Welcome to The Senior Bulletin, your weekly update for older adults in Central Massachusetts and their supporters.
We have to new activities and resources to share with you this week, including the latest updates on our region’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
(If you or anyone you know would like to have something highlighted in our weekly newsletter, email akrasinski@seniorconnection.org.)
To view past issues of ‘The Senior Bulletin en espanol click here.
CMAA UPDATES
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CMAA and WCSO Team Up To Deliver 10,000 COVD-19 ‘File of Life’ Cards
This past week, the Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging worked with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office to deliver 500 ‘COVID-19 File of Life’ cards to the Worcester Senior Center in addition to several hundred cards for the Northborough Senior Center.
Over the next few weeks, we will be delivering 10,000 ‘COVID-19 File of Life’ cards in total to local senior centers across Central Massachusetts!
‘File of Life’ cards contain important medical information for first responders in the event of an emergency call. These cards now also provide a safe place for seniors to store their COVID-19 vaccination information.
Thank you to our community partners, including the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, for helping with this immense effort. Together, we can keep the older adults in our area a bit safer.
CMAA Celebrates Women’s History Month
Did you know that March is Women’s History Month?
Each day on our social media, we will be highlighting a woman in history whose has made an impact on women’s history.
Follow us on social media to learn more about these important individuals! Click the social media buttons below to be directly connected to our accounts.
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Eldercare 2021 Is Coming Soon!
Mark your calendars for May 3, 2021 because #ElderCare2021 is coming to a screen near you!
Learn about local resources and information for older adults in Central Massachusetts virtually. We’ll be broadcasting the event online and across the region on access television stations starting on May 3rd.
Presented by:
Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging &
Sheriff Lew Evangelidis of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office
Sponsored by:
Joseph D. Early Jr. Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, Reliant Medical Group, UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Medical School, Unibank, Fallon Health, and WTAG News Radio.
EVENTS AND MORE
Virtual Rally to Open Nursing Home Doors
Join Consumer Voice on Friday, March 12th at 12:00pm ET for a rally commemorating the one year anniversary of the nursing home visitation ban.
The rally will honor those we’ve lost and provide an opportunity to hear directly from residents and family members about their experiences during the lockdown.
Fitchburg Envision JFH Artwork Challenge
Community members of Fitchburg are invited to submit artwork to the City’s Envision John Fitch Highway Artwork Challenge – depict your vision for a climate resilient corridor and be entered for a prize!
Deadline: March 12th.
For more details, visit the webpage: https://www.fitchburgma.gov/JFHProject
CENTRAL MA RESOURCES FOR SENIORS & CAREGIVERS
Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Currently, the following groups are eligible for vaccinations:
- people listed in Phase 1
- people age 65 and older
- people over the age of 16 with 2+ certain medical conditions
- caregivers accompanying people 75+ to vaccination appointments
Beginning March 11th, all K-12 educators, child care workers and K-12 school staff will be eligible to schedule appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Educators, child care workers, and K-12 school staff may book appointments at all 170 sites currently open to eligible residents in Massachusetts by visiting www.mass.gov/covidvaccinemap.
Please note that vaccine supplies are very limited. It may take several weeks to get an appointment, so be mindful and patient as best you can.
Here is a link to information about what medical conditions are currently eligible in the current phase: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccinations-for-individuals-with-certain-medical-conditions
Have you registered for your vaccination appointment yet?
There are several ways to do so!
For online scheduling, visit www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine.
The state is regularly updating it to reflect new information and working to simplify the appointment process.
For those with limited internet access or who have difficulty navigating the website, the state has a 211 phone line to register for an appointment. This phone line has with over 500 staffers available for multilingual live phone support. To access, dial 2-1-1.
CMAA has also added COVID-19 vaccination information to the homepage of our website, including a link to the part of the Massachusetts state website with vaccination clinic locations. (The link can also be found here.) Our Agency is not able to schedule appointments for you, but we are here to point you in the right direction!
Your primary care provider can also be of great assistance when it comes to determining eligibility and how to schedule a vaccination appointment.
Mark Your Calendars!
Black Vaccination Day is March 10th
For those with concerns about the safety of the vaccine or what information can be trusted, we have found an excellent resource to answer your questions.
The state of Massachusetts has a very thorough information section about what the vaccine is comprised of, how it works to protect you against COVID-19, and more.
Visit www.mass.gov/info-details/trust-the-facts-get-the-vax to learn more.
Need Help This Tax Season?
Check out the AARP Tax-Aide Program
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide provides in-person and remote tax assistance free of charge to anyone, with a special focus on taxpayers who are 50 or older or who have low to moderate income.
Tax-Aide volunteers are located nationwide, and are trained and IRS-certified every year to make sure they know about and understand the latest changes and additions to the tax code. Tax help is provided in safe environments using a variety of methods based on a number of factors, including where you are located, COVID-19 spread, and volunteer availability. Visit aarp.org/taxaide for more details.
