April 2, 2024 @ 4:30 am – 10:00 am
NCRGEA is inviting all members and pre-retirees of state and local government to attend our Spring Conference in District 8, Raleigh NC. This one-day conference will be offered on Monday OR Tuesday due to limited space, and agenda will be the same on both days.
Location:
McKimmon Center
NC State University
1101 Gorman Street
Raleigh, NC 27606
February 21, 2024 @ 8:30 am – 9:30 am
Meeting for CAB members ~ please join us for a virtual meeting via Zoom! Questions, please contact Community Liaison Deryl at deryl@rgea.info.
Far more than any other time of the year, New Year’s is filled with gleaming, bright optimism to improve our overall health. Your resolutions can help give your teeth and oral health the attention and care they need. Want to raise the attractiveness of your smile and lower the costs of your dental care?
Our Top Dental Resolutions for the New Year
1) Brush for a Full 2 Minutes
Brushing your teeth is one thing. But brushing your teeth well is something lese altogether. Studies have concluded that most Americans brush for less than 60 seconds. Make sure you brush your teeth for the recommended two minutes. To ensure you’re brushing long enough, use a timer or an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer.
Pro-Tip: To add a little fun, try singing a “timing” song. For example, the Jeopardy! theme is a good choice. It’s 30 seconds long – so, sing it once for each quadrant in your mouth.
2) Floss Regularly
There’s always a good excuse not to floss – you’re tired, flossing is annoying, you’ll do it tomorrow. But there’s an even better reason to floss: –flossing can reduce your risk of gum disease and tooth decay. Plus, you’ll have fresher breath!
Pro-Tip: Choose a time of day that will make it easy to remember and stay committed to flossing regularly. If you find your rush in the morning, make the evening the time of day you floss. However, if you feel too tired at night, try to create a morning routine. The more you make it something easy to do, the more you’ll look forward to doing it!
3) Stay Away from Staining Foods
Stained teeth have a big impact on your appearance (and self-confidence). While frequently irresistible and delicious, foods like chocolate, coffee, tea, cokes, red wine, dark beer, and berries can significantly stain your teeth. If you can’t cut these food choices out entirely, at least try to cut back – even a small reduction can make a big difference.
Pro-Tip: Teeth whiteners can have excellent initial results, but the improvement won’t last if you don’t stop consuming staining foods and beverages.
4) Stay Hydrated
In addition to cutting down on hunger and fatigue, staying hydrated also boosts your oral hygiene. When your mouth dries out, there isn’t enough saliva to consistently wash bacteria away from your teeth. As a result, it can increase the risk of cavities and bad breath.
Pro-Tip: A fancy new water bottle to sip from throughout the day can be the best investment you make for your dental hygiene!
5) Get Enough Calcium
Remember when you were a kid and were told to drink your milk so you can “grow up big and strong”? Even at this stage of life, adequate calcium intake remains a key nutrient for our bodies, bones, and teeth. Calcium keeps the roots of your teeth strong and secure in your gums.
Pro-Tip: You can still get calcium from milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, tofu, almonds, and dietary supplements.
6) Visit the Dentist Regularly
Another good resolution for the coming year is to see your dentist at least every six months for an examination and cleaning. Regular cleanings remove tartar and plaque, which cause cavities and tooth decay. And, if you’re prone to gingivitis or gum disease, routine dental visits increase the likelihood of early detection, making it easier to manage symptoms and reverse damage when possible.
Pro-Tip: NCRGEA and AMBA have a Dental Plan that’s right for you. Get coverage for routine checkups, exams, fillings, and many other procedures. Not only are you GUARANTEED COVERAGE, this plan also lets you see any dentist you choose with even bigger savings by choosing an In-Network provider! Enroll today at www.AMBAdentalvision.com/NCRGEA or call 800-956-1228.
January 2024
NCRGEA is teaming up with Meals on Wheels NC again this year to encourage our members to volunteer during their “Community Champions Week,” March 18-22.
We want MOWNC and our communities to know that NCRGEA members are active and engaged and care about their communities. If you register to volunteer before February 16, we’ll send you a t-shirt to wear during Community Champions week and anytime you are volunteering for MOWNC.
The “Power of a Knock” from a MOWNC volunteer can transform lives, bring hope, health, nutrition and care to seniors throughout North Carolina, so please volunteer for this worthwhile event.
To volunteer and receive your free t-shirt, sign up online at tinyurl.com/4XARK4AX.
Click the video below to view volunteers from our 2023 MOWNC Community Champions Week!
January 31, 2024 @ 6:00 am – 7:00 am
Meeting for CAB members ~ please join us for a virtual meeting via Zoom! Questions, please contact Community Liaison Deryl at deryl@rgea.info.
Although surgeons have been able to transplant corneas successfully for years, the quest for a complete eye transplant has remained elusive. That is, until now.
Surgeons say Aaron James, who suffered a high-voltage electrical accident, is the first patient who has undergone the world’s first complete eye transplant on a man.
Although it is not certain James, a military veteran, will regain vision, this breakthrough is a pivotal moment in a decades-long search to restore sight to millions of people.
James, a high-voltage utility line worker from Arkansas, lost most of his face when it accidentally touched a 7,200-volt live wire in 2021. He had to have his left eye removed because of the pain.
A Dream Team To Do The Eye Transplant
In May of 2023, James underwent numerous surgeries. In all, more than 140 healthcare professionals were involved to help replace half of his face, provide him with a prosthetic arm, and – perhaps the most complex of all – the eye transplant.
The donated face and eye came from a single male donor in his 30s. During the surgery, doctors injected adult stem cells from the donor’s bone marrow into the optic nerve to encourage its repair.
Doctors say the donated eye is recovering well and looks remarkably healthy. The breakthrough surgery offers scientists an unprecedented window into how the human eye tries to heal. In fact, one of the reasons the doctors are most optimistic James may regain his sight in his left eye is that there is direct blood flow to the retina – the part of the eye that sends images to the brain.
He says he is “grateful beyond words” to the donor and their family for making the surgery possible and describes the eye transplant and its possibilities “life-changing”.
The future holds incredible breakthroughs and miracles for our eyes and vision. Even today, with the help of regular checkups and proper eyecare, maintaining healthy vision for our lifetimes is more likely than ever. That’s why regular eye exams are so important. The Vision Plan from NCRGEA and AMBA covers annual WellVision exams, 100% coverage for most lenses, even progressives, and thousands of nationwide in-network providers. Sign up today – acceptance is GUARANTEED! – at www.AMBAdentalvision.com/NCRGEA#vision or call 800-956-1228.
NCRGEA urges you to let North Carolina Department of Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey know your comments concerning the North Carolina Rate Bureau asking for an average statewide increase in homeowners’ insurance rates of 42.4%, with some rates as high as 99.4%. To see a specific table of proposed homeowners’ rate increases across the state, please click here.
You can provide your comments four ways:
All public comments will be shared with the North Carolina Rate Bureau. If Department of Insurance officials do not agree with the requested rates, the rates will either be denied or negotiated with the North Carolina Rate Bureau. If a settlement cannot be reached within 50 days, the Commissioner will call for a hearing.
The North Carolina Rate Bureau represents companies that write insurance policies in the state and is a separate entity from the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
This rate filing follows the homeowners’ insurance rate filing that the Department of Insurance received from the North Carolina Rate Bureau in November 2020, where the Rate Bureau requested an overall average increase of 24.5%. That filing resulted in a settlement between Commissioner Causey and the Rate Bureau for an overall average rate increase of 7.9%.
The Rate Bureau has asked for the rates to become effective Aug. 1, 2024.
For a video from Commissioner Causey, on this rate increase, click the following link: https://ncdoi.sharefile.com/share/view/s5c733a53111e4cf68ff490ff5bd0f737
Rate increases affect everyone living in North Carolina; either directly for homeowners, or in increased rents as landlords pass the cost to renters. Don’t think that someone else will speak for you. Take action and let Commissioner Causey know how this will affect you.
April 16, 2024 @ 9:30 am – 10:30 am
NCRGEA is inviting all retirees from public service, both state and local, to join us for refreshments and a discussion of issues that affect public service retirees of North Carolina.
We’ll talk about current legislative issues, retiree issues, and retirement benefits available to all public service retirees.
This is a great opportunity to meet and speak with other retirees who share the same concerns you have and to talk to Josephine, Outreach Coordinator at NCRGEA, with your questions.
Registration is FREE: Click on the button at the top or use this link.
Location:
East Rockingham Senior Center | 135 Safie 6th St. | Rockingham, NC 28379
Other Questions? Call 919-834-4652 or email Josephine@NCRGEA.com.
April 11, 2024 @ 9:30 am – 10:30 am
NCRGEA is inviting all retirees from public service, both state and local, to join us for refreshments and a discussion of issues that affect public service retirees of North Carolina.
We’ll talk about current legislative issues, retiree issues, and retirement benefits available to all public service retirees.
This is a great opportunity to meet and speak with other retirees who share the same concerns you have and to talk to Josephine, Outreach Coordinator at NCRGEA, with your questions.
Registration is FREE: Click on the button at the top or use this link.
Location:
Bazemore Active Adult Center | 500 W. Jefferson St. | Monroe, NC 28112
Other Questions? Call 919-834-4652 or email Josephine@NCRGEA.com.
April 9, 2024 @ 9:30 am – 10:30 am
NCRGEA is inviting all retirees from public service, both state and local, to join us for refreshments and a discussion of issues that affect public service retirees of North Carolina.
We’ll talk about current legislative issues, retiree issues, and retirement benefits available to all public service retirees.
This is a great opportunity to meet and speak with other retirees who share the same concerns you have and to talk to Josephine, Outreach Coordinator at NCRGEA, with your questions.
Registration is FREE: Click on the button at the top or use this link.
Location:
Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center | 310 W Main Street | Washington, NC 27889
Other Questions? Call 919-834-4652 or email Josephine@NCRGEA.com.
