Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of October 17th
A FEW SEATS LEFT FOR “ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE” THIS FRIDAY (10/21)
Loneliness, the feeling of being alone regardless of the amount of social contact, has long been considered strictly an emotional and mental health concern, more suitable to be addressed by songwriters and psychologists rather than government. Increasingly, though, loneliness is being recognized as a “social determinant of health” that can affect physical as well as mental health. According to the National Institute on Aging, the health risks of prolonged isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. People who are socially isolated or lonely are also more likely to be admitted to nursing homes and the emergency room, with loneliness linked to higher risk of stroke, dementia, heart disease and a shortening of lifespan by as much as 15 years.
There’s a direct line from loneliness and emotional pain to physical illness, especially among older adults. This makes loneliness a matter for the Office for the Aging – and all of us.
We’d like you to join us this Friday, October 21st, at 1 p.m., for a free screening of the unique documentary “All the Lonely People” at the Boardman Road Library, 141 Boardman Rd., Town of Poughkeepsie. As of press time there were still a few seats remaining, available by registering with OFA at 845-486-2555.
It’s a helpful experience not only for older adults, but caregivers, family members, and anybody of any age with concerns about social isolation.
There are reasons to be encouraged that social isolation and loneliness can be successfully confronted, so that time spent alone can be used to recharge rather than ruminate. “All the Lonely People” is a story of the many ways social isolation can be overcome. Presented in cooperation with the Putnam County Office for Senior Resources, New York State Office for the Aging, and Leading Age NY, it’ll be followed by discussion and Q&A with a panel of regional experts and the film’s producers.
You can watch the movie trailer at www.allthelonelypeoplefilm.com. We’d love to see you there!
2022-23 “HEAP” INFORMATION
With a sharp rise in energy bills likely to come this winter, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) provides eligible customers with assistance in paying home heating bills. Regular HEAP application season is scheduled to open on Tuesday, November 1st. That’s when eligible residents can begin submitting applications for assistance, either in person or online. Customers who qualify for HEAP may also receive a Clean and Tune benefit, providing for the cleaning and maintenance of primary heating equipment.
We’ll have a lot more on the upcoming HEAP season in next week’s issue.
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
MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT FAIR IN DOVER (Tue 10/18)
OFA will be represented at the Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County’s (CAPDC) “Medicare Open Enrollment Fair” on Tuesday, October 18th, at CAPDC’s Dover Plains facility at 3414 NY 22.
There’ll be an OFA Medicare 101 seminar at 11:00 am, followed by a Medicare Plan Navigator Fair from 12 noon to 2:00 pm.
For more information, contact CAPDC in Dover Plains at 845-877-9272.
“THRIVING IN RHINEBECK” RETURNS TO RHINEBECK HIGH SCHOOL (Sat 10/22)
Many of Dutchess County’s older adults and caregivers don’t know about the information and services available to them, through the Office for the Aging as well as other providers – and especially in rural Dutchess County, over one-quarter of the population are adults age 60 and up. Thriving in Rhinebeck: a Showcase of Services and Resources for Older Adults will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022 from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the Rhinebeck High School (45 North Park Rd., Rhinebeck). In addition to OFA, approximately 40 organizations are expected to participate, ranging from health care / home care organizations to cultural / educational resources, transportation services, advocacy groups, and an array of civic organizations with programs benefiting older adults. Rhinebeck High School students from the Interact Club will be on hand to greet attendees and help them navigate the school spaces.
Featured speaker Dr. Peter Grant Jordan, President of Dutchess Community College, will talk in the auditorium about how DCC is gearing up to strengthen opportunities for learning across generations – from a college for kids (k-8), dual-credit high school programs, associate degree, and certificate offerings, to adult workforce education, corporate training solutions, and senior education.
The Alzheimer’s Association will encourage us all in “How to Think about Alzheimer’s”, and Hudson Valley Hospice will explain how their programs and services have expanded. The Dutchess County Office for Aging offers its Matter of Balance, TaiChi and exercise, as well as Medicare information services and caregiver support information.
In addition to Rhinebeck at Home, the organizing team includes Archcare at Ferncliff, Rhinebeck Central School District, and Rhinebeck Rotary Club. For more information, please call Rhinebeck at Home at 845-379-1114 or email office@rhinebeckathome.org.
HARVEST HUNT AT LOCUST GROVE IN OCTOBER
The Locust Grove estate hosts family- and grandparent-friendly Harvest Hunt events every Saturday and Sunday in October, weather permitting. Over 30 brightly decorated pumpkins are hidden among the trees and gardens at Locust Grove. Stroller/wheelchair-friendly. Admission is $10/person and free for kids under 4. For more information visit www.lgny.org or call 845-454-4500.
Other aging news:
The 2023 cost-of-living increase for Social Security benefits will be 8.7%. Details in this Social Security press release.
How intertwined are diet and dementia?
An anti-aging experiment for dogs is underway. Nothing yet for humans.
Older adults running marathons is becoming more common, but check with your physician beforehand regardless of how fit you think you are.
This week’s birthdays:
10/16: Actor/director/screenwriter Tim Robbins (64)
10/17: Actor/comedian George Wendt (74)
10/18: NFL Hall-of-Famer Mike Ditka (83)
10/19: Actor John Lithgow (77)
10/20: Baseball Hall of Famer Juan Marichal (85)
10/21: Guitarist/songwriter Steve Cropper (81)
10/22: Actress/singer Catherine Deneuve (79)
A series of physics-related Bad Jokes:
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Aristotle: It is the nature of chickens to cross roads.
Isaac Newton: Chickens at rest tend to stay at rest, chickens in motion tend to cross roads.
Albert Einstein: Whether the chicken crossed the road or the road moved beneath the chicken depends on your frame of reference.
Werner Heisenberg: We are not sure which side of the road the chicken was on, but it was moving very fast.
Wolfgang Pauli: There already was a chicken on this side of the road.
