Resources

    AARP Tax Assistance

    I feel like we’ve been here before and I was so hopeful that this year we might be able to return to normalcy for the tax program. No, not so. Once again, we will not be holding the Tax Assistance program at the Preston Senior Center this coming year. Yes, COVID-19 is the cause of the cancellation plus our facility isn’t large enough to safely accommodate each person having their income taxes prepared. Once again, you will be directed to the Rose City Senior Center in Norwich to schedule an appointment to have your taxes completed. Their phone number is 860-889-5960. we are hopeful that sometime in the very near future that our good friends from AARP will be manning the Preston site. In addition to having an opportunity to visit with all our Preston neighbors having their taxes done for free, we miss the volunteers immensely!

    Be Ready for the Recovery – Content by Judy

    Marketing trends have been heading in new directions for a while but the COVID19 is really pushing that envelope into horizons we cannot even imagine. We currently are living, working, and shopping in ways we never dreamed of. And these new ways too will change quickly as we readjust to a whole new “normal” as we come out of this lockdown.

    We will mourn the loss of many things, as we start consuming services and goods in different ways. We will be discovering what companies and businesses have survived. What new businesses have emerged.

    Stopping for a coffee can be a good example. How many of us stopped daily for that great cup of Joe? Couldn’t live without it…. Until….. Our lives changed. The habit got broken because we were no longer leaving the house every day. The question becomes how many cups of coffee will that business sell as we all come out of this pandemic? Will the local shops even reopen?

     

    Companies must adjust quickly if they plan to survive and be profitable over the next 5 years. Marketing trends have been heading in new directions for a while but the COVID19 is really pushing that envelope into horizons we cannot even imagine.

    Trends show we will continue to hold virtual meetings which will become a more efficient use of time. We will socialize in every different ways. We have found we do not like social distancing so much. Clubs will pop up and memberships will increase. Facebook groups will evolve and start gathering in person. Established groups such as VFWs, The Elks, The Moose will attract new members. Senior Centers, the Y, Park n Rec and similar organizations will experience a surge in activity as people discover their new routines.

    The public will spend months perhaps years looking for and discovering their new day to day habits. And when creating this new life, they will select the parts they liked and discard what they will not do again, and businesses need to be where the consumer can find them such as SeniorCenterCt.org. This collective site is trusted and contains trusted information. This cutting-edge resource is that place where users find what they are looking for, mark their calendars with activities and though clickable ads find services and products they are looking for. Plus, then can relay all this information to their family and friends.

    Businesses need to:

    • Be that trusted advisor/service/site/provider
    • Strengthen existing customer relationships
    • Identify real opportunities and shift accordingly
    • pinpoint key priorities
    • determine their brand and do extensive brand building so their company is easy to recognize
    • Be ready for the recovery

    And all businesses need to be very aware of the senior population. As a group they will be for the most part the least affected by all of this. For the most part their income will continue to be very stable. And they still will be purchasing and consuming at the rate they were.

    Resources like SeniorCenterCt.org will grow in popularity as the senior population, their friends and families are looking to establish and get back their “new” ordinary lives.

    March 3, 2021 at 5:00pm- Presentation: Medicare Savings Program and Low Income Subsidy Program

    A free presentation will be provided by a Certified CHOICES Counselor from Senior Resources Agency on Aging. (No insurance will be sold)
    The session includes: *Overview of Medicare Premiums *Overview of the Low Income Subsidy *Overview of the Medicare Savings Program *How it helps to reduce the cost of medications *How it helps you pay Medicare Health Premiums *Medicare Preventive Services.

    Sessions are available on March 3, 2021 @ 5:00 p.m., April 7, 2021 @ 10:00 a.m., May 5, 2021 @ 2:00 p.m. and June 2, 2021 @ 5:00 p.m. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED! Visit www.seniorrresourcesec.org.

    Vaccine Appointments- UPDATE

    The Department of Public Health (DPH) and the United Way of Connecticut have recently announced the expanded access to vaccine scheduling through the state’s Vaccine Appointment Assist Line.
    The expansions include:
    *Scheduling availability seven days per week
    *Scheduling occurs between 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. each day
    *Appointments are being booked at 12 locations across the state. (When you call and schedule an appointment, be sure that you indicate that you want the NORWICH area and not Hartford or Bridgeport, unless of course you want to travel to those locations to get your VOVID-19 vaccination)
    *There are 125 contact specialists trained and answering appointment calls.
    *****The phone number to call for vaccination scheduling is 877-918-2224.
    Don’t hesitate, call as soon as you can.

    UNCAS HEALTH DISTRICT INFORMATION: Connecticut Residents 75 and older can register for COVID-19 Vaccine

    The state’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts have now expanded to phase 1b, and as a result, Connecticut residents who are 75 years or older now qualify to receive the vaccines.

    Due to limited supply of the vaccine, registering through an online or phone system will be necessary. The state’s Vaccine Administration Management System is now open for registration submission. Those over the age of 75, or their loved ones, are asked to submit applications through the online web portal.  https://dphsubmissions.ct.gov/OnlineVaccine

    When accepted into the registration portal, individuals will receive emails informing them of the next steps necessary in the scheduling process.

    For those in the age group who lack computer access or knowledge, they can also call: 877-918-2224 Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    There may be an initial delay in scheduling access, but as the state actively enrolls providers and staff, it is expected for that access to rapidly grow in coming weeks. All information submitted through VAMS will be kept private. The link to VAMS also contains an extensive list of frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, helping to ease any concerns individuals may have. More than 100 health care providers statewide will offer the vaccine, including UConn Health and Hartford Healthcare, with more locations and a map of all locations to be made available in the coming weeks.

    In addition, if you have a MyChartPlus account through Hartford Healthcare, you may schedule a clinic appointment through Hartford Healthcare that is convenient for you. You may register at: https://mychartplus.org/mychart/accesscheck.asp
    If you would prefer to schedule your appointment by phone, call the Hartford HealthCare Access Center at 860-827-7690 or toll-free at 833-943-5721.
    All vaccinations are offered by appointment; people must first register through one of the systems listed above to secure an appointment. Vaccine supply remains limited and patience is requested.

    UNCAS Health District is located at 401 West Thames Street, Ste. 106, Norwich, Ct. 06360, Telephone number 860-823-1189.