 1 wills +money endowments (fraud)
 2 websites
 3 age pays
 4 SOCIOLOGY OF DEATH AND DYING
 5 passing away in Thailand

\1 wills

10 Myths about Advance Medical Directives ABA Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly

10 Legal Myths About Advance Medical Directives by Charles P. Sabatino, J.D. Myth 1: Everyone should have a Living Will. Living Will, without more, is not the document most people need. As a threshold goal, most people should have a Health Care Power of Attorney (or Health Care Proxy) that names a trusted person as agent or proxy. A still better alternative is to execute both documents or a single, combined "Advance Directive" that names a proxy and provides guidance about one's wishes. Unfortunately, because of statutory restrictions or inconsistencies within state law, many practicing attorneys advise clients to execute separate rather than combined documents. State advance directive laws are slowly moving toward acceptance of flexible, combined advance directives, but the states differ significantly in this regard. 

The reason for the primary importance of the proxy appointment is simple. Most standardized living will forms are quite limited in what they can accomplish and what conditions they cover. For example, most provide instructions that apply only if the individual is in a terminal condition or permanently unconscious, yet the majority of health care decisions that need to be made for patients lacking capacity concern questions about day-to-day care, placement options, and treatment options short of "pulling the plug." Moreover, most boilerplate instructions express fairly general sentiments about not wanting treatments that serve only prolong the dying process. Relatively few people disagree with this sentiment. However, applying it to a particular set of facts is more difficult than at first meets the eye. Virtually no interventions only prolong the dying process. Any intervention can produce multiple consequences, some predictable, some not so predictable. If an aggressive and possibly painful course of treatment will give the patient a 1 in 3 chance of recovering to the point of being able to converse again with loved ones for a least a few more months, is that hope enough to treat aggressively? What if the odds were 1 in 25? Living will instructions always need interpretation, even when the terminal nature of an illness is clear. An agent or proxy under a health care power of attorney can do precisely that. The proxy, who should know the patient's values intimately, can respond to the actual facts and variables known when an actual health care decision needs to be made. Short of possessing a crystal ball, no one can anticipate the specific and often complicated circumstances fate will place them in. The proxy acts not only as legal decisionmaker, but also as spokesperson, analyzer, interpreter, and advocate. One caveat: if there is no one close to the individual whom he or she trusts to act as health proxy, then the health care power of attorney should not be used. In this circumstance, the Living Will is safer, despite its limitations. Myth 2: Written Advance Directives Are Not Legal in Every State. False. Every state recognizes both the proxy and living will type advance directives, although the laws of each state vary considerably in terminology, the scope of decisionmaking addressed, restrictions, and the formalities required for making an advance directive. A more frequently raised question is whether an advance directive written in one state will be recognized in other states. In other words, is the directive portable across state lines. Many states expressly recognize out-of-state advance directives if the directive meets either the legal requirements of the state where executed or the state where the treatment decision arises. Several states are silent on this question. If there is doubt, the rules of the state where treatment takes place, not the state where the advance directive was signed, will normally control. However, even if an advance directive fails to meet technicalities of state law, health providers still should value the directive as important, if not controlling, evidence of the patient's wishes. The threshold problem with most state provisions addressing portability is that they presumably require providers to be fully knowledgeable of the other state's law. Most use language derived from the Uniform Probate Code and similar to the following provision included in the now defunct Uniform Rights of the Terminally Ill Act: 
 A declaration executed in another state in compliance with the law of that state or of this State is validly executed for purposes of this [Act]. Colorado and Utah offer a more user-friendly approach to recognizing out-of state directives: 
 Unless otherwise provided therein, any medical power of attorney or similar instrument executed in another state shall be presumed to comply with the provisions of this [Act] and may, in good faith, be relied upon by a health care provider or health care facility in this state. Thus, in these, states providers may assume that the out-of-state directive is valid unless they have actual knowledge to the contrary. Myth 3: Just telling my doctor what I want is no longer legally effective. False. While it is better to have a written Advance Directive, oral statements remain important both on their own and as supplements to written directives. Oral instructions may take many forms. A person physically unable to execute an advance directive may provide oral instructions that are reduced to writing by the doctor or another person, acting for the patient. Several states treat such statements as formal Advance Directives if witnessed properly. Less formal instructions in the nature of conversations with family, friends, or physicians will not have the same legal status of a written Advance Directive. Nevertheless, informal oral statements have two important attributes. First, good health care decisionmaking requires good communication among all interested parties, and oral communication is our most natural and, indeed, primary mode of communication. Ideally, a formal advance directive serves to aid this kind of communication, not to replace it. Second, oral statements constitute important evidence of one's wishes and help expand upon, clarify, and reinforce individual preferences. The contents of the written Advance Directive should reflect a continuing conversation among the individual, physician, family, and close friends. Myth 4: An Advance Directive means "Don't treat." False. While it is true that most people use Advance Directives to avoid being kept alive against their wishes when death is near, it is a mistake to assume that the existence of an advance directive means, "Don't treat." Advance directives are also used to say that the individual wants all possible treatments within the range of generally accepted medical standards. What is said depends upon one's particular wishes and values. Moreover, even when an advance directive eschews all life-sustaining treatments, one should always assume (and insist upon) continuing pain control, comfort care and respect for one's dignity. Myth 5: When I name a proxy in my Advance Directive, I give up some control and flexibility. False. An individual gives up no authority or choice by doing an Advance Directive. As long as the person remains able to make decisions, his or her consent must be obtained for medical treatment. Health care providers cannot legally ignore the patient in favor of one's agent or written instruction. Indeed, in most states, health care advance directives are "springing." That is, they have no legal effect unless and until the patient lacks the capacity to make a health care decision. In a minority of states, immediately effective directives are permissible, but the maker always retains a right to override the proxy or revoke the directive. There are situations in which a competent patient abdicates decisionmaking by saying, for example, "Do whatever my daughter thinks is best." However, this form of delegation of decisionmaking is effective only from moment to moment and needs to be rechecked at every significant decision point. Neither the proxy nor a written instruction can override one's currently expressed choice. Myth 6: I must use a prescribed Advance Directive form for my state. Usually false. In most states, you do not have to use a specific form. About 37 state statutes include forms for appointing proxies or for creating comprehensive advance directives. In the majority of these, the forms are optional. In about 18 states, the forms must be "substantially followed" or certain information disclosure language must be included in the form. Even with these requirements, changes and additions to standard language are permissible. Indeed, any form can and should be personalized to reflect the individual's particular values, priorities, and wishes. If you do not agree with language contained in an approved form, change the language. If changing the language creates any doubt about the validity of the form, then further legal consultation is in order. Above all, it is a mistake to pick up an "official" form and just sign it unchanged, without first being sure that it truly reflects one's specific wishes. Myth 7: I need a lawyer to do an Advance Directive. No, a lawyer is not needed. Yes, a lawyer is a helpful resource, but not the only resource, nor necessarily the best resource for all persons. Advance directives are not difficult to complete, but they require a few steps to do well. Try these steps for yourself, even if you already have an advance directive. First, obtain an "official" or generally accepted form for your state, plus at least one or two additional advance directive forms from other sources. See the attached resource list for forms. This helps you see the variations in topics different advance directives cover and the alternative instructions they provide. The form-publishing business may be burgeoning, but most are inadequate in one respect or another. Even with the best drafting, there is no perfect form for everyone. People are different. Second, discuss the contents of the forms with your physician, close family, and the person you may name as proxy. Most people find these discussions difficult to initiate, but they are extremely important. Gather information about your current medical condition and its implications for future medical problems; clarify your own values and wishes; and ask your physician, close family, and proxy if they are willing to support you in the way you want. Third, complete the form you choose, being sure to add or modify language to reflect your wishes more accurately. Be sure to follow the witnessing instructions for your state exactly. Most, but not all states, require two completely disinterested witnesses. If you have a potential family conflict, special legal concern, or unusual request, additional legal drafting help may be needed. These circumstances call for consultation with a lawyer experienced in personal planning. Myth 8: Doctors and other health care providers are not legally obligated to follow my Advance Directive. Legally false, but as in many endeavors, reality muddies the waters. As a matter of law, it is clear that medical providers cannot treat an individual against his or her wishes. Consequently, if a physician acts contrary to a patient's clear instruction directive or contrary to the decision of the patient's authorized proxy, the physician risks the same liability he or she would face if the physician were to ignore a refusal of treatment by a fully competent patient. Treatment would constitute a battery. However, a few factors complicate the situation. First, the doctor or health facility sometimes do not know about the existence of an advance directive. While federal law requires hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies to ask about and to document your Advance Directive, the document often does not make it into the appropriate record. It is up to the patient and those close to the patient you to ensure that everyone who might need a copy of the directive in fact has a copy. Second, as noted earlier, people often do not express their wishes very clearly or precisely in advance directives. Simply using general language that rejects "heroic measures" or "treatment that only prolongs the dying process" does not give much guidance. Therefore, interpretation problems may arise. Giving a proxy broad authority to interpret one's wishes will help avoid this problem, except that sometimes proxies themselves are not quite sure what the patient would want done. This fact underscores the importance of discussing one's wishes and values with the intended proxy. Third, in most states, if a physician or facility objects to an Advance Directive based on reasons of conscience, state law permits the physician or facility to refuse to honor it. However, facilities must notify the patient of their policies regarding advance directives at the time of admission. If a refusal occurs, the physician and facility should provide assistance in transferring the patient to a provider that will comply with the directive. Fourth, persons who are dying, but living in the community, may face problems in having an advance directive followed if a crisis occurs and emergency medical services (EMS) are called (for example, by calling "911"). EMS personnel are generally required to resuscitate and stabilize patients until they are brought safely to a hospital. States are beginning to address this situation by creating procedures that allow EMS personnel to refrain from resuscitating terminally ill patients who are certified as having a "do not resuscitate order" and who have an approved identifier (such as a special bracelet). Myth 9: If I do not have an Advance Directive, I can rely on my family to make my health care decisions when I am unable to make decisions for myself. This is only partly true. If an individual does not have an advance directive naming a health decisions agent or proxy, several states expressly designate default "surrogates," typically family members in order of kinship, to make some or all health care decisions. Only a few of these statutes authorize a "close friend" to make decisions, and then normally only when family members are unavailable. Even without such statutes, most doctors and health facilities routinely rely on family involvement in decisionmaking, as long as there are close family members available and there is no disagreement. However, problems can arise because family members may not know what the patient would want in a given situation, or they may disagree about the best course of action. Disagreement can easily undermine family consent. A hospital physician or specialist who does not know you well may become the default decisionmaker. In these situations, patients risk having decisions made contrary to their wishes or by persons whom they would not choose. Moreover, family members and persons close to patients experience needless agony in being forced to make life and death decisions without the patient's clear guidance. It is far better to make one's wishes known and to appoint a proxy ahead of time through an Advance Directive. Myth 10: Advance Directives are a legal tool for old people. False. Don't think of this as an "old" people's issue. It may be natural to link death and dying issues with old age, but that is a mistake when it comes to advance directives. Consider that perhaps the most well known landmark court cases those of Nancy Cruzan and Karen Ann Quinlan involved individuals in their 20's. The stakes are actually higher for younger persons in that, if tragedy strikes, they might be kept alive for decades in a condition they would not want. An Advance Directive is an important legal planning tool for all adults.
 American Bar Association 740 Fifteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20005-1022 Telephone: 202-662-8690 Facsimile: 202-662-8698
 Email: abaelderly@abanet.org 
 

Three-quarters of all people who report problems with fraud are elderly," says Lois Morton, consumer economist with Cornell Cooperative Extension. "Fraud is a growing problem for the elderly and one which they need to be aware of, so they can protect themselves."
  There are many reasons why con artists target the elderly. Older consumers, especially those living alone, may be lonely and willing to listen to, and trust, persuasive sales pitches. They may be facing difficult circumstances such as home repair problems and serious health issues that make them vulnerable to promises of assistance.
  But there is one major reason why older consumers should be wary of possible fraud: one bad decision can jeopardize their financial well-being and, perhaps, their health as well.
  Eighty% of people aged 65 and older have at least one major health problem and spend much of their budget on health care. Seventy-one% of the elderly own their own homes, many of which are of pre-1940 vintage and need serious repair and maintenance. Those two factors alone can make the elderly vulnerable to fraud tactics such as these:
  - A "city inspector" arrives at the home, stating he needs to check the plumbing, furnace, or wiring, and when problems are found states that he will call a "friend" to make the repairs. The work is overcharged and done poorly, if at all.
  - The older consumer receives in the mail newspaper clippings about a new miracle health product with a "personal" note saying, "Try this! It works!" But when money is sent, the product never arrives, is overpriced, or is useless, if not just plain harmful.
  - A product demonstrator arrives at the home and asks the resident to sign a paper saying that the demonstrator visited. In fact, the trusting consumer, who hasn't read the form, signs a contract ordering the product.
  There are dozens of such scams, with new ones being invented every day, and they cost the elderly millions of dollars in addition to emotional distress and, sometimes, health consequences arising from unsafe products.
  "Con artists are good at what is called the 'personality sell,'" Morton says. "They appear friendly, sympathetic, honest, and willing to listen to and spend time with their targets. Sometimes they even use fear tactics, such as convincing older homeowners that their roof will collapse if the contract to fix it is not signed NOW."
  The sympathetic attention, false hopes for health cures, and scare tactics used by con artists can be difficult to see through and resist. Morton says there are steps one can take to protect from con artists.
  First, and most important, always follow good, basic consumer techniques. Read everything before you sign. Don't be pressured into making hasty decisions and purchases. Remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true.
   If someone or org is pushing a new health care product, check with your doctor before sending money. Unproved products can be dangerous as well as a waste of money.
  "Be wary of salespeople who initiate transactions," Morton says. "If you call or write them, that's one story. But if they initiate contacts, you have the right to be suspicious."
  Even if you believe the person and the product are legi- timate, take your time to read all the forms before making a decision. Ask the person to come back another day. A delay, during which time you are checking creden- tials and references, may dissuade con artists from targeting you. Take the time and precaution of checking references as well as ID. ID is easy to forge; a recommendation from the Better Business Bureau is not.
    Be especially wary of any salesperson who requests secrecy. If a "deal" is so good you can't tell your family or friends, it's probably not legitimate.
  Never, ever, give money up front. Pay for services when they are complete, not before they are begun.
  If you sign a contract with a door-to-door salesperson in your home, you have three days to change your mind. This is called a "cooling off period" which gives you time to think through a high-pressure transaction. If poss deal with local, established business people who can provide local refs and must keep a good rep within the community.
   Finally, and unfortunately, Morton says, "The elderly must always keep in mind that they are prime targets for fraud and con artists who keep and pass around 'sucker lists.' You don't want to get on their lists, so you must be wary and even a little suspicious at times."

Fraud Artists Target the Elderly by Jeanne Mackin Lois Morton, Dept of Consumer Economics and Housing, NY

Endowment 65
 Endows Someone Else with Your Money  Here we go again with another chain letter, Ponzi Scheme dressed up to try and look like something else. The "hook" with this scam is "you put in $20 and take $20,000 out, after about 3 months". If you believe that then you are what is known to con artists as a "sucker" or "mark". One thing we have to admit liking about this scam, is the graphis of a flying dove with the phrase "Be free, live long and prosper". It at least invokes some dark humour about the victims of this scam. A dove is related to a pigeon and "pigeon" is another con artist term for a "mark", "sucker" or victim. 

The gist of the scam is listed below: The information bellow is provided for your education and information only and is in no way to be construed as a solicitation or offer to purchase securities.  For the first time ever, there is an offshore ins pgm that will allow you to get what is called an Endowment 65.  E65 is an ins. Once the holder of this ins comes to the age of 65, an endowment will be paid to him.  We have come up with a very unique plan for people to be able to receive this ins for a one time fee of $20, and to mortgage this E65 for the amount of 41% of the maturity value ($41,000). From this money, $15,000 will be used to pay for your policy and $20,000 will be paid to you with possiblity of an offshore debit card or transfered to an account of your choice.

So, you put in $20 and take $20,000 out, after about 3 months!  AND THIS IS NOT ALL..  By using our system, all you have to do is pay a $20 administration fee. How can this be done? We have formed an offshore partnership with a facilitator that will pay for your insurance policy. Your policy will be paid with a single premium payment.  The average cost of a single premium is approximately $15,000 for a person aged 32. The facilitator will pay the full amount. However, the E65 will be payable to the Facilitator once the policy has matured at age 65 of the insured.

The principle of the mortgaging your E65 is like mortgaging your home. The only difference is that you need never to pay anything back. All applications are expected to take approximately 120 days to complete including the deposit of your funds.  There will be only 100,000 E65 policies issued. Once the limit of 100,000 has been reached, there will be no other policies issued. There can be only one policy per person and the maximal age allowed is 50.  As mentioned above, we are unique in marketing this program. And we are using a referral program to promote it. We will pay a referral fee of $1,000 per policy 5 levels deep! Each referral made by you and the referrals made by them, 5 levels deep, you will receive $1,000 PER POLICY.

 You may sponsor your children or other members of your family, but you must place them on your first level. You are not allowed to place them over you in a vertical line in order to multiply your earnings! If you are older than 50 you can not get a policy BUT YOU CAN SPONSOR OTHERS and get the commissions!  Here is an example if you refer 5 people who each refer 5:  Levels Members Referral Fees  Level 1 5 $5,000  Level 2 25 $ 25,000  Level 3 125 $ 125,000  Level 4 625 $ 625,000  Level 5 3125 $ 3,125,000  But this is only an example of a possible matrix. Our matrix is NOT a forced matrix, it is UNILEVEL and as such it is unlimited wide.  All Referral Fees are sent monthly by wire transfer.

VERY IMPORTANT  As you can see, you have a huge possibility of earning more money than you have ever dreamed of. For this reason, we have to be very discreet as how this is promoted.  In addition, we must protect the Re-Insurance agent. Why all this protection? Most countries do not like this kind of programe. Reason being is that if you were to earn money as shown and getting an insurance valued at $100,000, they would want to know where, how, who, etc... They will also want their share. As for any taxes on income, you are responsible. We are not and will not be. We have set up all the necessary papers for our Trust and Banks to channel all the applications and funds. This is the only way we can protect you, the policy holder.  We also have to protect our Facilitator. 

The Facilitator is the one that will advance the funds so that you may receive your policies. Without the Facilitator, we could not proceed with our programe.  A policy holder can then be assured that all his earnings will be deposited. Once your policy has been processed, you will be sent the necessary papers for your wire transfer or opening an offshore bank  account. A valid photo ID will be required for the insurance company and the bank. This is required by law in the country where the bank is located. Once you have received your bank forms, please complete them and send them back to us for proper processing. DO NOT send them to the bank directly. They must go thru the Facilitator in order to go thru the Trust that has been setup to protect everyone. 

All ins appns must have a copy of your birth certificate if the applicant is under legal age in his or her country of residency and signed by the legal guardian. A copy of a valid photo ID is also required by all appts that are of legal age. Your IDs will only be used by the Ins Company(s) and the Bank.  Any person from birth up to the age of 50 years may apply for the insurance policies.  All appns, along with all other docs attached must be sent to the address shown on the form.  Once we have received your application, we will enter you into the computer under the person that has referred you. At that point, we will forward your appn to the Re-Ins agt.

Please make sure that all fields in the Ins appn are fill out properly and clearly. If any info is missing, this will only delay your appn or if at a later stage from the start of the pgm, may cancel your appn if we have achieved the 100,000 limit. Also, please insure that you have included all attached documents in all ins forms.  All ins appns below the age of 32 will be processed first. Since the policy will cost $15,000 for a person aged 32, and monies from an insured younger than 32 will be used for people aged 33 and above by age. This will alow older people to have the policy, including myself.  This way, I hope to have as many people qualify for the policies.  Following is a time of event once you have sent in your ins docs once the software and funds are in place. The Facilitator will need about one month to have the Trust set up with the fund in place as of Mar 1st 99. Once the Trust is up and running, a Trustee will handle all funds.  

1st Week: Documents received by us and entered into the tracking system for the referral program.  2nd Week: Documents sent to the Re-Insurance Agent.  3rd Week: From the time your documents are received by the Re-Insurance Agent, your application is reviewed and processed. At that time, if all is properly completed, they will be sent to Insurance company.  4th Week: This process will take approximately 2 weeks. Once your application has been approved, the policy will be issued upon full payment of the policy.  6th Week: The Re-Insurance Agent will be contacted at this time to submit the payment of the policy to the insurance company. At this time, the agent will contact the Trustee for the payment. 

7th Week: The Trustee will make the arrangement for the payments of the policies. This can take up to two weeks for the insurance company to receive the funds.  9th Week: The Insurance company will forward the policies to the Re-Insurance Agent for proper distribution of the policies. You will be sent a confirmation of the Policy and the Trustee will receive the E65 Policy.  10th Week: Once the Trustee has received the E65, theTrustee will proceed to make the transfer of funds to your bank or Offshore Account in the Amount of $20,000. At the same time, we will receive the $6000 that will be used for the referral fee where the referral fees will be paid to our members.  11 Week: You will be sent your Offshore Debit Card or a wire transfer will take place to your local bank account.  12th Week: At this stage, we will distribute the referral fees to the referral account for each policy.  

This process is a brief outline of what will happen for each policy.  All documents and fees must be payable to:  Mike Poulos  Jl. Nelanpoli No. 46 Rt. 009/010  Sukabumi Utara, Jakarta Barat - 11540 Indonesia  Telephone: +62.81.889.3328, Fax: 1-212-214-0695  E-mail: mike@prima.net.id  Please pay by Western Union or American Express Money Gram as written on the application. Than write the CONTROL NUMBER they give you on the application and fax your application to 1-212-214-0695 

In case you have none of these in your near, you can send traveler's checks or cash in  registered mail by private courier like DHL, Fed-Ex..   Your sponsor is Corneliu Dorin Gelep , ID# 30-5337979  You can start promoting right away! Chose your own ID# .  Can be any 9 digit number you wish, for instance your phone number.


\2 websites

Cyber-Seniors Find Plenty of Online Opportunities Internet * More Web marketers are targeting the over-50 crowd with everything from escorted tours to adventure trips.

By RHODA AMON
 As more seniors connect to the Internet--nearly 50% of people older than 50 are computer savvy, according to surveys--more Web sites are catering to them. 
 There's no substitute for a knowledgeable travel agent who has your interests at heart, but you can explore travel destinations all over the world, then discuss them with your agent. In any case, surfing the Web can provide a virtual travel experience even if you're not planning to go anywhere soon. 

Here are some sites to visit that can help in trip planning: * Gen info: http://www.seniors.com. This site offers an array of info for seniors. Click on "Travel" for some tips, including how to steer your way through the Web maze. 

Also check http://www.seniorsurfers.org. It provides general information on travel, lifestyles, care-giving and health advice. 

For inspiration and handy travel links, grandmabetty.com. Grandma Betty's Web site lists 1,500 information resources for "active seniors." Click on "Travel" for resources ranging from fishing in Alaska to apartment hotels in France. Grandma Betty took the plunge into cyberspace two years ago when she lost her job at 68. Visit her site for inspiration and handy travel links. 

 * Tours: Try http://www.collettetours.com for a selection of escorted and independent tours. Example: "Spectacular Scandinavia," a 12-day escorted tour priced from $1,799, double, in Sep and from $1,899 in Jul and Aug. 

Also check sagaholidays.com. It offers worldwide escorted tours for mature travelers, many with a strong edu component. Some examples: a 14-night national parks tour, from $1799; a 16-night escorted coach tour of South Africa. For learning pgms, click on "Road Scholar" or "Smithsonian Odyssey" tours, led by Smithsonian scholars.

For a half century, Maupintour, http://www.maupintour.com, has been offering upscale, all-inclusive escorted vacations. Departures are for Oberammergau Passion Play tours (Germany and Austria), Mexico's Copper Canyon, Australia and New Zealand and lots more. Also click on "MaupinTrek" for soft adventure tours, and "MaupinWaterways" for independent river hotel barge and small ship cruises. 

Vantage Deluxe World Travel, http://www.vantagetravel.com, offers a choice of 75 leisurely paced vacations for mature people. "Traveller's Choice" itineraries, limited to 25 or less, include Australia, New Zealand and Fiji; European cities or the Alps by rail; Italy, Portugal and Spain; and the Rocky Mountains. 

There's also Corliss, http://www.corlisstours.com, which features "Stay-Put Tours." They are not age restricted but are great for seniors because visitors stay in one hub city and pack and unpack only once. Corliss provides motor coach day trips around the area. The Web site lists a choice of 24 cities, including San Francisco, San Antonio, New York and Myrtle Beach, S.C. An eight-day Washington, D.C., Stay-Put Tour in October costs $1,599 per person, double. 

 * AARP, http://www.aarp.org. Info on everything from Social Security to "Great Getaways." One suggestion: College towns (Boston; Berkeley; Madison, Wis.; Oxford, Miss.) offer great theater, music and sporting events at affordable prices. AARP membership discounts are available at some resorts, hotels and cruises. 

 * Elderhostel, http://www.elderhostel.org. Affordable educational experiences for the over-55 group are at sites in the U.S., Canada and 80 other countries. Browse the online catalogs for programs and destinations that match your interests. Average cost for a five-night program is $430, with meals and lodging (transportation is extra). 

 * ElderTreks: http://www.eldertreks.com. Adventure tours for travelers over 50 include walking, boating, biking and hiking. Groups are limited to 16. A 17-day Burma tour starts at $2,990. 
 * Hiking tours: http://www.walkingtheworld.com. It features hiking tours for healthy over-50s in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, New Zealand and the U.S. Example: a moderate hike in Washington state, 10 miles daily, July 29 to Aug. 7; land cost, $2,395. 
 * Study: http://www.learn.unh.edu/interhostel. A University of New Hampshire study program for the 50-plus crowd has spread to the rest of the world. Domestic and international programs include meals, accommodations and excursions. Appealing to leaf-peepers: "Autumn in New Hampshire," Oct. 1 to 6, $745. 
 * Women: http://www.poshnosh.com. The Web site for Senior Women's Travel has programs designed for age 50-plus women who want to eliminate many of the annoyances of single travel. Most tours are exclusively for women, but "Exploring Languedoc: The South of France You Don't Know," Sept. 11 to 18, is also open to couples of all ages. 
 * Gardens: http://www.ahs.org. The American Horticultural Society's tours are not exclusively for seniors, but garden tours are especially popular with the 50-plus crowd. Click on "Travel Study Program" for a schedule of visits to private and public gardens here and abroad, accompanied by well-known horticulturists. Tours range from the Gardens of Nantucket July 11 to 16 to the Gardens of Barbados Nov. 8 to 12.


\3 age pays

A clerk taking your reservation is not going to ask if you are entitled to a senior discount. So if you are shy, you may pay more than necessary for a flt, a night or a bite.

You get no discount if you don't ask. This may be a psychological hazard. For example, I was delighted to get a Metrocard for the New York City transit system: With a picture and a "senior citizen" label on the back, this card lets me ride the bus or subway for half fare -- 75 cents. But I got a rude shock when I swiped the card through a display mechanism, which said "elderly"! Me, elderly? I was not the only unhappy traveler. Termaine Garden, a Transit Authority spokesman, said the electronic display of "elderly" was changed to "senior citizen" about June 1, after many complaints. Senior citizenship has a varying entry age. For most discounts provided by Government agencies, the age is 65, when one is eligible for a Medicare card, which is used as essential identification. For airline discounts, it is usually 62. For hotel discounts, the age is a youthful 50. Here is basic information about discounts you can ask for on airlines and in hotels. Always ask, preferably when making reservations. Coupons Clip Air Fares The airlines' plain-vanilla discount is 10 percent off any ticket price for travelers 62 or over. If you have just turned 62, tell your travel agent to note it in your personal record so you do not miss out. Most airlines give the same discount to a senior traveler's companion. A better value for costly trips is a senior coupon book: The seven major airlines sell coupon books to those 62 and older, and sometimes to their travel companions. Except for a USAir child's program, only the identified holder can use a coupon, and the younger companion can use coupons only on the same itinerary. This way you may get a one-way trip to the opposite coast for $135 or less. The coupons come in books of four -- and books of eight, at a still-cheaper rate, now only on Trans World Airlines and Continental. The coupons expire in a year. Reservations must be made at least 14 days ahead. Coupons may be used for a one-way trip, meaning travelers need not stay over a Saturday night although a return reservation must still be made 14 days ahead. The 10 percent Federal tax on airline tickets lapsed and was not in force in mid-July. Except for Contieental, the airlines have accordingly reduced coupon costs 10 percent. T.W.A. sells books of four coupons for $498, or $124.50 a trip; eight for $938, or $117.25 each. One coupon is needed each way in the lower 48 states, to Puerto Rico, Mexico or the Dominican Republic; two each way for travel to Hawaii. The four-coupon book comes with a voucher good for a 20 percent discount on a trip to Europe; two vouchers are in the eight-coupon book. A companion traveling with the senior traveler may buy coupon books, too, but at a cost $100 higher for either book. Call (800) 221-2000.


Continental did not subtract 10 percent from its coupon prices when the Federal tax lapsed; the price for a book of four coupons is $579; eight, $999. One coupon is needed each way for travel in the United States and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda; two for Alaska, Hawaii. There are holiday blackouts. In addition, Continental has a program permitting virtually unlimited travel -- one trip a week -- for a specified period. This Freedom Passport costs $999 for a four-month domestic pass; $1,999 for a 12-month pass; the world passes cost $4,499 for 12 months. Companions of any age may buy passes at the same price, but must travel with the primary holder. These also have blackout dates. (800) 441-1135. American has a four-coupon book for $541. One coupon is needed each way for travel in the lower 48 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; two for Hawaii. There are no blackout days. (800) 237-7981. 

Northwest sells a book of four coupons for $540, with no blackout dates. A trip in the lower 48 states, to Canada or to Puerto Rico requires one coupon each way; two coupons are needed each way for Hawaii or Alaska. (800) 225-2525. 

United Airlines sells four coupons for $541. One coupon allows a trip in the lower 48 states; two are needed each way for Alaska or Hawaii. A blackout dates apply to Hawaii, Dec. 15 to Jan. 10. (800) 633-6563. USAir sells four coupons for $542. One or two children 2 to 11 may also use the coupons when they accompany the senior traveler. One coupon each way is needed in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico or Virgin Islands. 

One coupon provides a round trip between Florida cities. (800) 428-4322. Delta sells its book of four coupons for $542. One coupon is needed each way for travel in the lower 48 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; two each way for Alaska or Hawaii. No blackout dates. (800) 221-1212. Most foreign airlines provide only the basic 10 percent discount. British Airways has an important plus. Starting at age 60, it waives the fee for change of flight and the penalty for canceling a reservation before the trip begins. (800) 247-9297. 

Hotel Deals Vary: Rare is the hotel that does not give at least 10% off for AARP mbrs or its Canadian equivalent, the CAARP, and that this requires only that you be 50. Ten percent is roughly a std discount; younger people who belong to the Automobile Association of America freq- uently get the same thing. Ask when you reserve, and when you arrive.


Joan Rattner Heilman, author of the standard compendium on senior discounts now in its eighth edition, considers Marriott, Omni and Choice to provide the best deals for seniors. 

Marriott will provide a 50 percent discount on available rooms at 200 hotels for A.A.R.P. members in return for a pretty stiff requirement: reserve and pay 21 days in advance, no refunds possible. (800) 228-9290.
 The Omni plan applies at most of its US htls and Mexico. It gives 50% off to AARP mbrs making res. (800) 843-6664.

Lodgings in the Choice chain - Clarion, Comfort, Quality, Sleep, Friendship, Econo Lodges and Rodeway -- provide a 30 percent discount for those over 50 who reserve in advance and ask for it. (800) 221-2222. 

Ms. Heilman's book, with the mind-boggling title "Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're Over 50" (Contemporary Books), is sold in most bookstores for $9.95. Morton Booksellers, 812 Stuart Avenue, Mamaroneck, N.Y. 10543, sells it by mail for $13. 

If you are 50 and AARP has not sent an invitation to join you can receive one by writing to 601 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20049. Membership costs $8 a year for one person or two at the same address. 

Because there are now 32 million AARP mbrs, htl clerks tend to assume everyone of a certain age belongs. When a hotel offers an AARP discount, and I reach for my wallet, the clerk usually waives this formality. If you are young looking and forgot your card, clerks will accept a drvr's license with a birth date on it.


\4 SOCIOLOGY OF DEATH AND DYING

It has been claimed that one can never look directly at the sun nor at one's own death. And yet, throughout the history of mankind, both have been the enduring themes of myth and religion, science and magic, curiosity and fear. From our late twentieth century vantage point we find that as the sun is understood as being the source of life in the natural order, so death is becoming recognized as the central dynamism underlying the life, vitality, and structure of the social order. Death is the muse of our religions, philosophies, political ideologies, arts and medical technologies. 

It sells newspapers and insurance policies, invigorates the plots of our television programs, and--judging from our dependency on fossil fuels (84.5% of all U.S. energy consumption in 1995)--even powers our industries. It is the barometer by which we measure the adequacy of social life, such as when we compare cross-cultural death and life expectancy rates to gauge social progress, compare national homicide rates to infer the stability of social structures, or compare death rates of different social groups to ascertain social inequalities. In fact, perhaps the very first evidence of sapien's humanity is based on funerary evidence: the discovery of the remains of a middle-aged Neandertal, whose deformity and yet relative longevity indicate that he had probably been supported by others, and who was buried in a fetal position and covered with flowers.

As Richard Huntington and Peter Metcalf observed in Celebrations of Death, "life becomes transparent against the background of death" (1979:2). In a way analogous to the experimental method of subatomic physicists bombarding and shattering the nuclei of atoms in order to reveal their constituent parts and processes, death similarly reveals the most central social processes and cultural values. Death is a catalyst that, when put into contact with any cultural order, precipitates out the central beliefs and concerns of a people. 

Abram Rosenblatt et al. (1989) found, for example, that when reminded of their mortality, people react more harshly toward moral transgressors and become more favorably disposed toward those who uphold their values. In one experiment, twenty-two municipal judges were given a battery of psychological tests. In the experimental group, eleven judges were told to write about their own death, including what happens physically and what emotions are evoked when thinking about it. When asked to set bond for a prostitute on the basis of a case brief, those who had thought about their death set an average bond of $455, while the average in the control group was $50. The authors concluded (Greenberg et al. 1990) that when awareness of death is increased, in-group solidarity is intensified, out-groups become more despised, and prejudice and religious extremism escalate. 

On a more psychological level, death exposures can similarly crystallize and invigorate individuals' own life pathways. In his study of patients having had brushes with death, cardiologist Michael Sabom (Recollections of Death: A Medical Investigation, 1976) found that for the 43 percent who had near-death experiences, the experience did more to change the depth and direction of their approach to life than had any other life event.  So did you check out your death date (for more refined test go to MSNBC's "How long will you live--really?")? What thoughts came to mind when you saw it?

Below is an outline of this website. For a glossary of terms click here. One visitor questioned the organization, wondering why "Personal Impacts" comes last. Unlike many of the more psychologically-oriented pages here in cyberspace, the orientation here is sociological. It is here assumed that individuals' death concerns and experiences of dying and grief are strongly structured by their social environments. Indeed, to study the attitudes and fears of individuals divorced from their socio-cultural milieus would be as meaningless as ethologists studying animal behavior in zoos. The logic thus moves from the cultural order--the broad realm of of social reality that shapes our collective cognitions, emotions, and behaviors--to the institutional orders--like religion, politics, and mass media, that more directly filter and mold our experiences and routinize our actions--and finally to the individual order.


\5 Passing Away in Thailand
 from "Kat's Window on Thailand" 14 Aug 2000

Once while walking on the island of Ko Kret, a small island in the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, I came across a great festival. There were tents set up on a temple ground and people were laughing, eating, and drinking. A singer was jumping and hopping around with great energy. People were dancing and it was loud. A birthday party or anniversary or wedding for sure, I thought. Wrong, it was a funeral party, and I was confused.

My second experience with a Thai funeral happened in Surat Thani, a southern province often used as a stop over for people on the way to Ko Samui. I was wandering without aim along the streets when I spotted flashing blasts of lights coming out from a large doorway. A disco? Looking inside revealed dozens of strands of neon flashing, pulsating, swirling lights wrapped around a coffin. Even the flowers were decorated and flashing. I was totally amazed.

The third funeral I bumped into was at Donsak temple in Kanchanaburi province. It was a Chinese funeral, festive with lights, monks chanting, food, and chatting. I was invited in, given a drink, and even some explanations of the event by a friendly gu est. A paper house at least the size of a large office desk stood on one wall. The family had built everything the departed would need in the next life out of paper. The house had furniture, a satellite dish, air-conditioning, a stereo, a rice-cooker , fans and more. Also included (on the lawn) were credit cards, writing set, a passport, and a medical bag, to name a few. It was all to be lit on fire with the body at midnight. The coffin was elevated in the air surrounded by flashing white lights a nd non-flashing flowers. 

My last experience with death in Thailand was with a dead body rather than a funeral. We got lost driving in Mae Hong Song and did a U-turn through some large hospital grounds. It was a national holiday and there was a sunny and festive atmosphere out
 in front of the building. Many of the patients were lounging on the grass with their various crutches, wheelchairs, and bandages. They formed quite a crowd in a park-like atmosphere.

As I watched this scene two men rolled a corpse right through the middle of it. The body was covered in a thin green cloth. Only two bare feet were sticking out the end of the stretcher. Clearly dead. Nobody batted an eye, except me. Moons ago I worke d in two different hospitals in America. I am familiar with the top-secret modes of corpse transportation, the hidden back rooms for autopsies, and the back door exits for the dead. I have also attended some funerals. They were far from festive. Actu ally I felt the entire atmosphere was designed to make me feel as sad and devastated as possible. I definitely sense a different attitude about death and dying in Thailand. I am not an expert on Buddhism nor would I try to explain the meaning of life and death for an entire nation or even the individuals I have seen attending funerals. I cannot tell you how they felt, only that on the outside they seemed to have a more cheerful or positive approach to the event. I have also noticed that it is co mmon for people to take photographs throughout a funeral. This is something I would never do back home. The event is something I do not particularly want to remember. I recently read the book Phra Farang: An English Monk in Thailand (http://www.bangko kpost.net/postbooks/). Phra Peter reports his first Thai funeral experience in the following way: "Everything, including the coffin, was covered in flashing fairy lights and the whole display was back-lit with green neon. The room was quite small and contained not only the coffin and accessories but also a 5-piece brass and percussion band, the 9 monks and dozens of villagers. As villagers arrived at the house, each would approach the coffin and knock a few times on one end. We ate our breakfast  sitting on the floor with the 8-foot high flashing coffin towering over us while the band played a very mournful dirge. Although I found it quite bizarre, it was not at all undignified. The lights and colour were, I think, a reflection of the Thai peo ple's 'healthy' attitude to death. It is a time for grief but the family try to make the atmosphere as bright and cheerful as possible because it is not necessarily an unhappy time for the deceased who, hopefully, is on their way to a better life." Th is attitude and approach to death has provided me with food for thought regarding my own relationship to the subject. I know that one day I will die. I see acceptance and non-fear of death as a healthy attitude. I accept academically that life is a st ate of impermanence. Back in my university days I wrote on my bedroom wall "This too will pass." I meant it as a reminder for both great and horrible moments in my life that would all inevitably pass me by. "I too will pass" is difficult for me to gr asp. I'm still working on it
