Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MArCH 20, 2026 Savvy Senior by Jim Miller Medicare Can Help Older Smokers Kick the Habit OBITUARY Jean C. (Smith) Lobbregt Mary (Tisi) Smith. Jean graduated from Chelsea Memorial School of Nursing in 1955. She worked as an RN and then RN Supervisor at Chelsea Memorial Hospital, but left professional nursing to raise her family. However, nursing and caregiving remained very much at the core of her being, and she took care of countless friends and relatives over the years as a free-range, unpaid caregiver. Mrs. Lobbregt loved people, and she basically took care of anyone within her radius who needed her. Jean worked as a volunteer O f Saugus, formerly of East Boston. Died at age 91 on Friday, March 6th, peacefully at home after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was the wife of the late Preston G. Lobbregt. Born and raised in East Boston she was the daughter of the late Raymond and GARDENS | FROM PAGE 11 showy catkins, and while the male and female catkins are similar, the males are a bit larger and more showy. For this reason, most gardeners who purchased pussywillow plants have staminate ones, which will never produce any kind of fruit or seed on their own. Most pussy willows sold in nurseries are a European variety sometimes called French librarian at the Sweetser and Felton Schools in Saugus. She also worked for many years as a cashier at the Salem Willows Arcade, and was known and loved by arcade-goers as the friendly lady in the booth. A longtime member and former president of the Saugus Garden Club, Mrs. Lobbregt loved people, animals, and napussywillow or goat willow (Salix caprea) because they are easy to grow in average garden soils and can quickly reach the stature of a small tree even if branches are regularly harvested for bouquets. It is probably good that they are unlikely to produce seedlings, so they are much less likely to become invasive. We also have a slightly smaller native species, common pussywillow (Salix discolor). Carrijo Home Improvement, Inc. General Contractor * Interior & Exterior Carpentry * Kitchen & Bath * Roofs * Painting * Decks * Siding * Licensed & Insured * Free Estimates Carrijohomeimprovement.com Call 781-710-8918 * Saugus, MA ture. Full of optimism, gratitude and enthusiasm, even as she struggled with Alzheimer’s, she always managed to focus on the positive and be grateful for the good things in her life. Mrs. Lobbregt is survived by her two daughters; Karen Lobbregt and husband David Surette, Kirsten Aysu and companion Adrian Watson, and dear friend Cheryl Perrone. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Care Dimensions @aredimensions.org or the Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts @alz.org/ manh. SERVICE INFORMATION Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours in the Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, 549 Lincoln Ave., SAUGUS, on Saturday, March 21, 2026 from 12:30-3:30 p.m. For directions & condolences www.BisbeePorcella.com. CAPE ANN LEAGUE | FROM PAGE 7 lockdown defense in the final period, repeatedly stopping Danvers’ comeback attempts and controlling the tempo down the stretch. The 41–30 win secured the league title and completed a season in which the team finished with a 15–3 record. Members of the championship team include Bentley Ripley, Tony Smith, Julian DiPaolo, Jack Brown, Cody Keohane, Jeffrey Moses, Brian Sullivan, Luca Zaferacopoulos, Ross Graziose and Anthony Cecere. Congratulations to the Saugus fourth-grade boys basketball team on a tremendous season and a well-earned Cape Ann League championship. Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare offer any coverage that helps beneficiaries quit smoking? New Beneficiary Dear New, If you’re ready to quit smoking, Medicare can indeed help! Medicare Part B covers up to eight face-to-face counseling sessions per year to help you kick the habit, and if you have a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, certain smoking-cessation medications are covered as well. Here’s a guide to help you get started. It’s Never Too Late According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 8.3 percent of Americans age 65 and older still smoke. Many older smokers indicate that they would like to quit, but because of the nicotine, which is extremely addictive, it’s very difficult to do. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable illness, responsible for an estimated onefifth of deaths in the United States each year. But research shows that quitting, even after age 65, greatly reduces your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, osteoporosis and many other diseases. It also helps you breathe easier, smell, and taste better, and can save you money. An $8 pack-a-day smoker, for example, saves about $240 after one month without cigarettes, and nearly $2,880 after one year. How to Quit The first step you need to take is to set a “quit date,” but give yourself a few weeks to get ready. During that time, you may want to start by reducing the number or the strength of cigarettes you smoke to begin weaning yourself. Also check out over-thecounter nicotine replacement products – patches, gum and lozenges – to help curb your cravings (these are not covered by Medicare). And just prior to your quit day get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work, and try to clean up and even spray air freshener. The smell of smoke can be a powerful trigger. Get Help Studies have shown that you have a much better chance of quitting if you have help. So, tell your friends, family, and coworkers of your plan to quit. Others knowing can be a helpful reminder and motivator. Then get some counseling. Don’t go it alone. Start by contacting your doctor about smoking cessation counseling covered by Medicare and find out about the prescription antismoking drugs (bupropion and varenicline) that can help reduce your nicotine craving. You can also get free one-onone telephone counseling and referrals to local smoking cessation programs through your state quit line at 800-QUIT-NOW or call the National Cancer Institute free smoking quit line at 877-44U-QUIT. It’s also important to identify and write down the times and situations you’re most likely to smoke and make a list of things you can do to replace it or distract yourself. Some helpful suggestions when the smoking urge arises are to call a friend or one of the free quit lines, keep your mouth occupied with some sugar-free gum, sunflower seeds, carrots, fruit or hard candy, go for a walk, read a magazine, listen to music or take a hot bath. The intense urge to smoke lasts about three to five minutes, so do what you can to wait it out. It’s also wise to avoid drinking alcohol and steer clear of other smokers while you’re trying to quit. Both can trigger powerful urges to smoke. For more tips on managing your cravings, withdrawal symptoms and what to do if you relapse, visit 60plus.SmokeFree. gov. There are also a variety of helpful quit smoking apps you can download like EasyQuit, QuitNow and Quit Genius. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
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