National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Tomorrow, April 26th, is "National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day". It is important to dispose of your prescription medications properly to protect the environment and human health. You can turn in your expired, or no longer needed, prescription drugs at a collection center from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday, April 26th. You can find your nearest collection center via this page.  

If you miss the collection tomorrow, you can still dispose of unwanted prescriptions using household disposal tips. You can learn the steps to dispose of unwanted prescriptions by reading this pdf : "How to Dispose of Medicines Properly".  

Older Adults and Technology Use

The Pew Research Center has just published a report called "Older Adults and Technology Use". This report is based on findings from a telephone survey of 6,224 people ages 16 and older living in the United States. The main findings from this report are:

• 59% of seniors (age 65 and above) go online - which is a 6% increase in one year.
• 47% say they have a high-speed broadband connection at home.
• 77% of older adults have a cell phone.
•  Among older adults who use the internet, 71% go online every day or almost every day.
• Among older adults who use the internet, 27% use social networking sites, such as Facebook.

You can read the full report here.

Retirement Resources

Do you need information to plan your retirement? The federal government has many resources that can help. First, there is the Retirement Toolkit from the  the Department of Labor, the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This toolkit has links to information about 401Ks, social security, and Medicare. 

The United States Department of Labor also has created a publication called "Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement". This publication provides a lot of good information, such as "Almost 20% of retiree income will be spent on healthcare". This publication also states that after age 50, you can begin making catch-up contributions to 401(k) and other retirement accounts.

In addition, the Social Security website has a Retirement Estimator, so that you can get a good idea of what your Social Security benefits will be when you retire. You can use this estimator if you have enough social security credits to qualify for Social Security (at least 40 credits), but you are not currently receiving Social Security benefits.

It is not too late to start saving for retirement. Here is a link to a helpful article from usa.gov, "Retirement Saving Strategies for Late Starters", which has good tips for retirement planning.

Upcoming Library Programs

Would you like to watch a great movie, play chess, or join a knitting group? 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:

Sat, Apr 12th and Sat Apr 26th at 2:00pm
    LOL Chess Club
    Land O'Lakes Library
Join us to play chess and learn the basics from our volunteer teacher. All ages and skill levels welcome. Bring your favorite chess set or use a library chess set.
Land O'Lakes Library
2818 Collier Parkway
Land O'Lakes, FL 34639
(813) 929-1214 

Tues, Apr 15th at 10:00am
  AARP Driver Safety
  New River Library
To register for this AARP class, you will need to call (813)907-3908.
New River Library
34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375

Tues, April 15th at 12:00pm
     Libary 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.
Hugh Embry Library14215 Fourth Street, Dade City, FL 33523 
(352) 567-3576

 Thurs, Apr 24th at 10:00am
    Senior Games
    Land O'Lakes Library
Join us for fun and games at the library. Meet new people while playing cards, board games, or challenging video games.
Land O'Lakes Library
2818 Collier Parkway
Land O'Lakes, FL 34639
(813) 929-1214 

Fri, Apr 25th at 2:00pm
    Senior Cinema and Popcorn
    Hugh Embry Library
 Seniors and adults, enjoy recently released movies with popcorn! Free thanks to Friends of Hugh Embry Library.
CALL 352-567-3576 for the movie title!
Hugh Embry Library
14215 Fourth Street, Dade City, FL 33523 
(352) 567-3576

Sat, Apr 26th 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

Also, many branches offer book discussions and technology programs (such as an introduction to windows 8, an introduction to ipad, and a tablet Q & A).

SHINE volunteers needed!

The State of Florida has a program called SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) that provides free counseling to Seniors about Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care planning, and prescription assistance. The program is administered at the county level through our local "Area Agency on Aging" (other states also have this program - either in their Department of Aging or in their Department of Insurance).
 
SHINE is an unbiased information and counseling program that trains volunteers to help older adults to get the information that they need to make informed decisions on health insurance issues. They provide information to elders, their caregivers, and their families. To receive Medicare counseling in Pasco County, you can call 1-800-963-5337. 

The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc. and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs are seeking volunteers for this program. They are offering professional, comprehensive training on the basics of Medicare in a three-day program to individuals interested in volunteering with the SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program. The next training will begin on April 22, 2014. Volunteering with SHINE will not only help you gain an understanding of the complex world of Medicare for yourself or your loved ones, but it will also empower you to help others in your community.  

If you are interested in becoming a SHINE volunteer in Pasco County, please call the local Elder Helpline at 1-800-96ELDER or call Susan Samson SHINE Liaison, at 727-570-9696 ext. 23.

The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco - Pinellas also provides many other services for seniors and caregivers. You can click on the picture below to access their website: