Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of January 18th
The Office for the Aging will be closed on Monday, January 18th for the national Martin Luther King Day holiday. Clients of OFA’s Home Delivered Meals (HDM) program will have received suitable meals in advance of the holiday.
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
HOLIDAY AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES
The Office for the Aging will be closed on Monday, January 18th for the national Martin Luther King Day holiday. Clients of OFA’s Home Delivered Meals (HDM) program will have received suitable meals in advance of the holiday.
In the event of anticipated inclement winter weather, OFA delivers daily HDMs in advance of the event. Check for OFA advisories on area radio stations and Spectrum News Hudson Valley.
MAKING GOOD USE OF A SNOW DAY
Between the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic panic and winter weather, you may find yourself with more downtime at home than usual. It’s a chance to take a closer look around your home, and to note what work should be done to make your home aging-friendly. This goes not just for seniors themselves, but also for younger homeowners and people not yet in the market for a home – after all, if you love where you live when you’re 35, it follows that you’d like to be able to live there safely and happily when you’re 85 and older. If you’re an apartment dweller who’s used to changing residences, or a senior homeowner looking to downsize now that the kids have moved out, the following exercise will likewise be a helpful start as you look to the future.
It starts with a yardstick, or a tape measure, to measure the width of hallways and doorways. If your home predates the 1991 Standards of Accessible Design included in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it’s possible your doors and hallways won’t be wide enough for a wheelchair. The ADA standards for homes require a minimum of 36 inches width for halls and 32 inches for doorways. For new construction, hallways need to be at least 48 inches wide and doorways at least 36 inches wide.
The bathroom and kitchen are the rooms that tend to be the trickiest and costliest when it comes to aging-friendly design, due to their often smaller size and dedicated purpose.
Retrofitting a home to be senior-friendly may be costly – but planning and learning a few DIY skills yourself can make it less so, and should be weighed against the potential costs of aging in an increasingly unsuitable home.
In the meantime, even small steps can help. If a doorknob in your home needs replacing, for example, install a lever-handle model that’s easier on aging hands.
And now comes a common question: “But won’t it look institutional?”
It doesn’t have to. We’re not designers ourselves, but we’ve noticed the evolution of universal design since the passage of the ADA 30 years ago, and now the purchasing power of the “silver tsunami” of aging baby boomers is increasingly recognized by forward-thinking home improvement contractors, retailers and designers. In numbers, there is power – your power. The 60+ population of Dutchess County is already well over 60,000 and is expected to continue growing for at least 20 years, even as overall county and New York State population levels off or drops.
WANTED: DUTCHESS REPRESENTATIVES FOR NYS SENIOR CITIZENS OF THE YEAR
The Office for the Aging is looking for Dutchess County senior (age 60+) volunteers to be recognized by the New York State Office for the Aging for their contributions to the community.
Eligible nominees should demonstrate a record of interest in and volunteer service to older adults in Dutchess County;
Must be a Dutchess County resident;
Must not have been a previous honoree;
Cannot nominate themselves;
May not be employed in the field of aging.
A printable entry form is available at www.dutchessny.gov/aging.
COVID VACCINE SCAMS?
Once again, criminal operations following the headlines are attempting to trick people into parting with money and/or personal information, using the prospect of a COVID vaccine as the bait. So let’s be clear:
Anybody who claims they can help you “jump the line” is trying to scam you.
Here’s what the FBI considers indications of fraudulent activity:
- Advertisements or offers for early access to a vaccine upon payment of a deposit or fee
- Requests asking you to pay out of pocket to obtain the vaccine or to put your name on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list
- Offers to undergo additional medical testing or procedures when obtaining a vaccine
- Marketers offering to sell and/or ship doses of a vaccine, domestically or internationally, in exchange for payment of a deposit or fee
- Unsolicited emails, telephone calls, or personal contact from someone claiming to be from a medical office, insurance company, or COVID-19 vaccine center requesting personal and/or medical information to determine recipients’ eligibility to participate in clinical vaccine trials or obtain the vaccine
- Claims of FDA approval for a vaccine that cannot be verified
- Advertisements for vaccines through social media platforms, email, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources
- Individuals contacting you in person, by phone, or by email to tell you the government or government officials require you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine
Catching scammers is notoriously difficult, because many such operations are based overseas. That means it’s our responsibility to be vigilant.
If you believe you have been the victim of a COVID-19 fraud, immediately report it to the FBI (ic3.gov, tips.fbi.gov, or 1-800-CALL-FBI) or the federal government’s Department of Health And Human Services inspector general’s office (HHS OIG), at tips.hhs.gov or 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Other aging news online:
“Secrets of joy” from over-70’s: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jan/09/youve-got-to-stay-silly-secrets-of-joy-from-the-over-70s
On getting 2021 finances in order: https://seniorplanet.org/get-your-finances-in-order-in-2021/?mc_cid=ba4c116ff2&mc_eid=4149ad7bda
There’s not much in the way of studies on the effects of aging on adults with autism, but that’s about to change: https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/studies-hint-at-effects-of-aging-on-autistic-brains/
Can’t make it to an art museum? Here’s an option that’ll let you look at collections from around the world, from home… artsandculture.google.com/partner
This week in senior birthdays:
1/18: Actor/director Kevin Costner (66)
1/19: Singer/songwriter/activist Dolly Parton (75)
1/20: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin (90)
1/21: Golf legend Jack Nicklaus (80)
1/22: Singer-songwriter Steve Perry (Journey) (71)
1/23: Bard College professor emeritus Justus Rosenberg (100)
Read his story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/nyregion/professor-justus-rosenberg-has-a-past.html
1/24: Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond (79)
And a Bad Joke:
Q: What did the 0 say to the 8?
A: Nice belt, but isn’t it a little tight?
