- Sally Kelly. 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.
- Sally Kelly. 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.
- Sally Kelly. 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."
- Sally Kelly. 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.
- Sally Kelly. 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.
- Sally Kelly. 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.
- Sally Kelly. 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.
- Sally Kelly.
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.
- Sally Kelly.
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.
- Sally Kelly.
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.
- Sally Kelly.
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.
- Sally Kelly.
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.
- Sally Kelly.
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.
- Sally Kelly.
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.
- Sally Kelly.
The weather has not improved much during the past 30 days. We are having that winter we used to have … and I personally have had enough of it!
- Sally Kelly.
Hopefully you have stayed warm and safe this January. It has really been a trip back to the “old winters” we used to have.
- Sally Kelly.
We recently watched the movie “Thelma” on Prime video. Although it was entertaining, it also was very educational about how elderly scams work. If you have not seen it, take the time to watch it when it becomes available. Keep in mind, we all say “It can’t happen to me.”
- Sally Kelly.
Winter is no longer coming … it is here. I had to scrape ice off my windshield the other day. The weather may be nasty, but we still have to “pull on our boots, don our hat and gloves and go out.” Isolation is not a good thing for “us older folks.” Sitting at home alone only gives us the opportunity to think about our friends and family who “have left us,” the bills that keep coming in when our […]