Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of February 19
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
The Office for the Aging’s Senior Friendship Centers have scheduled St. Patrick’s Day parties for Tuesday, March 13th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day will include plenty of celebration of the “Auld Sod” and its culture, so be ready to wear the green! There is a suggested donation of $3 for lunch for those 60 and over and a $4 charge for those under the age of 60. Reservations are required by February 28th by calling the Senior Friendship Center nearest you. You can find contact information for each Senior Friendship Center at www.dutchessny.gov/aging, or by calling the Office for the Aging.
OFA SENIOR CENTER GRAND OPENING IN RED HOOK
The OFA’s Senior Friendship Center serving the northwestern part of Dutchess County will relocate to a new site at the Red Hook Community Center (59 Fisk Street,845-758-0077, www.redhookcommunitycenter.org) on Monday, February 26th.
The new site in Red Hook will occupy 1,750 square feet in the Community Center building, including space for seniors’ activities, kitchen and office space. It’s considerably larger than the previous center that served the area and will afford seniors a greater opportunity to enjoy the Community Center’s offerings as well as OFA services. The phone number for the new Senior Friendship Center is 845-475-1129.
County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro and others will welcome seniors to the new location on February 26th and a grand opening event will take place on Monday, March 19th.
ELDER LAW / ESTATE PLANNING HELP IN STANFORDVILLE
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, although not required.
SPRING “MATTER OF BALANCE” CLASSES ALMOST FULL
Only a handful of spaces remain available at our “A Matter of Balance” classes that begin in March at several locations countywide, with support from Health Quest. It’s an excellent class for anybody who’s concerned about falls, or who has fallen before and wants to prevent reoccurrences. Participants must be 60 or older, ambulatory and able to problem-solve. If you can make the multi-week commitment required for the class, call the Office for the Aging. If the class you prefer is full, we’ll place you on our waiting list for autumn classes. When demand for “A Matter of Balance” is sufficient and space is available, we also hold summer classes.
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:
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
The 2017-18 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Emergency benefit opened January 2, 2018.
Beginning February 12, 2018, a second emergency benefit became 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.
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.
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.
STISSING THEATRE GUILD PRESENTS “THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES”
Will Rogers ranks among the finest perfomers, comedians and social commentators in American history, and the Pine Plains-based Stissing Theatre Guild (www.facebook.com/StissingTheatreGuild) is presenting “The Will Rogers Follies” on March 9 and 10 at 7 p.m. and March 11 at 2 p.m. For ticket information, go towww.seatyourself.biz/stgboxoffice or call 518-398-1272.
Other aging news online:
It’s difficult enough for adults to understand Alzheimer’s disease, and kids may find it even more puzzling. Here’s some help: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/helping-kids-understand-alzheimers-disease?utm_source=20180213_kidsAD&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ealert
Music is one great way for generations to bond – and now there’s a website called www.setlist.fm that collects the set lists of countless concert performers over the years. Whether you saw Sinatra at the Paramount, the Beatles at Shea Stadium, or your grandkids
Here’s an example of some poorly-reported health news – a claim by CBS via the Wall Street Journal that Japanese researchers have come up with a one-day cure for the influenza virus. We wish it were legit. The truth is closer to “maybe someday but right now, probably not”: https://www.healthnewsreview.org/review/could-this-be-a-perfect-example-of-health-news-clickbait/
Up in Schenectady, an 81-year-old woman is starting her new career – as a cook:
Looking for a good spot to see a bald eagle? This is an excellent time of year for eagle-watching: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/63144.html
We’re sure you have your own recommendations. OFA staff and volunteers spend loads of time on the road, and we have spotted plenty of bald eagles in the Clove Valley area of LaGrange and Union Vale, and in Red Hook north of Route 199 approaching the Kingston Rhinecliff Bridge.
This week in senior birthdays:
2/19: Singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson (78)
2/20: Actress/designer Gloria Vanderbilt (94)
2/21: Activist/politician John Lewis (78)
2/22: NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving (68)
2/23: Singer/songwriter Howard Jones (63)
2/24: Actor/singer Dominic Chianese (87)
2/25: Talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael (83)
You’ve read the Aging News all the way to the end. Here’s a bad joke as your reward:
A famous Viking explorer returned home from a voyage and found his name missing from the town register. His wife insisted on complaining to the local civic official who apologized profusely saying, “I must have taken Leif off my census.”
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
