Area H1N1 Information and Flu Shot Clinic Locations

Mecklenburg County Health Department has created a one-stop source for local H1N1 information at www.meckhealth.org/h1n1  Now Taking Appointments Mecklenburg County Health Department is now taking appointments for priority groups to get the H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccination. Vaccine supplies have now reached adequate levels to allow health department nurses and staff to administer the H1N1 vaccination to: • Pregnant women • People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age • Persons between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old • Children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions Appointments can be made by calling 704-432-5100. The Mecklenburg County Health Department Flu hotline number is 704-336-4667. The Mecklenburg County Health Department is now taking appointments for the seasonal flu shot.  Please call 704-336-6500 for an appointment at either the 249 Billingsley Road or 2845 Beatties Ford Rd. locations. [Back to Top]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges you to take the following 3 action steps to protect yourself and others from influenza (the flu): #1   Take time to get vaccinated. CDC recommends a yearly seasonal flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal flu. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three seasonal viruses that research suggests will be most common. Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of serious flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older. Seasonal flu vaccine also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to prevent giving the flu to those at high risk. A seasonal vaccine will not protect you against novel H1N1. A new vaccine against novel H1N1 is being produced and will be available in the coming months as an option for prevention of novel H1N1 infection. People at greatest risk for novel H1N1 infection include children, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease. #2  Take everyday preventive actions. Taking Care to Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. *  Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick. While sick, limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. *Though the scientific evidence is not as extensive as that on hand washing and alcohol-based sanitizers, other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be useful for killing flu germs on hands in settings where alcohol-based products are prohibited. #3  Take flu antiviral drugs if recommended. If you get seasonal or novel H1N1 flu, antiviral drugs can treat the flu. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. Antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. Antiviral drugs are not sold over-the-counter and are different from antibiotics. Antiviral drugs may be especially important for people who are very sick (hospitalized) or people who are sick with the flu and who are at increased risk of serious flu complications, such as pregnant women, young children and those with chronic health conditions. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started within the first 2 days of symptoms. For more information go to www.cdc.gov/flu [Back to Top]

Free Rabies Shot Clinics For Your Pet

Saturday, December 12, 2009  8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Every pet there by 11:00 a.m. will receive the shot.  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Care & Control 8315 Byrum Drive Charlotte, North Carolina   28217 Phone:  704-336-7600   All dogs, cats and ferrets four months and older residing in Charlotte, Mint Hill, Pineville and the unincorporated areas of Mecklenburg County must be licensed annually. A rabies vaccination is required to purchase a license. Dogs must be leashed and cats in carriers. Please bring ID with your current address or a utility bill that shows your current address. [Back to Top]

Find the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan That's Best for You

OPEN SEASON IS HERE: TIME TO HUNT FOR YOUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN By Paul D. Barnes Social Security Regional Commissioner in Atlanta Hunting season is upon us; time to set your target for the Medicare prescription drug plan that's best for you. Newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and current beneficiaries who are considering changes to their Medicare Part D plan, should mark their calendars for November 15.  The "open season" will run from November 15 to December 31. The Medicare Part D prescription drug program is available to all Medicare beneficiaries to help with the costs of medications.  Joining a Medicare prescription drug plan is voluntary, and participants pay an additional monthly premium for the coverage. While all Medicare beneficiaries can participate in the prescription drug program, some people with limited income and resources also are eligible for "extra help" to pay for monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments.  The extra help is worth an average of $3,900 per year.  To figure out whether you are eligible for the extra help, Social Security needs to know your income and the value of any savings, investments, and real estate (other than the home you live in).  To qualify, you must be receiving Medicare and also have: - Income limited to $16,245 for an individual or $21,855 for a married couple living together.  Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help with monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments.  Some examples where your income may be higher include if you or your spouse:   -Support other family members who live with you;   -Have earnings from work; or   -Live in Alaska or Hawaii; and - Resources limited to $12,510 for an individual or $25,010 for a married couple living together.  Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds.  We do not count your house or car as resources. You can complete an easy-to-use online application for the extra help at www.socialsecurity.gov.  Click on Medicare on the top right side of the page.  Then click on "Apply for help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs."  To apply for the extra help by phone or have an application mailed to you, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020).  Or go to your nearest Social Security office. And if you would like more information about the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program itself, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048). So this open season, hunt for something that could put $3,900 in your pocket - bag the best Medicare prescription drug plan for you and see if you qualify for the extra help through Social Security. [Back to Top]

Fraud Alerts

The Attorney General's Office issued the following alert to the general public yesterday.  Historically, prize-claim notices that require $10-$20 payments have been used to set up older consumers for much larger scams. WATCH OUT FOR FAKE NORTH CAROLINA PRIZE OFFERS Some consumers have recently gotten mailings that claim they've won a prize from the State of North Carolina Commissioners of Registration.  To claim their prize, consumers are told to sign the form and return it along with a payment of $20.   The mailings look official and include a fake state seal, but the promised prizes don't exist, and there is no state agency called the Commissioners of Registration.  If you receive a similar mailing, do not reply to it or send any money.  It's illegal to require consumers to pay any fee to win a prize, and money sent to scammers is usually difficult or impossible to recover.  Responding to one type of scam also puts you at greater risk for becoming the target of other scammers.   Attorney General Roy Cooper's Consumer Protection Division is currently investigating these mailings.  If you've responded to a prize notice like this one, contact us for assistance at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.   For more information on how to protect yourself including tips on prize scams, visit us at www.ncdoj.gov. David N. Kirkman Assistant Attorney General Task Force Alerts Chair Consumer Protection Division Office of Attorney General Roy Cooper 9001 Mail Processing Center Raleigh, NC  27699-9001 Tel. 919-716-6000 (Copies of Earlier NCSFTF Trade Practice Alerts and Senior Fraud Alerts Are Available on the NC Division of Aging's Website, www.dhhs.state.nc.us/aging/fraud/cfalert.htm ) 11/2009

2010 U.S. Census Cautions to Avoid Fraud or Identity Theft With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data. The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice: • If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home. • Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information.  Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, it will  NOT ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations. Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, they will  NOT contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Fraudulent Faxes Being Sent to Doctor's Offices The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have issues a warning about a scam where perpetrators are sending faxes to physician offices posing as the Medicare carrier or Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).  The fax instructs physician staff to respond to a questionnaire to provide an account information update within 48 hours in order to prevent a gap in Medicare payments.  The fax may have the CMS logo and/or the contractor logo to enhance the appearance of authenticity. Medicare FFS providers, including physicians, non-physician practitioners, should be wary of this type of request.  If you receive a request for information in the manner described above, please check with your contractor before submitting any information.  Medicare providers should only send information to a Medicare contractor using the address found in the download section of the CMS website found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNGenInfo/ or http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Medicare ProviderSupEnroll .

Neighbor Scam Raleigh Police are warning the public to be wary of any stranger who comes to the door claiming to be a neighbor who has locked himself out of his car or home.   Four Raleigh citizens report being scammed in recent days by a well dressed man who claimed he had locked himself out of his car and needed to call a locksmith.  After they granted his requests to use their telephones, he asked them for money to pay the locksmith and promised to pay it back as soon as he got into his car.  He did not return to repay the money 6/2009 David N. Kirkman Assistant Attorney General Task Force Alerts Chair Consumer Protection Division Office of Attorney General Roy Cooper 9001 Mail Processing Center Raleigh, NC  27699-9001 Tel. 919-716-6000

"Grandparent" Phone Scam Burlington police report that a phone-fraud group has targeted residents of a local retirement community with the "Grandparent" scam.   One of the fraud attempts was foiled just as the victim attempted to wire over three thousand dollars to someone impersonating her grandson.  The following account in the April 14th Times-News of Burlington provides details.   It also describes an attempt by a phone-fraud criminal to obtain money from a Burlington resident through death threats.   Police warn of scams against seniors April 15, 2009 - 6:07 PM Roselee Papandrea / Times-News Burlington police recently received several reports from people who were scammed out of money over the telephone. While it is difficult for authorities to make arrests in telephone scam cases, police want to get the word out to prevent others from falling victim to a caller's tricks. Several residents of a retirement community in Burlington received phone calls last week from a man claiming to be a grandson. An 84-year-old woman reported to Burlington police that she received a call at about 11 a.m. April 9 from a man who said he was her grandson. He even used her grandson's nickname. The man said he was in Houston on a job interview and had a car wreck.  He told his grandmother that the wreck wasn't his fault, but it caused $3,600 in damages to his car. He asked to borrow the money because he couldn't wait for the insurance money to get it fixed. He also told his grandmother not to mention it to the rest of the family because he got the job in Texas and wanted to surprise everyone when he got home. She questioned him a little, especially because he didn't quite sound like her grandson. He said he broke his nose in the wreck. "The only thing I could think of was my grandson. He was in trouble and needed money. It worried me," the woman told the Times-News. She didn't want to use her name because she is embarrassed that she fell for the scam. "It made me mad that I was that gullible," she said. "I always said all my life that they would never get me on something like that. But I didn't know they were going to say they were my grandson and know his name." The woman went to Wal-Mart to wire money but ended up contacting the police and stopped the transaction before it was too late. She isn't out the money, but she is hurt that someone would target a grandmother with this type of scam. The woman's case wasn't the only one police heard about recently. Several people in the same retirement community received similar calls. Most of them hung up on the caller. Police also received a report from a man who received a call from a woman. She allegedly told him he owed $300 on his cable bill and if he didn't pay by the next day, she would kill him, said Burlington police Assistant Chief Greg Seel. Seel said he doesn't know whether all the cases are connected or why there seem to be more reports about telephone scams. "I think you can draw the conclusion that due to the economy we've seen an increase in people reporting fraud cases," he said. "... The word is be cautious." Burlington police detective Pat Ingram spent the past seven years investigating financial crimes and when he started, he was investigating about 200 cases a year. Now, his case load has jumped to about 700 a year. Ingram said that older people make "good victims."  "They can't hear well, they think a little slower and they are easier to take advantage of and that's why they pick on them," Ingram said. The economy is definitely a reason why more people are falling victim to scams, but often it's because there is a promise of monetary gain for them. Several Burlington residents recently were victims in a mystery shopper scam, Ingram said. A fraudulent check for $2,300 is sent to a someone and the person is asked to be a mystery shopper in some store. The person cashes the check and then they get a call saying they were overpaid and need to send $300 or $500 of the money back. The money is sent back through a money gram.  "Three or five days later that check that they put in their back bounced like a rubber ball," Ingram said. In the three most recent cases Ingram received, one person sent back $300, another person sent $500 and one sent back the entire $2,300, he said. Ingram advises people to hang up on folks they don't know and if someone is claiming to be a relative, they need to check on the information before sending money. "I recommend that they hang up on the person and call another family member to verify the information," Ingram said. While frequently there is a lot the police department can do if someone is a victim of a telephone scam, people should report the incident anyway, Ingram said. "Frequently, we take a report but there is not much we can do beyond that," Ingram said. "We urge people to call the Federal Trade Commission. The more you report them, the more the government can in the future take some action or prevent it." Burlington police can be reached at 229-3500. The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at (202) 326-2222 or make reports online at www.ftc.gov.

Go Direct

Go Direct is a national campaign sponsored by the United States Treasury to have senior citizens and others who receive Social Security to have their checks direct deposited.  Direct deposit is safer and easier and can help protect from identity theft and fraud.  The U.S. Treasury issues more than 12 million paper federal benefit checks each month, including Social Security.  If all these were converted to direct deposit about $120 million would be saved. No bank account?  No problem.  Sign up for the Direct Express Debit Master Card - a prepaid debit card that offers another safe and convenient alternative to paper checks. Sign up today at 1-800-333-1795 or online at www.godirect.org [Back to Top]

Love Inc Adopt An Elder Program

Love Inc. has been working for two years to make the Adopt An Elder Program a reality.   Thanks to a United Way Older Adult Wellness Focus Grant, the program is now a reality. Love Inc. will help your church recruit team members and will provide training and guidance for 6-12 individuals (per team) to assist an individual who needs help to remain independent.  The things they need help with are not difficult, but there may be several different types of needs and that might be more help than one or two individuals can handle alone. You can also serve even if your church does not have a team.  There will be teams staffed by members of several different churches. For more information or to start a team contact Debbie Garrison, Adopt An Elder Coordinator at 704-536-5588. [Back to Top]

Identity Theft

If you become a victim of identity theft, there are ways to recover your good credit rating.  First, report the identity theft to Social Security's Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271.   Then, report it to the Federal Trade Commission's ID Theft Hotline, 1-877-IDTHEFT.  You also should contact the three major credit bureaus, tell them you're an identity theft victim and ask them to place a fraud alert on your records.  The Credit bureaus are: Equifax:  1-800-525-6285 or http://www.equifax.com Trans Union:  1-800-680-7289 or http://www.tuc.com Experian:  1-888-397-3742 or http://www.experian.com Also, write your creditors and ask them to contact you before opening any new accounts in your name or changing existing accounts or credit limits.  For more information on identity theft, visit our identity theft page.  http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm    Protect Your Number and Records Keep your Social Security number and card in a safe place. If a business or other enterprise asks you for your Social Security number, you can refuse to give it to them.  However, that may mean doing without the purchase or service for which your number was requested.  For example, utility companies and other services ask for your Social Security number, but do not need it; they can do a credit check or identify their customers by alternative means. Giving your number is voluntary even when you are asked for the number directly.  If requested, you should ask: why your number is needed; how your number will be used; what happens if you refuse; and what law requires you to give your number. The answers to these questions can help you decide if you want to give your Social Security number.  The decision is yours. [Back to Top]

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)

A nationwide volunteer program that invites adults 55 and over to use their life experience and skills to answer the call of their neighbors in need.  Volunteers give anywhere from 4 to 40 hours per week and enjoy working with others to solve serious problems in their community. Some of the volunteer opportunities available: -  Providing nutritious meals to seniors The Senior Nutrition Program serves and delivers nutritious meals to seniors at and around Mecklenburg County.  While working at a site, volunteers assist in serving meals, overseeing sign-in and keeping records.  Volunteers having their own transportation deliver meals to home-bound seniors, who also welcome the personal visits. - Telephone reassurance Provides a sense of caring, reassurance and support to seniors, giving them a sense of security knowing that someone will check on their safety and well-being each day.  Volunteers are trained to call on a regular basis those people who live alone and feel isolated from the community due to age, health problems and other challenges. - Hospital Volunteers Area hospitals offer many opportunities to help provide services to patients and their families.  Hospital volunteers can work in reception, admitting, gift shop, patient services and many other locations. - Welcome visitors to the Charlotte region The Charlotte Douglas International Airport Volunteer program offers citizens an exciting opportunity to help airport visitors during their time at the airport.  The volunteers, known as the Charlotte Pit Crew, in reference to the region's affiliation with racing, are mobilized throughout the terminal.  They welcome customers to the Charlotte Region and are the first resource for information and directions. - Law enforcement and public safety At the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department volunteers are assigned to various departments to provide clerical and or administrative assistance. - Education, history and involvement in the visual arts The Levine Museum of the New South, The Charlotte Museum of History and Discovery Place use RSVP volunteers, who lead tours for adults or children as docents or guides; act as greeters, giving out audio tours; work in the gift shop; assist with clerical work including data entry. - Thompson Child and Family Focus Volunteer opportunities include facilities projects, special donations, support projects, classroom volunteers, front desk volunteers, social event assistants, tutors/mentors, cosmetology services, office assistance and special events. - Legal Assistance The Mecklenburg County Courthouse and The Self Serve Center uses volunteers in a variety of ways.  Volunteers learn the inner workings of the courts and how to assist others.  Volunteers assist and direct patrons in person and by phone to provide necessary forms and instructions to clients, help in preparation of clinics or other special projects and support the Trial Court Administrator's Office.  Volunteers also work as greeters in the information desks, giving out directions and court information to visitors to the courthouse.  Free parking is provided. RSVP provides volunteers for over 50 non-profit organizations.  RSVP volunteers use their experience to tutor and mentor children, counsel small businesses, assist at health clinics and hospitals, and distribute food to homeless or volunteer at a variety of one-time community events. If you have any questions or would like more information about volunteering with RSVP, call Sarah Jackson at 704-817-5465.  You can also visit RSVP at www.rsvpcharlotte.org [Back to Top]