Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of April 19th
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
2021 DRIVE-THRU SENIOR PICNICS
The Office for the Aging’s 29th annual Senior Picnic Program begins this year on Wednesday, May 26th. With COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings still in place, we’re continuing the “drive-thru” picnic arrangement as we did in 2020 – with some key adaptations that’ll be new for this year.
Seniors will call OFA to make a reservation for the free picnic serving their community; drive to the picnic venue on the specified day and time; pick up their to-go lunch; and go on their way. Reservations for each picnic are open only to the senior citizen residents of each specified community. Proof of residency and reservations are both required, and space is limited; therefore, we cannot accept walk-ins at the picnics.
To make a reservation for the picnic corresponding with your home community, call the Office for the Aging at (845) 486-2555. There is an $8 charge for each non-resident guest and those 59 or younger.
Here’s the 2021 schedule. All dates and venues are subject to change:
Wednesday, May 26th – Boyce Park, 6420 NY 55, Wingdale
(Amenia/Wassaic, Dover/Wingdale, Pawling and Union Vale seniors)
Wednesday, June 2nd – Geering Park, Geering Way, Fishkill
(Fishkill residents)
Wednesday, June 9th – Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6636 US 9, Rhinebeck
(Milan, Red Hook/Tivoli and Rhinebeck/Rhinecliff seniors)
Wednesday, June 16th – Church of Regina Coeli, 2 Harvey St., Hyde Park
(Clinton and Hyde Park/Staatsburg seniors)
Wednesday, June 23rd – Memorial Park, Beacon
(Beacon seniors)
Wednesday, June 30th – Bowdoin Park, 85 Sheafe Rd., Poughkeepsie
(Town of Poughkeepsie seniors)
Wednesday, July 7th – Stissing Mountain High School, 2829 W. Church St. (Route 199), Pine Plains
(North East/Millerton, Pine Plains, Stanford and Washington/Millbrook seniors)
Wednesday, July 14th – Wappingers Junior High School, 30 Major Macdonald Way
(Town of Wappinger/Village of Wappingers Falls seniors)
Wednesday, July 21st – West Road School, 181 West Road, Pleasant Valley
(Pleasant Valley seniors)
Wednesday, August 11th – Freedom Park, 212 Skidmore Rd., LaGrangeville
(Beekman and LaGrange seniors)
Wednesday, August 18th – East Fishkill Community Center, McGrath Field Parking Lot, 890 NY 82, Hopewell Junction
(East Fishkill seniors)
Wednesday, August 25th – St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 55 Wilbur Blvd., Poughkeepsie
(City of Poughkeepsie seniors)
Reminder cards letting seniors know when their community’s picnic is taking place will arrive a few weeks before each community’s picnic. If you are a Dutchess County resident and over the age of 60, you’re eligible to call to reserve a spot – the card is not required for admission. It’s just a reminder, because it’s been a long winter and we’d really like to see you!
If your local civic organization has members who would like to volunteer at the Senior Picnic serving your community, please contact OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones at bjones@dutchessny.gov or (845) 486-2544. We observe all relevant COVID-19 sanitation and distancing protocols.
Many thanks to Wingate Healthcare for their support of the 2021 picnic season.
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
OFA DRIVE-IN BINGO RETURNS IN MAY
It’s back!
Senior bingo fans, get ready for another season of Office for the Aging Drive-in Bingo. We’re scheduling games in May, September and October – here’s the calendar thus far:
Friday, May 7th – Bowdoin Park, 85 Sheafe Rd., Poughkeepsie
Tuesday, May 11th – Freedom Park, 212 Skidmore Rd., LaGrangeville
Tuesday, May 18th – Stanford Rec Park, 44 Noller Way, Stanfordville (behind the library)
Each event takes place at 1:00. Reservations are required, because space is limited; call OFA at (845) 486-2555 to save your spot.
ADDITIONAL “HEAP” EXTENSION
The dates of operation for New York State’s Regular and Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefit components have been extended from April 30, 2021 to August 31, 2021 or until the funds allocated to these components are exhausted, whichever occurs first. Additionally, effective immediately, a third Emergency HEAP benefit is available to eligible households experiencing a crisis or life-threatening heat or heat-related energy emergency.
For eligibility information, contact the Office for the Aging.
VOLUNTEER VACCINATION, MEALS DRIVERS WANTED
While the number of Dutchess County seniors who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine continues to grow, many non-driving Dutchess County seniors still need help getting from home to vaccination events.
OFA partners are assisting in these efforts, but need more volunteer drivers to serve seniors:
Friends of Seniors (www.friendsofseniors.org, (845) 485-1277) is looking for volunteer drivers for vaccine appointments as well as other non-emergency medical appointments.
In the Pawling area, contact the Pawling Resource Center (www.pawlingresourcecenter.org, (845) 855-3459) to volunteer as a driver.
OFA’s Home Delivered Meals program (www.dutchessny.gov/ofanutrition) is also looking for volunteer meal delivery drivers who are available weekday middays, especially in the cities of Beacon and Poughkeepsie and in rural areas of Dutchess County. Contact us to find out more. We work with your schedule, whenever and wherever you’re available.
“A MATTER OF BALANCE” CLASS OPENINGS IN BEACON/FISHKILL AREA
Seniors over age 60 who are concerned about falls, or who have fallen before and would like to prevent recurrences, can contact OFA to find out more about our “A Matter of Balance” classes, at (845) 486-2555 or ofa@dutchessny.gov. Additional information is available at this link: http://contentmgr3/cms/ImageCache/B2D1031B55EF48C1A3E930CBA3AB29CA/F9A6D068252C462F8FF6DF2DFBA24310/A-/A-Matter-of-Balance.pdf
FREE VIRTUAL BALANCE CLASSES CONTINUE (Wednesdays)
(Note: this is different from OFA’s “A Matter of Balance” classes mentioned above.)
If you’ve already taken OFA’s “A Matter of Balance” classes, or aren’t able to sign up for an in-person class, there’s a different free balance class available remotely via Zoom, on Wednesdays during the spring.
If you participate via a mobile device, be sure that Zoom is downloaded on your mobile device before joining the class. It’s also possible to participate over the phone.
Here’s the technical particulars:
Zoom Meeting Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85401478842?pwd=dG1XNTN5Smp3b3czMkxSTEtQYndRZz09
Zoom App/Online information:
Zoom Meeting ID: 854 0147 8842 Passcode: special
Join Zoom by Phone/landline – audio only – call 1-646-558-8656
Meeting ID: 85401478842
Password: 5295607
For additional information, email dmtsantes@gmail.com.
To find out more about “A Matter of Balance,” contact the Office for the Aging.
Other aging news online:
Reminder: the Internal Revenue Service will not call you about any federal stimulus payment(s) you may have received in 2020 and/or 2021 – but if you have questions, this link provides useful information: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/06/irs-wont-call-about-your-stimulus-money
This week’s virtual tour is close to home – the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park: https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/virtual-tour-of-the-home-of-franklin-d-roosevelt-national-historic-site-home-of-franklin-d-roosevelt-national-historic-site/PwLCpXHU2eqmKQ?hl=en
Chances are you have a grandchild, niece or nephew who’s dinosaur-crazy. They may like this one about how it may have been possible for huge pterosaurs to fly: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/04/pterosaur-supported-its-giant-neck-bones-built-bicycle-wheels?utm_campaign=ScienceNow&utm_source=Contractor&utm_medium=Facebook
This week in senior birthdays:
4/19: Actress Elinor Donahue (84)
4/20: Actor/activist George Takei (84)
4/21: Former Mets/Yankees pitcher Jesse Orosco (63)
4/22: Singer/songwriter/guitarist Peter Frampton (71)
4/23: Actor Lee Majors (82)
4/24: Singer/actress Barbra Streisand (79)
4/25: Actor/director Al Pacino (81)
And a Bad Joke to send you on your way:
When one door closes, another one opens. Other than that it’s a pretty good car.
