Savvy Senior August columns
1.) Where to find senior discounts in 2025
2.) Does Medicare cover ambulance rides?
3.) How to find a great handyman
4.) Tips and treatments for restless leg syndrome
Where to find senior discounts in 2025
Dear Savvy Senior,
My husband and I are in our 50’s and would like to know what resources you recommend for locating senior discounts, and what age do they kick in?
— Frugal Fay
Dear Fay,
One of the great perks of growing older in America is the many discounts that are available. There are literally thousands of senior discounts on a wide variety of products and services including restaurants, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail, health, grocery stores, automotive services and much more. These discounts – typically ranging between 5 and 25 percent off – can add up to save you hundreds of dollars each year.
So, if you don’t mind admitting your age, here are some tips and tools to help you locate the discounts you may be eligible for.
Always Ask
The first thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts, so don’t be shy about asking.
You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, many others may not kick in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65.
Search Online
Because senior discounts frequently change and can vary depending on where you live and the time of year, the internet is the easiest way to locate them.
A good place to start is at TheSeniorList.com (click on the “Money” tab), which provides a large list of discounts in restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores, and for prescription medications, travel and more.
You can also search for discounts by provider. Go to any standard search engine like Google or Bing and type in the business or organization you’re curious about, followed by “senior discount” or “senior discount tickets.” Or use an AI tool like Chat GPT or Gemini to do a search.
If you use an iPhone, you can even use the “Senior Discounts & Coupons” app (available in the App Store), which categorizes discounts by age and type.
Join a Club
Another good avenue to senior discounts is through membership organizations like AARP, which offers its members age 50 and older a wide variety of discounts through affiliate businesses – see AARP.org/ViewMyBenefits.
If, however, you don’t like or agree with AARP, or don’t want to pay the $15 membership fee, there are other organizations you can join that also provide discounts like the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC.us), the American Automobile Association (AAA.com), or for retired federal workers, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE.org).
Types of Discounts
Here’s an abbreviated rundown of some of the different types of discounts you can expect to find.
Restaurants: Senior discounts are common at restaurants and fast-food establishments – like Chili’s, Denny’s, Golden Corral, Outback Steakhouse, McDonald’s and Sonic – ranging from free/discounted drinks to discounts off your total order.
Retailers: Many thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army, and certain retailers like Joann, Kohl’s, Michaels, Ross, Petsmart and Walgreens stores offer a break to seniors on certain days of the week.
Supermarkets: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains like BI-LO, Piggly-Wiggly, Fry’s, New Seasons, Fred Meyer and Hy-Vee, which offer discounts on certain days of the week.
Travel: American, Delta and United Airlines provide discounted senior fares for select destinations in the U.S. to passengers 65 plus, while British Airlines offers AARP members $65 off economy seats. Amtrak provides a 10 percent discount to travelers over 65. Most car rental companies give discounts to 50-plus customers or AARP members. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival cruise lines offer senior rates to cruisers 55 and over. And, most hotels offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10 to 30 percent.
Entertainment: Most movie theaters, museums, golf courses, ski slopes and other public entertainment venues provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And the National Park Service offers a lifetime senior pass for those 62 and older for $80.
Does Medicare cover ambulance rides?
Dear Savvy Senior,
A few months ago, I took an ambulance to the hospital emergency room because I had a nasty fall at home, but just received a hefty $1,050 bill from the ambulance company. Doesn’t Medicare cover ambulance rides?
— Frustrated Beneficiary
Dear Beneficiary,
Yes, Medicare does cover emergency ambulance services and, in limited cases, nonemergency ambulance services too, but only when they’re deemed medically necessary and reasonable.
So, what does that means?
First, it means that your medical condition must be serious enough that you need an ambulance to transport you safely to a hospital or other facility where you can receive care that Medicare covers.
If a car or taxi could transport you without endangering your health, Medicare won’t pay. For example, Medicare probably won’t pay for an ambulance to take someone with an arm fracture to a hospital. But if the patient goes into shock, or is prone to internal bleeding, ambulance transport may be medically necessary to ensure their safety on the way. The details make a difference.
Second, the ambulance must take you to the nearest appropriate medical facility. If you choose to be transported to a facility farther away because the doctor you prefer has staff privileges there, expect to pay a greater share of the bill. Medicare will only cover the cost of ambulance transport to the nearest appropriate facility and no more.
Medicare may also pay for an emergency flight by plane or helicopter to the nearest appropriate medical center if the trip would take too long on the ground and endanger your health.
Nonemergency Situations
Medicare may also cover ambulance transportation in some cases when you’re not facing a medical emergency. But to receive this coverage, your doctor needs to write an order stating that an ambulance is medically necessary because other ways to get you to an appointment could endanger your health.
For example, if you’ve been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, Medicare may pay if you have a doctor’s order stating that it is medically necessary for you to use an ambulance to take you to and from a dialysis center.
You also need to know that in nonemergency situations, ambulance companies are required to give you an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage or ABN if they believe Medicare may not pay. This lets you know that you will be responsible for paying if Medicare doesn’t.
Ambulance Costs
Ambulance rides can vary from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on where you live and how far you’re transported.
Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of the Medicare-approved ambulance rides after you’ve met your annual Part B deductible ($257 in 2025). You, or your Medicare supplemental policy (if you have one), are responsible for the remaining 20 percent.
If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, it must cover the same services as original Medicare, and may offer some additional transportation services. You’ll need to check with your plan for details.
How to Appeal
If an ambulance company bills you for services after Medicare denies payment, but you think the ride was medically necessary, you can appeal – see Medicare.gov, click on “Providers & Services” followed by “Claims, Appeals, and Complaints.” To help your case, ask the doctor who treated you for documentation that you needed an ambulance.
If you need some help, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), who can help you file an appeal. Go to ShipHelp.org or call 877-839-2675 for contact information.
How to find a great handyman
Dear Savvy Senior,
What’s the best way to find a good handyman or tradesman that can help with small jobs around the house?
— Almost 75
Dear Almost,
It’s a great question. Finding a good home repair/handyman can be a bit of a crapshoot. How do you find someone who will return your calls or texts, show up on time, do the job right and finish it, all at a fair price? Here are a few tips and resources that can help you search.
What Kind of Help
While it may seem obvious, whom you call on for help will depend on what you need done. If, for example, you have an odd job or small home repair project that doesn’t require a lot of technical expertise, a handyperson may be all you need. But if you have a job that involves electricity, plumbing, or heating or cooling systems, you’re better off going with a licensed tradesman. Bigger jobs like home renovations or remodeling may require a general contractor.
Where to Find a Pro
Whatever type of work you need, the best way to find it is through referrals from people you trust. If your friends or family don’t have any recommendations turn to professionals in the field like local hardware or home improvement stores, or even real estate agents.
If you don’t have any luck here, there are a number of online resources you can turn to that can quickly connect you to a wide variety of skilled workers in your area.
If you need someone for a home chore or small job, a popular option is Taskrabbit (taskrabbit.com), which lists thousands of freelance workers (called Taskers) that have undergone background checks. Here you can get help with things like furniture assembly; lifting or moving heavy items; mounting or hanging TVs, shelfs or pictures; minor home repairs; cleaning services; yard work and more. Taskers set their own hourly rates, which are displayed on their website before you book.
Some other good options for locating handypeople are fix-it franchises like Ace Handyman (acehandymanservices.com) and Mr. Handyman (mrhandyman.com). These companies vet and insure their staff, but they may be more expensive than Taskrabbit. Or, if you use social networking sites, you could also post a request for a handyperson in your Facebook group or on Nextdoor (nextdoor.com).
If, however, you’re in the market for specialist like a plumber, electrician, painter, roofer or carpenter as well as a handyperson, try Angi (angi.com). They too, vet their independent contractors, and will let you request quotes from several candidates.
Thumbtack (thumbtack.com) is another good resource that’s similar to Angi, but they offer more details like average response time, specifics about the work they do, and photos of past projects.
Things to Know
Once you’ve located a few candidates, here are some steps you can take to protect your money and ensure you’re satisfied with the results. First, get a handwritten estimate or digital contract that list the tasks and the hourly rate or project fee.
Also, ask to see their proof of insurance, which covers any damages they may cause while working on your home, and ask for several references from past jobs.
You should also pay after the work is done, not before. But it’s not unusual to be asked for a small deposit for material costs upfront.
And if possible, you should pay with a credit card, because you can dispute the payment if something goes wrong with the job. Checks and electronic payments like PayPay, Venmo and Zelle don’t offer the same level of protection.
Tips and treatments for restless leg syndrome
Dear Savvy Senior,
What can you tell me about restless leg syndrome? Over the past year or so I’ve developed an uncontrollable urge to move my legs because of an annoying tingling sensation, and it’s keeping me awake at night.
— Always Tired
Dear Tired,
If an irresistible urge to move your legs has you kicking in your sleep, then chances are pretty good you have restless leg syndrome (or RLS), a condition that affects about 7 to 8 percent of Americans. Here’s what you should know.
RLS, also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease, is a nervous system problem that causes unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations (often described as a creepy-crawly, tingling, itching, aching throbbing, pulling or electric feeling) and an irresistible urge to move one or both legs while you’re sitting or lying down, and the symptoms usually get worse with age. It typically happens in the evenings or nights while resting. Moving eases the unpleasant feeling temporarily.
While RLS is not a life-threatening condition, the main problem, other than it being uncomfortable and annoying, is that it disrupts sleep, leading to daytime drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and even depression.
What exactly causes RLS is not known, but researchers suspect it could be linked to several things including iron deficiency, an imbalance of the brain chemical dopamine, and genetics – about 60 percent of people with RLS have a family member with the condition.
Treatments
While there’s no cure for RLS, there are things you can do to alleviate the symptoms. The first line of defense is usually to avoid certain substances like alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and refined sugar, which can aggravate the problem.
Certain drugs including antinausea drugs, antipsychotic drugs, some antidepressants, and cold and allergy medications containing sedating antihistamines can also make RLS worse. If you take any of these medications, ask your doctor or pharmacist if something else can be taken.
Iron and magnesium deficiencies are also believed to be contributors to RLS, so make an appointment with your doctor and get a blood test to check for this. If you test positive for iron and/or magnesium deficiency, your doctor may recommend supplements.
You may also benefit from self-care treatments such as leg/calf stretches and massage, hot baths or applying hot or cold packs to the affected area. Pressure can also be effective for some people, so you may want to try wearing compression socks.
Getting moderate, regular exercise like walking, cycling, water aerobics and yoga can relieve symptoms too, but overdoing it or exercising late in the day may intensify them.
Medications
If the previously listed tips and self-treatments don’t reduce your RLS, there are various medications your doctor can prescribe that can help, including:
Anti-seizure drugs: These medications affect nerve cell activity to reduce symptoms. Examples include gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant), gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica).
Dopaminergic medications: These drugs, which are taken before bedtime, work by increasing dopamine, a chemical in the brain which helps reduce RLS. Examples are ropinirole (Requip), pramipexole (Mirapex), and the transdermal patch rotigotine (Neupro). But be aware that while these drugs, taken short-term are effective, long-term use can make symptoms worse.
The anti-seizure medicines have become a first-choice drug treatment option for most doctors because they seem to be as effective as the dopaminergic medications, with fewer side effects.
Sometimes, other medications like benzodiazepines – alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium) – may be prescribed for more restful sleep, but they don’t eliminate the leg sensations, and they can be addictive so it’s best to avoid them if possible.
For more information, visit the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation at RLS.org.
Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
