Bob Riler
Pierce County Aging & Disability Resources

Medicare coverage changes every year.  Everyone’s needs are different so beneficiaries have to stay on top of annual changes to make Medicare work best for them.
A presentation of “All Things Medicare” will provide a comprehensive overview of the features offered by Medicare in 2013.  The presentation will look at changes to Part A (hospitalization), Part B (outpatient), Medicare supplements, Medicare Advantage plans and Part D (prescription drug) coverage.

Medicare covers 48 million Americans – 40 million people 65 years and older as well as eight million people under 65 with various special conditions.

“Medicare is one of the most important health care tools available to older adults,” said Aaron Van Valkenburg, Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources Manager.  “But it is constantly changing and beneficiaries are now expected to be wise consumers and make annual choices.  Not doing so can result in needless personal expenses.”

“All Things Medicare” will be offered four times:

  • Sept 10 – 12:10-12:50 p.m. @ Pierce County Annex, Main Conference Room, 2401 35th Street, Tacoma
  • Sept 10 – 7 – 8 p.m. @ Jim and Carolyn Milgard Family Hope Center, 8502 Skansie Ave., Gig Harbor
  • Sept 12 – 12:10-12:50 p.m. @ County City Building, 7th Floor Rainier Conference Room, 930 Tacoma Ave., Tacoma
  • Sept 12 – 7 – 8 p.m. @ Soundview Building Conference Room, 3611 S. D Street, Tacoma

This workshop is a collaborative presentation of Pierce County Aging & Disability Resources and the SHIBA program in Pierce County.  All four presentations are free and open to the public.  No RSVPs are necessary.  For more information contact the Pierce County Aging & Disability Resource Center at (253) 798-4600 or (800) 562-0332.

It’s not just baseball going down at the old ball field.  At least not if the old ball field you’re talking about is Cheney Stadium in Tacoma.  Aug. 26, families are invited to come to Cheney Stadium to watch “Up” on the big screen for free.  Cheney Stadium boasts the largest big screen in Minor League Baseball.  No lawn chairs are allowed but feel free to bring a blanket and sit in the outfield grass watching an animated comedy adventure about a 78-year-old man who ties balloons to his house and flies away in pursuit of his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America.  Kids of all ages will enjoy it.  While the event is free, attendees are asked to bring an emergency supply item to support Lutheran Community Services Northwest.  Gate for the movie opens at 5 p.m. and the movie begins at 6 p.m.  This event is made possible by Thrivent Financial.  Contact Audrey Berglund at aberglund@tacomarainiers.com for more information.

The Korean War Memorial, designed by Montana artist Deborah Copenhaver Fellows is located at East Campus Plaza next to the Capitol Way skybridge in Olympia.

Washington residents are invited to pay tribute to veterans of the Korean War on Saturday, July 28, as veterans groups gather in Olympia to remember the 59th anniversary of the armistice signing that ended the Korean War.

A special wreathlaying ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the East Capitol Campus, as well as the unveiling of the name of Army Sgt. 1st Class Richard L. Harris of Spokane. Harris was serving with the 2nd Infantry Division in North Korea and was captured during the Battle of the Chongchon in November 1950. During Operation Big Switch in 1953, captured American soldiers were returned and fellow servicemen reported that Harris had died of malnutrition on Jan 22, 1951 while in captivity. In 2005, remains found in a mass burial site in North Korea were identified as Sgt. Harris. Harris was buried at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent April 10 of this year.

All organizations and individuals are welcome to bring flowers and/or wreaths to place during the ceremony. This event marks the 19th anniversary of the dedication of the Washington State Korean War Veterans Memorial.

For information and directions to the memorial, visit http://www.ga.wa.gov/Visitor/korean/koreanwar.htm  or call 1-800-562-0132 option 1.

The Korean War lasted three years, from June 25, 1950, until a cease-fire was signed on July 27, 1953.  535 Washington residents lost their lives while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces during this conflict.

heart beatThere’s no more dangerous health condition for women than a heart issue. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States and a leading cause of disability among women.

The most important thing to do if you think you are having heart attack symptoms is to call 911 and tell them you are experiencing heart attack symptoms. Unfortunately, most general information on heart attacks is designed with men’s symptoms in mind and women’s symptoms are considerably different. As a result, women fail to call because their symptoms are so unlike those usually described.

A workshop, “Call 911: Don’t Miss A Beat” presents a close-up look at the most important heart attack symptoms women are likely to experience. Often times, those symptoms surface a month or more before the attack. Recognizing them can prevent a crisis. The workshop is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. The presentation will be given two times:

July 9: 12:10–12:50 p.m., Pierce County Annex–Main Conference Room, 2401 S. 35th Street, Tacoma
July 12: 12:10–12:50 p.m., County-City Building – Rainier Conference Room – 7th Fl.  930 Tacoma Avenue, Tacoma
For more information, call the Pierce County Aging & Disability Resource Center at (253) 798- 4600 or (800) 562-0332.