Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of March 21st
NUTRITION MONTH MEETS WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
March is both National Nutrition Month and Women’s History Month; and while much of the Office for the Aging’s nutrition advice is geared toward all older adults, there are three specific steps that women can take to account for the chances taking place in their bodies after age 50.
Calcium for healthy bones. There’s plenty of discussion of osteoporosis, and the increasing risk for women of developing this disease after age 50. One in three women over 50 is at risk of a bone break with osteoporosis as a contributing factor. Osteoporosis does affect men, but not at rates this high. People absorb less calcium the older they are, and some women lose the ability to tolerate dairy, which is a key source of calcium.
Other excellent sources of calcium are dark leafy greens and calcium fortified orange juice.
Protein for muscle mass. By the time a woman reaches 80 years, it’s possible to have lost as much as half of their muscle mass. Getting enough protein helps protect against this loss in muscle mass, also known as sarcopenia. Soy, quinoa, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds and beans are key protein sources. Protein needs depend largely on body weight; the current recommended dietary allowance for women older than 70 is 0.36 grams for each pound of body weight. That works out to 46 grams for a 130-pound woman.
B-12 for brain function. Here’s another key nutrient that women absorb less of as they age. B-12 is essential for both brain function and healthy red blood cells. Good sources of B-12 are eggs, milk, lean meats, fish, and fortified cereals and grains. Talk with your doctor to see if a supplement is also recommended.
More general tips include eating meals and healthy snacks before filling up on lower-nutrient foods, or drinks such as coffee. If you’re already eating a healthy diet, you shouldn’t have to make many changes; You simply need to be aware of your own specific nutrition requirements and adjust your food choices so your body gets exactly what it needs for good health in older age.
Talk with your physician and/or nutritionist to find out more, and check www.dutchessny.gov/OFAnutrition for our monthly Nutrition News newsletters and monthly menus for OFA’s eight Friendship Centers and Home Delivered Meals program. You’ll also find a growing list of healthy, older-adult-friendly, printable large-print recipes. We’re always open to suggestions for your own healthy recipes, which you can send to ofa@dutchessny.gov or mail to our Poughkeepsie office, whose address is below.
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
FEW SPACES LEFT FOR “LIVING WELL WITH ARTHRITIS” – SIGN UP SOON
The Office of the Aging is teaming with Marist Doctorate of Physical Therapy students Lilian Tang and Ksenia Mack for an in-person presentation about how physical therapy can help manage pain for those with arthritis. As students in their third and final year, Lilian and Ksenia will be using their knowledge and experience to cover topics about medication use, nutrition, exercise, and tools to help improve daily living. Please join us in an informative and fun conversation on Tuesday, April 26th at 10:30 am in the Poughkeepsie friendship center.
Space is limited to 20 participants and only a few open seats remain; to reserve your seat, call OFA at 845-486-2555.
If you have online access: before the event, please fill out this anonymous survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SNMG3TP
OPEN GATE COFFEE HOUSE IN RHINEBECK
The Rhinebeck-based Education Network for Teachers and Artists (ENTA), and Rhinebeck United Methodist Church (RUMC) are operating the free “Open Gate Coffee House” at 83 E. Market St. in Rhinebeck (next to the church, across from Town Hall) on Tuesdays and Wednesday from 9 to 11 a.m.
They offer a space for community to gather, meet friends, grab a coffee, and relax. For more information email Pat Sexton at entaextra@gmail.com or call 845-876-6880.
AREA BEARS WAKE FROM HIBERNATION
Thousands of black bears live in the Hudson Valley and Catskills, and while they’re thought of as primarily sticking to wilderness areas, it’s not unheard-of for bears to show up in places like Beacon and Poughkeepsie, as well as suburban communities and more traditional rural areas.
State environmental officials say it’s not easy to predict bears’ post-hibernation movements, but once a bear finds a place with lots of human food sources it’s difficult to get them to move along. Bears that linger among homes will become more vulnerable to illegal hunting as well as vehicle collisions and other human-bear conflicts.
You can take steps to discourage bears from showing up near your home:
Remove outdoor food sources like trash bins, pet food, barbecue/grilling equipment and bird feeders. Birds will soon have more wild food sources available that they can find on their own. Feeders can come down by April 1st.
If a black bear appears in your yard, report it to your local law enforcement as well as the state DEC’s Region 3 office in New Paltz at 845-256-3000.
More here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6995.html
Other aging news online:
The New York State legislature is debating a higher minimum wage for home aides as part of 2022-23 state budget talks: https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/advocates-applaud-assembly-funding-fair-pay-for-home-care-act-in-budget-resolution
The VA is working on a long term plan that they say will put more veterans within a 30-minute drive of basic medical care. The plan includes both closing medical facilities – including Castle Point in Dutchess County – and building new facilities. The replacement for Castle Point is proposed to be an outpatient facility in Fishkill, with Castle Point not closing until new facilities open. Expansion and renovation for the FDR VA campus in Westchester (Montrose) is planned, along with replacement of the Albany (Stratton) VA hospital in Albany: https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/03/17/veterans-affairs-castle-point-close-expand-montrose-facility/7073523001/
The full VA report is available at the following link, with the section relevant to the Hudson Valley and NYC metro area on pages 56-72: https://www.va.gov/AIRCOMMISSIONREPORT/docs/VISN02-Market-Recommendation.pdf
VA officials estimate full implementation could take a decade: https://midhudsonnews.com/2022/03/18/possible-closure-of-castle-point-va-under-discussion-in-washington-2/
Scam Prevention Item of the Week – defending older adults from home equity theft, “we buy houses” and foreclosure ‘rescue’ scams: https://vimeo.com/555790555?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=e4536cbb-1e20-43f9-b096-7cead3e89176
The state’s annual Residential Brush Burning Prohibition is now in effect, continuing until May 14th. Take a look at where, when and what you can’t burn, along with a few circumstances where it’s okay: https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/124884.html?fbclid=IwAR3s8qxGMgc_SNWQza0ZQX6FRAt1sjXLvtBo13261eNvXWVWOFZeq9mU4gc
The ”Village to Village” network of aging-in-place organizations recently celebrated 20 years in operation. It’s a phenomenon that may interest older adults as well as those in their 40s and 50s: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/13/business/generation-x-retirement.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DODm8ZiO4IGImG9lzWIqVuYdYp1iiaQ9kEIPo1SeBz1OJaMkpxDQm0p5_O0LI0HxIIk6PhFGUnw8CKGrki7T7hamT-eblxlLeysh_DYGbgXrjYhXFxOAdnopp6dgygiiQNlqiSRuFwycA-ial6fu1yRT8HYCWBuvb6WV4paJjdMEaqukRhUPpZWDrTgded97oEFQ1XAlrER3p9in0uvJIeYJhEefaicGNzPZb2kr4TCWd3LYq2B5FXR4bcl7xisLelugWc2_ecbsG-m1IA6TuNkvVF&smid=url-share
Legendary actress Rita Moreno (who turned 90 in December) looks back at the Oscar she won 60 years ago, making her the first Latina actress to win such an award: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/movies/rita-moreno-oscar-west-side-story.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DODm8biOESHYmN4ADXZLZqIt40xTmdQ5pGK7QmXrltw_RDeldsRwTtuYeDgoVDIzkwrcj7eFIK6K_3fOJy9y72PC7-If1jxba7slXZamS8WKOPhGkkIQlvvZdicl-10HEIlLPGQOJy3Nd62KtxBpxqVHxXMnnxyvrrCxl5PNWAaQiNqVVlHrEEBkyA2IKU-LkCcw5NCFjZTH8Z4Ws07d1UPd5_L7-oZld7O5K42eNNfzQueIS5BJQxRJzWkqFptNPOrB-KzsmwwpYmBR7nfl5dUQla-9QO4yHr72s&smid=url-share
Like word-search puzzles but need them in large print? Try this site: https://www.puzzles.ca/large-print-word-search/
77-year-old rock legend Rod Stewart has been out fixing potholes on a road near his home in the English countryside…and the local authorities are cross about it: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/authorities-are-not-happy-with-rod-stewarts-decision-to-fix-potholes-on-a-public-road-184045.html?fbclid=IwAR0Ug6V0DVJPhiPlR1aKYqH4F2l8onQObJfw9aXylqVuRYs3sZs_zh0WjgU
Could shad fishing return to the Hudson? Maybe, but it’d be a ways off in the future: https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/outdoors/article/New-York-wants-shad-the-poor-man-s-salmon-to-16977475.php?IPID=Times-Union-HP-most-popular
Scientists have been studying the best way to break uncooked spaghetti so that pieces don’t go flying everywhere, as well as the best way to determine when it’s al dente. You’ll need…a ruler? https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/03/how-to-tell-if-your-spaghetti-is-perfectly-done-using-just-a-simple-ruler/?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=spotlight-nl&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_mailing=thematic_spotlight_031622_1&utm_medium=email&bxid=5cec26a424c17c4c64607b7a&cndid=21991033&hasha=b2946d7b42377b4841b3ffa8671b2edb&hashb=ba91f3a063159a5c023d7932d9b913dadf31574d&hashc=f0cf0a8a5b7325e0660e56c41aa6b7ce5658c27c483fece30d7a8bcf02463554&esrc=thematicseed&sourcecode=thematic_spotlight&utm_term=Thematic_Spotlight
This week in birthdays:
3/20: Actor/director Hal Linden (91)
3/21: Soul singer Russell Thompkins Jr. (The Stylistics) (71)
3/22: Actor/singer/starship captain William Shatner (91) – who’s working on a new hockey road-trip comedy film (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6629088/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_1)
3/23: Singer-songwriter Chaka Khan (69)
3/24: Fashion designer Bob Mackie (83)
3/25: Singer-songwriter Elton John (75)
3/26: Singer/songwriter Diana Ross (78)
And a Bad Joke…this one in the form of a poem.
“The rain it raineth on the just
And also on the unjust fella;
But chiefly on the just, because
The unjust hath the just’s umbrella.”
- Charles Bowen (1835-1894)
