Senior Life: Scams, legal tips and more important info for seniors
- 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.
The program was free and included lunch, door prizes, health screenings and lots of good information for us seniors.
We attended a seminar sponsored by the Portage County Good Deeds Coalition and learned, for instance, that anyone can put a lien on your home without you knowing about it.
Did you know that by changing your house and/or car titles to read “transfer on death” you can avoid your heirs having to go through probate court when you die? Unless you have established “transfer on death” titles, all your assets must go through probate court when you die. Putting “transfer on death” titles on your assets means that you still own them and have control of them — nothing changes until you die.
Did you know that your financial and health power of attorney affidavits terminate upon your death? These pieces of information and much more were presented by the Portage County Good Deeds Coalition, which is made up of Portage County Recorder Lori Calcei, Judge Patricia Smith and Clerk of Courts Jill Fankhauser.
There was much more information during this presentation, and if you are interested in protecting your deeds and avoiding probate court upon your death, contact Calcei at 330-297-3553 for the time and location of the next community presentation of “Good Deeds.” It is well worth your time, and the presentation is free.
Something else you missed by not attending the Senior Forum was the opportunity to get a copy of the new Senior Resource Guide. This booklet, put together by the staff of Portage County Job and Family Services, has a wealth of information about what is available to senior citizens in Portage County. The booklet not only tells you what services are available and from what agency, but also what days of the week various community churches offer food cupboards and free community meals.
You can get a copy mailed to you by calling Portage County Job and Family Services at 330-297-2226 and asking the receptionist to connect you to a staff member who can send you a copy of the Senior Resource Guide.
Next time you see a Senior Forum advertised, do yourself a favor and make time to attend … there may be some things you are not interested in, but there will be something you hear that will make you glad you did. And these programs are free!
A huge vote of praise to the staff of Portage County Job and Family Services for putting together these 47 pages of senior information. It has been at least 16 years since United Way put together our last book of senior resources.
Something else I learned at the Senior Forum was that the Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority is still taking names for its waiting list for apartments. For at least one of its buildings, the list is not long. What Portage Metropolitan Housing is not taking names for is its list of individuals who want to find their own apartments, and then request funding from PMHA to help pay the rent – it is this list which PMHA is advertising as being closed. You can still put your name on the waiting list for its apartments. For additional information, call 297-1489.
Do not forget to check out our local Kohl’s and Drug Marts for senior discounts on Wednesdays.
Contact Sally Kelly with your senior news at 330-687-9501 or sentrip65@yahoo.com.
Sally Kelly