Survey the assisted living and long term care options available in your area. You can start your search by phone or online using the Eldercare Locator 1-800-677-111The Eldercare Locator is a service of the U.S. Administration on Aging and connects people with services in your community. .Members of the House were scheduled to vote on a stopgap funding measure on Tuesday, but leaders have delayed the vote until next week due to a lack of support. It remains to be seen whether or not lawmakers will successfully avert the shutdown, but Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers (KY-) remains optimistic. He said of the delay this week: "We've got some time left here, and conversations are taking place among the various elements … It's not time to panic." .New Medicare Enrollees in 201Because these people are new to Medicare, they pay the full amount in 2017 when they sign up. .Even if your income will be slightly higher in 2018 you should apply, because the income and resource limits are adjusted annually and will likely be somewhat higher next year. "Resources " refer to money in checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). Don't rule out applying just because you own your own home. Your home, car, household items, burial plot up to ,500 for burial expenses per person, and life insurance policies ARE NOT counted as resources. .Failure to balance between price and services. Assisted living and continuing care communities can be very expensive and more people are living longer in these facilities. It's important to make finances last while maintaining access to the best care. When exploring options, don't be afraid to look into facilities in areas that have lower costs of living, even if you won't be able to visit with your family every single day. What you give up in fancy features, you may trade off with more affordable rents, and service fees, more personal attention, while still getting high standards of care. .Using Generic Drugs Could Save Billions of Dollars .SSI is a federal program that provides monthly benefit payments to people age 65 or older, who are blind or have a disability and who have little or no income and resources. People who receive SSI are also eligible to receive food stamps and Medicaid. .You must follow Medicare guidelines for receiving the services to ensure coverage. Find out how often you should receive a service. Some preventive services are covered only once every few years, others are covered only if you meet specific criteria. To learn more read "Your Guide to Medicare's Preventive Services," CMS Product No. 101Download a copy at www.Medicare.gov or call 1-800- Medicare ( 7). .Since 1980, the BLS has manipulated the CPI several times so that it no longer measures price inflation. Rather, it measures an ever-changing "market basket" of goods that is adjusted as prices drop and increase. It assumes that shoppers will purchase chicken when steak becomes too expensive, or apples instead of oranges when their prices drop. This has resulted in a more slowly growing COLA for Social Security beneficiaries. Instead of allowing seniors to keep up with rising costs, today's COLA requires them to constantly adjust to lower standards of living.