Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of February 12
Note: the Office for the Aging and all Dutchess County offices will be closed for the New York state Lincoln’s Birthday holiday on Monday, February 12, as well as for the national President’s Day holiday on Monday, February 19.
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
SENIOR CENTER MOVES TO RED HOOK FEBRUARY 26
The Office for the Aging’s Senior Friendship Center serving northwestern Dutchess County is about to move from its current location at Memorial Lutheran Church in eastern Rhinebeck to a spacious new home at the Red Hook Community Center at 59 Fisk St., on the east end of the Village of Red Hook. The new location will open onMonday, February 26, and be closer to the population centers of northern Dutchess. It features considerably more space for socialization and exercise, and offers the opportunity for intergenerational activities with seniors, teens and local organizations.
Additionally, the Community Center offers other senior-friendly activities outside of the usual Friendship Center hours, including tai chi, line-dancing classes and much more.
The new Friendship Center will serve as a base for the division of our Home Delivered Meals operations that serves the towns of Milan, Red Hook, Rhinebeck and part of Clinton. The new Friendship Center’s phone number will also remain the same: (845) 758-0571. For information on the Red Hook Community Center, call (845) 758-0077 or visit www.redhookcommunitycenter.org.
The Office for the Aging operates seven other Senior Friendship Centers, in Beacon, East Fishkill, Millerton, Pawling, the City of Poughkeepsie, South Amenia, and a “Tri-Town” center that serves the towns of LaGrange, Pleasant Valley and Poughkeepsie. Details on all the friendship centers can be found at the Office for the Aging website,www.dutchessny.gov/aging, or by calling (845) 486-2555.
GETTING IN THE HABIT OF POSITIVE THINKING
One point we try to make whenever we speak with seniors throughout Dutchess County is the importance of positive thinking to successful aging. Countless studies have demonstrated a real benefit to having a positive perception of one’s aging, including increased physical and mental well-being, better resistance to disease, even better handwriting. Positive perceptions of aging add an estimated 7.5 years to the average American life, according to the Journal of Social Psychology. Most importantly, those 7.5 years aren’t merely extra years of physical decline. They’re extra years of what’s called “healthspan” – that is, the part of your life where you are able to live happily, independently, and in good physical and mental health.
Sometimes positive thinking doesn’t come naturally. If that describes you, try this exercise.
Three times a day, perhaps at each meal, write down something you’re grateful for that day, or something you’ve done that you’re proud of. It doesn’t have to be unusual or heroic; being happy about a phone call from a grandchild will do just fine.
Keep track of these moments of gratefulness every day for three weeks. By the time the three weeks are up, you should have developed a healthy new habit of positive thinking. Keep at it and you’ll be well on your way to a key achievement on the road to successful aging.
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 upcoming events:
Tue 2/13, 11 a.m. – “Successful Aging”
With OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones
Castle Court at Concord Village
386 Van Wagner Rd., Poughkeepsie
(845) 486-2555 for details
Snow date: 3/13/18, same time
Wed 2/14, 10:30 a.m. – “Successful Aging”
With OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones
Pine Plains Free Library, Second Floor Community Room
7775 South Main St. (Route 82)
(845) 486-2555 for details
Snow date: 3/14/18, same time
Wed 2/14, 12:15 p.m. – OFA nutrition presentation “Keeping Your Arteries Going”
AARP meeting at Red Hook Community Center
(845) 758-0777 for details
Thu 2/22, 11 a.m. – “Reversing Heart Disease”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
TriTown Senior Friendship Center
(845) 486-2555 for details
Fri 2/23, 11 a.m. – “Six Proven Strategies for Heart Health”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
City of Poughkeepsie Senior Friendship Center, 110 South Grand Ave.
(845) 486-2555 for details
Tue 2/27, 11 a.m. – “Reducing Risk for Heart Disease”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
Pawling Senior Friendship Center, 154 Charles Colman Blvd.
(845) 486-2555 for more info
Tue 3/6, 2 p.m. – “Successful Aging and OFA Services”
With OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones
Blodgett Library, Fishkill
(845) 486-2555 for details
Snow date t/b/d
Thu 3/15, 10 a.m. – “Successful Aging”
With OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones
HRHCare Health Center at Amenia
(845) 486-2555 for details
Wed 3/21/18, 11:30 a.m. – “Successful Aging”
With OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones
At “Lunch and Learn”, Temple Beth-El
118 South Grand Ave., Poughkeepsie
(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 orbjones@dutchessny.gov. All your group needs to provide is a venue that’s wheelchair-accessible and open to the public, with space to set up a projector and screen. We have our own projector and screen – but if you have those, let us know. This time of year, we recommend you come up with an alternate presentation date you can make available in case of inclement winter weather.
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!
SECOND EMERGENCY “HEAP” BENEFIT AVAILABLE AS OF MON 2/12
The 2017-18 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Emergency benefit opened January 2, 2018.
Beginning February 12, 2018, a second emergency benefit is available for households who have exhausted both the Regular and first Emergency HEAP benefits and who are in a heat or heat-related energy emergency, as defined by HEAP and who meet the eligibility guidelines for emergency benefit assistance.
Also, please remember that other parts of the HEAP Program are currently still open. This includes: HEAP regular assistance; furnace repair and replacement; and the Emergency Benefit.
Because Dutchess County offices are closed on Monday, February 12, emergency HEAP calls made that day should be made to the Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County, who are open on the 12th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (845) 452-5104.
More information here: http://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/#emergency-benefit
PAID/VOLUNTEER HOME DELIVERED MEALS DRIVERS WANTED
The Office for the Aging has a number of immediate openings for paid and volunteer drivers in our Home Delivered Meals division, in all areas of Dutchess County. Drivers help bring nutritious meals to hundreds of homebound seniors, Monday through Friday. A CDL license is required for all paid drivers. Hours for volunteer drivers are 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. weekdays, with mileage reimbursed. For more information on requirements, benefits and responsibilities, email ofa@dutchessny.gov or call (845) 486-2555.
OFA WORKS THROUGH WINTER WEATHER
The snowstorm that hit us last Wednesday meant we had to close our Senior Friendship Centers that day, with seniors in our Home Delivered Meals program relying on previously delivered shelf-stable and frozen meals.
But while the weather may temporarily hold up Friendship Center operations for a day, all other Office for the Aging work continues. The main office remains open from9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and our case workers and public health nurses continue their work at the office and in the field. After all, for many people, a snow day frees up time to call the Office for the Aging with questions about help and information for their senior friends and family members. Our phone number is (845) 486-2555 and our email address for general inquiries is ofa@dutchessny.gov.
Once in a blue moon the winter weather is bad enough to close down our offices, but only rarely. The blizzard we experienced last St. Patrick’s Day was the first time in about a decade that our office had to close down.
ELDER LAW / ESTATE PLANNING HELP IN STANFORDVILLE (Sat 2/24)
A question-and-answer session on topics including wills, trusts, estate planning and more with attorney Andrew Baffi is taking place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 24at the Stanford Free Library (14 Creamery Rd., Stanfordville, 845-868-1341). Registration for the event is appreciated, but not required.
LONG TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN TRAINING COMING IN MARCH
The Hudson Valley Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (www.hudsonvalleyltcop.org) is looking for new volunteers to assist residents living in nursing homes, assisted living, adult homes, and family type homes in Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, Sullivan, Greene, and Columbia Counties, so that residents’ rights are understood and assured.
Free training for the ombudsman program is taking place in Kingston at a five-day session on March 14-16 and 20-21, held at the Ulster County Office for the Aging (Veterans Administration entrance), 5 Development Court, Kingston. Attendance at all five sessions is mandatory. For more information, email gloria@hudsonvalleyltcop.org or call 845-229-4680.
Other aging news online:
How many calories do you burn in typical activities (or lack of activity)? Harvard has updated their numbers, originally released in 2004: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities?utm_content=bufferf2ee8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=buffer
A new study re-affirms the power of positive thinking to reduce the risk of dementia: https://news.yale.edu/2018/02/07/positive-attitudes-about-aging-reduce-risk-dementia-older-adults
Over 40? Focus on lifting weights and getting enough protein: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/07/well/move/lift-weights-eat-more-protein-especially-if-youre-over-40.html?action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&module=Trending&version=Full®ion=Marginalia&pgtype=article&smid=fb-nytupshot&smtyp=cur
There are some unusual tactics being tried as people try to beat death and aging…as for whether they work, the jury is most definitely out: http://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/health/bizarre-ways-people-are-trying-beat-death-and-aging/VQTN9q7PCAYnY94XCczdqL/
What can a drag racing legend tell us about successful aging? Plenty, if he’s 86-year-old “Big Daddy” Don Garlits. Pass this article along to the gearheads and tinkerers in your family, of any age: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a15933028/don-garlits-dodge-challenger-srt-demon/
This week in senior birthdays:
2/12: First African-American woman to enter the US Coast Guard Olivia Hooker (103)
2/13: American pilot/general Chuck Yeager (95)
2/14: American journalist Hugh Downs (97)
2/15: Actress/producer Jane Seymour (67)
2/16: Actor/director LeVar Burton (61)
2/17: Actor/director Hal Holbrook (93)
2/18: Nobel laureate Toni Morrison (87)
And now, for everybody who reads the Aging News all the way to the end…a bad joke.
A group of friars opened a small flower shop in hopes of paying their bills. A florist across town wasn’t too happy about this and asked the friars if they could maybe go into some other line of work, but they refused. The florist begged the friars, but the friars once again refused. Finally, the florist hired a huge, tattooed bar bouncer named Hugh to “persuade” the friars – and this time the friars relented, closed the flower shop and opened a candy store instead.
The moral of the story?
Only Hugh can prevent florist friars.
Brian Jones
Outreach Coordinator
Dutchess County Office For the Aging
Phone: (845) 486-2555 Fax: (845) 486-2571
Email: bjones@dutchessny.gov
Website: www.dutchessny.gov/aging
