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jECTjgN2jPAGE8jPLAINDEAIg ill** Eye Safetf At Christmas Past 65 By Carl Riblet Jr. Question -- "I seem to be out an supplemental alth insurance all the time. I have Blue Cross and other policies besides Medicare. I don't know where else I should buy. Is there an insurance company that has everything Medicare doesn't have? I'm 72, in good health and walk, golf, ride a bike and jump rope " -- Larry F. Answer -- I seem never to catch up on the mail that aks about supplemental health insurance. More than 200 letters on the question have come in during the last two weeks. This most grievous problem for elders, after the problem of income, therefore demands that I try to lay it on the line again. I went to John Mon­ tgomery, a chartered life underwriter in Tucson, a retired Navy captain who is knowledgeable about in­ surance for elders. I asked him: "John, what should a person past 65 have for health insurance? There are many companies that sell by mail and through smash advertising whose policies are expensive for what they pay out. It is said that those companies sometimes don't pay out enough on claims and that they are able to squirm out of some coverage through too many loopholes." This was his answer: "Everyone of the so-called Big Ten insurance un­ derwriters such as Prudential, Metropolitan, Equitable, New York Life, John Hancock, Aetna, Connecticut General, The Travelers, Northwestern Mutual and Massacusetts Mutual, and others like them large and small, will issue supplemental hospitalization policies to any qualified elder. No medical examinations are required unless there are health problems that show up on the questionnaire all applicants must fill out. If an answer indicates medical problems or the possibility of a problem, the company will request a statement of medical history from the applicants' doctor. If the question remains after the doctor's statement is reviewed by the company, then the company will have its own medical doctor make an examination, without charge to the applicant. "If the applicant is" in normal health for his or her age, and the company's medical examiner passes favorably on the application, the policy is issued and can never be cancelled, except for non-payment of the premium. "Here is a table of the monthly rates, give or take a few dollars, charged by all of the oldtime, big companies: "Age 65 to 69 - $11.73 a month for a male, $10.50 for a female. Age 70 to 74 - $13. for a male, $11.50 for a female. "Age 75 to 79 - $15. for a male, $13.25 for a female. "Age 80 to 84 - $17 for a male, $15.27 for a female. "Slightly lower rates.are charged for married couples. "The benefits, of course, vary between companies, bu the rates given are basic. Benefits also vary between states, coverage depending on state laws. Generally speaking, the supplemental policies issued by the old- time companies pay what Medicare does not pay. If hospitalization is extended beyond Medicare coverage, then the pype of policy I have described will pick up the difference. "Such a policy is issued by companies that do not want their policyholders to be o v e r - i n s u r e d f o r hospitalization coverage. Policies are not issued when the applicant has other policies for health coverage." Montgomery made this all-important point: a policy purchased at the ap­ propriate rate given in the foregoing table of rates will, with Medicare, cover what could be about $35,000 in bills. Thus, he said, nobody past 65 in more-or-less normal health needs anything but Medicare, plus a supplemental policy such as described. How does an elder get such a policy? He or she can apply for it by seeking out an agent of one of the oldtime com­ panies One way to get a list of the Big Ten, or the Smaller Twenty, or the Even Smaller Fifty, is to ask a local insurance agent of good reputation.1. Another way is to write for the information to the state insurance commission. I will stick my neck out and say that anyone who is issued a policy for sup­ plemental hospitalization insurance by one of the well- reputed companies can trust its agent's advice to the limit of common sense. All an elder needs is Medicare, plus the kind of policy described by John Montgomery. Question -- "When I was a young girl, my father played the guitar and one of our family's favorite songs that he strummed was 'Spanish Fan Dangle'. He would tune the guitar differently for that song. He bought the sheet music to it about 80 years ago and now it is lost. I can't find any place to buy it. Does anyone have it so they can send it to me? I'll gladly pay for it at any reasonable price." -- Mrs. Elmer K. Answer -- I'd like to hear "Spanish Fan Dangle" myself. I'm a sucker for spanish dance music. I will forward any information forthcoming to Mrs. Elmer at her home in Wisconsin. Question -- "My husband and I own a house in nearby Illinois that I can't even walk into. Three years ago I put up the house for sale with a real estate man. He per­ suaded me to rent it and he moved some people in on a rental basis and let them stay until they just about ruined the house and now they have moved out and use the downstairs to store auto parts. When I went to inspect my house the renter had the police put me out as a tres- risser. It's my house but can't go into it. 1 want to sell it. I need the money. The real estate man said the deed was faulty. Although he admits that he rents the house, I never once received any of that rent. The real estate man must be keeping it. I have talked to lawyers and the state's attorney and it did me no good. What can I do now? I am 65". -- Mae F. M. Answer -- If Mae has legal claim to the house -- faulty deed or not -- it would seem that somebody can help her. She can go to the Legal Aid society in her city -- phone 426-5173. Also, she should contact the ombudsman at the Area 13A Agency on Aging at the Community Service center in her town. Next, if the Legal Aid people think she has a case against the real estate man, she ought to report him to the state real estate commission and then to the State Board of Realtors, should he be a realtor. Realtors don't want The McHenry Plaindealer Available At Thf Following Locations: •WHITE HEN PANTRY •J A L GAS 'MAYS DRUG •LAKEVIEW •BELL LIQUORS •SUNNYSIDE FOOD •McHENRY WALGREEN • JOHNSBURG FOOD MART •BOLGER'S DRUG STORE •ADAMS GROCERY •BEN FRANKLIN •LITTLE STORE •OSCO DRUGS •FRED A IRENE'S TAP •JEWEL •McHENRY QUICK MART •HORNSBY'S •SUNRISE GROCERY •HERMES ICO. •STEINY TAP •LIQUOR MART •McCULLOM LAKE GROC. •VILLAGE MART •FOOD MART • J A R S T O R E •BITS A PIECES •McHENRY HOSPITAL •NORTHWEST TRAIN >pping >liday for children's holiday gifts, beware of those that pose threats to eyes, cautions the National Society to Prevent Blindness. More than 5,000 eye in­ juries were linked to toys last year and nearly two- thirds of these accidents were suffered by children under the age of fifteen. BB guns, darts and bows and arrows were responsible for another 1,100 eye injuries among youngsters in this age range. "Ninety percent of all eye injuries are preventable," noted Virginia S. Boyce, executive director of the National society. "Safety- conscious adults can protect children from eye damage - and in some cases the loss of an eye - by picking toys and games carefully and by teaching youngsters how to play wisely. "Holiday gifts hopefully will bring children many to have any crooked realtors around. Write to Carl Riblet Jr. w i t h s e l f - a d d r e s s e d , stamped envelope at Box 40757, Tucson, AZ., 85717, if you have any questions on problems of aging. All let­ ters will be answered, if possible. No identities are revealed. hours of enjoyment and help to expand their knowledge all year long, without jeopardizing their well- being," Mrs. Boyce added. Playthings with projectiles have been proven dangerous to eyes and should be avoided. Figures from a 1979 U.S. Consumer Product Safety commission survey of hospital emergency rooms indicate that children under 15 were the victims of: -the 184 estimated eye injuries from slingshots- sling-propelled toys. -nearly 82 percent of the 136 eye injuries related to toy guns and other toy weapons with projectiles. -78 percent of the 1,273 eye injuries associated with gas, air of spring-operated guns. Eye damage also can result from toys and games with less apparent hazards. Building sets, skateboards and battery-operated toys were a few of those responsible for eye injuries last year, primarily among children under 15. In some cases, the child may be too young to handle a toy. Often, too, play gets rough and youngsters accidentally hurt themselves or playmates. Most of these eye injuries happen when children are not supervised. It's very important that parents show their children how to use their gifts properly. Does the child understand how to use the toy? Does he or she take a "harmless" toy and make it dangerous, for example, by pulling rubber tips off darts? Do older children keep their more complicated toys out of reach of younger brothers and sisters? When dangers are explained, does the child acknowledge and avoid them? " R e m e m b e r t h e s e playtime tips and safeguard your child's sight - during the holidays and through the year," Mrs. Boyce con­ cluded. The National Society to P r e v e n t B l i n d n e s s , established in 1908, is the oldest voluntary health agency nationally engaged in preventing blindness through community service programs, public and professional education and research. Definition9 Old-timer: Someone who remembers when parents and baby sitters were the same people. -Record, Columbia, S.C. Wishful Hearing Some people will be­ lieve everything you tell them, if it's bad enough. -Bulletin, Sioux Rapids. ROBERT MCJSIKflNTOW, Ph.D psychologist for th« Family Ssrvlc* and Community Mantal Health Center for McHenry County (Editor's Note: This is another article in the Today's Psychology weekly series of especially written articles for McHenry County readers. The topic this week is "Confronting Fear".) A famous psychologist was once asked what he thought was the most important piece of information he had learned in his long years of practice. His reply was quite interesting. He stated that one of the most important learnings for him was the fact that the more you avoid something you fear, the more fearful you become. Almost everyone, for example, is anxious the first time they attempt to drive a car. Usually, however, the desire to drive is stronger than the fear and so most people manage to confront their fear and learn how to drive. After numerous ex­ periences with driving their fear disappears and it becomes hard to imagine ever being fearful of driving. On the other hand, if rather than confronting the fear of driving, one avoids the fear and stays away from cars, the fear becomes intensified. Now the fear is no small matter but rather it appears to be a major ob­ stacle. What can then happen is continued avoidance leading to even more intensified fear. The solution to this cycle is obvious and simple, though difficult to put into practice. What one must do is to begin to confront fears rather than avoiding them. While in the short run this may seem more difficult than avoiding them, in the long run it is really easier, for much energy is wasted in avoiding and worrying about those things that we fear. What is necessary is for one to learn how to confront fears in slow steps. Try, for example, doing something that just makes you feel a little anxious. Do it a number of times until you begin to feel comfortable. Once you feel comfortable you can try something that's just a little more difficult. In this slow fashion fear can be eliminated and replaced with confidence;. Just keep on reminding yourself that anxiety, though uncomfortable, is tolerable and can be overcome through persistant practice. And remember - just one step at a time, and before you know it you will have reached your goal. CHILD ABUSE Gregory L. Coler, director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family ser­ vices, testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Select Education which is considering extension of the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment act. Coler told committee members that federal regulations governing the program should be broader and less categorical. "They should permit states to build better basic child protection systems and focus less on specialized, 'exotic' areas of child maltreatment that may have more glamour and media appeal," Coler said. •GIVE MUSIC, • FOR AGIFT THAT LASTS & LASTS! CAROIC Kiryq TAPESTRY Johnny Cashfe Greatest Hits VJume 1 JnwEu fKac *D<zvi4 GREATEST HITS : x > < mcluoing I Feel The Earth Wove So Far Away/It s T6oLatel Vou v* G Where You Laad WiU You Love Me Smack water Jack including Baby Don t Get Hooked On Me Slop And Small The Roaaa/OneHa* Of A In The Ghetto/I Believe In Music including Jackson/Ring Of Fire Orange Blossom Special It Ain't Me. Babe/I Walk The Line Billy JtH'll Piano Man including Captain Jack (Worse Comes To Worst The BaMed Of Billy The Kid Stop In Nevada/Travekn Prayer SPECIALLY PRICED FROMCBS. ALBUMS Cartel fteQunv/KMdTta* MaMM/Ruvtey/ttaBM tbjQaM*e»»/3w»»Ba Martha kitp mm\ mmi o-- ANNE MURRAY'S Give the gift of music. B E T T E M I D L E R # * 'n y 'pn/fnc INCLUDES JUt BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY ™ i MY MOTHER'S EYES KENNY ROGERS Greatest Hits Includes Passion Oh God I Wish I Was Home Tonight Say It Ain't True ATLANTIC CAPITOL SPECIALLV PRICED FROM MCA... ALBUMS i mtw row HOY ,INAl MOTION Mlf TUP I SOUNOTRA 6.27 LIBERTY •V lOGiijx- W:M/%T©UK ALBUMS 91 PICTURED ITEMS ONLY. WARNER BROS. ASYLUM ALBUMS 11.27 GIFTS THAT NEVER SOUNDED BETTER KENNY ROGERS "GREATEST HITS" BARBRA STREISAND "GUILTY" DOOBIE BROTHERS "ONE STEP CLOSER" AC/DC "BACK IN BLACK WAYLON JENNINGS "GREATEST HITS" BILLY JOEL "GLASS HOUSES- BOB SEGER "AGAINST THE WIND" ANNE MURRAY "GREATEST HITS" TOP 10 No. Nam* LP Price No. 1. Stevie Woader "Hotter Thai My" 6.97 6. 2. SniNttrack "Jazz Siiger" 7.97 7. 3. B Indie "Aiti Aaericai" 6.97 B. 4. REO "Hi Infidelity" 6.97 9. 5. Smdtrack "In*" 7.97 10 Name Eagles "liw" "Tfce Waafcror" I*TV MmiIM MIJ RNMNW "lany" Pat Bnatar 'Crnts if Pmttf" MStawart if H.L B--I ? M rOQUSn MMV101 LP Prica 11.97 6.97 6.97 6.97 6.97 DAILY 9 to 9 SUNDAY 10 to 6 HOMSir FIRS 4400 W. RTE. 120 McHENRY RTE. 47 A COUNTRY CLUB ROAD WOODSTOCK I (