Dear Friend,
Our communities continued to face enormous challenges in 2021 with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather events. It’s my sincere hope that this newsletter fi nds you and your families safe and healthy as we embark upon another year of our journey together.
Michigan seniors have earned the right to enjoy their future with dignity and financial security. As your State Senator, my goal is to make sure you can spend these unprecedented times focusing on what matters most to you, and I’m working hard in Lansing to ensure that we provide the stability you deserve.
Every letter, email, and call to our office has helped me to better represent you, and I hope to continue hearing from you as we begin a new year that I know will be filled with better opportunities. If you would like to share your ideas or need assistance regarding state government, you can contact my office by calling me toll-free at (855) DIST013 (855-347-8013), or (517) 373-2523. You can also email me at SenMMcMorrow@senate.michigan.gov.
Working for You,
Mallory McMorrow
State Senator
13th District
Website: SenatorMcMorrow.com
Email: SenMMcMorrow@senate.michigan.gov
Toll-Free: (855) 347-8013
Social Media: Senator Mallory McMorrow YouTube
Click link to review PDF version of newsletter
Join Us for Our Livestream Conversations
Our LIVE This Week with Mallory Fridays at 10 AM. So every Friday of the week the Legislature is in session, you’ll find me on my YouTube channel, diving into what happened that week, sharing good news from our communities, and answering any of your questions. It’s a great way to stay connected, safely, and I hope you’ll join me!
If you have any questions, you can either ask them during our livestreams by typing in the comments section OR you can always submit any question ahead of time that you’d like me to answer or discuss. Send an email to SenMMcMorrow@senate.michigan.gov
Stay safe and stay warm!
-Senator Mallory McMorrow
SENIOR SERVICE NUMBERS TO ASSIST YOU
“Help is just a phone call away. Please cut out and save these useful numbers in case you need assistance.” — Sen. McMorrow
Adult Home Help/Chore Services ………………………………..(800) 292-2550
Adult Protective Services,
for reports of suspected abuse and neglect ………………….(855) 444-3911
Area Agency on Aging 1B ………………………………………….(248) 357-2255
Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division,
for cases of identity theft ………………………………………….(877) 765-8388
Attorney General, Offi ce of Elder Abuse ……………………….(800) 242-2873
Bridge Card (EBT) – Customer Service ………………………..(888) 678-8914
COVID-19 Hotline …………………………………………………….(888) 535-6136
Disability Ombudsman ……………………………………………..(800) 288-5923
Domestic Violence Hotline ……………………………………….. (800) 799-7233
Elder Care Services ………………………………………………….(800) 677-1116
Elder Law of Michigan, Inc. ……………………………………….(866) 400-9164
Energy Assistance ………………………………………………………………… 2-1-1
Home Heating Tax Credit Status …………………………………(517) 636-4486
Medicaid Customer Help …………………………………………..(800) 642-3195
Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) …………..(800) 803-7174
Medicare, includes Part D for pharmacy ………………………(888) 633-4227
Medicare Savings Program ……………………………………….(800) 772-1213
MI Enrolls – Medicaid Managed Care ………………………….(888) 367-6557
Michigan Department of Health & Human Services,
Medicaid Benefi ciary Support ……………………………………(800) 642-3195
Michigan Long-Term Care Ombudsman ………………………(866) 485-9393
Michigan Stroke Network ………………………………………….(866) 522-8676
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency ……………………………….(800) 642-4838
National Alliance on Mental Illness ……………………………..(810) 232-6498
Nursing Home Complaints…………………………………………(800) 882-6006
Oakland Community Health Network,
for mental health or substance use services ………………..(248) 464-6363
Oakland County Health Division …………………………………(248) 858-1280
Oakland County Health Division, Nurse on Call Hotline …..(800) 848-5533
Oakland Meals on Wheels …………………………………………(248) 689-0001
Relay Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing ……………………………….. 7-1-1
Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention ……………………………….(517) 372-6666
Social Security Administration ……………………………………(800) 772-1213
State SSI Supplement ………………………………………………(800) 481-4774
Substance Abuse Hotline ………………………………………….(800) 662-4357
Suicide Prevention Crisis Hotline ………………………………..(800) 273-8255
TAX statements for Adult Home Help …………………………..(800) 292-2550
THAW – The Heat and Warmth Fund ………………. (800) 866-THAW (8429)
Volunteers of America Michigan …………………………………(248) 945-0101
The Cost of Prescription Drugs
For many people who need prescription drugs, the costs can be extreme, leaving patients struggling to make difficult decisions between basic life expenses based on their budget. No one should have to ration insulin or choose which refills to get when they need them. While many of the most impactful legislative changes on controlling the cost of prescription drugs must be addressed at the federal level, as a state we need to develop creative solutions. I am committed to finding ways we can address this growing issue.
No one should have to ration insulin or choose which refills to get when they need them.
-Sen. McMorrow
Here is some information that you may find useful as you head to the pharmacy:
• Know your rights: Michigan law requires pharmacies to share drug prices with consumers.
• Compare prices: The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services maintains MichiganDrugPrices.com,
which allows you to compare and save money without ever stepping foot in a pharmacy.
• Prescription discount cards: The MiRx (My Prescription) Card is a prescription drug discount program for Michigan residents who do not have prescription drug coverage. The MiRx Card program is free; there is no cost for the card or to enroll in the program. MiRx cardholders can take their prescription and their MiRx card to their local participating pharmacy, where the pharmacist will fi ll the prescription and charge the MiRx discounted price. The discount covers any medicine the pharmacist stocks and that your doctor prescribes, except for over-the counter drugs. For more information, please visit MIHealth.org/MiRx.
Pharmacies often also offer free discount cards to consumers who do not have insurance or who have very high co-pays. While these discount cards can offer significant savings, it is important to be aware that companies will sometimes use these cards as a scam to require you to pay more in the long run.
COVID-19: SOLACE DURING SECLUSION
The isolation many have experienced throughout the pandemic can heighten feelings of anxiety, depression and stress, especially for seniors, who are in a higher-risk category for contracting COVID-19.
Here are some other coping strategies for weathering the pandemic:
• Connect with friends and family through phone calls, social media, and video chatting
• Call your neighbors just to say hello and see how they’re doing
• Reach out to more distant friends or family to reignite old relationships
• Take breaks from the media and avoid watching the news all the time
• Stretch, eat balanced meals, sleep, and exercise regularly
• Maintain routines, especially if you are already under treatment for mental illness
• Contact your health care provider if you feel overwhelmed
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: PROTECT AGAINST
ELDER ABUSE AND FRAUD
In Michigan, more than 73,000 older adults have been victims of abuse — and many more are targets. Seniors are often vulnerable to abuse, neglect, or exploitation, and much of it is unreported or underreported. To combat this, our Attorney General has created the Elder Abuse Task Force, which has been tasked with implementing various initiatives and creating a more streamlined reporting process that can help reduce the risk of elder abuse.
Elder Abuse: SEE IT, DOCUMENT IT, REPORT IT
If you or someone you know might be a victim of elder abuse, the Michigan Attorney
General’s Office recommends you:
• Take photographs and written notes on what you observed, when you observed it, and who was present, along with any further helpful information;
• Immediately report incidents to the nursing home or health care facility administrator, if applicable; and,
• Report the abuse to the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 242-2873 and to the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services Adult Protective Services at (855) 444-3911.
COVID-19: INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
The extremely safe vaccines are available for free throughout Oakland County, so I hope you will do your part in this national effort to protect our communities and get vaccinated.”
-Sen. McMorrow
Our health care professionals and public servants have been hard at work since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, making sure that everyone has access to important information and resources. Even as more people can get vaccinated, it’s important that all of us continue to do our part to stay safe and stop the spread of this virus by wearing a mask in public spaces, staying at least six feet apart from others, and avoiding crowded indoor places when possible.
| State of Michigan COVID-19 Hotline (888) 535-6136 Michigan.gov/Coronavirus Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine | Oakland County Oakland County Health Division COVID-19 Help Line (248) 858-1000 oakgov.com/COVID |
Meals on Wheels
Oakland Meals on Wheels
(248) 689-0001 | info@oaklandmow.org
No one should go without access to healthy meals. If you, or a senior you know, are struggling to pay for food, Meals on Wheels can help.
This program provides five nutritious meals per week to homebound, older adults. They also offer liquid nutrition for those who are unable to eat solid food and who have a prescription from their physician.
To qualify for Meals on Wheels, an adult must be:
• 60 years of age or older;
• Homebound (e.g. unable to leave home without assistance and unable to drive);
• Unable to cook for him/herself;
• Have no one willing or available to prepare meals on a regular basis; and,
• Able to feed themself.
For more information or to determine if you’re eligible for Meals on Wheels, contact Oakland Meals on Wheels at (248) 689-0001.
HOME HEATING ASSISTANCE
In the dead of winter, heating bills can become a burden that cause many to struggle just to keep their house warm but, fortunately, The Heat and Warmth (THAW) Fund can help.
THAW has multiple utility assistance programs available, including affordable payment plans for customers of DTE’s Low Income Self-Sufficiency Plan (LSP) and the Consumers Energy Consumers Affordable Resource for Energy (CARE) plan. They also offer resources for utility payment assistance and/or state emergency relief.
See which program you may qualify for at THAWFund.org/Programs or call (800) 866-THAW (8429). In addition, here are some helpful phone numbers if you have questions about your heating bill:
DTE Energy: (800) 477-4747
Consumers Energy: (800) 477-5050
Michigan Gas Utilities: (800) 401-6402