Activities and Events - What's Out There?

Spring is upon us! We didn't have a bad winter but it was enough that many of us took a hibernation break from getting out and doing things. I am quite ready to enjoy some summer weather! Keep in mind that taking time to do things you enjoy is healthy. Self-care ...more

Seeking Guidance: Who can you turn to?

Caregiving affects us mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. It can impact relationships with partners / spouses, family, and friends. So who can you turn to? What do you need? Perhaps information should be first on your list. Do you know what's available? Do you know where to find help? Make a list ...more

Valentine's Day Scams

Love is in the air! It's that time of year when we buy and receive cards, candy, and flowers. For some people, it may be especially lonely and they may look for their special someone online. Artificial intelligence has made it very easy for scammers to fool innocent and vulnerable ...more

Scams Everywhere

Beware! The Clerk of Courts in Belmont County OH reports that a telephone scam is making its way around Belmont County with scammers posing as representatives of the court. People are being told that they are being fined $1500 for not showing up for jury duty. NOT TRUE. The Clerk goes ...more

Don't Get Scammed!

We are generous and especially so during the holiday season. Scammers count on this. If you're shopping online, make sure you are shopping from a legitimate site and not a counterfeit website. Look at the logo. Check the URL. Be careful about sharing your personal information. Buying gift cards for Christmas? Beware ...more

Remembering Wheeling at Christmas

On Tuesday, December 12, Steve Novotney will take on a trip down Memory Lane as we look at the Christmas traditions of the Friendly City. Do you remember The Talking Christmas Tree (photo courtesy of Steve Novotney)? How about the Cooey Bentz Santa - as well as all the other ...more

Grateful for All We Have

November is a traditional month for being grateful. Of course, we celebrate Thanksgiving and give thanks for family, friends, and our many blessings. We are so grateful for all that we have. We observe Veterans Day on November 11. This time is set forth to honor those who have served and those ...more

In Memory: Cat McConnell

There are those people we meet as we move along life's path who leave a lasting imprint on our hearts. They are kind. They are compassionate. They are courageous defenders of those who are vulnerable or unable to fend for themselves. They are the people we want to be like ...more

Food Insecurity

Many in our community don't have enough food. People of all ages. Our community is not alone in this social problem and it extends beyond our country's borders. Costs have gone up everywhere: groceries, utilities, clothing, fuel. Everywhere we look, prices are higher. SNAP benefits were cut in February which has ...more

Have You Been Scammed? What Happened?

What has been your experience with scammers? Have you gotten the call about a relative being in trouble? Did someone approach you on social media? Were you contacted about a computer virus? People may not realize how widespread scams are. You may think that this doesn't happen here or that scammers ...more

SCAM NOTES

Scams are everywhere. No matter what we are doing, no matter where we are - scammers are out to get us. The term now is "bad actors" although it's not a new term. According to Merriam-Webster, the term is traced back to 1901 but an 1889 Sanskrit dictionary includes the ...more

Artificial Intelligence: A Tool for Scammers

We're hearing a lot about artificial intelligence or AI. With AI, voices can be replicated from a brief audio snippet. Videos can be produced from pictures captured online. The Grandparent Scam can be prepetrated by scammers using an artificially rendered voice and/or video clip. It sounds and looks like the ...more

Best Wishes to Roy Herzbach!

Roy Herzbach, the WV Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Director, retired at the end of April. Roy came to the WV Legal Aid program by way of Atlanta, Georgia where he'd served as that state's ombudsman program director for 7 years. Roy spent the next 30 years with the WV Ombudsman ...more

Visiting Wheeling Neighborhoods: Center Wheeling

Altenheim Resource Services and Family Service - Upper Ohio Valley (Ohio County Senior Center) are co-sponsoring another free program on the Wheeling area. Visiting Wheeling Neighborhoods: Center Wheeling Through the Eyes of Steve Novotney. Thursday, May 25 at 12:00 noon Lunch will be provided. Contact Paula at 204 233-2350 ext 105 to reserve your ...more

Medicare Vaccination Coverage

The Inflation Reduction Act passed last year included changes in Medicare benefits. One of these additional benefits is the coverage of vaccinations under prescription drug coverage that some beneficiaries have as separate coverage (a Part D product) or as part of their Medicare Advantage coverage. This includes the pneumonia vaccination, ...more

Have you heard of the check washing scam?

AARP's March 2023 Bulletin warns consumers of check-washing scams. It's what it sounds like. Your check is stolen from your mailbox or a USPS outdoor collection box and the document is '"washed". It's easy enough to get your outgoing mail from your home mailbox. Thieves use stolen keys or something sticky ...more

Happy Social Work Month!

March is National Social Work Month. Here's to all of our social workers who work to improve the quality of life of those we serve!

Is that message really from Facebook?

One of the scams we're hearing about is the one saying that we have violated the community standards of Facebook and that our account will be closed if we don't respond. There may be a deadline listed. Do not respond. Do not click on the link in the email. Responding to the ...more

What's a flash drive? Watch out for this scam!

Did you receive something in the mail that looks like the picture? These come in all colors, too, by the way. Some are blue. Some are silver. Some have company logos. Some are very small. If you receive one of these - beware! Consumers are being warned about flash drives they ...more

How do you take care of you?

Revised 01/01/2023 We use acronyms in all aspects of life. ASAP is as soon as possible, FYI is for your information. LOL is laughing out loud. Not only do acronyms shorten phrases they can also serve to hel us remember something. It's sort of like a shorthand note to yourself. Just thinking of ...more