Many seniors are on a fixed income and one great way to stick to a budget is to take advantage of senior discounts.

Restaurants, department stores, hotels, and more offer senior discounts, and many of them start at age 50.

Here are a few of the great discounts that we’ve found.

Did you know that Dunkin Donuts will give a free doughnut to people over 55 (with an AARP card) when they order a cup of coffee?

Aging has such a bad reputation, but aging itself isn’t all bad.

In fact, some research suggests that the brain manages to dismiss negative memories and retain the positive ones as we get older.

On a related note, people develop longer “fuses,” and are better able to control and regulate anger and other negative emotions. The highs may be just as high, but the lows are not as low.

Also, people with certain conditions, such as social phobias, often find their illnesses diminishing with age.

We would never want to think about someone taking advantage of our elderly parents, but unfortunately, the growing incidence of senior fraud is putting many older adults in harm’s way, threatening to strip them of their assets, their independence, and their trust.

A survey by the North American Securities Administrators Association shows senior investment fraud accounts for nearly 50 percent of all complaints received by state securities regulators. That number is up from the 2005 survey, when 28 percent of fraud reports involved the elderly.

We all know at least one senior who has done something amazing, sweet, or awesome. We also know at least one senior who is lonely, sick, or just in need of a friend.

All of these seniors – and many others – are perfect examples of people who could be nominated to receive a special, home-cooked meal when Always Best Care Senior Services and October Kitchen team up.

Kristine Lajeunesse of Always Best Care will be cooking the dishes with Chef Paul Finney of October Kitchen and then will surprise the seniors with the meals – all as part of the next Make a Senior Smile Campaign.