Resources

Once upon a time the doctor we went to for everything was our family doctor but now they are called our PCP or Primary Care Providers. They can be MDs, Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner.   We go to them for a yearly exam, a cold, and other common medical problems. If you don’t have a PCP it can become very hard to get any other health care.

We need a Primary Care Provider who fits into our insurance plan, will be available for the majority of our health issues and who we have trust in. Someone we feel comfortable talking to.

The problem often is when our trusted doctor retires or moves. Our insurance no longer covers our doctor. And now we need to find someone new.

Generally, we will ask our family and friends who they use. What they like and dislike about that provider and their practice. Then is the provider covered by our insurance. Are they part of that network? Are they taking new patients?

You also can ask other doctors for recommendations. You can ask your dentist or pharmacist as well.

Then the next step is… Are the Primary Care Providers you’re considering easy to get to? Do their office hours work for you? Again, double check that they are part of the network of health care you are in.

Once you have narrowed it done to one, two or three Primary Care Providers, now is the time to schedule an appointment. Go for a visit and see if you like them. Did they take enough time with you? Did they seem interested in you as a person? Did they answer your questions? Was the office staff helpful and friendly?

If the answer is yes to the questions that are important to you then you’re all set. Otherwise keep looking!

Don’t settle. This is an important decision. Perhaps one of the most important decisions you make.

Remember not everyone likes the same people or the same professionals. That’s why there are so many to choose from.

Find the Doctor and the practice that fits you so that you are comfortable when you are the sickest knowing you are getting the best health care available.

-Judy

Open Enrollment for Medicare Part D/Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans coverage is from October 15th to December 7th, 2019. Enrollees should review their coverage to determine if any changes are needed. If a change is made, it goes into effect as of January 1, 2020.

During this annual enrollment period changes can be made to various aspects of your coverage. You can switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage or vice versa. You can switch from one Medicare

Advantage plan to another. You can switch from one Medicare Part D plan to another. And if you did not

enroll in a Medicare Part D plan when first eligible, you can do so during the General Open Enrollment,

although a late enrollment penalty may apply. Contact the Senior Center office if you need assistance.

Counselors will be available on Thu, Nov 14th starting at 9am. Call the Senior Center office for an appointment.

After many years working as a Senior Center Director I choose to start my business as a way to help the community learn about Senior Centers and the services and resources available to seniors and their families. And boy, I’ve learned a lot since I started SeniorCenterCt.org.

This idea for SeniorCenterCt.org developed from area Senior Center Directors exploring how they would change and evolve to accommodate the soon to arrive baby boomers. We talked with Maria Miranda of Miranda Creative and the foundation for a collaborative 9 town senior center website was born.

From that point to now the learning curve has been huge. I’m proud to say that SeniorCenterCt.org and I continue to grow every day. Maria continues to be my mentor along with Debra Jane, my finance wizard and many others have become my sounding boards.

And then I was fortunate enough for Arlene to become my mentor through SCORE. A retired marketing and strategic planning expert Arlene readily pitches in and is guiding me with the marketing and branding of SeniorCenterCt.org.

We always need to remember we don’t travel our journey alone and in order to meet Arlene I needed to discover SCORE.

SCORE is a wonderful free resource that has the nation’s largest network of volunteer business mentors. There are over 10,000 expert volunteers in 300 chapters.

In 2018, SCORE mentors helped start 32,387 businesses and create 135,687 jobs.

SCORE is a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration and is there to help you achieve your dream as a small business owner. They are there every step of the way to teach and guide you as you grow.

When you go to the SCORE website you can choose “find a mentor”, “take a workshop” or “browse the library”. You can find the SCORE location nearest to you. You can become a volunteer. You can see the impact SCORE makes.

Explore this website. View a webinar. Read an article. Learn how to use your stats and data to drive growth. Take a Workshop.

There are even podcasts you can listen to as you drive to your next appointment.

And yes, everything SCORE does truly is free.

Score will always be there for you to access. Let them help you grow personally and professionally as your business evolves and thrives.

As SCORE says, “The next success could be yours!”