Senior Center News, Feb. 26, 2021

North Central Senior Citizens Center, March 1-5

Menu by Earlene DeWinter, subject to change

Monday — Hamburger steak, hash browns and gravy, peas, fruit

Tuesday — Salad, baked ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, apple crisp

Wednesday — Chicken strips, tater tots, salad, cookies

Thursday — Swiss steak, tomatoes, onions, peppers, mashed potatoes, wax beans, pudding

Friday — Soup, chef’s choice, dessert

The Senior Center’s doors are still closed to the public. We are providing limited services by phone with individuals bringing their paperwork down to the center. Help is being given over the phone when possible.

Tax preparation information

AARP Tax Preparation will contact you if you have called in and put your name on the call list. The individuals that do the preparation are diligently working on the procedures they have to follow. We have a list with names and phone numbers at the center people have been put on. They are taking additional seniors on the call list. You will be called and an appointment will be set up. Be sure to answer your phone as they will try a couple of time but cannot spend all day calling one person. You can hang up on the scam calls. Walk-ins will not be accepted. On the day of your appointment, please wait it the alley by the doors on the west side of the building. Someone will come out and get you as they can only have one person in the building at time. The process is taking a little longer because of restrictions. Please be patient. They thank you for your patience as the new methods are tested and implemented.

Transportation: The Senior Center is providing medical transportation only. Remember to call ahead for Friday’s appointments. Monday and Thursday rides have to be worked around grocery delivery.

Congregate folks: We are still continuing to provide meals at the Hill County Senior Center as grab and go meals while we are still closed. If you would like to pick up a meal, please be sure to call the center before 10 a.m. to order your meal through the kitchen. Your meals may be picked at the center from 11:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m Monday through Friday. If you would like to, you may order a meal for one day or put in your order for the entire week. If you would please let us know which meals you would be like ahead of time, it would be beneficial in preparation so we are aware of how much food to fix each day.

With the isolation, challenges are being felt by some people be a friendly neighbor. Contact a senior or a veteran that may be facing challenges just to see how they are doing. The personal contact will help them feel a great deal better.

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

From Five Star Senior Living web site: 7 Winter Survival Tips for Seniors

Five Star Senior Living

If you are the family caregiver for a senior loved one, you know winter can be a tough season of the year. Taking a proactive approach to winter safety challenges is the best way to prevent an injury or illness.

Seniors face different risks during winter months than younger adults. They range from higher rates of seasonal depression to hypothermia from poorer circulation.

As we head in to the new year, here are a few tips you can use to make it a safe and healthy one for the elders in your life.

7 Tips for Winter Health and Wellness for Older Adults

Because frosty winters in many parts of the country force seniors to spend more time indoors and less time enjoying a daily walk or socializing with friends, it can lead to an increase in health problems. And just the cold weather itself can cause conditions such as aArthritis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, to flare up.

Here are seven steps you can take to protect your senior loved one this winter:

• Vitamin D deficiencies are more common during the winter. Encourage your older loved one to talk with their primary care physician to see if they recommend adding a vitamin D supplement to the senior’s daily routine.

• Peak flu season arrives in most parts of the country just after the holidays. Older adults are at higher risk for developing it. If your aging loved one hasn’t done so already, encourage them to get a flu shot. It’s one of the best ways to prevent being bitten by the bug.

• Isolation is a health risk for seniors who live alone. It often gets worse during the long, cold winters. Video chat services such as Skype can allow families to talk “face-to-face” all winter long.

• Icy sidewalks and driveways can increase the risk an older adult will experience a slip and fall injury. Enlist the services of a landscape company to keep your senior loved one’s sidewalks and driveways clear all winter long. If family finances make that difficult to do, call their closest agency on aging. They often have local resources for assistance.

• Winter gear is just as important for older adults to have as it is for kids. Be sure your senior has winter boots and shoes with non-skid soles. If they use a cane or similar assistive device, be sure it has an ice grip on the tip. Remind them to wear a hat and mittens anytime they will be outdoors in the winter.

• Storm ready pantry helps reduce the risk for an injury. By helping an older family member keep their pantry well-stocked, as well as have an emergency supply of medication on hand, you may eliminate the need for them to have to leave the house during severe weather.

• Prevent hypothermia during the frosty months of the year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults are at greater risk for it. Seniors make up more than half of the hypothermia-related deaths each year. Encourage your older loved one to dress in layers to help them stay warmer. Loose-fitting clothing made of natural fabrics is best.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency created a guide you might find to be helpful in keeping your family safe. “Winter Storms and Extreme Cold” contains a variety of information ranging from how to shut off water valves if a pipe bursts to how to communicate with family during power outages.

Our final tip is to consider respite services if your aging loved one lives in a colder climate and you can’t be there to help keep them safe. Call the Five Star Senior Living community nearest to them to learn more.