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Show V The Salt Lake Tribune, Symptoms of abuse . Dear Ann Landers: Having grown your column I know the imhave on your readers, you pact please print this letter. There is a desperate need to educate people about a problem that Is wrecking millions of lives. Im talking about cocaine. consid-eiation- ever-changin- g have been married less than two Ann Landers that put him under a lot of pressure. He is smart, wonderful with people and made a great deal of money. For the first eight months of our marriage, Im ashamed to admit, I was completely blind to the problem. I knew cocaine was being used by some of our friends but my husband swore he would never touch it. I believed him. He began to stay out three and four nights a week. I didnt know where he was or what he was doing. When he started to stay out all night, I became frightened. His excuses were patheti- c. The day he lost his job he admitted cocaine user. I told him I would stay with him only if he went into a rehabilitation program. He agreed. I called a friend who was a physician and he hospitalized my husband at once. I went back to work. he was a If a married couple earns 132,000 or more in annual income, up to 50 percent of their Social Security benefits are taxable A single person can earn up to $25,000 without having Social Security benefits taxed. Implications Not Apparent The implications of the new policy are not yet apparent. The Bureau of the Census estimates that only 3 percent of older couples who lived together in 1984, when the policy took effect, were not married. Because such figures were not compiled in past years, there is little chance for comparison. Nevertheless, Social Security officials say older marriages should be affected little if at all. (The law) hits roughly only about 10 percent of the 36 million people on Social Security, and usually Social Security benefits arent a big portion of your income if youre in that bracket anyway," Loman says. It would probably be fairly irrelevant to people in those income brackets to take drastic steps like getting a divorce or living together without getting married." Could Be Attractive e But such steps could be attractive to elderly as food stamps as well Income for Security Supplemental people, senior remain more rewarding and available for citizens. And then there are the children. "Men and women beyond 65 who are in their second marriages to have elect to get married as much for companionship as anything else," somebody around, somebody to talk to Gilmore says. They often have accumulated small but significant estates and want their children to get it. Ive run into several situations recently where a man and woman agreed to marry but also agreed to not fully disclose to each other what they each have. But problems can arise when an elderly couple decides to keep finances separate and file separate tax returns. In that case, there is no $25,000 ceiling and each can lose up to half of their Social Security benefits to taxes. Prenuptial Agreements Prenuptial agreements in which older people and their future spouses sign documents waiving inheritance rights in the event lower-incom- d -- Hobby greenhouse classes scheduled I be- lieve he has made it. He is still in therapy and must attend group meetings four times a week. Our relationship is stronger now than it ever was. He is back at his job and doing well. of the other's death are another growing fad But many states require each party to fully disclose everything they own before they sign the contract Such arrangements can be traumatic experiences and may not even hold up in court "(Another) of the traps people fall into, whether its a second marriage or growing old in the same marriage, is to begin gifting too early," Gilmore says "While the tax laws encourage gifting, theres a tendency to give away the estate to children in such a way (that the elderly) become dependent on the children and overly dependent on Social Security and Medicare." Gilmore offers simple advice to senior citizens who want to tie the knot make sure marriage is something you really want and do not give away the farm too soon. ,Td say Live together for a while to see if you can get along with each other, he says "Does he like to sit at home and watch TV, and does she like to prowl around the mall and drag him along7 Does he like to eat at 5 and she like to eat at 97 Things that " appear minor can become major Lifestyles threaten nutrition With so much focus today on world hunger, its surprising how many people in a nutritionally "affluent country like the United States are at risk nutritionally. Smokers, dieters, meal skippers and heavy drinkers top the list of groups whose lifestyles, habits or physical conditions interfere with proper nutrition. An estimated 54 million Americans smoke cigarettes Smoking has been shown to reduce blood levels of vitamin C by up to 40 percent as compared with nonsmokers. Diets put themselves at risk by restricting their caloric intake. On a diet of 1600 calories or lower, it becomes extremely difficult to get all necessary nutrients from food An estimated 20 percent of the population is dieting at any given time. Recent studies show that more and more Americans are becoming cavalier about their eating habits: theyre skipping breakfast and lunch and generally "grabbing a bite when they can to accommodate hectic schedules. Meal skipping can be nutritionally risky because it reduces variety in the diet and not the best way to insure encourages irregular eating habits proper nutrition . 1, Editor's Note: As o public service, the Utah Association of Nurserymen Is cooperating with The Salt Lake Tribune In bringing you pertinent weekly garden Information. This Is on programs offered by Utah State University Extension Please tell your readers the symptoms of cocaine abuse and urge them to accept the fact that a "coke head will not do anything about his problem until he is ready to admit he is hooked. Pleading, crying and threatening will not make the least bit of difference. Its the same as with alcohol addiction. Until the abuser admits he is powerless against the substance, nothing will change. Please, Ann, Love print this letter. Ill sign it Alone Wont Do It (Florida) By Genevieve H. Folsom Tribune Garden Editor If you have a hobby greenhouse or would like to have one, Utah State University extension service is offering a course on the subject. It will be taught by Larry Segars and Duane Hatch, extension horticulturists, Salt Lake office. The classes start Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Salt Lake County Complex, 2nd East and 2100 South, Building 5. Classes will be each Tuesday for four weeks from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The course will cover building types, construction, heating and cooling, framing, coverings, preparation and growing plants all winter and for bedding purposes in the spring. Sign up by mailing registration and a $10 fee to Utah State University Extension Service, Salt Lake Office, 444 S. 4th West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. Public Offerings The extension service has much to offer the public. There will be pruning demonstrations later in the spring and demonstration vegetable gardens. There is a master gardener program to train individuals in horticulture. These individuals in turn must promise to assist others with the knowledge they have learned through the service. The botanical garden in Farming-tohas the latest in flowers, trees, shrubs and ground covers. It is open to the public and has a convenient visitor's center for those who come to see the plants. Each plant or planting is clearly marked. Dear Love: Thanks for an excellent letter. I endorse every word you have written. Here are the symptoms of cocaine abuse. If anyone out there cares about a person who has the following symptoms, be aware that you have a junkie on your hands but you cannot help him (or her) until that person is ready to admit it. Pallor and perspiration Dilated pupils Runny nose and nosebleeds The jitters and hyperactivity Ability to go without food or sleep for long periods of time A lack of interest in sex and sometimes inability to perform Paranoia, anxiety, suspiciousness Loss of memory Increase in energy and talkativeness, followed by lethargy and depression A sudden carelessness about personal appearance Broken appointments, A9 . . By Bill Lohmann United Press International ATLANTA Wedding bells chime a different tune for couples in their golden years, when s companionship and financial often rival unconditional love as the best reason to get married But with fixed incomes, Social Security and tax laws, and a desire to leave something for the children, marriage after 60 can be a tricky proposition. Experts say it is imperative for people to carefully plan their financial life after retirement and be cautious of every move they make including marriage. "There is a demographic trend to live longer and longer," said Alden S. Gilmore, professor of gerontology at the University of South Florida. "People are underestimating the length of their lives and what their financial needs are going to be." More Tying Knot As the population grows older and the older population grows larger, more people are tying the knot. The U.S. Division of Vital Statistics estimates about 23,000 women and 41,000 men in that age group were married in 1980, increase over the number of women representing a married in 1960 and a increase for the men. The Social Security Administration actually has made conditions more conducive to senior weddings. Until the late 1970s, widows and widowers lost their Social Security benefits if they married someone else drawing Social Security. Couldn't Afford It "That was forcing many senior citizens to either live in sin or not get married, said Bill Loman, a Social Security spokesman in Tampa, where 30 percent of the population is retired. "They couldn't financially afford to get married. But a change in the law in 1979 allowed widows and widowers to continue drawing their own Social Security benefits after remarriage. However, according to Gilmore, who teaches courses on the economic issues of aging, another recent Social Security change throws up a similar roadblock and could encourage older couples to cast aside the wedding vows. years. My husband was in a business It has been three months but 14, 1986 Looking at economics ot marriage alter oU up with I Tuesday, January Girls & Boys Nylon lined, poly filled 4-- 7 LADIES VELOUR JOGGING SUITS LADIES FLEECE SWEATSHIRTS n broken promises, lying Inability to explain what happened to the paycheck and money that was in the checking andor savings Other Programs The extension service offers programs on growing plants and speakers on the subject are available for group meetings. There are programs to assist farmers; a newsletter with gardening information; a telephone answering service for questions on gardening. A Club for young people is sponsored by USU Extension Service. Through home economists, information can be obtained on food preparation and preserving. USU Extension is one sponsor of the Utah Civic Beautification Awards program and assists with The Salt Lake Tribune Home and Garden Festival. Don't flunk your chemistry test. Love is more than one set of glands calling to another. if you hove trouble making o distinction you need Anns booklet, "Love or Sex and How to Tell the Difference. Send a long, stamped envelope with your SO cents to Ann and request Landers, P.O. Box 1 1995, Chicogo, III. 60511. Alcohol and the brain MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -Drinking alcohol, even in moderate amounts, can cause the brain to shrink, according to a recent study. Researchers at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre say that 85 percent of test subjects who consumed only 2.1 ounces of alcohol a day suffered brain damage. The researchers also say the brain can repair itself in cases where alcohol intake has not been too severe, and that alcohol intake of up to about 1.35 ounces a day causes no brain damage. FLEECE BOTTOMS Large assortment & LADIES WOOL SKIRTS Fully lined. Sizes LADIES -- f HAPPY WEDDING DEE & 1LA COOMBS An Open House for the 50th Weeding Annlversory of A D (Dee) ond Ho Coombs will be give by their daughters J Delov Mrs (Ellen) Show ond Cindy Lou Coombs on Saturday, Jonu-ar18, 1986 from 4 DO to 7 00 p m In the Midvale 1st Ward, 465 6th Avenue (465 West 7500 South) Mldvoie No gifts please PARENTS: Send your problem teenagers on a rehabilitation challenging wilderness trip in southern Utah Their problems will be confronted and seriously dealt with Positive results For more information write to No. American Wilderness School P.O. 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