NEWBURY Council On Aging
Est. 1976
F. Ryeburn Lynch Senior Center
email: newburycoa@hotmail.com
Newbury Elementary School
Office hours: Monday – Thursday
63 Hanover Street, Newbury, MA 01951
9 am-3 pm
978-462-8114
www.townofnewbury.org SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
MISSION STATEMENT
The Newbury Council on Aging will identify, develop, implement, and advocate for programs and services designed
to enhance the quality of life and independence of elders in the community and will assist all people with
questions relating to aging issues.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER DATES
A note on Newbury C.O.A. trips: because town taxpayer money with additional help
from the Friends of the C.O.A. (and for the Gardner Museum trip, the Newbury Cultural
Council) subsidizes our trips, Newbury residents will always be given priority for
reservations. If there are seats remaining a day or two before a scheduled event,
residents from neighboring towns will be welcomed. A Wait List will be kept.
September 3 is Labor Day and the Senior Center is closed. No Meals on Wheels will be
delivered. School starts September 4
September 12 join us for the first of many Movie Afternoons at the Senior
Center. First up is the much awarded Secretariat about the legendary long shot race
horse. Come enjoy our new chairs. We'll make the popcorn!
September 19 our monthly luncheon will feature Guest Chef Joyce Davis who will
prepare her famous ham and beans served with hot dogs, Cole slaw, corn muffins, and
several different desserts. Since it is dark by suppertime and many do not like to drive
at night, we are trying this as a luncheon ~ come hungry! Cost is $5 and reservations
are required.
September 22 at 10:49AM is the Autumnal Equinox, the earliest start of fall since
1896. Equal amounts of daylight and darkness.
September 25 "September's Spell", part of Music at Eden's Edge 2012 Concert
Series, is titled Flute and Strings Weave Magic for Summer's End. Join us for this free
concert at the Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church in Danvers. We will leave at
1:00 for the 2:00 performance. $5 for transportation.
September 29 we “fall back” and say goodbye to Daylight Savings Time. This is the
semi-annual event that reminds us to update our Files of Life. The 29th is also the full
Harvest Moon (the full moon that occurs closest to the equinox).
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We are planning an October luncheon at Whittier's wonderful Poet's Inn, but must
await the return of school officials to set a date. Check with the Senior Center if you
would like to be on the van.
October 8 Columbus Day is observed and Town Offices are closed. No Meals on
Wheels will be delivered.
October 8 and 9 is the Fall Harvest Festival in downtown Newburyport from 10:00 to
5:00 including food from some of the best local restaurants.
October 10 a hearing specialist from Miracle Ear will be at the Senior Center from
12:00 to 2:00 to conduct free hearing tests and to adjust hearing aides if necessary.
This can become an ongoing monthly service if interest dictates. Call to let us know if
you are coming.
October 11 Barbara takes the van to York, Maine, for a tour and shopping spree (it's
never too early to think about the holidays) at the Stonewall Kitchen Store with
lunch at the Stonewall Cafe. Call the Senior Center to reserve a spot.
October 16 the Guest Chef spot will once again be taken by the fabulous cooks of
the Democratic Town Committee led by C.O.A. Board Member LuAnn Kuder. We do not
yet know the menu, but this group has never disappointed! Reservations needed.
October 17 is Movie Afternoon, this month featuring the much acclaimed current hit
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel with a legendary cast in a wonderful comedy about a
bunch of British retirees seeking a less expensive retirement alternative in India. No
reservations required.
October 21 and 22 Maudslay is Haunted, Theater in the Open’s annual haunting. Set
your own pace on a marked trail. 2:00 to 4:00. $5.
October 22 Barbara and the van go shopping at Walmart followed by lunch at
Applebee's. Reservations necessary.
October 25 at noon is the annual NEET Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon by
invitation only at DiBurro's in Haverhill. The Northern Essex Elder Transportation
drivers provide a vital service by transporting local elders to medical appointments.
Please consider joining this dedicated group (call the C.O.A. Office). Thank you NEET
volunteers!
October 31 is Halloween.
An appreciation luncheon was held on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at the Greater
Lawrence Vocational Technical School sponsored by the Merrimack Valley Nutrition
Program for the Meals on Wheels Drivers. The COA would like to take this opportunity
to thank the drivers for their dedicated service and commitment to the elders in the
community. You truly make a difference in their lives.
Coming in November (dates and details next month):
• The Annual Flu Clinic.
• Festival of Lights in Methuen ~ hundreds of trees decorated with individual themes.
Some walking is required. Supper somewhere.
• Suffer from "nature deficit disorder?" Alix McArdle is completing the year long Master
Naturalist docent training program at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
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and will lead a group on a ride of the 6½ mile Refuge road, looking for fall
migrant birds, talking a little about the rich history of the Refuge, and walking up
the short Lot 7 boardwalk to the beachfront near Emerson's Rocks. Details next
month.
• Plans are underway to partner with Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley in their
Healthy Living Programs featuring workshops on balance, diabetes selfmanagement, The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, chronic disease selfmanagement, tools for caregivers, and more.
Two notes:
• The Senior Center has more hearing aide batteries available: size 13 and size 312.
Free if you need them.
• Barbara is still collecting used cell phones; when she has enough, the C.O.A. receives
refurbished ones that will make 911 calls and are available to you free.
"Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some
schools they have abolished failing grades; they will give you as many times as you
want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to anything in
real life." Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft
Fuel Assistance Applications will be available this month. Community Action in
Haverhill will soon be accepting applications from new clients (previous recipients will
receive their application by mail). The program begins November 1. Because C.A. can
complete your application on their computer, the easiest way to apply is to call them
directly at 1.978.373.1971. Call the C.O.A. Office if you have any questions. The
amount of assistance you will receive is based on your income, but for 2013 you may
earn up to $31,271 (single member household; $40,893 for married) to qualify for some
aid. The amount you receive will be prorated according to your income
The National Cancer Institute ranks age as the #1 risk factor for breast cancer.
Age
Number of women who will get breast cancer
20 – 30
1 in 2000
30 – 40
1 in 250
40 – 50
1 in 67
50 – 60
1 in 35
60 – 70
1 in 28
October is breast cancer awareness month. Early detection is the best protection.
Have health tests and screenings on time and encourage those you love to do the
same. The older we get, the more the odds are against us. Mammograms are no fun,
but they can make a world of difference. Medicare covers an annual mammogram.
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Benefits Check Up ~ this computer program from the National Association of Councils
on Aging allows you to check out federal and state benefits you may be eligible to
receive. Go to www.benefitscheckup.org to complete the questionnaire and get a list of
benefits (based on your income and other relevant information you supply). If you
would like assistance with this from the C.O.A. Outreach Worker, call the Senior Center
for a confidential appointment.
The Mass.gov website has a new Virtual Gateway Screening Service, a quick and
easy way for people who live in Massachusetts to find out if they might be able to get:
• Help with health care or health insurance
• Help getting food
• Special tax credits
• Money to help pay for bills or other needs
You need to be willing to disclose income, expenses, and resources (assets including
bank accounts and investments) for everyone living in your home; have those figures
ready before you start. mass.gov/vg/selfservice.
Extra Help is a program administered by Social Security that may help pay for your
prescription drug coverage costs. Your annual income must be less that $16,755
($22,695 for married and living together). Your resources should not total more than
$13,070 ($26,120 for married). Certain things that you own such as your home, car, life
insurance, and up to $1500 in burial expenses do not count. Visit
www.socialsecurity.gov/i1020 to apply on line or call 1.800.772.1213 (be patient as this
number is often busy; once on hold, stay there for assistance).
Another reminder on MassHealth Buy-In: if your monthly income (before taxes and
deductions) is below $1277 and your cash assets (bank accounts, stocks, bonds, or a
second car) are below $6940, then MassHealth Buy-In will pay all of your Part B
Premium (currently $99.90 monthly and deducted from your Social Security check); for
couples the numbers are $1723 and $10,410 in cash assets and both your Part Bs will
be paid. The application process is not complicated for MassHealth Buy-In.
An Overnight Frost will not likely hurt any of your plants; a Light Freeze (29 to 32
degrees) will kill tender plants but will have little destruction to other vegetation. A
Moderate Freeze (25 to 28 degrees) will produce wide destruction to most vegetation
with heavy damage to fruit blossoms and semi-hardy plants. A Severe or Hard Freeze
(24 degrees or colder) will result in heavy damage to nearly all plants.
Please remember that the Handicapped Only Spaces in the Senior Center Parking
Lot are for all the people who come to the Newbury Elementary School, not just for
visitors to the Senior Center. These are the only two Handicapped Spaces on the school
property and we share them with the families of handicapped students.
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Safe Nighttime Driving
Seniors are especially at risk for problems with nighttime driving as aging affects ability
to focus and reduces depth perception and reaction times. A fifty year old driver needs
twice as much light to see as a thirty year old. As we head into the darker time of year,
here are some tips to help you stay safer while driving at night.
• Keep windshield (inside and out) and head and tail lights clean.
• Make sure headlights are properly aimed.
• Reduce speed and increase following distance.
• Do you know you can overdrive your headlights by going too fast on an unlit road?
• Pull over and let a tailgater pass you to get rid of the glare in the mirror.
• Get your eyes examined yearly (cataracts can greatly effect nighttime driving) and
ask your eye doctor about anti-glare coatings for your glasses.
• Most of all be smart. If you do not see well driving in the dark, then don't do it.
Here is the list of Community Meals available to all area residents:
Monday
11:00-1:00
Greek Church
5:30-6:30
St. Paul’s
Tuesday
11:30-1:00
St. Paul’s
5:00-6:00
Immaculate Conception
Wednesday
11:15-12:30
Salvation Army
4:00-6:00
Our Neighbor’s Table
145 Main Street in Amesbury
Thursday
5:00-6:00
Salvation Army
Friday
11:30-1:00
St. Paul’s
The Byfield Methodist church hosts suppers on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays
alternating between the Byfield elderly housing sites: Oak Ridge at 84 Main Street and
Quaker Hill at 155 Main Street. All are welcomed! The church also hosts a food pantry
that is open every Thursday between 4 pm and 6:30 pm. A collection box for food drop
off is located in the COA. Currently the food pantry is in need of cereal, peanut butter,
jelly, tuna, juice, gatorade and shelf stable microwave meals (Hormel). Please help out
if you can. You may also drop off dog or cat food for our Elder Pet fund donation
program with the Animal Control Officer.
Once a month Central Congregational Church in Newburyport puts on a huge home
delivered supper; call them for details.
We know we do not want to lose our wallet or purse, but if we do, what comes first
and how fast do we need to act? Act immediately and do these things first:
• Cancel all credit cards. The key here is to have those toll free numbers that are on
the back of the card in a place where you can find them easily. Write them down on
your bill paying folder or make a copy of the back of the card.
• File a police report in the jurisdiction where the wallet was lost or stolen.
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• Call the three national credit reporting organizations to place a fraud alert on your
name and Social Security number. If an application for credit is made over the phone
or internet, the alert signals a problem and you are notified. The three national credit
reporting organizations are: Equifax 1.800.525.6285, Experian 1.800.301.7195, and
Trans Union 1.800.680.7289.
Social Security Administration also has a fraud line at 1.800.269.0271.
Do not forget these important Open Enrollment dates! This will be your only chance
this year to make a change in provider for your Medicare D Plan.
Medicare D Open Enrollment begins October 15 and ends December 7 for a
January 1, 2013 start date. Same dates for Medicare Advantage Plans
Prescription Advantage is the state prescription drug assistance program for elders and
people with disabilities. It supplements your Medicare D benefit by helping to pay your
prescription costs when you reach the "donut hole." There is no monthly premium; the
benefit amount is based on your income. If you have not investigated P.A., do one of
three things:
• Call them at 1.800.AGE INFO (1.800.243.4636).
• Visit www.800ageinfo.com.
• Call the C.O.A. for an appointment with the S.H.I.N.E. counselor.
Although the cost of Ring and Ride has doubled (from $2 for a round trip to $2 each
way) in an effort to rein in the huge deficit in the MTA budget, destinations for Newbury
residents have greatly expanded and you can now go anywhere in Amesbury, Boxford,
Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen, Newburyport, North Andover,
West Newbury, and to the Rowley train station and the Rowley Market Basket. Still a
bargain at $2 each way. Call at least twenty-four hours in advance of service (and up
to two weeks). 1.978.469.6878. Need more information on Ring and Ride? The C.O.A.
has brochures.
Thanks again to the Newbury Cultural Council for a grant that made possible our
June trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Thirty-five of us enjoyed a
comfortable air conditioned ride to one of the world's great museums in Boston. It was
a wonderful day.
The Council on Aging Board and the Staff of the COA would like to thank the Friends of
the COA for their efforts in raising a few thousand dollars at the 3rd annual “Go for the
Gold” Golf Event. This money will help with the cost to fuel and maintain the van as
well as supplement programs offered at the Senior Center. Remember your $15.00
annual membership dues go a long way in supplementing the COA budget through the
Friends.
We are in need of NEET drivers. If you would like to help drive a senior to and from
their medical appointments any day or time, it would be greatly appreciated. Contact
Gail Kehoe at 978.462.8114.
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We Thank You:
Nat Beattie, Ed Carpenter, Marge Emerson, Lorraine Leary, Gretel Miller, Gloria O’Connell,
Russ Peirce and Marcia Pike, and Pamela Smith for your generous donations. A big thanks to our
Guest Chefs: July luncheon – Joe Murphy and his helpers, Doreen Cote and Taylor Lattime.
August luncheon – Martie Joe, Gail Kehoe, Lorraine Leary, Alix McArdle, Nina Meader,
MaryAnn Munroe, Barbara Murray and Barbara Provencher. They all did a terrific job!
Also, thanks to Alix McArdle and Martie Joe for hosting the Father’s Day Breakfast in June.
Everything was delicious!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL VOLUNTEERS BORN IN SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER
Sept. 1
Sept. 4
Sept. 9
Sept. 11
Sept. 13
Sept. 16
Sept. 22
Sept. 23
Sept. 27
Sept. 29
Gail Emerson
Priscilla Leonard
Betty Long
Geraldine Dorr, Patty Keys
Susan Johnson
Helen Dolberg
Francis Webb
Carol Barron
Eloise Schoeppner
Nina Meader
Oct. 2
Oct. 4
Oct. 8
Oct. 11
Oct. 21
Oct. 23
Connie Rowe
Richard Booth
Virginia Lowell
Ann Hickey
Kate Benashski
Christine Bourassa
Birthday Bingo: Come celebrate your birthday with us and enjoy cake and ice cream on the
second Thursday of each month and stay for Bingo!
VOLUNTEER INFO:
NEET Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon
On Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 12:00 noon, the Annual NEET Volunteer Driver Appreciation
Luncheon will be held at DiBurro’s Function Facility in Ward Hill (Haverhill). NEET (Northern
Essex Elder Transport) drivers donate their time to transport elders, who have no other means of
transportation, to medical appointments.
Guest Chefs: We are looking for people to plan and prepare a luncheon for up to 30 people.
There are funds to cover the expenses, and a great crew of Kitchen Helpers to lend a hand. Call
us if you’d like to prepare a lunch here at the Senior Center. If interested, call Barbara at 978462-8114. Kitchen Helpers: We are always looking for Kitchen Helpers to help out with our
monthly luncheons and other events. The food is plated in the kitchen and then served. There is
some preparation before the lunch and clean-up afterwards. If you are interested, please call Gail
at 978-462-8114.
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PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
COUNCIL ON AGING
PERMIT # 74
Newburyport
MA 01950
63 Hanover Street
Newbury, MA 01951
Return Service Requested
COUNCIL ON AGING
NEWBURYPORT
MA 01950
Eugene Smith……………Chairman
LuAnn Kuder……………..Vice Chairman
Geri Dorr
Jean Doyle
Richard Joy Joe Lojek
Evelyn Noyes Russell Peirce
Martie Joe…………Director
Gail Kehoe…….Coordinator of Volunteers
Lorraine Leary….Outreach/Nurse
Alix McArdle……Outreach Worker
MaryAnn Munroe….Office Assistant
Barbara Murray….Van Driver
Barbara Provencher….Program Coordinator
The printing of this newsletter is prepared by Phoenix Printing in Groveland and is paid for by the Friends of the Newbury COA. The
distribution is made possible by a grant from the Executive Office of Elder affairs.
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