Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period is October 15 - December 7

 Medicare plans change each calendar year.  Your medication costs can increase significantly if your plan changes their drug list and pricing as of Jan 1.  Many people save hundreds and even thousands of dollars by switching plans, but most can only change during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period.   The Orange County Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) provides free and unbiased assistance.
 
Meet with a certified counselor for an Annual Medicare Review.   You can choose an in-person appointment at the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill or the Passmore Center in Hillsborough.  Or choose to schedule a Zoom video chat.  To schedule an appointment, visit our website at www.orangecountync.gov/ocncSHIIP or call 919-245-4274.

Dates: October 15 - December 7
Time: By Appointment
Location: Seymour Center, Passmore Center, or Video Call

Take a virtual tour of Sylvan Heights Bird Park

Meet 2,000 birds from around the world during a virtual tour of Sylvan Heights Bird Park, one of the country's largest avian conservation centers located in Scotland Neck, North Carolina. 

Get close (virtually!) to flamingos, parrots, waterfowl, cranes, and more.  Learn about endangered species; talk with conservation and education experts about Sylvan Heights Bird Park's efforts to conserve birds and their habitat. Tour is 1 hour, including a question and answer session.

Date: Monday, November 9
Time: 2-3 pm
Fee: $5 per person
Registration: Call 919-968-2070 or go online to register www.orangecountync.gov/aging. You’ll need an email address and web browser, such as Chrome or Firefox. We’ll send an online Zoom invitation after registering and paying.
Program Code: 343079-01

New to Medicare? Join our Welcome to Medicare Class

If you’re turning 65 soon, you’re probably being bombarded by mailings about Medicare.  This online class will provide valuable information whether you’re retiring soon, already retired or continuing to work.  You’ll learn how and when to enroll, potential penalties for late enrollment, Medicare’s costs, benefits and options. 

 
Date: Thursday, November 12
Time: 12:00 - 1:30pm

Date: Thursday December 10
Time: 6:00-7:30pm

To register, call 919-245-4274 and select option 2.  Leave us your name, phone and email address.  You’ll receive a confirmation email and a second email with a link to join our Zoom Meeting the day prior. 

Dementia - Let's Talk About It

Join OCDoA’s dementia care specialists for a conversation around topics related to dementia education, living with cognitive change, and being a dementia caregiver. We will provide 15-30 minutes of education at the start of the hour, and the remaining time will be spent in conversation, Q&A, and resource-sharing around the day’s topic. Grab your preferred morning beverage and join us! You may register for one or multiple sessions.

Topic: Holidays with Dementia
Date: Tuesday, November 17
Time: 10:15 - 11:15 am
Join: Contact Marie Dagger at 919-245-4279 or mdagger@orangecountync.gov. Link will be emailed ahead of class.

• Newsletter: Sign up for the COVID-19 newsletter from the Orange County Health Department.
• Text: To receive daily text updates, text ocnchealth to 888-777.
• Hotline: Questions about COVID-19? Call (919) 245-6111 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Spanish language and other languages available.
• Email: Email your questions to covid19@orangecountync.gov.

Announcing our New YouTube Channel

Prime Time Players: Zoom Theater Production
Suppressed Desires

Does your spouse or friend ever try to psychoanalyze you?  Do you ever consider your options? This play, presented by the Prime Time Players (PTP), takes place in 1915 with just this sort of dialogue going on between a woman, her husband and the woman’s sister.  It leads you through all of the machinations of intrigue that make your mind wonder if it’s ever going to end and what you can do about it. 
 
Suppressed Desires was originally produced by the Provincetown Players, New York City on July 15, 1915.  It was written by George Cram Cook and Susan Glaspell.
 
View Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgsSamJomko
 
If you’re already a PTP channel subscriber, use the link below to enjoy prior productions.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRc7Qk64jfIyHEntY6oyazg

CarFit Virtual Workshops

CarFit is an educational program that offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles "fit" them. Due to COVID-19, the CarFit program is hosting a series of Virtual Workshops to provide an in-depth look at several key aspects involved in getting a proper fit in your vehicle. Learn about what to look for when it comes to fit, the everyday household objects you can use to measure and make adjustments, and how this may keep you safer on the road. Register for a Virtual Workshop today!

Caregiver Supports

Support groups, educational programs, Memory Café, and Care Partner Collaborative have all gone online and most participants have been quick to adopt this new way to gather and stay connected.  See below for upcoming programs or flyer for all Fall 2020 Caregiver Programming.

For more caregiver resources, sign up for the monthly Community News for Caregivers e-newsletter.

Grocery Delivery Service

If you are in need of grocery delivery, or if you know an older adult who would benefit from this service, Volunteer Connect 55+ is now offering this resource.  To register for this program, complete the online request form or contact the Aging Helpline at 919-968-2087. 

This service is being offered to Orange County residents age 60 and over. Ordering requirements apply.

COVID-19 Volunteer Opportunities

Would you like to share your skills and gifts with older adults in Orange County?  Leaders from Orange County’s Department on Aging and UNC’s Partnerships in Aging are creating a list to match volunteers with the needs and changing circumstances of individuals and organizations that serve older adults. 

To volunteer, please add your name to the COVID-19 Volunteer list.