Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of April 26th
The 2021 OFA Drive-Thru Senior Picnic schedule is available at www.dutchessny.gov/OFApicnics. If you’re a senior age 60+ and living in Dutchess County, call us to reserve a space at the FREE picnic serving your community.
DRIVE-THRU BINGO RETURNS IN MAY
Keeping seniors socially engaged while remaining physically safe has been one key to successful aging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Next month, we’re bringing back the “Drive-In Bingo” events that were so successful during their debut in the fall of 2020. Each bingo event is open to seniors from anywhere in Dutchess County. It’s an opportunity not only for social activity and mental engagement, but to visit parts of the county you might not have visited before.
Here’s the Spring 2021 bingo schedule. Space is limited, so please call OFA to make your reservation:
Friday, May 7th – Bowdoin Park, 85 Sheafe Rd., Poughkeepsie
Tuesday, May 11th – Freedom Park, 212 Skidmore Rd., LaGrange
Tuesday, May 18th – Stanford Recreation Park, 44 Noller Way, Stanfordville (just off Route 82, behind the new library)
Each bingo event begins at 1:00 p.m. and is between 60 and 90 minutes in duration.
We plan on scheduling more Drive-In Bingo events in September and October, after the 2021 Senior Picnic season concludes. This year’s picnic schedule is available at www.dutchessny.gov/OFApicnics.
WHEN CAN OFA’S FRIENDSHIP CENTERS REOPEN?
“As soon as it’s sustainably safe to do so” is the short answer – but when’s that? Reopening of OFA Senior Friendship Centers might happen some time in the last few months of 2021, if recent encouraging developments in the COVID-19 pandemic continue through the spring and summer, and New York State allows centers to reopen. As we consider the best path forward, we will rely on the guidance of local, state and federal health agencies.
In the meantime, Friendship Center clients throughout Dutchess County remain among the more than 400 seniors who benefit each week from OFA’s Home Delivered Meals (HDM) program, for which eligibility has been temporarily expanded for the duration of the pandemic. Homebound Dutchess County seniors (and their caregivers) with questions about HDM eligibility can contact OFA to learn more.
OFA’s eight Senior Friendship Centers continue to serve as hubs for HDM deliveries. Prospective delivery volunteers can find out more about helping the HDM program by contacting OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones directly, at (845) 486-2544 or bjones@dutchessny.gov.
ANOTHER VOLUNTEERING OPTION
Occasionally, a prospective OFA volunteer’s availability doesn’t match up with our operating hours – but there will always be the need for helping hands, especially during this pandemic. The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) of Dutchess County has been instrumental in the countywide vaccination effort, seven days a week, sometimes administering over 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines in a single day. If you’ve been to one of the county’s Point of Distribution sites at the Poughkeepsie Galleria or in Dover Plains, you’ve seen MRC volunteers – they’re the ones in the blue and silver vests. Specific medical experience is appreciated but not essential.
To learn more about MRC volunteering, call (845) 486-2493 or email jryan@dutchessny.gov.
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
PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKEBACK DAY (Sat 4/24, 10a-2p at 3 Dutchess locations)
Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro encourages the public to participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, April 24th. He also urged residents to dispose of all unwanted, unneeded or expired prescription drugs safely and anonymously at any of the 11 permanent drop-off locations at law enforcement facilities throughout Dutchess County.
This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., representatives from the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office and the Dutchess County STOP-DWI Program will host drive-through locations for residents to drop off unused medication at the following venues:
- Home Depot parking lot
3470 North Road (Route 9)
Poughkeepsie - Walgreens parking lot
704 Freedom Plains Road (Route 55)
LaGrange - J.H. Ketcham Fire House
3133 Route 22
Dover Plains
Click here for a printable list of the 11 permanent drug drop-off locations.
A searchable database of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day sites is available at takebackday.dea.gov.
PICNIC LOCATION UPDATE
Town of Wappinger and Village of Wappingers Falls seniors, this one’s for you: the location of this summer’s Drive-Thru Senior Picnic has been moved to Airport Drive Park, 61 Airport Rd. in Wappinger. The picnic is still taking place on Wednesday, July 14th.
For more information on reserving a place at the Senior Picnic serving your community, as well as the complete 2021 picnic schedule, visit www.dutchessny.gov/OFApicnics.
This week in senior birthdays:
4/26: Songwriter/guitarist Duane Eddy (83)
4/27: Basketball Hall of Famer George Gervin (69)
4/28: Actress/dancer/singer Ann-Margret (80)
4/29: Singer/songwriter/guitarist/actor Willie Nelson (88)
4/30: Science-fiction author Larry Niven (83)
5/1: Singer/songwriter Judy Collins (82)
5/2: Singer/pianist Engelbert Humperdinck (85)
And a Bad Joke, of course:
Pre- means “before.”
Post- means “after.”
To use both in the same word would be preposterous.
