Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of January 9th
Note: OFA offices and Friendship Centers will be closed on Monday, January 16th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Clients of the OFA Home Delivered Meals (HDM) program receive meals in advance of the day. HDM clients also receive shelf-stable meals in advance of predicted inclement winter weather that could disrupt HDM deliveries. For more information about the HDM program, contact OFA at 845-486-2555 or ofa@dutchessny.gov.
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A message from County Executive William F.X. O’Neil
Welcome to 2023 and what we hope will be a great year for older adults throughout Dutchess County!
Over the past 11 years, under my predecessor Marc Molinaro, our Office for the Aging (OFA) has made great strides, including expanding hours and days of operation at several of our Friendship Centers, as well as providing new offerings, such as drive-in Bingo games and events at our County parks – all with the aim of helping the OFA reach its goal of helping older adults age gracefully and live independently.
I look forward to the new year being even more beneficial for you, as our OFA staff continues to the ever-evolving needs of our residents.
In the coming weeks, we’ll begin our new program which will connect lonely seniors with volunteers who telephone them weekly to help alleviate any sense of isolation they might feel. The OFA will also expand its outreach in 2023, as we’ve been fortunate to add Sue Serino, long a staunch advocate for older adults, to our staff to help ensure as many older adults as possible know about the programs and services we can provide them every day.
I wish you a happy and healthy new year, and I’m eager for you to experience all that our Office for the Aging has in store in 2023!
William F.X. O’Neil
Dutchess County Executive
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE OPEN ENROLLMENT
The annual open enrollment season for Medicare ended on December 7th, but for seniors with specific questions about Medicare Advantage plans, there’s an additional enrollment period. It runs from January 1st to March 31st. During this period, if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can change to another Medicare Advantage plan, or back to Original Medicare.
For those of you who are new to the Medicare universe, let’s explain the differences and similarities between Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and Medicare Advantage. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need certain services or supplies, especially if they’re not covered by Original Medicare.
The federal government created Medicare Advantage in 1995 to give people more health insurance options. Private health insurers sell Medicare Advantage plans, which are federally regulated.
At a minimum, all Medicare Advantage plans have to offer the same benefits as Medicare Parts A and B. Part A covers hospital insurance, and Part B covers things like doctor’s visits, clinical research, ambulance services, durable medical equipment, mental health, and limited outpatient prescription drugs. Original Medicare doesn’t cover everything. After you pay a deductible, Medicare pays an 80% share of the Medicare-approved amount, and you pay the remaining 20% share in coinsurance and deductibles.
Now for where the similarities end.
Original Medicare is offered through the federal government. You receive a red, white, and blue card that identifies you as a beneficiary. Medicare Advantage plans contract with the federal government to provide benefits, for which you receive a different identification card.
Original Medicare is offered nationwide. Medicare Advantage plans may be available in some parts of the country, but not others.
Many Medicare Advantage plans offer more coverage than Original Medicare. They may cover dental, vision, and hearing services, as well as prescription drugs.
Whereas Original Medicare has no cap on what you pay out of pocket, and only pays for a certain number of days in the hospital or in a skilled nursing facility, Medicare Advantage plans have an out-of-pocket maximum each year. That means that once you hit a certain dollar amount, the plan pays 100% of the cost for most services it covers.
Under Original Medicare you have the choice to pay an additional premium for a “Medigap” that covers Medicare cost-sharing. This option is not available under Medicare Advantage plans.
By this point, especially if Medicare is new to you, the details can be puzzling. The Office for the Aging can help you find free, confidential, and unbiased information to help you make the insurance choices that best meet your needs. Contact the Office for the Aging for a session with one of our volunteer Health Insurance, Information, Counseling and Assistance (HIICAP) counselors. They’ll help you work things out.
Contact us also if becoming a volunteer HIICAP counselor interests you.
HIICAP is a federally funded program from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through the New York State Office for the Aging. It is part of the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) network.
Golden Living is prepared by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 114 Delafield St., Poughkeepsie, New York 12601, telephone 845-486-2555, email: ofa@dutchessny.gov website: www.dutchessny.gov/aging
FREE CYBERSECURITY SUMMIT (Wed 1/11)
Please join Dutchess County Government at the Hudson Valley Cybersecurity Summit at the Murray Student Center at Marist College, 3399 North Road (Route 9) in Poughkeepsie, on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, 9am-noon.
This second annual event is hosted by Dutchess County Government and sponsored by Marist College. Community and business leaders are amongst those most responsible for protecting organizations from cybersecurity threats. Among the presenters will be industry experts including representatives from Dutchess County, New York State, and Federal Government agencies.
Register now at www.DutchessNY.gov/CyberSummit
There is no fee to attend. For more information, please contact Dutchess County Office of Central & Information Services (OCIS) at 845-486-2450.
MARIST DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY (DPT) PROGRAM SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
In conjunction with the course “Lifespan Physical Therapy-Adult/Geriatrics,” the Marist DPT program is seeking volunteers to participate in a series of labs with students in their final year of the program. These labs have been an integral part of the students’ learning.
This year the labs will include an annual physical therapy assessment or Adult Functional Independence test; goals set by the students in collaboration with the volunteers; hands on interventions completed in lab; and, finally, a home program being provided to the volunteer based on those goals and any impairments noted during the assessment.
Volunteers must be able and willing to commit to joining the series of labs in person at Marist College (provided health restrictions are not in place at the time of the labs) on all three of the following dates:
Friday, March 3rd, Friday March 10th, and Wednesday, April 5th.
All sessions will begin between 8:30 and 9 am and run until approximately 10:30. Please note that there are two weeks between the second and final meetings to allow the volunteers to work on their Home Exercises which will then be assessed, and modifications made if needed for optimal benefit during the final session. A small stipend from Marist is available for volunteers who complete the labs.
Areas that will be assessed include general muscle strength, muscular and aerobic endurance, flexibility, fall risk, and balance and gait assessment as well as postural functional assessments. Volunteers will be asked to provide medical clearance from their physician.
Space at the labs is limited. To register for the program, email Yvonne.egitto@marist.edu or call 845-575-5037.
Other news:
Good hydration is linked to healthy aging.
A startup company called Rendever may soon become familiar to older adults.
Some simple home safety solutions. These shouldn’t cost much if anything.
If you get swamped with emails and have been tempted to use an “unsubscribe” service…don’t bother. There are other ways (and they’re often free), say the experts at the New York Times.
Did you know there’s a professional sports team owner who turned 100 this week?
Get up, shower, and make your bed every day. That’s what this 104-year-old says.
This week’s birthdays:
1/8: Singer Shirley Bassey (86)
1/9: Singer/songwriter/activist Joan Baez (82)
1/10: Singer/songwriter Rod Stewart (78)
1/11: Golfer/architect Ben Crenshaw (71)
1/12: Magician the Amazing Kreskin (88)
1/13: Actor Richard Moll (80)
1/14: Drag racing legend Don Garlits (91)
Did you think we would wrap up without a Bad Joke? No way!
Q: Why do cows have hooves?
A: They lactose.
