Reaching Out Will Be So Appreciated this Time of Year

Isn’t there a lot going on this time of year? There’s the extra shopping and gift returning, and I’m not a big fan of crowds. OK, that’s an understatement. I avoid situations where there will be big groups of people—unless, of course, it’s a Health Alliance Medicare event.

I rarely hit the mall after Thanksgiving or before the middle of January. Last year I made an exception by going to Target in the middle of December and realized the gravity of my mistake when I encountered gridlock in the parking lot. Where are all these people coming from?

The holidays bring us many opportunities to plunge into the hurly-burly of the season. Parties abound, and then there’s all that food—the hard-to-resist kind that resulted in a net gain of 14 pounds for me last year. There always seems to be leftovers when my willpower is at its lowest.

This is also the time of year our call center at Health Alliance Medicare experiences a huge upswing in call volume. The Annual Election Period (November 15 until December 31) and the Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31) are when people covered by Medicare Advantage plans are able to make changes in their medical and pharmacy coverage. I can overhear some of our customer service representatives talking, and I have noticed something lately. Many of our senior callers are alone. Some are isolated from their far-flung families or have outlived their friends. Others have problems with transportation or live in remote rural areas. Many are facing health challenges and can’t get out and about.

According to the 2006 Census Estimates from the American Community Survey, there are 5,237 people 65 or older living alone in Champaign County. (My thanks to the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging for providing the statistic.) The potential for isolation is definitely there, and we are aware what an important role socialization plays in our overall wellbeing. If we think about it, we all know someone older who may be experiencing some form of isolation. So, what can we do?

For starters, I need to quit whining and be thankful. Sometimes it’s difficult to recognize how fortunate most of us are to be surrounded by our families and friends. The bounty of food and celebrations many of us experience is not the norm for some of our older neighbors and friends.

Maybe the next time you are setting the table for your holiday meal or other gathering, you could set an extra place. You probably know an older person who would love to spend some time with your family and friends. Being inclusive can give us a better perspective on many of the things we take for granted.