By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

What treatments are recommended to help with tinnitus? I started noticing a subtle ringing in my ears about 10 years ago, but it’s gotten much more bothersome since I turned 60.

Ringing Ronnie

Dear Ronnie,

Tinnitus is actually one of the most common health conditions in the country. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders around 10 percent of the U.S. adult population – over 25 million Americans – experience some form of tinnitus.

For most people tinnitus is merely annoying, but roughly 5 million people struggle with chronic tinnitus and 2 million find it debilitating.

While there’s no cure, there are a range of different strategies you can employ to reduce the symptoms to make it less bothersome. Here’s what you should know.

What is Tinnitus?                                                            

Tinnitus (pronounced TIN-a-tus or tin-NIGHT-us) is the sensation of hearing a ringing, buzzing, roaring, hissing or whistling sound in one or both ears when no external sound is present.

The sounds, which can vary in pitch and loudness, are usually worse when background noise is low, so you may be more aware of it at night when you’re trying to fall asleep in a quiet room.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

I have been thinking about planning my funeral in advance so my kids won’t have to later but would like to inquire about prepaying. Is it a good idea to prepay for a funeral that you might not need for a while?

Aging Annie

Dear Annie,

Planning your funeral in advance is definitely a smart move. Not only does it give you time to make a thoughtful decision on the type of service you want, it also allows you to shop around to find a good funeral provider, and it will spare your adult children the burden of making these decisions at an emotional time.

But preplanning a funeral doesn’t mean you have to prepay too. In fact, the Funeral Consumer Alliance, a national nonprofit funeral consumer protection organization, doesn’t recommend it unless you need to spend down your financial resources so you can qualify for Medicaid. Here’s what you should know.

Preneed Arrangements

Most funeral homes today offer what is known as “preneed plans” which allow you to prearrange for the type of funeral services you want and prepay with a lump sum or through installments. The funeral home either puts your money in a trust fund with the payout triggered by your death or buys an insurance policy naming itself as the beneficiary.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

What are the most popular ages that people start taking their Social Security retirement benefits? I’m turning 62 later this year and trying to decide when to start taking my benefits.

Born in 64

Dear 64,

You can sign up to begin your Social Security retirement benefits any time after age 62. However, your monthly payments will be larger for each month you delay claiming them up until age 70. This adds up to around 6 to 8 percent higher payments every year you delay.

To get a breakdown on exactly how much your claiming age affects your benefits, visit Social Security’s Retirement Age Calculator at SSA.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/ageincrease.html. This tool provides your full retirement age (FRA) – which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later – and shows how much your benefits will be reduced by taking early payments or increased by delaying them.

In the meantime, here’s a rundown of when people start receiving retirement benefits (according to the most recent SSA statistical data), and how signing up at each age impacts your payout.

Age 62: This is the earliest possible age you can sign up for Social Security. According to the SSA, in 2024, 23.3 percent of women and 22 percent of men signed up for Social Security at 62. But if you sign up at this age, you’ll get a 30 percent smaller Social Security payment if your FRA is 67.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you give me some tips on picking a good nursing home for my father? Since his stroke, I’ve been taking care of him at home, but he’s gotten to the point where it’s too much for me to handle.  

Exhausted Daughter

Dear Exhausted,

Choosing a nursing home for a loved one that provides quality is a very important decision that requires careful evaluation and some homework. Here are some steps you can take that can help you find a good facility and avoid a bad one.

Make a list: There are several sources you can turn to for referrals to top nursing homes in your area including the Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 or visit Eldercare.acl.gov for contact information); your dad’s doctor or nearby hospital discharge planner; friends or neighbors who may have had a loved one in a nursing home; and online at Medicare’s nursing home compare tool at Medicare.gov/care-com

Also, keep in mind that it’s always best to choose a nursing home that’s close to family members and friends who can visit often, because residents with frequent visitors usually get better care.