As the first rebate checks go out to help those affected by the Medicare prescription drug coverage “doughnut hole,” recipients are being told to be on guard against scammers.

Several state attorneys generals have warned about a series of scams related to the tax-free, $250 rebate checks; the first wave which have recently been mailed.

Medicare beneficiaries affected by the gap in prescription coverage and not participating in the Medicare “Extra Help” program will receive the checks automatically within about 45 days of becoming eligible. They do not have to sign up or give any additional information to get the checks. 

Health experts recommend eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day for better health. A visit to a local farmers market is an enjoyable and convenient way to to get the freshest fruits and veggies available.

The Senior Farmer's Market Nutrition Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), State of Washington and local area funds, is offered to help eligible area seniors get the good nutrition they need to stay healthy.

Being active is one of the keys to a healthier life.

Regular physical exercise not only reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke, but it also keeps your weight in check and your mood in balance. However, few realize the important health benefits – not mention the rewards - that fitness can bring to us when we reach our senior years.

There are those who crave the raw adrenaline rush that comes with ascending the rockiest peaks of the Northwest, And then there’s the rest of us.

Thank goodness for technology. In the 1970s, a person with diabetes had to go through an extensive process to test his or her own blood-sugar level. The process involved urinating in a cup, placing a special tablet in the cup, boiling it for five minutes, and comparing the liquid’s color to a color chart. Some patients had to go through this process several times a day.

Kay Loibl loves to get her hands dirty. For this Master Gardener, the thrill of digging in the earth and the satisfaction of watching things grow add zest to her life. But several years ago, rheumatoid arthritis coupled with degenerative disc disease made pursuing her passion difficult. Since she couldn't garden the way she used to, she found a new way. Loibl says, "I started doing a lot of container and raised-bed gardening."

It usually starts with scrambled letters or crooked lines that are supposed to appear straight, but 78-year-old Doris Matsch first noticed the symptoms of her age-related macular degeneration (AMD) when green colors appeared blue.  Her experience with AMD also varied from many others’ in another way--it was diagnosed and treated before she lost the ability to recognize words and familiar faces.

A fair share of Christmas trees hovered over a Wii console this past holiday season, fulfilling the wishes of grandkids and grandparents alike. Despite its release over two years ago, the Wii, Nintendo Co.’s latest gaming console, continues to spend little time on retail shelves before being whisked away to a permanent home.

During the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, commentators frequently referenced the 1972 summer games as swimmer Michael Phelps approached and surpassed Mark Spitz’s seven-gold-medal performance of 36 years earlier.

In our society, being thin is equated with health and beauty. But beauty is only skin-deep—and under that surface, thin isn’t in.

Whether tending the greens in the garden or a day on the greens at the links, warm weather beckons people outdoors and into action, making summer and established exercise routines go hand-in-hand.

A robotic surgical system named after Leonardo da Vinci is prompting a renaissance of sorts in Inland Northwest operating rooms.

Alzheimer’s disease currently has no cure, but there’s new hope that those with mild cognitive impairment can stave off the illness’s progression.

Sleep is something many folks take for granted. Each night, countless people fluff their pillows, pull up their blankets and settle in for a satisfying slumber. But if you’re one of the estimated 40 million Americans who suffer from a chronic sleep disorder, bedtime has become dread time.

Spokane urologist Dr. Bradford A. Nelson gives a PowerPoint presentation to other physicians about erectile dysfunction. After slides of graphs and charts and terms that are foreign to people outside the medical field, up pops a picture of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and the joke, “What do Viagra and Disney World have in common?”

Rain or shine, 56-year-old hiking group hits Inland Northwest trails together. Hiking with the Hobnailers is a little different from trekking with the typical walking club. The average age of the club’s members is over 70, maybe even 75 to 80.

North Idaho man won’t have to travel far to compete when Spokane hosts national masters championships. George Mathews gave up the sports he loved for 28 years. A shot-putter and discus thrower at St. John’s University in the mid-1960s, Mathews’ college competitions gave way to the business of life, getting a “real job,” exchanging marriage vows with wife Kate and settling into the Seattle area to raise their two kids.

Spokane couple shares love of water, canoes.

There isn’t much of the Spokane River that Robbi and Vic Castleberry haven’t had some impact on. And that’s most definitely a very good thing.

Along each stretch of the winding river, the couple of 70-somethings likely have either dipped a paddle in its water or muddied the treaded soles of their hiking boots along its shores during the past 40-plus years.