Good morning and welcome to agebuzz… Headlining today’s topics:

-Could You Repeat That? The NIH Is Funding A Free Hearing Test By Phone

-Class Pass: Go Back To School For Better Brain Health

-Travels With My Aunt: Successful Travel With Senior Companions

-Wear It Wisely: Iris Apfel Has Designs on Your Medical Alert Systems

-Got You Covered: Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visit

-The Artist Is 100: The Thriving Career of Carmen Herrera

-The Last Word

Could You Repeat That? The NIH Is Funding A Free Hearing Test By Phone: Do you find yourself constantly turning up the tv volume? Do words drop out of conversations in crowded restaurants? Do you resist entreaties to have your hearing checked? Here’s an option: May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. To mark the occasion, the NIH has funded MDHearingAid to offer a free 10 minute hearing test using your phone. This scientifically valid test will be able to check whether you have modest or even substantial hearing loss, and if so, direct you to local resources for a more comprehensive hearing exam. Sound like a good idea? If so, Read This.

Class Pass: Go Back To School For Better Brain Health: For many if not most of us it’s been decades since we last sat in a school. The thought of a final exam or assigned paper is enough to steer us clear of a classroom. But would you re-think that decision if you knew that new knowledge could lead to better brain health as you age? Just as your body needs physical exercise to stay fit so your mind stays sharp with the acquisition of new information and complex problem solving. That’s exactly the kind of stimulation you might get from a college class, and many colleges now offer discounted or even free classes for non-matriculating older students. Interested in learning more? Read This.

Travels With My Aunt: Successful Travel With Senior Companions: Travel these days can be a hassle- going through security lines, looking for cheap airfares, penalties for excess baggage. But what about the emotional baggage that accompanies travel with your aging relatives? Is there a way to create a joyful experience despite potential friction or physical limitations? Blogger Valerie Grubb has the savvy and experience to be your guide for such a trip. She shares her know how in her book, Planes, Canes and Automobiles: Connecting With Your Aging Parents Through Travel. So pack your bags and Read This.

Wear It Wisely: Iris Apfel Has Designs On Your Medical Alert Systems:  94 year old style icon Iris Apfel has a distinct look and bold point of view when it comes to fashion. Perhaps you’ve seen her in Albert Maysles’s documentary Iris, or viewed her fashion choices in society photographs. One of her latest projects, however, has a more serious purpose. Iris has collaborated with the company WiseWear to design bold and attractive alert bracelets that will not only allow you to signal for help in an emergency but also provide activity tracking information and gentle reminders and notifications. Having undergone a hip operation after a fall, Iris knows the value of an emergency alert system, as long as it passes muster from a fashion point of view. To get your own Iris-approved alert accessory, Read This.

Got You Covered: Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visit: Aches, pains and other maladies often necessitate a visit to the doctor. But sometimes good health is also a good reason to check in with your physician. Medicare Part B pays for a free annual well patient visit for all who have Medicare Part B coverage. Such a visit offers patients an opportunity to review and discuss healthcare and lifestyle issues that may not get much attention during a sick patient visit.  The National Council on Aging recently published a good description of what to expect during this well visit and what to bring along, to ensure the visit is comprehensive and tailored to the particular patient’s needs. Curious what such a visit should address? Read This.

The Artist Is 100: The Thriving Career of Carmen Herrera: When you hear that someone has been selected to be the inaugural artist at the new Lisson Gallery in New York City, or that her work will be the subject of a retrospective at the prestigious Whitney Museum in the Fall of 2016, you generally don’t think of a diminutive 100 year old woman.  But Carmen Herrera, the 100 year old Cuban born, American based artist is having a spectacular moment in 2016.  Based in New York City since 1954, she continues to paint on a daily basis and her work continues to stand out for its bold simplicity, strong use of lines and vibrant colors. Adding to this acclaim, Herrera is now the subject of an award winning documentary, “The 100 Years Show.” To see a trailer for the movie and find out where it’s screening, put down your paintbrush and Watch This.

THE LAST WORD: “Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone.” Jim Fiebig