Category: Resources

Farmer’s Market Coupon Distribution Plan

Farmer’s Market coupons are available to low income seniors who meet certain eligibility requirements.

Eligibility Requirements in order to receive a coupon booklet:

¨ You must be 60 years or older.

¨ Yearly income not to exceed $23,606 for single or $31,894 for couple.

¨ Must be participating in another need based program that verifies income eligibility such as Renter’s Rebate, Congregate Meal Program, Medicaid, SNAP, etc.

¨ You must be a resident of the town you receive the coupon booklet from.

¨ If you are under 60 and disabled you must meet all other eligibility requirements and live in subsidized housing to be eligible.

HOW TO RECEIVE A COUPON BOOKLET:

If you live in any Norwich Area Senior Housing:

If you live in Senior or Congregate Housing you MUST obtain your coupons at that housing.

ALL Norwich Senior Housings will receive booklets, hopefully in mid to late July, to distribute to their residents.  You must contact either the Resident Service Coordinator or his/her designee.

You will be required to verbally state that you meet the income limits and criteria for receiving.  You will be asked to give a small amount of information such as Name and Address.  You do not need to sign for the coupons.  If you will be accepting the coupons and someone else will be shopping for you, you will be required to fill out a Proxy form, which your Resident Service Coordinator will have.

Limit of one coupon booklet per eligible senior.  You CANNOT get booklets from multiple sites.

If you live in the Norwich/Taftville Community (non-senior housing):

On or after July 20th you must call the Senior Center at (860) 889-5960 to register yourself for a booklet.  Once you have registered, you will be given a date and a time frame for which you can come to the Senior Center and pick up your coupons.

You will be required to verbally state that you meet the income limits and criteria for receiving when you call to register. You will be asked to give a small amount of information such as Name and Address.  You do not need to sign for the coupons.  If you will be accepting the coupons and someone else will be shopping for you, please indicate that so we can include the Proxy form with your coupons when you come for pickup.

Limit of one coupon booklet per eligible senior.  You CANNOT get booklets from multiple sites.

You may ONLY receive a booklet if you live in the City of Norwich or Taftville.

The Rose City Senior Center is currently closed to the public.  Please DO NOT show up unless you have called to register for a booklet and have been given a date and time to pick it up.

 

Email Address

Send me your email address and stay up-to-date with any changes. 

During this time it is difficult to contact all Senior Center Members using one form of communication.  If you would like to be contacted by email about updates and information

about the Senior Center during our closure, please send me your email address.  Although we are uncertain at this point of when we will be reopening and the changes that will be in place once we do, we will email you as soon as we have definite information in place.

Please send Hilary a quick email to be included on our email list.

hsandberg@cityofnorwich.org  

 

A Note from Mike:

With all the unrest in the country, we felt it was appropriate to make a statement about our beliefs here at the Rose City Senior Center:

We want people to walk through our doors and instantly feel welcomed, to know they have a place where they can freely be themselves without any sort of negativity or judgement.

Inclusive is defined as “containing as part of a whole”.  The Rose City Senior Center is exactly that.

We welcome everyone (over the age of 55, of course) no matter your race, religion, socio-economic status, sex, sexual orientation or disability.  Non-discrimination, which seeks to guarantee that human rights are exercised without any sort of discrimination is what the Rose City Senior Center is all about.

We will continue to uphold this belief and practice to the very best of our ability.

 

Need Help? We are Here for YOU!

Even though the Senior Center is currently closed to the public, we are still offering limited services.  If you need any assistance or have a question, please do not hesitate to call us.  (860) 889-5960

Grocery Shopping – One of our Senior Center drivers will shop for you and deliver your groceries to your house.  Call the Senior Center with your grocery order then sit back and relax while we shop for you.  Payment can be made in various ways.  Call for information.

Transportation to Doctor Appointments – Call the Senior Center to arraign transportation to a needed doctor appointment.  We just ask that you call your doctor to double check they are currently open and to check if your doctor recommends rescheduling a routine or non-emergency appointment.

Outreach Administrator – Carolyn is currently working from home but is still available for help with State Benefit renewals, health insurance and prescription drug plans, Renters Rebate, housing, Medicare plus other needs.  Please leave a message on her voicemail and she will call you back.

Program Administrator – Hilary is currently working from home but is still available to answer questions about cancelled programs or trips, general Senior Center and Newsletter questions, and information about current online classes offered by our instructors or help with other online classes.  Please leave a message on her voicemail or email hsandberg@cityofnorwich.org.

 

Transportation News- Dail-a-Ride

As of July 1st, the Dial-a-Ride program will renew for
the FY20/21.

This year, there will be no enrollment fee.

If you were enrolled in the program last year, you do
not need to re-apply this year.

This year, we will be able to provide (24) one-way trips
or (12) round trips from July 1st, 2020 to June 30th,
2021.

As always, there is a mileage reimbursement portion of
this grant. If someone provides you with a medical ride,
you can request mileage reimbursement.

This service is strictly for medical appointments in
southeastern CT which the Senior Center cannot
provide. It is grant funded so once funds are expended,
no more rides can be provided.

More details are available at the Senior Center office.

Transportation News- Senior Center

On July 6th, the Senior Center will resume limited
transit service. Due to COVID-19, the service will
begin with only 1 passenger allowed on the vehicle at
a time. All passengers must wear a mask unless there
is a medical contraindication. The revised schedule
will be:
Monday:  the south part of town can go to Waterford/
New London
Tuesday:  the south part of town can go the grocery
stores/pharmacies/bank
Wednesday:  the north part of town can go to Waterford/
New London
Thursday:   the north part of town can to the grocery
stores/pharmacies/bank
Friday:   will be left open to try and accommodate any
requests that could not be fulfilled during the
week

Medical appointments are a priority. All other ride
requests will be scheduled around those. If you have a
medical appointment, reserve with the Senior Center
office as soon as you can. This schedule will remain in
effect for the month of July and will be re-evaluated
in August. You must be registered for this service.

COVID 19 Status Update

At this time, there is no time table for re-opening the Senior Center. Updates on our status will be posted on the East Lyme Town Hall website – www.eltownhall.com, and the East Lyme Senior Center page on the SECT regional senior center website – www.seniorcenterct.org, the Senior Center Facebook page and on the Senior Center answering machine.

Senior Center Phone Number is 860-739-5859

ACTIVE LIVING EVERYDAY TOOLKIT

The in-home version of the popular Live Well with Chronic Conditions workshop is now available to seniors in the comfort of their home without having to use technology beyond the telephone. The toolkit can be sent directly to participants at no cost and includes a Living a Healthy Life Book, instruction booklet and exercise and relaxation CDs. Weekly phone calls from a trained Live Well leader enhances the experience and can help to alleviate social isolation during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Please note there is a limited supply of toolkits. Participants must be willing to share their name, address and phone number so the toolkit can be mailed directly to them and the leader can place the weekly call. Calls are approximately 45 minutes in length and take place conference-call style to 4 -6 participants. There is a 2 -3 week lead time to start once participants have enrolled.


Participants will learn about:
• Physical activity, exercise and healthy eating
• Dealing with difficult emotions
• Decision-making and communications skills
• Working with healthcare providers
• Action Planning


Contact Lori Rygielski, Regional Coordinator
lrygielski@seniorresourcesec.org
860-887-3561 Ext. 127
Sponsored by the Department of Rehabilitation Service – the State Unit on Aging – Senior Resources Area Agency on Aging

FEELING ISOLATED? WE HAVE FOLKS WANTING TO CHAT WITH YOU

As we are in Phase 2 and older adults are still being asked to stay safe and stay home, we know folks are in need of some human contact. We have East Lyme High School students who  want to reach out to you and chat. Nothing heavy, just a “Hey how are you?” “Can we do anything for you?” check in phone call. Who’s interested?? Call the Senior Center office and let us know.

JIGSAW PUZZLES

If you are interested in donating and/or receiving jigsaw puzzles, let the Senior Center know. We can set up an exchange so folks have different puzzles to work on without having to spend any money!


Call us at 860-739-5859 with your donation and/or you request for a puzzle.