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

What Are You Doing for the Holidays?

Deck the halls....jingle bells...White Christmas....cookies...Chex mix...Hallmark movies It's that time of year again! We shop, we cook, we wrap (or bag), we bake, we decorate, we address cards...the list is endless. For those who are caregivers, the list may look a little different. Caregivers may need to modify the Christmas traditions. Caregiving is ...more

Holiday Delivery Scam & Porch Pirates

It's the holiday shopping season and a lot of people are shopping online. Delivery trucks are everywhere! We see the brown UPS trucks and the white Fed Ex trucks in all neighborhoods at all times of the day. There are a few things to watch out for as we go through ...more

Is Caregiving Hard for You?

I was going through a stack of information that my colleague and friend Marty Cornett and I had gathered for a series of programs on the caregiver. (Covid stopped that series pretty quickly.) An article by Carol Bradley Bursack titled "Not Everyone is Cut Out to Be a Caregiver" caught ...more

What is Medicare Open Enrollment?

Medicare's Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7. This is the time of year that beneficiaries can make certain changes to Medicare coverage. Although you can make as many changes as you need during Open Enrollment, the last change you make will take effect on January 1, 2023. The ...more

MEDICARE OPTIONS PROGRAM TODAY

Join us TODAY, November 15, 2022, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at First Christian Church, 1343 National Road, Wheeling for an educational Medicare program that will help you explore your options. John Forsyth will be our presenter for this educational program. Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7 allowing ...more

Bank Texting Scam

You get a text from what you think is your financial institution. It may say something like "FRAUD ALERT: Did you authorize a transaction for $2000.00? Check YES or NO." If you respond, the scammer knows that they have reached an active number and a person. The scammer then calls you ...more

What do you need to know? Over the counter hearing aids

Over-the-counter hearing aids are now available directly to consumers without a medical exam or a fitting by an audiologist. (See Blog Archives: Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids, August 19, 2022) This option and lower prices will give more people access to hearing improvement. There are things you need to know when looking into ...more

Do you want to hire privately for in home care?

Caring for someone is difficult. Doing it alone or when you're working ups the 'degree of difficulty' scale. We have in-home non-medical agencies available to assist. Costs range around $25 / hour and up. There are also programs through senior centers or aging offices which may offer limited amounts of time. ...more

What do we do with belongings after someone dies?

When we lose a loved one, we have to deal with the grief and at the same time, handle the funeral, settle the estate, take care of medical responsibilities, settle any insurance (life insurance, long-term care insurance, medical insurance), and liquidate possessions. We may want to keep everything but that's ...more

Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a rule to allow consumers access to hearing aids without the need for a medical exam, prescription, or a fitting adjustment by an audiologist. This new category of over-the-counter hearing aids will enable consumers with "perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment to ...more

Habits That Lead to Happiness

I read an interesting article in Spirituality and Health, May / June 2021 on the 7 habits that can influence our happiness and the qualities that we associate with happiness. The author, Victor M. Parachin, is a Protestant minister and Buddhist meditation teacher. He identified the habits that can lead ...more

Reading Your Way Through Retirement by guest blogger - Jeanette Wojcik

We have a guest blogger! Thanks to Jeanette Wojcik, retired Executive Director of Faith in Action Caregivers, Inc. ******************* So often these days we hear about people having a Bucket List of things they want to do or places they want to go. I have a Bucket List, too. However, my list ...more

Scam Updates

WVU Medicine posted on its Facebook page that consumers should be aware of calls from spoofed in-house numbers. Consumers have reported receiving calls showing as WVU organization numbers (304 598-4000 and 304 598-6000) and "at times being subjected to aggressive and threatening language." Ir you receive one of these calls, ...more

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

June 15 has been declared World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. This observation calls attention to elder abuse across the globe. Abuse comes in many forms The abuser may use physical force on an older adult. They may be emotionally abusive. They may be exploiting the older adult financially. There may be ...more

Crime Stoppers Upper Ohio Valley

We have a new program that engages citizens to provide anonymous information about criminal activity in Upper Ohio Valley neighborhoods. The tipline is answered 24/7/365 by local law enforcement, and tips are confirmed and passed to proper authorities. The program assists law enforcement in keeping Upper Ohio Valley citizens safe. The Anonymous ...more