Golden Maturity Inc. 347-291-7479

Seniors, will the NY budget cuts shut down your senior center?

 
This past Thursday I attended a conference called by Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis, and Senator Marty Golden, at the Bay Ridge Community Center, regarding cut backs that could end up going into effect on April 1, 2011. Also in attendence was Bobby Sackman, Director of Public Policy for the Council of Senior Centers and Services.  The budget cuts proposed by Govenor Andrew Cuomo would move 25 million dollars in funds, in title 20 of NY State Budget from Senior Centers to Child Welfare.  Thus pitting Children against Seniors.  The result if these NY State budget cuts go into effect, would mean the closing of 110 Senior Centers State wide and of those 33 % would be in the NYC area.  This is an outrage.  These monies have been allocated to title 20 for nearly 30 years.  These are not a part of the budget listed as an entitlement and therefore they are not guaranteed.  According to Senator Golden "if we loose these funds it would be highly unlikely for us to ever gain them back."  This is extremely critical to the quality of life our seniors have.  The senior population is about to explode over the next couple of decades.  We should be adding senior centers and programs, not shutting them down.

Executive Director JoAnn Mason of the Senior Center, said last year they wrote 300 of the 17,000 letters received to stop the senior center cuts.  Executive Director Mason now pledges 600 letters from the member of the Center.  How many letters will you pledge to make happen?????????

Please take action and send letters immediately to your elected officials, saying no to the title 20 cuts for senior centers.  Please post a link to this info and spread the word before it is too late.

Thank you

Annette Fisher

Certified Senior Advisor

Golden Maturity, Inc.

LTC, Long Term Care Insurance are you prepared?

Most don't prep for LTC outlays

Sixty-five percent of Americans say they believe that long-term care planning is an important cost-saving action. But only 44% of them have started taking any steps to prepare for unanticipated costs, according to a new consumer study from Lincoln Financial.

A common mistake, according to read more

Medicare the new rules and time to enroll.

Medicare and our healthcare system are going through changes.

The baby boomers have arrived. Who ever thought when I'm 65 would come so soon.  Welcome to seniorville.  If they are already enrolled in Medicare, starting in 2011 they will be entitled to a free annual physical, as well as other preventive services.

Annual enrollment for Medicare for those already enrolled is from November 15^th through December 31.  Give yourself or your loved one plenty of time to review the new Medicare changes.  You can go to Medicare.gov to keep up with what is happening.  The new handbook is not listed on their site yet, however it will be sent out soon with a list of Evidence of Coverage listing their current plan coverage and what it costs and the Annual Notice of Change which lists changes to the plan for the coming year, beginning January 1, 2011. Seniors really need to pay attention to this as the ability to change plans when ever they please is not an option.

Hospital Infections, are they on the rise? My personal experience in Brooklyn NY

Hospital Infections may be declining with some infections while a large increase is occuring with others.  Just a few months back I was having a conversation with a couple of colleagues.  We were discussing a new infection that is rapidly spreading, called Clostridium difficile aka C-diff.  It is passed through wounds, intravenous lines, and other means.  If you are taking antibiots and you come in contact with it you may be more suseptable since the antibiots kill good and bad bacteria at the same time.  Thanks to colleages, Caryn Isaacs, Patient Advocate, and Ann Hanna, I was made aware of this.  After ending up in the hospital myself this weekend I was horrified to find out that the women sharing the room with me had C-diff.  I immediately asked for a discharge since I could continue the medications at home.  They were allowing this patient to walk the halls.  C-diff is spread by touching things, thus leaving bacteria that others can pick up.  When I quickly left my room to let them know I wanted to be discharged, I had turned to notice a sign outside my shared room that read, caution etc.  point being something in my room was contagious and I was told I was not.  Once you get what you need in the hospital get out as fast as you can.  I actually had nurses and assistants that were not changing their gloves between patients, and who were not sanitizing their hands between glove changes.  It was a breeding ground for germs.  OK some are saying maybe I'm getting paranoid, however if you don't control your own destiny to some degree you may loose control.  I also do not think patients should wait in a doctors office to be seen.  I bring my own pen for sign in and let them know my tel # so they can let me know when to come in from my car, parked in the area.  I also carry hand sanitizer with me.  Think about how many people go to the doctor because they are sick.  I certainly do not need anything I do not already have.  Touch nothing.  When using the rest room remember to turn the water on and off with paper towels.  Use a paper towel to open the door, if hand use is at all necessary.  This is seriously deadly stuff.  I hope this will keep you out of germs way.  I'm still trying to get the real low down on whether people with C-diff can be admitted to nursing homes and or assisted living vacilities.  It seems to me they would need a seperate building or everyone will end up infected.

Bay Ridge Center Walk-A-Thon

The Bay Ridge Center walk-a-thon to help raise funds for the Bay Ridge Center took place on Saturday September 25,  2010.  The Bay Ridge Center is a place where seniors meet. Joan Mason the Director of the Center was pleased to see the support.  Some of the funds raised will go to support the Meals on Wheels program at the center. Meals on Wheels is a program, where meals are sent to seniors in their homes.  The center is also located in a NNORC, Neighborhood Naturally Occuring Retirement Community.  There are many activities that take place at the center.  From games, to dance, and lunch too. The Bay Ridge Center the place for you if you are a senior.  Need help accessing services?  A social worker at the center can help you with available programs.  Some of our local political figures were there to start off the fund raising.  In attendance were New York State Assembly member Jenelle Hyer-Spencer, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, State Senator Marty Golden, NYC Council Member, Vincent Gentile. Some local businesses were there as well, Donna McClellan and staff from Connors and Sullivan, myself, Annette Fisher with TLC reverse programs, a service of Fort Funding Corp, and founder of PESID.com, Professionals Empowering Senior's Independance and dignity, Mary Kae Higgins, Realtor at Coldwell  Banker, along Patricia and Peter Killen.  There were many others there as well, and I'm sure the seniors at the center appreciate the support from their community.  We were gathered outside the center to either take part in the walk or to cheer others on.  Starting off the walk was a marching band.

New reverse mortgage counseling guidlines go into effect

New reverse mortgage counseling guidelines have been added to the tlcreverse mortgage program's blog. To find out more here is the link regarding reverse mortgages and counseling.  These guidelines apply to FHA, HECM, Home Equity Conversion Mortgages.

Rita Cosby book signing, Quiet Hero Secrets from My Father's Past

I recently attended a wonderful event, cosponsored by Sunrise Senior Living, Nancy Waldman, Director of Community Relations Sunrise Senior Living of Mill Basin and SUN-B, Senior Umbrella Network of Brooklyn, Chaired by Miss Vicki Ellner. We enjoyed the company of friends, colleagues, Sunrise residents, while being serenaded by a violinist, and greeted by Miss Rita Cosby.  All of this took place in the lovely Sunrise Senior Living residence.  Wow, what a wonderful place to retire in. Of the many facilities I have visited, I can honestly say this one is top notch.  At this assisted living residence you feel like you are on vacation.  The residence is situated on the waters edge in Mill Basin, Brooklyn, the dining room is immaculate and looks better dressed than a fine restaurant.

Journalist Rita Cosby was all too happy to share her new book with us,  Quiet Hero Secrets from My Father's Past.  The book shares the experience hidden behind the glaze in her father's eyes.

Many of us have members in our own families, who have never shared the extremely painful things they have experienced in their lives.  Don't let time fade away before getting the chance to thank our family members and friends for the freedom we have.  As Rita says "Freedom is not Free". 

Ten percent of Rita's book proceeds go to Operation Enduring Care. Click here to learn more about the program to help injured veterans. 

© Golden Maturity, Inc. 2010.  All materials posted on GoldenMaturity.com are protected by United States copyright law. We would like to politely remind our readers, proper posting etiquette is not to post this entire article on your blog or website.  Most blogs post only 20-40 words and then link to the balance of the story.  Doing things this way helps to increase clicks rates for everyone.  This will keep copyright issues to a minimum.  Thank you, Annette Fisher

Please enjoy the photos

 

Photo by Annette Fisher

 

Photo by Annette Fisher

Photo by Annette Fisher

Photo by Annette Fisher

Photo by Annette Fisher

 

Photo by Annette Fisher

 

Photo by Annette Fisher

 

Photo by Annette Fisher

Be Well

Annette Fisher

Certified Senior Advisor

Golden Maturity, Inc.

 

 

 
 
 

In Case of Emergency - ICE

Are you prepared if there is an emergency?  We sometimes take for granted the things around us.

We need to be prepared if a disaster strikes.  Within the next 30 days you will be able to download an ICE, In Case of Emergency card by coming back to Golden Maturity, Inc.   ICE in your wallet may save your life.  In addition you can find lots of helpful information with this link, just click here.

A little something for a smile

I thought you would like this, music.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

is a need-based aid program designed to provide a supplemental income to aged, blind, or disabled individuals with low levels of monthly income and other financial assets.  To read more about supplemental Security Income https://socialsecurity-disability.org/