Whitman Council on Aging Launches Medicare Account Drive Ahead of Fall Enrollment

WHITMAN -- February 11, 2026, Whitman Council on Aging moves to get seniors' Medicare.gov accounts set up months before fall open enrollment. At the February 11 meeting, the Council on Aging director announced that a SHINE volunteer named Eileen will hold drop-in account-setup sessions on Monday afternoons at the senior center, giving counselors direct access to clients' coverage and medication information when open-enrollment appointments arrive. The director noted that clients without accounts require significantly more counselor time, limiting how many seniors can be seen during the busy fall period. Members also heard that federal government shutdown delays had pushed some fuel assistance approvals into early February, with the director urging any resident with approved oil assistance to draw on it before the April 30 usage deadline. January programming included presentations on the Iditarod, laughter and wellness, a music workshop from Sing, Explore, and Create, and a Mediterranean diet session from Therapy Gardens.