Columbus County Seniors June

June | Columbus Seniors Today | 1

Columbus Seniors Today COLUMBUS COUNTY’S RESOURCE FOR TODAY’S ACTIVE ADULT

June 2013

30th Annual Senior Picnic and Fair

The Columbus County Department of Aging Advisory Council hosted the 30th Annual Senior Picnic and Fair at Columbus County Fair Grounds, Tuesday, May 14. The theme was “Unleash the Power of Age.” Over 400 registered participants attended the Senior Picnic, which featured live entertainment, Boomer Games activities, door prizes and 25 exhibitors.

Volunteers from BB&T Lighthouse Project served lunch and distributed bottled water to seniors. Funds from a Brunswick Electric Membership Community Grant helped cover the cost of the picnic lunch.

Pictured above holding flowers, Tabor City Senior Center Members: LD and Christen Melvin celebrate 61 years of marriage. photos courtesy of Herb Harp Photography and Judy Ward

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700 Jefferson St. Whiteville • 640-1700 Linda Shelburne, RPh

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I’m Almost 65 — How Should I Prepare for Medicare?

SHIIP Monthly Column Contact: 910-640-6602

More than 120,000 North Carolinians will turn 65 this year. Turning 65 is a lot like turning 16. When you turned 16, you didn’t automatically get your driver’s license; instead you had to take an exam and prove that you were a safe driver. There was a specific order and procedure for getting your driver’s license, and the same is true for enrolling in Medicare for the first time when you turn 65.

Much like you anticipated turning 16 and getting your driver’s license, you must anticipate and plan for becoming a Medicare beneficiary. Don’t wait until you’re 65 to start thinking about your Medicare choices. Start now and let SHIIP, the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, help you.

SHIIP, a division of the North Carolina Department of Insurance, provides free, unbiased information about Medicare and other insurance-related issues. There are SHIIP sites in all 100 counties in North Carolina. It is recommended that you contact SHIIP to review your Medicare options before you need to enroll so that you don’t make any hurried decisions at the last minute. Your Medicare choices will depend on several factors, including: 1. Are you retired, or will you or your spouse continue to work?

2. Will you have access to medical and/or prescription drug coverage through an Employer Group Health Plan?

3. How does your Employer Group Health Plan compare with Medicare supplement plans and Medicare Advantage plans?

Of course there are other things to consider when determining your Medicare options. SHIIP has created a handout to help you navigate the Medicare system and initial enrollment process. The handout, “The Road to Medicare,” outlines the decisions you’ll need to make and what options are available through the Medicare system. To obtain a free copy of “The Road to Medicare,” call SHIIP at 1-800-443-9354 or visit SHIIP’s website at www.ncshiip.com.

You can also meet with a certified SHIIP volunteer counselor in your community to discuss your Medicare options. To arrange an appointment with a SHIIP volunteer counselor, contact the SHIIP coordinating site in your county; if you don’t know the local contact information, call SHIIP at 1-800-4439354 or visit www.ncshiip.com. Columbus County Contact: 640-6602 Don’t wait to make your Medicare decisions — you can and should start the process before you turn 65. Let SHIIP help you understand your options and get you on the road to Medicare.

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Nutrition Program

Pat Harrelson - Nutrition Supervisor Congregate and Home Delivered Meals

(910) 640-6602 Ext. 240

Columbus County Nutrition Sites

Bolton Senior Center 15354 Sam Potts Hwy. Bolton, N.C. 28423

Bug Hill Senior Center 11300 Seven Creeks Hwy. Nakina, N.C. 28455 Chadbourn Senior Center 406 Pine St. Chadbourn, N.C. 28431

Annie Smith 655-4166 Site Manager Home delivered meals Margie Suggs 640-3791 Site Manager

East Columbus Senior Center 2694 General Howe Hwy. Riegelwood, N.C. 28456 Fair Bluff Senior Center 1100 Main St. Fair Bluff, N.C. 28439 Tabor City Senior Center 110 Linwood Norris Street Tabor City, N.C. 28463 Whiteville Senior Center 827 Washington Street Whiteville, N.C. 28472

Carolyn Strickland 655-4754 Site Manager

Reba Newman 654-4423 Site Manager Home delivered meals

Mildred Vereen Site Manager

649-6881

Patsy Fowler 653-3063 Site Manager Home delivered meals Dorothy Paige 640-6602 Site Manager Home delivered meals and van transportation

(Cut these listings out and keep handy!)

Columbus County Senior Centers listings Bolton Senior Center 15354 Sam Potts Hwy. Bolton, N.C. 28423

Catherine Spaulding Coordinator cspaulding@columbusco.org

655-4166

Bug Hill Senior Center 11300 Seven Creeks Hwy. Nakina, N.C. 28455

Jenette Long Coordinator djlong@columbusco.org

640-3791

Chadbourn Senior Center 406 Pine St. Chadbourn, N.C. 28431

Ruby Shelley Coordinator rshelley@columbusco.org

654-4423

East Columbus Senior Ctr. 2694 General Howe Hwy. Riegelwood, N.C. 28456

Lillie Young Coordinator lyoung@columbusco.org

655-4754

Fair Bluff Senior Center P.O. Box 652 - 1100 Main St. Fair Bluff, N.C. 28439

Michelle Dippel Coordinator mdippel@columbusco.org

649-6881

Tabor City Senior Center 110 Linwood Norris Street Tabor City, N.C. 28463

Susan Prince Coordinator sprince@columbusco.org

653-3063

Whiteville Senior Center Jean Powers P.O. Box 1327 - Coordinator 827 Washington Street jpowers@columbusco.org Whiteville, N.C. 28472 (Cut these listings out and keep handy!)

640-6602

Columbus County Department of Aging Senior Center Mission Statement Senior Center acts as a focal point of aging services in the county by providing services that promote wellness; encourages independence and enhance quality of life for all persons 60 years or older.

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James D. McNeill, RPH, Owner

Al Nobles, Pharm D. • Amy Sessions, Pharm D. • Wendi Rhodes, Pharm D.

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642-8141

Important contact numbers for fire, police and other emergency services COLUMBUS COUNTY

Public Information 640-6600 Emergency Management 640-6610 Public Health 640-6615 Public Utilities 642-5257 Sheriff 642-6551

TO REPORT AN ELECTRIC OUTAGE

Brunswick Electric Membership Corp. 1-800-682-5309 Progress Energy 1-800-419-6356

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Department of Aging Fall Trip

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June Events

The Real Senior Prom

Wednesday, June 5 at 9am Swedish Embroidery is offered at Tabor City Senior Monday, June 10 from 1-4pm is a jewelry making class at East Columbus Senior Center in Riegelwood Friday, June 14 is Flag Day Saturday, June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Sunday, June 16 is Father’s Day Thursday, June 20 is Fair Bluff Historical Society meeting.

Contact Betty Willis at 649-7487

Friday, June 21 is the First Day of Summer New at Bug Hill – Cooking Classes. Call Jenny Godwin, site coordinator at 640-3791 for schedule.

Exercise Daily in the new facility at the Whiteville Senior Center. Hours are Mon – Fri 8am - 5pm.

Play Canasta every Tuesday at 1pm at the Chadbourn Senior Center.

Lunch is served Monday through Friday at 12:00 noon at all Senior Centers.

photos courtesy of Herb Harp Photography

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Gluten-free doesn’t mean grain-free

Many people are adopting glutenfree diets for a variety of reasons.

While such a diet means passing on foods that contain wheat protein, such as certain breads, crusts and baked goods, it doesn’t mean giving up on grains entirely. Many grains are acceptable for those adhering to a gluten-free diet, and such grains can help fill the void left by avoiding wheat products.

Gluten-free foods are required for people who have Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition of the small intestines that is triggered by the consumption of wheat protein. Celiac disease can cause damage to the lining of the small intestines, which results in a decreased absorption of nutrients. This can cause vitamin deficiencies that deprive the body and brain of necessary nourishment.

While people with Celiac disease have to avoid foods that contain gluten, many more people choose to remove gluten from their diets.

This includes people with gluten allergies or sensitivities that are not as severe as Celiac disease but can cause some gastrointestinal discomfort.

The relationship between gluten and certain behavioral problems in children and adults also has been studied. In a paper titled “Developmental Disorders and Dairy Products, Grains, Gluten and Other Proteins,” researchers at the Bamford-Lahey Children’s Foundation found that sensitivity to proteins in both dairy and wheat has been associated with a number of neurological and behavioral disorders in groups of adults and children.

To avoid gluten, a person has to remove wheat products, barley, spelt, rye, and triticale from his or her diet. However, there are many other foods that can be eaten. Plus, flours made from grinding other grains can be used in place of wheat flour in recipes. The finished products may just have less of the doughy or elastic consistency that is a hallmark of gluten. Here are some grains men and women on gluten-free diets can still enjoy.

Oats: Though they are traditionally gluten-free, oats are often processed on the same equipment that processes other grains. Therefore, there may be some cross-contamination. Oats that are certified glutenfree can be more costly.

Buckwheat: Despite the name, buckwheat is not related to regular wheat and is not exactly a grain. It is a relation of rhubarb. In its whole form it can take the place of pasta. In its roasted form, buckwheat takes on a nutty flavor.

Millet: This is a seeded plant used for grain and cereal production.

Millet is typically sold in pet stores as a treat for birds. Millet is generally flavorless and can be grainy. It can be mixed with other gluten-free flours.

Quinoa: This is not a grass plant or cereal grain but is actually related to leafy vegetables. Quinoa is often eaten like you would eat rice or pasta, but it can also be baked into bread and cakes.

Montina: This is made from Indian rice grass and can be milled into flour or combined with other flours in a baking blend. Montina bakes up into a springy texture, which makes it popular in breads.

Rice: Many people avoiding gluten turn to rice as an alternative. Rice flour can be substituted for wheat flour in many recipes. Rice can also create a sense of fullness that comes with eating a starchy grain.

Corn: Cornmeal can be used in baked goods. However, it will offer a grainy texture.

Amaranth: This is a tiny, ancient grain. It is a complete protein and has more iron than most grains.

People following a reduced or gluten-free diet can enjoy a number of other alternatives in their cooking.

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WELCOME TO THE SAVVY SENIOR

Jim Miller

You Ask The Senior Question - We Find The Savvy Answer

Getting Social Security Help May Boost Your Benefits

Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any services that you can recommend that help pre-retirees decide when to start drawing their Social Security benefits?

My wife and I are still a few years away from retiring but want to carefully weigh all our options to make sure we get the most from our benefits.

–Approaching Retirement

Dear Approaching, Deciding when to begin collecting your Social Security benefits could be one of the most important retirement-income decisions you’ll make. The difference between a good decision and a poor one could cost you tens of thousands of dollars over your retirement, so doing your homework and weighing your options now is a very smart move.

What to Consider As you may already know, you can claim Social Security any time from age 62 to 70, but the longer you wait, the larger your monthly check. However, there are many other factors you need to take into account to help you make a good decision, like your current financial needs, your health and family longevity, whether you plan to work in retirement, whether you have other retirement income sources, and if you’re married, your spouse’s situation.

You also need to understand the dizzying array of rules that can affect your Social Security benefits, and factor in the various strategies that can increase your benefits if you’re married, divorced or widowed.

To help you compare all your options, there are a number of online tools and services that have sprung up in recent years that can help you make an informed decision.

Online Tools To get started, your first step is to go to the Social Security Statement web page and get your personalized statement that estimates what your retirement benefits will be at age 62, full retirement age (currently 66) or when you turn 70. These estimates are based on your yearly earnings that are also listed on your report.

Once you get your estimates for both you and your wife, there are several online tools you can turn to that can crunch hundreds of calculations to compare your benefits under various scenarios and different ages to help you figure out your optimum claiming strategy.

Two free sites are Analyze Now which offers a robust decisionmaking tool called the “Strategic Social Security Planner,” but requires Microsoft Excel to use it.

And AARP’s Social Security Benefits Calculator, which is a less sophisticated tool but very easy to use.

Or, if you don’t mind spending a little money, there are higherlevel services like Social Security Choices which provides a comprehensive customized report for only $30 to help single, married or widowed pre-retirees identify their best claiming strategy.

Or Maximize My Social Security, which charges $40 for their report, and takes into account the thousands of different factors and combinations to help you maximize your benefits.

Personalized Advice If, however, you want or need more help, there are specialized firms and financial advisors that can advise you for a fee.

One of the best is Social Security Solutions (866-762-7526), which offers several levels of service including their “Premier Plus” plan that runs multiple calculations

and comparisons, recommends a best course of action in a detailed report, and gives you a one-onone session with a Social Security specialist over the phone to discuss the report and ask questions.

The fee for this service is $125.

Premier Social Security Consulting (800-518-0761) is another option that offers several consulting packages, ranging from $75 to $295.

Or, you can get help through a fee-only financial adviser who specializes in Social Security

analysis and charges on an hourly basis. To find someone use the Garrett Planning Network (866-260-8400), which offers the services of 300 independent advisers nationwide. The cost for a Garrett advisor ranges between $150 and $300 per hour.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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June | Columbus Seniors Today | 8

Look No Further.

You could qualify for

FREE RENTAL ASSISTANCE! If you are 62 or older, come by Madison Hill Apartments at 206 Madison Street in Whiteville and fill out an application to see if you qualify. We offer rental assistance, up to 100%, based on your income. We have 1 bedroom apartments that are energy efficient, wall to wall carpeting, and fully equipped kitchens.

There is a Community Room on site as well as a Laundry Room.

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Chadbourn, NC Missionary Dept. donated 9 fans for Operation Fan 2013. Sister Eloise Faulk, Reverend Jerry Ganus, Pastor, Deacon Willie Walls, Chairman of Deacon Board, Brother James Tart, Chairman Trustee Board.

Call 910.642.8883 TDD 1-800-735-2962 Equal Housing Opportunity • Handicap Accessible Professionally managed by Community Management Corporation

You Deserve the “Good” Things in Life.

Tabor City Seniors enjoyed lunch at Southern Sizzler after touring Lake Waccamaw on a beautiful spring excursion.

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