Senior Center News, Sept. 18, 2020

North Central Senior Center, Sept. 21-25

Menu by Earlene DeWinter

Subject to Change

Monday — Chicken pepper steak, rice, veggies, dessert

Tuesday — Apple sauce, roast pork, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli Normandy, rolls, cake

Wednesday — Lasagna, bread sticks, salad, brownies

Thursday — Ham and turkey club sandwich, potato salad, pickle spear, fruit

Friday — Soup, Chef’s Choice, Dessert

Open enrollment is coming. Part D will be done by phone appointments or video conference. All documentation will be run off for you to review. With changes coming, it is wise to at least check your coverage to make sure all of your medications will be covered. We will start scheduling appointments Sept. 23 for open enrollment. If you are just coming into retirement age please schedule an appointment for any help needed with this also. Even if you aren’t taking any medications you do need to have coverage for prescription cost. Supplements do not cover prescriptions. Some retirement programs and Veteran programs do. Thank you.

Important phone numbers

Montana Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

Tumbleweed Runaway and Family Crisis Program: 259-2558 (local) 1-888-816-4702 (toll free)

Friendship Line by Institute on Aging - The Friendship Line is both a crisis intervention hotline and a warm-line for non-emergency emotional support calls. It is a 24-hour toll-free line and the only accredited crisis line in the country for people aged 60 years and older, and adults living with disabilities. Toll-Free Line: (800) 971-0016

For seniors getting frustrated with staying home and needing someone to talk to you can call 1-877-688-3377 for Montana’s Warm Line.

The Senior Center’s doors are still closed to the public. We are providing limited services. Help is being given over the phone when possible.

Remember to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly! Maintain your personal space. Stay hydrated, especially with this heat. Do outside activities when it is cooler.

We want to thank the individuals who are making masks, especially those whom have brought them to the center. If you are in need of a mask, let us know. We may be able to direct you to a source.

The senior center is providing medical transportation only for now. Remember to call ahead for Friday’s appointments.

With people getting out and moving around more, remember to use all precautions. If you do not feel comfortable going out, protect yourself and stay home as much as possible. If you do any traveling, especially out of state, remember the 14-day self-quarantine.

Scams are getting worse. Some are being very forceful in trying to get your information. Don’t give them any information. Protect your Medicare by read your quarterly Medicare Statement. Some agents are being sneaky in having things billed to you without you or your doctor realizing it. Also, there will be no new Medicare cards with chips … this is another scam. No matter what, do not give personal information out over the phone unless you are sure of the source. If you inadvertently give them any information, contact the Senior Center for the tip sheet to protect yourself. If you need help call the police department or the senior center.

We would also appreciate you tracking the phone numbers and what they were about, the time of day and the date, and bringing the list down to the North Central Senior Center so we can make a compilation for the powers that be. Some believe none of these calls are occurring in Montana.

There are some people going door to door trying to get money for organizations. Do not give it to them. If you want to give to that organization contact them directly and/or mail it in to the local agency.

Congregate folks: We continued to provide meals at the Hill County Senior Center while being closed. If you would like to pick up a meal, please be sure to call the Center before 10 a.m. to order a meal. Pick up — grab-and-go — meals may be acquired at the center at noon Monday through Friday. If you would like to, you may order a meal for one day or meals for the entire week. Please let us know which meals would be preferred ahead of time as it would be beneficial in preparation so we are aware of how much food to fix each day.

With the individuals we’ve lost the last few weeks, I do have some openings for commodities for the Hill County area. Call 265-5464 for an application.

61 Fun Things to Do at Home

Here are some more items from a list of some fun things that you can try at home. Remember that every family is unique and will have their own preferences regarding how to spend quality time together. The following activities are common ones that many households enjoy. The Vision Board is one of the things I like doing even with my students.

28. Make a Family Video

Family videos are a great way to relive the exciting moments that you shared with your family members. And with today’s advanced technology, making a video is as simple as turning on your smartphone. No matter what you are doing, turn your phone to video mode and make some.

If you want to take your video-making skills to the next level and would like to preserve.

Going through old family albums together with your family can bring you closer together.

Old family albums remind you of the good times that you have had together, and the loved ones you’ve lost. Different family members have different memories of places and people, so go through your family albums together and enjoy the opportunity to talk openly about your feelings. Doing so can be cathartic, bring you closer together, or simply bring back happy memories.

30. Have a Tea Party

An evening snack with your family is a good way to catch up on what’s going on in your life. Even better is to set up a table in your backyard and have tea or coffee under the open sun. You can also have some freshly baked snacks to make tea time even more fun.

For your tea party, of course, you need a tea set made out of elegant materials and design. We recommend this ceramic tea set from ufengke, which is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/ufengke-ts-English-Ceramic-Matching-Afternoon/dp/B07GJBMLWM . You may also want to check this post from The Spruce Eats for some tea party planning tips and ideas at https://www.thespruceeats.com/tea-party-menus-765839 .