Ask The EXPERT
Q: A:
Why should I pre-plan funeral services? What is the pre-arrangement process?
By funeral preplanning, it means taking care of funeral service details in advance before the time of need arises. It is up to you whether you want a simple or a detailed preplanning. Here you can make decisions regarding the type of funeral service, viewing or visitation, obituary, Memorial DVD, funeral flowers, venue, and so on.
Stephen D. King Supervisor, Director
All your wishes are complied on a file. At the time of need, just a call to the funeral home is required to make and all the wishes will be carried out as planned. Preplanning a funeral service is a meaningful gift one can give to their family members. By offering many different financing options, your family members do not have to worry regarding funeral funds or suffer from financial strain. Furthermore, they will not have to worry how all the important arrangements will be done at a very short notice. It is important to be aware of the benefits of preplanning funeral services, so that you can make a wise decision during your lifetime.
120 Logan Street, Lewistown PA 717-248-5486 • kingbarrfuneralhome@yahoo.com Serving Central PA families since 1841
Q: A:
How do I know if I need hearing aids?
What is the first thing buyers should do before searching for a home?
Hearing loss can affect people differently and nobody’s hearing loss is the exact same. Frequently hearing loss will occur gradually over many years. You may start to notice you don’t hear the sounds of birds anymore or you don’t hear the turn signal in your car very well. Alex Bannon, Au.D It could then progress to not hearing someone Doctor of Audiology speaking to you in another room or having trouble hearing when there is a lot of background noise around you. These are some of the biggest indicators that it might be time to get your hearing tested and to consider hearing aids. While these signs of hearing loss are important the most important factor in considering hearing aids is your quality of life. Some effects of hearing loss on your everyday life could be avoiding large social gatherings, not talking on the phone, struggling to understand speech when watching television, or most importantly causing a strain between you and your loved ones. It’s important to evaluate how much you think your hearing loss is affecting your daily life and relationships. People with hearing loss tend to wait seven years longer than they should to address it with hearing aids. Going more than one day, month, or year is too long to not be living the best possible life you could. If you think hearing aids could improve your quality of life right now then the answer to the question “when do I know if I need hearing aids?” is today. 1130 W. 4th St., Ste. 2, Lewistown 200 Mifflin St., Huntingdon 100 Oakwood Ave., Ste. 400, State College
814-641-4327 • www.uhrings.com
Q: A:
Has there been a change in our mental health since COVID?
According to the Centers for Disease Control in late June of 2020, the self-reported rates of mental health issues were nearly double the rates reported before the pandemic hit. A staggering 40 percent of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use in 2020.
USINE B R U SS O Y Robin Weagley, CEO
Overall: • 31 percent reported anxiety/depression symptoms • 26 percent reported trauma or a stressor-related disorder symptoms
HERE
• 13 percent started or increased substance use • 11 percent said they seriously considered suicide We want to be ready to address the ever growing mental health needs in our communities and we are looking for compassionate folks who want to make a difference in people’s lives? To see all our career openings, go to themeadows.net and click the CAREERS link in the upper right corner Together, we can make a difference!
814-364-2161
132 The Meadows Dr, Centre Hall, PA 16828 www.themeadows.com
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Get pre-approved for a mortgage loan! Smart sellers today would not accept ANY offer without a pre-approval or if paying cash, a proof of funds letter. Since most buyers Rick Smeltz Broker obtain a mortgage, we will focus on that. You need a pre-approval letter from a reputable lender. The lender will ask questions, obtain some personal financial info and issue you a Pre-Approval letter. Make sure the lender specifies the type of loan they are pre-approving you for. Conventional, FHA, USDA, VA, PHFA, etc. Not all properties will qualify for all types of loan products. That is the reason to contact one of our experienced agents, TODAY. If you do not have a lender already, we can provide you with contact info of some reputable lenders whom we have had great success with. And we can search for properties that should meet the criteria for the type of loan you are looking for. The process can be much less stressful if you have the guidance of a Smeltz & Aumiller Real Estate agent!
501 Electric Ave. Lewistown Call us today 717-248-2122 For more information & photos, visit us at www.SA-RE.com
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Have a question for one of our experts above? Email your question to marketing@ lewistownsentinel.com Our next Ask An Expert page will be in the July 12th Sentinel