COA Announces Activities & Events Planned for February
Jan 30, 2015 07:00AM ● By Pamela Johnson
The Bellingham Senior Center is centrally located, at 40 Blackstone Street. Tel: 508-966-0398.
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 10 am: Seniors for Seniors Dental Program was developed by the BVT High School Senior Dental Assisting students to provide informational presentations to senior citizens. Topics include medication effects on the oral cavity, the importance of good oral hygiene, periodontal disease and its effects, proper denture care, the mouth-body connection, nutrition and its effects, and oral cancer. No charge; please sign up in advance at the front desk.
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 12 pm: Winter cook-out/eat-in. Members ,$5; all others, $8; complimentary dessert. BFD Senior Safety Coordinator Brad Kwatcher will speak. Prizes will be awarded.
Stop by the center with your membership dues; drop it in the BESG mailbox. Save the date for the next BESG Chinese luncheon buffet on March 3.
Thursday Feb. 5, 11 am: Triad Meeting. Learning more about helpful programs for seniors sponsored by the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office. Files of Life are available when you attend our meetings.
The “Are you OK?” program provides safety and security for elderly people living alone. Every morning an officer from the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office places a phone call to check on the well-being of people who have signed up for the program. If they fail to answer or indicate they need emergency aid, help is immediately dispatched. Call toll-free, 1-866-900-7865 (RUOK), to register.
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 11 am: Valentine Party. This year enjoy a lively performance by local musician Johnny Diamond (sponsored by the COA) and a luncheon buffet at noon (finger sandwiches, soup, pastries and beverages provided by the Friendship Club Supportive Day Program). A $1 donation will hold your reservation, and will be donated to the Friendship Club after the party. Have some winter fun, make new friends, enjoy the great food, and win one of the door prizes. Rides are available by calling 508-966-0398.
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1 pm: Bellingham Council on Aging meeting. Learn more about the services and programs available for seniors. Refreshments are served and an attendance prize is awarded.
Thursday, Feb. 12, 1 pm: Women Approaching Retirement and Beyond will be held in the senior center dining room. John Hollosy from the Society for Financial Awareness will present a 90-minute free seminar for women approaching retirement and beyond, covering life and long-term care insurance, planning for your retirement, women and money, divorce and widowhood, estate planning, and risk management.
SHINE: SHINE offers appointments at the Bellingham Senior Center on Tuesdays in February with Judy and Lee Katz for those who need information or assistance with any aspect of your health insurance. Call 508-966-0398 to make an appointment. You can also reach a SHINE volunteer at 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636 ext 3).
Medicare Part D—If you have a new Medicare Part D plan and have just found out that your new plan does not cover a drug you have been taking, you should know about transition refills. Transition refills may give you temporary coverage (one-time, 30-day supply) for a drug that is not on your new plan’s formulary or that has restrictions (prior authorization or step therapy). It is important to understand that a transition refill is only a temporary solution. You need to call your doctor right away to talk about switching to a drug your plan does cover or filing a request with your Part D plan for a “formulary exception” (which may or may not be approved).
A transition refill is not for new prescriptions; you can get one only if you were already taking the drug before you signed up for the plan. It also does not apply to drugs that Medicare doesn’t require Part D plans to cover (like Valium and Ativan). If you are in the same plan as last year, you may still be able to get a transition refill if your plan removed a drug you had been taking in 2014 from its 2015 formulary, for reasons other than safety. Not all pharmacists know about transition refills, so ask your pharmacist to call your Part D plan for special instructions.
Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 10:30 am: Heart Health with Nurse Sarah. Learn important information about your heart, preventing cardiovascular disease, and leading a healthy life as you get older. Advance sign-up is encouraged; rides are available if requested the day before.
Thursday, Feb. 26, 12 pm: Monthly Birthday Party. This month’s luncheon features catered pot roast buffet for $7/pp. Birthday cake and ice cream is always included, and everyone with a February birthday will receive a gift. Reservations must be accompanied by your payment, and there is no refund if you cancel after February 24. All residents 90+ are invited free during their birthday month, with a reservation. This month’s birthday cake has been donated by Franklin Health & Rehabilitation Center.
Benefits Check-Up: Have you heard about Benefits Check-up? This new version is designed for Massachusetts residents at least 60 years old. It takes about 30 minutes to enter your information, and you may be amazed at the results. The program is designed to identify local, state and federal programs for which you are eligible. If you’d like to discover what programs you are eligible for, call the center and make an appointment with Lisa or Sheila. It’s done on-line and is confidential; there is no charge for this service.
Looking Ahead
Thursday, March 20: Mohegan Sun Casino Day Trip. Depart from the Bellingham Senior Center on one of our favorite day-trip getaways. The package includes a $15 food coupon, a $15 bet voucher, and a chance for a free trip. Leave at 7:45 am; return about 5 pm. No refund if cancelled after March 18. Cost is $22/pp, which includes the driver’s gratuity.
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 12 pm: Winter cook-out/eat-in. Members ,$5; all others, $8; complimentary dessert. BFD Senior Safety Coordinator Brad Kwatcher will speak. Prizes will be awarded.
Stop by the center with your membership dues; drop it in the BESG mailbox. Save the date for the next BESG Chinese luncheon buffet on March 3.
Thursday Feb. 5, 11 am: Triad Meeting. Learning more about helpful programs for seniors sponsored by the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office. Files of Life are available when you attend our meetings.
The “Are you OK?” program provides safety and security for elderly people living alone. Every morning an officer from the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office places a phone call to check on the well-being of people who have signed up for the program. If they fail to answer or indicate they need emergency aid, help is immediately dispatched. Call toll-free, 1-866-900-7865 (RUOK), to register.
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 11 am: Valentine Party. This year enjoy a lively performance by local musician Johnny Diamond (sponsored by the COA) and a luncheon buffet at noon (finger sandwiches, soup, pastries and beverages provided by the Friendship Club Supportive Day Program). A $1 donation will hold your reservation, and will be donated to the Friendship Club after the party. Have some winter fun, make new friends, enjoy the great food, and win one of the door prizes. Rides are available by calling 508-966-0398.
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1 pm: Bellingham Council on Aging meeting. Learn more about the services and programs available for seniors. Refreshments are served and an attendance prize is awarded.
Thursday, Feb. 12, 1 pm: Women Approaching Retirement and Beyond will be held in the senior center dining room. John Hollosy from the Society for Financial Awareness will present a 90-minute free seminar for women approaching retirement and beyond, covering life and long-term care insurance, planning for your retirement, women and money, divorce and widowhood, estate planning, and risk management.
SHINE: SHINE offers appointments at the Bellingham Senior Center on Tuesdays in February with Judy and Lee Katz for those who need information or assistance with any aspect of your health insurance. Call 508-966-0398 to make an appointment. You can also reach a SHINE volunteer at 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636 ext 3).
Medicare Part D—If you have a new Medicare Part D plan and have just found out that your new plan does not cover a drug you have been taking, you should know about transition refills. Transition refills may give you temporary coverage (one-time, 30-day supply) for a drug that is not on your new plan’s formulary or that has restrictions (prior authorization or step therapy). It is important to understand that a transition refill is only a temporary solution. You need to call your doctor right away to talk about switching to a drug your plan does cover or filing a request with your Part D plan for a “formulary exception” (which may or may not be approved).
A transition refill is not for new prescriptions; you can get one only if you were already taking the drug before you signed up for the plan. It also does not apply to drugs that Medicare doesn’t require Part D plans to cover (like Valium and Ativan). If you are in the same plan as last year, you may still be able to get a transition refill if your plan removed a drug you had been taking in 2014 from its 2015 formulary, for reasons other than safety. Not all pharmacists know about transition refills, so ask your pharmacist to call your Part D plan for special instructions.
Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 10:30 am: Heart Health with Nurse Sarah. Learn important information about your heart, preventing cardiovascular disease, and leading a healthy life as you get older. Advance sign-up is encouraged; rides are available if requested the day before.
Thursday, Feb. 26, 12 pm: Monthly Birthday Party. This month’s luncheon features catered pot roast buffet for $7/pp. Birthday cake and ice cream is always included, and everyone with a February birthday will receive a gift. Reservations must be accompanied by your payment, and there is no refund if you cancel after February 24. All residents 90+ are invited free during their birthday month, with a reservation. This month’s birthday cake has been donated by Franklin Health & Rehabilitation Center.
Benefits Check-Up: Have you heard about Benefits Check-up? This new version is designed for Massachusetts residents at least 60 years old. It takes about 30 minutes to enter your information, and you may be amazed at the results. The program is designed to identify local, state and federal programs for which you are eligible. If you’d like to discover what programs you are eligible for, call the center and make an appointment with Lisa or Sheila. It’s done on-line and is confidential; there is no charge for this service.
Looking Ahead
Thursday, March 20: Mohegan Sun Casino Day Trip. Depart from the Bellingham Senior Center on one of our favorite day-trip getaways. The package includes a $15 food coupon, a $15 bet voucher, and a chance for a free trip. Leave at 7:45 am; return about 5 pm. No refund if cancelled after March 18. Cost is $22/pp, which includes the driver’s gratuity.
