Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of April 4
OFA PICNICS RETURN FOR A 30TH YEAR
The Office for the Aging Picnic Program kicks off this year on Wednesday, June 1st. Residents age 60 and over are invited to socialize with their friends and neighbors at the event designated for their hometown, enjoy a nutritious meal, and learn more about the programs and services offered by the Office for the Aging. All picnics take place on Wednesdays, rain or shine. All picnics begin at noon. Each of the 12 picnics scheduled this year is open only to the senior citizen residents of each village/town(s) specified, and their guests. Proof of residency and advance reservations are both required, and space is limited; therefore, we cannot accept walk-ins at the picnics. There is a $8 charge for each non-resident guest and those 59 or younger.
The 2022 Senior Picnic Schedule is as follows.
June 1 – Town and Village of Pawling, Towns of Dover, Amenia and Union Vale
Boyce Park, 6423 Route 55, Wingdale
June 8 – Village and Town of Fishkill
Geering Park, Fishkill
June 15 – Towns of Milan, Red Hook and Rhinebeck and Villages of Red Hook, Rhinebeck, and Tivoli
Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6636 US 9, Rhinebeck
June 22 – Towns of Clinton and Hyde Park, including Staatsburg
Church of Regina Coeli (rear lot), 28 Harvey St., Hyde Park
June 29 – Town of Poughkeepsie
Bowdoin Park, 85 Sheafe Rd., Poughkeepsie
July 6 – City of Beacon
Memorial Park, 298 Fishkill Ave., Beacon
July 13 – Towns of North East, Pine Plains, Washington and Stanford and Villages of Millbrook and Millerton
Stissing Mountain Jr./Sr. High School, 2829 Church St. (Route 199), Pine Plains
July 20 – Town of Wappinger and Village of Wappingers Falls
Recreation Park, 95 Robinson Lane, Wappinger
July 27 – Town of Pleasant Valley
West Road School, 181 West Rd., Pleasant Valley
August 3 – City of Poughkeepsie
Stitzel Field, 10-14 Lincoln Ave.
August 10, 17 – no picnics
August 24 – Town of East Fishkill
East Fishkill Recreation Park, 330 Route 376
August 31 – Towns of LaGrange and Beekman
Freedom Park, 212 Skidmore Rd., LaGrange
We have begun the process of mailing picnic reminder cards to older adults throughout the county. You don’t need to have a card to make a reservation. Cards should arrive in the mail 4-6 weeks before each community’s picnic.
OFA Picnics have been held annually since 1993 and are made possible through private/public partnerships and support from many local municipalities and businesses. Special thanks to this year’s Platinum sponsor The Pines at Poughkeepsie, and the Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services – Protective Services for Adults.
Volunteers of all ages are needed at each picnic to help with set-up and clean-up, and to bring meals to attendees with mobility challenges. For more information about volunteer opportunities, email bjones@dutchessny.gov or call 845-486-2544.
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
“SPRING INTO BALANCE”
OFA’s springtime “A Matter of Balance” classes are already underway; the next series of classes will take place in the fall. In the meantime, there’s plenty you can do to improve your chances for successful aging through fall prevention:
Get active. Find your own way to keep that spring in your step. Incorporate movement into your day to maintain balance and feel better in your daily activities.
Join a program. Find an OFA program like Tai Chi, Bingocize or A Matter of Balance, to ensure you maximize your ability to stay steady. Check out dutchessny.gov/aging for updates, or call us at 845-486-2555.
Speak to your doctor. Including your healthcare team in the conversation can help you find new ways to maintain balance and ensure you are on the correct medications. Have your medications reviewed once a year.
Talk with family and friends. Having a support system, especially if you live alone, can be crucial to keeping you safe! Check in with loved ones regularly, and don’t be afraid to ask for their support!
Contact your local OFA. For additional guidance, and to find out what programs you qualify for, contact your local Office for the Aging to work out a comprehensive and proactive plan for fall prevention. Every county in New York State has an Office for the Aging, or an agency with a similar title.
OFA IN MILLERTON NEWS EDITORIAL
Older adults and caregivers in northeastern Dutchess, this week’s issue of the Millerton News features an editorial on…us! https://tricornernews.com/millerton-news-opinionviewpoint-millerton-news-editorial/county-ofa-worth-its-weight-gold
On newsstands now!
Other aging news online:
Excessive daytime napping could be a sign of dementia, according to one study: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/17/health/napping-dangers-dementia-study-wellness/index.html?WT.mc_id=enews2022_03_31&utm_source=enews-aff-118&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews-2022-03-31&utm_content=homeoffice&utm_term=Story1
Scam of the Week – the closer tax day gets, the more IRS scams start popping up: https://www.chicoer.com/2022/03/29/the-closer-it-gets-to-tax-day-the-more-irs-scam-calls-scam-of-the-week/
Interested in online cognitive games? Here’s some: https://www.brainturk.com/games
Amateur genealogists will be interested to know that records from the 1950 U.S. Census are now available online for free. Each decennial census becomes available 72 years after it’s completed, on April 1st: https://www.archives.gov/research/census/1950
This week in birthdays:
4/3: Anthropologist/primatologist Jane Goodall (88)
4/4: Actor/director Craig T. Nelson (78)
4/5: Singer/songwriter Agnetha Fältskog (Abba) (72)
4/6: Actor/singer Billy Dee Williams (85)
4/7: Singer/songwriter John Oates (74)
4/8: Guitarist Steve Howe (75)
4/9: Actor Dennis Quaid (68)
And our Bad Joke:
What kinds of pictures do hermit crabs take? Shellfies.
