Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of October 9th
Note: the Office for the Aging and OFA Friendship Centers will be closed for the national Columbus Day holiday on Monday, October 9th. Clients of OFA’s Home Delivered Meals program receive their meals in advance of that date.
OFA PROM SOLD OUT
The Office for the Aging’s annual Senior Prom is now fully sold out and is unable to accept additional reservations or walk-in guests. Any reservation requests not received by Wednesday, October 4th are being returned.
DEPRESSION – NOT A NORMAL PART OF GROWING OLDER
“Common, but not normal.” That’s how many mental health observers describe depression in older adults.
Let’s define the term first. Depression is more than just a case of “the blues” that anybody can experience, nor is it the normal grief that occurs after the loss of a loved one although grief and depression share much in common. Depression is a mood disorder and chronic medical condition, characterized by feelings of sadness, anxiety and/or apathy that last for at least two weeks. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that one-third of widows and widowers meet criteria for depression in the first month after the death of their spouse, with half of those individuals remaining clinically depressed after a year.
Depression itself isn’t a normal part of the aging process, but depression can occur when common aging-related health problems present themselves. NIMH notes, for example, that of the roughly 600,000 Americans who experience a stroke in any given year, nearly one-quarter of them will also experience signs of depression. Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease and arthritis can all co-occur with depression.
MISCONCEPTIONS AND GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE
According to a Mental Health America survey on attitudes and beliefs about clinical depression, we’ve admittedly got a lot to learn. Over two-thirds of adults aged 65 and older know little or almost nothing about depression, and less than 40% recognize depression as a health issue. About 58% of people aged 65 and older believe that it is “normal” for people to get depressed as they grow older, even though it isn’t.
RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS – EASIER SAID THAN DONE
A person experiencing depression has feelings of sadness lasting for weeks at a time, including the following:
- Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism;
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and/or helplessness;
- Irritability, restlessness;
- Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once enjoyable;
- Fatigue and decreased energy;
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions;
- Insomnia, early–morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping;
- Overeating or appetite loss;
- Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts;
- Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not get better, even with treatment.
One item of good news: most older adults are not depressed. Far from it. Estimates of major depression in older people living in the community range from 1-5% in the general older population, but 10-15% among those who are hospitalized or require home healthcare.
TREAT IT, DEFEAT IT
Depression is highly treatable, even if severe. That goes for old and young alike. In that way, it’s like countless other conditions. Talk to your healthcare provider, who can examine whether there are underlying conditions or medications causing you to have depression-like symptoms. If there’s no such condition, you may then be referred to a mental health provider.
Addressing mental health issues makes it more likely that older adults can age successfully. If you’re an older adult who’s stumped on how to get started, that’s okay – contact the Office for the Aging.
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
SCAM PREVENTION EVENT WITH OFA / HVCU – Tuesday 10/10 – sign up ASAP
Scammers never give up and keep changing their tactics in hopes of catching us off-balance. Most recently, we’ve been getting reports of an increase in scam attempts targeting people’s banking and financial information – especially that of older adults.
That’s why the Office for the Aging and Hudson Valley Credit Union are hosting a Scam Prevention event on Tuesday, October 10th at 10 a.m., at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center at the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park (4079 US 9).
Please let us know you’re coming by calling OFA at 845-486-2555.
Light refreshments will be available.
CITIZENS PREPAREDNESS FOR OLDER ADULTS (Fishkill, Wed 10/25)
Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response, Dutchess County Office for the Aging and the Town of Fishkill invite Dutchess County residents over age 60 (and their caregivers) to participate in
Citizens Preparedness Training
Wednesday, October 25th, 2023
10:00 am – Doors Open
10:30 am – Program Begins
Fishkill Town Recreation Center
793 NY 52, Fishkill
Acquire the tools and resources to better prepare for any type of disaster, learn how to respond accordingly in a disaster, and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions. Each older-adult household will receive a free Citizens Preparedness Corps Response Starter Kit.
Event is FREE and open to the public. Space is limited – please register in advance by calling the Office for the Aging: 845-486-2555
NEW YORK MASTER PLAN ON AGING – YOUR INPUT WANTED
The numbers of older adult residents of New York and Dutchess County are continuing to grow. Dutchess County’s percentage of older residents is greater than the state’s percentage, which is in turn greater than the national percentage of older residents. There are many Dutchess County communities where over-60 residents comprise over one third of a community’s population, especially in rural areas.
New York officials have recognized the need to have a plan so that older residents can lead independent, meaningful lives as they age.
New York is putting together a Master Plan for Aging (MPA) that’s designed to examine federal, state, county and local policies and programs for older adults, so that they can best be coordinated to help older adults.
Note that it’s called a Master Plan for Aging. That’s because everybody is aging and will become an older adult sooner or later with good planning and a bit of good luck.
While the Office for the Aging has the concerns of older adults always top-of-mind, that might not be the case in Albany or Washington – and that’s where you come in. New York State is surveying the public to help draw up the best possible plan for aging New Yorkers. Click here to take the survey.
For paper copies of the survey, write to
The Master Plan for Aging Team
Department of Health
Office of Aging and Long Term Care
875 Central Avenue
Albany, NY 12206
“BOOTS BY THE BANDSHELL” AT BOWDOIN PARK (Saturday 10/14)
Join Dutchess County Parks and 97.7 “The Wolf” radio for “Boots by the Bandshell,” a free country music event with line dancing, food trucks, family activities and fireworks.
It takes place on Saturday, October 14th from 3:30 to 8:00 pm, at the bandshell pavilion at Bowdoin Park (85 Sheafe Rd., Wappingers Falls). CJ and Jess from The Wolf’s morning show will be on hand from 3:30 until 5:00, followed by a performance from Thunder Ridge from 5:00 until 7:30, capped off with a 7:45 fireworks show. For more information, see www.dutchessny.gov/parks.
Other news:
Remember: Medicare and Medicaid now fully cover preventive vaccines covered under Medicare Part D.
A variety of advice on aging better.
She went skydiving – at age 104. (There’s video)
This week’s birthdays:
10/7: Cellist/educator Yo-Yo Ma (68)
10/8: Gossip columnist Rona Barrett (87)
10/9: Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jackson Browne (75)
10/10: Singer/songwriter David Lee Roth (69)
10/11: Singer/songwriter Daryl Hall (77)
10/12: Yankees shortstop/sportscaster Tony Kubek (88)
10/13: Disc jockey Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow (88)
The Bad Joke!
One bird cannot finish an entire bowl of Froot Loops, but toucan.
