Tri-County Office on Aging

February 2023 E-Newsletter

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program Begins Annual Free Tax Return Assistance

The Tri-County Office on Aging (TCOA) and the AARP Foundation are partnering once again to provide free tax return assistance and preparation through the AARP Tax-Aide Program beginning January 30 through April 13, 2023. The Tax-Aide program is available to anyone, with a special focus on taxpayers who are over 50 or who have low to moderate income. You do not need to be an AARP member to receive an appointment. Your taxes will be completed and filed at this appointment.

Please note that appointments are required and may be made by calling TCOA at 517-887-1440. Appointments will be available Monday through Thursday at the TCOA office located at 5303 S. Cedar St., Building 1, Lansing, MI 48911.

Some tax returns are outside the scope of the Tax-Aide Program. If you have rental property, farmland, run a small business, receive a Schedule K-1, or have multiple transactions on an investment account, Tax-Aide may not be able to assist you with filing your tax return. For those tax situations, it is best to contact an alternative tax service.

There are Tax-Aide locations across the country. In the tri-county area, you may choose to have your taxes done at the following locations in addition to TCOA:

East Lansing Public Library

950 Abbot Road East Lansing, MI 48823

517-351-2420 (Appointment required)

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

DeWitt Township Community Center

16101 Brook Road Lansing, MI 48906

517-668-0270 (Appointment required)

Mondays and Wednesdays

NorthWest Initiative

510 West Ottawa Street Lansing, MI 48933

517-999-2894 (Appointment required)

Mondays and Tuesdays

Windsor Township

300 West Jefferson Street Dimondale, Michigan 48821

517-646-0772 (Appointment required)

Mondays and Tuesdays

To find a location in your area, visit the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Locator.

Upcoming Health and Wellness Workshops

Workshops are back in person!

Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Delta 39’ers Enrichment Center in west Lansing on Mondays, February 27 – April 3 from 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Diabetes PATH
Westside YMCA in west Lansing on Wednesdays, March 29 – May 3 from 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Sparrow Clinton Hospital in St. Johns on Tuesdays, April 11 – May 16 from 1:30 – 4:00 pm
Chronic Pain PATH
Alfreda Schmidt Community Center in Lansing on Wednesday, March 1 – April 5 from 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Ivan Woods Senior Apartments in west Lansing on Thursdays, March 2 – April 6 from 9:00 – 11:30 am
Matter of Balance
Origami Rehabilitation (Main) in Mason on Thursdays, March 1 – April 20 from 10:00 am – 12 noon
New Hope Community Church in Charlotte on Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 4 - April 27 from 9:30 – 11:30 am
Stockbridge Activity Center in Stockbridge on Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 4 - April 27 from 10:00 am – 12 noon.

To register, call TCOA at 517-887-1465 or email histedc@tcoa.org.

Volunteers Needed!

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to lead Diabetes PATH in the community. If you possess good listening and interpersonal skills, are comfortable speaking in front of a group, and can serve as a role model for healthy behaviors, consider becoming a leader. We are also striving to offer the workshop in Spanish, therefore, if you are bilingual and interested in being trained, let us know! Contact Christine Histed at histedc@tcoa.org or click here for more information.

Medicare Advantage Plan Enrollment

From January 1st to March 31st, individuals currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan can change to another Advantage plan or switch from an Advantage plan to Original Medicare and add a Part D drug plan.

Whether you recently enrolled or have had an Advantage plan for years, this is your opportunity to confirm – or change – your plan choice. When doing this, think about your experience using your Advantage plan and review your plan’s benefits. You should evaluate your Advantage plan in the following areas:

Are your doctors and other providers in the plan network? Are you prescription drugs on the plan’s formulary?
Are you comfortable with your costs, including premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance?
Do you need additional coverage for things like dental, vision and hearing care?
Are you happy with your plan’s additional benefits, such as fitness programs, mail-order pharmacy, nurse line, and other wellness services?

If you decide to make a change to your Advantage plan, you have from January 1st to March 31st to do so. The Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) specialists at the Tri-County Office on Aging can guide you through this process. This public program and its specialists provide non-biased education on Medicare and Medicaid options, eligibility, and medical bills and guide individuals through enrollment. Interested individuals can schedule a free appointment with a MMAP specialist by calling MMAP at 517-887-1416.

To learn more about MMAP, visit https://www.tcoa.org/medicare-medicaid/.

Volunteer Opportunities

Literally and figuratively, volunteering is good for the heart! We have plenty of opportunities available, and we'd love for you to join us in our mission!

Volunteers can help out by:

Driving for Meals on Wheels
Serving food at one of our community dining sites
Preparing meals for seniors
Assisting with Medicare enrollment via MMAP
Facilitating health workshops

Visit www.tcoa.org/volunteer to apply!

February Volunteer Spotlight: Kathy Waldo

In a month celebrating our care and devotion to others, we’d like to honor Kathy Waldo, a dedicated volunteer for Clinton County Meals on Wheels.

Showing an undoubted commitment to her community, Kathy has volunteered with the Tri-County Office on Aging for nearly two decades, delivering to the same route over the years. According to the Meals on Wheels staff, Kathy has shown her care for her community by taking on a lengthy route, being punctual for meal pick up, calling the office if she has any concerns about her clients, and revisiting a client's home if they didn't answer the door on her first delivery attempt.

Kathy credits her joining Meals on Wheels to her mother, having helped her mom deliver routes years ago. Entering retirement, Kathy wanted to give her heart to her community, and her curiosity pulled her toward the work that her mom loved. Now, she finds herself filling some of her routes with her daughter and granddaughter.

Whether volunteering together or alone, she expresses a fondness for working with seniors. Delivering meals directly to seniors' homes allows her to visit and bond with these individuals, and she holds these connections close to her heart.

When asked about her hobbies outside of her volunteer work with Meals on Wheels,

Kathy humorously identifies herself as someone who can’t say no, stepping in and helping those who need her. Kathy enjoys working with children, also volunteering for a local elementary school to assist first-grade teachers as they prepare assignments and folders for their students.

Thank you, Kathy, for all that you do for your community!