We were among hundreds of area boomers and seniors who found a wealth of knowledge over the weekend at Cabell Huntington Hospital’s SeniorFest 2018. Among the many medical screenings available, Vickie had a bone density screening and had her target heart rate calculated. I had a memory, depression and anxiety screening.
At one of the many stations, we found some helpful tips on Seniors and the Internet. We asked Marshall Medical student Jamila Ranavaya to give us 3 great tips for seniors and the internet, she added one more for good measure. Ms. Ranavaya told us:
- “Don’t believe everything you read. You have to use websites that are peer reviewed. Among the best peer reviewed websites that we can offer would be Mayo Clinic– mayoclinic.org – Medline Plus – WWW.medlineplus.gov – and Cleveland Clinic – www.my.clevelandclinic.org – because they offer information for all learning levels and the information is very clear and concise.”
- “Use the internet to find different ways to make your age and retirement enjoyable. For example, the Silver Sneakers program – www.silversneakers.com – offers free gym membership to anyone who is over the age of 65. You can volunteer at your local library and you can find those forms on their website usually.”
- “Then there is the Lifelong Learning Program. Locally, the Lifelong Learning program is done through Marshall University because they believe everyone deserves a chance to learn.”
- You can use the internet to make your life easier, to pay for groceries, to go to Amazon, be creative -Google ‘Internet benefits for Senior Citizens.’ Use the internet as a tool. If you need help don’t be afraid to reach out to someone with a little more internet knowledge.
We found that Kroger offers peer reviewed information on common health topics such as COPD and muscle pain. Website: www.kroger.com .
We also learned that the Tristate Transit Authority bus system that serves Huntington, Ashland and Ironton is very senior friendly. They have several preplanned routes and their fares for Seniors, the Disabled and Medicare card holders is HALF of their usual fare. TTA also allows service animals, and respirators, concentrators and personal oxygen onboard their vehicles. Check out all this bus system has to offer at www.tta-wv.com.
Check with your local hospital or medical center to see what services they may offer for Boomers and Seniors.
Oh, yes, the popcorn at SeniorFest 2018 was good to go.