Elder Options: fall prevention; conferences; Medicare Open Enrollment begins Oct. 15
SEPTEMBER, 2024
SHINE Virtual “Medicare” Classes
Hosted by the Florida SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Team. If you have questions, email: shine@agingresources.org or call (352) 692-5209.
Medicare Basics - Monday, September 16, 2024, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Register 24-hours hours in advance:
https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqcuCtrzIoHdaTVPeL0BCXoTeNEbiJLjwD
Medicare Part C - Monday, September 16, 2024, 12:00 - 1:30 pm
Register 24-hours hours in advance:
https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ude6uqDssEte5aaevhx44hbIAzsAOc3MI
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - Monday, September 16, 2024, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Register 24-hours hours in advance:
https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kcemqrj0sH9G-_5MjPp5_Kai2v8St3IL8
Long-Term Care Planning - Thursday, September 26, 2024, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Register 24-hours hours in advance:
https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAof-2sqjotGtEJyOwYa-7OtkowkAv1PPHY
Navigating Medicare.gov - Thursday, September 26, 2024, 12:00 - 1:30 pm
Register 24-hours hours in advance:
https://agingresources-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqfuutqjMpH9Vlz643snRNZlfWu01aMZ
September is Falls Prevention Month
Elder Options is committed to empowering all older adults in North Central Florida to reduce their risk of falls. Every September, we partner with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) to mark Falls Prevention Awareness Week. To learn your risk for falls, take this quick quiz: Falls Free Checkup at https://www.ncoa.org/tools/falls-free-checkup.
IN-PERSON
Thursday, September 5, 2024, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Falls Free Lunch and Learn
One Health Center
1714 SW 17th Street, Ocala, Florida 34471
Join Elder Options and One Health Center on September 5 for a Falls- Free Education Seminar. Guests will engage with our expert panelists, Segismundo Pares, M.D. and Amy O’Brien, Injury Prevention Coordinator, HCA Ocala Hospital. on topics relating to falls prevention and SLIPS. The event will conclude with a Question & Answer segment. Contact Brenda Williams by phone at (352) 812-2059 to register.
IN-PERSON
Tuesday, September 17, 2024,
Fall Proof Your Life Safety Expo
Senior Recreation Center
5701 NW 34th Blvd., Gainesville, Florida 32653, 2:00 - 4:30 pm
Fall Prevention Event with UF Trauma Team at Elder Care of Alachua
The Falls Prevention event in Alachua will be hosting at ElderCare of Alachua County. The presentation will include the UF Trauma Department, impairment goggles, interactive booths and much more! To learn more about the fall prevention activities, contact Wendy Bonilla by email at at bonillaw@agingresources.org or by phone at 1-800-262-2243
IN-PERSON
Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Say Farewell to Falls Luncheon
HCA West Marion Hospital, Medical Office Building
4600 SW 46th Ct., Ocala, Florida 34474
Speakers from trauma, pharmacy, primary care, physical therapy, occupational therapy and injury prevention will provide mini-workshops to educate you on easy things you can do to reduce your fall risk. Free fall assessments and raffles during the day. To sign up for this or any of the free workshops, visit www.hcafloridahealthcare.com/locations/west-marion-hospital and click on Classes and Events.
IN-PERSON
Wednesday, September 25, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Safety Workshop
Ocala Police Department, Community Room
402 South Pine Avenue Ocala, F 34471
Join us for a Scam Prevention presentation, that includes insights from the Ocala Co-Responder team, Guardianship programs and more! to sign up, visit this registration page: Elder Abuse Awareness Workshop at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/safety-workshop-for-elder-awareness-tickets-980064598597?aff=affiliate1.
IN-PERSON
Friday, September 27, 2024, 10:30 am - 1:00 pm
Elder Law Panel
Dunnellon Public Library, 20351 Robinson Rd., Dunnellon, Florida 34431
For more information contact caregiversupport@agingresources.org. To register, visit https://agingresources.org/event/elder-law-panel-dunnellon and click on Dunnellon Law Panel.
On Friday, August 23, 2024, 45 seniors and caregivers gathered at the Alachua County Headquarters Library to hear from our panel of Elder Law Attorneys on topics that included Legal Capacity and Decision Making, Designation of Healthcare Status, Living Wills, Medicaid Qualification, Healthcare Advocacy, and more. The three attorneys who joined the August Elder Law Panel were Minerva Santiago with Legally Remote, Steven McDaniels with Three Rivers Legal Services, and Shannon Miller with The Miller Elder Law Firm.
OCTOBER, 2024
Medicare Open Enrollment Begins October 15, 2024
Learn about Medicare Open Enrollment here: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/get-more-coverage/joining-a-plan.
NOVEMBER, 2024
November is National Family Caregiver Month
Join us during November to learn more about the innovations and advancements in dementia care and caregiving at three free in-person Caregiver Conferences. For more information about the events listed below, call us at 1-800-262-2243 or email caregiversupport@agingresources.org.
Friday, November 8, 2024, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Santa Fe College Blount Center, 530 W University Ave, Gainesville, Florida 32601
Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Fairway Christian Church, 251 Avenida Los Angelos, The Villages, Florida 32162
Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
One Health Center, 1714 SW 17th Street, Ocala, Florida 34471
Find a Class or Workshop near you!
To find a class or workshop near you visit https://agingresources.org/events/.
Elder Options sponsored articles win state prize!
Congratulations Mainstreet Gainesville and Ronnie Lovler! The Florida Council on Aging recognized the Aging Matters series for a “Senior Vision Media Award.” Elder Options sponsors these articles to highlight the aging journey! To learn more about the award, and catch up on the latest, visit the Main Street website at
https://www.mainstreetdailynews.com/business/florida-council-aging-recognizes-lovler.
Special Needs Registry
The Special Needs Registry is available to all Floridians who may need assistance during an evacuation. Register at https://snr.flhealthresponse.com/ or call 1-800-262-2243 for more information.
Advocating for you!
Recently, CEO Katina Mustipher visited Rep. Gus Bilirakis in Tampa to explore ways to better support seniors in Hernando and Citrus counties. Katina emphasized the critical need for expanded senior services in those areas. We are enthusiastic about the potential to strengthen our partnership with federal and local leaders to continue addressing these needs and improve the quality of life for seniors in our service area.
Dementia Care and Cure Initiative: Special Needs Sheltering
The Dementia Care and Cure Initiative (DCCI) engages communities across Florida to be more dementia caring, promote better care for Floridians affected by dementia, and support research efforts to find a cure. Being a dementia-caring community means there are services and supports in place to make that community hospitable to someone living with dementia, their caregivers, families, and loved ones
Tiffany Rizzo, Special Needs Shelter Consultant for Region 3, will be presenting at the next Dementia Care & Cure Initiative Meeting! She will discuss all you need to know about special needs sheltering for those with dementia this hurricane season. To attend this FREE presentation, please register at https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvc--uqT8jH9YCFny94MDkemVo6YfOrLZK#/registration
to attend the DCCI Task Force Special Needs Shelter Public Presentation on one of the following dates:
Public Presentations
Sep 17, 2024, 2:00 pm ET
Dec 17, 2024, 2:00 pm ET
Mar 18, 2025, 2:00 pm ET
Jun 17, 2025, 2:00 pm ET
Sep 16, 2025, 2:00 pm ET
Dec 16, 2025, 2:00 pm ET
Receive the Elder Options Newsletter
Sign up for the Elder Options Newsletter here:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/hBTH05S/elderoptions?source_id=08b07883-24ca-4061-b5f0-3d4fc6f8095f&source_type=em&c=WbWzXtMKjJzA9a4ubAqeSt_K7vEyVBcNw8V9XA-8224EzxRryrLaJA==.
Contact Elder Options
Elder Options phone: 1-800-262-2243
Elder Options office location:
100 SW 75th Street
Suite 301
Gainesville, Florida 32607