Q:Where can I find a senior-friendly home telephone with big buttons and amplified sound? My 78-year-old mother has a difficult time hearing over the phone anymore, and her vision isn’t so great either. Answer: There are dozens of senior-friendly phones that can meet almost any need. To help you cut through all the options and select a good fit, you need to take into account your mom’s needs and wants:

Old Dominion recently retained Carr Sports Associates to assess its athletic department, a precursor to the school officially beginning its search for a new athletic director. Jim Jarrett, the school’s athletic director since 1970, will retire in June. ODU’s goal is to have a successor named before Jarrett leaves. UR Athletic Director Jim Miller is a Norfolk native who played basketball and baseball at ODU, and was an assistant basketball coach for the Monarchs.

Q:I’ve heard that there are prescription medication discount programs out there to help those in need. I’m 63 and take three drugs that I can barely afford. What can you tell me? Answer: There are a wide variety of programs that help uninsured and underinsured Americans dramatically reduce their medication costs—or even get them free. Many programs also can help seniors with a Medicare prescription drug plan avoid their “doughnut hole” coverage gap or reduce their costs once they reach it. Here’s what you should know.

A.M. Best Co.:
http://www.ambest.com or call (908) 439-2200.
National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations: http://www.nolhga.com and click on “State Associations” to learn more.

Q:I’m interested in learning more about the kind of annuity that provides a safe, steady income for life. At 70 and recently retired, I would like to shore up my retirement income and rely less on the unpredictable stock market. What can you tell me? Answer: The kind of annuity you’re asking about is a “fixed immediate annuity,“ which is a risk-free retirement tool that’s become popular among retirees in these financially uncertain times.

Recent history suggests concern about new coaches on the University of Richmond football staff shouldn’t run too deep. Mike London was in his first year as Spiders’ head coach last season and he employed four assistants new to UR. The Spiders won the Football Championship Subdivision title. Richmond this season has three new assistants, including defensive coordinator Vic Shealy.

Bernadette McGlade was named Atlantic 10 Conference commissioner June 2, 2008. Soon after, she began studying the league’s operations “from top to bottom,“ according to University of Richmond Athletic Director Jim Miller. Among McGlade’s conclusions was that the A-10 could function more economically by moving its league office from Philadelphia.

Q:It seems like senior discounts have been dwindling over the past few years. What’s the best way to find them? Answer: One of the great perks of growing older in the U.S. is the many discounts that are still available to seniors. While the recession has caused many companies to cut back or eliminate their discount programs, there are still plenty of deals out there. Here are some tips and tools to find them.

Q:Where can grandparents raising grandchildren find help? My two grandkids are about to move in with me indefinitely, and I’m looking to find out what resources are available that can help us. Answer: You definitely have plenty of company on this issue. Across the U.S., more than 2.4 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren, as the parents struggle with a variety of serious problems such as drug or alcohol addiction, financial hardship, mental illness, prison time, domestic violence, divorce and more.

The University of Richmond today will announce that football coach Mike London has signed a contract extension.

University of Richmond Athletic Director Jim Miller is a Norfolk native who graduated from Old Dominion University, played two sports there and coached there. So might the coming vacancy in the ODU athletic director’s office interest him? “The opportunity, if it ever developed, to go back to your alma mater is something that everyone has to think about,“ Miller said yesterday.

About 60 seconds after the University of Richmond announced a contract extension for men’s basketball coach Chris Mooney yesterday, his boss made clear the program’s ambitious goals. Said Spiders Athletic Director Jim Miller: “We expect to consistently and successfully compete for Atlantic 10 championships and earn post-season opportunities that will enable the University of Richmond to be recognized nationally as fielding quality basketball programs.“

“That should be an embarrassment” is what UR Athletic Director Jim Miller said about the FCS playoff system that has allowed Appalachian State to stay at home for the fourth consecutive postseason. Richmond (10-3) plays at second-seeded ASU (11-2) tomorrow in the quarterfinals. If the Mountaineers can advance to the semifinals, they will go through four consecutive years of FCS playoff competition (three games each year) without leaving home until the championship game at a neutral site in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The top four teams in the 16-team FCS field are the only seeded participants. They are awarded home-field advantage. Otherwise, acquisition of a first-round home game is linked to financial commitment. Eastern Kentucky won its league title (Ohio Valley Conference). UR finished third in the Colonial Athletic Association South Division. The Colonels submitted to the NCAA a $50,000 bid to have a first-round home game. Richmond’s bid was in the $65,000 range.