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NEWS AND VIEWS
Nov./Dec.
2018
714 W. 13th St.
Cadillac, MI 49601
231-775-0133
Mon—Fri
8:00 AM—4:00 PM
Our Mission
“To provide resources and support for Wexford County
residents, sixty and over.”
Our Vision
For seniors to live healthy, safe and independent lives with dignity and
respect.
Our Values
Compassion
Diversity
Independence
Determination
and
Inclusion
Don’t be a Victim: 10 Scams targeting Seniors
Don’t be a Victim– Scams 1
From the Director 2
Health & Wellness 3
In the Know 4
Kitchen Korner 5
Vote Nov 6th 6
Veterans Corner 12
Puzzle Page & Funny Bone 14-15
Senior Happenings 16-17
November 4 — Daylight Savings (Fall back an hour)
November 6 — Election Day (Don’t forget to vote!)
November 11 — Veteran’s Day
November 22 — Thanksgiving (COA Closed)
November 23 — COA Closed in observance of Thanksgiving
December 7 — Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
December 21 — First day of Winter
December 24 — Christmas Eve (COA Closed)
December 25 — Christmas Day (COA Closed)
December 31 — New Year’s Eve!
Welcome 2019!!!
Inside this issue: PAGE MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Financial scams targeting seniors have become so prevalent that they’re now considered “the crime of the 21st cen-tury.” Why? Because seniors are thought to have a significant amount of money sitting in their accounts. Financial scams also often go unreported or can be difficult to prosecute, so they’re con-sidered a “low-risk” crime. However, they’re devastating to many older adults and can leave them in a very vulnerable position with little time to recoup their losses. It’s not just wealthy seniors who are targeted. Low-income older adults are also at risk of financial abuse. Review our list below, so you can iden-tify a potential scam. 1. Medicare/Health Insurance Scams Every U.S. citizen or permanent resident over age 65 qualifies for Medicare. In these types of scams, perpetrators may pose as a Medicare representative to get older people to give them their personal information, or they will provide bogus services for elderly people at makeshift mobile clinics, then use the personal information they pro-vide to bill Medicare and pocket the money. 2. Counterfeit Prescription Drugs This scam is growing in popularity. The danger is that besides paying money for something that will not help a person’s medical condition, victims may purchase
unsafe substances that can inflict even more harm. This scam can be as hard on the body as it is on the wallet. 3. Funeral & Cemetery Scams The FBI warns about two types of funeral and cemetery fraud perpetrated on seniors. In one approach, scammers read obituaries and call or attend the funeral service of a complete stranger to take advantage of the grieving widow or widower. Claiming the deceased had an outstanding debt with them, scammers will try to extort money from relatives to settle the fake debts. Another tactic of disreputable funeral homes is to capitalize on family mem-bers’ unfamiliarity with the considerable cost of funeral services to add unneces-sary charges to the bill. 4. Fraudulent anti-aging products Many older Americans seek out new treatments and medications to maintain a youthful appearance, putting them at risk of scammers. Whether it’s fake Botox like the one in Arizona that netted its distributors (who were convicted and jailed in 2006) $1.5 million in barely a year, or completely bogus homeopathic remedies that do absolutely nothing, there is money in the anti-aging busi-ness. 5. Telemarketing/phone scams Perhaps the most common scheme is when scammers use fake telemarketing
Continued on page 7
Dear Wexford County Council on Aging Friends,
I can’t believe it is coming into the end of the year. Where did it go? This time of year puts me into a time of reflection on the year past, and planning for the year to come. This past year at the COA, the Homemaking and Personal Care service continue to grow with more and more seniors taking advantage of those programs, helping them to be independent and stay in their homes.
Our nurses, who do foot care have been busier then ever with the 3 Foot Clinics per month, in-office visits and private home visits. In fact, we recently hired a part time nurse to assist with the increase in foot care, medication setups and program assessments.
The MMAP program has grown by leaps and bounds with the “Medicare Monday” workshops.
These workshops, geared towards those new to Medicare, were so successful we will be holding these monthly (Jan– Sept) in 2019.
We now have a staff member certi-fied in teaching the Creating Confident Caregivers workshop through the Area Agency on Ag-ing. We are excited to be able to offer more support to the caregiv-ers of our seniors and are looking forward to partnering with other agencies to offer more educational and supportive workshops in 2019.
We also recently hired a part time Community Health Advocate. She will assist our seniors in navigating the electronic probate court sys-tem, apply for other agencies pro-grams and a variety of other help needs that need met.
DayBreak Adult Day Center continues to grow and show increased attendance.
All of the COA staff are involved in
the community and other groups that focus on our seniors like SNAG (Senior Networking Advo-cacy Group), Vulnerable Adults Committee and The New Freedom Volunteer Drivers Program to name just a few.
All this and the Safe Senior Ad-dress signs, Senior Expo, Project Fresh, and so much more. Yes, it has been a wonderful, crazy, and busy year. One we are so grateful for.
We are excited to see what the new year will bring and how we will continue working and living our passion for our seniors.
Have a Happy and Blessed Holidays!
Kathy Kimmel
Executive Director
From the Director Kathy Kimmel
Services Offered by Wexford County Council On
Aging Homemaking Services
In-Home Respite Personal Care
DayBreak Adult Day Center Foot Care Clinics Private Foot Care
Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP)
Private Duty Nursing—Medication Management
Program Information and Assistance
(Seasonal) Senior Project Fresh
Snow Plowing For More Information, Please
Call (231) 775-0133
Director: Kathy Kimmel
Board Members
Chair - Lynne Harris
Vice Chair - Jennifer Moffit
Secretary - Catherine Best
Treasurer - Leo Paveglio
Lester Barnes
Robert Colvin
Ruthann French
Roger Gren
Jenni Johnson
Floyd Kanipe
Jane Leveque
William Potvin
Pat Steinhour
Gary Taylor
Associate Member:
Sandra Spencer
News and Views: For information on the
newsletter or to submit an article contact the
COA office at
(231) 775-0133,
Carrie L. Galligan at [email protected]
or Jessie Pascoe at [email protected]
Website: www.wexfordcoa.org
www.facebook.com/
Wexford COA
HEALTH & WELLNESS: Five Ways to Stay Happy and Healthy this Winter
It’s the most wonderful time of the year—and also the coldest. Winter brings many new challenges, espe-cially for senior citizens. Hypother-mia, frostbite, or falls on ice can occur in cold and snowy conditions, posing serious health threats to your older loved ones. There are not only health risks but also safety concerns that come with winter, such as fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and dangerous driving. We want you and your loved ones to stay healthy and safe this winter. With these tips, you
can prevent winter-related issues and focus on what really matters during the holidays—family.
Hypothermia Older adults produce less body heat than younger people, and it’s difficult for senior citizens to tell when their body temperature is too low. This can lead to hypothermia, the condi-tion of having a dangerously low body temperature caused by overex-posure to the cold. Some warning signs include lots of shivering, cold and ashy skin, fatigue, weakness, confusion, and slowed breathing or heart rate. If you think your elderly loved one is experiencing hypother-mia, call 911 immediately. To pre-vent hypothermia, stay inside when it’s extremely cold and windy and always wear dry clothes and layers if you have to go outside (hats, gloves, scarves, a coat, boots, etc.)
Frostbite Frostbite is cold-induced skin dam-age all the way down to the bone.
The nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, and toes are the body parts most affected. Older adults are more likely to get frostbite if they have
heart disease or other circulation problems. Warning signs include ashy or grayish-yellow skin, hard or waxy skin, and numbness. Those afflicted with frostbite may also have hypothermia if they’re outside for an extended period of time, so seek medical help immediately for your loved one if that’s the case. To ward off frostbite, cover up all parts of the body if going outside in the winter. If your skin becomes red or starts hurt-ing while outdoors, get inside right away and run warm water over these areas.
Falls Falling can happen to anyone in the winter while shov-eling snow, walk-ing to the car, or—the worst—slipping on ice. Your eld-erly loved ones are especially prone to falls if they have
heart problems, difficulty with bal-ance, or brittle bones from osteopo-rosis. If you can, shovel walkways for your loved one or hire someone to do so to prevent your family member from walking on icy, snowy side-walks. Have your loved one wear non-skid shoes or boots with good traction and walk next to them whenever you can to catch them be-fore they fall. It’s also a good idea to replace the rubber tips on canes or walkers before the tips are worn smooth; good traction on canes and walkers can reduce falls as well.
Fires/Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Getting cozy by the fire is a holiday
tradition, but burning wood, natural gas, and kerosene produces carbon monoxide (CO). This toxic gas is so dangerous because you cannot see or smell it, and its effects of confu-sion or headache are not initially no-ticeable. A fire getting out of hand is another reasonable winter concern. To combat CO and fires, call an in-spector to check your chimney every year and clean it when necessary. Make sure your fireplaces, gas and wood stoves, and gas appliances are properly vented and cleaned; offer to clean these for your loved ones if doing so is difficult or unsafe for them. Use smoke and CO detectors, testing them each month and replac-ing the batteries every six months. Finally, keep space heaters at least three feet away from curtains and beds, and always have a fire extin-guisher handy.
Driving Driving is always a challenge in the snow, especially for
senior citizens. Help your loved one winterize his or her car this year. That is, have a mechanic or some-one who knows what they’re doing check and change the car’s anti-freeze, tires, and windshield wipers. Make sure your loved one has a cell phone whenever driving in case of emergency and ask him or her to let you know when he or she is leaving and arriving. Stock vehicles with win-ter emergency items, such as blan-kets, a first aid kit, flashlight, booster cables, windshield scraper, and dried or nonperishable food. And, of course, never let your elderly loved one drive on icy, dangerous roads. If a loved one is no longer able to drive in the winter, there are transportation options in Wexford County. Article from angelsinhome.com.
Page 3
IN THE KNOW: INFORMATION ON RESOURCES IN WEXFORD COUNTY
WCCOA SNOW PLOW
Tis the season …. For SNOW!!!
The Wexford County Council on Aging is again offering the snow plow pro-
gram for the 2018/2019 winter season. This service is a cost share program based on house-hold income and is a one time fee paid for the season.
CONTACT THE
WEXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING
231-775-0133
Caring for Someone Living with
Dementia or Memory Loss?
Page 4
Free Dental, Optical and Health Expo
AT THE WEX
NOVEMBER 2 & 4th 8:00 am—4:00 pm
At the WEX: 1320 N Mitchell St, Cadillac, MI 49601
Contact us at (231) 631-2395 [email protected] A ministry of The Cadillac,
Seventh-day Adventist Church
New at the Curry House
Veterans Coffee Corner
Grab a cup of coffee, enjoy a pastry and have fellowship with other veterans. All are welcome.
Second Tuesday on the month, 10:00 am Call 231-876-0611 for more information
LOW VISION 2019 CALENDARS SPECIALLY
PRINTED FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
GET YOURS NOW:
$8.50 each. There is a limited printing. These are sold at cost by the Low Vision Group.
Stop by the COA office to see a sample and pick up yours today.
Available at the COA office.
HEAT ASSISTANCE There are changes in applying for and
receiving Heat Assistance. All requests must go thru the DHHS
system.
The Council on Aging can assist you in filing out the paperwork. Call for
an appt. 231-775-0133
Kitchen Korner
HACKS: Wrap Christmas lights around a hanger to
keep them from getting tangled.
Jazz up your fridge with a Lazy Susan. It’s common
to have a Lazy Susan in your cabinet. Why not the fridge too? A Lazy Susan will keep your condiments organized
and easily accessible. Just rotate it and any item will be within easy reach.
Keep that beaded garland in a large water or pop bottle, cap and storage, no more tangles.
Baked Apples
1 baking apple for each person 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice for each apple 2 tbsp. of raisins for each apple 1 marshmallow for each apple 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions: 1. Pre-heat oven to 375° F 2. Peel the apple halfway down. 3. Core the apple almost to its bottom. 4. Stuff the apple core with raisins. 5. Put the apple in a baking dish and pour the juice over it. 6. Sprinkle the apple with a little cinnamon. 7. Bake the apple in the oven for 40 - 45 minutes. 8. Put a marshmallow on top of each apple and let it melt. 9. Check that the apple is tender, but not mushy.
Enjoy this treat hot or cold!!
Easy Crock-Pot Butternut Squash Soup 6 servings This is the perfect "set it and forget it" recipe for a busy fall weeknight. Make it in the morning, and
dinner is practically ready for you when you get home.
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into large cubes (about 8 cups) 1 large onion, chopped 3 c. low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth 1 carrot, peeled and chopped Kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced Freshly ground black pepper 4 sprigs thyme Pinch of cayenne 1 sprig sage Heavy cream, for serving Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
DIRECTIONS 1. In a large slow cooker, combine butternut squash, onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, and sage.
Pour in broth and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. 2. Cover and cook until squash is very tender, on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Re-
move herb sprigs and use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth. Stir in cream and garnish with parsley before serving.
Page 6
VOTE ***NOV 6th 2018 *** LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
It is time to vote in the midterm elections. Here are the proposals that will be on the ballot for your consideration. Proposal 1: Legalize recreational marijuana. A proposed initiated law to authorize and legalize possession, use and cultivation of marijuana products by individuals who are at least 21 years of age and older, and commercial sale of marijuana through state-licensed retailers: This proposal would: Allow individuals 21 and older to purchase,
possess and use marijuana and marijuana –infused edibles and grow up to 12 marijuana plants for personal consumptions.
Impose a 10-ounce limit for marijuana kept at residence and require amount over 2.5 ounces to be secured in locked containers.
Create a state licensing system for marijuana businesses and allow municipalities to van or restrict them.
Permit retails sales of marijuana and edibles subject to a 10% excise tax, dedicated to imple-mentation cost, clinical trials, schools, road and municipalities where marijuana businesses are located.
Change several current violation from crimes to civil infractions.
Proposal 2: A proposed constitutional amendment to establish a commission of citizens with exclusive authority to adopt district boundaries for the Michigan Senate, Michigan House of Representative and US Con-gress every 10 years. This proposed constitutional amendment would: Create a commission of 13 registered voters
randomly selected by the Secretary of State: 4 each who self-identify as affiliated with the 2 major political parties and
5 who self-identify as unaffiliated with major political parties.
Prohibit partisan officeholders and candidates, their employees, certain relatives and lobbyist from serving as commissions.
Establish new redistricting criteria including geographically compact and contiguous districts of equal population, reflecting Michigan divers population and communities of interest. Districts shall not provide disproportionate advantage to political parties or candidate.
Require an appropriation of funds form commis-sion operations and commission compensation.
Proposal 3: A proposal to authorize automatic and Election Day voter registration, no-reason absentee voting and straight ticket voting: and current legal requirements for military and over-seas voting and post-election audits to the Michigan Constitution. This proposed constitutional amendment would al-low a United States citizen who is qualified to vote in Michigan to: Become automatically registered to vote when
applying for, updating or renewing a drivers li-cense or state-issued personal identification card, unless the person declines.
Simultaneously register to vote with proof of residency and obtain a ballot during the 2-week period prior to an election, up to and including Election Day.
Obtain an absent voter ballot without providing a reason.
Cast a straight-ticket vote for all candidate of a particular political party when voting in a partisan general election.
Also to be voted on: Michigan State Governor and Lt. Governor Secretary of State Attorney General Congressional: US Senator 4th District House of Representative Legislative: 35th District Michigan State Senator 102nd District House of Representative Justice of Michigan Supreme Court District 4 Judge of Court of Appeals Wexford County Judge of Probate Court State Board of Education Member (2) University of Michigan Board Member (2) Cadillac Area Public School Board Member (2)
Whatever your political party or stance on the issues and/or candidates is,
IT IS IMPORTANT TO VOTE! Let Your Voice Be Heard!
calls to prey on older people. With no face-to-face interaction, and no paper trail, these scams are in-credibly hard to trace. Examples of telemarketing fraud include: The pigeon drop The con artist tells the individual that he/she has found a large sum of money and is willing to split it if the person will make a “good faith” payment by withdrawing funds from his/her bank account. Often, a sec-ond con artist is involved, posing as a lawyer, banker, or some other trustworthy stranger. The fake accident ploy The con artist gets the victim to wire or send money on the pretext that the person’s child or another relative is in the hospital and needs the money. Charity scams Money is solicited for fake charities. This often occurs after natural disasters. 6. Internet fraud While using the Internet is a great skill at any age, the slower speed of adoption among some older peo-ple makes them easier targets for automated Internet scams that are everywhere on the web and email programs. Pop-up browser win-dows simulating virus-scanning software will fool victims into either downloading a fake anti-virus pro-gram (at a substantial cost) or an actual virus that will open up what-ever information is on the user’s computer to scammers. Their unfamiliarity with the less visi-ble aspects of browsing the web (firewalls and built-in virus protec-tion, for example) make seniors especially susceptible to such traps. One example includes: Email/phishing scams A senior receives email messages that appear to be from a legitimate company or institution, asking them to “update” or “verify” their personal information. A senior receives emails that appear to be from the IRS about a tax refund.
7. Investment schemes Because many seniors find them-selves planning for retirement and managing their savings once they finish working, a number of invest-ment schemes have been targeted at seniors looking to safeguard their cash for their later years. From pyramid schemes like Bernie Mad-off’s (which counted a number of senior citizens among its victims) to fables of a Nigerian prince looking for a partner to claim inheritance money to complex financial prod-ucts that many economists don’t even understand, investment schemes have long been a suc-cessful way to take advantage of older people. 8. Homeowner/reverse mortgage scams Scammers like to take advantage of the fact that many people above a certain age own their homes, a valuable asset that increases the potential dollar value of a certain scam. Closely related, there is the poten-tial for a reverse mortgage bor-rower to be scammed. Scammers can take advantage of older adults who have recently unlocked equity in their homes. Those considering reverse mortgages should be cog-nizant of people in their lives pres-suring them to obtain a reverse mortgage, or those that stand to benefit from the borrower access-ing equity, such as home repair companies who approach the older adult directly. 9. Sweepstakes & lottery scams Here, scammers inform their mark that they have won a lottery or sweepstakes of some kind and need to make some sort of pay-ment to unlock the supposed prize. Often, seniors will be sent a check that they can deposit in their bank account, knowing that while it shows up in their account immedi-ately, it will take a few days before the (fake) check is rejected. During that time, the criminals will quickly collect money for supposed fees or
taxes on the prize, which they pocket while the victim has the “prize money” removed from his or her account as soon as the check bounces. 10. The grandparent scam The grandparent scam is so simple and so devious because it uses one of older adults’ most reliable assets, their hearts. Scammers will place a call to an older person and when the mark picks up, they will say something along the lines of: “Hi Grandma, do you know who this is?” When the unsuspecting grandparent guesses the name of the grandchild the scammer most sounds like, the scammer has established a fake identity without having done a lick of background research. Once “in,” the fake grandchild will usually ask for money to solve some unexpected financial problem (overdue rent, payment for car re-pairs, etc.), to be paid via Western Union or MoneyGram, which don’t always require identification to col-lect. At the same time, the scam artist will beg the grandparent “please don’t tell my parents, they would kill me.” While the sums from such a scam are likely to be in the hundreds, the very fact that no research is needed makes this a scam that can be perpetrated over and over at very little cost to the scammer.If you suspect you’ve been the victim of a scam… Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to talk about it with someone you trust. You are not alone, and there are people who can help. Doing nothing could only make it worse. Keep handy the phone numbers and resources you can turn to, including the local or state police, your bank (if money has been taken from your accounts), and Adult Protective Services 855-444-3911
Article from: the National Council on Aging https://www.ncoa.org
Don’t be a Victim: 10 Scams targeting Seniors Continued from page 1
Page 8
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM SCAMS
PROTECT YOURSELF
BE AWARE
tion on the phone. Some scammers say they represent a bank or other reputable financial institution and falsely tell seniors that their financial information or credit card has been compromised.
business identity, telephone number, street address, mailing address, and business license number and verify that before you transact business. Some con artists give out false names, telephone numbers, ad-dresses and business license num-bers.
they say they are. Some scammers say they are law enforcement offi-cials who are trying to solve a crime that involves you, and they ask for personal information. Police always would contact a potential financial scam victim in person.
unfamiliar company. Always check out unfamiliar calls from companies with your local consumer protection agency, Better Business Bureau, state attorney general, the National Fraud Information Center or other watchdog groups.
expectedly, even if they sound like the good guys. The real good guys will not ask for sensitive information.
don’t understand thoroughly.
must act ‘now’ or the offer won’t be good.” “You’ve won a ‘free’ gift, va-cation or prize.” But you have to pay for “postage and handling” or other charges. “You must send money, give a credit card or bank account number, or have a check picked up by courier.” You may hear this
before you have had a chance to consider the offer carefully.
a caller if he or she is trying to sell something you do not want. Use phrases like: “I never buy anything over the phone.” “I don’t respond to telephone solicitation.” “I’m sorry I’m going to have to hang up.” Then just hang up.
caller tells you the payment is for taxes, he or she may be violating federal law.
be wary of persons who call offering to help you recover your losses for a fee paid in advance.
What to Do if You Have Been Scammed
Here are some key steps to follow if you or your loved one has been scammed, according to a state attorney general’s office and the Better Business Bureau:
Contact the police. File a report with your local police department. If the theft did not take place in your area, file a report with the police from the area where you believe the theft took place. Get a copy of the police report. You may need that documentation to support your claims to credit bu-reaus, creditors, debt collectors or other companies. If you are unable to obtain a copy of the police report, be sure to get the report number. Close your accounts. If you notice that any accounts un-der your name have been tampered with or opened without consent, close them immediately. Call each bank or company and then follow up in writing. If there are fraudulent charges or debts on the account or if a new account has been opened, immediately file a fraud report with the bank’s fraud department. If you close an existing bank account and open a new one, be sure to create
new PINs (Personal Identification Numbers) and passwords. Eliminate fraudulent new accounts: If a new account has been opened without your senior’s knowledge and consent, ask the company with which the account has been opened if it has a fraud depart-ment. If it does, file a fraud report with that department. If not, ask if the company will accept an ID Theft Affidavit from the Federal Trade Commission. You can print out at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/resources/forms/affidavit.pdf [ID Theft Affidavit]. The FTC also pro-vides [more information on fraud] http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/02/idtheft.shtm File a federal complaint. The Federal Trade Commission is the federal consumer protection agency. The FTC, in conjunction with the FBI, maintains an Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse. The FTC aids iden-tity theft investigations by collecting complaints from victims and sharing the information with law enforcement agencies, credit bureaus, companies where the fraud took place, and other government agencies. Initiate a fraud alert. The next step is to place a fraud alert on your credit file as well as review the credit report. This will prevent a thief from opening any more accounts in your name. You should contact the three major credit bureaus. Follow-up: After a fraud alert is in-cluded in the credit history, you are entitled to receive a free copy of the-credit report from each of the credit bureaus. Request a copy and review reports for unopened accounts, un-familiar debts on the account, inquir-ies from companies you don’t know and inaccurate information. Contact the BBB Serving Western Michigan, 3330 Claystone St SE. Grand Rapids, MI 49546 , (616) 774-8236
www.caregiverstress.com/wp-content/up-loads/2012/07/1_Seniors_Fraud_Protection_Kit_US.pdf
WEXFORD COA IS IN NEED OF
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
ALL SIZES of Adult Pull-Ups Blue Chuck Pads Paper Towel Toilet Paper Garbage Bags Laundry Soap
ALL UNUSED items
may be
dropped off at
Wexford COA Office 714 W. 13th St.
Cadillac, MI 49601 (231) 775-0133
during business hours.
Any medical equipment can be taken to The Medical Equipment Pantry at
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. 815 Lincoln St., Cadillac, MI
Open 12:00-2:00 pm Monday & Thursday (231) 884-9623
THANK YOU ANGELS
These items have been donated to the COA recently. We thank the donors so very much for
their thoughtfulness and generosity. The supplies are then given to seniors in need.
We were blessed with incontinence supplies and/or Ensure from: Stella Selma Fire Dept Sharon P. Anonymous
MAKE A DIFFERENCE: DONATE
When You Donate, You Make a Difference
The Wexford County Council on Aging is an independent 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations to sustain our programs. When you make a donation to the Wex-ford County Council on Aging, you will be helping provide important services and programs to seniors in our county. Some of these services include home-making services, respite services, per-sonal care services and more. Tribute Donations:
Ask for gifts to the Wexford County Council on Aging as a memorial in lieu of flowers.
Planned Giving: As you prepare your legacy for your
family and your community, please consider including the Wexford County Council on Aging as part of your plans. Please remember us in your estate planning or simply have your attorney add an addendum to your will. Your bequest to the Wex-ford County Council on Aging will benefit many seniors and help us to continue vitally needed services for years to come.
You can be assured we will con-tinue to be good stewards of your gifts. If you would like to designate your gift to a specific program or in memory or honor of an individual, please tell us and we will do our best to meet your wishes.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (231) 775-0133.
100% of all contributions are retained by the Wexford Council on Aging. Wexford County Council on Aging is an independent 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Gifts to the Wexford County Coun-cil on Aging are tax deductible un-der appropriate I.R.S. regulations. Consult your tax or legal advisor
for details.
Designed for retirees and seniors, you will find that Green Acres of Cadillac provides
the very best in retirement living. We focus on personalized living spaces within a
community atmosphere. You’ll find that Green Acres is the place to be, with
personalized apartments located on “Park Avenue.” The beautiful interior streetscape
is lined with trees, park benches, canopies, and old fashioned street lights. Our
residents can take part in exercise classes, picnics, arts & crafts, games, gardening,
SERVICES & AMENITIES
The home is focused on providing private customized living spaces paired with the personal assistance needed. Green Acres is staffed 24 hours a day with compassionate and devoted caregivers who have a true passion for the elderly. Assisted/respite care options 24 hour personal care assistance
Assistance with medication
Three home-cooked meals per day
Nutritional snacks throughout the day
Emergency call system
Convenient front-door parking
Life enriching activities
Public Transportation available
Beautifully landscaped exterior side-
walks
Beauty/Barber shop
235 Pearl Street—Cadillac, MI 49601
www.rlmgmt.com ~ PH (231) 775-5300
Page 11
Page 12
Low Vision Support Group By Connie Payne
The annual color tour, took place at the October meeting and was a great success this year. In spite of the gloomy forecast, the sun came out and lit up Nature’s display of fall color. The WexExpress, with driver Kris, took us for a wonderful tour of the countryside for the hour. She knew where the best color was, pointed it out at each
place, and even turned the bus to point in the direction of a particularly brilliant view.
As we look back over the year, we have had some very interesting meetings with speakers who have come to our group. Those speakers included an occupational therapist specializing in low vision and in making the home safe, a librarian who serves this area in providing Talking Books, a representative of the WexExpress who outlined the services and programs that make travel easier, an optometrist who answered so many questions about eye care and diseases, and the Council on Aging staff who keep us up to date on news and programs offered. These won-derful volunteers generously share their time and information that can be so helpful.
Come join us the second Tuesday of each month, from 10 am—11 am. We meet year around, canceling only if the Cadillac area schools close due to bad roads or weather. Refreshments are served and there are no dues or cost. Our next meetings are November 13th, for updates on Medicare changes for 2019 and December 11th for a little holiday celebration.
DON'T FORGET TO GET YOUR 2019 LOW VISION CALENDAR– ONLY $8.50 - Available at the Council on Aging office.
On September 13th 2018 Wexford County Veteran Services completed the intent for PA 210 county grant funds with the MVAA and anticipate completion of the grant proposal by 10/31/2018. The goal of the PA 210 grant funds would be to help with the operational cost of a
second office space and the mandated 20 hours of veteran services. Our current goal is to extend office hours to include Fridays in the near future, projecting November 2018 as the target month. Additionally, I have requested PIV card access through the VBA Detroit regional office. This PIV card will allow access to veteran files through the VA, eliminating calls to the VBA and speeding up veteran inquiries to their claim status or processing. VSO Amanda Downing attended both the fall Michigan Association of County Veteran Counselors and the National Association of County Veteran Service officer training in Peoria, IL and Grand Rapids, MI last month. Amanda will be working on her OGC accreditation requirements this next month. Amanda is also attending new VSO training in Lansing, MI. October 22th-26 with the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. The VA Healthcare workshop was held at our office location on October 4th and was very successful with a turnout of 30 plus attendees. Much information was shared about eligibility and navigating VA Healthcare. The VA Healthcare representatives believe the workshop could benefit many counties and is planning to ex-pand on the idea. We are planning to host the Healthcare workshop annually in October. Overall, the office is completely engaged in providing assistance to the veterans and their families of Wexford County. Re-member, if you are interested in applying for benefits please bring your DD-214 or dis-charge documents. If you do not have discharge documents, please contact us at (231)775-6654 regarding how to acquire those documents. For those veterans in need of emergency assistance, please don’t wait until your power or heat is shut off. It is getting colder and soon will be below freezing at night, ask if you need help.
VETERANS' CORNER By Kent Myers
8809 Pine Ridge Drive
Cadillac, Michigan 49601
Phone: (231) 775-3755
Your sight is irreplaceable and deserves the best possible care.
We offer comprehensive eye care services including ocular health and
vision exams, glasses, contact lenses and the diagnosis and treatment of
eye disease in a warm and personal environment.
*Retinal Imaging *Ocular Pressures (Glaucoma)
*Cataract Evaluation *Red Eye Treatment
*Diabetic Screening *On Site Lab
*Large Frame Selection
PUZZLE PAGE Answers on page 19
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Christmas Crossword Thanksgiving Word Search
Sudoku
America Gratitude Pilgrims Canoe Harvest Plymouth Colony Holiday Pumpkin Pie Cornucopia Indians Puritans England Maize Squash Fall Mayflower Stuffing Family Miles Standish Thanksgiving Feast NewWorld Turkey Freedom November Yams
Page 14
The Funny Bone
Laugh Out Loud
1. How much did the butcher charge for his venison?
2. What did the turkey say to the ham?
3. If April showers bring May flowers, what do Mayflowers bring?
4. Why did the turkey cross the road?
5. What is the world’s hungriest animal?
6. What is black and white and red all over?
7. What do elves learn in kindergarten?
8. How does a gingerbread man make his bed?
9. Why was the elf crying?
10. What is black & white, black & white, black & white, black & white, splash?
11. Who brings kittens for Christmas?
12. What did Santa give Rudolph for his up-set stomach?
13. What do you call a polar bear in Hawaii?
Paid Advertisements
This newsletter contains paid advertisements
from area businesses. Advertisements were
solicited as a way to help defray the cost of
printing and mailing the newsletter to over 600
households in Wexford County. Although the
Wexford County Council on Aging cannot
endorse individual businesses, we thank each
one for their support of the mission of the
“News & Views” newsletter and the Wexford
County Council on Aging.
Page 15
ANSWERS: 1. A buck. 2. “Nice to meat you!” 3. Pilgrims. 4. To
prove it wasn’t a chicken. 5. A turkey: it just gobble, gobble, gob-
bles! 6. A penguin that’s embarrassed. 7. The elf-abet. 8. With a
cookie sheet. 9. He stubbed his mistle-toe. 10. A penguin rolling
down an iceberg into the water. 11. Santa Claws. 12. Elk-A-
Seltzer. 13. Lost!
Cadillac Senior Center 601 Chestnut Street, Cadillac, MI 49601. Contact: Diane Patterson 231-779-9420 Drop-in/Office Hours: M, T, W, Th 10:00–2:30 [email protected] or online at cadillacseniorcenter.wixsite.com/cadillac Monthly
COA Foot Clinic, Second Wednesday call 231-775-0133 for appt. Parkinson Support Group, 1st Tuesday, 1:00 pm Lunches $4.00. Please call day before for reservations. And much more! Call, stop in or check out the monthly calendar online at cadillacseniorcenter.wixsite.com/cadillac
Manton Area Retirees Club
302 W. Main, Manton, MI 49663 Contact: Claire Underhill 231-824-6961
Open Monday – Friday 7:00 am to 3:00 pm
Homemade Lunches Daily
Monthly: COA Foot Clinic, Second Monday Call 231-775-0133 for appt.
Check out our calendar on page 17.
Young of Heart
United Methodist Church ,121 S. Alvin St., Mesick, MI 49668. Contact: Jalene
Croel 231-360-8554. No office hours. Potluck & Social Gathering
1st & 3rd Tuesday of month at 11:30 am.
Monthly COA Foot Clinic: Third Tuesday call
231-775-0133 for appt.
Wexford County Council on Aging
714 W. 13th Street Cadillac, MI 49601 231-775-0133
Monthly Meetings: WCCOA Board
Meetings, 3rd Tuesday of each month at 3:00 pm. The public is welcome to attend.
Low Vision Support Group,
2nd Tuesday, 10:00 am
Page 16
Manton Senior Center Calendar
231-824-6961 Supported by: NMCAA; AAA; Wexford COA; United Way; generous donations from our community.
November 2018
December 2018
PUZZLE PAGE ANSWERS
THANK YOU!
HOME DEPOT FOR YOUR
ASSISTANCE WITH OUR SAFE SENIOR
ADDRESS SIGN PROJECT.
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Across 1. Christmas hymn - Carol 3. The original Santa Claus - Nicholas 4. A bird traditionally eaten on Christmas dinner - Turkey 6. A crystal of snow - Snowflake 7. Father of Jesus - Joseph 10. An evergreen plant producing white berries - Mistletoe 13. A traditional Christmas drink - Eggnog 14. Vehicle used by Santa Claus - Sledge 16. Santa enters the house through this - Chimney 18. Circular Christmas decoration for the front door - Wreath 19. Another name for Christmastime - Yuletide Down 1. A hard candy in the shape of a rod - Candycane 2. December 25 is his birthday - Jesus 5. The birthplace of Jesus - Bethlehem 8. A sock filled with goodies on Christmas day - Stocking 9. The sound bells make - Jingle 11. A human figure made from packed snow - Snowman 12. The four weeks leading up to Christmas - Advent 15. A mischievous fairy - Elf 17. The three wise men belonged to this tribe - Magi
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Cadillac, MI 49601
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A one year subscription donation of $20, (make the check out to Wexford County Council On Aging), to support the COA newsletter. If you cannot afford this, any amount will be appreciated! Would you like to submit a story, joke, tid-bit, tip, etc? Please send your submissions to Carrie Galligan to the address above, or you can send by email to [email protected]. Please note: Submissions may or may not be included in the News and Views, but we love to hear from you! Thanks!
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