Elder Options - Nov. 2023: Medicare Open Enrollment continues, FREE Caregiving Conferences, classes, tips and more!
November 2023 - National Family Caregivers Month
Friday, November 10, 2023 - Elder Options Office Closed
for Veterans Day - Saturday, November 11, 2023
Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24, 2023 - Elder Options Office Closed
for Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 23, 2023
ONLINE
SHINE Medicare Monthly Classes for November, 2023:
November 6, 8, and 16, 2023 (online) - Register 24 Hours in Advance
SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) will be hosting LIVE online Zoom classes, hosted by the PSA3 SHINE Team, for anyone interested in learning more about Medicare, Medicare Financial Assistance and the latest in Scams! You can join via computer or by phone! Please register for the classes 24 hours in advance of the class. If you have questions about these classes, please email shine@agingresources.org or call 1 (352) 692-5209. For additional assistance, call your local Elder Helpline at 1-800-262-2243 or visit www.agingresources.org. To become a SHINE volunteer, visit www.floridashine.org.
VIRTUAL “MEDICARE” CLASS SCHEDULE
Medicare Part C - Monday, November 6, 2023, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Register in advance: https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAucemoqzMiHtBvf6_qO2CQEVe7XXyWVnE
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - Monday November 6, 2023, 12:30 - 1:30 pm
Register in advance: https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qcuCvrTwqHdTA2p04Jx7na4dUwskgsBiX
Navigating Medicare.gov - Monday, November 6, 2023 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Register in advance: https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItcO-grjMuHdAhYZMJmRHHIzYw3-1_hYR6
Medicare Basics - Wednesday, November 8, 2023, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Register in advance: https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpf-urqT4vG9QNumetdmg15IP1yTG-w4cT
Long Term Care Planning - Thursday, November 16, 2023, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Register in advance: https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvc-mqqzooG91Md05uQPxnGIzv-6Fcdia7
Medicare 101, Spanish Version - Jueves 16 de Noviembre, de 2023, 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Registrarse con antelación: https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZclcO-hqzwiHtUqSagSYtmHoaq7_4zEuPo_
IN-PERSON
November 8, 2023, 9:30 am - 2:00 pm: Gainesville Caregiver Conference
Location: The Villages at Gainesville, 8000 NW 27 Blvd., Gainesville, Florida 32606
November is National Family Caregivers Month. For information about this conference, please contact the Caregiver Support Team by phone at 352-692-5233 or by email at caregiversupport@agingresources.org.
HOLIDAY
Veterans Day - Saturday, November 11, 2023
Veterans Day is a holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars. The staff of Elder Options extend their deepest gratitude to the veterans service to America on Veterans Day and always
For more information about the National Veterans Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and designated regional sites visit: https://department.va.gov/veterans-day/.
ONLINE
Elder Abuse Neglect and Exploitation Training: November 14, 2023, 10:00 am
Are you a Professional or Direct Service Provider who works directly with the senior population? This training may be for you! Our Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Training is provided virtually every month, on the second Tuesday of every month, from 10:00 an to 11:15 am. Certificates are provided. REGISTER for any of the monthly trainings at this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvcuqorT8oGtIT7zQFNmPyxqbOnzM9GfTC#/registration.
IN-PERSON
November 15, 2023, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm: Ocala Caregiver Conference
Location: One Health Center, SW 17th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34471
November is National Family Caregivers Month. For information about this conference, please contact the Caregiver Support Team by phone at 352-692-5233 or by email at caregiversupport@agingresources.org.
ONCE YEARLY - NOW IS THE TIME - Through December 7, 2023
(Started October 15, 2023)
Medicare Open Enrollment - Evaluate Your Medicare Benefits
Free, local service helps in reviewing your Medicare plan options for 2024
Did you know that those with Medicare health and drug plans can make changes each year - things like cost, coverage, drug formularies, and which providers and pharmacies are in their networks? If you have been waiting to make changes to your Medicare Prescription Drug or Medicare Advantage plan, wait no more! The Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is the time to review and make any necessary changes for the upcoming year.
To receive help from SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), individuals may call to schedule appointments at designated SHINE counseling sites, attend enrollment events in their local communities, or arrange to speak with a trained SHINE counselor at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337). For a listing of SHINE counseling sites and enrollment events, please visit www.floridashine.org.
To join a Medicare health plan, in general, you must:
Have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance).
Live in the service area of the plan you want to join.
Be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present in the U.S.
Have your Medicare Number and your Part A and/or Part B coverage start dates. This information can be found on your Medicare card.
You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or Medicare drug plan (Part D) only during the Open Enrollment Period, during October 15 through December 7, 2023. To learn more, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227); TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048 or visit https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/get-more-coverage/joining-a-plan.
Elder Options Events Page
Find a Class or Workshop near you here: https://agingresources.org/events/.
Information About Flu Vaccines
Protect yourself and loved ones this flu season by getting the flu vaccine. For more information on flu vaccines visit: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2023-2024.htm.
Elder Options Needs Home Improvement Contractors in its 16-County Area
Elder Options is seeking licensed and insured contractors in our 16 county area to complete home improvement tasks. Our 16-county area of service includes the following counties: Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Sumter, Suwannee, and Union counties. For more information call Lisa at 352-378-6649, extension 2148, or email kanarekl@agingresources.org.
BANK SCAM INFORMATION
Bank Impersonation Is the Most Common Text Scam - Aging Resources
It can be hard to tell whether you're being contacted by your bank or a criminal. If you have signed up for text notifications from your bank, it's easy to mistake the scam texts for legitimate bank alerts. After all - as we all know - fraud is rampant.
“People are accustomed to getting texts from banks to prevent fraud,” notes Emma Fletcher, a senior data researcher in the Division of Consumer Response and Operations for the FTC. “There’s a certain irony that scammers are now using this to perpetrate fraud.”
How bank impersonation scams work
Bank-impersonation scammers pretend to be security departments at banks, and send out text messages, emails and robocalls that supposedly warn people of unusual, possibly fraudulent activity that requires immediate action. In reality, they’re trying to get people to provide account numbers and login information, or to transfer their funds for safekeeping into accounts controlled by the criminals. In the process, they also may steal a person's personal information, which can be used to commit identity fraud.
Some fake bank notification texts warn that an account has been locked, while others ask the target to verify a large purchase that supposedly has been made at a store. “If they reply ‘no,’ which many people might do reflexively, they’ll get a call from someone claiming to be the bank,” Fletcher says.
How to protect yourself against bank text scams
Some tips from the American Bankers Association and other sources include:
Never click on links on texts or emails in a text or email notification. Instead, go to the bank’s website (even if you’ve signed up for text alerts). Use the URL listed on your statements or that you’ve previously bookmarked, and check for any alerts on your account.
If you get a robocall or call from someone claiming to be from your bank, hang up. Then contact your bank in a way you know to be legitimate, either online or by calling the phone number on your statement or debit card.
Never provide account data or personal info. As ABA’s Banksneveraskthat.com website explains, “our bank will never ask for your PIN, password, or one-time login code in a text message. If you receive a text message asking for personal information, it’s a scam.”
Don’t rely on caller ID. Scammers can use technological tricks to display actual bank phone numbers or even the name of the bank.
Be wary of a message or caller insisting that you take immediate action. Scammers try to put you under pressure to act quickly, to make it more difficult for you to think clearly.
When in doubt, seek assistance. If you’re unsure what to do in response to what appears to be an alert from your bank, stop and ask a trusted person — a friend, family member or coworker — to help you.
Reporting bank impersonation scams
If you experience a bank impersonation attempt, notify your financial institution of the occurrence. Include a screenshot of the text. If you lose money to this scam, contact your bank immediately — they may be able to halt the transaction.
File a police report. The documentation may be of value if there is some means of recouping your loss; for example, some home insurance providers offer fraud loss protection.
File reports with the federal government. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center use fraud reports to target their investigations; the more information they have, the better they can identify patterns, link cases and ultimately catch the criminals. Contact the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI at IC3.gov.
By Patrick J. Kiger, AARP https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2023/bank-impersonation-fake-text-messages-emails-calls.html?intcmp=AE-FRDSC-MOR-R2-POS3
ELDER OPTIONS OFFICE CLOSURE - FOR DECEMBER HOLIDAYS:
Friday, December 22 and Monday, December 25, 2023
The Elder Options office will be closed for a long weekend to observe the Christmas holiday, from Friday, December 22, through Monday, December 25, 2023.
Sign up for the Elder Options Monthly Newsletter:
Sign up for the Elder Options monthly newesletter here:
https://agingresources.org/news/.
About Elder Options
The Mid-Florida Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (d/b/a Elder Options) was established in 1977 as a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Elder Options is the state-designated area agency on aging (AAA), Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC), and Helpline (1-800-262-2243).
The agency is charged with administering state and federal grant-funded programs and providing direct services to benefit elders, people with disabilities, and their informal caregivers in a 16-county Planning and Service Area (PSA) in North Central Florida, which includes: Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Sumter, Suwannee, and Union counties.
Office Location:
100 SW 75th Street
Suite 301
Gainesville, Florida 32607
Phone Number (Elder Helpline): 1-800-262-2243
Website: https://agingresources.org/
Email: Options@AgingResources.org