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.
You can make your own decisions; it is your life, but if you want a different Medicare plan, I suggest you contact the Direction Home Akron Canton Portage Area on Aging and Disabilities, The Area Agency on Aging (1-800-421-7277).
This agency’s staff has a wide variety of information (good and bad) about the various programs that are available … they can help you find a plan that fits your needs and pocketbook. Most importantly, they are not affiliated with any one insurance plan, not like "Rachel,” whose employer is an insurance company who wants your business.
Keep thinking positive— these phone calls will end in a month, just like all of the political “stuff” ended Nov. 4!
Winter is upon us, and so are expensive heating bills. Do not forget about the Community Action Council of Portage County (in Ravenna on West Main). This agency coordinates the winter HEAP program for our county.
Eligible households may receive one-time assistance with their home energy bills through the Winter Crisis Program. Eligibility is defined as a Portage County resident who has an income of 175% or less of the National Poverty level ($21,857.50) for a one-person household.
Do not be too proud to call for assistance (330-297-2027). This is a federal program, and somewhere along the way your taxes have paid for this program.
Did you catch the news release from AT&T that within the next couple of years they will be eliminating landline phone service throughout our county. This means you will have to have a portable phone to have access to your friends, family and services.
AT&T’s staff says this will be done because it has become too expensive to maintain the phone lines, especially after our storms. This does not sound fair to me, there are many of us who are not tech-savvy, and using a Smart phone can make us feel pretty dumb! Begin thinking about getting a small “flip phone,” not that complicated to use, but also not free.
With winter upon us, we all tend to stay inside and off the roads... we isolate ourselves to stay warm and safe at home.
I recently came upon an old newsletter from the Mayo Clinic which emphasized the dangers of isolation for senior citizens. (The Power of Connections ad purpose, May 2024.) Being involved can help you stay well, live longer and healthier. Mayo Clinic says that staying well as you age is more than just your physical health. Human connections and feelings of purpose and contentment are also important life factors that contribute to well-being and longevity. In other words, “Studies have shown that people with good social support not only enjoy better health, but also live longer.”
Their eight-page newsletter goes on to report that attitude and relationships influence your cholesterol levels, heart rate, blood pressure and immune system response.
The article goes on to describe some ways to live longer (not just by medicine) but by changing our attitudes (become more positive), getting involved with other people (establish a support group), finding a sense of purpose which helps instill optimism and helps you not look back on your life “with a sense of regret or remorse.”
Mayo Clinic also recommends volunteering. While working, I had seen many reports for years saying that there is a link between quality of life and involvement with others. Volunteering can help you feel needed and valued. I could expand on this idea of volunteering as a prescription for improved mental health.
Could you use a new lease on life? Consider becoming involved in one of the many volunteer opportunities in Portage County that need your help and, in some instances, PARTA will provide free rides to volunteer stations, or at least for a minimal cost.
All of this also shows the importance of senior centers … a place to be around other people, make new friends (or go with a group of friends). The moral of this story is do not stay at home alone this winter: Find a way to get involved at church, visit a senior center or volunteer your time to help someone else.
Contact Sally Kelly with your senior news at 330-687-9501 or sentrip@yahoo.com.