$$ To Your Financial Good Health $$

Shine On
New Early Medicare Signup Time Ends On December 7

By Sonja Brewer

The annual Medicare Open Enrollment period is the time to review your Medicare plan choices. During this time you can enroll in a plan or change your Medicare coverage for 2012. Note that this is an earlier timeframe than in previous years!  

If you are already enrolled in a plan, you should have received mail from your current provider regarding any upcoming changes for 2012. This is very important information so be sure to keep it in a safe place. There will also be a lot of information in the news and in the mail from many insurance companies as they undertake marketing efforts for 2012.

entation on Medicare’s open enrollment, prescription drug and other plan choices November 15 at 10 a.m. at the Barnstable County Courthouse on Route 6A in Barnstable Village. Call 508-394-9326 to register in advance for this very important presentation.

If you have specific concerns or questions, feel free to contact the Regional Office of the Cape and Islands SHINE Program at 1-800-334-9999. Remember, the new deadline for enrollment and changes:  December 7.

 (Ms. Brewer is the SHINE Cape & Islands Regional Director.)

‘YOU CAN BANK ON US’: At dedication of Falmouth Hospital’s new Blanche and Joel D. Seifer Women’s Health and Imaging Center, the Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank Charitable Foundation Trust and President Dorothy Savarese were recognized for their $250,000 donation to fund one of the facility’s Digital Mammography Suites. Here she is with Cape Cod Healthcare President/CEO Mike Lauf (left) and the hospital’s Chief of Radiology, Dr. Kenneth Caswell.

VINTAGE INFUSION? Staff and guests toast the opening of CarePoint Partners’ new infusion center in Plymouth (1-800-200-8660). From left, Richard E. Wagner, pharmacist in chief; Karen Rowley, CarePoint general manager; Denise Dever, owner of Home Instead Senior Care; Elise Vaun Hefflyuna of Plymouth, 77 and in her 56th year as a nurse and home infusion provider; and Paul Covellone, CarePoint regional manager.

King's Ransom
Why I Don't Want to Buy Life Insurance

By G. Robert King II, CFP®, AIF®

If you're like most people, it's not that you don't appreciate the value of life insurance. In fact, many people believe they need more coverage. You probably wouldn't mind owning additional life insurance. It's just that you don't want to buy it.

Thinking about buying life insurance, talking about buying life insurance, discussing the reasons for buying life insurance--all of this makes many people feel uncomfortable. Here are just some of the reasons why you may be putting off buying the life insurance you know you need.

I don't have enough time
You'll get around to buying life insurance, but not today. With all the things you've got to do, buying life insurance can come off as a low priority. Plus, the whole idea of discussing life insurance isn't a whole lot of fun.

Nonetheless, buying life insurance is really an important task that should be addressed. The subject is boring and morbid.

If you really don't like to think about death, you're not alone. Death is an unpleasant subject, and life insurance raises issues of our own mortality.

It doesn't have to be that way. Focus on the positive aspects; the idea of meeting your responsibility to provide and care for your loved ones.

I don't know where to start.
If you don't have a clue about which type of policy is right for you, or how much life insurance you need, join the club. That's okay. It's not your job to know everything about life insurance. That's the job of an insurance professional.

Life insurance isn't a high priority compared with the other expenses I have.

For many underinsured people, it's not so much that they don't want the life insurance they need; it's just difficult to find the extra dollars to pay for it. Buying life insurance you can't afford benefits nobody. If it causes your family hardship you'll eventually discontinue the policy. Then you and your family lose.

Fortunately, there are many types of life insurance available. These include term life and various types of permanent (cash value) policies.

Several different types of permanent life insurance are available, including:
Whole life, universal life, variable life and variable universal life.

(Note: Variable life and variable universal life insurance policies are offered by prospectus, which you can obtain from your financial professional or the insurance company. The prospectus contains detailed information about investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. You should read the prospectus and consider this information carefully before purchasing a variable life or variable universal life insurance policy.)

The bottom line
It's easy to understand why people tend to put off purchasing the life insurance they know they need. But look at it this way: buying life insurance is one way you can help secure your family's financial future. And what could be better than knowing your loved ones will be protected, even if you're no longer around to take care of them?

Security products and financial planning services offered through NES, Member FINRA/SIPC and a RIA. Branch office: 765 West Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601, 508-790-7100.)

RESOURCE-FULL HOUSE: Cape Cod’s Community Resource Group attracted a full house of 55 vendors and scores of interested seniors to its first Senior Resource Awareness Day at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Centerville October 19. From left, VNA-Hospice nurses Martha Troutman, R.N., Community Relations Specialist (left) and Melody Collis, double team a visitor; other attendees check out the literature; while Joanne Johnson (left), Director of Community Relations at Mayflower Place, who chaired the event, and CCRG President Denise Dever, owner of HomeInstead, flank Elaine Savas of Falmouth, winner of the day’s first raffle.

When Being ‘Taken For A Ride’ Means An Ex-Cop At The Wheel

If you watch too many cop shows or old gangster movies on television, being “taken for a ride” can have an ominous connotation.

But here on the Cape, if you’re picked up by The Senior Ride Company, there’s no need to worry. Unless it’s the wife of the owner himself at the wheel, your red-shirted driver will be, yes, an ex-policeman.

Ron Haley, who founded the Osterville-based company two years, ago spent many years as an undercover policeman. And he likes to hire former colleagues because they are experienced behind the wheel and also have experience in dealing with the elderly and the public in general.

Mr. Haley has had Cape connections previously when he and his wife, Kelly, moved here to seek a better environment for raising their three children. He already had a small business—KRH Properties—providing property management services for seniors (doing small jobs himself and referring contractors for the big ones). Recognizing the Cape as the largest senior-dominated county in the nation outside of Florida, he knew the driving service would have a built-in client base.

It seems to have worked since he now keeps three cars on the road and adds “we’re growing,” thanks in part to client and many elder and health service referrals.

At this point Senior Rides does not service the handicapped, he stresses. No wheelchairs. But they will accommodate walkers and those using a cane. As he points out, particularly when taking clients to medical appointments, “We’re not just door-to-door; we’re door-through-door.”

Most service is on a round trip flat rate basis—$30 within the town of Barnstable—for example…and spouses ride free to the same location.

Their most frequent out-of-town assignment is to Boston or the Providence airport.

Clients must be 55 or older and he says his oldest regular passenger is a 94-year-old widow who gave up driving at 86.

Why do these elders call on Senior Ride? Mr. Haley says it’s most often because they have developed general health, eyesight or coordination problems. For some, “it’s just sheer fear of being in a crash and being incapacitated.” Quite often, he adds, “it’s the kids who insist they shouldn’t be driving. And for some it’s just pampering.”

(The Senior Ride and KRH Properties can be reached at 508-681-9550.)

ALOHA, CAPE COD: Staff at American Medical Response (AMR) chose a Hawaiian motif to welcome potential clients at a get-acquainted open house to mark their arrival on Cape Cod. From left are Bob Eisenstein, administrator, Terri Walsh, assistant director of nurses, and Cindy Parker, director of admissions, all from Pavilion Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center; Mike Still, an AMR supervisor; and Pat Germani, nurse clinical liaison at Radius Regency Heritage.

Biz Bit$

Susan and Russ Hubler of Brewster announce they have joined the growing number of home care agencies on the Cape with the formation of Cape Hope Companions, Inc.Dr. Hubler, who is a practicing chiropractor, and his wife have completed training and certification in senior home care, home accident prevention and hospice and are affiliated with “The Senior’s Choice” an international elderly home care company. They may be reached at susan@capehomecompanions.com.

The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has announced that Peter Karlson of NeuEon is now affiliated with the Chamber as its Entrepreneur in Residence. This affiliation will support the Chamber’s goal of creating and retaining family-sustaining jobs on Cape Cod. Mr. Karlson will work with the Chamber’s Economic & Community Development pillar to further its strategic plan and will be a resource to business owners, organizations and collaborators. Mr. Karlson founded NeuEon in 2004. He may be reached at pk@neueon.com.

The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands have named Assistant Director Stephanie Kelly to succeed Maura Wilson who recently stepped down as Executive Director to spend more time with her family. Ms. Wilson, who had held the top position since 2008, began working with the Samaritans in 2005 and said she would continue as a volunteer with the organization. Ms. Kelly and Jessica McHugh, who will take over the role of Assistant Director, both successfully completed the Samaritans volunteer training program earlier this year and serve as volunteers. Prior to joining the Samaritans, both women have worked for a variety of local, national, and international non-profit organizations.

Gary Sheehan, Chief Executive Officer of Cape Medical Supply has announced the addition of Kevin Sheehan as Director of Professional Relations for the company’s Seacoast Respiratory operations in New Hampshire and Maine.” Kevin is the third and youngest son of company co-founders Mark and Nancy Sheehan to join brothers Gary, and Michael Sheehan, who is Director of Purchasing.