JUNE/JULY 2024 NEWSY NOTES
TSB meets every Tuesday – 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Christ Presbyterian Church, 6565 E. Broadway
Come when you can and leave when you must. Bring a sack lunch.
or more information call Barbara at 520-298-2427 or Annie at 520-275-1675
It is the Mission of the Tucson Society of the Blind to enhance the quality of lives of the visually impaired through social, educational, and recreational programs.
www.tucsonsocietyoftheblind.org
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Calendar
JUNE
4th: Captain Belinda Morales, Police Chief of the Eastside Division will discuss “Being a woman in a man’s police world, tips to keep you safe in the home, and crime statistics.”
11th: Paul Cunningham of the Tucson City Council will talk about “transportation and other city issues.”
14th: Board Meeting 10:15 AM Biscuit Country Café, 7026 E Broadway
18th: Christine Vivona will perform on the harp
18th: Manny’s iPhone Class on Zoom 6:30-8:30 PM
25th: We will have lasagna for this potluck and the members will be bringing side dishes and dessert. Get a 12:00 – 12:30 PM Sun Van out.
JULY
2nd: Lunch out at Millie’s Pancake House, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road. Meet at 11:00 AM with a1:00 PM out on Sun Van. Please let Barbara know if you are coming by Friday so she can reserve enough seats.
9th: We will listen to Hadley experts speak about the third Vision Blooper podcast. Get ready for a good laugh.
16th: Roxanna will perform our favorite tunes on the accordion.
23rd: Nicki Lee of the City Council will discuss issues that affect the Eastside.
23rd: Manny’s iPhone Class on Zoom 6:30-8:30 PM
30th: Jeff Babson will present on Arizona Wildlife and Desert Plants
President’s Message by Barbara Macpherson
One of the most important skills to learn as a visually-impaired Individual is how to self-advocate effectively. Being a good self-advocate is being able to talk assertively to get your needs and wants met and requires practice.
I use my self-advocacy skills when traveling. While waiting to board a flight at the boarding gate I introduce myself to people seated right next to me. It helps to get their name and make some small talk such as “Are you traveling to Tucson for home or a visit?” This helps me locate the gate agent and my mew acquaintance will let me know if the airline changes the boarding gate. It is hard to ask for help, but most people are nice and enjoy being helpful.
At TSB all is going well. Remember we are still selling Jim Click Raffle tickets and for those who have already purchased tickets – thank you! For those of you that still have tickets to sell, we would like them turned in by the last Tuesday in July.
If you need more tickets, please let Barbara know. Tickets are sold for $25 each or 5 for $100. All funds raised goes to TSB.
Useful Medical Resources to Save you Money
I have United Medical Advantage Plan and I have described below some of the benefits of my plan.Your plan may be different but you can check out whether your plan has the same benefits by calling the membership number given on the back of your card.
On my plan I can get 21 rides to medical appointments for free. I also have access to a 24-hour nurse practitioner to ask questions. Each quarter I can order $50 of over-the-counter medications and devices. I can get one pair of frames and lenses every two years. I can do telehealth conferences on my iPhone of instead having to go for an office visit. I take a drug-injection called Prolia for osteoporosis at my doctor’s office. My plan covers urgent care visits with a $40 copayment. I have two Urgent Care facilities in my contacts along with addresses in case I need to take an Uber.
With a doctor’s prescription I could order a new support cane, walker, or wheel chair and lastly, once home from the hospital I can order six days of free meals. And lastly, I can also go to almost any gym, such as LA Fitness, for free.
So, do check out your health plan and see if it covers all the options you need.
Incidentally, I found out that some of my prescriptions were just too expensive, so I get paper copies of the prescriptions and later fax them up to Canadian pharmacies. That ends up costing 1/3 of the cost.
In other health-related matters, Nancy Dippold sent the following resources to look for free medical aids such as walkers, wheel chairs and Lazy Boy recliner chairs with lifts in them. Sadly, all these services do not deliver the equipment so you have to figure a way to get the equipment to your home.
See below for the contact information for the resources:
New Spirit Lutheran Church for the Medical Loan Chest
8701 E. Old Spanish Trail
(520) 296 2461
PMHDC Southwest Medical Aid
720 E. 46th Street Tucson, AZ
(520) 622-2938
Another service to be aware of is the free Scrip Talk Talking Prescription Reader from Envision America. 800-890-1180
It is available at any Walmart, Sam’s Club, or Veterans Administration. Mail Order: Walmart, Pharmacy, (Caremark) Humana, Edna, Optum R. It is now available at the Fry’s pharmacy at 22nd and Kolb and the Fry’s pharmacy at 9401 E 22nd St. It is also available at the Safeway store located at Broadway and Houghton.
You will receive a free machine that will read all the information on the prescription bottle. There is also a app on the smart phone that will also read all the information on the prescription bottle.
THE “E” WORD!
By Timette Middelkoop
Hello, everyone! I hope you have all been enjoying our beautiful weather this spring. The time is coming for us to ‘hunker down’ for the summer, but we don’t need to stop all of our activities.
The “e” word is “exercise”. (I can feel your excitement as you read that.) Before turning the page to find something else, I think we all agree that exercise is good for us. That doesn’t mean it has to be boring or unpleasant. It doesn’t mean 3 hours a day at the gym, or lifting a 200-pound weight over our heads. That’s impractical for most people. We should find what works for US.
So, the first place to start is to look at who you are. Are you a person who likes to do things that are structured? There are many health clubs and activity centers throughout Tucson. Barbara, our president, takes line dancing lessons, and has demonstrated them at our TSB meetings. Some of our members belong to the YMCA and participate in exercise groups which appeal to them. There are many free activities available. For those that charge a fee, it could be something that’s covered, partially or totally, by your insurance.
There could be free activities in your neighborhood as well. Some HOAs have swimming pools, horseshoe pits and so on. Maybe a friend or neighbor likes to teach aerobics, dance or yoga. You can ask around and see what’s available. If there is no in-person class, there are many on YouTube or other social media sites.
(NOTE: before beginning any new activity, please talk with your doctor and follow the recommendations that are based on your health needs. Although exercise is beneficial, it’s not meant to put us at any kind of risk.)
Some of us have pets. Caring for them can give us fun ways to be active. Walking our dogs is an excellent way to get out into the fresh air and sunshine. If your pets have a big backyard where they can run around, join them outside and play fetch with them. The bending and stretching that comes with playing fetch, grooming, giving food and water are all wonderful conditioning for our muscles.
Some of us might be more independent and prefer doing things on our own. Walking has many excellent benefits – building and toning muscle, cardiovascular health, lung function, etc. For people who prefer indoor options, there are many videos available on YouTube.
Along with exercises for walking and dancing, there are videos that focus on chair exercises. The instructors do many bending and stretching exercises to tone muscles and increase range of motion. Some also use light hand weights (for example, water bottles) to improve muscle. We are blessed to live in a time when so many options are available.
The Legendary Bob Hope (1904-2004)
Bob Hope was a famous comedian who entertained US troops in many wars, including World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Lebanon Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War, and the Persian Gulf War. He made 57 USO tours between 1941 and 1991, entertaining troops in every major military conflict.
Here are some fun Bob Hope Quotes
1. “A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.”
2. “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”
3. “You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.”
4. “You never get tired unless you stop and take time for it.”
5. “I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful.”
6. “I like a President who tells jokes instead of appointing them.”
7. “Middle age is when you still believe you’ll feel better in the morning.”
8. “If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.”
9. “Don’t people know that they don’t have to heckle the President of the United States? That’s what Congress is for.”
10. “Failure is the only thing I’ve ever been a success at.”
11. I love flying. I’ve been to almost as many places as my luggage.”
12. “Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle.”
13. “When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness.”
14. I don’t feel old. I don’t feel anything till noon. That’s when it’s time for my nap.”
15. “She said she was approaching forty, and I couldn’t help wondering from what direction.”
16. “If I have to lay an egg for my country, I’ll do it.”
17. “I have the perfect simplified tax form for government. Why don’t they just print our money with a return address on it?”
18. “Television. That’s where movies go when they die.”
19. I love to go to Washington – if only to be near my money.”
20. “My secret for staying young is good food, plenty of rest, and a makeup man with a spray gun.”