Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s AGING NEWS For the week of October 29

Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s

AGING NEWS

For the week of October 29

Note: the Office for the Aging will be closed for Election Day on Tuesday, November 6th, and for the observed Veterans Day holiday on Monday, November 12th.

Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers

Todd N. Tancredi, Director

Dutchess County Office for the Aging

 

SOUND THE ALARM AND SAVE A LIFE – MAYBE YOURS

 

            Ever forget to turn off your stove after you’re done cooking? About 40% of us have done it.

            Do you know what to do when your smoke alarm goes off? Do you have a plan in place? Less than half of us do.

            In the event of a fire at your home, how much time to get out do you figure you’ll have? If you assume you have more than two minutes, that’s an assumption that could prove tragic.

            As a rule, Americans of all ages tend to be overconfident about their preparedness for a fire at their residences. Only one in four believe they’ll ever experience a fire at their home. Additionally, one in 10 have sacrificed buying other household essentials in order to purchase a smoke alarm. Those are some 2017 findings of the American Red Cross, whose Mid-Hudson Valley chapter wants to help you and your family stay safe with free smoke alarm installations through the Home Fire Campaign. The campaign is an ongoing effort in the local chapter’s service area, which includes Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia and Greene counties.

            Whether you arrange smoke detector installation on your own or through the Red Cross, having working detectors is intended to augment safety measures like the following:

  • When cooking, stay in the kitchen, especially when frying, grilling or using an open flame, and make sure all ovens and burners are switched off when they’re no longer needed.
  • Furniture, curtains and anything else that could catch fire should be at least three feet from any heat source, whether it’s a heating element, a space heater or a fireplace.
  • If you’re a smoker, don’t smoke in bed. (We’ll cover helping seniors quit smoking in next week’s column.)
  • Make sure your large and small appliances are plugged directly into wall outlets, not with power strips, adapters or “cheater plugs.” Computers and home entertainment systems can be plugged in through a surge protector or uninterruptible power supply.
  • Older homes may not have enough outlets to meet modern needs; in the long run, it will be safer to contact an electrician to make the necessary upgrades rather than to rely on power strips.
  • Never run power cords underneath rugs or carpets. People will walk over the cord for years, and eventually wires in that cord will begin to fray. The wires could start heating up, capturing the heat and creating a smoldering fire you might not notice until it’s too late.

            The Red Cross’ free smoke detector program is available for both homeowners and renters; to find out more, leave a message with their Home Fire Campaign hotline at (845) 249-4228.

            If you’re buying your own smoke detectors, you may be relieved to know in New York State, when it comes to new smoke detectors, the era of checking batteries every six months is a thing of the past. As of last year, state law prohibits the sale of smoke detectors with removable batteries.

 

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

 

 

 

SENIOR SEMINARS COMING UP IN NOVEMBER (11/1)

            The Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s annual “Senior Seminars” day takes place Thursday, November 1st, at New Hackensack Reformed Church at 1580 Route 376, Wappingers Falls. Space is limited, so register in advance for any seminar you’d like to attend by contacting the Office for the Aging using the information at the end of this column. These seminars are a great way to find information in one place that might otherwise require a lot of time and travel.

            Here’s the schedule for this year’s seminars. You can sign up for one seminar in each of the 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 time slots.

            You can sign up for one, two, or three seminars. Keep in mind that if you choose only a 9:30 and 11:30 seminar, there’s not sufficient seating outside the classrooms while you wait – so add a 10:30 seminar to your day and learn something new.

            Note: we’re also looking for volunteers who can help at the Seminars with directing traffic, both cars outside the venue and people inside the venue. Email bjones@dutchessny.gov to find out more.

9:30 a.m.

PARKINSON’S DISEASE – Learn more about the disease that affects hundreds           of Dutchess County seniors. Presented by the Parkinson’s Disease Support Group of the Mid-Hudson Valley.

LIBRARIES – Libraries can be much more than what they used to be!  From books to streaming content, libraries engage patrons in many ways. With Poughkeepsie Public Library Director Tom Lawrence.

CENTRAL HUDSON AND SENIORS – A discussion of the many services available to senior citizen Central Hudson customers, including senior protections, life support programs and much more.

10:30 a.m.

MEDICARE Q&A – Office for the Aging Information Services Specialist Maggie Kwet             helps you navigate the sometimes-challenging landscape of Medicare. The annual Open Enrollment period for Medicare began on October 15thand will continue until December 7th.


CAN YOU HEAR ME? 
– Hearing loss can have devastating effects on all aspects of your life. Presented by professionals from Access Hearing.

FUNERALS AND YOUR RIGHTS – Every consumer has the right to a meaningful, dignified and affordable farewell. With the Funeral Consumers Alliance of the Hudson Valley.

11:30 a.m.   

EXERCISE AND BALANCE – Find out more about the Office for the Aging’s Senior Exercise and “A Matter of Balance” programs, both of which are vital to seniors looking to continue living independently.

SENIORS AND THE LAW – Always a popular topic, this year’s speaker is private attorney Paul Weinberger, with whom the Office for the Aging contracts to provide legal assistance to seniors who might otherwise be unable to afford it.

A “HEAP” OF HELP FOR THE WINTER – Cold weather will be here before you know it, and it can be a trying time for low-income seniors. Your questions about New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) will be answered by Office for the Aging staff.

 

Office for the Aging upcoming events

Unless otherwise indicated, call (845) 486-2555 for more information

All events subject to schedule changes

Thu 11/1, 9:30 – 12:30 p.m. – Senior Seminars

                        New Hackensack Reformed Church, 1380 NY 376, Wappingers Falls

                        (See this email for schedule of seminars)

                        Reserve seats at (845) 486-2555

                        Volunteers wanted; email bjones@dutchessny.gov for more info

Thu 11/8, 12:30 p.m. – Scam Prevention Presentation

                        With OFA outreach coordinator Brian Jones

                        St. Simeon II Community Room, 24 Beechwood Ave., Poughkeepsie

Tue 11/13, 11 a.m. – Healthy Eating Through the Holidays

                        With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava

                        Red Hook Senior Friendship Center, 59 Fisk St.

Thu 11/15, 11 a.m. – Healthy Eating Through the Holidays

                        With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava

                        East Fishkill Senior Friendship Center, 890 NY 82 (Hopewell Junction)

Thu 11/15, 7 p.m. – Scam Prevention AND Office for the Aging Services

                        With outreach coordinator Brian Jones

                        St. Martin de Porres Church, Poughkeepsie

Fri 11/16, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Caregiver Conference

                        “Caregiving: A Highwire Act”

                        The Grandview, 176 Rinaldi Blvd., Poughkeepsie

                        To sign up (it’s free), call the Alzheimer’s Association: 800-272-3900

Fri 11/16, 11 a.m. – Reading the New Food Labels

                        With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava

                        The Landings of Poughkeepsie,

Mon 11/19, 11 a.m. – Healthy Eating Through the Holidays

                        With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava

                        Beacon Senior Friendship Center, 1 Forrestal Heights

Tue 11/20, 11 a.m. – Healthy Eating Through the Holidays

                        With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava

                        Pawling Senior Friendship Center, 154 Charles Colman Blvd.

Tue 11/27, 11 a.m. Healthy Eating Through the Holidays

                        With OFA nutrition coordinator Nimesh Bhargava

Tri-Town Senior Friendship Center, 55 Overlook Rd., Poughkeepsie

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 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, scam prevention, senior housing, a wide range of topics related to nutrition, and more!

HUMAN RIGHTS LISTENING SESSION IN AMENIA (Sun 10/28)

            The Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights will hold a Listening Session on Sunday, October 28th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Congregation Beth David, 3344 East Main Street in Amenia. All are welcome to attend and participate. The listening sessions are opportunities for community members to meet with members of the Commission on Human Rights and discuss the issues that concern them most in their community. More at www.dutchessny.gov/humanrights.

CAREGIVING DOCUMENTARY SCREENS @ WALLACE CENTER (Tue 10/30)

            The documentary film “Care,” which describes the world of home elder care from the points of view of seniors, their families, and care providers, will be screened on Tuesday, October 30th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Library in Hyde Park (4079 Route 9).

            The free event will also include remarks from both candidates in the 41st State Senate district race, and a short panel discussion. RSVP by calling (347) 645-4255 or email ilana@domesticemployers.org.

            It’s sponsored by Rhinebeck@Home, Hand in Hand, and the NY Caring Majority.

MEDICARE EVENTS CALENDAR

            If you’re a resident of Dutchess County with questions about Medicare as this year’s open enrollment period which began on October 15th and continues through December 7th, there are Medicare-related events throughout the county. Space is limited, so reserve your spot by contacting the Office for the Aging at (845) 486-2555 or ofa@dutchessny.gov.

            We host monthly Medicare information sessions whose schedule is available on the calendar atwww.dutchessny.gov, and the following extra classes have also been added:

  • Medicare 101 – Wed 11/14, 10 a.m. – Poughkeepsie Galleria Community Room
  • Navigating the Medicare Website – Thu 11/8, 6:30 p.m., Adriance Library
  • Navigating the Medicare Website – Wed 11/28, 9:30 a.m., Adriance Library

TWO CITIZENS PREPAREDNESS EVENTS ON NOVEMBER 14

            It’s always a good time to prepare yourself for unknown events, but especially so with winter on the way. The Dutchess County Department of Emergency Management is hosting two preparedness sessions on Wednesday, November 14th. One’s in northern Dutchess and the other’s in southern Dutchess, both at the locations of OFA Senior Friendship Centers, as noted below:

  • Wednesday, November 14th          TIME:  12 noon to 2 p.m.

Location:  Red Hook Community Center, 59 Fisk St., Red Hook

  • Wednesday, November 14th          TIME:  6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Location:  East Fishkill Community Center, 890 Route 82, Hopewell Jct.

            Both events are free and open to the public; call (845) 486-2080 for more information.

BIG PLEASANT VALLEY LIBRARY BOOK SALE (11/2-4)

            Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library are holding a Fall Book Sale, starting on Friday, November 2nd and continuing through Sunday, November 4th at the Pleasant Valley Town Hall, 1554 Main Street (Route 44). The event begins on

Friday, November 2nd with an admission-only preview sale from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission to this part of the sale is $5, or $3 with your library card. The sale continues with free admission on Saturday, November 3rd, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday, November 4th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a $5/bag Bag Sale. After 2 p.m. Sunday, books are free. More information at www.pleasantvalleylibrary.org.

Other aging news online:

Get that flu shot. Here’s a look at how bad it got a hundred years ago: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/well/family/a-centennial-of-death-the-great-influenza-pandemic-of-1918.html#commentsContainer

Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has announced she has Alzheimer’s disease and is withdrawing from public life: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/sandra-day-oconnor-announces-alzheimers-diagnosis/573751/

A final salute to Norwegian WWII resistance fighter Joachim Rønneberg, who passed away last weekend at age 99:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/22/norway-mourns-hero-joachim-ronneberg-sabotaged-nazis-nuclear-heavy-water

Thoughts on isolation among rural seniors: https://seniorplanet.org/rural-isolation-causes-and-cures/?mc_cid=2b7693bca9&mc_eid=4149ad7bda

This week in senior birthdays:

10/29: Director/producer Ralph Bakshi (80)

10/30: Singer/songwriter Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane) (79)

10/31: US astronaut Michael Collins (88)

11/1: Golfer Gary Player (83)

11/2: Singer Jay Black (Jay and the Americans) (80)

11/3: Singer/songwriter Lulu (70)

11/4: 45th First Lady Laura Bush (72)

Finally, we’re taking a brief break from the Bad Jokes that conclude these newsletters…for a request for you to share with us your favorite Thanksgiving recipes. It could be a recipe for the main course, a side dish, a vegan option, or a dessert. Long as it’s yummy (and if it also manages to be healthy, so much the better), send it along to bjones@dutchessny.govand hopefully we’ll get enough response to put together some large-print recipes that we share here through November for everybody to use.

Bad Jokes will resume the week of Thanksgiving, so that you’ll have groaners and puns to share with your whole family over dinner.

 

 

 

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

Website: www.dutchessny.gov/aging

Author: Harlem Valley News