Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of January 3, 2022
Note: the Office for the Aging and all OFA Senior Friendship Centers will be closed on Friday, December 31st, in observance of the national New Year’s Day holiday. Clients of OFA’s Home Delivered Meals program will receive their meals in advance of the holiday.
The Office for the Aging and Friendship Centers will also be closed on Monday, January 17th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, with Home Delivered Meals provided in advance.
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
EMERGENCY “HEAP” SEASON UNDERWAY
The Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Component is open as of January 3rd. Emergency HEAP can help eligible seniors heat their homes during a heat or heat-related emergency.
If you have already used your initial HEAP benefit, you may request a second benefit.
You may be eligible for emergency HEAP under any of the following circumstances:
- Your electricity is necessary for your heating system or thermostat to work and electricity is either shut off or scheduled to be shut off;
- Your electric or natural gas heat is off, or scheduled to be shut off;
- You are out of fuel, or you have less than one quarter tank of fuel oil, kerosene or propane, or have less than a ten (10) day supply of wood, wood pellets, corn, or other deliverable heat source.
To be eligible, senior applicants (age 60+) must have received the first HEAP benefit and have less than $3,000 in financial resources. An application may be completed in person or over the phone. Applicants may be asked to provide additional documentation if there have been significant changes in the household, such as someone new moving in or a large increase in income. If there have been no such changes, applying just requires a short interview.
Please contact 845-486-2553 to apply. For those who have not yet applied for HEAP this season, the benefit is still open and projected to remain open until at least Spring 2022.
Low-income seniors who are not currently in the HEAP program, but believe they might be eligible, can contact the Office for the Aging for more information about eligibility and applying.
EMERGENCY HEAP BENEFITS ENHANCED FOR 2022
| Benefit Type | Benefit Amount |
| Oil, Kerosene, and Propane | $965 (was $675 in 2021) |
| Wood, Wood Pellets, Corn, Coal, or other deliverables |
$700 (was $525) |
| Natural Gas, Heat Only | $465 (was $350) |
| Natural Gas Heat with Domestic Electric |
$650 (was $490) |
| Electric Heat | $650 (was $490) |
| Heat-Related Electric | $185 (was $140) |
| Temporary Relocation | Maximum of $500 per program year |
| Propane Tank Deposit | Maximum of $500 per program year |
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
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AGING IN PLACE PROGRAM
Habitat Dutchess is offering two programs this winter for qualifying older adults who are Dutchess County homeowners.
One is the “Ramp Up Program,” for older adults who need a ramp to ensure safe accessibility to their homes. The other is the “Brush with Kindness Program” which involves landscaping to assist older adults in safely entering and exiting their property.
For more information, visit www.habitatdutchess.org, email Jennifer.radicone@habitatdutchess.org, or call 845-297-7610, option 4.
Other aging news online:
Free online course – How to Spot Misinformation Online, from MediaWise for Seniors: https://www.poynter.org/shop/fact-checking/how-to-spot-misinformation-online-july-2021/
How to use technology to say “thanks” to friends: https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-use-tech-to-say-thank-you/?bxid=5cec26a424c17c4c64607b7a&cndid=21991033&esrc=growl2-regGate-1120&mbid=mbid%3DCRMWIR012019%0A%0A&source=EDT_WIR_NEWSLETTER_0_DAILY_ZZ&utm_brand=wired&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_content=WIR_Daily_122921&utm_mailing=WIR_Daily_122921&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl&utm_term=P1
Still surfing at 92: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/28/other-surfers-respect-me-the-92-year-old-still-riding-waves-in-new-zealand
Lee Kaufman, who became famous in her 90’s along with husband Morty, in a series of ads for Swiffer cleaning products, passed away recently at age 99: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/29/business/media/lee-kaufman-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuonUktbfqohlSlUZCibfQMMmqBCdnr_KzbA9jzj6ISXQSj9fweEcBc2M9k7BI6p_Yt95lxKqeOh8Cp59Dvpj0r0YeEV3VwijppbDkssJc3w4oo_2AD5vhteQB-lntG-6N2X8c7pyyuK070uNaTS7S7WfhSN6XHttoZNicV2h3HMalOySQqMuhI4Ijbp2DYt6RDwDeCGKo_Pqbh14M9-EZRzWgRIkD6AbAXqA2I7BtM9TNVlaGlnET3hg4G4j6Nk6ON4fPq_3Kh9Ia9OFpPG82yvZnxniGNej92GJ&smid=url-share
This week in senior birthdays:
1/3: Actor Dabney Coleman (90)
1/4: Historian/author Doris Kearns Goodwin (79)
1/5: Actor/director Robert Duvall (91) – still working, with three movies due out in 2022
1/6: Former NY Jets/college football coach Lou Holtz (85)
1/7: Singer/songwriter Kenny Loggins (74)
1/8: Singer Shirley Bassey (85)
1/9: Guitarist/songwriter Jimmy Page (78)
Let’s start the new year with a Bad Joke!
For my first magic trick of the new year, I intend to eat a percussion instrument in a sandwich. Drum roll, please…
