Medicare Blueprint Advisors - September 2021

MED I CAREBLUEPR INT.COM Health Matters

SEPT/OCT 2021

You can measure a successful life in many ways. The wealth you accumulate is one, but the people you love and surround yourself with are likely more poignant and important. For me, one of the markers that proves I have already had a life well-lived is that some great dogs have accompanied me along my journey. October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, and as I reflect back on all the shelter dogs I’ve owned in my life, I realize just how important their short lives — which is really their only shortcoming — have meant to me. The first one was Buckwheat. I grew up with Buckwheat, who was the best companion a kid could ask for while traipsing through the woods. He was a “pound puppy,” but he was one of my best friends. We would spend hours together running around the forest and over beaver dams. He’s often in the background of many of my favorite childhood memories. Then there was Duke. We adopted Duke in 1996, and my son was born in 2000. Duke was the perfect playmate for my son and me. We would wrestle with each other in the house. Sometimes we would remove the couch cushions and make a little fort for our wrestling matches! It was always in good fun. THE VALUE OF A GOOD DOG Tim Remembers His Shelter Pets

But for as much “wrestling” as we did with Duke, there wasn’t a mean bone in his body. In fact, we didn’t name him “Duke” because he was intimidating or a tough dog. Instead, it was because he had this little hitch in his walk that made him look like a cowboy just dismounting a horse. It was like he was a car that was out of alignment. So, we named him after the Duke, John Wayne. He also had a habit of taking off without someone walking him. I can remember many times when I would be chasing Duke around the woods, yelling his name. Duke would just look at me, knowing full well I was calling him but choosing to run freely instead. Regardless of his wild tendencies, Duke was a great dog for the 14 years he was with our family. He was always happy to see me when I came home from work, and since he passed, it hasn’t been the same coming home from work without Duke’s wagging tail and wiggly body to greet me at the landing. In late 2009, we paid for Duke to have surgery that gave him four more good months with our family. He died early in 2010, leaving a big hole in our house and a lot of memories behind. Recently, my wife told me she wanted a goldendoodle. I want one, too, but we both worry about our ability to give a dog the time and attention it deserves. Still, I know we will adopt a dog again someday. I just don’t believe you’re doing retirement right if you don’t have a dog to accompany you on all your adventures. Dogs are just purely good. They are good for your heart, better listeners than your kids, and often know just what we need. If they lived longer, they would be the perfect animal.

Tim Hanbury

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It’s enrollment season once again, and this year, returning Medicare users will have from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 to change to a different plan if needed. Each fall, our team prepares for an influx of meetings and extra work as we help our clients navigate the complexities of this process. But every client should do one thing to prepare: Create a list of prescriptions. It may seem so simple, but this list can save a lot of time and energy during this enrollment period. This allows us to enroll you into a different Medicare plan faster and move this task off your to-do list. It also means we can select the best plan and coverage for your medical needs and ensure the Medicare plans you enroll in are flexible to your needs. After all, Medicare should change as your life does, too. Very soon, you may see a reminder email or letter appear in your inbox or mailbox asking you to create this list. Don’t ignore this! It can make the re-enrollment process much easier. Furthermore, don’t wait to start this process! It’s our goal to make the enrollment process as easy as possible, but when working with a government agency, complications are likely. To prevent these challenges from delaying your enrollment, begin the process before December starts. If you would like to learn more about Medicare’s plans and updated offerings, our team is happy to provide answers to any of your questions. However, Medicare.gov can be a great resource of information. The site offers sections with frequently asked questions, search boxes that can help you find specific answers, and detailed descriptions to help you better understand this process. It’s our goal to make this enrollment period as easy as possible, and we are ready to dive into this new enrollment season with you. However, if you have questions about formulating your prescription list or about the enrollment process, please contact our team today. IT’S BACK! Get Ready for Open Enrollment

“Medicare is very complicated: not just getting started with it, but also making the yearly analysis and adjustments. Jason and his team did the research for us, presented the options, and let us decide how to proceed. And whenever we could not decide or had questions, they were always there to assist. Made the move to Medicare so much easier!” –Customer since 2016 What Our Clients Think!

Happy enrollment season! We promise it’ll be over before you know it.

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DON’T FALL IN FALL! 3 STEPS TO LOWERING YOUR RISK OF A DEADLY ACCIDENT

Only leaves should fall this autumn. You can prevent age-related slips, trips, and tumbles by assessing your risk for falls and taking active steps for prevention in honor of National Falls Prevention Month. This could be a life-saving task; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that 3 million older adults are treated in the emergency room for falls each year. And if death rates from falls continue, seven people could die every hour from a fall by 2030. The most sobering part of that statistic is that falls can be preventable. Step 1: Assess Your Risk To knowwhat mitigation measures you have to take, you first have to know how likely it is that you could fall. There are a few key indicators. For starters, if you take

medication, struggle with vision or hearing, have weak muscle strength, or have limited mobility, your risk is greater than the average person of your age. Outside forces, like hallway clutter or icy patches, can increase this risk. Speak with a medical provider or a physical therapist — each is covered by Medicare — to further assess your risk. Step 2: Improve Yourself If your risk of falling is greater than others of your age, you can take control of this in a fewways. Ensure you have updated your prescriptions for vision and hearing devices. Then, get moving! A body regularly in motion is a strong body. Look for exercises geared toward fall prevention and balance, like heel lifts and sit-to-stands. Finally, wear better shoes. These should offer support, fit correctly, and provide a flat surface for walking and balance.

Step 3: Better Your Home As you look to get stronger, your home could be working against you. Prevent this by moving obstacles — like end tables — out of the hallway and properly fasten all rugs to the floor. A curl can be dangerous! Furthermore, add railings to staircases and improve lighting. If you can see the obstacles, you’re more likely to avoid them!

For more information on fall prevention strategies, talk to your doctor or visit CDC.gov.

EASY PEACH COBBLER

WORD SEARCH

Celebrate the end of summer — and peach season — with this simple and tasty peach cobbler!

INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • • •

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup flour

2 cups sugar, divided 1 tbsp baking powder

Dash of salt 1 cup milk

4 cups peaches (fresh is best!)

1 tbsp lemon juice

Ground cinnamon or nutmeg to taste

DIRECTIONS

ABUNDANT APPLES COOKOUT CRUNCHY FALL GOLDEN

GRANDPARENTS HARVEST

1. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, melt butter in an oven heated to 375 F, then remove. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then pour in milk and stir until the mixture is smooth. 3. Pour the batter over the melted butter, but don’t stir! 4. In a pot, bring peaches, lemon juice, and remaining sugar to a boil. Stir constantly. 5. Pour peaches over batter, but once again, don’t stir! 6. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, then bake at 375 F for 45 minutes.

LABOR MAPLE SPORTS WINDY

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Inside This Issue

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A LIFEWELL-LIVED INCLUDES A GOOD DOG

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OPEN ENROLLMENT IS BACK!

FROM OUR CLIENTS

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FALL PREVENTION THIS FALL

EASY PEACH COBBLER

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WILLIE THE PARROT: THE ULTIMATE DANGER ALARM

Willie the Quaker parrot was a pretty remarkable bird. Like many parrots, he had a knack for mimicking certain sounds and words, including barking dog noises, human kissing noises, and a fair share of swear words. However, what made Willie a hero one day was not just what he said, but also when he said it. Meagan Howard, Willie’s owner, brought him over to her friend Samantha Kuusk’s house while she babysat Kuusk’s little daughter, Hannah. Hannah and Willie were both in the kitchen while Meagan prepared a Pop-Tart for Hannah’s breakfast. After placing the Pop-Tart on the table, Meagan stepped away to use the bathroom. While she was away, however, Hannah got her hands on the Pop-Tart and began to scarf it down, lodging a piece in her windpipe. She started choking and was unable to signal to Meagan that something was wrong. Luckily, Willie came to the rescue.

Willie began squawking and shrieking, saying the words “Mama! Baby!” over and over again. In a matter of moments, Meagan knew something was wrong. She rushed to the kitchen to find a very frantic Willie and a very blue Hannah. Meagan jumped into action. She grabbed Hannah and performed the Heimlich maneuver until the Pop-Tart piece dislodged itself and shot out of her mouth. Meagan may have been the one to stop Hannah from choking, but she insists that Willie was the real hero of the story. If he hadn’t used his unique mimicking skills to get Meagan’s attention, she doesn’t know what would have happened. It’s worth noting that before that incident, Willie had never used the phrase “Mama! Baby!” before. He knew something was wrong, and he knew how to get help. Shortly after the incident, Willie received the local Red Cross chapter’s Animal Lifesaver Award for his heroic actions.

WILLIE THE PARROT: THE ULTIMATE DANGER ALARM

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