Older American's Month
"Make Your Mark"
|
|
How do you "Make Your Mark" as an older adult, or by engaging with older adults in our community?
This year's Administration for Community Living theme was selected to encourage and celebrate countless contributions that older adults make to our communities. Their time, experience, and talents benefit family, peers, and neighbors every day. Communities, organizations, and individuals of all ages are also making their marks.
This year’s theme highlights the difference everyone can make – in the lives of older adults, in support of caregivers, and to strengthen communities.
Thank you for making your mark in Buncombe County -
a great place for aging in community!
While Council on Aging (COA) offices remain closed to the public, we want to tell all of our clients and colleagues how much we miss you! We thank you for the Zooms, calls and emails. It has been encouraging to find ways to maintain connection, while physically distancing.
For service, education & advocacy, call us at 828-277-8288 and one of our Services Specialists will assist you!
|
|
Independent, Strong, and 94 Years Young
|
Nina Christian knows what it means to be a strong, independent woman. Self-assured and resilient, she’s lived a full and rewarding life and spent the past 25+ years as a resident of Battery Park Apartments in downtown Asheville. Nina is active, engaged and committed to living the “best life possible” and she knows what it’s like to go through tuff times.
Born just before the Great Depression, Nina is the 7th of 16 children. Her parents were African-American farmers who grew vegetables on a large 160 acre farm in rural Ohio. She remembers how “everyone worked” in her family to raise crops and sell them at local markets to keep the family fed “during the winter months."
|
|
A Look at COA During COVID-19
|
|
A Glimpse of Some of Our Staff
|
|
Arlyn Villafuerte,
Program Support Specialist
|
|
Gayland Welborn,
Services Coordinato
r
|
|
Niki Duff,
Elder Justice Navigator
|
|
Billie Breeden,
Senior Dining Manager
|
|
John Wingerter,
Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships
|
|
|
COVID-19 has changed the way we do business. Face masks, temperature checks, hand sanitizer, email blasts, Zoom meetings, and the sharing of pandemic fraud alerts are now part of our daily routine.
|
|
What Clients Are Saying About Our Services
|
|
I appreciate the help of one your volunteers who assisted me with my Medicare journey of obtaining prescription part D and supplemental insurance. Pam spent nearly 2 hours on the telephone with me and was very friendly, patient and helpful! I am thankful to have her and the Council on Aging as a resource in this community!
Medicare Client
I want to tell you how important Vance has been to all of us here at Vanderbilt. We are receiving really good information from her daily, she has arranged all sorts of things for us, I could go on and on, but the fact is, I don't know what we would do without her.
Resident of Vanderbilt Apartments
This service means a lot to me. It is very nice for you to do this for seniors and others. I am really grateful for the food I really thank you for it. Your kindness will never be forgotten.
Food Delivery Client
|
|
Join us for a series of informal discussions with other caregivers and resource specialists in Western North Carolina. Each week provides a light-hearted message or experience, practical tips and an opportunity to informally connect with other caregivers.
Tuesdays, through June 10th, 10AM
or call 828-251-7441 (You can register for one or more)
These series are Zoom-based and hosted by COABC -
May 19th, 10 AM
:
Prepare Now: Proactively Managing Emergencies
Stuff happens! Plan now for unexpected situations.
May 26th, 10 AM: Communicating Effectively in Challenging Situations
Improve your approach to communicating with family, friends and professionals.
June 2, 10 AM:
Taking Care of You
Take time to check-in with yourself and learn from your body and emotions so you can reduce stress.
June 9th, 10 AM:
Yes You Can! Prevent Falls for Caregivers and Loved Ones
Stay safe
and boost confidence through tips for fall prevention.
Presented by Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Land of Sky Regional Council, AARP and MountainCare
|
Additional Resources
The Social Bridging Project
pairs older adults at risk for isolation with trained student volunteers. If you know isolated older adults who might benefit from a phone check-in, please add their contact information in the form
HERE
or contact Tasha Woodall, MAHEC Associate Director of Pharmacotherapy for Geriatrics, at
Tasha.Woodall@mahec.net
. Community members can also self-refer. More information about how to do that is
here
.
|
In support of Elder Abuse Awareness Month
, the North Carolina Governor signs a proclamation designating Mother’s Day through Father’s Day as “Vulnerable and Elder Abuse Awareness Month.” In addition, the President of the United States proclaims June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. To participate, change your email fonts to purple through June 15 and place the logo on your emails.
First Baptist Asheville Prayer Line
– Volunteers listen, encourage, and offer prayer. Volunteers are not professionals, just folks with enough knowledge to be present with people in challenging and stressful times. The call number is 828-398-6603 from 11am-2pm Monday-Friday.
|
|
"We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing."
-George Bernard Shaw
Council on Aging of Buncombe County - 828-277-8288 -
www.coabc.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|