Scam Alert

HERTZ CONFIRMS DATA BREACH

Hertz announced a data breach earlier this month that compromised the personal information of more than 100,000 customers. The exposed data includes driver’s license numbers, passport information, birth dates, credit card details, and social security numbers. The breach occurred in October and December of 2024 and involved data stored by Cleo Communications, a vendor used for Hertz file transfers. The Hertz Corporation, which includes Hertz, Dollar Rent-A-Car and Thrifty Car Rental, indicated that Medicare and Medicaid data associated with workers’ compensation claims and injury-related information pertaining to vehicle accident claims were likely compromised. If you believe you were a victim of this breach, you can call the Hertz Corporation at 866-408-8964 for more information.

GOVERNMENT / LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

WARNINGS FROM THE ELDER JUSTICE COALITION

A draft budget from the Office of Management and Budget (an agency within the Executive Office of the President that assists in managing the federal budget), was leaked to the media earlier this month, according to the Elder Justice Coalition. The Coalition, a federal policy and advocacy organization focused on increasing awareness of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, publicized a statement strongly opposing the proposed elimination of aging programs and services that currently serve and protect older Americans. This draft budget proposed eliminating the following programs:

• Adult Protective Services
• Long-Term Care Ombudsmen
• Elder rights activities and
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers.

The Coalition provided a link for those who wish to contact Congress to support their disapproval regarding the loss of such programs:

Entrepreneurs Over 50

AGE MAY CORRELATE WITH SUCCESS

Is there an age when it’s too late to start a business? Some may wonder if entrepreneurs who are over 50 have “aged – out,” as many are competing with the Gen Y and Gen Z founders of Silicon Valley. But here in the US and around the globe, many individuals have started successful companies well into their 50s – and beyond. Older entrepreneurs are no less capable of disruption. The wisdom and experience that come with age may provide a significant advantage, in analyzing the market, understanding industry dynamics, and building social connections. EU Startups recently published an interesting piece covering the profiles of 10 entrepreneurs who have achieved great success with businesses they created later in life. They include:

• Bernie Marcus, who was fired at age 50 from a business called Handy Dan − and then went on to co-found Home Depot;
• Amadeo Giannini, who started Bank of America at 61 in 1908; and
• Arianna Huffington, who launched the Huffington Post in her mid-50s – leading the media outlet to become the first commercial digital enterprise to earn a Pulitzer prize.

Can Certain Vaccines Prevent Dementia?

RESEARCH FINDS POTENTIAL LINKS

Most people are aware that exercise, healthy eating habits, and getting enough sleep may lower the risk of developing dementia in later life. And now that over seven million Americans are living with the disease, which is expected to double by 2060, scientists are searching for additional lifestyle clues that might curb this disturbing trend. A few new studies have looked at the possible link between certain vaccines – and a lowered risk of dementia. Prior vaccinations against tetanus and diphtheria, with or without pertussis, are all associated with a reduced risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to research from UTHealth Houston. A version of this study was published online recently in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. One of the researchers for this study published another piece in the journal which found that people who received at least one influenza vaccine were 40% less likely than their unvaccinated peers to develop Alzheimer’s disease. And a new study out of Stanford Medicine has presented some of the strongest evidence yet that the vaccine to help prevent shingles – may also reduce dementia risk. Researchers analyzed the health records of over 280,000 older adults in Wales and found that those who received the shingles vaccine were 20% less likely to develop dementia over the next seven years compared to those who did not. While the science behind the association between these vaccines and dementia is still being studied, some believe that it is related to reducing neuroinflammation, a factor implicated in the development of dementia.