SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a free program that is offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the local Area Agency on Aging. The programs offered are geared to provide unbiased counseling, advice and assistance to local Medicare beneficiaries as well as the families and caregivers of the beneficiaries.
While Madison does not have its own SHINE office, it is underneath the services of a Tallahassee-based office, along with 13 other counties that stretch from Holmes County to Taylor County.
Quarterly, a SHINE team visits Madison County to provide informative programs, assistance and discussions that are all geared to help the county’s senior citizens better understand the benefits that can be reached through Medicaid and Medicare.
On Wednesday, June 15, Letha Paulhus, the Tallahassee SHINE liaison; Maxine Sweet, an area specialist for SHINE and Margie Jessup, a volunteer with SHINE, visited the Madison Senior Citizens Center, bringing with them informative pamphlets, the readiness to help and an informative presentation to the county’s seniors.
“SHINE is volunteer based,” said Paulhus, “We cover a 14-county area…we stay busy.”
With 25 volunteers between the 14 counties, the Tallahassee division – known as PSA 2 – does indeed stay busy. Jessup, one of those volunteers who came to Madison on June 15, is from the Leon County area and travels in order to assist senior citizens with their Medicaid and Medicare needs.
“Madison County does not have its own area office, so we travel here frequently with our programs,” said Paulhus.
The Madison Senior Citizen Center frequently hosts agencies that provide or explain benefits to the county’s senior citizens, families and caretakers.
Health expos that feature local and area health providers and care organizations are also held often.
According to Paulhus, SHINE will likely not be visiting the senior center again until August, but the Senior Citizens Center has many other programs lined up during the remainder of June. Call the center at (850) 973-4241 to inquire about upcoming programs. The center is located at 1161 Harvey Greene Dr., in Madison.