce your prescription drug costs. Call 888-795-4627

(toll-free).

V Online information: For consumer guides on Medicare and the option of receiving free newsletters by e-mail or joining online seminars on Medicare topics, go to Www. medicarerights. org.

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health (NAHH) promotes the health and well-being of Hispanics through community programs that reach more than 14 million Hispanics throughout the country. It provides written information and free counseling services in English and Spanish on health programs for consumers of all ages, including direct help on Part D drug coverage. Based in Washington, D. C., NAHH is also a leader in advocacy and research for Hispanic health.

V Phone: You can call the National Hispanic Family Health Helpline (Su Familia) at 866-783-2645 toll-free Monday through Friday, 9 a. m. to

6 p. m. Eastern Time, for free one-on-one counseling on any health issue. A popular part of this service is personal help with Part D, including finding a drug plan and applying for Extra Help.

V Web: The NAHH Web site at Www. hispanichealth. org has a wealth of health information and publications in English and Spanish. For Medicare information, click "Community" and then "Medicare."

The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging

The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) promotes the health and well-being of senior Asians and Pacific Islanders throughout the U. S. through advocacy, education, and direct help. It provides details on a range of aging issues and free counseling to help navigate Part D drug coverage.

V Phone: The NAPCA National Toll-free Multilingual Helpline Center specifically deals with Part D issues, offering personal bilingual counseling on any aspect of the program — choosing a plan, helping with enrollment, applying for Extra Help, and troubleshooting problems. Call 800-582-4218 (Chinese); 800-582-4259 (Korean); 800-582-4336 (Vietnamese); or 800336-2722 (English).

V Web: The NAPCA Web site at Www. napca. org has information for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders on healthcare and long-term care, employment, education, welfare reform, and many other issues.

Resources for Saving Money

The following resources can help you save money on prescription drugs through various public and private programs for people with limited incomes:

V BenefitsCheckUp (Www. benefitscheckup. org): This Web site, a service of the National Council on Aging, allows you to find national, regional, state, or local programs that provide benefits you may qualify for without realizing it — or perhaps never knew existed. It has helped more than 2 million users find more than $6 billion In benefits. Online, you’re asked about your zip code, age, health status, family circumstances, and income. You do Not Give your name, address, or any other identifying information. You can search for benefits that will help pay for prescriptions and/or other benefits to reduce your living expenses. You can also search the Senior Housing Locator to find housing options, including assisted living, residential and nursing home care, and independent-living retirement communities.

V The Health Resources and Services Administration: This federal agency, a division of the U. S. Department of Health and Social Services, provides a Web site, ask. hrsa. gov/pc, that allows you to locate clinics in your area for free or low-cost healthcare and medications.

V The National Council on Aging: This nonprofit organization sponsors many programs designed to help older Americans stay healthy and independent, find jobs and community service opportunities, and link them to benefits and resources. It provides consumer information and invites questions through its Web site at Www. ncoa. org. If you don’t have Internet access, you can call its Washington headquarters or four regional offices to ask for the phone numbers of resources in your community: Washington, D. C., 202-479-1200 (TDD 202-479-6674); San Francisco, California, 415-982-7007; Lakewood, New Jersey, 732-367-7111; Steubenville, Ohio, 740-283-2182; Nashville, Tennessee, 615-834-4900.

V The Partnership for Prescription Assistance: This organization gives a single access point for getting information on more than 475 public and private assistance programs — including 180 offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers — that provide free or low-cost prescription drugs to people with limited incomes. To see whether you qualify for any programs, go to the Web site at Www. pparx. org or call toll-free 888-477-2669. You’ll be asked to list your prescription drugs and give some information about yourself, including approximate income and savings — but not your name or any other identifying information. Any program you qualify for is identified, with instructions on how to apply. In many cases, you can download application forms from the Web site, fill them out, and take them to your doctor to send in. This Web site can be read in Spanish by clicking the "Espanol" button at the top of the home page.

Consumer Information and Advocacy Organizations

The nonprofit organizations listed in this section are leading sources of information on Medicare and act as advocates on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries within Congress and state legislatures. They want to hear about people’s first-hand experiences with Medicare (including Part D), and they welcome volunteers to help their efforts.

V AARP Uses the power of its membership (nearly 40 million members in 2008) to promote the interests of people age 50 and over. These interests include improving Medicare and Part D, preserving Social Security, and promoting legislation to achieve health insurance access for all Americans. A nonpartisan organization with headquarters in Washington, D. C., AARP has offices in every state (plus the District

Of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands) and advocates in Congress and all state legislatures. Through the AARP Foundation, attorneys litigate court cases of special importance to older Americans. Among other publications, its news magazine Segunda Juventud Is for Spanish-speaking members. Toll-free phone 888-687-2277 (TDD 877-434-7598), Monday through Friday, 7 a. m. to midnight Eastern Time; Web site Www. aarp. org.

V The Center for Medicare Advocacy Promotes the interests of people on Medicare nationally and is staffed by policy experts, attorneys, researchers, and information specialists. Based in Connecticut, with an office in Washington, D. C., the nonpartisan center advocates to improve

Medicare services and other healthcare rights, litigates court cases, and publishes policy documents and consumer information. It invites consumers to send in questions to its Web site and responds to about 7,000 telephone and e-mail inquiries each year. Phone 860-456-7790

(Connecticut) or 202-293-5760 (Washington); Web site (with e-mail link)

Www. medicareadvocacy. org. This site can be read in Spanish by clicking the "Espanol" button at the top of the home page.

V California Healthcare Advocates Is the leading consumer watchdog organization for Californians on Medicare. Based in Sacramento, with offices in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Santa Ana, CHA conducts public policy research and community outreach; promotes recommendations for improving Medicare services and rights at the federal and state level; and provides up-to-date consumer information on its Web site, including the publication California Medicare News. Phone 916-231-5110 (Sacramento); Web site Www. cahealthadvocates. org.

V Families USA Is a grassroots, nonpartisan organization that promotes quality healthcare for all Americans from the consumer perspective. Based in Washington, D. C., it serves as a consumer watchdog on government actions related to health coverage, including Medicare and Part D. It also provides updates on developments in the pharmaceutical industry and regularly publishes surveys of drug prices. Phone 202-628-3030; Web site Www. familiesusa. org.

Sources for Updates on Medicare and Part D

Although the bulk of information in this book is likely to remain current, new regulations and some new Medicare services are introduced from time to time. Also, payment requirements (for example, Part B premiums), Part D coverage levels, and Extra Help out-of-pocket expenses change annually. You can find ongoing updates from these sources:

V Medicare Interactive Counselor: This free, searchable, comprehensive consumer guide, developed and regularly updated by the Medicare Rights Center (which I introduce earlier in this appendix) provides hundreds of answers to questions about Medicare. Go online to www. Medicareinteractive. org or to Www. medicareinteractive. org/aarp.

V Ask Ms. Medicare: You can e-mail questions about Medicare to me (the author of this book) through the AARP Bulletin’s Web site, bulletin. aarp. org. Click the "Ask Ms. Medicare" link on the home page to view past questions and answers and (if you can’t find what you’re looking for) submit a new question.

V AARP Medicare information: You can find news, consumer guides, articles, and discussion boards about Medicare and other forms of health insurance (such as Medigap and COBRA) online at Www. aarp. org/

Health/insurance.

Appendix C

In This Chapter

^ Introducing ten amazing superfoods and their properties

Finding out why they’re so good for you ^ Touching on their uses in complementary medicine ^ Discovering ways to include them in your diet and lifestyle

N this chapter, I discuss some real superfoods that can be seriously healthful! You’ll have come across some of them before – such as garlic, watercress, and ginger – but maybe haven’t really considered their superfood status. Others may surprise you, such as the seaweeds, weeds, and sprouted seeds that I’ve included. Read on to find out how they can be superlatively good for you!

Garlic

Garlic is probably best known for its odour and for warding off vampires! This vegetable’s part of the onion family and is used in Ayurvedic medicine for heart, digestive, and joint problems and in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for respiratory and digestive problems. Herbalists especially value its antiseptic and immune-boosting properties.

To make medicinal garlic syrup, dissolve two tablespoons of brown sugar in a pan over a gentle heat and then stir in the juice from one to four crushed cloves of garlic and a dash of lemon juice. Cool and seal in a sterilised jar or bottle. Take one teaspoon of the syrup at the first sign of a cough or cold.

Keep medicinal garlic syrup refrigerated and use within seven days after you open it. Keep away from the skin because garlic oil can cause skin irritation. Avoid excess garlic during pregnancy, because it can cause digestive upset or heartburn, and while breastfeeding because babies don’t like the smell of it in breast milk!

Watercress

Watercress is a pungent, dark green plant that grows in running water and is packed with no less than 15 vitamins and minerals, most importantly iron. Nutritionists, herbalists, and naturopaths use watercress to treat skin problems, weakness, and fatigue.

For a nutritious summer cold soup, blend two generous handfuls of washed, organic watercress in a blender with half an avocado, some sprigs of parsley, some chopped cucumber, a squirt of lemon juice, and a glass of water until smooth. Add a dash of seaweed salt and eat immediately. Delicious!

Avoid excess watercress if you have kidney disease.

Ginger

Ginger is a superfood because it enhances circulation, contains valuable antioxidants that may help prevent cancer, is antiseptic, aids digestion, and stops nausea.

Simply add grated fresh ginger to porridge, soups, steamed vegetables, stewed fruits, or herbal teas to warm the body and boost circulation. You can also tie chunks of ginger in muslin in your bathwater for a warming bath in cold weather.

Don’t take large quantities of ginger during pregnancy, if you’re on any sort of blood-thinning drug such as Warfarin, if you have gallstones, if you suffer from heat and flushes, or if you have a fever.

Nettle

Nettle leaves are rich in minerals and high in fibre. Herbalists and nutritionists use them to treat skin, kidney, and heart problems and for detoxing the body.

To make nettle tea, don some thick gloves to avoid stinging, pick a handful of young nettle tops (the top 4 to 6 inches are best), and infuse in freshly boiled water in a teapot for 10 minutes. Strain, pour, and drink, sweetening with honey to taste if you like. Use several times a week to aid healthy skin, hair, and bones.

Always wear gloves when picking nettles to avoid stings. Use young leaves, preferably in the spring, and Never Consume them raw – always pouring boiling water onto them to kill off the sting before eating or drinking. Avoid leaves near roadsides because they may be polluted. Don’t drink nettle tea every day because this can stress the kidneys.

SunfloWer Seeds

Many types of edible seeds are now becoming part of people’s everyday diets. Sunflower seeds (actually the kernel from sunflower hulls rather than the actual seed) contain healthy fatty acids, are a great source of dietary fibre and protein, are rich in minerals, and are packed with plant compounds called phytosterols that help maintain healthy cholesterol levels in the body.

These nutrients mean that sunflower seeds can help protect your heart, maintain good circulation, and regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels, to name just a few of their benefits! Other excellent seeds with similar benefits are pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.

Grind sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds, plus a couple of nuts if wished (such as almonds, walnuts, or brazil nuts), for a few seconds in a small coffee grinder. Add this mixture to cereals, smoothies, rice, and so on for a nutritious, protein-rich boost.

Always try to get the freshest organic seeds that you can and store them in a cool, dark place to stop the oils in them going rancid.

Flax Seeds

^AUftj. Flax seeds are rich in fibre, essential fatty acids, minerals, and Lignans, Which W^/^N Are special compounds that may play a role in preventing breast cancer and ‘ x ‘ other cancers and aid ovulation in women. Flax seeds help keep your bowels regular; can support heart, liver, and brain function; and aid hormonal balance and joint mobility.

Place two tablespoons of flax seeds in a coffee grinder together with a teaspoon of sesame seeds (black or white) and a dash of seaweed or herb salt. Then grind for a couple of seconds to make a fine condiment that you can use daily, sprinkled on any savoury dish or eaten directly as a healthy snack food.

Buy the seeds whole, and preferably organic, and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, or in the fridge, to keep them fresh.

Lecithin

Lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) Is usually made from soybeans or eggs. It is a valuable source of choline, which is part of the family of B vitamins. Lecithin can aid memory and brain function, support your nervous system, help healthy liver and gall bladder function, and aid fat metabolism.

Add one to two tablespoons of lecithin granules to your food every day, such as in smoothies, on cereals, or on rice.

Buy organic and GMO-free (that is, made from non-genetically modified ingredients) lecithin when possible. Don’t heat the granules because doing so destroys their health benefits, although you can add granules to warm food as a thickener. Fresh lecithin tastes pleasant and nutty. If it tastes nasty and bitter, the oil in it has gone rancid and it needs to be discarded.

Bioflavonoids

Bioflavonoids are plant compounds, found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and even red wine, which may help improve circulation and protect against cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

To get more bioflavonoids in your diet, replace your usual black tea or coffee with health-giving green tea, which has higher levels of bioflavonoids. For great taste, place a heaped teaspoon of green tea leaves per person in a teapot and pour on freshly boiled (but not boiling) water. Allow to steep for only a few seconds and then pour off all the liquid into cups and drink. Don’t leave to steep because the tea becomes bitter and unpleasant.

Seaweed

Seaweed is part of the staple diet in Asia and has also been eaten in Scotland and Ireland for centuries. Sea vegetables are incredibly nutrient-rich and contain special compounds that may bind with heavy metals and remove them

Safely from the body. Seaweed is a good source of the mineral iodine, which is important for the thyroid gland and for healthy teeth and bones.

To incorporate seaweed in your diet, try using seaweed salt or dried sheets of Nori Seaweed, which may be shredded and added to rice as a topping, or laid flat, covered with rice and then rolled to make sushi rolls.

If you are hypothyroid and taking thyroxine, you should take your medication at least several hours apart from consuming seaweed, because its iodine content may interfere with the effective uptake of the drug.

Sprouted Seeds

Sprouting refers to the practice of germinating seeds, pulses, and nuts until they start to sprout. They can be grown easily and inexpensively year-round, even in small spaces with just a jam jar and some water and light. Sprouted seeds are rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre, and live enzymes.

To sprout, put a heaped teaspoon of seeds (alfalfa, mungbean, and fenugreek are all good but any seed or pulse may be used) into a jam jar and cover the open end with mesh or cheesecloth held in place with a thick rubber band. Soak the seeds for a few hours, then drain and place the jar at an angle on a draining board or window sill. Rinse each night and morning with clean water until little shoots appear and then start to sprout. This process normally takes five to eight days, depending on the type and size of seed, and room temperature. The sprouts are then ready to rinse and eat as a snack or as a tasty, nutritious addition to salads, sandwiches, and so on.

For best results, use good quality, organic seed and good quality water, such as filtered water. Don’t let your seeds become water-logged because they’ll go mouldy. Make sure that all water is drained off after rinsing and that air can circulate in the jar at all times. Avoid direct sunlight and heat and keep sprouts in an even, warm temperature.