Page 16 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - July 2016 - 23-07

Page 16
Senior Times - July 2016
Aging and Disability Resource Line: 1-800-626-6719 General Agency Telephone: (269) 966-2450 www.region3b.org/
200 West Michigan Avenue Suite 102, Battle Creek, MI 49017
My Medicare Matters - Auto-Paying Your Premiums
By Karen Manney, Regional Coordinator, MMAP
How would your Medicare insurance premiums be paid if you had an extended illness? Caregivers and persons with Medicare who do not qualify for low-income or special cir- cumstance special enrollment periods MUST plan ahead!
Medicare doesn’t offer an easy system for re-enrolling if your medical or prescription insurance gets cut off for non- payment. If you don’t meet the very strict Medicare require- ments for a Special Enrollment Period, you won’t be allowed to restore your coverage until open enrollment, to restart January 1 next year. This means you will likely have to pay for your care or prescriptions out of your own pocket for the rest of the year!
Recently, a MMAP client’s prescription Part D coverage was cancelled when he neglect- ed his mail and bills while he was sick and in and out of hos- pital and rehab. His insurance won’t be reinstated until next year. He’ll need $600 a month for medications, instead of $50 a month for the Part D insur- ance premium.
Protect yourself by setting your insurance premium pay- ments up on auto-payment at your bank or credit union. Call the 800 number on the back of your insurance card, and request your company’s Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) form. You will likely have to send them the form and a voided check to get the auto-pay set up. It may take a month or two to kick in; so you’d still write a check for the first month’s coverage.
Please plan ahead. Arrange auto-pay for your medical and prescription insurance premi- ums bills, and have a family member or neighbor help with your mail, so important notices aren’t missed, and payments are paid before you are cancelled. Caregivers should have this dis- cussion with older family mem- bers.
Call MMAP if you have ques- tions, we’re here to help. 1-800- 803-7174.
How to Lower Risks of Heat Related Illnesses
By: Stacy Wines, Office Administrator & Agency Planner
Kinship Korner
Calhoun county Kinship Care Services advocates for and provides supportive services to families rais- ing related children. If you are raising a related child (ages 0-18), you are eligible for Kinship Care Services through the Family Enrichment Center. Support groups, helpful workshops and trainings are available as well as inter-generational family activities. Please call (269) 660-0448 for more information.
Do Yourself a Favor by Attending One of Our Support Groups!
• Join us monthly on the first
Tuesday of each month from 12:30-2:30pm for the Battle Creek Kinship Support Group. We meet in the All Purpose room at the Westlake Presbyterian Church. Our December meeting will be from 9am-3pm on the 1st. We will be making fleece tie blankets. Support groups nurture relationships, decrease isolation and provide a safe place to vent. Support groups build on collective energy, creativ- ity, and the talents of all group members. The next meeting is on July 5. Consider visiting a support group. You won’t regret it!
• On Monday, July 12, from 6:30- 8:30pm, the Foster and Adopt Support Group will be given a training to be announced by PARC. • On Monday, July 18, Jane Wolf will discuss “Parenting the High Needs Child” at the Family Enrichment Center from 6:30- 8:30pm.
• The “Saturday Parenting Series” training for July will be “Managing the Impact of Stress of the Caregiver. It is scheduled for Saturday, July 16 from 9am-12pm. Please call Susan at (269) 788-0923 to register for the training.
• We are interested in hearing your opinion on how we can better serve the Kinship community. Please give Beckie a call or e-mail her
at bbrinks@fecfamily.com. Your input will be appreciated.
We, at the Kinship Program, have the ability and desire to support thosewho are raising their young relatives. We have the means to help provide necessities and enrichment activities for the children in your care. We also have the experience and knowledge to advocate for you and give advice on how to navigate through issues as they develop.
Many of us enjoy sitting outside while taking in the world around us and enjoying the lazy days
of summer. Whether it be bird watching or people watching, reading the newspaper or listening to a Detroit Tigers game on the radio, enjoyment is found in passing time this way (unless,
of course, the Tigers are losing). As relaxing and enjoyable as it sounds, we must remember even doing something as simple as sitting outside can present health risks.
Older persons are at particular risk for heat related illnesses. These illnesses can be as serious as they may be preventable.
Hot weather is one of the
common causes of heat illnesses. Dehydration is also a common and preventable cause of heat illness. Older adults and their caregivers should be aware of symptoms
and how to prevent heat-related illnesses.
What are the symptoms? Individuals can experience a variety of symptoms of heat illness. Symptoms such as body cramps, fatigue, headache, and increase in body temperature, heart rate and breathing may all be signs of heat-related illnesses. Very few people realize when it comes to dehydration, once you feel thirst, you are already dehydrated.
How can you prevent heat illness? Some ways to prevent heat illness are:
• Dress for the weather. Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. Some people find natural fabrics such as cotton to be cooler than synthetic fibers. Light-colored clothes reflect the sun and heat better than dark colors. If you are unsure about what to wear, ask a friend or family member to help you select clothing that will help you stay cool.
• Drink plenty of liquids – water or fruit and vegetable juices. Avoid drinks containing caffeine or alcohol. They make you lose more fluids. Fun fact – for every 20 pounds of body weight, one should drink one eight ounce cup of water a day. So a person who weighs 120 pounds should drink six glasses of water a day. If your doctor has told you to limit your liquids, ask what you should do when it is very hot.
• Rest frequently and seek shade when possible.
• Avoid hot crowded places. Plan trips during non-rush hour times. • If you live in a home or apartment without fans or air conditioning, be sure to follow these steps to lower your chance of heat problems.
• Open windows at night;
• Create cross-ventilation by opening windows on two sides of the building.
• Cover windows when they are in direct sunlight.
• Keep curtains, shades or blinds drawn during the hottest part of the day.
• Try to spend at least two hours a day (if possible during the hottest part of the day) some place air-conditioned – for example,
the shopping mall, the movies,
the library, a senior center, or a friend’s house if you don’t have air conditioning. If necessary, take a taxi. Do not stand outside waiting for a bus.
• Limit exercise and lots of activities when it is hot.
• Pay attention to the weather reports. You are more at risk as the temperature or humidity rise, or when there is an ozone action day alert in effect.
• In times of stifling heat, watch the local news or call the Calhoun County Health Department (269) 781-0909 to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
If it’s too hot for you to go outside and you are on your computer, log on to one of these websites and get more information on heat illnesses:
• Heat Emergencies at Medline Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ medlineplus/ency/article/000056. htm.
• Heat illness, National
Library of Medicine click http:// medlineplus.gov/ and type in heat illness.
With a little extra diligence and being mindful of our fluid intake, hopefully we can all enjoy summer without any heat related illnesses.
In the event your senior
loved one may need to seek out resources with the increased temperatures, give us a call (269) 441-0973. We have trained resource specialists who can connect them with local agencies to possibly obtain a fan or see if they qualify for help with their electric bill.
Call us. We’re Here to Help!
Family Enrichment Center
415 S. 28th Street Battle Creek, MI 49015
Ph: (269) 660-0448
Fx: (269) 963-0160 www.Fecfamily.com
HEALTH. INDEPENDENCE. CHOICE.