SHINE volunteers help people in our community, by providing free information and assistance on health benefit information for older people, disabled Medicare beneficiaries, and their families, partners and caregivers.

By Nathan Lamb

Want to make a difference in your community as a volunteer health benefit advisor? If so, the Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) SHINE program could use your help.

SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) is a network of volunteer health benefits counselors who have been trained and certified to provide free information and assistance for older people, disabled Medicare beneficiaries, and their families, partners and caregivers.

Our SHINE counselors are trained to:

• Offer education about Medicare and other health insurance coverage
• Evaluate health insurance needs
• Review present health coverage to maximize benefit for cost
• Provide information about prescription drug coverage options
• Help with health benefit claims or billing problems
• Assist in completing applications for health benefit programs

Co-hosted by SCES and the Somerville Council on Aging, the next round of SHINE training starts June 8, and will be held from 9:30 to 3 on Tuesdays and Thursdays through July 7.

Once trained, SHINE counselors receive referrals from SCES, and are free to set up meetings with people who need help at the agency or in-home.

For more information about becoming a SHINE counselor, contact Dana Beguerie at the SCES Aging Information Center by calling 617-628-2061 or e-mail dbeguerie@eldercare.org.

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) is a non-profit agency that supports the independence and wellbeing of older people in Somerville and Cambridge. For more information about SHINE and other programs, contact our Aging Information Center during regular business hours at 617-628-2601, visit eldercare.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter.