Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of September 23rd
Remember: Our annual Public Forum listening sessions take place this week. While you can express your concerns to us at any time, the following two events are an excellent opportunity to speak with OFA leadership in person:
Wednesday, September 25th 10:00 AM
Millerton Senior Friendship Center
28 Century Blvd., Millerton
Thursday, September 26th 10:30 AM
Poughkeepsie Senior Friendship Center
114 Delafield St., Poughkeepsie
If you can’t make it to the listening sessions, you can email questions to ofa@dutchessny.gov or mail them to the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 114 Delafield St., Poughkeepsie NY 12601.
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
FALLS PREVENTION EVENT THIS WEEK
According to the National Council on Aging, one in four Americans age 65 and older will experience a fall each year. That’s a number that’s far higher than it should be, especially since falls often lead to life-changing injury and death.
Falls are costly for all of us. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in 2015, older adult falls accounted for about $50 billion in costs, over two-thirds of which was paid for by taxpayers through Medicare and Medicaid.
Many falls are entirely preventable with practical lifestyle adjustments and evidence-based fall prevention programs. In honor of National Falls Prevention Week, as part of a multi-county initiative and in conjunction with the Lower Hudson Valley Fall Prevention Coalition, the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, Vassar Brothers Medical Center and MidHudson Regional Hospital will come together to host “How to Fall Well,” a discussion on falls prevention from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, at Bounce Trampoline Sports, 2 Neptune Road, Poughkeepsie.
Representatives from each group will demonstrate how to limit injury during a fall, safe methods for getting back on your feet with ease, and important tips to keep falls at bay.
For additional information, contact Jill Bubel at jbubel@health-quest.org, call the Office for the Aging at 845-486-2555, or visit the Lower Hudson Valley Fall Prevention Coalition online at www.facebook.com/lhvfallprevention.
There’s a lot more you can do to prevent falls:
Declutter. Keeping your home tidy has the added benefit of removing fall hazards, like stacks of old newspapers and magazines.
Remove tripping hazards. Go through your home room by room, looking for loose carpet, slippery throw rugs, and wood floorboards that stick up. Electrical cords that run along your floor can be a hazard in two ways – you could trip over the cord, and if an electrical socket is overloaded it could create a fire risk.
Avoid loose clothing. If what you wear fits well and is properly hemmed, it’s less likely to drag on the ground or bunch up.
Wear shoes or non-slip socks. Socks may be easier on the feet, but they can also be a slipping hazard on hard floors.
Nonslip walking surfaces. If it gets wet, like the floors in your bathroom, kitchen or porch, it can be a major slipping risk. Nonslip mats will mitigate the risk, along with keeping floors dry whenever possible.
Take your time. Many people fall at home when they stand up from a sitting position too quickly.
The next two may require the assistance of a handyman or similar professional.
Install handrails and grab bars. The key places to install these are by toilets and bathtubs, and in stairways and halls.
Check your lighting. Night lights in bedrooms and bathrooms are key, especially if you need to use the bathroom at night. Make sure stairways and halls are well-lit as well. Stairs should be lit with two-light fixtures at the top and bottom, so that there’s still some lighting if one bulb goes out.
Golden Living is prepared by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 114 Delafield St., Poughkeepsie, New York 12601, telephone (845) 486-2555, email: ofa@dutchessny.gov website: www.dutchessny.gov/aging
Office for the Aging events schedule
To find out more, see the events calendar at www.dutchessny.gov/aging
or call (845) 486-2555 (unless a different number is indicated)
(All events subject to change)
Wed 9/25, 10 a.m. – OFA Public Hearing
With OFA director Todd Tancredi and OFA Advisory Board members
Millerton Senior Friendship Center, 28 Century Blvd.
Thu 9/26, 10:30 a.m. – OFA Public Hearing
With OFA director Todd Tancredi and OFA Advisory Board members
Poughkeepsie Senior Friendship Center, 114 Delafield St.
If you are unable to attend a Public Hearing, you can mail written comments to the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 114 Delafield St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.
You can also email comments to ofa@dutchessny.gov.
Sat 9/28, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – The Golden Gathering
Presented by OFA and state senator Sue Serino
Arlington High School, 1157 NY 55, LaGrangeville
(845) 229-0106 for vendor information
Mon 10/21, 12 noon – 4 p.m. – The Office for the Aging Senior Prom
Theme: “The ‘70s”
Villa Borghese, 70 Widmer Rd., Wappingers Falls
$20/person if paid before 9/27 or the event sells out
$30/person after 9/27
Maximum 10 guests per table
Printable entry form available at this link: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/Docs/promentry2019.pdf
FALL “SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS” NOW AVAILABLE
The easiest way to get our quarterly “Spotlight on Seniors” newsletter online is to go to the “Spotlight on Seniors” link at www.dutchessny.gov/aging.
For those of you living in senior housing developments: If you’d like some copies of the Spotlight for your community room, email Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones at bjones@dutchessny.gov or call (845) 486-2544 and he’ll drop some off – while they last.
If you work in a medical office and you’d like a few copies of the Spotlight for the waiting room, contact Brian Jones using the information above.
Copies of the Spotlight are also available at libraries and municipal buildings throughout Dutchess County.
For those who aren’t online, there’s still time to get on the mailing list for the special Medicare edition of the Spotlight, due out in October. Contact Brian Jones using the information above to find out more.
WANTED: OFA SENIOR EXERCISE CLASS VOLUNTEER LEADERS
Our exercise classes in Millerton, the City of Poughkeepsie and Rhinebeck need volunteers to lead the classes. Training and guidance will be provided; contact the Office for the Aging at ofa@dutchessny.gov or (845) 486-2555 (toll free from Millerton at (866) 486-2555) to find out more.
NAMI MID-HUDSON PEER TO PEER CLASS (Starts 9/30)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Mid-Hudson (www.namimidhudson.org) is sponsoring a free 8-week peer-to-peer class, teaching tools for enhancing recovery, knowledge about mental illness, treatment, self-care strategies, wellness, plus the skills to more effectively communicate with your providers. This class will benefit anyone with symptoms of a mental health condition, who are looking to better understand themselves and their recovery.
Classes start Monday, September 30th from 3 – 5 p.m. and are held at the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health Training Room, 230 North Road, Poughkeepsie. Space is limited; to register, please call Jo Ann Brown, Program Director at 845-832-6368 or email jnbrown@optonline.net.
HELP THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING – JOIN OUR ADVISORY BOARD
Our heartiest congratulations to Dutchess OFA Advisory Board president Susan Koppenhaver, who this week accepted an appointment to become director of the Ulster County Office for the Aging.
Sue’s departure leaves an opening for a new member of the advisory board – and that might be you.
The Older Americans Act requires each Area Agency on Aging (like the Office for the Aging) to have a volunteer Advisory Board comprised of service providers, community leaders, those with an interest in senior services, elected officials, and seniors (60 years or older) to act in an advisory capacity with respect to activities to be carried out by the agency for county residents. Generally, that means assisting in holding Annual Public Hearings to gather input for our Annual Update, input for seniors’ needs assessment done every four years, and acting as “community ambassadors” from the Office for the Aging Advisory Board.
The Board meets six times per year (January, March, May, July, September, November), usually on Wednesdays during lunch hour in the office’s conference room on the second floor of 114 Delafield St. in the City of Poughkeepsie. Our annual “Celebration of Aging,” where we honor the “Senior Citizens of the Year” and Centenarians, constitutes the May meeting. Other than the meetings, some members choose, and are encouraged, to attend other events such as Summer Picnics, visit Friendship Centers and other points of service delivery, or participate on other working committees in the agency. Our two public hearings each fall are chaired by Advisory Board members. Usually, two members attend each hearing.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please send either a résumé or a letter of interest to:
Todd Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
114 Delafield Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone 845-486-2555
Applications are presented to the County Executive for his consideration to fill vacancies. Appointments are made for a three-year term, renewable for a second term before rotating off the board for at least one year. Selection criteria include:
- Commitment to Office for the Aging’s mission and representing the interests of older persons regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, income, religion, political affiliation or sexual orientation;
- Willingness to devote time to Advisory Board activities;
- Ability to function as a group member;
- Ability to think objectively;
- Has demonstrated leadership qualities.
RED HOOK SENIOR SERVICES COMMITTEE SEEKS NEW MEMBERS
If you’re interested in services affecting Town of Red Hook seniors, join the town Senior Services Committee for their next meeting, coming up Friday, September 27th at 9:30 a.m. at the Town Hall courtroom (7340 S. Broadway (Route 9)).
For more information, call (845) 758-4624.
Other aging news online:
A new investigation indicates that many private medical clinics need to improve their data security: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/17/online-medical-data-vulnerable/
As far as eye care is concerned, “aging” means anything from “over 40” to “living in a nursing home,” so get your eyes checked regularly throughout later life: https://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes/articles/eye-exams-in-nursing-homes
An hour of never-before-seen footage of New Yorkers relaxing, from 50-60+ years ago: https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/watch-one-hour-never-seen-footage-nyers-relaxing-1950s-60s
This week in senior birthdays:
9/23: Singer/songwriter Julio Iglesias (76)
9/24: NFL legend “Mean” Joe Greene (73)
9/25: Actor/producer Michael Douglas (75)
9/26: Singer/songwriter Bryan Ferry (74)
9/27: Actor Wilford Brimley (85)
9/28: Actress Brigitte Bardot (85)
9/29: Singer/songwriter Jerry Lee Lewis (84)
Summer may be changing to fall, but the Bad Jokes stay bad all year:
Q: What’s the difference between a well-dressed man on a unicycle and a poorly dressed man on a bicycle?
A: Attire!
Brian Jones
Outreach Coordinator
Dutchess County Office For the Aging
114 Delafield St.
Poughkeepsie NY 12601
Main office: (845) 486-2555
Direct line to my desk: (845) 486-2544
