Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s AGING NEWS For the week of May 16th

Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s

AGING NEWS

For the week of May 16th

Note: the Office for the Aging will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 30th. Clients of OFA’s Home Delivered Meals program will receive meals in advance of the holiday.

Whether you’re a recent retiree looking for worthwhile uses of your free time, or a student looking for summertime community-service work, the Office for the Aging has plenty of volunteering opportunities for you. Many OFA programs operate with essential help from volunteers. Here are just a few examples of how you can help:

Can you help serve at any of the 12 OFA picnics taking place on Wednesdays this summer throughout the county? We’d love to hear from you. Can you deliver meals to homebound older adults? Would you be interested in teaching an OFA exercise class? Please reach out to us.

If clerical work is your strength, we have opportunities in that area as well. We’re a few weeks away from delivering our summer newsletter, and we’ll need help preparing the newsletters for mailing.

We’ll also need assistance putting together goodie bags for the thousands of people who will be attending OFA picnics. The picnic schedule is at www.dutchessny.gov/OFApicnics. We’ll also need help on Tuesday afternoons at the OFA central kitchen in Poughkeepsie, as we prepare for each of the following days’ picnics.

You could also become a volunteer OFA Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) counselor. We provide the training, so that you can help explain the coverage, costs and options of Medicare, managed care, Medigap insurance and long term care insurance.

We welcome volunteers of all ages; for volunteers under age 18, a signed waiver from a parent or guardian is required.

For more on OFA volunteering opportunities, contact OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones at bjones@dutchessny.gov or 845-486-2544. A printable volunteering form is available at dutchessny.gov/aging.

 

MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP OLDER ADULTS

Dutchess County Parks is gearing up for a busy spring and summer; they’re looking for roughly three or four volunteers to help answer phones, Monday – Friday 11am – 3pm, May through August, at Bowdoin Park in the Town of Poughkeepsie. Duties would entail answering the phones and responding to general park usage questions for county parks. A frequently asked questions fact sheet would be provided.

Volunteers should have a warm personality with strong communication skills; ability to handle incoming calls and take written messages; and greet clients and visitors as needed. A volunteer service agreement will be provided upon acceptance. Those interested can call the park office at 845-298-4603 or email soneil@dutchessny.gov.

OFA also partners with several volunteer-driven organizations in Dutchess County, and you can get in touch with any or all of them:

    • Friends of Seniors (9 Vassar St., Poughkeepsie) – friendsofseniors.org or 845-485-1277
    • North East Community Center (51 S. Center St., Millerton) – neccmillerton.org or 518-789-4259
    • Pawling Resource Center (126 E. Main St., Pawling) – pawlingresourcecenter.org or 845-855-3459
    • Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) (77 Cannon St., Poughkeepsie) – rsvp@dutchesscap.org or 845-452-5104

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

DUTCHESS COUNTY COVID UPDATE

Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases this spring, the federal Centers for Disease Control has classified the entire Hudson Valley as a “high transmission” area. Click here for more.

HOSPITALIZATIONS, COGNITIVE EFFECTS…AND A CAREGIVER CONFERENCE

Over ten years of studies in human neurology have revealed concerning findings: that the rate of cognitive decline in older patients can increase greatly after a hospital stay. These studies were revisited in 2020-21 as the COVID-19 pandemic struck older adults around the world with intensity.

Although not all elderly patients experience extreme decline, the most vulnerable were patients with more serious illnesses who stayed in the hospital for longer periods of time. A study published this month in Britain’s Lancet medical journal places the decline related specifically to “long COVID” as similar to what happens during 20 years of aging.

Whether or not the studies focused on COVID, they have not been conclusive in determining the cause of the cognitive decline, but a variety of underlying causes is suspected. Delirium, low oxygen levels, inflammation, undetectable strokes, lack of stimulating mental activity, and side effects of medications are all possible factors that need to be studied further.

For caregivers of these older patients, the news reinforces the notion that hospitalizations can be a life changing event in an older person’s mental functioning. It had already been known that a hospital stay could interfere with an older person’s ability to perform the activities of daily living, but the more recent research adds the possbility that mental function can also be lost.

Speaking of caregivers…The Office for the Aging is participating in the 16th annual Caregiver Conference on Wednesday, May 25th at the Grandview, 176 Rinaldi Blvd. in Poughkeepsie.

This year’s theme is “Caregiving: How to Stay on Track.” The event begins at 8:30 a.m. and continues until 2 p.m. The event is free but advance reservations, proof of vaccination and masks are required; space is limited. It’ll be an outdoor event under a tent, so dress accordingly. To make a reservation, call the Alzheimer’s Association at 800-272-3900.

There will be plenty of time for your questions and concerns, and dozens of experts and vendors will be on hand with answers and solutions. The conference is organized by the Office for the Aging, the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter; Lutheran Care; Parkinson’s Disease Support Group of the Mid Hudson Valley; Hudson Valley Hospice; and community member Cathy Regan.

MAY IS TICK BORNE DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH

With warmer weather finally here (and hopefully sticking around!) it’s important to remember ticks are active. Here are some tips to prevent ticks after coming indoors:

– Check your clothing for ticks

– Examine gear and pets

– Shower soon after being outdoors

– Check your full body for ticks after being outdoors

For more helpful tips about tick bite prevention and tick borne illness visit dutchessny.gov/Departments/DBCH/Tick-borne-Diseases.htm

POUGHKEEPSIE 9/44/55 STUDY COMPLETED

For decades, driving the 44/55 arterials in Poughkeepsie and getting back and forth between the arterial, Route 9 and the Mid-Hudson Bridge has been…an adventure, especially for older drivers.

The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) has announced the completion of its detailed study of how to redesign the Route 9 interchange and Route 44/55 arterials in Poughkeepsie to make them safer, more reliable, and better integrated with nearby neighborhoods. A cooperative effort of the DCTC, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Dutchess County, and the City and Town of Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie 9.44.55 was funded by the Federal Highway and Transit Administration through the DCTC’s planning program. Details can be found at www.poughkeepsie94455.com.

 

Other news:

Quitting smoking can always help – even after age 60.

New rules in estate planning – take a look.

Can you or an older adult you know continue to make an informed choice about your own well-being? A new training tool may help.

Mouth exercises to help prevent snoring.

At age 89, legendary South Carolina Lowcountry cook Emily Meggett has released her first cookbook.

This week in birthdays:

5/15: Painter/sculptor Jasper Johns (92)

5/16: Guitarist Robert Fripp (76)

5/17: Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard (66)

5/18: MLB Hall Of Famers Brooks Robinson (85) and Reggie Jackson (76)

5/19: Singer/songwriter/guitarist Pete Townshend (The Who) (77)

5/20: NFL Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant (95)

5/21: Actor/wrestler Mr. T (70)

And a Bad Joke:

An invisible man and an invisible woman got married. What they saw in each other we’ll never know.

Author: Harlem Valley News