WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today released $596,525,000 in funds to continue support for 74 state, territory and national grantees of the Senior Community Service Employment Program for program year 2010. These funds will enable income and training support for 61,900 individuals ages 55 and older, who have low incomes or are unemployed. At least 75 percent of SCSEP funds will go to provide these individuals with part-time, paid community service-based job training program opportunities throughout the country.

"Older workers are an essential part of our nation's present and an increasingly greater part of its future, but it can be difficult for this dynamic sector of our population to access good jobs," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "At the U.S. Department of Labor, we are committed to ensuring older workers have access to the training and other professional services they both need and deserve. The SCSEP program assists participants in enhancing their marketability and allows them the opportunity to further contribute to their communities."

Through this program, participants will provide more than 40 million hours of community service to public agencies and nonprofit organizations annually. Grant awards are being made to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as 18 national nonprofit organizations. SCSEP services are available in every county in the U.S.

Funds are being awarded to each state either directly or through one of the following 18 national organizations: AARP Foundation; Asociacion Nacional Pro Personas Mayores; Easter Seals Inc.; Experience Works Inc.; Goodwill Industries International Inc.; Institute for Indian Development Inc.; Mature Services Inc.; National Able Network Inc.; National Asian Pacific Center on Aging; National Caucus and Center on Black Aged Inc.; National Council on the Aging Inc.; National Indian Council on Aging Inc.; National Urban League; Quality Career Services Inc.; SER Job for Progress National Inc.; Senior Service America Inc.; Vermont Associates for Training Development Inc.; and The Work Place Inc.

Editor's Note: A chart reflecting the dollar amounts benefiting each state follows this news release.

STATE	SCSEP ALLOCATION
Alabama	10,818,394
Alaska	2,553,380
Arizona	8,474,542
Arkansas	11,361,238
California	50,001,649
Colorado	5,919,045
Connecticut	6,409,440
Delaware	2,553,380
District of Columbia	3,360,134
Florida	34,446,010
Georgia	13,092,991
Hawaii	2,553,380
Idaho	2,878,354
Illinois	22,714,367
Indiana	15,285,606
Iowa	7,477,709
Kansas	5,797,794
Kentucky	11,070,918
Louisiana	10,079,713
Maine	3,602,911
Maryland	8,031,271
Massachusetts	12,721,542
Michigan	18,762,904
Minnesota	13,896,731
Mississippi	7,545,259
Missouri	14,120,529
Montana	3,641,765
Nebraska	4,350,782
Nevada	2,992,869
New Hampshire	2,878,354
New Jersey

Delicious Orchards Bus Trip Sept. 21,2010!!!
	Added ›06/30/2010 11:33:05 AM

Brick Senior Center will be offering a bus trip to Delicious Orchards on Tuesday, September 21st. Please call 732-920-8686 for information on this event.

Medicare Rebate Alert Checks BE CAREFUL!!!
	Added ›06/17/2010 8:58:33 AM

Be CAREFUL!!!!!!!

$250 Medicare Rebate Checks Alert

Target: Medicare Beneficiaries The U.S. Health and Human Services agency began mailing $250 Medicare rebate checks last week, also known as the donut hole checks, to the estimated 4 million eligible Medicare beneficiaries.

Please note scam artists will be using this opportunity to get personal information!

There are no forms to complete or information to give in order to receive the $250 rebate check.
Beneficiaries:
• Do not provide any personal information or bank account numbers to get the rebate check, and
• Do not give any personal information to anyone who calls about the rebate check.

Call the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general to report possible scams: (800) 447-8477.
For more information, visit www.medicare.gov.

2010 Standarized Medicare Supplement Plans
	Added ›05/27/2010 9:33:43 AM

2010 STANDARDIZED MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLANS

A	B	C	D	F F*	G	K	L	M	N
Hospital Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 add’l days after Medicare benefits end, 100% Part B coinsurance, First three pints of blood each year Hospice Part A coinsurance	Hospital Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 add’l days after Medicare benefits end, 100%Part B coinsurance, First three pints of blood each year Hospice Part A coinsurance	Hospital Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 add’l days after Medicare benefits end, 100% Part B coinsurance, First three pints of blood each year Hospice Part A coinsurance	Hospital Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 add’l days after Medicare benefits end, 100% Part B coinsurance, First three pints of blood each year Hospice Part A coinsurance	Hospital Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 add’l days after Medicare benefits end, 100% Part B coinsurance,* First three pints of blood each year Hospice Part A coinsurance	Hospital Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 add’l days after Medicare benefits end, 100% Part B coinsurance, First three pints of blood each year Hospice Part A coinsurance	Hospitalization and preventive care paid at 100%; other basic benefits paid at 50%	Hospitalization and preventive care paid at 100%; other basic benefits paid at 75%	Hospital Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 add’l days after Medicare benefits end, Part B coinsurance, First three pints of blood each year, Hospice Part A coinsurance	Hospital Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 add’l days after Medicare benefits end, Part B coinsurance, except up to $20 copayment for office visit, and up to $50 copayment for ER, First three pints of blood each year, Hospice Part A coinsurance
		Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance	Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance	Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance	Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance	50% Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance	75% Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance	Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance	Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance
	Part A Deduct.	Part A Deduct	Part A Deduct.	Part A Deduct.	Part A Deduct.	50% Part A Deduct.	75% Part A Deduct.	50% Part A Deduct.	Part A Deduct.
		Part B Deduct.		Part B Deduct.
				Part B Excess (100%)	Part B Excess (100%)
		Foreign Travel Emergency	Foreign Travel Emergency	Foreign Travel Emergency	Foreign Travel Emergency	Out of pocket limit $[ ]; paid at 100% after limit reached	Out of pocket limit $[ ]; paid at 100% after limit reached	Foreign Travel Emergency	Foreign Travel Emergency

***Deductible amounts and out-of-pocket limits announced annually by CMS.

*Plan F also has an option called a high deductible Plan F. This high deductible plan pays the same benefits as Plan F after having paid a calendar year ($***) deductible. Benefits from high deductible Plan F will not begin until out-of-pocket expenses exceed ($***). Out-of-pocket expenses for this deductible are expenses that would ordinarily be paid by the policy. These expenses include the Medicare deductible for Part A and Part B, but do not include the plan’s separate foreign travel emergency deductible.

Medicare and the New Health Law & What it means for you
	Added ›05/27/2010 9:13:50 AM

“Medicare and the New Health Law – What it Means for You”

Starting tomorrow and throughout this week, Medicare beneficiaries across the country should begin receiving copies of a brochure “Medicare and the New Health Law – What it Means for You” in their mailboxes. The mailing from CMS outlines key provisions of the Affordable Care Act for people with Medicare as well as members of their families. The mailing is being sent in both English and Spanish.

Because Medicare is a trusted resource for beneficiaries and their family members, the mailing encourages them to log on to www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE to get their questions about Medicare or the Affordable Care Act answered and reminds them to be on the alert for possible scams.

The first benefit that many people with Medicare will receive as a result of the passage of the new law is a one-time check for $250, if they enter the Part D donut hole and are not eligible for Medicare Extra Help. Beginning next year, the Affordable Care Act ensures that Medicare beneficiaries will get free preventive care services like colorectal cancer screening and mammograms, in addition to a free annual wellness visit. The law also includes new tools to help fight fraud by helping Medicare crack down on criminals who are seeking to scam seniors and steal taxpayer dollars.

The brochures can also be found at: http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11467.pdf (English) and http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11467_S.pdf (Spanish

More Coverage Gap Info from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
	Added ›05/27/2010 9:05:27 AM

Closing the Prescription Drug Coverage Gap
You Could Be Eligible For
A $250 Rebate This Year
to Help with your Medicare Drug Costs

The Affordable Care Act passed by Congress and signed by President Obama this year contains some important benefits for Medicare recipients.
If you have Medicare prescription drug coverage, and aren’t already getting Medicare Extra Help, Medicare will automatically send you a one-time $250 rebate check after you reach the coverage gap (also called the “donut hole”) in 2010. This rebate is the first step toward closing the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap.
What is the coverage gap and how will I know if I’ve reached it?
Most Medicare drug plans have a coverage gap. This means that after you and your plan have spent a certain amount of money for covered drugs, you have to pay all costs out-of-pocket for your drugs (up to a limit).
The Explanation of Benefits notice, which your drug plan mails to you each month when you fill a prescription, will tell you how much you’ve spent on covered drugs and whether you’ve entered the coverage gap.
Will I need to do anything to get this rebate check?
No. There are no forms to fill out. Medicare will automatically send a check that’s made out to you. You don’t need to provide any personal information like your Medicare, Social Security, or bank account numbers to get the rebate check. Don’t give your personal information to anyone who calls you about the $250 rebate check. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report anyone who does this. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
When will I get the rebate check?
If you reach the coverage gap this year and enter the Part D “donut hole”, you will receive a one-time $250 rebate check if you are not already receiving Medicare Extra Help. These checks will begin to get mailed to beneficiaries starting in mid-June.
Checks will be mailed monthly throughout the year as beneficiaries enter the coverage gap. However, this is a one-time benefit and beneficiaries who qualify will only receive one check after they reach the coverage gap.
What if I don’t get the rebate check when I should?
Beneficiaries who hit the donut hole after the program has begun should expect to receive their check within 45 days. Your rebate may be delayed if Medicare doesn’t have information from your Medicare drug plan showing that you reached the coverage gap in time to include you in the next mailing. You should call your Medicare drug plan to make sure all of your information has been sent to Medicare.
If you don’t get your rebate check, contact Medicare. Individuals receiving Medicare Extra Help will not receive a rebate check.
You can also check to make sure Social Security has your correct home address. Call 1-800-772-1213 or your local Social Security office. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.
What’s Next ….Coming in 2011
If you reach the coverage gap in 2011, you may get a 50% discount on your brand name prescription drugs at the time you buy them. Stay tuned for more information from Medicare.
Help us spread the word about this important benefit
And help stop scams against seniors
Pass this brochure along to your friends, neighbors and family so they know the facts about this important program. Remember- there are no forms to fill out to receive this benefit once you qualify for it. Medicare will automatically send a check that’s made out to you.
You don’t need to provide any personal information like your Medicare, Social Security, or bank account numbers to get the rebate check. Don’t give your personal information to anyone who calls you about the $250 rebate check. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report anyone who does this. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
Go to stopmedicarefraud.gov to learn more about how Medicare is working with law enforcement to stop scams against seniors.
Have other questions about the $250 rebate check or the Affordable Care Act and Medicare?
Please refer to the brochure Medicare and the New Health Care Law--What it Means for You that Medicare has sent you. You can also visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Rutgers Osher Lifelong Learning 50 yrs. + Fall classes
	Added ›05/18/2010 11:10:06 AM

Fall classes offered in the areas of HISTORY, ART, POLITICAL SCIENCE, SCIENCE, SOCIOLOGY, LANGUAGES, ECONOMICS, PHILOSOPHY

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Rutgers University (OLLI-RU) is designed for people over 50 years old who want to continue their learning experience and share knowledge with others.

OLLI - RU offers noncompetitive noncredit education that is stimulating, friendly and informal. There are no tests, and no grades.

For more information email; http://olliru@dceo.rutgers.edu or phone 732-932-7233 xtn: 4200 to speak with a Director or Coordinator of programs.

You must act now since the classes begin the 1st week of June ond the 2nd week of June. The classes are held in Freehold and Highland Park 10:30 am - noon and 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm.

we HAVE A FEW COPIES OF THE BROCHURE BOOKLET PLEASE STOP BY TO PICK UP A COPY.

MACULAR DEGENERATION FACTS
	Added ›04/20/2010 3:22:46 PM

Skip Navigation

About Macular Degeneration

Understanding Macular Degeneration

Risk Factors & Prevention

Symptoms

Screening & Diagnosis

Treatment

Living With Macular Degeneration

Did You Know...

Age-related macular degeneration is a major cause of visual impairment in the U.S. For Caucasians over age 65 it is the leading cause of legal blindness.

Facts on Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older. It is also the leading cause of legal blindness among white Americans age 40 and over, accounting for 54% of all such blindness.
Age-related macular degeneration is a common eye disease that causes deterioration of the macula, the central area of the retina. The retina is a paper-thin tissue at the back of the eye where light sensitive cells send visual signals to the brain. Sharp, clear, straight-ahead vision, color and fine detail are processed by the macula, and damage to this area results in blind spots and blurred or distorted vision. When the macula is damaged, many daily activities such as driving and reading become increasingly difficult.
Approximately 1.75 million Americans 40 years and older have advanced age-related macular degeneration, and another 7.3 million people with intermediate age-related macular degeneration are at substantial risk for vision loss.
It is estimated that by 2020 there will be 2.95 million people with advanced age-related macular degeneration.
Currently, it is estimated that as many as 11 million people in the United States have some form of age-related macular degeneration. By 2050, this figure will double to nearly 22 million.
Age is a prominent risk factor for age-related macular degeneration. 3.8 percent of Americans between the ages of 50-59 have either intermediate or advanced age-related macular degeneration; by ages 70-79, this increases to 14.4 percent.
A large study found that people in middle-age have about a 2% risk of getting AMD, but this risk increased to nearly 30% in those over age 75.
Direct medical costs of AMD are substantially higher among the population aged 65 years and older than in the population aged 40 to 64 years.
Other risk factors include: smoking, family history of macular degeneration, gender, obesity, race, prolonged sun exposure, a high fat diet and/or one that is low in nutrients and antioxidants, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet.
The dry form of macular degeneration, in which the light sensitive cells of the macula slowly break down, is the most common type, accounting for 90 percent of diagnosed cases.
Wet macular degeneration accounts for approximately 10 percent of cases, but results in 90 percent of legal blindness. It is considered advanced macular degeneration (there is no early or intermediate stage of wet macular degeneration). Wet macular degeneration is always preceded by the dry form of the disease.
It is possible for dry macular degeneration to advance and cause loss of vision without turning into the wet form of the disease; however, it is also possible for early-stage dry age-related macular degeneration to suddenly change into the wet form.
Medicare beneficiaries who had AMD increased from 5% to 27.1% from 1991 to 1999.
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 indicating the greatest impact on daily life, 71% of adults say that loss of eyesight ranks a 10. However, only 52% of adults 18 and older report that they have heard of macular degeneration.
To help diagnose macular degeneration, an eye care professional will perform a dilated eye exam, fundoscopy, a visual acuity test and fundus photography. If wet age-related macular degeneration is suspected, a fluorescein angiography, in which dye is used to detect leaking blood vessels, may also be performed. The patient may also be asked to look at an Amsler grid.
Currently, there is no treatment or cure for advanced dry macular degeneration that will prevent vision loss. However, a specific high dose formula of antioxidant vitamins and zinc may delay or prevent intermediate macular degeneration from progressing to the advanced stage.
Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection), Macugen® (pegaptanib sodium injection), laser photocoagulation and photodynamic therapy are some common treatments that can help control the abnormal blood vessel growth and bleeding in the macula for those with wet macular degeneration. Physicians have also used Avastin™ (bevacizumab injection), a cancer therapy manufactured by the company that makes Lucentis, as an “off-label” treatment for wet macular degeneration.
The injectable medications, such as Lucentis (ranibizumab) are effectively reducing damage from wet AMD; vision stabilizes in over 90% of patients and actually improves in more than 30%.
Vision rehabilitation and low vision aids can help improve the quality of life for those who are visually impaired.
A healthy lifestyle may help reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration. The following are recommended:
- Don’t smoke
- Exercise regularly
- Keep blood pressure in a normal range and control other medical conditions
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables and fish
- Protect eyes from overexposure to sunlight with sunglasses and hats
Ongoing research is exploring environmental, genetic and dietary factors that may contribute to macular degeneration. New treatment strategies are also being investigated, including retinal cell transplants, drugs to prevent or slow disease progress, radiation therapy, gene therapies, a computer chip implanted in the retina that may help simulate vision, and agents that will prevent new blood vessel growth under the macula.
If you have been diagnosed with macular degeneration, don't be afraid to use your eyes for reading, watching TV, and other daily activities. Normal use of your eyes will not increase damage to your vision.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this section is a public service of the American Health Assistance Foundation, and should not in any way substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional and is not intended to constitute medical advice. Although we take efforts to keep the medical information on our website updated, we cannot guarantee that the information on our website reflects the most up-to-date research. Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice; all medications and supplements should only be taken under medical supervision. The American Health Assistance Foundation does not endorse any medical product or therapy.

Source: Some of the information in this fact sheet was obtained from the National Eye Institute.

Brain Aerobics Class restarts in September 2010.
	Added ›04/02/2010 9:42:43 AM

Brain Aerobics class is held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. The class is held at the Municipal Complex also known as Town Hall, located at 401 ChambersBridge Road, Brick Twp.

The Brain Aerobics class helps to keep

our minds sharp and active, and it is

fun. Please call the Senior Center to register for the class 732-920-8686. Participants should bring a pen and a sheet of paper to class.

Free College classes eligibility 65 yrs. and older
	Added ›03/04/2010 4:01:30 PM

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

Ocean County College will be offering a Senior Course Discount (formerly Silver Edge Card) but no card will be needed. Age has changed from 62 to 65; however, anyone with a current Silver Edge Card will still be eligible for the Senior Course Discount Program.

Senior Services and Outreach will no longer issue Silver Edge Cards.

Ocean County College Senior Course Discount offers Ocean County Seniors (65 years and older) enrollment in any college credit course on a space available basis at a reduced rate of tuition (not including text books.)
For more information regarding college courses and senior discount information you can call 732-255-0304 and press (7) on the menu.

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