Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of July 27th
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
Safe Walking for Older Adults: Key Issues
One of the messages we repeat in Golden Living columns is the importance of exercise for successful aging. With gyms and similar indoor fitness options unavailable due to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, more people than ever are exercising outdoors – which creates new safety concerns.
During ordinary times, the senior clients of our OFA Senior Friendship Centers benefit from presentations on a wide range of topics, including a series of pedestrian safety presentations with Emily Dozier, Senior Planner with the Dutchess County Transportation Council; and Aisha Phillips, Senior Public Health Education Coordinator with the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health. This week’s Golden Living was prepared with their help.
Every year, over 90 people in Dutchess County are injured when walking. Older adults are especially vulnerable: If hit by a car, adults over age 65 are more likely than other age groups to have a severe injury, go to the hospital, or lose their life.
The County’s Complete Streets Committee (www.dutchessny.gov/CompleteStreets) is working to help reduce seniors’ vulnerability to walking-related injuries. Our ‘Watch Out For Me’ campaign (www.dutchessny.gov/WatchOutForMe) includes education to help you be safer when driving, bicycling, or walking.
Why do crashes happen?
We all have a role to play in keeping each other safe. In Dutchess County, the data show that people walking and people driving contribute equally to pedestrian crashes.
The top issues when driving are:
- Being distracted/not paying attention when driving;
- Not yielding to someone crossing the street;
- Backing up without checking behind your vehicle.
The top issues when walking are:
- Not paying attention or not following traffic laws when walking;
- Crossing in front of a vehicle without making sure that the driver has time to stop.
Paying attention, whether you’re walking or driving, can save lives.
In what situations do crashes occur?
For crashes between people driving and walking, the most common situations include:
- People crossing the street where there is no traffic signal or crosswalk;
- Crossing the street when the signal is red (or ‘Don’t Walk’);
- Crossing where there is a crosswalk, but no traffic signal.
In New York State, people driving must yield to a person in a crosswalk on either side of the street – it’s the law.
Future articles will describe other situations and provide tips for how to watch out for yourself and others. In the meantime, check out the “Watch Out For Me” webpage (www.dutchessny.gov/WatchOutForMe) where you’ll find resources including a street safety tips brochure and street safety quiz.
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
2020 “SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS” NOW AVAILABLE
Here’s a link to a PDF of the 2020 Spotlight: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/Docs/Spotlight-on-Seniors-Summer-2020.pdf
Copies of the “Spotlight” are also being distributed at all Dutchess County libraries that have reopened, and are being mailed to Dutchess residents on our mailing list for receiving a hard copy of each “Spotlight.”
For local residents without internet access who would like to be on the hard copy mailing list for future issues, email Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones at bjones@dutchessny.gov or call (845) 486-2544.
OFA SENIOR PICNIC RADIO
This year’s OFA Senior Picnics are being held as “drive-through” events, with seniors staying in their cars for the duration of these picnics. The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office will be at each picnic, and is helping get messages through to picnic guests by means of a temporary short range FM radio transmitter at each picnic site.
If you’re attending one of the upcoming week’s two picnics, in Pleasant Valley or Beacon, the temporary signal will be at 87.9 FM. When you get to your picnic site, listen for messages about the picnic, OFA services, and much more!
Watch each week’s Aging News email for the location of your picnic’s radio signal.
The growing numbers of senior Dutchess County residents means that availability of reservations at each picnic is extremely limited, even as we make the picnics available to as many seniors as possible. Several picnics are already fully booked, even after adding additional capacity.
Other aging news online:
How can seniors calculate their COVID travel risk? https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/health/seniors-coronavirus-reopenings.html
An older man who used the pandemic as an opportunity to get into shape: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/19/i-can-tie-my-laces-ive-lost-a-few-chins-how-fear-of-covid-19-made-me-shape-up?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3RLvQpsdHlxaCNoXa8Fj_xoysTv3egFcFTh_k4V4eqwiivpr26ELavgrk#Echobox=1595234703
Brain health – when you’re 92: https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/alzheimersdisease/87699?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2020-07-23&eun=g1261622d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%20Top%20Cat%20HeC%20%202020-07-23&utm_term=NL_Daily_DHE_dual-gmail-definition
Progress on a new possible Lyme disease vaccine: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/lyme-disease-continues-to-spread-can-a-seasonal-shot-help-slow-the-spread-of-the-tick-borne-illness/2020/07/17/d72da972-b6ff-11ea-a510-55bf26485c93_story.html?hpid=hp_national-right-4-0_hse-latest-feed%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans
Golf legend Jack Nicklaus and his wife Barbara (both 80 years old) revealed last week that they had contracted and recovered from COVID-19 back in March: https://www.golfdigest.com/story/jack-nicklaus-barbara-nicklaus-have-recovered-after-contracting-covid-19-in-march/amp?fbclid=IwAR2vbu5tUP83ao9x6sbQK5_PTBxOiLRHiYAkV0lafcRjEwaMbHmM2XVvMc4
51 years after the moon landing, a look back at the women whose mathematical and computing skills helped make it possible: https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/ladies-who-launch?fbclid=IwAR1vDY58aKQhvPA-q0OvHFLEvVMQCkoWrqMvhgiHEKCKHaH08znLWsXb8Qc
Speaking of the moon landing, original footage from the Apollo 15 and 16 landings has been upgraded and looks great: https://www.techtimes.com/articles/251230/20200720/ai-enhanced-this-nasas-stunning-historic-moon-landing-footage.htm
At age 99, Prince Philip retired last week from his 67-year role with Britain’s “The Rifles” infantry regiment: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-china-53498877/prince-philip-steps-down-as-colonel-in-chief-of-the-rifles
This week in senior birthdays:
7/25: Musician/producer Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire) (69)
7/26: Singer/songwriter Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones) (77)
7/27: Screenwriter/producer/WWII veteran Norman Lear (98)
7/28: Basketball Hall-of-Famer/former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley (77)
7/29: Canadian musician Geddy Lee (Rush) (67)
7/30: Blues musician Buddy Guy (84)
7/31: Jets defensive lineman Gerry Philbin (79)
And the Bad Joke to wrap it up. This one originates with the National Weather Service.
Q: What’s the difference between weather and climate?
A: You can’t weather a tree, but you can climate.
