Hello world. Welcome to WFHR's rapid support. Probably brought to you by
Crocacepic for this Friday, September 26th, 2025. Have your host James here. We're
joined right now by our great friends from the aging and disability resource
center of Central Wisconsin. We have Bettina Peters with us. How you doing Bettina?
I'm good. How are you? Always good to have you here and always good to be able to
say your name. I love saying your name. It's a great one. Such a fun name to say.
Appreciate you being here and certainly appreciate the work that our ADRC does in our
community in our area. It's vital, important work and when you guys hang out with us,
we get a real chance to put a kind of spotlight on some of the things that you
offer programs and different events that are going on over there and today you've got a
really good one for us to, you know, get into and that is you and kind of the work
that you do and everything because I feel like you like a lot of us and certainly a
lot of people at the ADRC. Your job has a quite a, the tree of your job has a lot of branches
to go off of it. It does. Yes. So let's start out right out the gate
who you are and let the audience know, especially anybody that hasn't heard from you before
and everything but you. Yeah, absolutely. So I'm Bettina Peters. I'm an elder benefit
specialist at the aging and disability resource center of Central Wisconsin and I am based
out of the Marshfield office serving Wood County. Appreciate that work and appreciate
that break down for you. So when it comes to who the ADRC is for those that don't know
and especially, you know, getting the dive into this one, how would you describe what
you guys do over there? Yeah. So the ADRC works to provide peace of mind,
quality of life to individuals and families through information and access to resources.
So we offer services to seniors and adults with disabilities in Lincoln, Langley, Marathon
and Wood counties. So we're a four county agency and our services include things like
navigating community resources, exploring available benefits, offering support for caregivers,
providing meals for seniors. We hold healthy living classes. We have dementia care specialists
and we also have volunteer opportunities. And there's each one of those great counties
that you guys are representing in and everything. Also have certain, you know, things that are
key to their area or, you know, align well with that. And it's something to keep in mind
wherever you're listening to us, especially in one of those areas to, you know, they are there.
They are a great resource to reach out to for those things. And I would recommend to
that if you're not sure if the this is something that's quote unquote covered by the ADRC,
reach out and find out, you know, if you're not, you guys will do your best to maybe point
them in the right direction or at the very least be able to answer. You can check that box office.
Okay. They can't help me. I can move on. Absolutely. Yeah. We're a great resource for people
just to even just get connected to those other agencies as well. When it comes to the mission
of our ADRC, well, how would you put that in the work? So the Aging and Disability Resource Center
of Central Wisconsin provides choice and independence through personalized education, advocacy,
and access to services that prevent delay and less than the impacts of aging and disabilities
in the lives of adults. It's a great mission and it's something that we all get behind. We all
appreciate not only because of especially in areas like ours here in Wood County where we have
a very healthy senior population, but we're all getting older. We are. You know, I thought I'm an
actor. I'm supposed to be young forever, right? No, it turns out no. It doesn't work out that way.
I can lie about my age, but my body knows better. When it comes in all seriousness, when it comes
to it, I think that it's one of those things that hopefully people that can take a step back and see
the big picture, everything works out. You're going to be needing these services of the ADRC.
So even if you don't supporting the work that you guys do and being a part of things,
spreading the word about meals on wheels and some of the other different activities that go on
over there, whether it is volunteering or at least spreading the word about it, you're going to
be needing these services to one day. And I think it's important to keep that in mind when we're
talking not only to you guys, but just in general amongst ourselves and we're talking about our ADRC
and some of the work that goes on over there. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, either for ourselves,
for neighbors, family, friends, loved ones, we all have conversations, and we hear about
people's need. And then it's nice to have that in the back of our head like, oh, I know a place
that can help you. You know, Bettina, as it turns out, I am all like getting older. And as I get,
you know, not I get a good 20 some years or whatever before I'm hitting that retirement age and
everything. But I'm starting now to try to understand Medicare because I feel like I'm going to
need good 20 years to be able to understand Medicare. But I am somebody who's walking into that
and not knowing anything really about it. But in all seriousness, again, one of those things
that it's understandable that people that even might have been retired for a couple of years or
been using Medicaid for a couple of years, this thing, this changes from time to time. You guys
are a great resource for this. What can you tell us is a Medicare open enrollment period? What
that is specifically? Yeah, so that specifically is the period for Part C or Advantage plan and Part D.
So those are the Medicare drug plans. Really review an enrollment into plans. It runs from October
15th to December 7th each year. And during that time, you're really reviewing your plan. You can
join, you can switch, you can drop a plan. And then your coverage goes into effect on January
1st, as long as you have enrolled in something by December 7th. And while it may seem, you know,
basic to some, just why is it so important to know those dates between? So that window is really open
for people to get into those plans. So if you're already in Medicare, right, it's a maintenance
period as what it is. And a lot of it is you can absolutely let your plan coast. But by reviewing
your plan annually, you can actually save yourself some money, which is important in this day and age.
Yeah, agreed. Yes. Yeah. Well said. So what can I do? What can people do when it comes to this
open enrollment period? So we recommend that you review your current coverage and any plan changes
that are taking place in the following years. So those changes should be listed on what's called
an annual notice of change. That is a document that the insurance company that you currently have
has to send you by September 30th. After you review those potential changes, you can compare your
current plan to other plans. And then you can choose if you want to keep your current plan or if you
want to change your plan for 2026. So there's a few different things you can do. And this is going
to sound really complicated, but this is why we're here. Right. Exactly. So you can change from what's
called original Medicare, which is AB. And then you have a part D insurance. That's the one we
would be looking at to a Medicare Advantage plan or part C. You can change from your Advantage plan
back to original Medicare. You can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare
Advantage plan. You can switch to from a Medicare Advantage plan that doesn't necessarily offer
drug coverage into one that does. You can switch your Advantage plan the other, you know, the other
way if that works better from one that has drug coverage to one that doesn't. And then
joins something like senior care, which we can talk about in that context too. And then
you can join a Medicare drug plan if you hadn't and then switch from one drug plan to a different one
or you can technically drop your drug plan completely, which I would not recommend.
So and certainly while insurance companies change their policies or different things go
Medicare, you have to adjust to that and this kind of affects that. So you know, I think that for
many people like myself that are many years away from this haven't thought much about it.
Well, I pick a plan and I'm good. That that in a perfect world maybe, but that's just not how
the world we have and everything. So much of what we're doing what you guys are doing there and
everything is trying to balance that and work, you know, okay, what is that what have they changed
here? How does this affect my clients? How does this affect the people in my community?
Yeah, absolutely. It looks really simple from the outside right when we don't have it.
Right. And then once you start getting into that world and you have Medicare, it's way more
complicated than any of us realize before we get to that point. Yeah, it's kind of a gift in
some ways being there for my parents caregiving those things because I'm learning so much of this
stuff now beforehand and realizing, oh, I don't know anything. I feel like that is something that I
don't want to walk into that age and just learn about that year that, you know, I want to know
these things beforehand. I think the more of us that do the better, you know, the more we can enjoy
retirement, the more we can enjoy those things. Absolutely. That education is key, right? Being
informed knowing what choices we have. When does this take place exactly? So the open enrollment period
is from October 15th to December 7th. December 7th is the cutoff. If whatever you have at that
point is going to go into effect January 1st. So if you do nothing, you're going to have the same
plan. If you change your plan by December 7th, either way, that's January 1st coverage.
And that's got that October 15th is right around the corner. So a great time to be talking about this
and a great time for you out there if you disapplied to you to be thinking about it. Absolutely. Yep.
If it was as far as if needing to find the best plan, who to contact in some of that information.
And there were some other things wanted to touch on with this as well. Yeah. So there's a lot of
information out there during this time of year. Some of it's good. Some of it's bad. The best
way to stay safe and avoid those avoid scams or bad practices is to make sure that you work with
somebody that you trust. And that's where we come in. The ADRC is a great place to help you when
you're trying to figure out with the best coverages for you. Our services are free. We don't sell any
plans. So we're not biased. We can just kind of look at everything that's out there. We have a great
team of benefit specialists that can help you compare those plans. And then appointments with our
agency are available for residents of Lincoln, Langlade, Marathon, or Wood Counties by calling 888-486-9545.
You can call Monday through Friday 8 to 4. You would choose option number three for benefits
from our menu and then you choose option one for open enrollment. And then if you reside outside
of those counties, you can find your local benefit specialist or ADRC by checking online at
dhs.wasgonson.gov and they have a search spot for that. You can also work with a trusted agent
or explore those plans on your own at Medicare.gov. You just have to make sure it's .gov
because there's fake ones out there. Yeah, yeah. Always be looking at those end letters of those
web addresses. Everybody that is a key to a lot of that helping you through a lot of those things.
And a big credit to the ADRC to all of our nonprofits in this area really. The transparency
is where we win people. You remind people and win people over at the same time. We know that
you know on a basis that you know what you just said there that you're not selling any of these
things. Nobody's in the ADRC's pocket or anything like that. But when we're able to just you know
get it out there for people, I think it's all the more comes home for and makes it much more
hopefully likely for them to reach out to you guys. Absolutely. And the cool thing about us,
right? We don't charge for anything. We look at all the plans. So we, I mean, even if you already
work with an agent or somebody that you trust, you can always come and see us and then go back
to your agent and buy the plan through them. It's a great point. I appreciate that. Speaking
with Bettina Peters from the ADRC, CW right right here in Central Wisconsin, volunteer opportunities,
something I wanted to touch on as well with you as we like to do before we wrap up with our ADRC.
And part of the reason is I maintain for many years with the audience here. I think that it may be
some of the best and not maybe some of the best volunteer opportunities there is is with the ADRC.
So I was like to put some time on this one. Yeah, absolutely. I love our volunteers. They're
amazing. They do such a great job. We do have some really great opportunities, you know, flexible
scheduling things like that. So currently have three volunteer opportunities available in Wisconsin
rapids with our nutrition team. So all of those positions are flexible. They're available Monday
through Friday. And as they say, many hands make light work. So there is meal packaging, which is
where our caterer delivers the food and bulk. It's cooked and ready to go. And then volunteers
package the food into individual trays that are sealed and separated onto the meals on wheels routes.
And that time frame for volunteering is about 930 in the morning, two about 1030, 1045.
Okay. Not bad at all. Not bad at all. No. And then from there, it goes to our meals on
wheels volunteers, which is also a position that's available. And the volunteer drivers pick up those
meals at Centralia between 1030 and 1045. There's insulated bags that keep the hot meals separate from
the cold parts, so for food safety. And then the drivers are able to deliver those meals to the
door. They get to greet people. They give them their meal. They have that great interaction, right?
And then they head on to the next home for delivery. So even though that's a really quick interaction,
it actually helps older adults in our area know that someone is going to see them every day. They
kind of get that brief check in a little bit of socialization, a little bit of, hey,
just making sure you're okay. And then those routes can vary from eight to 15 deliveries and
take about an hour to an hour and a half. And then when you're finished delivering, you just
bring back the bags and paperwork to the Centralia Center. And keeping in mind that the ADRC wants to
work with you. They don't want you to have to, you know, you live over here, you work over here,
and you're traveling to the other side of town. They want to work with you as far as where you are
in your schedule and what fits best. We have a big community and a lot of our senior population is
spread out. So chances are wherever you're living or you're working might fit just perfectly with
meals on wheels. The time commitment is not very big. And I certainly appreciate and respect.
And the number one on this list of reasons to do this is the clients and the people that you're
bringing these meals to. And I encourage people to, if you haven't done this before, to take just
literally a brief moment and put yourself in those shoes of living alone and not having a lot
of interaction with others. And the idea of something like to look forward to where you know you're
going to talk to another person. You know somebody's going to be coming by. You know that somebody's
going to be bringing a meal and a good meal. You know, not just something that you threw into
the microwave, but it actually really good meal and stuff. All of that, what that would mean to you
if you were in that position. And also keeping in mind that while this is first and foremost for
those clients, I guarantee that you will get just as much out of this and have just as great memories
and be just as thankful to you got to volunteer. It's a gift to volunteer and be a part of this. It
really is everybody. Reach out to our seat to find out more about that. And you mentioned senior
dining. This is another key part of this as well. Yeah. So meals on wheels is for people that are
homebound. And that's where that relationship piece that visit comes in really. It's really
important. But then we also have the senior dining sites, which is a chance for people to come,
get a great meal, get that social interaction. And we also need volunteers there to help with setting
up the dining room for lunch. It served around 1130. And then when the meal's done, we do the dishes
and the dining room gets cleaned up. And that so that whole time frames about 1030 a.m. to 1 p.m.
But shorterships are available. Another great opportunity. Another great way to do this. And
well, I always think about certainly, you know, adults and having a lunch break that they can
this flexible or different things. There's a lot of opportunities for you adults out there to be
doing this. More and more, I'm talking to, you know, some of my students and them talking about how
when they're filling out college applications and having great volunteer opportunities on that,
how much that means more and more to colleges out there. This is a great one to have on your resume.
Boys, it's a good one to have on that resume. A great opportunity for young people out there as well.
There's really no age that couldn't be a part of this and doing this. We encourage you to find out
more. And if they want to sign up or be a part of these things or any of the, you use any of the
services at the ADRC, Bettina, how can they get a hold of you? Yeah, absolutely. So they can call us.
Our number again is 888-486-9545. That takes you into the menu and then you can choose
what you need from their volunteer opportunities or benefits or other services. Or you can check
out our website at www.adrc-cw.org. Be sure to bookmark those pages. You never know when they might
come in handy and you might need them. And certainly spread the word about some of the great
activities and different things that they're doing over there. And we encourage all of you out
there to find time in your day to volunteer and be a part of things at the ADRC-cw. Bettina,
it's always good hanging out and talking with you. Thank you so much for the time. Yeah, thank you.
And thank you, everybody, for joining us for another edition of WFHR's Rapids Report.
