Saturday, September 5, 2015

New App for Florida Veterans


The Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs has launched a new app for veterans. This app is available for iPhones and for android devices. This FDVA app provides:
  • Links to claims, educational benefits, and health care
  • Locations for VA clinics, hospitals, and centers
  • Nursing home and assisted living information
  • Veterans' Administration News
  • Crisis contact information

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Upcoming Library Programs


Would you like to learn how to do how to knit, find new friends at a Senior Games program, or learn about living wills? These are just a few of the upcoming Pasco County library programs. The Friends of the Library sponsors our programs.  Here are some of the upcoming library programs for Older Adults in Pasco County:

Tues, September 1st at 12:00pm 
     Library Knitters 
     Hugh Embry Library
 People who enjoy working with yarn, here's your place to meet, share and enhance your knowledge! Bring a brown bag lunch, if you wish. This program is on the first and third Tuesdays of the month and runs for 90 minutes.

Hugh Embry Library
14215 Fourth Street, Dade City, FL 33523 
(352) 567-3576


Tuesdays at 4:45pm
Tuesday Night Stitchers
Hudson Regional Library  
This group instructs and shares ideas with knitters of all skill levels, beginning to advanced. New faces are always welcome. The group gathers at the tables near the New Books section.
Hudson Regional Library 
8012 Library Road, Hudson, FL 34667 
(727) 861-3040

Wed, September 2nd at 11:00am

Alzheimer's Association/ Caregiver's Support Group
Land O'Lakes Library

This meeting will inform the community about services and support available for patients with dementia.Land O'Lakes Library
2818 Collier Parkway, Land O'Lakes, FL 34639
(813) 929-1214


Wed, September 2nd at 2:00pm
Five Wishes Living Will Program
New River Library
Patricia Sutton, from the Gulfside Hospice and Pasco Palliative Care will present a program about living wills.
New River Library
34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375

 

Thurs, September 3rd at 10:00am
    Social Seniors
    Land O'Lakes Library 
Join our group of Social Seniors for coffee, cake, and conversation. Get involved at the library by offering programming suggestions. Or, take this time to meet new friends, discuss common interests, and engage in recreational activities. Occasional workshops on topics of interest may be scheduled.
Land O'Lakes Library
2818 Collier Parkway, Land O'Lakes, FL 34639
(813) 929-1214


Thursdays at 11:00am
SHINE Medicare Help
     New River Library
A SHINE volunteer (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders) will help people with their Medicare enrollment questions.
New River Library
34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375
 


Fridays at 11:00am      
Knitters for Charity       
Hudson Regional Library  
Join this fun group to knit and crochet for charity. They have donated over 14,000 items--hats, scarves, items for children, afghans, and more--to cancer patients, the needy, the homeless, and others. New faces are always welcome, and if you want to learn how to knit or crochet, they will teach you! 
Hudson Regional Library 
8012 Library Road, Hudson, FL 34667 
(727) 861-3040

Fri, September 4th at 11:00am
     Medicare 101
     New River Library
A representative from the Area Agency on Aging will be giving a presentation and Q and A session about Medicare

New River Library
34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375


Wed, September 9th at 2:00pm
    Senior Social
    New River Library
Adults, age 50 and above, can enjoy card games, board games, and Wii bowling. Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Library.

New River Library34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Avoiding Frauds and Scams


There are many criminals who use scams to defraud people. These scam artists can show up at your home, call your home, or contact you online. The Federal Trade Commission has a webpage with scam alerts, so that you can recognize new scams. Their most recent scam alert is "Scam-proof Your Doorstep", which discusses:
  • home repair scams
  • cable reconnect scams
  • utility cut-on scams
You can read all the scam alerts here.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Flood Update

The Pasco County Office of Emergency Management has been releasing daily updates about the flooding in Pasco County.
Governor Rick Scott signed a State Declaration of Emergency for Pasco County on Thursday afternoon. This declaration will provide additional State resources to be deployed in Pasco County. It is also one of the triggers to get Federal disaster assistance. Residents who have damage to their house as a result of flooding need to notify the County.
  • Call the Resident Information Center at (727) 847-2411, (352) 523-2411, (813) 996-2411 or
  • Go to the Pasco County web page and click on the Customer Service Center and then Submit A Request
 
The county has set up Community Support Stations to help residents. These Community Support Stations will be staffed 7:00am to 7:00pm to assist families with meals and water. Pasco County is also using high profile vehicles to assist families in need that do not have means of transportation to the Community Support Stations. The Community Support Stations are located at:
  • Jasmine Lakes: On Willow Drive between Mimosa Drive and Pineapple Lane Hudson
Meals provided by Red Cross at 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Magnolia Valley: Just north of 7113 Magnolia Valley Drive, New Port Richey
Meals provided by Salvation Army at 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Elfers: On SR 54 at Celtic Drive, New Port Richey
Meals and showers provided by Salvation Army at 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Bass Lake: At Bass Lake Dr at Wicker Lane, New Port Richey
Meals provided by Salvation Army at 11:00am – 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

You can read the full press release for today here. The most up-to-date press releases will be found on this page. You can also get answers to your questions by calling the Resident Information Center at (727) 847-2411, (352) 523-2411, or (813) 996-2411.

Monday, August 3, 2015

New Website for Older Adults

The Department of Health and Human Services has created a webpage with resources for older adults, called Aging.gov. This webpage has links to reliable information about:
  • Healthy aging
  • Elder justice
  • Retirement planning
  • Health issues
  • Long-term care
  • Age discrimination
It also provides a link to aging resources for each state. In Florida, our state agency is the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Pasco County Government App


Did you know that Pasco County now has its own app? This MyPascoApp is available for Apple, Android, and Blackberry mobile devices. You can find this app in the Apple store and the Google Play Store, by searching for "mypasco". Note that the Apple version of the app is labeled iphone only, but it does work on an Ipad.  This app provides lots of great information. Here are some of the app's features:
  • an interactive evacuation map
  • "Pasco View" section (a map for looking at property lines and flood zones)
  • Pasco County Announcements (with links to the Pasco Disaster Planning Guide)
  • a "How do I?" section with information about how to apply for a permit, business license, or library card, find a recycle site, register to vote, and more.
  • Park reservations
  • National Weather Service Alerts for Pasco County

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

You can Help to End Hunger in Pasco County!

Did you know that one in six seniors in Pasco County is hungry or food insecure? These seniors are considered the "hidden hungry" because they are homebound and so people do not know about them. "Feeding Pasco's Elderly" is a non-profit organization that helps raise awareness about these hungry seniors and raises funds for the Pasco County Elderly Nutrition Program. Here is a link to a news article about this organization.

Pasco County's Elderly Nutrition program is 35 years old and feeds 800 elderly people daily at their homes and at eight congregate dining centers around the county.  You can help by volunteering with "Feeding Pasco's Elderly", by donating money to this organization, or by attending their fund-raising events, such as the First Annual Ambassador’s Breakfast Fundraiser coming up on October 14th, 2015. You can find out more about this event on their website here

You can also volunteer to deliver food to the elderly by contacting the Pasco County Elderly Nutrition department at (727) 834-3287. Here is a video about the Elderly Nutrition program: