Opinions

It only took me 48 years into my newspaper career to finally visit the historic home of legendary Emporia Gazette editor William Allen White. My visit to Red Rocks – the name White gave his home in Emporia – finally happened this past weekend.

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good over-thecounter hearing aids for seniors on a budget? I’m not sure what to get or where to buy them. Hard of Hearing Dear Hard, The new FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids that hit the market last October have become a very attractive alternative to millions of older Americans with hearing impairment.

Dear Savvy Senior, Is it possible to collect Social Security benefits from my ex-spouse? We were married for 12 years but have been divorced for almost 20 years now. Never Remarried Dear Never, Yes, depending on your specific circumstances, you may very well be eligible for divorced spouses Social Security benefits.

A long holiday weekend for Kim and I meant lots of driving around Wichita as we tackled events, errands and even a little work. In general, I don’t mind driving in Wichita.

Random Thoughts It takes a lot of work to put out our little newspaper every week. I should not say “little.” With our Salute to Seniors special keepsake inserted into this week’s paper, we’re delivering a three-section, 48-page paper, plus inserts.

How about it? Does anyone else out there still remember COVID? If you're like me, the answer is a firm “No, we haven't forgotten. But we would like to.” Having said that, I want to immediately point out that I spent this past weekend getting – and recovering from – my next COVID booster shot.

Savvy Senior Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare cover physical therapy, and if so, how much coverage do they provide? My 66-year-old husband was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and will need ongoing physical therapy to help keep him moving. Worried Wife Dear Worried, Yes, Medicare does indeed pay for physical therapy along with occupational and speech therapy too, if he needs it, as long as it’s prescribed by his doctor.

There has been a lot of news coverage and online talk in recent weeks about artificial intelligence, its progress, and what advantages or threats we might face in the future. A lot of this discussion has come about thanks to ChatGPT and artificial intelligence (AI) technology that was introduced in November.