February 2025

Don’t leave yourself open to threats!

This is your yearly reminder to protect your accounts

There are a few cyber security days in February, which makes it the perfect time to go over some good security habits you should be using in both your personal and workplace computers. 

2FA Day happens every year on February 2nd, reminding us of the importance of security. This date includes “2FA,” stands for Two-Factor Authentication. 2FA is a key step in protecting your online accounts. 2FA day follows “Change Your Password Day” on February 1st making February 2nd the perfect day to upgrade your account security from one factor to two.

The first 2FA Day took place on February 2nd, 2022. Since then, it has become an important date for raising awareness about the need for stronger digital security. 2FA Day reminds everyone to enable Two-Factor Authentication, which means adding an extra layer of protection to your online life.

Even if you’re not tech-savvy, it’s easy to remember this date and take steps to protect yourself online. You don’t need to be an expert to understand that February 2nd is your annual reminder to check and enhance your account security.

On 2FA day, people around the world revisit their security settings. By enabling Two-Factor Authentication on your accounts, you can help to prevent unauthorized access and safeguard personal information, making it a crucial moment for improving your digital safety. Two-Factor Authentication includes things like having a code sent to your phone or email to access accounts after you have entered your password. It could also be a 4-digit code and your fingerprint to unlock accounts on your phone. This simple action can make a big difference in protecting your online accounts.

Change your Password Day was first recognized by Matt Buchanan in 2012, who had gotten hacked twice and felt it would be good for a day to be set to remind everyone to change their passwords.

Research shows that the individual user is responsible for the cyberattacks they face, as hackers admit that many online users have poor security or weak passwords and are easily hackable. This is because we form simple, easy-to-remember passwords and use them for all our internet accounts. These passwords are easy to guess, making us susceptible to attacks.

Getting hacked on a personal scale might not affect us much, but it is a deathly blow to companies as they may experience heavy losses and crumble under it. This is even harder for smaller businesses that are easy prey to hackers. The rate of hacking has reportedly increased since the Covid-19 pandemic and will continually remain a threat to online technology unless users take precautionary measures to avoid it.

You may think it is hard to keep changing your passwords, but here are programs that can help. You can make use of password managers, such as Norton Password Generator. These free and secure apps help generate your passwords whenever you need them. You can customize the length and strength of your passwords with this program. Click Here to generate strong, new passwords.

Resources: https://2fa.day/

https://nationaltoday.com/change-your-password-day/

February is American Heart Month

What are you doing to keep your hearth healthy?

Heart disease is very common. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. In 2022, 1 in every 5 deaths in the United States was caused by heart disease.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease. Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, which puts them at risk for heart disease and stroke. And just 1 in 4 people with high blood pressure has it under control.

Heart disease is costly. The cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity from heart disease amounted to $252.2 billion between 2019 and 2020.

Here are some ways to practice healthy living habits to help prevent high blood pressure:

Eat a healthy diet: Choose healthy meal and snack options to help you avoid high blood pressure and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Talk with your health care team about eating a variety of foods rich in potassium, fiber, and protein and lower in salt (sodium) and saturated fat. For many people, making these healthy changes can help keep blood pressure low and protect against heart disease and stroke.

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan is a healthy diet plan with a proven record of helping people lower their blood pressure. Visit CDC's Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity websites to learn more about healthy eating and nutrition.

Keep yourself at a healthy weight: Being overweight or obesity increases your risk for high blood pressure. Talk with your health care team about ways to reach a healthy weight, including choosing healthy foods and getting regular physical activity.

Be physically active: Physical activity can help keep you at a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or bicycling, every week. That's about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Children and adolescents should get 1 hour of physical activity every day.

Don’t smoke: Smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke. If you do not smoke, do not start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. Your doctor can suggest ways to help you quit. For more information about tobacco use and quitting, see CDC's Smoking and Tobacco Use website.

Limit how much alcohol you drink: Do not drink too much alcohol, which can raise your blood pressure. Men should have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day, and women should have no more than 1 alcoholic drink per day. Visit CDC's Alcohol and Public Health website for more information.

Get enough sleep: Getting enough sleep is important to your overall health. It also helps keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Visit CDC's Sleep and Sleep Disorders for resources on how to get better sleep.

Manage stress: People who have depression, anxiety, stress, or post-traumatic stress disorder over a long period of time may develop other health problems, including an increased heart rate and high blood pressure.

Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health disorders and heart disease. Talk with your health care team about potential heart conditions in relation to your mental health.

Live to the Beat is a campaign that aims to help adults take steps to prevent heart disease and stroke.

Resources: https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/prevention/index.html

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/heart-month/fact-sheets

Medicare Advantage Plan

Open Enrollment

Period January 1 – March 31

Did you know that, for those who recently changed their Medicare Advantage Plan (MAP) during the annual Open Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7), or have an MAP but missed the OEP, they can still make changes to their Medicare coverage.

These changes are not available for those currently enrolled in Original Medicare. Coverage goes into effect on the first day of the month following the changes. It is important to understand your Medicare coverage choices and to pick your coverage carefully.

Let a trained SHINE Counselor assist you to understand your -Medicare options so you can choose what benefits are right for you. To talk to a SHINE Medicare Counselor, call the Elder Helpline 866-467-4624.

SHINE is a program of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and is offered locally by Advantage Aging Solutions. SHINE provides free and unbiased health insurance counseling through a network of volunteers, empowering Florida seniors to make informed health choices. Cost savings could be yours too through the Medicare Savings Programs and the Extra Help Program.

Join The Alzheimer’s Project for a day filled with valuable information and training sessions on Alzheimer's disease. Our conference aims to educate and empower attendees with the latest research, treatments, and caregiving strategies. Whether you are a healthcare professional, caregiver, or simply interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, this event is perfect.

The conference will include training sessions, research updates, and caregiving strategies. Breakfast and lunch will be included with the ticket and a respite room will be available for those who need support. Tickets are free, but registration is required. 

Guest Speakers and Topics

8:00am - 8:30am: Registration & Coffee with Exhibitors

8:30am - 9:30am: Overview of Effective Communications throughout the Early, Middle, and Late Stages of Dementia with Whitney Scott, MSW OR Elder Law with Kandace Rudd, JD, MSW

9:30am - 9:45am: Coffee Break

9:45am - 10:45am: Enhancing Quality of Life with Palliative Care with Fabiola Jean-Charles, MSW, LSSGB OR You Hold the Keys: Maintain Mobility Independence with Nicolette Castagna, LMHC, MPH, CDP & Megan Case

10:45am - 11:00am: Coffee Break

11:00am - 12:15pm: Keynote and Closing - Flourishing in the Age of Longevity with Jonathan Ainsley

12:15pm - 1:00pm- Lunch & Visit Exhibits

Join us Febrary 19th at the Tallahassee Senior Center for our monthly Capital Coalition on Aging meeting.

We look forward to learning and networking with you!