FRAMINGHAM, MA - CALLAHAN CENTER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR MARCH 2006

Support Groups at Callahan Senior Center:

Bereavement Support Group: Mondays, March 6, 13, 20 & 27 at 10:00 am.
Diabetic Support Group: Tuesday, March 14 at 1:30 pm.
Grandparent Support Group: Tuesday, March 14 at 1:00 pm and Tuesday, March 28 at 6:45 pm.
Low Vision Group: Friday, March 17 at 1:00 - 3:00 pm.
Massage Therapy: Thursday, March 2 and Thursday, March 16, by appt. only.
Parkinson’s Support Group: Tuesday, March 21 at 1:30 pm.
Podiatry: Monday, March 13 from 12:30 pm to 3:15 pm, by appt. only.
Stroke Survivors’ Support Group: Monday, March 6 at 1:00 pm.

BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC FOR MARCH

Wednesdays, March 1, 8, 15 & 22
From 9:30 am—11:00 and 12:00 pm—1:00 pm

CARDIOVASCULAR CLINIC IN MARCH

The Cardiovascular Clinic will be on Tuesday, March 7 at 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM. A doctor from the MetroWest Medical Center and nurse Kitty Mahoney from the Framingham Board of Health will be at the Senior Center to check your blood pressure, answer any questions and address individual concerns. For further information, please contact Kitty Mahoney at 508-620-4827.

Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:00 am at Callahan Center - “Osteoporosis Presentation”
presented by Joan Metcalfe, R.N., MetroWest Wellness Center
Thursday, March 30, 2006 From 10:00 am - 12:00 noon - Osteoporosis Screening

For this screening, you will need to wear shoes and socks that are easily removed. Please bring a list of your current medications and supplements, as well as your doctor’s address’ so a final report can be mailed to him/her. Each screening takes 10 minutes. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 for an appointment.

Social Service Department - Personal Response Systems

You have probably asked—what is a personal response system, or a medical alarm, and do I need one? There are several companies that provide emergency response systems with modern, state-of-the-art technology. The installation fee and member benefits vary, but they all ensure your safety with a reliable and immediate link to assistance. We have pamphlets describing the individual plans and a self-assessment questionnaire that helps you determine your level of need. Most services cost little more than a dollar a day, plus an activation fee. One company has given us free activation coupons, and if you are interested or need further information, please contact this office at 508-532-5980.

AARP Tax Assistance Program at Callahan Center

AARP will provide a qualified volunteer to assist with preparing income taxes, free of charge for seniors who need this service. You must schedule an appointment in order to see a Tax Counselor. You are required by the IRS to bring the following:
income tax returns from last year 1099’s and other relevant tax documents
income and asset documents
Social Security Card (a must)
2 forms of identification (one photo ID and another form of identification)
Appointments: Please call Julie Chouman for an appointment at 508-620-4819. Appointments may be limited this year and are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Prescription Advantage
Medicare Wrap Program
Open Enrollment - March 15 through April 28, 2006

Prescription Advantage is a state sponsored prescription drug insurance plan that helps Medicare beneficiaries pay for the cost of their Medicare Part D plans. Prescription Advantage is for Massachusetts residents, age 65 and older with incomes under $47,851 (single) or $64,151 (married) and who are not enrolled in MassHealth. Younger individuals with disabilities, who meet certain income and employment guidelines, can also join. Prescription Advantage is now a secondary payer to Medicare Part D plans and can assist with some of the costs associated with Part D. The amount of assistance members receive is based on their gross annual household income.

Prescription Advantage will hold an Open Enrollment period from March 15 through April 28. Applications must be received at Prescription Advantage no later than April 28.

The SHINE program will be doing a presentation at the Framingham Council on Aging, the Callahan Center, 535 Union Avenue, on Thursday, March 9th at 9:30 AM to explain the Prescription Advantage program and how it coordinates with Medicare Part D plans. To reserve a spot, please call (508) 532-5980, as space is limited.

New applications for Prescription Advantage will be available at your local Council on Aging. For more information on Prescription Advantage and the Open Enrollment period, call 1-800-246-4636 (1-800-AGE-INFO) and press 1. For additional help, including assistance with filling out your application, call your local senior center for an appointment with a SHINE counselor.

SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders) offers free, confidential, health insurance counseling at your local Senior Center. Call the Senior Center for a SHINE appointment. You can reach SHINE regional staff by calling 1-800-AGE-INFO and pressing 2.
*************************************************************

The MetroWest SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders) Program is holding a spring volunteer counselor training. It is an intensive 10-day course, over a five-week period. It is scheduled to begin the last week in April and run through the entire month of May. It meets on Mondays and Thursdays, from 10AM 3PM, in Whitney Place at Natick. To find out more about becoming a SHINE volunteer counselor, call Dorene Nemeth, Associate Regional SHINE Director at (508) 532-5980 ext. 4109.

FREE - “Find a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan: The Online Search Tool”

This step-by-step booklet gives you everything you need to know about going online to find a Medicare Part D plan that’s right for you, based on your medications. You (or your computer-savvy relative, friend, etc.) can use this booklet as a guide to self-help. We have copies at the Callahan Center to give away free. Come in and pick up a copy at the front lobby of the Callahan Center!!

“Shifting Gears” - A program on elder driver safety.
Presented by Michelle Ellicks of the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles on Thursday, March 2, 2006 from 10:00 am - 11:00 am at the Callahan Center. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 to reserve a seat!

Friends’ General Meeting - The next Friends’ meeting will be joint with AARP Chapter #3557 on Monday, March 13th at 1:30 pm. The entertainment will be with Gary Landgren. Refreshments will be served. Come and bring a friend!

###