Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of May 14
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
2018 SENIOR NEEDS SURVEY ABOUT TO BEGIN
The Dutchess County Office for the Aging is about to begin conducting a Senior Needs Assessment Survey to determine the needs and concerns of the older residents of the county. We survey the county’s seniors in this way every four years. The OFA will use the results of the survey in the planning and delivery of future OFA services. We also share the results with other local service providers, who use it to document needs as they seek grant funding.
The survey itself is easy to complete. If you’re attending any of our Senior Picnics, which are beginning at month’s end and continuing through late August, you’ll have a chance to complete a survey.
The survey will also be available (we’ll let you know when) at the OFA home page at www.dutchessny.gov/aging. You must be age 60 or over and a Dutchess County resident to complete the form. We will continue the survey through the summer and into the fall, with results available late this year or early in 2019.
For a printed version of the survey, or more information about the programs and services of the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, call (845) 486-2555, toll free at (866) 486-2555, or email ofa@dutchessny.gov.
SENIOR PICNIC SCHEDULE NEWS
If you haven’t yet made a reservation for the senior picnic that serves your community, you can contact us at the phone number in the previous paragraph. A full schedule of picnics is available at the OFA home page.
Please note a few changes to this summer’s picnic schedule:
Two picnics are taking place at new locations this year. The picnic for residents of the towns of Hyde Park and Clinton will happen on the Great Lawn at the FDR Library on Route 9 in Hyde Park, and the picnic for City of Poughkeepsie residents will happen at Stitzel Field, at the intersection of Lincoln Ave. and Montgomery St.
Additionally, the picnic for Pleasant Valley residents originally scheduled for Tuesday, July 24 is now taking place on Wednesday, July 25, at Cady Field on Route 44 behind Town Hall.
With the acquisition of an additional tent for picnic-goers, we hope to make space available for the many seniors who are interested in attending a picnic but sometimes find that it is already at capacity. If you’re interested in attending, contact the Office for the Aging sooner rather than later.
Many thanks to all our sponsors for supporting the full 12-picnic schedule, most notably Platinum sponsors Evercare At Home, Wingate Health Care, the Pines at Poughkeepsie and Northwestern Mutual.
RED HOOK FRIENDSHIP CENTER NOW OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK
As of this month, the Office for the Aging Senior Friendship Center in Red Hook (59 Fisk St., at the Red Hook Community Center) is now open for a full weekday schedule, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call the center at (845) 475-1129.
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
Unless otherwise indicated, call (845) 486-2555 for more information
Tue 5/15, 7:30 a.m. – “Successful Aging” with OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones
Red Hook Rotary breakfast meeting
Murray’s, 73 Broadway, Tivoli
redhookrotary@gmail.com for information
Tue 5/15, 11:00 a.m. – “Preventing and Reversing Chronic Disease”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
Millerton Senior Friendship Center at Village Hall
Simmons St. and Dutchess Ave.
Wed 5/16, 12 noon – “Preventing Chronic Illness with a Healthy Lifestyle”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
Horizons at Fishkill, 14 Dogwood Lane, Beacon
Thu 5/17, 11 a.m. – “Preventing and Reversing Chronic Illness”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
East Fishkill Senior Friendship Center
890 Route 82, Hopewell Junction
Mon 5/21, 12 noon – The Celebration of Aging
Villa Borghese, 70 Widmer Rd., Wappinger
Admission $40/person
Free for all Dutchess residents who will turn 100 or more in 2018, plus one guest
Free for all Dutchess-resident couples married 70+ years in 2018
Call (845) 486-2544 or email bjones@dutchessny.gov to find out more
Wed 5/23, 11 a.m. – “The Harmful Effects of Food Additives”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
South Amenia Senior Friendship Center, 229 South Amenia Rd., Wassaic
Thu 5/24, 11 a.m. – “The Harmful Effects of Food Additives”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
Red Hook Senior Friendship Center, 59 Fisk St.
Fri 5/25, 11 a.m. – “Healthy Lifestyles and Longevity”
With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava
City of Poughkeepsie Senior Friendship Center, 110 S. Grand Ave.
Wed 5/30 – 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. – 25th Annual National Senior Health and Fitness Day
St. Simeon Properties, 24 Beechwood Ave., Poughkeepsie
There will be an exciting day of educational programs focusing on health and wellness, a free delicious lunch, and door prizes!
Call for more information and registration: 845-471-0171
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.
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!
CELEBRATION OF AGING AND PICNIC VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
We’re looking for a few volunteers to assist seniors and guests at the Celebration of Aging, coming up Monday, May 21 at Villa Borghese in Wappingers Falls. Assistance is required in helping guests locate their seats and find their way around the venue, setting up the luncheon space beforehand, and helping OFA staff bring gifts to the seniors being honored at the luncheon.
We’re also closing in on the beginning of Senior Picnic season, and can always use volunteer help with various aspects of each picnic, including helping guide guests to parking spots, setting up tables and chairs, bringing food and drinks to guests, and breaking down tables and chairs after the picnic concludes. There are a total of 12 picnics between late May and late August, and you can volunteer for one, all 12, or any number in between. All picnics take place on Wednesdays, and the schedule is available atwww.dutchessny.gov/SeniorPicnic.
For either volunteering opportunity (or both), get in touch with outreach coordinator Brian Jones at bjones@dutchessny.gov or (845) 486-2555.
NEW AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING RENTAL OPPORTUNITY IN BEACON
Highland Meadows Senior Housing in Beacon, on the site of the former St. Francis Hospital in Beacon (11 Hastings Dr.), is accepting applications for a public lottery for available one- and two-bedroom apartments for households whose members are all over 62 years old.
A public lottery on Wednesday, May 16 will determine which applicants will have an apartment available to them; after that date, applications will be considered on a first come, first serve basis.
Monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment will be $975, and $1200-1545 for a two bedroom apartment. Minimum and maximum income limits will apply. Highland Meadows will be 100% handicapped-accessible and 100% non-smoking.
For an application, call (845) 297-2004 or TDD#711.
Highland Meadows does not discriminate against any person because of race, creed, age, color, disability, national origin, sex, marital status or familial status.
COMMUNICATION DISORDERS PROGRAM AT THE LANDING OF POUGHKEEPSIE (Wed 5/16)
And
MAY CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP MEETING (Mon 5/21)
If you or somebody you care for is having difficulty with hearing, or has issues with speech, language and/or swallowing, a free presentation at The Landing of Poughkeepsie (251 Boardman Rd.) may interest you.
NYC licensed audiologist Kimberly Newkirk-Lozier and NYC licensed speech-language pathologist Elizabeth Wikane will be the speakers. There will be a Q&A session after the presentation.
On Monday, May 21 from 5 to 6 p.m., a Caregiver Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at MidHudson Regional Hospital (241 North Rd., Poughkeepsie) at the 2 Thorne Conference Room. These support groups meet on the third Monday of every month.
Registration is required for either event, and can be done by calling (845) 483-5551. The events are presented by MidHudson Regional Licensed Home Care with funding in part from the U.S. Administration on Aging, New York State Office for the Aging and Dutchess County Office for the Aging.
BALANCE DAY AT NDH CENTER FOR HEALTHY AGING (Thu 5/17)
Northern Dutchess Hospital’s Body in Harmony balance day returns on Thursday, May 17, at the hospital’s Center for Healthy Aging, 6529 Springbrook Ave. (a/k/a Route 9).
Private appointments can be made between 10 a.m. and noon. Each personalized evaluation includes a physical examination by a physician who specializes in geriatric medicine, Dr. Jodi Friedman. Attendees will also receive a medication review by a pharmacist and a balance and gait test with a physical therapist. Licensed social worker Allison Gould will be available to discuss how to cope with fears about falling. By evaluating body mechanics, medications, as well as physiological and psychological health in one visit, the team can better identify which factors may be causing balance problems, and make recommendations for changes and treatments.
Registration is required. Please call 845-876-4745 (TTY: 800-421-1220). For information on the Center for Healthy Aging, visit www.healthquest.org/CHA
DRIVING FOR SENIORS EVENT (Mon 6/11)
Golfers, get a round in for a good cause on Monday, June 11th at the McCann Memorial Golf Course (Wilbur Blvd., Poughkeepsie) for “Driving for Seniors,” proceeds from which will benefit Friends of Seniors, which provides telephone companionship and non-emergency medical transportation for seniors throughout Dutchess County. Services also include grocery shopping, visiting services, and respite for primary caregivers.
The cost is $150 per golfer, and includes a continental breakfast, lunch at the turn, and dinner afterwards at Christo’s.
One lucky golfer will get a chance to try for a Hole-in-One Shot for one million dollars.
Every player will the opportunity for a Hole-in-One Shot for $25,000, and other valuable prizes are also available.
For more information, call 845-485-1277.
WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY 2018 (Fri 6/15)
This annual event had been held in Poughkeepsie for many years, but it has drawn attention from around the Hudson Valley. Organizers say a larger venue was needed to host this year’s event – therefore, it’s been scheduled for Friday, June 15, at the Aquinas Theatre at Mount Saint Mary College in the City of Newburgh (330 Powell Ave.). According to organizers, in future years, the event will be held in rotating locations including Dutchess County, and the event remains open to all guests from any county who register in advance while there’s space.
Dutchess County will be represented at the conference by Patricia Sheldon, Director of Adult Protective Services. Additionally, Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro will join Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus at the conference for opening remarks. The event is presented by EverCare with cooperation from St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital and Mount Saint Mary College.
Space will be limited, so register by emailing weaad2018@evercare.org, or by calling the Orange County Office for the Aging at (845) 615-3700.
Additional information: https://www.evercare.org/know-more-age-loudly-against-elder-abuse/
Other aging news online:
This week’s gadget – a ‘smart dresser’ to help those with dementia get themselves dressed: https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2018/05/06/Smart-dresser-might-help-dementia-patients-clothe-themselves/7261525501068/?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=1
This one’s got some pretty dense scientific language – but to sum it up, it’s a study indicating a possible connection with a restriction in calorie intake with a reduction in the kind of cell death that’s commonly associated with Alzheimer’s, ALS and many other diseases: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acel.12770
Physical fitness might help you avoid some of those “oh, what’s the word I’m looking for?” moments: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201805/how-are-tip-the-tongue-states-linked-aerobic-fitness
What’s “telomerase”? There’s not much of it in your body, but scientists’ analysis of telomerase may hold keys to slowing aging and fighting cancer:https://www.sciencenews.org/article/telomerase-enzyme-cancer-aging
Which are safer for food prep, plastic or wood cutting boards? It’s not quite a simple question: https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/are-plastic-cutting-boards-better-than-wood/
A drug being tested for osteoporosis didn’t work so well – but it may show promise as a treatment for baldness. For now, the balding editor of this newsletter is sticking to his baseball caps: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-44038756
An update on Richard Overton, Amerifca’s oldest man and oldest veteran, who turned 112 last week in Texas: https://www.dallasnews.com/life/better-living/2018/05/10/americas-oldest-man-still-kicking-smoking-nears-112-secret-dont-die
And last week’s musical guest at the senior center in Sevier County, Tennessee was…Dolly Parton? Wow. https://www.knoxnews.com/story/life/2018/05/07/dolly-parton-surprises-seniors-sevier-county-tn-senior-center-ceremony/578417002/
This week in senior birthdays:
5/14: Baseball Hall-of-Famer Tony Pérez (76)
5/15: Painter/sculptor Jasper Johns (88)
5/16: Astronomer Nancy Roman (93)
5/17: Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard (62)
5/18: Oldest living former New York baseball Giant Gil Coan (96)
5/19: Baseball Hall-of-Famer Brooks Robinson (81)
5/20: NFL Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant (91)
And now for your weekly bad joke (Mother’s Day edition, so you get two):
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A (from Mom): Why did you let the chicken out? Do you know how much I paid for that chicken? Go get the chicken. And don’t wear your dirty shoes back into the house!
Mom’s advice: Cook a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish, and you get rid of him for the whole weekend.
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
