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AARP Bulletin December 2023

Today’s most urgent health questions, how to read the fine print and the risks of medical credit cards

 

 

The December issue of AARP Bulletin offers the latest news updates, stories and tips that will help make the everyday better — from advice on navigating contracts and disclosures to insight on your top health questions. Plus an extraordinary interview with Johnny Rotten (aka, John Lyden) about caring for his wife as she dealt with dementia in her final years. The following are highlights from this month’s Bulletin:

 

Cover Story: Your most urgent health questions answered

It’s the season again: for health hype, trends, study announcements, new viruses and product releases. The cacophony of health noise can make anyone concerned about their well-being confused and worried. To help, AARP gives honest, direct answers to questions about 18 current trending topics, among them weight-loss drugs, vegetable replacement pills, RSV vaccines, new COVID strains, the ice bath craze and more.

 

Also in this issue

Q&A: John Lydon on his wife’s dementia: “She knew I loved her, she never forgot my name”

John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, lead singer of the Sex Pistols, was the embodiment of the Punk movement of the 1970s: tough, angry, sneering, rebellious, outrageous. And he has maintained that public persona for most of his career. But in this extraordinary interview, Lydon reveals a side few have ever seen: tender, caring, humble in his determination to care for his wife of over 40 years as she dealt with dementia.

Your Money: Do I really have to sign that?

This month, leave confusion behind and gain invaluable knowledge on smart contract practices — including how to navigate liability waivers, disclosure forms and more. Plus, let The Bulletin equip you with the skills to discern when it’s time to walk away from a contract. In this issue, learn how to read that pesky fine print.

Medical credit cards and their risky side effects

From 2018 to 2020, people used medical credit cards or loans to pay for nearly $23 billion in health care expenses. While they are understood as a short-term solution, medical credit cards may come with other issues of their own — such as interest rates reaching 25 percent or more.

Fraud Watch: When fraud hits again and again

The Bulletin sheds light on the alarming rise of rebound scams targeting recent crime subjects. Read about the subjects of these crimes and learn how if you were targeted by a scammer, you are more likely to be targeted again in this month’s Fraud Watch.

 

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Past Issues of AARP Bulletin

November 2023

Details on what we can learn from ‘super agers’ and how to protect your home from scammers.                                                       

 

 


October 2023

We have a visual guide to fraud, details on the future of Medicare and how vaccinations might reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s.                            

 

 


September 2023

Find out how to recover money lost to fraud, the truth about ministrokes and how older adults are shaking up the country.                                                            

 

 


July/August 2023

Learn ‘99 Great Ways to Save,’ plus how to reduce gas mileage and what to do when a loved one gets scammed.                                                                    

 

 


June 2023

Learn how to stay safe this summer and tips to calculate how much you’ll really need for your retirement stash.                                          

 

 


May 2023

Details about AI crimes on the rise, the changing retail landscape and online health misinformation.                                                             

 

 


April 2023

This issue features the 2023 Fraud Survival Guide, the problem with extended warranty offers, and a brain health quiz.                                      

 

 


March 2023

Find out how to protect yourself from ‘check washing’ crimes, important health truths and what's next for COVID-19.                                                 

 

 


January/February 2023

Lean why heart-related health challenges are on the rise and the best ways to prevent them, plus new tax credits worth pursuing.                          

 

 


December 2022

Discover whether to add solar panels to your roof, how to improve the Wi-Fi signal in your home and if it’s time for you to go gluten-free.                          

 

 


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