My wife and I had our photo taken standing in front of a 1,000-year-old Sitka Spruce tree, and this got me thinking about the impact of 1,000 years of growth.

I can barely get my mind around a concept of the time that tree began its life, presumably around the year 1020. What was life like back then? Did anybody notice that tree when it was young?

Most likely well never know.

Still, my curiosity was now aroused, and I found an online site with lots of information about inflation. That topic doesnt directly apply to a tree, but it certainly applies to investors.

When I came into the world as an adult, U.S. inflation was very low. To me, the 1953-1966 inflation rate of 1.5% was normal. Something that I could have purchased in 1953 for $1 (more than I usually had as a kid) would have cost about $1.21 in 1966. By then, my ability to spend money had escalated mightily, so it didnt seem like a big deal.

As a result, I was in no way prepared for the next 14 years. From 1967 through 1980, the inflation rate was 7.1%. By 1980, that mythical item which I could have acquired for $1.21 in 1966 would have cost $3.08.

From 1926 through 2019, inflation in the United States and other developed nations has been roughly 3%, so at the moment it seems to make sense to regard that as a reasonable long-term expectation for the future.

Read: Inflation is low now, but it still poses a big threat to retirees financial security

In many parts of the world, inflation is much higher than in the United States. For example, Venezuela (15,000% annual rate as of April 2020), Zimbabwe (319%), Sudan (81.3%), Iran (34.2%), and Libya (22.3%). And no, 15,000% is not a typo.

Theres also the phenomenon of deflation, a decrease in the general price level of goods and services.

Every month, the federal government calculates the Consumer Price Index, which can be translated into an inflation rate. If youre curious, you can find a table here with the inflation rate for every single month going back to January 1914 along with the annual rate.

Scanning the table, youll find some interesting data points.

Double-digit inflation was experienced in 1917 through 1920, ranging from only 15.31% (1919) to 17.8% in 1917. But in 1921, inflation turned into deflation, minus 10.85% to be precise. Even stranger, for seven straight years (1927-1932) year-end inflation was either zero (1929) or negative that is, deflation.

In my lifetime, the highest rates of inflation came in 1979 (11.22%), 1980 (13.58%) and 1981 (10.35%).

So far this century, annual inflation has ranged from -0.34% (deflation again, though slight) in 2009 to 3.39% in 2005. Last year, inflation was 1.81%.

Read: 10 things you should know about diversification

The online page of historical data to which I referred above also has interesting discussions about the nature of inflation, hyperinflation and deflation. You can dig into these topics as much as you wish, and the site has some practical ideas on dealing with inflation.

Theres this advice against holding large amounts of cash: In a world where moderate inflation is the norm, there is little choice but to spend, invest, or be willing to accept a degree of loss due to inflation.

To which I say Amen.

In fact, the U.S. stock market has a history of advancing (over long periods) at a rate that outpaces inflation, and in my opinion thats a more reliable way to keep ahead of inflation than through commodities, real estate, art, or antiques.

Now back to that 1,000-year-old tree.

If we assume a long-term inflation rate of 3%, then over the course of 1,000 years, $1 will grow to $6,874,240,231,169.63.

Thats very impressive, of course.

Read: Should I still use the 60/40 investing rule for retirement?

But now think about this: If you added just one-tenth of 1% to that inflation rate (making it 3.1%), that $1 would grow to $18,141,169,599,823.68 nearly three times as much.

Those numbers contain a powerful lesson for investors who can take a long-term outlook. Even a tiny difference in return (which can result from shaving expenses, for example) can make an enormous long-term difference.

An assumed rate of future inflation is one of the key numbers necessary for thorough retirement planning. Whatever number you pick will have a large effect on the savings you need to afford a given level of spending.

If you assume a higher rate, that suggests you should save more. If you assume a lower rate, the implication is you dont need to save as much.

Inflation is one of the key numbers that I highlighted in a chapter of my book Financial Fitness Forever. The chapter is called Moving to Action: 12 numbers to change your life. You can read that chapter free if you like.

Richard Buck contributed to this article.

See the rest here:
Inflation will have a big impact on your retirement - MarketWatch

Jeanne Butterfield stands up for her beliefs

Kyle Kotecki, kkotecki@pioneergroup.com

Jeanne Butterfield holds a sign outside of the Manistee Post Office Saturday during a rally she organized as "an expression of concern in support" of the U.S. Postal Service.

Jeanne Butterfield holds a sign outside of the Manistee Post Office Saturday during a rally she organized as "an expression of concern in support" of the U.S. Postal Service.

Photo: Kyle Kotecki/News Advocate

Jeanne Butterfield holds a sign outside of the Manistee Post Office Saturday during a rally she organized as "an expression of concern in support" of the U.S. Postal Service.

Jeanne Butterfield holds a sign outside of the Manistee Post Office Saturday during a rally she organized as "an expression of concern in support" of the U.S. Postal Service.

Meet the retired lawyer who organized the rally in support of the USPS

Manistee's Jeanne Butterfield is not one to sit idly by in the face of what she sees as malfeasance. Butterfield prefers a more proactive approach.

When troubled by changes in the U.S. Postal Service, Butterfield took action, organizing a rally held outside of the Manistee Post Office Saturday morning as "an expression of concern in support" of the U.S. Postal Service.

"We've seen several disturbing actions since (Louis) DeJoy was appointed Postmaster General: cuts in overtime, slowing down of service, dismantling of sorting machines and removal of actual mailboxes from some city streets around the country," Butterfield said. "That comes on the heels of statements by some of our political poobahs that the post office should be a profit-making venture. We're here to say it's not it's an essential service.

"It's critical to our small towns, and rural communities need it not only for personal mail but for prescription medicines, benefits checks," she continued. "And then looking ahead, during a pandemic especially, we need a reliable mail service to get our votes mailed in so we don't have to stand in line and expose ourselves on Election Day."

Butterfield has dedicated her life to making a difference, working as an immigration lawyer and continuing to stand up for various causes in her retirement.

"I was an immigration lawyer and I did national immigration policy work, mostly in Washington D.C.," she said. "I'm the former executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. I've always been active on issues of concern to our communities."

Butterfield, along with husband Al Frye, is a member of the We the People Action Network of Northwestern Michigan, which is a local, non-partisan, grassroots network dedicated to education, advocacy and action around issues of concern to the local community.

"Al Frye is my husband and one of the co-organizers (of the rally)," she said. "We have had this little network called We the People Action Network of Northwestern Michigan. It's done a number of events over the years here and that was some of the impetus behind this."

Butterfield settled in Manistee after retirement and, not content to spend her days relaxing, continued advocating for worthy causes.

"I'm a born and raised Michigander," she said. "I came back to Manistee in my retirement and I've been active in the community here ever since."

See original here:
Meet the retired lawyer who organized the rally in support of the USPS - Manistee News Advocate

Ryan Ermey: Whether you're fantasizing about getting away for a couple of weeks or dreaming of a retirement on the road, an RV is seeming like a more and more viable option these days. RV Dealer Association president Phil Ingrassia joins the show for a discussion of the benefits, drawbacks, and costs of RVs in our main segment.

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Ryan Ermey: On today's show, Sandy and I tell a listener what to do after an issue that cut her credit limit in half and interest rates -- and the Fyre Festival feature in a new edition of Deal or No Deal. That's all ahead on this episode of Your Money's Worth. Stick around.

Ryan Ermey: Welcome to Your Money's Worth. I'm Kiplinger's associate editor Ryan Ermey joined as always by senior editor Sandy Block. And Sandy, we are recording today, I'm in a familiar situation, which is that a friend has texted me and said, You write for that financial magazine, don't you have answer for some question I have? And so the listener in question had her credit card limits slashed in half and was pretty livid about it. She says she puts at least $200 on the card monthly and pays it off in full. And she feels like she's somehow being punished for being financially responsible. She's trying to buy a house and is worried that her credit score may be dinged as a result of this, as well.

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Ryan Ermey: This is one that I reached out for some help for. I guess the number one thing, Sandy, is the reason that she's concerned about her credit score is this idea of utilization ratio, right?

Sandy Block: Right. If she's in the market for a house, one of the things that lenders will look at is the amount of overall... the ratio of the amount that she's borrowing versus the overall credit that she has access to. So if her credit limit has been cut in half, that's going to hurt her ratio, even though she didn't do anything wrong.

Sandy Block: I think this always comes as a shock to people that credit card issuers do this, but I remember this happening a lot during the Great Recession and it's happening now. It's not because of anything she did, it's because of the economy. It's because lenders are much more risk averse now. They're worried that people are going to lose their jobs and max out on their credit. And we were always shocked when this happens --especially if, as was the case with this listener, they've done everything right. It's like you're being punished for nothing. The only thing I can say is, you're not alone.

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Ryan Ermey: Right. And so, as you say, Sandy, credit card issuers are doing this now in the same way they did during the Great Recession, just because they're trying to reduce their exposure a little bit. Little used cards are a common target for these kind of cuts because they represent some kind of liability for the credit card company. Plus, their credit card's is not making too much money from that kind of card.

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Sandy Block: Right.

Ryan Ermey: Same with any kind of account exhibiting some kind of distress. Like if someone's maxing it out or making late payments. Those are kinds of things. Or just having complete inactivity. Those are some kinds of things that make you a target for this kind of thing. But in my friend's case, it was just some bad luck, frankly.

Sandy Block: It's just random, yeah.

Ryan Ermey: I reached out to our friend, friend of the show, Ted Rossman from CreditCards.com and he said that something similar actually happened to him recently. I mean, you're in the same boat as a credit expert, if this happens to you. He said, first thing he did, he called the card issuer andasked them to reinstate the old limit and they did. So that is absolutely worth a shot, especially if you're kind of taking a look at what your credit utilization is. Generally, a good goal is to keep it below 30%, although below 10% is even better. And so if this is something that could possibly affect you, it's absolutely worth asking.

Sandy Block: Certainly if you've been a good customer and they want to keep you. Maybe they just did this across the board, but you call up and say, Look, I've paid my bills. I'm a good customer. I don't have a lot of debt. It's definitely worth trying.

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Ryan Ermey: Yeah. And it's not out of the realm of possibility on any credit account to call them and ask for a higher limit. Ted says that in more normal times in 2018 that CreditCards.com had found 85% of card holders who asked for a higher limit got one. They're generally happy to give it to you now. And this is something I wasn't aware of -- that you could run into what's called a hard inquiry, which means that someone is taking a look at your credit. And a hard inquiry is the kind that can temporarily lower your score by a few points. And so Ted suggestsbefore officially asking for a higher rate, that you can call customer service to ask if a hard inquiry will happen.

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Ryan Ermey: He says last year he asked for higher limits on his American Express, Capital One and Wells Fargo cards and there were no hard inquiries, but he avoid proceeding with Chase who would have in fact done a hard inquiry.

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Sandy Block: Right. The difference between... ahard inquiry is what happens when you apply for a new credit card. A soft inquiry is when you get all those solicitations in the mail and maybe they checked your credit before sending you a solicitation. That's called a soft inquiry. That does not hurt your credit score. But a hard inquiry -- and that's why we always tell people -- avoid taking out a bunch of credit cards at one time or taking advantage of a whole bunch of retail back when we were shopping. You know, retail credit cards to get the 10% discount. That can ding your score. So it's important to understand the difference.

Ryan Ermey: Right. And so for my friend, who is possibly trying to finance a home here soon, getting a brand new card certainly isn't a solution in the very short term in terms of lowering her utilization ratio. I think she's more or less fine. She's probably not putting... it doesn't sound like she's putting too much money on the card, unless she's got a very, very low limit. The amount of money, the $200 that she's paying off every month sounds like she's not even going to come close. And so even with the credit limit lowered, it's certainly annoying and it's certainly going to affect her ratio, but she still should have very good credit coming out of this.

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Ryan Ermey: Our advice to her... yeah, Ryan and Rianne, go ahead and call Chase. I think she did mention that it was Chase and see what they can do for you. Hopefully, they should be able to raise that back up for you without a hard inquiry. But otherwise, you should still be good and best of luck on the new house, girl.

Sandy Block: Yes!

Ryan Ermey: Coming up, if you're dreaming of retiring in an RV, consider the cost as well as the benefits. Our interview with Phil Ingrassia is next.

Ryan Ermey: We are back. And today, we are talking with Phil Ingrassia. He is the president of the RV Dealers Association. Phil, thank you so much for joining us.

Phil Ingrassia: Happy to be here.

Ryan Ermey: We talked with another colleague of ours recently, and her theory was that the pandemic has sort of re-birthed the great American road trip. Has there been heightened demand for RVs since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out? And how can people go about finding a place to rent or buy one?

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Phil Ingrassia: Right. Well, initially there was a lot of people who were looking to use RVs as isolation areas. We had a lot of first responders, medical personnel using RVs when they were coming back from work so that they could have them in their driveway and stay away from their family. That kind of has morphed into more people than ever, trying RV-ing for the first time.

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Phil Ingrassia: We've got a survey out this past week that showed like 55%, more than half of the people buying RVs in May through June were first-time buyers. So it's been an interesting spring to say the least, as people have discovered the benefits of RVs travel.

Phil Ingrassia: They kind of check a lot of boxes, right? You can be outside with your family. You can self-isolate in the RV. So you're not with a bunch of other people that aren't related to you. And so it's been a very busy summer as we've seen a lot of people try to find the right travel trailer or motor home for their family as they try to kind of save their summer.

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Sandy Block: Phil, even before the pandemic, there was a lot of appeal among retirees for RVs. I assume that hasn't changed. What are the advantages of retiring to an RV and seeing the country, particularly if you're say, you're retired and you're on a fixed income?

Phil Ingrassia: Basically, they can budget in a way where they can figure out, okay, maybe they're selling their house and they're going to travel the country. They can be in the South in the winter time -- snowbird type --and then come back North. We have a lot of people that do that, but RV-ing is also something that you have to budget for. Certainly, you have to buy the unit and then you've got insurance issues and then you've got campground fees and things like that.

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Phil Ingrassia: So it's not exactly a free way to retire, but certainly for people who plan, it can be a very economical way to stretch their retirement savings.

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Ryan Ermey: Well, so let's talk a little bit about costs. Let's say I'm one of these people who kind of wants to dip my toes into this lifestyle. I want to take a vacation with the family at a safe social distance. About what would week-long RV rental run me? And consider some costs maybe that people might not always think about. And can I still come out ahead?

Phil Ingrassia: Right. Well, there's a couple different ways to look at it. Certainly, you've got a bunch of different units. So sort of like with hotels, you have different size rooms, you have different size RVs. Typically, your smaller RVs, you can rent for $200 a week on up. Larger RVs, you're getting into the motorized, which can be more expensive and they're larger, as well. So it really varies as far as how much it could cost. It basically depends on the type of RV you're renting. The other cost you have to consider, certainly gas, any additional insurance you might requireand then campground fees and things like that.

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Phil Ingrassia: Right now, the rental market is very, very tight. It's a supply and demand issue. If you can book further out, your rates are probably going to be a little lower. And the shoulder seasons are typically lower rates as well. And what I mean by that is when school is in session. Basically, the rates are lower in the fall and early winter. But again, it depends on the size of the unit and where you're going to. If you're going to a popular destination, such as Grand Canyon or things like that, the rates can be a little higher there than if you're doing a more Midwest swing on a trip.

Ryan Ermey: What do thetiers look like when it comes to different kinds of RVs? Because I think a lot of people think, "All right, I'm going to retire and I'm going to have the whole 'Meet the Fockers' like gigantic beautiful machine." But obviously, it kind of runs the gamut of different kinds of RVs. And you might want to start with something a little bit smaller to test it outto see if you like it.

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Phil Ingrassia: Absolutely. A lot of people think about RVs as motor homes. And certainly that's a very important part of the market. But over the last 20 years, the volume of sales has been driven by the tow-able sector. Basically travel trailers, campers. And so right now, the hot ticket is the entry-level camper that sells between $15,000 and maybe $35,000. And as you guys have probably noticed, the passenger car market has really evolved where people used to have a couple of sedans in the driveway, now they've got an SUV, maybe a light pickup or a crossover. So all those units are potential tow vehicles for the lighter weight RV travel trailers.

Phil Ingrassia: And so this has helped feed the desire for RV travel because people already have a tow vehicle in their driveway. So certainly the larger fifth wheel travel trailers and the motor homes are a big part of the market, big with the retiree and snowbird sector. But right now, the volume is in the entry level family type RVs that people can tow with pretty much what they have in their driveway now if they've got an SUV or crossover or a light pickup truck,

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Sandy Block: Phil, if you are interested in actually... maybe you've done the entry level, you're retired and you're interested in buying an RV and doing the whole lifestyle. What should people be thinking about? Do most people pay cash for RVs or is there financing available? Can you lease an RV? I mean, what are your options in terms of ownership?

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Phil Ingrassia: Well, most people buy an RV and will finance at least part of it. There are many options for financing. Unlike buying a car, if you go to an RV dealership, they'll say, Okay... You've made your selection and you'll talk to them and they'll say, Okay, do you want to finance it? Are you paying cash? What are you doing? So you'll go in and RV dealers have access to a lot of different lending sources, just like car dealers do. So you can finance through the dealership. There are also credit union programs and brick-and-mortar banks also have lending programs for RVs, as well. So there's no shortage of financing options if you want to finance the RV, and there's very attractive terms. And because it's something that's not necessarily used every day, you can lengthen the length of your term. So you can stretch it out over 7, 10, 12-year period of time.

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Sandy Block: And can you lease an RV?

Phil Ingrassia: Leasing is more of a long-term rental.

Sandy Block: Okay...

Phil Ingrassia: There really aren't leasing programs like you have in the car business where you would turn it in after three years or so many thousands of miles.

Ryan Ermey: Now, I imagine that there's some subset of the RV market who get in because the people are really excited. But they invest in a big piece of machinery like people do with a boat, and the joke for boats is always bust out another thousand, right? It's always comes with costs that you don't necessarily anticipate. Are there some cost associated with RV ownership and travel that the kind of bushy-tailed new buyers don't necessarily always consider?

Phil Ingrassia: Well, certainly when people buy their first RV, they really need to talk to their dealer about the maintenance schedule. I mean, really this is a house on wheels, right? So you've got plumbing systems, you've got electrical system, you've got water systems in there that need attention. Also, you've got a rubber roof on top of the unit, which needs to be serviced every once in a while. So it's not like a car. There are other things in an RV components that you don't have in a vehicle.

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Phil Ingrassia: So much like your house, where you'll have somebody take a look at the furnace every season, you still have those kinds of issues with an RV. So people need to consider the maintenance that needs to be done, to keep their RV ready to go when they want to go on vacation. There's nothing worse than you're all ready to go with a family camping, and then something's wrong. So you need to do that maintenance much like you have to do with a home.

Ryan Ermey: Nevertheless, the appeal of the RV is sort of more undeniable than ever.

Ryan Ermey: Phil, we want to thank you again for coming on. Before you go, where can people head to find more information about RVs and about where to possibly be able to procure one in their area?

Phil Ingrassia: There's a great website, GoRVing.com, that has all kinds of information on the RV types and terms that you need to know. It also has links to rental and dealers. So you can find a dealer at GoRVing.com and you can also go to our website, RVDA.org to find a dealer near you.

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Ryan Ermey: Fantastic. Well, Phil, thank you so much again for coming on. And until then, I guess we'll see you on the road.

Phil Ingrassia: Thank you.

Sandy Block: Thanks, Phil.

Phil Ingrassia: Bye.

Ryan Ermey: After the break, find out why news about the Fyre Festival had me wondering about deals on used cars. Don't go anywhere.

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Ryan Ermey: We are back. And before we go, Sandy and I are parsing, what are deals, what are not. It's Deal or No Deal. And Sandy, I have one that I really enjoyed. Every once in a while, you get one of these things that you just enjoy delving into.

Ryan Ermey: And so news broke this week that the U.S. Marshals Service was auctioning off seized itemsfrom the Fyre Festival. Now, for those of us who don't remember, the Fyre Festival was supposed to be a festival targeted toward beautiful young people, young Instagramand social media influencers. They flew them all out to an island, but it ended up being a humongous scam. There was no festival.

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Sandy Block: I think everybody got like a cheese sandwich and a...

Ryan Ermey: I mean by cheese sandwich, we mean two pieces of bread and a slice of cheese.

Sandy Block: It's not even good cheese. That's right.

Ryan Ermey: And they were supposed to be paying thousands of dollars for a beach side bungalows. And these people had set up FEMA tents.

Sandy Block: And there were all these supposed to be all these great bands, right? And there were no bands.

Ryan Ermey: It was really an epic disaster and a humongous scam.

Sandy Block: Epic.

Ryan Ermey: And a certain amount of schadenfreude that went into the whole thing that these people thought, these trust fund kids in New York, these club kids who are paying thousands of dollars to fly to the the Bahamas -- this is what they get. They don't, you know.

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Sandy Block: That's right.

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Ryan Ermey: Anyway, there's two fantastic documentaries, one on Netflix, one on Hulu. Go check those out. I mean, really, really tremendous stuff. So the Marshals Service was auctioning off a lot of their leftover merch that had been seized. So there was like hats and hoodies and t-shirts and wristbands and little tokens that I think you were supposed to be able to use to buy things there, which that obviously didn't really happen. But I'm talking, the hats and shirts are going for like $400 to $500.

Sandy Block: Oh my gosh.

Ryan Ermey: Well look, because people wanted a piece of that...

Sandy Block: Memoranda.

Ryan Ermey: ...that culture.

Sandy Block: Yeah.

Ryan Ermey: It was a really a moment in time. Obviously, I didn't want to buy any of that. But while I was there, there was all sorts of stuff being auctioned off. And I should say folks that as we record today on August 13th, the Fyre Festival stuff is closing today. So by the time you're listening to this...

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Sandy Block: You missed it.

Ryan Ermey: If you want to buy Fyre stuff, you can't. But...

Read the original:
The Pros and Cons of Buying an RV in Retirement - Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Social Security has been in the headlines a lot lately, and not necessarily for good reasons. As President Donald Trump continues to push for payroll tax cuts -- or eliminating payroll taxes altogether -- many experts are voicing their concerns about how that will affect the future solvency of Social Security.

They have reason to worry, too. Payroll taxes are the primary source of income funding the Social Security program, and without them, benefits could potentially disappear. Even if payroll taxes are reduced and not eliminated, that could still result in benefit cuts for retirees.

That's especially concerning to the 20% of baby boomers who have no other retirement income besides Social Security, according to a recent survey from Nationwide, but it can spell trouble for all retirees. While nobody knows for sure what the future holds for Social Security, it may be a good idea to plan for retirement under the assumption that you won't get much financial help from the program. Here are four steps that can help you to do that.

Image source: Getty Images.

As you're planning for retirement, one of the first steps is to estimate how much you'll be spending each year. With that number in mind, you can break that down into how much will have to come from your retirement fund versus other income sources, such as a pension or Social Security benefits. From there, you can run your information through a retirement calculator to determine your retirement number -- or the amount you should have saved by the time you retire.

Because of the uncertainty surrounding Social Security, it may be best to leave your future benefits out of the equation. You'll likely need to save more, which may be a challenge if you're getting close to retirement age, but it's better than finding out during retirement that benefits are disappearing and your savings aren't enough to cover your basic expenses.

If you suddenly need to save more than you'd planned, it may be tough to find that extra money in your budget. Money is especially tight right now for millions of Americans, and saving more for retirement might feel impossible.

Do your best to save whatever scraps you can, though. Start tracking your expenses, if you don't do so already, and see if there are any areas in your budget where you can cut back. Saving even a little now will add up over time, so no amount is too small to stash in your retirement fund.

Saving more is challenging, so to make it easier, try to think of ways you can reduce your expenses in retirement so you won't need to save quite so much.

If you're open to making major life changes, you may consider moving to a more affordable city or neighborhood in retirement, for example, or downsizing to a smaller home. For less drastic changes, you might think about finding new inexpensive hobbies or changing your travel plans to destinations that are less costly.

Stashing more in your retirement fund is only half of the equation; it's also important to ensure your investments are allocated properly to maximize your savings.

When you're still decades away from retirement, your portfolio should be allocated more toward stocks. This is inherently riskier, but your savings will grow faster and you have plenty of time to recover from market downturns. As you get older, though, your investments should shift toward the conservative side and more of your portfolio should be allocated toward bonds. You'll still want to invest some money in stocks so your investments continue to grow, but by investing more conservatively overall, your money will be more protected against market downturns.

Social Security benefits are an integral part of many Americans' retirement plans, but there's a chance they won't be as dependable as they once were. If payroll tax cuts are in the future, it could have an impact on your retirement. By planning for it now, though, you'll be prepared no matter what the future holds.

Read more from the original source:
4 Steps to Surviving Retirement Without Social Security - The Motley Fool

They face particular challenges brought on by Covid-19 issues, experts say, that could lead to retirement earlier than planned.

Dorian Mintzer loves her work. A 74-year-old psychologist, coach and author, she has no plan to retire, and has continued to work during the pandemic, doing teletherapy from her home in the Boston area.

Now, like millions of other older working Americans, Dr. Mintzer is uncertain about the future of her job much will depend on whether health insurers continue to cover teletherapy post-pandemic.

Im going to keep working virtually the idea of going into an office building, and not knowing whos going in and out Im really not sure about that, she said. And sitting in a room with clients with both of us wearing masks I wouldnt be able to see their facial expressions. So I am now for the first time feeling at a crossroads.

Dr. Mintzer is asking the same questions facing millions of older workers. Its still early, but experts believe the pandemic will upend the timing of retirement plans of many older workers. In some cases, their decisions will be voluntary; in other cases, retirement may be forced upon them by job elimination or unavoidable health risk.

One of the most important factors affecting your retirement security is how long you work. Additional years make it easier to increase annual Social Security benefits through delayed filing: Filing at the earliest age (62) gets you 75 percent of your annual full benefit; every 12 months of delay past your full retirement age (currently around 66, depending on your year of birth) gets you an additional 8 percent until you turn 70. Working longer also can mean saving more, living off those savings for fewer years and getting more years of employer-subsidized health insurance.

Many older workers, generally those over 40, say they will need to work longer because of the economic crisis. For example, 37 percent of baby boomers and 39 percent of respondents from Generation X said they had delayed retirement or were considering doing so, according to a recent survey by TD Ameritrade. But that will be easier said than done: Between 2014 and 2016, just over half of workers who retired between ages 55 and 64 did so involuntarily because of ill health, family responsibilities, layoffs and business closings, according to research by the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at the New School for Social Research.

Here are some of the key issues and questions facing older workers navigating the last part of their careers in the pandemic.

In a typical recession, the unemployment rate for older workers remains below that of their younger counterparts, but thats not the case this time, noted Richard W. Johnson, director of the program on retirement policy at the Urban Institute.

The combined rate of unemployment and underemployment for workers over 65 was 26 percent in May, roughly five points higher than for those ages 25 to 54. That is the largest gap since record keeping began in 1948, Mr. Johnson said. And the combined rates are especially high for older workers who are less educated, black, Latino or in certain industries, such as leisure and hospitality, transportation, and education.

Whats going on? It could be that what were seeing is a continuation of a long-term trend in which seniority-based advantages have been gradually eroding because of the decline in unions, and the shrinking bargaining power of older workers, Mr. Johnson said. But health risks related to the virus are also probably a very important factor.

The pandemic already has fueled a surge in early retirements, according to a report published recently by three economists. They found that among people who had left the labor force through early April, 60 percent said they were retired, up from 53 percent in January, before the pandemic. The largest increase was among people over 65, but nearly half of this group were 50 to 65, said Michael Weber, a co-author of the report and a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

This phenomenon is widespread across older workers, but it really increases at age 65, when economic incentives play a role, he said, noting that thats when Medicare eligibility begins and full Social Security benefits are on the horizon.

Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that adults over 65 are at higher risk of severe illness from the coronavirus than others.

But the underlying C.D.C. data on illness and mortality is more nuanced. The risks of severe illness or death for people in their 50s or 60s who have no underlying health conditions like heart disease or diabetes are similar to or even lower than they are for workers in their 20s, 30s or 40s with health problems.

There is still some additional risk of bad outcomes as you enter each older decade of age up to age 70 even without an underlying condition, but it isnt as pronounced as the risks for adult workers of all ages with health problems, said Daniel Kim, an epidemiologist and professor at Northeastern University in Boston.

Most at-risk workers cant afford to stay away from work for long periods. An analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the average earnings of workers 65 and older in 2018 was $49,100.

Its double jeopardy for older workers as businesses open up, said Tricia Neuman, director of the Medicare policy program at Kaiser. If they return to work, they risk getting seriously ill due to Covid, but if they stay home, they may forfeit their earnings. For older workers who were hoping to work long enough to collect full Social Security benefits, the decision to stay home could have lifetime financial consequences.

Many older workers have been able to work remotely during the pandemic. The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College calculates that 44 percent of workers ages 55 to 64 and 47 percent of those 65 and older had jobs in 2018 that could be done remotely.

But 30 percent of workers 55 to 64 have physically demanding jobs a figure that rises to 40 percent for black and Latino workers, according to Teresa Ghilarducci, a labor economist and professor at the New School. The New Schools research forecasts that the poverty rate in retirement among workers who are now 50 to 60 will jump to 54 percent from 28 percent because of the pandemic economic shock.

The recession itself is likely the biggest obstacle. The best odds for older workers to land or retain a job are typically found when the economy is strong, noted Peter Cappelli, a professor of management at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Older individuals have their best chance of continuing to work if their employer will keep them on, especially allowing phased retirements or less demanding roles, he said.

Updated June 24, 2020

A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort and requires balancing benefits versus possible adverse events. Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. In my personal experience, he says, heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask. Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.

The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.

The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who dont typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the countrys largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.

So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was very rare, but she later walked back that statement.

Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus whether its surface transmission or close human contact is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.

A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.

The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nations job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.

Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.

If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)

If youve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

Are you hoping to get back to work but dont want to return to the workplace? Employers are not required to accommodate you because of your age under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, said Dan OMeara, a lawyer in the Philadelphia office of Ogletree Deakins, a global labor and employment law firm. However, they would have a duty to accommodate any worker with a disability under provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act, he added.

That could include a work-from-home arrangement, if it doesnt pose an undue hardship on the employer, Mr. OMeara said.

In the next round of pandemic relief legislation, employer groups and Senate Republicans are pushing to add protection from legal liability in the event that returning employees become infected.

Some experts worry about an increase in pandemic-related workplace age discrimination.

Older workers already faced much longer periods of unemployment than younger workers before the pandemic, said Laurie McCann, senior attorney at the AARP Foundation, who specializes in age-discrimination and employment matters. I think that will be on steroids this time employers will be more reticent to hire older workers who may be more vulnerable to illness.

However, an employer decision to use age to exclude older workers from returning to the workplace would violate the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, according to guidance issued this month by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. That law protects all workers 40 and older, and covers employers with 20 or more workers.

I dont see much basis to treat older workers as different from younger ones, Mr. OMeara said.

How age discrimination might play out among employers is a different matter and discrimination might not be limited to workers over 65. I dont think employers are hearing 65 and older, Ms. McCann said. I think theyre just hearing older people.

Most couples dont retire at the same time. A 2017 RAND Corporation study found a more fluid pattern, often involving phased retirement, short-term jobs, and periods of nonemployment and returns to work. For most couples, there is a discordant phase, when one spouse works longer than the other, said Katherine Carman, a senior economist at RAND and the lead author of the study.

That pattern has benefited couples from a financial standpoint. Continuing wages from one spouse can stabilize household finances and allow both spouses to stay on employer-subsidized health insurance, which is especially helpful for people not yet eligible for Medicare.

Covid-19 likely will change those patterns, Ms. Carman thinks, since a decision to return to the workplace may not only create infection risk for that person but put a spouse at risk as well.

For many people, part of your personal identity is who you are when you go out into the workplace, Ms. Carman said. And once we are home, we start to change how we think about ourselves, even if were still doing our jobs.

Those decisions could go any number of ways," she added, but I do think this will push people to reconsider their thoughts about whether they want to retire.

Dr. Mintzer, who has written extensively on how couples approach retirement, already is hearing talk about these issues from couples she counsels. Its still early days, in terms of the new reality settling in, she said, but Im finding that its percolating right now.

Continued here:
A Pandemic Problem for Older Workers: Will They Have to Retire Sooner? - The New York Times

Hear the words of wisdom and advice, stories he won't forget and about a full life from the state's oldest employee, Bob Vollmer, who is retiring. Indianapolis Star

After 30 years at WTHR and nearly 50 years in journalism, reporter Kevin Rader announced Wednesday he will officially retire July 7.

"I think there just comes a time, and I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but there is just a voice inside that tells you when it's time," Rader said. "I still feel like I'm good at what I do, and I want to walk away when I still feel that way."

Rader grew up in Lexington, Nebraska, and first became interested in journalism when a high school counselorentered his classroom to announce a job opening at a local radio station.

"I went in after school to that councilor and said, 'You know, I'm really glad you walked in to tell me that, because I'd like to apply for that job,' and he said, 'Well you're the reason why I walked into that classroom,'" Rader said. "So, I always tell people, I don't know that I picked this business, I think this business picked me."

After graduating from the University of Nebraska Kearney, Rader spent time in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Green Bay, Wisconsin, before taking a job with WTHR and moving to Indiana in 1990.

He has since reported on a variety of topics from the Oklahoma City bombing to Hoosiers sending aid during the Bosnian Crisis.

"I'm so fortunate because I landed at one of the best premiere TV stations in America, I mean you literally were able to, if a big story broke, say 9/11, well I was there the next morning in New York City," he said. "I was there in the room when Donald Trump came down the escalator as president-elect of the United States, and for a farm kid from a small town in rural Nebraska, how could I have ever expected to have the world open up like that?"

Rader said his favorite part of the job, however, is sharing people's stories, like he gets to do through the series "Only in Indiana." Because of this, he plans to continue to write after he retires.

While he wants to continue to share the stories of individuals throughout Indiana, he also plans to write fiction based on stories he has encountered while reporting.

"If you cover the news business, which I have, all kinds of it, you see all differentkinds of life, and I want to write about that," Rader said. "I want to show people some things that maybe we don't get to put in our stories but are really compelling."

In retirement, Rader said he is looking forward to creating his own deadlines and being able to decide what direction he takes with coverage. And while he anticipates feeling slightly restless while he watches events unfold around him, he knows he will be able to feed that urge through his independent work.

When Rader shared on Facebook and Twitter thathis days in television are coming to a close, colleagues and viewers commented their well-wishes, appreciation for his work and sadness that he was leaving.

Met you in Greentown a few years ago..you were so kind, Sharon Shane replied on Twitter. You will be missed for your great stories and integrity in reporting.

On Rader's Facebook post, one of his followers expressed their surprise stating, "I wish you were kidding."

"July 7 will be a sad day in tv journalism," Jim Denny replied. "I have been informed, saddened, I have laughed and cried with your stories over the years! You are someone Indiana trusts."

Rader's accomplishments throughout his career include 32 Regional Emmy Awards as well as seven Regional and two National Edward R. Murrow Awards.

As his time at WTHR comes to a close, Rader said he has begun a count down to his last official day. And while he is sad that he will not be able to have a traditionalgoodbye due to COVID-19, it would have been "a little too emotional for me" anyway.

Among the lessons he has learned throughout his career, Raider said one of the most important is that other people's opinions should not deter them from pursuing their dream.

"If there's somebody out there who is saying, 'Well, you know I am stereotyped, I can't do this, I don't want to do this because I'm not the right type of person,' then that means you need to do it," Rader said.

Contact IndyStar Pulliam Fellow Brooke Kemp at bkemp@gannett.com.Follow her on Twitter@brookemkemp.

Read or Share this story: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2020/06/26/wthrs-kevin-rader-announces-retirement-after-30-years/3258021001/

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Kevin Rader announces retirement from WTHR after 30 years - IndyStar

If youre a glass half full person, heres some good news: About half of retirees are able to maintain their spending levelsin other words, their lifestylesduring their first five years of retirement.

Thats according to a study by the federal governments Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB),which looked at retiree spending habits over a 22-year period ending in 2014.

Obviously, retirees are like snowflakes: no two are alike. Yet the study says most tend to have one important thing in common: They usually spend more in their first five years of retirement than at other times, and then it begins to decline. For example, if youve dreamed of traveling the world, checking things off from your bucket list and so forth, youre more likely to do so in the early stages of your golden years than the latter ones, when you may be slowing down.

And its not just splurging in Italy or taking the grandchildren to Disney World. The CFPB cites an external study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, which notes that retirees also tend to buy fewer clothes, fewer home furnishings and other things as time goes by.

Read: I want to retire to a rural location with four seasons that gets me out of New York state so where should I go?

But theres something else you need to know about why spending declines after a few years, and its important. More on that below.

Naturally, being able to maintain spending is easier for some than others. The CFPB report says that 27% of retirees were able to spend based solely on income from pensions, Social Security, annuities and other sources of income. Another 24% wear able to so by dipping into savings and selling off investments, in addition to the above things.

But remember: if you dip too deeply into these thingsyour principalit raises the chances of you running out of money later on. Theres a common rule of thumb that you should never take more than 4% of your principal a year, but this is something you should discuss with a trusted financial adviser.

So the first five years are telling, and can reveal how the rest of your life, financially, is likely to go.

Perhaps youve heard that a sound retirement is best compared with a three-legged stool: One leg is a pension, one is Social Security, and the third is personal savings. But the stool has gotten wobblier over the years. Fewer companies have defined pension plans than ever before, shifting responsibility to employees to save through 401(k), IRA and other plans. But tens of millions of Americans, for a variety of reasons, havent saved much, if anything: Nearly 70% have less than $1,000 stashed away, according to a 2019 survey by GOBanking rates.Countless other studies say pretty much the same.

Read: My retirement income is $95,000 a year, and I want a walkable, affordable beach town to spend the winter. Where should I retire?

This leaves Social Security, which was never meant to be a primary source of income, yet for millions, thats exactly what it is. According to the SocialSecurity Administration, 50% of married couples and 70% of unmarried persons receive 50% or more of their income from Social Security. Even worse: 21% of married couples and about 45% of unmarried persons rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income.

If youre already in retirement, you know where you stand. If you only have one or one-and-a-half of those legs of the stool, chances are youre still working (or trying to in this economy), and chances are youve downgraded your standard of living. It very well could be that Social Security is just about all youvegot.

However, for younger workers, perhaps 10 to 15 years away from retiring, the CFPB study offers data that could help strengthen your finances as your career winds down.

It showed that homeowners (59%) are more likely to be able to maintain spending in retirement than renters (30%). And not surprisingly, homeowners who paid off their mortgages before retiring were in even better shape. Think about that: No monthly payment to anyone.

If this isnt you, you might want to consider the cost advantages of downsizing. If youre still working and cant relocate, can you at least find something smaller and/or cheaper? I recognize that this may be difficult, and perhaps painful, but if it helps you get a better grip of your finances, it may be worth considering.

And heres a no-brainer: Stay out of nonmortgage debt. Its awfully hard to live well in retirement if youre saddled with car loans, credit card or even student loansyes, some retirees still have student loans. Get this stuff off your books as fast as you reasonably can. Focus on paying off whatever has the highest interest rate first.

Finally, remember how I said theres something else you need to know about why spending declines after a few years? Many people, forced into a corner financially, have no other choice. The CFPB found that retirees who couldnt maintain their standard of living wound up slashing spending by 28% over their first five years in retirement. Of that number, 17% cut spending by more than half.

This is sobering data. Nobody wants to cut their spendingtheir lifestyleby half. But if retirement is still on the horizon for you, consider taking steps now to bolster your situationbefore youre forced to later.

Now my question (s) of the month: If you are eyeing retirement what are you doing now to strengthen your finances? And if you are already in retirement, have you been forced to make any changes? Tell me your stories. Write to mePaul BrandusatRetireBetterMarketWatch@gmail.com. Thanks and I hope youre staying safe this summer.

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Why your first five years of retirement are critical - MarketWatch

Do you know how much your Standard Form 50 (Notification of Personnel Action) statements reveal about your future retirement? The answer might be more than you think.

Before there were electronic official personnel folders, there were cardboard official personnel folders held together by metal fasteners that held copies of an employees SF-50s. and a second copy was given to to the employee for their own records. Its still a good practice to keep copies of your SF-50s.

The reason is you can use these forms to determine the effective date of any relevant personnel actions that define your federal career history. These personnel changes are used in determining your eligibility for retirement and the computation of your retirement benefit.

An employee normally has only one OPF or eOPF. It follows the employee from one agency to another when he or she transfers, or upon request is sent from the Federal Records Centersat the National Archives and Records Administration to the new agency where an individual is reemployed after an extended break in service. Most agencies forward records to the FRC when an employee separates from federal service. A few, however, retain permanent records of separated employees and should be contacted directly for verification of service. Your payroll office also keeps the primary evidence of your federal service by maintaining your individual retirement records.

Some types of service are not reflected on SF-50s. They dont, for example, reflect military active duty service. And there are some types of civilian service that may be documented differently, such as volunteer service in the Peace Corps.

Your SF-50s also dont reflect whether your service is actually creditable towards your retirement eligibility and computation. This should be verified through a human resources specialist at your agency. Sometimes you need to pay a deposit or a redeposit of retirement contributions in order to credit the service. Details regarding creditable civilian service are outlined in Chapter 20 of the Office of Personnel Managements Civil Service Retirement System and Federal Employees Retirement System Handbook.

Personnel actions on your form SF-50s include appointments, separations, placement and return to duty from nonpay status, conversions to permanent appointment from temporary appointments, and other types of pay and position changes. Basic pay changes are documented on these statements as well as your retirement plan and life insurance coverage.

An example of how complicated personnel actions have become can be seen by the retirement coverage code noted in item 30 of your SF-50 (on SF-50s issued before Oct. 1, 1988, its item 8), indicating the type of retirement coverage. Instead of showing simply CSRS or FERS, the form can include a myriad of other letters and numbers indicating such types of coverage as:

One reason its important to know what retirement coverage is on these forms is that errors can creep into the process. This has been especially true since FERS was implemented in 1986. In 1999, the Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Corrections Act was enacted to allow employees to correct such errors. This primarily affected people for whom errors caused them to believe they were covered by CSRS rather than FERS. The FERS basic benefit is a little over half that of the CSRS benefit, so FERS employees need to save more for retirement in the Thrift Savings Plan.

If you dont have copies of your SF-50s and youre a current federal employee, you can find the forms in your eOPF. If you recently left your federal job, contact your former agencys personnel office. If its been more than 30 days since you left, you need to contact the FRC. Such requests must be signed and dated, and sent by mail to:

National Archives and Records Administration

Civilian Personnel Records

1411 Boulder Boulevard

Valmeyer, IL 62295

Include your full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and a list of all federal agencies where you were an employeewith addresses and dates of your employment, to the extent you know them.

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Cracking the Retirement Code - GovExec.com

The Sentinel Monitor app organizes information about a users symptoms and provides information about the coronavirus pandemic. (GeekWire Photo / Alan Boyle)

As concerns about a resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak are widening, so is the reach of the COVID-19 tracking platform created by Sentinel Healthcare, a Seattle-based medical data startup.

The app-based platform was rolled out three months ago, just as the pandemic was taking hold, and it wasnt long before it was picked up by UT Health Austin in Texas to keep track of the symptoms of quarantined patients.

Weve now contact-traced and diagnosed many, many patients, said Sentinel Healthcare CEO Nirav Shah, a neurologist and the former stroke director at Swedish Hospital in Seattle.

As of this week, about 1,600 of the apps users in Texas have been diagnosed with COVID-19, triggering contact tracing for more than 4,000 people, Shah told GeekWire.

Shah said Sentinel Monitor started registering a spike in the number of cases being diagnosed about two weeks ago. That ended up being borne out, he said. Looking back over the past 10 days weve seen almost a tripling or quadrupling of daily case counts.

Now Sentinel will be putting its platform to the test closer to home.

Today the company announced a partnership with Era Living, which runs eight retirement communities in the Seattle area. Sentinel will support Era Living in testing and monitoring its more than 900 employees and 1,300 residents for COVID-19. Seattle-based Transpara Health will provide logistical and operational support.

Shah noted that some of the first deadly clusters of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. occurred within long-term care facilities, leading off with the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash. To head off the spread, residential care facilities are now being required to test their staff and residents for COVID-19 regularly.

Sentinel Monitor can help. Our goal is to be the doctor in the cloud, Shah said. We will be providing the software monitoring oversight for these nursing homes, as well as capturing the lab data.

The system uses a mobile app to collect, store and visualize health data collected from FDA-approved wearable devices. Sentinel analyzes all those data streams, delivers clinical recommendations, and facilitates contact tracing if a COVID-19 case comes to light. The cost of the service is covered through reimbursements from medical insurance as well as federal and state funding.

Sentinel also facilitates dealing with the paperwork that comes with tracking coronavirus cases. What we did in Austin was, anytime theres a diagnosis, the forms are automatically generated for state, county and national entities, Shah said. Those forms have changed many times over the course of the pandemic.

The past few months have brought quite a pivot for Sentinel: Before COVID-19 hit, the 12-employee company was focusing on cardiac care, including methods to monitor blood pressure remotely for signs of hypertension. The rapid rise of the pandemic accelerated Sentinels long-term plan to build systems that track a wider spectrum of symptoms.

COVID helped us build out that infrastructure with a specific disease, but that template works across many other diseases, chronic, acute or otherwise, Shah said. Well be launching other disease categories, which was our core plan for the year.

Shah said getting the data to the right people at health care organizations can be as much of a challenge as collecting the data in the first place. Its not a one-to-one relationship, Shah said. Its not one app to one cloud. Its many people involved.

Sentinel launched in 2018 and raised $2 million in funding last year, led by PSL Ventures, Pioneer Square Labs investment arm. Its latest boost is coming in the form of a strategic investment from Vituity, a California-based health care company specializing in acute-care management and medical staffing services.

The reason why this is pretty fascinating from our perspective is, people arent showing up for urgent care and if thats your business, thats relatively challenging, Shah said. It became a relatively valuable conversation for both of us to think about how we could help provide remote monitoring infrastructure, so that you continue to deliver care another way.

For example, when patients are sent home from the hospital with a condition that needs monitoring, an app-based system can keep track of their symptoms and put them in touch with the right care if a situation arises.

Were trying to build out a remote health care operating system, Shah said. Its exciting and humbling that we get to do it despite being in a pandemic which is the bittersweet part.

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Sentinel Healthcare extends its COVID-19 tracking system to retirement communities - GeekWire

A staff member at Centennial Park Retirement Village has tested positive for COVID-19.

The facility told residents and families of the positive test in a letter this week. The person is in quarantine, the letter says. Two phone messages the Telegraph left executive director Julie Skala went unanswered as of Friday evening.

The letter from Skala to residents, families and team members reads:

In the interest of keeping you informed, we were notified today that one of our team members has tested positive for COVID-19. This was confirmed by Acutis Laboratories and verified by the Health Department. This team member is now in quarantined (sic) away from the community and is receiving appropriate medical care and support.

I fully understand your concern for the health and safety of your loved one. While I can confirm that there has been one positive case of COVID-19 in the community, due to state and federal privacy laws and regulations, we are unable to share information about specific residents or team members. We request that everyone please refrain from asking our team members or me for additional details.

Our dedicated caregivers all of whom wear department-of-health-required personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times are actively monitoring residents and staff for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, including conducting regular temperature checks. We will continue to engage with local health officials and follow all appropriate protocols and guidelines to mitigate the spread of the virus.

It is imperative that residents follow CDC guidelines and remain in their apartments. We know this is difficult, especially with the weather getting nicer, but it truly is necessary.

Thank you in advance for your support and understanding as everyone here invests their efforts in caring for you and your loved one. I invite you to go to our COVID-19 response page to see all were doing to prevent the spread of the virus in our community.

I will continue to keep you updated about the status of our community.

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Centennial Park Retirement Village tells families that staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 - North Platte Telegraph