February 2022 PAFC Newsletter

PAFC News & Updates

February 2022

Newsletter Sponsor

UnitedHealthcare

5 Savvy-Shopper Tips to Help You Get the Most from Medicare

Do you spend your Sunday mornings scouring the newspaper inserts for coupons at the local grocery store? Make it a point to confirm you get all possible discounts when booking hotel reservations? Love getting the senior discount at the movie theater?

If any of these sound familiar, you probably consider yourself a savvy consumer who likes to make sure you’re getting the most value for your money. So have you ever stopped to consider applying these same skills to Medicare?

Click here to read more!

Looking for a Super Special Project?

We Want YOU!

Are you looking for a rewarding way to spend your time? Are you seeking opportunities to make a difference in your community? I guarantee we have an opportunity perfect for you. Larimer County is an amazing place for community members of all ages, and by sharing your time, talents, and experience as a Volunteer, you can help foster age-inclusive communities for ALL. It doesn't require a heavy time commitment - just one hour a month of volunteer time can make a huge difference. We even have volunteer opportunities that are entirely virtual if you're eager to contribute to your community from home.

Get in touch with us so we can help you find a project you'll LOVE!

Let's connect!

Mark Your Calendars!

Get ready for some fun Lunch & Learn events this Spring! We are continually adding to our Lunch & Learn offerings, and are excited to announce our currently scheduled events:

March 18th from 12pm-1pm: All About E-bikes! Join us as we learn the ins and outs of this fun recreational activity

March 25th from 12pm-1pm: Resources Around the County - more details soon!

April 22nd from 12pm-1pm: Willow Tree Fitness - We will explore functional fitness activities with Yvonne Hanning

May 6th from 12pm-1pm: Transportation Tools from the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization

Join GenHERous 2 on March 5th!

Great news: GenHERous 2, the second installment of the much-loved GenHERous program, is happening online March 5th from 11:00am to 1:45pm. There's still time to sign up! Don't miss this opportunity to join women from seven different generations for a powerful facilitated discussion on the many experiences that shaped their lives. Stories of hope, creative advice, and numerous lessons learned make this an event you won't want to miss. Join us and be inspired!

Learn more and sign up here!

I Can't Believe I Got So Old So Quick

by Jim Norris

Just a short time ago, my family sat by the radio, listening to stories. The radio was taller than me. The grownups listened to the news and different stories than we kids did, but listening was a family thing.

I sang on the radio. I don’t mean I went down to the station and performed. I physically climbed up on the radio. My brother talked me in to it. He helped me get on it.

When mom caught me, I didn’t want to set down for a while.

We did have a telephone. When you got a call, all the neighbors listened in, Of course, you could listen to them too, if you wanted.

One of the neighbors got what I thought was a fancy new radio. They invited us to come see it. We crossed the river and went up the hill to take a look. It was a box with a little round widow, and you could see people talking. They were a little hard to make out because the window was about the size of a saucer. And the reception was bad. The neighbor said, “It must be snowing between us and those people.” Of course, it was a television.

I remember when we got a tractor. The mules didn’t have to work as hard.

Most young people don’t remember cars without turn signals. I have one, but it’s older than I am. My 1926 Chrysler has wooden spoke wheels!

How many young folks today know how to drive a stick shift? We had to! The first car with automatic transmission was the 1948 Oldsmobile.

In junior high, I took typing class. I was very fast—forty-five words a minute (if you didn’t count the mistakes). Arthritis has made a difference since then!

Married and raising a family with three children, I worked different jobs. By my count, I’ve had ten jobs—more, if you count the part-time jobs.

I have seven grandchildren, but no great-grandchildren yet. I should have. The grandkids are old enough, but only two are married. Maybe they’re smarter than I was at that age.

I’d had brown hair all my life. Never thought much about it until that one time I went to renew my driver license. The lady at the desk refused to write brown on my license—I’d turned gray! Could raising kids have done that?

Maybe it was work that turned me gray. Eventually, this thing called a computer came along, and we had to learn to send our run reports on it. Just when I was getting good, they updated the darn thing. After each update, I had to learn to use it again. An update should make something easier to use, shouldn’t it?

It seems like such a short time ago I started to work for the fire department. Now, I’ve been retired from there twenty-three years.

When I was younger, there were pay phones everywhere. Why would someone carry a bag phone? One of the guys at work had one. I thought for sure I’d never get one. My family thought I should join the modern age. I got a smart phone for Christmas. Three years later I’m still finding out things I didn’t know about it!

From old time radios to cell phones, changing in the blink of an eye. I can’t believe I got so old, so quick. I don’t feel that old.

Eighty six is just a number isn’t it?

Did You Know We Built a Gateway?

A virtual one, that is! Our Virtual Gateways team, a dedicated group of volunteers committed to expanding interactive opportunities for older adults, created and launched the Virtual Gateways catalog during the COVID-19 pandemic. The catalog has been instrumental in helping people get connected and stay connected online while in-person opportunities remained limited. While in-person activities have finally begun again, many people appreciate attending virtual gatherings, especially during the winter months when days are still colder!

The catalog is a wonderful community resource, containing information on dozens of online events in Larimer County, ranging from health and wellness classes and support groups, to virtual volunteering opportunities and special events. If you haven't checked out the catalog lately, now is a great time to take a look at its program offerings and join a gathering!

Check out the Virtual Gateways catalog here!

Do you know about a virtual gathering in Larimer County that is perfect for our catalog? Let us know!

Get in touch with us!

Powerful Tools for Caregivers = Empowerment

Are you a caregiver helping a family member or loved one? Do you know someone serving as a caregiver to others? Then you know just how important it is to have tools to prevent caregiver burnout, decrease stress, and manage daily challenges. The Spring series of Powerful Tools for Caregivers, offered by the Larimer County Office on Aging, has begun - 6 weeks of empowering tools designed specifically to meet the unique needs of caregivers. The next class section begins March 2nd, with two additional sections offered this season. Please sign up, and please pass the word along to caregivers in your life. We ALL can use more tools to thrive!

Learn more and sign up here!