Golden Maturity Inc. 347-291-7479

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.

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.

Seniors, what is a NNORC, Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities?

There are many communities called NNORC.  These are communities where there is a large population of seniors.  Funding for NNORC programs is provided through NY state.   I have attached one of the newsletters from Shore Ridge Cares, NNORC.  Some of the articles you will find are Bird Nerds in Bay Ridge, a Senior Spotlight on Angela DeLillo and much more.  If you have a NNORC or Senior Center you are part of and would like to share what is going on in your community, feel free to comment.  Download September 2009 NNORC Newsletter[1]    To link directly to Shore Ridge Cares go to www.shoreridgecares.org  Have a great day.