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| June 2020, Vol. XXI, No. 7 |
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| Where Are Things Now? |
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It is difficult to put into words what we have been experiencing these past two plus months. We continue to hear the phrase ‘we are in this together’, which is true, but it is also true that there are significant differences in how this experience has impacted our individual lives.
The stories of community members and businesses stepping up to do what they can are overwhelming and humbling. These efforts will continue and most likely intensify, as we don’t know what lies ahead and we truly do care about one another. But there are so many unknowns and there are people in our community in need of support who we don’t know about.
As we shared last month, the requests for help received by Your Council have been manageable. This is due, in part, because of the help of a number of new and long-time volunteers. As expected, we had a drop in referrals for in-home services, which are now back on the rise. We were able to assist with some medical equipment needs, but services such as installing grab bars were suspended. Most of our in-home care providers were able to continue with services, although 25% of the seniors requested their services be placed on hold.
The increase in the number of family members working remotely resulted in a reduction of contracted services for the Council and an increase in family connection. We have heard from some that while it has been difficult, they have appreciated the quality time with their loved one.
Most of the Council team had been working remotely and in early May some team members were brought back to the offices for one day a week. This was modified to two days a week with staggered schedules, where it will stay for the time being.
Neither the Xenia or Beavercreek offices are open to the public at this time.
We continue to check in with the seniors and caregivers with whom we are connected and have been pleased to meet many new seniors and caregivers via the phone. We are not yet sending the care managers out to homes, but we remain hopeful that this will be reinstated, at least on a limited basis, in the near future. We encourage you to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your questions and to request assistance with Medicare, durable medical equipment we may have on hand, grab bars, and anything else. We are still here for you!
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| Annual Yard Sale Planning ~ With Hopeful Date |
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The Council’s Annual Yard Sale was postponed due to COVID-19, and we are cautiously but enthusiastically planning for a more creative and spread-out version of the sale, with a tentative date of Thursday, July 16th from 9am to 4pm at the Council’s Xenia office.
Thank you to those who have inquired about donating some of your treasures to the yard sale. We will be accepting donations the weeks of June 15th and 22nd between 9am and 4pm at our Xenia office. We ask that you call or e-mail before coming. Please know that we are not able to accept some items, including televisions and computer monitors.
As most of you know, proceeds from the sale support the Council’s Grab Bar Program, which we are pleased to share we are slowly reinstating. Installing grab bars in bathrooms of Greene County seniors goes a long way in reducing falls.
We hope to include the official yard sale announcement in the July newsletter and not another postponement, but we will have to wait and see. Thank you again for your support and we look forward to hearing from you and hopefully seeing you in July!
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Keeping Your Brain Engaged
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One thing that has been a constant with everyone in our lives—seniors, caregivers, friends, family, co-workers—is the need to keep from being bored and keeping our brains engaged. For many of us, this was a challenge before COVID-19 and it is an even a greater issue now.
There are many opportunities to take advantage of, but we need to move from the idea to action! We may not be able to keep ourselves and our brains engaged as much as we would like, but we can give it a Greene County try!
One of the best ways to get started is to pull out a pencil and an ‘easy to find later’ notebook or the calendar you use to track what day it is. And yes, we are all second-guessing ourselves about the day of the week. In your notebook or calendar, jot down ideas about activities and challenges you would like to try. You might want to organize your list in categories to help you plan.
For the readers, it may be a list of titles and/or authors, which you can then turn into a search through our wonderful library or through your favorite electronic reader. For the creative ones, you can make a list of the projects you have started or the supplies you have on hand to turn into a project. For the cooks/bakers, creating an on hand supply list might inspire a culinary masterpiece!
In addition to identifying activities and challenges, making a schedule is a powerful motivator. It is another something to refer to and be able to cross off when you have made progress or hopefully completed the activity or challenge.
Our brains thrive on being engaged with the things that we do, but our brains can be strengthened by learning and trying new things. This stretches the brain, just like that extra half mile stretches those leg muscles. So consider adding a section to your list called ‘new activities and challenges’. They don’t have to be anything difficult, they just need to be something new and different. You might surprise yourself with what you can do.
We hope you will engage your brain and we invite you to let us know how it goes!
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| Thank You to Our Adventurers |
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Our Virtual SeniorPalooza, in our humble opinion, was a success. It was different than anything else we have ever done, pulled together in a quick but thoughtful way, and was enjoyed by more people than we had thought would give it a try!
The Adventure Continues theme was timely and held true from planning through execution. Participants worked on a variety of at-home challenges and activities the week of May 11th through Memorial Day and our virtual on-line activities took place May 18th through the 21st. We are in the process of sharing our treasured prizes with our participants, with the most coveted being the SeniorPalooza Tee Shirt. You can check out the photos and videos on Facebook and on our YouTube channel.
Thank you to all who participated in one way or another. We also want to thank our fitness leader Lynn Hardman, our sponsors listed below and our wonderful partners, WBZI—Real Roots Radio and Greene County Parks & Trails. It was a fun collaboration and we look forward to many more.
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| New Resource For Caregivers |
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Providing education, support and respite to Greene County caregivers is an important component of the Council. It has been heart wrenching to not be able to hold our traditional in-person support groups and rely on phone calls, e-mails and cards. We miss seeing you, but more importantly we know that you miss being with one another.
While we are not sure when the in-person groups will return, we are still here to listen, answer your questions and offer guidance and support on the many issues you face every day. We can be reached by phone or e-mail and it would be an honor to walk with you on your caregiving journey.
We are excited to announce a new segment with our friends at WBZI ~ Real Roots Radio (FM 100.3). Partners in Caregiving airs Thursdays just after 6pm. We invite you and other caregivers to join Care Manager and Dementia Specialist Maureen McCarthy-Magill and Roy Hatfield as they talk about caregiver support and self care, and the opposite week explore day-to-day caregiving and resources.
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| SeniorPalooza Sponsors |
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Beavercreek Health & Rehab
Friends Care Community
Legacy Village
Trinity of Beavercreek
Village at the Greene
Xenia Health & Rehab
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Thank You To Our May Volunteers
Elijah Smith
Cathy Brown
Shelley Honnald
Beth & Ryan Massie
Nike & Jane Nihiser
Barbara Werth
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| Donor Spotlight |
| Please join us in thanking these generous donors who shared a gift since the last newsletter. |
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In Memory Of:
Juanita McGlothen
Pauline Sheffield
Susan Thompson
Donors:
John & Gretchen Burton
Judy Ireton
Alger & Bertha Phillips
Linda & Allen Sheffield
The Estate of Louise F. Jones
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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| Important Info ~ Electronic Communications |
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It’s the 21st Century and while we may not be zipping around in flying cars, we now have tools that were unimaginable 30 years ago. Most of us have a cell phone today, and can always be in touch. Some have smart phones with cameras. Many have computers or tablets and can send email or watch videos, though we may need some help from a child or grandkid to use them.
The digital revolution has given us new ways to keep in touch with family, friends, businesses and other agencies like your Council even during the coronavirus lockdown.
You can get this newsletter in digital form to read on your computer, tablet or smart phone. Just send us your email to sign up for digital delivery. Our email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Or sign up for various newsletters on our website.
We would love to know: What is your Electronic Connection like? Do you use email? Do you text? Do you post to Facebook? Have you liked our Facebook page? Do you watch YouTube? Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Do you Zoom with family (or use other video-conferencing platform)? Do you visit the GCCOA website? www.gccoa.org
Staying in touch is especially important in this uncertain time. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Greene County Council on Aging
937-376-5486
Committed to Seniors and Caregivers
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| Our mission: To promote independence and quality of life for Greene County senior citizens and caregivers by facilitating and supporting the development, implementation and continual improvement of a comprehensive and coordinated system of contact and care. |
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| This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
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