Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of November 13, 2017
Note: the Office for the Aging will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23…and will be open as usual on Friday, November 24.
Golden Living . . . News for Senior Citizens
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
HEAP SEASON OPENS THIS WEEK
Applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which provides a one-time payment to the fuel supplier of households who meet eligibility requirements, will be accepted starting on Monday, November 13. Depending on income, the benefit amount for most senior citizen homes that heat with oil, kerosene or propane is $700. If you heat with wood, pellets, coal or corn heating types, the amount is $550. Utilities like Central Hudson and NYSEG have a benefit amount this year of $375.
Households that do not pay for heat directly, but instead make undesignated payments for the heat in the form of rent, may be eligible for a heat-included benefit. Depending on income, this payment can range from $30-$35; payment can go to the household or the utility.
If you received HEAP last season, you should have received an application by mail. If you have not, but meet the eligibility requirements listed below, call the Office for the Aging at (845) 486-2555. New applicants must complete a HEAP application and interview, and provide proof of each household member’s identity (including Social Security number) and income, proof of residence, and a fuel and/or utility bill if you pay for heat or proof that you pay rent that includes heat.
Eligibility is based on monthly income and household size. For a household of one, monthly income should not exceed $2,318; two-person households have a cut-off of $3,031; and that increases to $6,733 for a household of 11, and $523 per person beyond 11.
Once your HEAP application is processed, you will receive a HEAP Notice of Eligibility by mail. Keep this notice in a safe place. If you have an emergency, do not wait until you’re out of heating fuel or your gas/electric service is terminated to request assistance. Your utility company is not required to restore your service, even if you are eligible for a HEAP benefit. Emergency HEAP does not open until January 2, 2018; no emergency benefits will be available before then.
Some HEAP beneficiaries may be eligible for the Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement (HERR) component, which assists households with the cost of repair or replacement of the applicant owned dwelling’s primary heating equipment when the equipment has been documented by a vendor to be inoperable or unsafe and in need of repair or replacement. Benefit amounts are based on the actual cost incurred to replace or repair the furnace, boiler, and/or other essential heating equipment, with a maximum of $3,000 for repairs and $6,500 for replacements.
To be eligible for HERR, the applicant must apply in person, be the homeowner, a New York State resident, a United States citizen or qualified alien, and have resources of $3,000 or less. The program requires a completed HEAP application, along with all documentation, including proof of ownership, income and resources.
Seniors may also be eligible for the Clean and Tune program, which assists homeowners with an annual clean and tune of their primary heating equipment. To be eligible for this program, the applicant must be a homeowner and must not have had a clean and tune performed within the past 12 months. This program is now open, and will remain open until funds are exhausted. For more information on any of these HEAP components, please contact the Office for the Aging at (845) 486-2555.
Golden Living is prepared by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 27 High Street, Poughkeepsie, New York 12601, telephone (845) 486-2555, email: ofa@dutchessny.gov website:www.dutchessny.gov/aging
Office for the Aging calendar of events:
Tue 11/14, 6:30 p.m. – “Medicare Orientation”
With Maggie Kwet, OFA Aging Information Services Specialist
Pawling Library, 11 Broad St.
Space limited; call the library at (845) 855-3444 to register
Wed 11/15, 11 a.m. – “Successful Aging” at Temple Beth-El
118 South Grand Ave., Poughkeepsie
With OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones
(845) 486-2555 for more information
Thu 11/16, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – with County Government on the Road
Poughkeepsie Galleria Center Court
(Dutchess County budget presentation 11 a.m. – noon)
Call (845) 486-2000 for information
Thu 11/16, 11 a.m. – “Enjoying the Holidays Without Weight Gain”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
East Fishkill Senior Friendship Center
Call (845) 226-3605 for details
Fri 11/17, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. – OFA at Dutchess County Caregivers Conference
The Grandview, 176 Rinaldi Blvd., Poughkeepsie
Free with required registration at 1-800-272-3900 (Alzheimer’s Association)
Register by Friday 11/10
Thu 11/30, 11 a.m. – “Enjoying the Holidays Without Weight Gain”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
Beacon Senior Friendship Center, 1 Forrestal Heights
Call (845) 838-4871 for details
Fri 12/8, 1:30 p.m. – “Enjoying the Holidays Without Weight Gain”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
King’s Apartments, 20 Pine Dr., Pawling
(845) 486-2555 for details
To request an Office for the Aging presentation for your senior, social and/or civic group, get in touch with outreach coordinator Brian Jones at (845) 486-2555 or bjones@dutchessny.gov. All your group needs to provide is a venue that’s accessible and open to the public, with space to set up a projector and screen.
We feature presentations on Successful Aging, Office for the Aging services, Medicare/Medicaid, senior housing, a wide range of topics related to nutrition, and more!
DUTCHESS COUNTY PUBLIC TRANSIT HOSTS OPEN HOUSE (WED 11/15)
Dutchess County Public Transit along with TransPro Consulting, a leading authority within the field of public transportation, will host an open house public outreach meeting on Wednesday, November 15th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Hudson Valley Community Center, located at 110 South Grand Avenue in Poughkeepsie, to discuss County bus service in the City of Poughkeepsie. The meeting will include a presentation of findings from an external data analysis, conducted by TransPro, as well as preliminary recommendations designed to address key challenges with transit routes within the City of Poughkeepsie. The public will also have the opportunity to share their ideas for enhancing transit service and provide feedback on preliminary recommendations.
Individuals interested in attending the meeting should use Route CM to get to the Hudson Valley Community Center. At the conclusion of the meeting, a special Dial-A-Ride bus will be available to take residents to their destination within the City of Poughkeepsie or to the Poughkeepsie Transit Hub, where passengers can connect to other Dutchess County Public Transit bus routes.
Individuals in need of special accommodations for the meeting are encouraged to contact John Andoh, Dutchess County Transit Administrator, at jandoh@dutchessny.gov or (845) 473-8521.
WINTER “SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS” COMING SOON
We’re putting the finishing touches on the winter 2017-18 issue of our quarterly “Spotlight on Seniors” newsletter. Inside you’ll find information about winter safety, the 2018 Celebration of Aging and your chance to make nominations for our Senior Citizen of the Year awards, and even a great recipe for healthy hot chocolate…plus lots more.
Next week we hope to have it delivered to your inbox as part of the weekly Aging News, and posted on the Dutchess County website (www.dutchessny.gov/aging).
Those of you who receive hard copies of the Spotlight in the mail should see them by month’s end – and remember, if you’re a snowbird and won’t be home to receive the winter Spotlight and/or the Spring 2018 Spotlight due out in late February, let us know and we’ll either suspend delivery or send it to your winter address. Contact OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones at bjones@dutchessny.gov or (845) 486-2544 to find out more.
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION OFFERS MUSIC SOCIALS (EVERY FOURTH WEDNESDAY)
Music Socials for people in the both early and middle stages of Alzheimer’s and their family caregivers are held in various locatons. The Music Socials with Certified Music Therapist Melinda Burgard are a fun way to get out and socialize in a safe and understanding environment. The Dutchess Middle-Stage Music Social is held from 2-3:30 p.m. every fourth Wednesday of the month at Wingate at Beacon, 10 Hastings Drive in Beacon. Registration is required; for more information or to RSVP, contact Care Consultant Elizabeth Johnson at
(800) 272-3900.
Other aging news online:
The American Journal of Infection Control reports that 4 out of 10 doctors and nurses have worked while sick: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-11/e-sf4110117.php
Riding a bike? Grab the helmet: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/well/buckle-up-a-helmet-to-save-a-life.html?smid=fb-share
Introduced in Congress recently, the Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure Act: https://alz.org/news_and_events_105434.asp
Eyeglasses can be cool…so why not hearing aids? https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/31/opinion/hearing-aids-ears-eyesight.html?emc=eta1
Scientists at Exeter University in the UK have found a way to (sometimes) reduce the deterioration in human cells associated with aging…at least in the laboratory: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-11-human-cells-rejuvenated-breakthrough-discovery.html
Craziest job ever? Try being a weatherman on the highest peak in Scotland in the 19th century: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ldquo-slightly-crazy-rdquo-19th-century-weathermen-who-braved-formidable-conditions-could-aid-climate-predictions/
This week in senior birthdays:
11/13: Retired Yankees pitcher/pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre (76)
11/14: US astronaut Fred Haise (84)
11/15: Actor/activist Ed Asner (88)
11/16: NASCAR driver Terry Labonte (61)
11/17: Singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot (79)
11/18: Author/poet Margaret Atwood (78)
11/19: Talk show host Larry King (84)
Brian Jones
Outreach Coordinator
Dutchess County Office For the Aging
27 High Street
Poughkeepsie NY 12601
