If you have any questions – and I’m sure you do – you can contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , call the offices of state Sen. Carl Kruger (718-743-8610), Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein (718-648-4700), or Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz (718-743-4078), or talk with the staff at local senior centers.

Always have your medicines updated, and know how to take them correctly. If you feel worse after taking any of them, consult your doctor and pharmacist.

Make sure your drug plan works for you. If you have problems contact your elected officials and your insurance company -- do not be afraid to get the facts and the most out of your coverage. Do not change your HMO without consulting your family and your doctor.

A new Visiting Nurse office has opened on Kings Highway and East 15th Street. They can provide home health care aids to help seniors avoid having to go into an assisted-living facility or a nursing home.

Here are some helpful ways to save money during the tough economy:

Read very carefully the bills you get from the telephone, electric, gas, and cable companies. Make sure you are paying only for what you are using, and check to see if discounts are available to you based on your income and expenses. Check your medical and pharmacy bills to see if you are being properly charged. Always look for sales and coupons for the items you need. Kingsborough Community College and Brooklyn College soon will offer their fall courses for seniors. Most senior centers also now have special fall programs. Only give charity to places you know about -- not every organization that sends you letters asking for money is an effective or even legitimate charity. Remember, by February 2009, all TV broadcasting will switch to digital – “rabbit ears” on your TV will no longer be able to pick up the signal. If you don’t have cable or satellite TV, you will need a converter box. The federal government is offering $40 coupons to buy the box – call 1-888-DTV-2009, or visit www.DTV2009.gov.

You might want to think about getting combined TV and telephone from cable or satellite, or the TV-telephone-Internet packages if you have a computer. You can save money on these services, and the telephone is usually much cheaper than what the phone company offers. Keep in mind, though, that 911 operators usually cannot automatically trace calls from cable or satellite phones, and that if there is a power failure or problems with the cable or satellite service, the phone will not work, even to reach 911. It’s a good idea to keep basic Verizon service (about $34 a month) as a backup.

I’d like to begin a Discussion Group here, to hear from you on the issues and topics you’re concerned about. Write to Bay Currents, Senior Currents, 2966 Avenue U, Suite 108, Brooklyn, NY 11229, or e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .