Greetings Neighbors,

This month we continue our series on Healthy aging with Part 2: Having a Sense of Purpose and the importance that makes in living well. (Looking for Part 1? Part 1: Change is available on our website blog).

Also, this month we have several articles for you:

Note: Our offices will be closed on President’s Day, Monday, Feb 20.

February is a month when love is honored. Remember, if no one told you today that they love you, you matter; you are unique; you are loved; you are beautiful.

Hug someone today.

Robin Bush

ISR Communications

email: robin@islandseniorservices.org

phone 360-321-1600 | 360-678-3373 | 360-387-6201

by Michele Cato, ISR Executive Director

As I was looking for inspiration for this month’s article, I turned to the internet and a list of the official national days of observance we celebrate each February. It turns out there are quite a few! So, I decided to challenge all of us to pick one or more ‘holidays’ and celebrate them with the seniors in your family or neighborhood this month. Get creative in ways to celebrate together!

Here are just a few of the days of observance that are relevant to anyone as they age:

ISR will celebrate with its Meals on Wheels clients by delivering a special menu item to their homes each Wednesday and Friday in February for the special ‘holidays’ identified by an asterisk above. Everything from cherry cobbler to tortilla soup, from dark chocolate mousse trifle to ham and asparagus quiche, and more!

Enjoy your February with new traditions and new friends!

Island Senior Resources offers an array of programs and services to help you. Descriptions of our programs and services can be found here (click to view).

Ways to contact us:

by Robin Bush, ISR Communications

In our quest to explore the keys to healthy aging, last month, we looked at how our reaction to change can affect our aging process. Now it’s time to consider the profound impact having a purpose in your life can have on your health and well-being. For years, your sense of purpose may have derived from the work you did and how that work benefitted others. However, as you age and circumstances change, those changes create opportunities to apply what you have learned in your years to new ways that continue to fulfill your purpose.

Older Americans are often told to sit back and take a well-deserved “rest.” Actually, one of the things that makes the most difference in healthy aging is to get up out of your chair and do something you feel is important. Our purpose can also be described as our “calling” or driving force. It is our guiding light to building a satisfying life. So, ask yourself, what feels important to me? It’s not about whether you take on a new hobby; it’s about whether mastering that hobby means you can do something valuable with your knowledge, like teaching someone younger a skill that will improve their life. It’s about identifying what mark you want to leave on the world that will make it a better place because you were here.

by Charles LaFond, ISR Development

Sometimes I wish I were a deer for the sheer wonder of its speed or a beetle, small, hard to see, and with a shell that protects my soft guts from harm. But most days, I wish I were any animal, blissfully unaware that they will weaken and die one day, living as they do in each present moment.

Like most of us, I suppose, I simply pretend that aging is not happening to me, just to others. I accomplish this self-delusion by keeping the lights off in my bathroom when I shower or shave. Also, it helps to spend all my time with people 30 years older than me so that I am relatively youthful in my 59^th year. And, of course, I only choose fat, ill doctors.

by Robin Bush

ISR Communications

Many of us are looking for new ways to engage or re-engage post-COVID. New activities help you expand your social network and maintain your health. We suggest you listen to the podcast “70 Over 70” to hear inspiring voices speak about what being over 70 has meant to them. The common theme is engaging in meaningful activities that energize them mentally and physically.  It’s time to seek adventure, knowledge, and inspiration.

Explore. Experiencing a different culture is an adventure that will stretch you to think in new ways and understand new perspectives. Is international travel beyond your physical capability or your financial means? Try day trips and see if you can meet a new friend in each new place. They could become your next travel buddy. And remember, nature is a tonic. Nature shows you examples of resilience, adaptation, and success everywhere you look. Think about what you see and ask yourself, “How can I model that in my life?” If mobility is an issue, you can still “travel from home” through virtual travel online, which will engage your sense of wonder and creativity. National parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite offer online virtual tours, as do the British Museum and the National Gallery of Art.

We never stop learning, do we? You may already think of the library as a place where you can access endless entertainment in the form of books, movies, magazines, and more. But did you know you can also benefit from a variety of invaluable learning opportunities?

Advance your abilities with LinkedIn Learning

Looking to bolster your tech skills or pursue a new pastime? As a Sno-Isle library card holder, you have access to several powerful online learning platforms. LinkedIn Learning at https://www.linkedin.com/learning-login/go/snoislelibraries offers relevant, up-to-date content taught by industry experts on a wide range of subjects from Microsoft Excel to learning graphic design.

Book a Librarian for one-on-one help

Whether you need help downloading eBooks, navigating online resources, or basic computer skills, we can help. With our Book-a-Librarian service at https://www.sno-isle.org/book-a-librarian/, you receive a personalized virtual or in-person session with a library professional. Learn how to:

• Create an email account

• Browse the library’s catalog

• Download eBooks and digital audiobooks

• Search the internet

• Use databases

Please make a gift or pledge today to support our work with aging seniors, adults with disabilities, and those who care for them. Ways to give:

Learn more about the impact of gifts to ISR: View our Impact Report.

Questions? Contact Charles LaFond, Development Director, phone 360-210-3011 or email charles@islandseniorservices.org.

Going on Medicare? Want to know more? Attend a free “Getting Ready for Medicare” seminar offered by SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) volunteers. Questions answered following the event.

Seminar covers:

When:

Pre-registration is required.

Individuals enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans on January 1st have the option of changing plans during the first quarter of the year. If you have an MA plan that you feel is not working for you, learn about the other plans available to Whidbey Island residents. 

Now beneficiaries can pay no more than $35 for each one-month supply of an insulin medication covered by their Medicare Part D plan. However, the cap only applies when the insulin is covered by the enrollee’s plan. Because this change was just announced late last year, the Medicare online search tool, Plan Finder, was not up-to-date during open enrollment. If you are in a plan that does not have the $35 cap, you can likely switch to a new plan without needing to wait until the next open enrollment period.

Now, there is $0 cost sharing and no deductibles for Part D-covered vaccines. This applies to vaccines, including the shingles vaccine, recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for adults.

Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), also known as Medicare Buy-In programs, help to reduce your Medicare costs if you have limited income. There are three main programs, each with different benefits and eligibility requirements. Effective January 1st, individuals with monthly incomes that do not exceed $1,549 or $2,080 if a couple, may qualify. There is no longer a restriction based on assets.  

Income limits for “Extra Help” with prescription costs are $1,719 for a single person, $2,309 for a couple. It is estimated that almost half of all Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for this assistance are not aware of the benefit and do not apply. We can help you to apply. If you qualify you will save money on your prescription costs.

Thursday, Feb 16th at 12:30pm, The Center at Oak Harbor.

Agenda:

This Island Senior Resources workshop will be presented via Zoom by Annette Barca who has been conducting pre-retirement seminars for 15 years.

When:

Pre-registration is required.

Ever since the start of COVID, ISR has recognized everyone’s need for connection, and we are working to create new opportunities.

Introducing MEETUP. MEETUP is a long-established social media platform for in-person and virtual activities for those 18 and over. You can meet people, make friends, find support, join a group, or find an event to attend.

To get started:

Are you looking for activities on a specific topic? From the MEETUP home page or the ISR Meet-up page, type in your interest in the top search bar, the location you’re curious about, and all the related activities appear.

To see what ISR has happening, you can go directly to ISR’s Meetup Community Events page at https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-sfmglimr/

or our Meetup Caregiver Support page at https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-xfbzpwwx/events/. 

You can create your own MEETUP events too. For example, are you planning an outdoor walk or starting a knitting circle? List it on MEETUP and encourage others to do the same. It’s such an easy way to bring connection back into your life.

For more information about any of our MEETUP events, call 360-321-1600, 360-678-3373, or 360-387-6201.

ISR's Oak Harbor office is located at 917 E Whidbey Ave, Oak Harbor. We are in a modular home nestled next to The Center in Oak Harbor. 

For current vaccine access information contact Island County Public Health’s recorded information line at 360-678-5111 ext. 6000 or reach their call center at 360-678-2301 M-F 8 am - 4:30 p.m.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide provides free tax preparation in different ways – in-person, low-contact, or contact-free – depending on what service is available in your area.  Click here to learn more.

Information on The Camano Center's programs and services can be found at: https://camanocenter.org/programs-services/

Explore activities, classes and more.

The ISR Facebook page is fun and informative.

Volunteering is highly satisfying, good for your health, connects you to others, and makes a huge difference in someone’s life. We have many volunteer opportunities available.

Are you looking for help? Not sure who to hire for odd jobs around the house? Or maybe you are in search of a caregiver who is the right fit for your family member and will provide you with some much-needed respite time. Our Private In-home Provider (PIP) directory might have just the person you need.

Island Senior Resources has free medical equipment lending libraries for medical equipment, assistive devices (wheelchairs, walkers, canes, etc.), and hygiene products/personal care items including disposable underwear, pads, wipes, bed pads, no water shampoo, body wash, and more.

Everyone is welcome to attend these free activities. Our professionally facilitated Support Groups meet regularly via Zoom and in-person.

Senior Thrift offers new and lightly used clothing, furniture, household goods, outdoor items, tools, crafts, books, jewelry, and children’s items. Visit our housewares department and year round Christmas room.

Island Senior Resources

Senior Thrift

Island Senior Resources

Phone 360-321-1600, 360-678-3373, 360-387-6201

Phone 360-321-1600, 360-678-3373, 360-387-6201 (press 6)