Senior Center News, Oct. 12, 2018

North Central Senior Citizens Center, Oct. 15-19

Monday — Transportation from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tuesday — Transportation from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; bingo at 1:15 p.m.

Wednesday — Transportation from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m; pinochle at 1 p.m.

Thursday — Transportation from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; pinochle at 1 p.m.; Great Falls trip at 8 a.m.

Friday — Medical transportation will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. but people must make a request at least 24 hours in advance.

No cards played this week.

March Menu by Earlene DeWinter

(Subject to Change)

Monday — Lasagna, bread sticks, salad, dessert

Tuesday — Spiced applesauce roast pork, mashed potatoes with gravy, winter-mix vegetables, rolls, spice cake

Wednesday — Hamburgers with buns, macaroni salad, baked beans, fruit

Thursday — Chicken enchilada casserole, fiesta rice, vegetables, pudding

Friday — Soup, salad bar, chef’s choice, dessert, milk

If you live in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Washington or Wyoming, keep an eye on your mailbox. Your new Medicare card is on its way.

Medicare Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. People with Medicare should take the opportunity to review their health care needs for the upcoming year and determine if changes to their current coverage are necessary. Plan costs change each year, so everyone with a Medicare health or drug plan should check to make sure their plan still meets their health needs and budget. By shopping available plans and comparing costs, beneficiaries may be able to find a Medicare health or drug plan with better coverage or a lower premium in 2019.

Moving Beyond Pain: Pain serves an important purpose, it warns the body when it’s in danger. A class of drugs called opioids is often used to treat acute pain. Opioids can be very effective for multiple types of pain. But opioids also produce feelings of happiness and well-being in some people. Sometimes opioids are not always needed. Some drugs like acetaminophen or ibuprofen don’t require a prescription and can be just as effective when used for pain on certain patients. Where many get into trouble when using opioids is when pain becomes chronic. Managing chronic pain is much more complicated. This is where many get into addictive behaviors. You must learn to expand your options and look for other non-opioid non-addictive treatments. Researchers funded by HEAL are funding new research for treatments for opioid misuse and addiction as well. More options for pain management could help doctors better personalize pain treatment.