New Retirement Toolkit

The Department of Labor, the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have partnered to publish a "Retirement Toolkit". This toolkit includes both links to publications and to interactive tools which can help you plan your retirement. It includes a timeline for retirement, information to help you decide what age you want to retire, and information about how to avoid paying a Medicare Part D late enrollment penalty. 
Some of the links from this toolkit include:

• Taking the Mystery Out Of Retirement Planning (for people who are within 10 years of retirement)
• Estimate your retirement benefits
• Medicare & You
• Extra Help with the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan

These resources are also available in Spanish.You can read the entire Retirement Toolkit here.

Caregiver's Use of Technology

The PEW Research Center has just published a report, "Family Caregivers are Wired for Health", about how caregivers use the internet to get health information. Thirty-nine percent of Americans care for an adult or child with serious health issues. Seventy-two percent of these caregivers search online for health information. This report found that caregivers are more likely than other internet users to:

• Gather health information online, particularly about medical problems, treatments, and drugs.
• Go online specifically to try to figure out what condition they or someone else might have.
• Consult online reviews about drugs and other treatments.
• Go online to find others with similar health concerns.

You can access the complete report here.

The July/Aug Issue of the Elder Update is available

The Florida Department of Elder Affairs publishes a bimonthly newsletter, the "Elder Update", for Florida Seniors. The current issue includes articles about:

• Exploitation, Frauds, and Scams
• Mild cognitive Impairment - the mild memory loss problem
• Move it or Lose It (exercises for older adults to decrease their chance of falls)
• Medicare and Durable Equipment Changes
• Florida State Parks App

You can download the current issue here. Alternatively, you can sign up for a print subscription here.

Upcoming Library Programs for Older Adults

Would you like to learn about gardening, learn about local hospice options, or see a popular British TV series? These are just a few of the upcoming Pasco library programs. The Friends of the Library sponsors our programs.  Here are some of the upcoming library programs for Older Adults in Pasco County:

Fridays in July at 2:00pm
    Friday Flicks!
    South Holiday Library
Come for afternoon tea and join us each week as we follow the lives of an aristocratic family and their servants during the reign of King George V.
South Holiday Library
4649 Mile Stretch Drive 
Holiday, FL 34690 
(727) 834-3331

Sat, July 27th at 11:00am
     Sit-n-Knit            
     South Holiday Library
Join our knitting club for ALL AGES! No experience necessary. Supplies are provided for in-house use or bring your own project.
South Holiday Library
4649 Mile Stretch Drive 
Holiday, FL 34690 
(727) 834-3331

Thurs, July 30th at 2:00pm
     Hospice Information Session
     New River Library
 The Gulfside Regional Hospice will be providing a free informational session on the different levels of hospice care available to residents.
New River Library
34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375

Tues, Aug 6th at 6:30pm
    Gardening Program
     Hudson Regional Library
The Pasco County Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners provide program on gardening topics. Please contact Hudson Library for more information.
Hudson Regional Library
8012 Library Road, Hudson, FL 34667
(727) 861-3040

Also, many branches offer book discussions.