The Marion County Council on Aging and the District 5 Area Agency on Aging are partnering to provide a free, six-week seminar for Marion County residents.    HEALTHY U DIABETES CLASS will help adults of any age gain confidence in their ability to manage symptoms and understand how their health problems affect their lives.  This class is also recommended for family caregivers, and facilitated by a pair of leaders, of which one or both is living with this chronic disease themselves.

Each two-hour class will be held on Tuesday afternoon 1:00 – 3:00 pm, starting April 9^th – May 7^th.  Reservations are necessary and can be made by calling the Marion County Council on Aging at 740.387.0401.   Classes will be held at the Council on Aging office, located at 125 Executive Dr., Suite 102, Marion, Ohio.  Class size is limited, so call today for reservations and complete information.

There are many good reasons to create your own personal Social Security account.  Through this account, you can apply for social security retirement and disability benefits; apply for Medicare;  apply for  Extra Help with your prescription drug costs; check your annual earnings record and potential benefit amounts; get a replacement Medicare card, and much more!  Get more information and answers to frequetly asked questions at www.socialsecurity.gov/faq

Partnering with Interim HealthCare, the Marion County Council on Aging is pleased to announce that limited funding is now available to assist with in-home respite care services. Respite care is available for temporary, non-emergency caregiver relief, and is designed to decrease stress and isolation for the caregiver. Services must be provided in the client’s home and is to be used by those full-time caregivers who can be best served by this short term assistance.   The person receiving the care must be over the age of 60, a resident of Marion County, and living in an independent living situation. Qualification for Respite Care Services is by a written standardized assessment, which shall determine the appropriateness for client enrollment in this program. The type and extent of care will vary, depending on the circumstances.

For further information on this new service, please contact the Marion County Council on Aging at 740.387.0401 or Interim HealthCare at 740.387.0301

Trained volunteers for the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) are available to answer your questions about issues concerning Medicare options, prescription plans and other supplement insurance plans.   Contact the Marion County Council on Aging at 740-387-0401 for additional information or to schedule an appointment for consultation.