Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of February 6, 2016
Golden Living . . . News for Senior Citizens
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
STRESSED CAREGIVERS GET “POWERFUL TOOLS”
If you’re spending significant time caring for a parent, spouse or family member, you can easily lose sight of the fact your own care is also important if you want to be truly helpful to them.
The Dutchess County Office for the Aging will soon offer “Powerful Tools for Caregivers,” an educational series to help you reduce stress, improve confidence, communicate ideas and feelings, increase the ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources.
The sessions last six weeks, meeting once a week, and include interactive lessons, discussions and brainstorming. You’ll be learning from experienced class leaders, many of whom are caregivers who have used the “Powerful Tools” techniques in real-world situations.
You will receive a text, “The Caregiver’s Helpbook,” to accompany your sessions. A donation to cover the cost of the book is suggested but not required to be eligible for the classes, which are otherwise free. Classes begin in March; class size is limited and pre-registration is required. Call the Office for the Aging at (845) 486-2555 or email ofa@dutchessny.gov to find out more.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS SOUGHT
The Office for the Aging is looking for community-minded volunteers to join its Advisory Board, which meets on a regular basis to offer input in the planning and delivery of services to senior citizens in Dutchess County. Board members are appointed by the County Executive, and also take part in at least one official public hearing each year to solicit input from senior citizens, services providers, advocates and the general public into its Annual Implementation Plan. If you are interested in joining us, send a résumé and/or brief biography to the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, attn: Todd Tancredi, 27 High St., Poughkeepsie NY 12601 or email your material tottancredi@dutchessny.gov.
VASSAR BROTHERS SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE
Pretending to be sick may be something your kids or grandkids tried once or twice when they were young, usually to get out of schoolwork or chores. This month comes your chance to pretend to be sick, but for the cause of disaster preparedness.
On the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 28, Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie is conducting an “OUREx” exercise, a drill to test the hospital’s capabilities in the event of an emergency. This is where your pretending skills will come in handy. The hospital is looking for between 10 and 15 volunteers to pretend they’ve come down with the flu for the exercise, which will take just over three hours. At the conclusion of the exercise, all volunteers will receive a voucher for lunch at the Vassar Brothers cafeteria. For more information on how to help, get in touch with Lisa Corcoran at ecorcor1@health-quest.org or (845) 431-6829.
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: http://www.dutchessny.gov/CountyGov/Departments/Aging/AGIndex.htm
Upcoming Office for the Aging presentations and events:
Tuesday 2/7, 11 a.m. – “Successful Aging” at Tri-Town Senior Friendship Center
55 Overlook Rd., Poughkeepsie (rear of the American Legion building)
Includes “A Matter of Balance” informational presentation
Snow date: Thu 2/9
Wednesday 2/8, 12 noon – “Successful Aging” at Pine Plains Community Center
7775 Route 82 (above the library)
Snow date: 3/8
Tuesday 2/14, 1 p.m. – “Successful Aging” at Stanford Town Hall
26 Town Hall Rd., Stanfordville
Snow date: 2/28
Monday 3/6, 12 noon – “Successful Aging” at the Town of Fishkill Recreaction Center
793 Route 52
(845) 831-3371 for information
Snow date: 3/13
Monday 4/3, 2 p.m. – “Wills, Trusts and Elder Law” at Pawling Library
With John Wirth, Esq., Office for the Aging Advisory Board
11 Broad St.
(845) 855-3444 for information
Monday 5/22, 12 noon – The Celebration of Aging
Villa Borghese
70 Widmer Rd., Wappingers Falls
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 you need provide is a venue that’s accessible and open to the public, and a space to set up a projector and screen – and this time of year, an alternate date in case your venue is closed by winter weather.
POUGHKEEPSIE LIBRARIES SEEK VOLUNTEERS
The Poughkeepsie Public Library District has openings for patient, computer-savvy volunteers who love helping people learn computers. In their words, they’re “looking for volunteer Computer Lab assistants who are patient, willing to learn any technology that they are unfamiliar with (we don’t know everything, but we can look it up), and able to help people who don’t know how to use a computer at all to possibly tech-savvy patrons who have questions on something specific. Most of our patrons fall somewhere in the middle and most are looking for work. They need to apply for jobs or just brush up on skills for working in an office…A volunteer would always be with a library employee (myself or others) and would be able to defer to us for any questions they cannot answer.”
They are looking for help at both their Adriance location (93 Market St.) and Boardman Road location (141 Boardman Rd.) Their full Computer Labs and current class list is at http://poklib.libguides.com/pcc/labsandclasses. Their volunteer application can be accessed athttp://poklib.libguides.com/pcc/volunteer.
Other aging news online:
A good case for “successful aging” – so you can stick around to watch the completions of everything you started:https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2017/02/aging-and-ends
The British government is warning businesses not to “write off” older workers, who often have plenty left in the tank and a wealth of knowledge: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/03/do-not-write-older-workers-seeking-new-careers-government-tells/
Once again, the benefits of keeping your brain busy: http://www.sci-tech-today.com/news/Games-May-Safeguard-Aging-Brain/story.xhtml?story_id=0030002ACIYO
A study involving astronaut Scott Kelly and his (comparatively) earthbound twin brother indicates that being in space has some unusual effects on the aging process: http://www.nature.com/news/astronaut-twin-study-hints-at-stress-of-space-travel-1.21380
And for those of you who can’t wait for spring…Mets star Yoenis Céspedes is already in training camp. Not too much longer, baseball fans:http://nypost.com/2017/02/03/the-new-and-improved-yoenis-cespedes-a-workout-warrior/
This week in senior birthdays:
2/6: Journalist/author Tom Brokaw (77)
2/7: Journalist/author Gay Talese (85)
2/8: Journalist Ted Koppel (77)
2/9: Singer/songwriter Carole King (75)
2/10: Opera singer Leontyne Price (90)
2/11: French chef Paul Bocuse (91)
2/12: Director/producer Franco Zeffirelli (94)
Brian Jones
Outreach Coordinator
Dutchess County Office For the Aging
27 High Street
Poughkeepsie NY 12601
Phone: (845) 486-2555 Fax: (845) 486-2571
Email: bjones@dutchessny.gov
