Sally Kelly

Are you getting those multiple calls a day, asking you to sign up for a particular insurance company’s Medicare plan? Aren’t those phone calls a pain in the neck? Your phone rings so you run to get it, only to find “Rachel” wanting to tell you how great their Medicare plan is.

There are several exciting events coming up in the next month, which can make a significant impact on senior citizens in Portage County. The first one is on Oct. 15. This will be an opportunity for all of us to make a donation to S.O.S, (Support Our Seniors) fundraising campaign.

Last month, I wrote about the needs of senior homeowners when they are unable to care for property. I included my thoughts about a lack of resources for these individuals. But what about the individuals themselves who are unable to care for themselves, let alone their property?

If I had had any input into the senior needs assessment for their consideration (and I was not asked), I would have put a priority on a program to help senior citizens remain in their own homes.

July is here, and so is the heat. Do not forget to contact the Portage County Community Action Council to schedule an appointment to see if you qualify for the Home Energy Assistance Program. This program does not only provide assistance to help pay heating bills but also has money available for the cost of air conditioning.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says that he wants to make Ohio one of the best places in which to age. Ohio is currently ranked nationally as having the sixth highest number of older adults, having 2.8 million residents who are 60 years of age or older.

May is Older Americans Month. Since 1963, our nation has "taken this opportunity to recognize Older Americans' contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm the nation's commitment to serving older adults."

April is National Volunteer Month. This is a chance for us to take a look around and “give our thanks” to all of our neighbors who give of their time and energy to help improve the community in which we live. These are folks who work for free, who only get paid by the good “feelings” which come from helping someone else live a better life.

When is it time to give up living at home alone? A national organization suggests that you look at yourself (or a friend or family member) in terms of these four things which are happening or changing in your life.

It is a new year, and for some of us (maybe for all of us) we have high hopes for a better life this year: Cheaper prices, fewer deaths for friends and family, and healthier, safer lives for ourselves.

The government shutdown is over and SNAP benefits are “alive” again, but I know that for some of us, that does not resolve our need for additional food. In Portage County, individuals can call 211 (Portage County information and referral services) and register for one of our county’s food pantries.

You know it is fall when you start seeing pumpkins and skeletons in your neighbors’ front yards. And if you are over the age of 65, your phone starts ringing and your mailbox is always full with advertisements about health insurance programs.

A handful of seniors attended the Senior Forum on Sept. 11 at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center in Ravenna. This program was sponsored by Portage County Job and Family Services.

Have you listened to the national news reports lately? One of the big concerns right now is the famine in the Gaza Strip — people starving to death.

I recently received our monthly “AARP Bulletin” and, as always, it was filled with a wealth of information on the national perspective on aging. One of the articles caught my attention, and I decided to bring it back to our local concerns and reality.

Over the past few months, I have shared with you a variety of discounts that are available to senior citizens in Portage County. Here in our own county, there are some “free” services that we may never think of. Well, not really free … our tax dollars at work. At least when you need the service, it is free.

I know we were all around in 1963 when President John Kennedy designated the month of May as Senior Citizens Month. Since that time, the name has been changed to Older Americans Month. Sixty-two years later, the focus is still the same: to bring recognition to older Americans who have contributed so much to make our communities what they are today.

It is spring, HOOray! It is now time we can begin to make some plans to get out of our homes and get involved in our communities, with our neighbors, and especially with fresh air.