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 VOW to Hire Heroes Act 2011
The Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, provides seamless transition for Servicemembers, expands education and training opportunities for Veterans, and provides tax credits for employers who hire Veterans with service-connected disabilities.
VRAP Applications Are Open
VRAP applications are being accepted now. Visit the VOW website for more information. Watch for the VRAP public service announcement (PSA) courtesy of CBS or watch the VRAP PSA video from the website. |
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Breathing Easy During Allergy Season
HealthSpring NewsletterSummer 2012
Warmer temperatures mean higher pollen levels. If you are an allergy sufferer, this isn't news to you your medicine cabinet is probably already fully stocked.
If you have a respiratory condition like allergy-induced asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or emphysema, pollen can create more problems than just sneezes and sniffles - it can also cause your disease symptoms to flare.
Here are some steps you can take to manage your respiratory condition:
Know your triggers.
It's easier to avoid flare-ups if you know what causes them. Your primary care physician (PCP) can help you identify your triggers and prescribe medicine to reduce your symptoms. Be sure to take this medicine exactly as prescribed. And if symptoms start, seek immediate care from your PCP.
Avoid your triggers.
Simple things like keeping your windows shut on windy days and staying indoors on humid days can help reduce symptom attacks. Avoid household chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions, and never mix chemical solutions when cleaning. If you have known sensitivity topets, try to avoid them or limit your time with them.
Watch what you eat.
Certain fruits and nuts like tomatoes, walnuts, and cashews can trigger an allergic reaction because ingredients in them are similar to pollen, and your body will respond to them as if they were pollen. Some citrusfruits and green leafy vegetables such as collard greens have ingredients that help fight allergies. Garlic and onions contain quercetin, which is thought to help relieve nasal congestion.
Being proactive during allergy season can help you control your condition, avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, and feel better.
Sources: American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; University of Rochester Medical Center
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 Identity Theft Protection Service For RAUS Members AllClear ID is the technology leader in the identity protection and credit monitoring market. The patented identity protection technology developed by AllClear ID makes it simple for you to protect your identity, and easy to take action if your personal information is compromised. RAUS members will enjoy a 20% discount off the regular monthly rate. Just go to our website at www.raushome.com and click on the Discounts button and select Technology & Security. From there, go to the AllClear ID login page and input the following Activation Code: "raus". This will allow you to register and receive the discounted rate.
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How to Save at the Pump
From the Bottom Line
 Little tricks that can save you big bucks when you fill up your vehicle at the gas pump:
Get that "Check Engine" light checked promptly.
When this dashboard warning light comes on, it often means that the vehicle's oxygen sensor has failed-and that could reduce the engine's fuel efficiency by as much as 40%.
Replace your air filter regularly.
A clogged air filter can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 10%. Filters typically last about 12 months or 12,000 miles, but inspect yours every three months. If you see significant amounts of grime on the filter, replace it. Check your air filter everyone to two months if you do a lot of driving on dirt roads. Replacing an air filter is a simple job-the vehicle's owner's manual explains how. Replacement air filters typically cost less than $15.
Check your tire pressure at least once every three months.
Keeping tires inflated to the recommended pressure could improve your fuel efficiency by 10%. It also could extend the life of your tires and reduce the odds of a dangerous blowout. The proper tire pressure should be listed in the owner's manual, inside the driver's door of the vehicle or inside the glove compartment on a sticker.
Use cruise control when driving on open roads.
Cruise control keeps the vehicle's speed much steadier than you could on your own. Even slight surges in speed result in noticeably lower fuel efficiency. Exception: Turn off the cruise control when driving on mountainous terrain. Trying to hold to a specific speed on steep inclines and declines tends to use more gas, not less.
Stick to the speed limit.
One recent study found that driving 65 miles per hour (mph) instead of 75 mph resulted in an average fuel savings of 12%. Vehicles with poor aerodynamics, such as vans, RVs and SUVs, are likely to save even more by slowing down.
Avoid sudden starts and stops.
Coast gently to stoplights and stop signs. Accelerate conservatively. Braking hard and accelerating rapidly reduce fuel efficiency by anywhere from 5% to more than 30%. If there is more than one way to reach a destination, select the shortest route that has the fewest stop signs and stoplights.
Go easy on the air conditioner (A/C).
Modern cars have efficient A/C systems, so running the AIC won't decrease your fuel efficiency by much, but you still can save as much as 5%. Best: Try to use the AlC when driving on highways-the drag created by open windows reduces fuel efficiency at high speeds-but open the windows when driving slowly.
Lighten up.
Take stuff out of the trunk, and remove rarely used roof racks.
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Renew Memberships Online
At the request of our members, RAUS is pleased to provide the ability to renew their membership online and pay by credit or debit card. Just go to our website at www.raushome.com and click on the Online Dues Renewal button. If you are considering converting to a Lifetime Membership, click on the Membership button and select Life Membership.
 
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Independence Day
Independence Day is annually celebrated on July 4 and is often known as "the Fourth of July". It is the anniversary of the publication of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. Patriotic displays and family events are organized throughout the United States. Many people display the American flag on their homes. The celebrations have deep roots in the American tradition of political freedom. Background
In 1775, people in New England began fighting the British for their independence. On July 2, 1776, the Congress secretly voted for independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was first published two days later on July 4, 1776. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was on July 8, 1776. Delegates began to sign the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. In 1870, Independence Day was made an unpaid holiday for federal employees. In 1941, it became a paid holiday for them. The first description of how Independence Day would be celebrated was in a letter from John Adams to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776. He described "pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations" throughout the United States. However, the term "Independence Day" was not used until 1791. Interestingly, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, died on July 4, 1826 - exactly 50 years after the adoption of the declaration. It is also important to note that Native Americans lived in the country and each tribe had its own nation and government prior to the European settlers. www.timeanddate.com
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 Keep Us Accurate
To be sure your benefits are properly recorded, please advise the association when you change your name or address. If you receive inaccurate membership cards or other correspondence, we want to know. We do not mind reissuing membership cards. |
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 10 Essential Health Tips For Seniors
From baby boomers to senior boomers: 10 tips to keep you healthy and fit
The first wave of baby boomers are turning 65 years old this year and becoming "senior boomers" and Medicare-eligible. In fact, more than 10,000 baby boomers a day are now turning 65-that's one every eight seconds, a pattern expected to continue for the next 19 years.
Happily, aging is different now than it was for our parents and grandparents. Today, there are more people living longer than at any other time in history. In fact, boomers will number 78 million by 2030. "This generation, associated with social change including the civil rights and anti-war movements in the 1960s, has another important cause-staying healthy," says soon-to-be 65-year-old Arthur Hayward, MD, a geriatrician and clinical lead physician for Kaiser Permanente. "We need to become activists in promoting healthful behaviors and try our best to remain active and healthy the rest of our lives."
How to do it? Dr. Hayward recommends these 10 easy health tips for seniors to help baby boomers live longer and thrive:
1. Quit smoking. Take this critical step to improve your health and combat aging. Smoking kills by causing cancer, strokes and heart failure. Smoking leads to erectile dysfunction in men due to atherosclerosis and to excessive wrinkling by attacking skin elasticity. Many resources are available to help you quit.
2. Keep active. Do something to keep fit each day-something you enjoy that maintains strength, balance and flexibility and promotes cardiovascular health. Physical activity helps you stay at a healthy weight, prevent or control illness, sleep better, reduce stress, avoid falls and look and feel better, too.
3. Eat well. Combined with physical activity, eating nutritious foods in the right amounts can help keep you healthy. Many illnesses, such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis, can be prevented or controlled with dietary changes and exercise. Calcium and vitamin D supplements can help women prevent osteoporosis.
4. Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Use the Kaiser Permanente BMI (body mass index) calculator to find out what you should weigh for your height. Get to your healthy weight and stay there by eating right and keeping active. Replace sugary drinks with water-water is calorie free!
5. Prevent falls. We become vulnerable to falls as we age. Prevent falls and injury by removing loose carpet or throw rugs. Keep paths clear of electrical cords and clutter, and use night-lights in hallways and bathrooms. Did you know that people who walk barefoot fall more frequently? Wear shoes with good support to reduce the risk of falling.
6. Stay up-to-date on immunizations and other health screenings. By age 50, women should begin mammography screening for breast cancer. Men can be checked for prostate cancer. Many preventive screenings are available. Those who are new to Medicare are entitled to a "Welcome to Medicare" visit and all Medicare members to an annual wellness visit. Use these visits to discuss which preventative screenings and vaccinations are due.
7. Prevent skin cancer. As we age, our skin grows thinner; it becomes drier and less elastic. Wrinkles appear, and cuts and bruises take longer to heal. Be sure to protect your skin from the sun. Too much sun and ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer.
8. Get regular dental, vision and hearing checkups. Your teeth and gums will last a lifetime if you care for them properly-that means daily brushing and flossing and getting regular dental checkups. By age 50, most people notice changes to their vision, including a gradual decline in the ability to see small print or focus on close objects. Common eye problems that can impair vision include cataracts and glaucoma. Hearing loss occurs commonly with aging, often due to exposure to loud noise.
9. Manage stress. Try exercise or relaxation techniques-perhaps meditation or yoga-as a means of coping. Make time for friends and social contacts and fun. Successful coping can affect our health and how we feel. Learn the role of positive thinking.
10. Fan the flame. When it comes to sexual intimacy and aging, age is no reason to limit your sexual enjoyment. Learn about physical changes that come with aging and get suggestions to help you adjust to them, if necessary.
www.parentgiving.com/
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Membership Dues
| AGE RANGE | LIFE DUES | | 40 or less | $325 | | 41 to 45 | $300 | | 46 to 50 | $275 | | 51 to 55 | $250 | | 56 to 60 | $225 | | 61 to 65 | $200 | | 66 to 70 | $175 | | 70 and up | $100 |
 Annual dues are $10 per year. Discounts apply for multiple year memberships: 3 years for $25 and 5 years for $40. Like memberships are available based on the age of the member at the time of the Life conversion. A Life Membership is exempt of dues increase and covers both the member and the spouse. |
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About RAUS
We are a non-political military association organized in 1970 to secure quality benefits for our members at rates only available to groups. Qualified retired and active members of the United States armed forces and related departments may join.
Membership benefits include discounts and perks, self-help and financial calculators, time-savings and educational resources, along with TRICARE Supplement, CHAMPVA Supplement and other insurance products.
RAUS is partnering with other organizations to establish a long term win-win relationship based on mutual benefits and information available to military families.
For more information, visit our website at www.raushome.com.
RAUS Eligible Defense Departments
* AIR FORCE * ARMY * MARINES * NAVY * NATIONAL GUARD *
* COAST GUARD * NOAA * CIVIL AIR PATROL *
* PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE * COASTAL & GEODETIC SURVEY *
* ACTIVE & RETIRED * OFFICERS & ENLISTED *
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Sincerely,
DONALD T. RUCK, President Retired Association for the Uniformed Services, Inc. Back To Top |
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