It has been a year now since my sister passed away. She had spent the last four months of her life being moved from one long term care/rehabilitation facility to another. It was during this period of time that our family became very aware and dependent on the Ombudsman program at Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging.
The new Consumer Reports magazine is out! One of their feature stories is about computer safety. I know we have all heard about seniors being the easiest folks to scam. Personally I have been hacked several times and I still do not really understand how it happens… but my family assures me I am doing something wrong or it would not be happening!
So … you are not interested in hiking, or gardening … but you still want to get out of your...
It’s raining, the flowers are blooming, and the bees are everywhere (at least at our place). It is time to venture outside again. When the sun is out, it feels so good to just stop and sit down and enjoy it!
The Federal Administration for Community Living has designated May as Older American Month. They have made this designation “to encourage our neighbors across the nation to prioritize meaningful relations, connecting older Americans with local services such as transportation, and to encourage older adults to engage in community events, social clubs and to volunteer.”
April is National Volunteer Month. I do not know when this designation began, but I did read that Benjamin Franklin initiated the first volunteer fire department in Philadelphia. I remember that John F. Kennedy asked us to “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
I recently had the opportunity to speak with a local group of Public Employee Retirees who had invited me to speak on “Aging in Portage County Today.” They also invited my husband, Allen, to come and share information about the Medical Guardian Program, which he coordinates for the Auxiliary of University Hospitals Portage Medical Center in Ravenna.
In a recent column I “complained” that there were not enough services available for Portage County seniors. I have to eat my words now because there is financial assistance available to individuals 60 years or older with a yearly income of about $42,000.
I recently was referred to a “back doctor” because I was having a lot of discomfort in my hip when...
I recently read a newspaper article about the current senior citizens census numbers in our country. And of course, I cannot find that article now to share with you, but I did go to the Regional Planning site on my computer to locate our place in Portage County. Well, we have done it! There are more of us over the age of 65 (18.3% of our population), than there are children under the age of 18 years (17.9%).
I am writing this in the middle of October, and so far it has been a decent autumn … but this is Ohio, and as we all know, it could snow tomorrow!
While it is still nice out, why not take some time and explore one of our county parks. From an article in a recent newsletter from the Portage Park District: “Parks and trails support mental and physical health. Spending time in nature helps to reduce anxiety, stress, depression and symptoms of ADHD.”