Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of June 13th
OFA ACTIVITIES FOR WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY
For many years, OFA has provided older adults and caregivers with resources to protect themselves from scams and elder abuse. The extent of elder abuse is difficult to measure. About 260,000 older adults are victimized in New York State each year, but may more cases go unreported or undetected. With World Elder Abuse Awareness Day taking place on June 15th, OFA Friendship Centers are hosting a series of presentations to help older adults advocate for themselves, as well as provide caregivers with key information on protecting the people for whom they care.
Tuesday, June 14th, 11 am – OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones, and Heather Ohlson of Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County Family and Consumer Education division; Tri-Town OFA Friendship Center, 1576 US 44 (Main St.), Pleasant Valley. Call 845-275-8565 for details.
Wednesday, June 15th – Heather Ohlson; Millerton OFA Friendship Center, 28 Century Blvd. Call 518-789-3081 for details.
Thursday, June 16th, 10:45 am – David Lederman, New York State Attorney General’s Office, City of Poughkeepsie OFA Friendship Center, 114 Delafield St. Call 845-486-2555 for details.
SIGNS THAT SOMEONE MAY BE HARMING YOU
There’s no one profile that would fit a person who commits elder abuse. Older adults may be abused by spouses, partners, adult children, other family members, caregivers, neighbors, or others. The abuse may be physical, sexual, emotional, or financial, with several forms of abuse possibly happening at the same time.
If you suspect you are the victim of elder abuse, the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (ncall.us) recommends watching for these signs from people close to you. Do they:
- Try to limit the amount of time you spend with friends and family, or on the phone or internet?
- Scare you, threaten you, and make you feel fearful, or call you names?
- Make you feel as if you need to ‘walk on eggshells” to prevent their anger?
- Make you do things you don’t want to do, possibly threatening to put you in a nursing home if you don’t comply?
- Touch you or force you to do sexual things you don’t want to do?
- Take money and possessions from you without your permission?
- Refuse to provide care, or provide care in a hurtful way?
- Throw or break items that are important to you?
Additionally, have family or friends expressed their concern, or are your family members and friends afraid to visit?
If you are in danger, call 911. Your safety is first and foremost.
You’re not the only one in this situation. You can talk to someone confidentially for support and information. Dutchess County’s Division of Adult Protective Services is available at 845-486-3300, and the New York OCFS Human Services Call Center Bureau of Adult Services helpline is at 844-697-3505. Callers are encouraged to provide names and phone numbers for follow-up by local departments, but anonymous calls are also accepted.
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
OFA SUMMER KITCHEN AND PICNIC VOLUNTEERS WANTED (HDM drivers, too!)
The Office for the Aging Summer Picnic Program needs your help!
The picnic program began this month, with 10 more to go between now and Labor Day. The full schedule is available at www.dutchessny.gov/OFApicnics. We’re looking for people who can help set up and break down picnic equipment, direct seniors to OFA services, and bring food and drinks to picnic guests.
Besides help at the picnics themselves, we also need help in the OFA central kitchen the Tuesday afternoon before each picnic. If you’re available to help at any time between noon and 4 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons of any or all picnic weeks, please contact OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones at 845-486-2544 or bjones@dutchessny.gov. There’s also a printable volunteering form at www.dutchessny.gov/aging that includes a description of OFA’s diverse volunteering opportunities.
We’re also looking for volunteer drivers for our weekday Home Delivered Meals (HDM) program, anywhere in Dutchess County but particularly in Beacon and in the Tri-Town (LaGrange, Pleasant Valley, Town of Poughkeepsie) area. Mileage reimbursement is provided for drivers who use their own vehicles. Contact OFA to find out more.
OFA AND OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AT HEALTH FAIR (Sat 6/11)
Setup is full steam ahead for the ... (, , , ) Dutchess County Health Fair which will take place Saturday, June 11th from 11 a.m-3 p.m. at the former JC Penney location at the Poughkeepsie Galleria. County agencies and local providers will be on hand with health-related information, interactive exhibitors such as touch a truck and bike rodeo, and awesome giveaways. Participate in raffles with prizes such as a family 4 pack to the Hudson Valley Renegades. It will be a full day of health, wellness, and fun for every age!
Other aging news
Help with Medicare costs: what you need to know, especially with a low income.
A quick rundown of what Medicare does NOT cover.
On living for today the philosophical way.
This week in birthdays:
6/12: Retired sportscaster Marv Albert (81)
6/13: Actor/comedian Tim Allen (69)
6/14: Actor/comedian Marla Gibbs (91)
6/15: Actress Julie Hagerty (67)
6/16: Writer Joyce Carol Oates (84)
6/17: Singer/songwriter Barry Manilow (79)
6/18: Singer/songwriter Paul McCartney (80)
And a Beatle-themed Bad Joke for Paul McCartney’s birthday:
Q: What’s a horse’s favorite Beatles song?
A: Hay Chewed.
