989.539.8870 majewskic@clareco.net

Clare County Senior Services

Our Mission

The Clare County Senior Services Department mission is to advocate and promote the well being of all persons age 60 and over by providing and coordinating services that address their individual needs.

Make a Donation

Interested in making a donation? Please click the button, and thank you!

Clare County Senior Services

Our Mission

The Clare County Senior Services Department mission is to advocate and promote the well being of all persons age 60 and over by providing and coordinating services that address their individual needs.

Make a Donation

Interested in making a donation? Please click the button, and thank you!

Emergency Needs

Provides funding for our Seniors when faced with an emergency such as utility assistance, home repairs, money for medication and clothing.

Medicaid Waiver

Other service providers serving nursing home eligible clients contract with our organization to provide the actual service.

Current Annual Report

Senior Service programs are funded in part through grant funding provided by Region VII Area Agency on Aging and Office of Services to Aging.

Loan Closet

If you’re in need of some durable medical equipment, please reach out to us to see if we have it so you can borrow it, rather than purchasing it.

Adult Incontinent Supplies

Give us a call before you go out and buy, as we may have some available or may be able to get some for you.

Why Medicare is important, and how to choose a plan for you.

When Medicare first debuted in 1965, 19 million Americans jumped at the chance to receive healthcare. Today, around 17 percent of the population is enrolled in some form of Medicare. When it was first launched, this federally-funded insurance program provided a few basic services. But, like the needs of Americans, Medicare has changed over the last five decades. And with those changes come added confusion.

Medicare Today (click to expand - if collapsed)

Today’s Medicare is more comprehensive. Even Original Medicare — the term for the standard product — covers more than it did for our grandparents. Medicare has done a lot for seniors, and for the healthcare system as a whole. For one, it has resulted in more seniors being able to afford preventative care. This means fewer major issues arising without warning. In other words, seniors now have access to preventative medicine and health screenings, and they are less likely to fall seriously ill since issues can be treated as they pop up.

Other benefits of Medicare are that it has led to a more structured network of hospitals, shorter in-patient hospital stays, and has sparked many research programs that have defined treatment for conditions common among seniors. Money Crashers further asserts that Medicare’s obvious financial benefits to seniors is undeniable.

Still, even with new choices and many vital services being covered, the program only works when seniors choose a healthcare plan that makes sense for their budget and health.

Choosing a Plan (click to expand - if collapsed)

Before you pick a plan, it’s important to know the different aspects of Medicare. These are Parts A, B, D, and Medigap. Medicare Advantage, or Part C, is private insurance that has been approved by Medicare, and it’s often a more affordable option that offers broader coverage.

Medicare has many “moving” parts, and it can tough to decipher the language used to describe them. If you aren’t comfortable clicking through dozens of web pages and don’t know which questions to ask your doctor, there are many online resources made just for you. Medicare.org is one of these and provides easy-to-read information on Medicare.

Medicare choices can be broken down into two categories: standard and supplemental. Standard Medicare is made up of two basic benefits. These are hospital and doctor coverage. Part A (hospital coverage) helps pay for hospital stays and limited nursing care, which Investopedia notes is covered in full for 20 days (per incident). Part B is for routine health exams, preventative services, and healthcare follow-ups with specialists and your primary provider.

If you noticed that prescription medication wasn’t mentioned above, you’re right. That’s because Medicare doesn’t cover prescriptions without enrolling in a supplemental program. Medicare Part D is the prescription coverage for Original Medicare. It costs extra, but there are many choices. Some cover different types of meds more than others so it’s crucial to get to know the different options.

Medicare Advantage is another form of supplemental insurance. If you opt for Advantage, your premium will be different than if you stick with Original Medicare. Your coverage will also be better, assuming you don’t live in two different places in the summer and winter. A health plan through Medicare Advantage, which has seen reducing premiums for the last few years, usually includes drug coverage and other perks like vision and dental benefits.

A final form of supplemental insurance is Medigap. This is only available to Original Medicare recipients and results in much higher monthly premiums, but less out-of-pocket expenses when services are needed, such as for a hospital stay.

A final thought: Even with all of the information available, picking a plan isn’t always easy. If you don’t understand the many nuances of each plan, and many people don’t, talk to a Medicare licensed agent who does.

Volunteering Your Time

For some of our seniors, our volunteers may be the only human contact they receive in any one given day. The importance of this interaction exceeds words. Our volunteers make it possible for our seniors to receive much needed medical attention and also assist our staff with the daily tasks that are required to provide the very best service we can.

Senior Services is in need of a Volunteer Home Delivered Meal Drivers county wide. Please call Senior Services for more information at 989.539.8870.

In Home Services 2020 / 2021 Fiscal Year

Our Mission

The Clare County Senior Services Department mission is to advocate and promote the well being of all persons age 60 and over by providing and coordinating services that address their individual needs.

Clare County Senior Services is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Office Hours

Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Closed Daily: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Visit Us

212 Broad Street, P.O. Box 438
Harrison, MI 48625

Call Us

989.539.8870

Email Us

Email Carol Majewski, Executive Director
Email Jenn Wilson, Nutrition Education
Email Evelyn Allison, In-Home Services Director

Connect Socially