Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of September 6th
Note: the Office for the Aging and all OFA Senior Friendship Centers are closed on Monday, September 6th, for the national Labor Day holiday. Clients of the OFA Home Delivered Meals program will receive their meals in advance of the holiday.
The annual Medicare open enrollment season, October 15th to December 7th, will be on us before long. You may be happy with your current coverage, but with coverage potentially changing from year to year it’s wise to make sure your coverage suits your needs for 2022 – and the open enrollment period is the only time of year most Medicare beneficiaries can do that. If you’re a younger senior just entering Medicare eligibility, you could have questions about how Medicare meshes with your existing insurance.
The Office for the Aging provides volunteer counselors from HIICAP – the Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program, who can help you with free, unbiased, confidential assistance on Medicare, Medigap policies, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage plans, and other forms of insurance.
The HIICAP counseling process includes a complete review of an individual’s current and anticipated medical and prescription drug coverage needs. HIICAP staff and volunteers are not associated with any insurance company, and do not sell insurance products.
OFA offers “Medicare 101” classes year-round, on the fourth Monday of every month, at the Pavilion at Brookmeade (34 Brookmeade Dr., Rhinebeck, just off Route 308); and on the third Wednesday of every month, at the Poughkeepsie Galleria Community Room. You can find up-to-date schedules on the Calendar page at dutchessny.gov. Unless otherwise indicated, you can register for classes by calling OFA at 845-486-2555.
To meet added demand for HIICAP counseling during open enrollment season, we’ve added the following classes at additional locations throughout the county.
Wednesday, September 22nd, 7 p.m.
Starr Library, 68 W. Market St., Rhinebeck
Monday, October 4th, 4 p.m.
Red Hook Public Library, 7444 S. Broadway
Register at 845-758-3241
Tuesday, October 5th, 6 p.m.
Lakeside Park, Pawling
Wednesday, October 13th, 2 p.m.
Millbrook Library, 3 Friendly Lane
Register at 845-677-3611
Tuesday, October 19th, 4 p.m.
Starr Library
Saturday, October 23rd, 9:30 a.m.
and
Tuesday, October 26th, 6 p.m.
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
114 Delafield St., Poughkeepsie
All class schedules are subject to change, and we anticipate adding additional dates and venues through the remainder of open enrollment season. Subscribe to updates through the DutchessDelivery service at 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
OFA DRIVE-IN BINGO (Tue 9/7, Mon 9/27)
There’s still time to sign up for Office for the Aging Drive-in Bingo events coming in September: Tuesday, September 7th at the Beekman Community Center parking lot (31 Recreation Rd., Hopewell Jct.) and Monday, September 27th at Wilcox Park (285 Wilcox Park Rd., Milan – use the Route 199 entrance).
Seniors can sign up for either event…or both. Call 845-486-2555 to sign up.
GOLDEN GATHERING (Sat 10/2) SIGNUPS UNDERWAY
The 2021 Golden Gathering will be a drive-thru event, as it was in 2020. State Senator Sue Serino and the Office for the Aging are sponsoring the event, Saturday, October 2nd from 9:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. at Arlington High School (1157 NY 55, LaGrangeville).
Participants will be able to drive through the parking lot to collect a bag of resource materials, a healthy ‘to-go’ meal, and a flu shot if you choose to receive one—all from the comfort of your vehicle.
An RSVP is required to ensure enough flu shots and prepared meals are available.
Seniors who wish to participate must call the Golden Gathering hotline at 914-962-2624 to reserve their spot. Priority for flu shots will be given to community members aged 60 and above, but caretakers or family members accompanying seniors to the event may also RSVP to receive a flu shot.
While the event will once again run between 9:30am and 12:30pm, those choosing to receive a flu shot are asked to bring a photo I.D. and an insurance card, and all attendees will be given a designated time to arrive to ensure a safe and timely flow of traffic at the event.
2021 SENIOR FARMERS MARKET COUPONS…SEPTEMBER IS THE LAST MONTH TO GET THEM
Seniors who are eligible for New York State Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) coupon books still have opportunities to pick up their 2021 coupon book…while supplies last, and before distribution ends at the end of September.
Age and income are the qualifying factors for SFMNP benefits. Coupon booklets for 2021 will be distributed to qualifying seniors, while supplies last, at the Office for the Aging’s main office, only on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Contact the Office for the Aging to learn more about the program.
For seniors who live far from Poughkeepsie, a limited supply of SFMNP booklets is available at OFA Senior Friendship Centers throughout the county – but seniors must first call the Senior Friendship Center nearest them to arrange a pickup time. A list of Senior Friendship Centers with contact information is available at this link: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/Docs/flyer-sfc21-7of8.pdf
Eligible recipients must personally sign the Statement of Eligibility Form to receive SFMNP checks. Checks cannot be mailed to eligible older adults. Proxies may not pick-up and sign for checks. A valid Power of Attorney (POA) may sign for checks and pick up books for an eligible older adult. POA must bring proof of their being someone’s POA. While the client must sign in person for the booklet, a caregiver or family member, or another person, may shop at the farmers market for them using their coupons. Eligible seniors may receive one coupon booklet per calendar year.
Coupons can be used until November 30th, 2021, or whenever a participating market closes for the season, whichever comes earlier.
For statewide updated lists of participating SFMNP markets, go to www.agriculture.ny.gov/farmersmarkets. Your SFMNP coupons are valid at markets throughout New York State.
GET SET UP
Do you need help figuring out your new mobile device? Do you want to learn how to “Zoom” with your grandkids? How about doing yoga in your living room?
GetSetUp is an online learning platform for active older adults, age 50 and over, to learn new skills, connect and share with peers in small groups, and unlock new life experiences. Classes are taught by older adults from around the world. Whether you are looking to get better at using technology, or have a specific project in mind, there is something on GetSetUp for you. There are over 300 classes available in the categories of aging in place, communication, creativity, financial planning, health and wellness, hiring and jobs, social media and technology.
New York State Office for the Aging and the Association on Aging in New York have collaborated to provide this outstanding opportunity for older adults in New York. They have purchased 50,000 learning units, which will be available to older New Yorkers on a first come first serve basis. Register at https://www.getsetup.io/partner/nystate and use the coupon code of NYSTATE to waive your fee for paid classes. Once all 50,000 learning units across New York State have been used, this coupon code will expire.
If you have a skill or knowledge that you would like to share with other older adults by instructing a class, you may contact GetSetUp for more information.
ANOTHER SENIOR PICNIC SEASON IN THE BOOKS
Our thanks to all the seniors and caregivers who joined us for this summer’s Drive-Thru Senior Picnic season. Our final picnic of the year served Beekman and LaGrange seniors on Wednesday, September 1st – and despite the rain, over 300 seniors enjoyed a healthy to-go meal. For the full 12-picnic season, over 5000 seniors were served.
Many thanks also to the volunteers who supported us at the picnics, and to Wingate Healthcare for their platinum-level support of picnic season.
We hope it will be possible to return to traditional sit-down picnics for the Summer 2022 season. Watch for next summer’s picnic schedule in the spring!
Other aging news online:
Social Security benefits are expected to grow by around 6% in 2022, but it’s important to know that a lot of things are also 6% more expensive: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/24/a-bigger-social-security-cola-in-2022-may-not-boost-retiree-budgets.html
What we know about diet and preventing Alzheimer’s disease: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-do-we-know-about-diet-and-prevention-alzheimers-disease?utm_source=nia-eblast&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news-20210830
When you or somebody close to you needs a trip to the emergency room, it’s key to have vital information close at hand. Here’s a description of what the ER will want to know: https://seniorplanet.org/when-youre-the-alertee/?utm_source=Senior+Planet+Email+List&utm_campaign=9d922830cb-the-orbit_08-31-21&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7aaa498d1b-9d922830cb-419083417
Here’s what lifting weights twice a week can do for seniors: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/fitness/over-60-heres-what-lifting-weights-twice-per-week-does-to-your-body/ss-AANTT0L?ocid=se
This edition of the Aging News arrived in your email on the third of September, as mentioned in the hit song “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” – but did you know the Temptations’ famous version wasn’t the original? Here’s the story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Was_a_Rollin%27_Stone
This week in senior birthdays:
9/6: Author/illustrator Sergio Aragonés (84)
9/7: Saxophonist/composer Sonny Rollins (91)
9/8: Senator/teacher Bernie Sanders (80)
9/9: Singer Inez Foxx (79)
9/10: Singer-songwriter/guitarist José Feliciano (76)
9/11: Singer/dancer Lola Falana (79)
9/12: Actress Rachel Ward (64)
And the Bad Joke:
Q: When does a Bad Joke become a Dad Joke?
A: Whenever it becomes apparent.
