Senior Center News, April 22, 2022

North Central Senior Citizens Center

April 25-29

Menu

Monday, April 25 — Hamburger Stroganoff, buttered noodles, broccoli, fruit salad

Tuesday, April 26 — Salad, baked ham, au gratin potatoes, corn, rolls, apple crisps

Wednesday, April 27 — Oven-baked fish, rice pilaf, carrots, tollhouse bars

Thursday, April 28 — Swiss steak with tomatoes, onions and peppers; mashed potatoes; was beans; fruit

Friday, April 29 — Soup, salad bar, chef’s choice, dessert

The Hill County Council on Aging invites you to a Spring Wellness Resource Fair Wednesday, May 18, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at North Central Senior Citizens Center in Havre, 2 Second St. West. Free lunch, prize drawn every half hour. Admission is free. Find information on wellness resources and services in Havre and the surrounding areas.

You won’t want to miss it.

Sponsored by Montana Telecommunications Access Program in conjunction with Hill County Council on Aging, Area X.

Keeping up with the pandemic: April 18, there were three new COVID-19 cases and there were two cases recovered. Total cases for all of Hill County was 4,835, three active cases and no hospitalizations. Deaths were still at 72. Right now, community transmission is down but everyone should still be wearing masks and social distancing is a good idea. As of now, we are 750% vaccinated in Hill County and doing better.

Bouncing back from difficult times: Everyone goes through tough times in life. There are many things that can help you survive and cope. Creating healthy habits and taking care of yourself can help. There are family, friends, and your connection to community and culture. Stress can cause wear and tear on the body and brain. Chronic stress has been linked to many health conditions. These include heart disease, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety. We have to look at a stressful situation as a growth opportunity instead of thinking of it as a threat. What can I learn from this situation? If we take better care of ourselves, we can take better care of those around us. We have had to learn a lot these past two years living under the pandemic. But maybe we can take something beneficial away too. Along with all the things we have learned to help ourselves, maybe we can learn to practice a little gratitude.

News from our gift shop: All Easter items in the gift shop are 50% off. This will be from April 1st thru April 29th. Hope to see you there. Lots of new items for your shopping pleasure. Candy baskets will be priced as marked. Special for the month of May is 50 percent off all wine classes, china teacups and mugs.

AARP Tax Preparation: The tax season is over. The last day was Tuesday, April 12. A big Thank You to all who helped our seniors this year.

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

Wanted: If you have any gently used knick-knacks (chachkis) you don’t need any more, we would be glad to take them off your hands. Call us at 265-5464 or stop down to see us. Thanks.

Keep well: Don’t forget your flu shot. And be kind, don’t forget your mask. Masks are required at the senior center.

Transportation: Remember the senior center has reached an agreement with North Central Montana Transit to take over the transportation of our seniors. This change seems to be going very well. If you need a ride call 406-265-4762. They would appreciate a 24-hour notice for local rides and a 48-hour notice for Great Falls trips.

Avoiding COVID-19: If you have to be in a crowd, try to stay outdoors. The virus spreads more indoors. The coronavirus hitches a ride on other air particles and floats around. The virus particles hang in the air and can become more concentrated. Outside, they’re more likely to blow away and/or dissipate. So if you’re inside with an infected person, you’re more likely to breathe in the virus and get COVID. Ventilation and HEPA filters can help move the virus-laden particles out, but nothing catches everything. This is why it is best to avoid indoor gatherings in the first place.

Noticing memory problems? As we grow older, some memory difficulties – such as trouble remembering names of people or places or forgetting where you put your glasses or car keys – are associated with normal aging. But the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are much more than simple memory lapse. Knowing the early warning signs is a good first step in recognizing the difference between typical, age-related memory loss and a more serious problem. Here’s a checklist of some common early symptoms to watch for: Asking the same question repeatedly. Getting lost in familiar areas. Failing to recognize familiar people. Having difficulty following directions. Misplaces items in inappropriate places, for example putting keys in the microwave. Having difficulty completing familiar tasks like cooking a meal or paying a bill. Having trouble remembering common words when speaking or mixing up words. You probably need to get some help.

Scams: Scam calls are still widespread. Text messages and emails are also becoming popular. Do not respond to any of them. Do not even open them, just delete them. Medicare isn’t issuing gold cards. Talk to someone in the community before you consider a reverse mortgage.

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 406-265-5464 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 406-262-1570 for an appointment. Sick people 16 and under: Call 406-265-5408 for an appointment. Sick people 17 and over: call 406-262-1570 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 406-265-3599.

Havre Public Schools — Staff and students of Havre Public Schools only: Call Jeri Zorn at 406-390-2210.

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 406-395-1712 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. 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.

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.