Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of October 28th
(Note: the Office for the Aging will be closed for Election Day on Tuesday, November 5th; for Veterans Day on Monday, November 11th; and for Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, November 28th. We’ll be OPEN the day after Thanksgiving, the 29th.)
Golden Living . . . News for Senior Citizens
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
A SAFE HALLOWEEN: A TREAT THAT’S NOT TOO TRICKY
Whether you’re staying home to hand out candy for Halloween or putting on a costume to take the grandkids trick-or-treating, it’s a night where people spend more time meeting up with relative strangers than they might on all the other nights of the year combined. Take a few simple safety precautions before the big night, to maximize the fun and minimize the worry.
If you’ll be going out on Halloween, now is the time to ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your house.
If you’re planning on driving on Halloween, remember extra attention to safety will be needed from the moment you turn the key and pull out of your driveway. If a passing adult happens to be in the area, ask them for help making sure the road is clear as you go on your way. As you drive, watch out for small children who may be so excited by the fun they’re having that they don’t watch the road. Watch also for teenagers who may be in dark costumes and thus harder to see.
The other hazard of Halloween-season driving are the deer that can suddenly appear on any road at any time, although the hours around sunrise and sunset are when deer tend to be most active. This time of year is their mating season, and even deer that would normally be wary of traffic may do something unexpected. We’ve even had the occasional moose venture into Dutchess County from the north and east, especially along the Route 22 corridor. Although a moose is much larger than a deer, it might be harder to see on the road, because the beam from a car’s headlights may pass underneath the moose.
If a deer or any other animal does dart into your path, safety experts recommend braking while staying in your lane and NOT trying to avoid the animal, because a collision with the animal is preferable to collisions with much larger objects like trees, utility poles and other vehicles, among other events that may be beyond your control if you try to swerve.
Decorating your home for Halloween is part of the fun but continue to keep safety in mind first. To make sure your home is safe for little visitors who may be in costumes that block part of their vision or mobility, be sure any driveways, sidewalks, stairs and footpaths that lead to your front door are free from any decorations that could be a tripping hazard.
If you’re staying home for Halloween, safety in numbers is key. If you live alone, try to get a friend or relative to help you out on Halloween night. This will give the impression that you’re not the only one who lives in your home.
Keep your guests outside, and if you’re alone, don‘t let an unfamiliar visitor into your home to use the bathroom or make a phone call. Instead, suggest that they use a neighboring house where there are multiple adults.
Golden Living is prepared by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 114 Delafield Street, 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)
Sat 11/2, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – OFA at Thriving in Rhinebeck
(A showcase of services and resources for older adults and caregivers)
With OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones
Rhinebeck High School, 45 North Park Rd.
(845) 379-1114 or www.rhinebeckathome.org for information
Mon 11/4, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Scam Prevention
With OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones
Pawling Free Library, 11 Broad St.
Register at (845) 855-3444
Thu 11/7, 9:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. – OFA Senior Seminars
New Hackensack Reformed Church, 1380 NY 376, Wappinger
Speaker schedule in the fall Spotlight on Seniors, on page 6, at this link: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/Docs/NewSpotlightFall2019.pdf
Seating is limited. Some seminars are already fully booked!
Make reservations at (845) 486-2555
Wed 11/20, 11:00 a.m. – Senior Pedestrian Safety
With Emily Dozier, Dutchess County Senior Planner
and Aisha Phillips, Dutchess County Senior Public Health Educator
OFA Poughkeepsie Friendship Center, 114 Delafield St.
Seating is limited; (845) 486-2564 to RSVP
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF THE SENIOR PROM
Over 450 guests enjoyed a day of fun and companionship at the 24th annual Office for the Aging Senior Prom, held on Monday, October 21st at Villa Borghese in Wappinger and co-hosted by The Pines at Poughkeepsie, with music by the full Bob Martinson Band. This year’s theme was “The ‘70s” and drew hundreds of guests in their favorite ‘70s fashions – bell bottoms, leisure suits, tie-dye and more!
Frederick and Joan Salerno were named the Duke and Duchess of the 2019 Prom, and will travel to next year’s Senior Prom in a limousine provided by A Special Occasion Limousine.
Speaking of next year’s prom…it’ll be our 25th, so “Silver Anniversary” will be the theme. Dress your best, with extra emphasis on the silver in whatever you choose to wear. It’s not mandatory to dress up for the Prom, but it sure is fun to see what everybody wears.
The tentative date for the 2020 Senior Prom is Monday, October 19th.
Watch your Aging News emails this November and December for listings of when the Senior Prom video will air on local cable access channels, as well as a link to view the prom video online.
You can see some prom photos and video now, at the Dutchess County Government page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DutchessCoGov/.
Many thanks to our Senior Prom “Platinum Disco Ball” sponsors: EverCare At Home, Medicare Specialists, Home Energy Consultants and Wingate Healthcare. Videography by DJ Domenic Entertainment (www.djdomentertainment.com).
VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR OFA SENIOR SEMINARS (Thu 11/7)
If you can make it to New Hackensack Reformed Church (1580 NY 376, Wappinger) on the morning of Thursday, November 7th, please contact OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones at bjones@dutchessny.gov to inquire about volunteering at our annual Senior Seminars.
Some volunteers will be needed in the church parking lot to help guide seminar guests to parking spots and the correct building entrance. Others will be needed to guide guests within the church building.
For those who can’t make it that day but still want to help, we expect to prepare the winter issue of our “Spotlight on Seniors” newsletter for mailing some time before and/or after Thanksgiving. Email bjones@dutchessny.gov to learn more.
DEER DEFENSE AT THE STANFORD LIBRARY (Sat 11/16)
Owning or renting a single-family home in Dutchess County comes with the risk that deer will gobble up the plants around your home – and leave behind potentially hazardous ticks as well.
The Stanford Free Library (6035 Route 82, Stanfordville – new library, new location) is hosting “Deer Defense – How to Co-Exist with the Wiliest of Wildlife” on Saturday, November 16th at 10 a.m., to be presented by master gardener Chris Ferriero from Cornell Cooperative Extension.
The presentation will cover three categories of deer deterrence: barriers, repellents, and alternative landscape choices, and will also discuss the best available deer-resistant landscape plants and perennials.
Reservations are appreciated but not required, by calling the library at (845) 868-1341 or emailing stanfordlibrary@optonline.net.
Other aging news online:
So why does the flu shot seem more painful than most shots? https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pain-after-flu-shot_l_5da8ae84e4b0b24e75df0828?fbclid=IwAR3LkRvtKTP89HNd_pSaK-3Cxty4UfGh1DdvsTkzHop6MWV3HTQmqEB02I4&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000037&utm_campaign=hp_fb_pages&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=parents_fb
If you’re curious about over-the-counter genetic tests, please note that there’s a good chance for false positives: https://inews.co.uk/news/health/over-the-counter-genetic-tests-experts-warning-false-positives-815894
Another link between exercise and the reduced risk of dementia: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/21/upshot/alzheimers-exercise-brain-apps.html
You can’t find your keys – but why? Is it regular forgetfulness or a sign of dementia…or something else? Here’s one way to tell: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/do-memory-problems-always-mean-alzheimers-disease?utm_source=NIA+Main&utm_campaign=2ff9a0ea01-20191022_ADEARforgetfulnessIG&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ffe42fdac3-2ff9a0ea01-7728681
This week in senior birthdays:
10/28: Singer/actress Dame Cleo Laine (92)
10/29: Director/producer/animator Ralph Bakshi (81)
10/30: Singer/songwriter Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane) (80)
10/31: Apollo 11/Gemini 10 astronaut Michael Collins (89)
11/1: Golfer Gary Player (84)
11/2: Singer Jay Black (Jay and the Americans) (81)
11/3: Singer/songwriter Lulu (71)
As we get into Thanksgiving season and start thinking about family get-togethers, your supply of Bad Jokes needs to be fully topped-off. So here goes!
Q: Why should you knock on the refrigerator door before opening it?
A: In case there’s a salad dressing.
The recipe said to set the oven to 180 degrees, but now I can’t open the oven door because it’s facing the wall.
Q: What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter?
A: Pumpkin pi.
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
