Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of February 14th
Note: the Office for the Aging and all OFA Friendship Centers are closed on Friday, February 11th and Monday, February 21st, in observance of the New York State holiday marking Lincoln’s Birthday, and the national Presidents Day holiday, respectively. Clients of OFA’s Home Delivered Meals program will receive their meals in advance of the holiday.
THE SEARCH FOR CENTENARIANS IS ON
Do you know a Dutchess County resident who will turn 100 or older this year, or a Dutchess County couple celebrating 70 or more years of marriage? We’d like to honor them, with their permission, in the special “Celebration of Aging” section of the Summer 2022 OFA newsletter that’s distributed throughout the county. Last year we honored six couples married 70 years or more, and 12 centenarians ranging in age from 100 to 105. We estimate there are dozens of other centenarians around the county who may like to be similarly honored. Over the years we’ve honored centenarians as old as 113 – twice! To find out more, contact OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones at bjones@dutchessny.gov or 845-486-2544.
OFA NUTRITION PRESENTATIONS
Join the Office for the Aging’s Nutrition Services division for presentations aimed at raising awareness of good nutrition for older adults. In observance of Heart Health Month, the topic of this month’s presentations is “Eating for a Healthy Heart.” Advance registration is required for non-clients of OFA Friendship Centers. Call 845-486-2555 for information. Below is the latest schedule. All presentations take place at 11:00 am. Schedules are subject to change.
Monday, February 14th – South Amenia Friendship Center, 229 South Amenia Rd., Wassaic (First Presbyterian Church Hall)
Tuesday, February 15th – Millerton Friendship Center, 28 Century Boulevard (Library Annex)
Thursday, February 17th – Tri-Town Friendship Center, 1576 US 44, Pleasant Valley (First Presbyterian Church)
Tuesday, February 22nd – Pawling Friendship Center, 154 Charles Colman Blvd. (American Legion Hasler-Kamp Post 215)
Wednesday, February 23rd – Poughkeepsie Friendship Center, 114 Delafield St.
Thursday, February 24th – Red Hook Friendship Center, 59 Fisk St. (Red Hook Community Center)
In the event of winter weather disrupting Friendship Center schedules, announcements will be posted on Dutchess County social media at www.facebook.com/DutchessCoGov and www.twitter.com/DutchessCoGov, and are distributed to area broadcasters for announcing and/or posting on their websites.
RHINEBECK HISTORICAL SOCIETY ZOOM PRESENTATION (Fri 2/25)
Ever wanted to find out more about Dutchess County’s early history? County Historian Will Tatum will provide a brief background of the Palatine immigrants who established the hamlet of Wurtemburg in the Town of Rhinebeck. Participants will get a closer look at an 1802 Rhinebeck Historical Society property map of the area, as well as an outline of Wurtemburg’s subsequent development. Modern day Wurtemburg runs parallel to Route 9G in the southeastern part of the town.
A Zoom link will be provided prior to the event, which takes place at 7:00 pm on Friday, February 25th. More information at rhinebeckhistoricalsociety.org, where you can also find an archive of previous presentations.
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
SIGN UP NOW FOR “A MATTER OF BALANCE” IN POUGHKEEPSIE, FISHKILL
OFA’s popular “A Matter of Balance” program is getting ready for a series of in-person classes, which will begin in Poughkeepsie on Monday, March 7th.
Additionally, an additional series of “A Matter of Balance” classes is beginning in mid-March in Fishkill.
Prospective participants in either class must contact the Office for the Aging at 845-486-2555 to sign up. Space is limited by social distancing and class size requirements. Specific class locations and times will be disclosed upon acceptance to the program. The classes prohibit walk-in participants. Advance registration is a must!
Fall prevention programs like “A Matter of Balance” have become increasingly essential in recent years for older adults, many of whom have found it difficult to maintain pre-pandemic levels of physical activity. “A Matter of Balance” is designed to reduce the fear of falling, stop the fear-of-falling cycle, and improve activity levels among older adults living in the community.
Click the following link to read more about “A Matter of Balance” and to find a printable application for prospective participants: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/OFA-A-Matter-of-Balance.htm
“SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS” LOOKS FOR NEW NAME
The year on your birth certificate may say you’re 60, 70, 80 or more, but would you consider yourself a “senior” yet?
Not always, according to annual surveys from the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. Every May for the past 25 years (except 2020), they have released a survey covering a simple enough question: at what age is somebody considered…old?
As of the 2021 survey, adult respondents of all ages considered 73 to be “old” but if we look at responses from older adults themselves, there’s a different picture.
FREE DBCH/SPCA RABIES CLINIC FOR DUTCHESS RESIDENTS (Sat 2/19)
Dutchess County Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH), in partnership with Dutchess County SPCA, will be hosting a free rabies clinic for Dutchess County residents’ dogs, cats, and ferrets on Saturday, February 19th, 8 a.m. until 12 noon, at the DCSPCA, 636 Violet Avenue (Route 9G) in Hyde Park.
Pre-registration and proof of residency is required. A fee of $10 per animal vaccinated will be applied to any out-of-county residents. Register online at www.DCSPCA.org or call 845-452-7722 x 425.
Dogs MUST be on a leash, and cats and ferrets MUST be in carriers.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH (AND HORTICULTURE) IN BEACON
The name James Francis Brown (1793-1868) may not be much familiar outside of Beacon; born into slavery in Maryland, he escaped in 1828 and found his way to New York, eventually becoming head gardener for the Verplanck family in Beacon at what is now the Mount Gulian Historic Site (145 Sterling St., 845-831-8172 or www.mountgulian.org). For more on Brown’s fascinating life story, visit these four links:
https://heald.nga.gov/mediawiki/index.php/James_Francis_Brown
and
https://www.beaconhistorical.org/from-the-archives-james-f-brown
Other aging news online:
Synthetic tooth enamel that’s stronger than what you were born with…sounds interesting, but it’s a long way from coming to your dentist’s office: https://phys.org/news/2022-02-strong-synthetic-enamel-similar-natural.html
Two or more chronic health problems in middle age doubles the risk of dementia, so claims the study noted here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/feb/02/two-chronic-health-problems-middle-age-double-dementia-risk-multimorbidity-study
For those with older mobile devices, more information on the imminent departure of 3G technology. Article includes information on watching for scammers who may target seniors who aren’t tech-savvy: https://seniorplanet.org/goodbye-3g/?utm_source=Senior+Planet+Email+List&utm_campaign=3bdfd32370-the-orbit_02-08-22&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7aaa498d1b-3bdfd32370-419083417
Being recently diagnosed with cancer can be terrifying for anybody, even heavy metal legends like 63-year-old Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden – but he’s got encouraging news from his own success: https://www.nme.com/news/music/iron-maidens-bruce-dickinson-on-cancer-recovery-its-not-a-death-sentence-anymore-3154697 (Bruce recently visited the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome as well: https://www.facebook.com/brian.jones.ny/posts/10227540269361740?notif_id=1644406521596463¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif)
A look back 70 years at 1952, when Elizabeth II became queen of England: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zff2m39
The Great Backyard Bird Count takes place February 18-21: https://www.birdcount.org/
(picture) Don’t try this today, but there was a time when it was possible to walk between Beacon and Newburgh on the frozen Hudson: https://www.scenichudson.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/PedestriansCrossingHudsonToNewburgh-c.1900-crop-1400×867.jpg
This week’s birthdays:
2/14: Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg (80)
2/15: Motown songwriter, arranger, and producer Brian Holland (81)
2/16: Actor/director LeVar Burton (65)
2/17: NFL Hall of Famer/actor Jim Brown (86)
2/18: Singer/songwriter Irma Thomas (81)
2/19: Singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson (82)
2/20: Four-time Olympic gold medalist (pole vault) Bob Richards (97)
Here comes another Bad Joke – aren’t you lucky? (Don’t answer that.)
Why do you never see elephants hiding in trees?
Because they’re really, really good at it.
