Senior Center News, Nov. 5, 2021

North Central Senior

Citizens Center

Nov. 8-12

The senior center is now open

Menu

Monday — Tater tot casserole, salad, garlic cheddar biscuit, dessert

Tuesday — Cranberries, turkey with dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, winter-mix veggies, pumpkin pie

Wednesday — Lasagna, bread sticks, salad, fruit

Thursday — Closed for Veterans Day

Friday — Soup, chef’s choice, dessert

Keeping Up with the Pandemic: As of Nov 1, there were seven new COVID-19 cases 10 recovered reported for Hill County, 11 case currently in the hospital one case discharged. Total cases for all of Hill County, 3,299. Deaths at 63. Right now, community transmission is going down but everyone should still be wearing a mask. As of now we are 56% vaccinated in Hill county.

Bingo: For a good time, come to Havre senior center at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Open enrollment for Medicare: This year, open enrollment starts Oct. 17 and ends Dec. 7. Marci would like you to check your formularies to see if your drugs are still covered under your insurance. You must call for an appointment to see Marci this year. This is something new. You must stop down to pick up a Pre-Enrollment Form and get it completed before your appointment. Remember, to see Marci you must wear a mask. To make sure you are safe, Medicare will never call or visit and will only send information through the U.S. Postal Service. Also, guard your Medicare number like it is a credit card. Don’t give it out to anyone except your doctor or other providers. If you receive an unsolicited call from anyone requesting personal information, hang up immediately. Contact Montana Senior Medicare Patrol if you need assistance with Medicare billing issues or to report Medicare fraud. You can also get help from your family, the Medicare website or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program.

A Well-Aged Mind: Getting older can bring many changes, both physically and mentally. Even when you’re healthy, your brain and body start slowing down. Maintaining your cognitive health, the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember is important for your overall well-being. Many things influence cognitive health. Your genes, lifestyle, and environment can all impact your thinking skills and ability to perform everyday tasks. It’s common to experience some decline in cognitive function as you get older. Many things can cause memory or other thinking problems. Depression, anxiety, an infection, or even certain medications can cause cognitive changes. Sometimes these types of issues can be resolved with treatment. Certain medications can also have dangerous, or even deadly, effects when combined with alcohol. Alcohol alone poses risks for the older brain. It can alter judgment, coordination, balance, or sleep patterns in an elder adult. Think about the positive things that come with aging. It’s a great time to become engaged in meaningful activities, maintain connections to friends and family, develop new connections, and be physically active. In turn, all of these things can enhance one’s quality of life and one’s aging.

Commodities: If you are interested in receiving commodities, we still have some open slots. You can sign up at the Senior Center, fill out an application and find out if your income falls within the guidelines. If you qualify, you can receive commodities once a month. You do have to come to Senior Center to pick them up.

Would you like to be a volunteer at the Senior Center? We are very thankful for the many volunteers who help us daily and also during our special events. If you have a little extra time, we could sure use your help. We are finding ourselves a little short on volunteers now that we have opened our doors after closing due to the pandemic. If you would like to share your time and talents, please give us a call at 265-5464 to let us know. There are many different volunteer opportunities, maybe one just right for you, give us a call.

Available COVID-19 testing in Hill County: Northern Montana Health Care — Testing of contacts call 262-1570 for an appointment. Sick people 16 and under: Call 265-5408 for an appointment. Sick people 17 and over: call 262-1570 for an appointment.

Bullhook Community Health Center: Testing of contacts: register at this link: https://forms.gle/ark5xEKJDFaXZHZ97.

Montana State University-Northern: Staff and students of MSU-Northern only: Call Student Health Services at 265-3599.

Havre Public Schools — Staff and students of Havre Public Schools only: Call Jeri Zorn at 390-2210.

Rocky Boy Health Center: Anyone who is eligible to receive services at Rocky Boy Health Center, or community members that live or work on the reservation: call 395-1712 for an appointment or with questions.

**Testing subject to change based on availability and demand. **

Silver Sneakers Membership: The Hill County Counsel on Aging, also known as the Senior Center, is excited to say we are working with Down Under Physical Fitness for the seniors and sponsoring a total of 20 Silver Sneaker memberships at Down Under for November. You may already be attending their Silver Sneaker program and still take advantage of this offer. The classes are at 10 a.m. Monday and Wednesday and also 2 p.m. Wednesday. At this point in time, the Wednesday classes will be limited to 10 participants with all COVID-19 safety precautions in place. As a senior wishing to participate, contact Down Under at 406-265-4805 and request the Silver Sneaker membership being sponsored by the Hill county Senior Center. Please call Down Under at 406-265-4805 and schedule your time while requesting one of the memberships.