Here is a potpourri of ideas for saving money on services most seniors use, and well as information to file away in case of need:
National Aging in Place Council (NAIP). When Hurricane Charlie roared through Charlotte County in Southwest Florida, the resulting damage brought scammers out of the proverbial woodwork. Senior citizens are especially vulnerable to such people who promise to make repairs, take your money, and then disappear without doing the work. The NAIPC consists of trustworthy people who support senior clients needing home contractors, social workers, home health care staff, reverse mortgage specialists, aging specialists, nurses, etc. All NAIPC members must pass a criminal background check to be a part of this national organization. By using recommendations from NAICP, seniors should be able to avoid the scammers and others who try to take advantage of them. You can insist that service people you hire are members of their local branch of NAICP.
Find deals on eye exams and glasses. Loss of vision comes with age. There is just no getting around that. Finding deals to pay for new glasses when your prescription changes isn’t always easy, but a few options do exist. The Lion’s Club is known for assisting the blind, but their mission has expanded. Their eyeglass bank offers free eye exams, glaucoma screenings, and free glasses if you qualify.
New Eyes for the Needy, offers a voucher program to any low-income person, including seniors, for glasses.
Several other organizations offer free eye exams for seniors. Prevent blindness America, Eyecare America and Vision USA are a few to investigate. And don’t forget that Medicare does pay toward certain eye exams.
Organizations for Seniors. Click here for information about benefit programs you may qualify for. This is a service provide by the National Council on Aging. In Canada, contact www.50plus.com, the country’s largest advocacy group.
AARP Small Biz is an information center for home-based and small businesses or those just considering working for themselves. Click here.
Pharmaceutical assistance. If you live in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Vermont, Washington State or Wisconsin, there is help for paying for prescription medications. The program is called Elderly Pharmaceutical Assistance Program, or EPIC. Because allowed income levels vary with each state, you’ll need to contact your own state senior services group to see if you qualify. If you don’t live in one of those states with EPIC, try contacting the manufacturer of your particular medication to see if they have a program for low-income users. Check out this link for a list of pharmaceutical companies that offer assistance and instructions for applying.
Free cell phones. LifeLine is a Federal program that provides free cell phones for qualifying low-income clients. Click here for more information.
