August/September 2022, Vol. XXIII, No. 2 |
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Plan, Prioritize, & Take Action |
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No doubt many of us have a printed or mental list of tasks and activities for these summer months and beyond. But how many of these have you planned for? Once again, time is flying by and we need to prioritize and take action!
At the Council, we have no choice but to plan far in advance, but it is still remarkable how after what seems to be a blink of an eye … the program or event is already here.
Reading through this newsletter you will see a portion of ‘our list’ for your consideration, which includes events, programs, and important information. Some of these might be of interest to you, while others might be something for you to share with friends or family.
You will see an overview of our Kinship care resources (e.g., grandparents raising grandchildren), an update on service challenges for the Partners in Care (PIC) program, directions for accessing the Council’s 2021 Annual Report and the latest on the Council’s Board. You will also find info and dates for several key events—including the August 17th JamFest, September 29th Fall Prevention & Wellness Event, and October 29th Shredding Event.
The Fall It’s My Money, My Stuff, & My Life is also noted, which runs October 4th through 25th. What you won’t see listed here, but we thought you might appreciate a heads up, is
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the fact that our Directory of Services is at the printer and should soon be ready to share at our events and through the senior centers, library, and churches.
The list of our donors and volunteers since the last newsletter is included —and we cannot say Thank You to them loudly enough! The dates of the next Medicare 101 and Memory Loss sessions can be found on the back page.
We have two insert sheets in this edition, including one talking about being smart regarding the confusing world of energy suppliers and details about the Scam & Fraud Prevention presentation with the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. This very important presentation was shared at the Fairborn Senior Center a few months ago and is scheduled at eight other center locations in August and September.
As always, please share any or all of the information in this newsletter with others who might benefit.
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It will come as no surprise to most of our readers that we continue to experience challenges providing services to Greene County seniors enrolled in our Partners in Care (PIC) program. With emergency response systems and home-delivered meals, our contract providers are able to respond quickly. Aside from the occasional supply chain issue with grab bars, we are able to install bathroom grab bars within a few weeks. And if a senior/caregiver is in need of a walker or other mobility items, we typically have what is needed.
The in-home service side is a bit different. We are fortunate to have a group of wonderful contract providers who offer personal care (assistance with bathing, dressing, etc.) and homemaking (light cleaning in primary living areas, laundry) for those in the PIC program. But as you might guess, it has not been easy to find and keep enough team members to meet the needs of our Greene County seniors.
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This work is not easy and caring for our elders is not for just anyone. It is rare that a staffing request can be scheduled within a few weeks—most take a month or longer.
We have also found ourselves providing less service in order to serve more seniors. For example, the preferred schedule for homemaking might be weekly, but an every other week schedule is put in place in order to at least have something started.
This challenge is not as bad as it was over the last two years, but it is a challenge none the less. We are fortunate to have some very understanding seniors and families and a network of determined providers who continue to search for team members to provide care. So thank you for your patience, and if you know someone who is meant to be in this caring field, we would be happy to share our list of providers for him/her to contact.
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It's Your Money ~ Choosing Energy Suppliers,
and Scam and Fraud Prevention
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The State of Ohio mandates that electric and natural gas utilities allow their customers to select alternative utility suppliers (as a way of saving money). This alternate supplier choice only changes the source of electricity or natural gas, not the actual utility company. AES Ohio (electric) and CenterPoint Energy (natural gas) will still be the utility providers regardless of any changes you make to your suppliers.
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Scammers are creative and sophisticated, constantly inventing new ways to take your money. Losing money or property to scams and fraud can be devastating. Come to a presentation that can help you prevent, recognize, and report scams and fraud.
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Click here for an information sheet with guidance on how to choose an energy provider, and a list of Scam and Fraud presentations.
As always, we encourage you to contact GCCOA at (937) 376-5486 or yourfriends@gccoa.org if you have any questions or need more information.
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Thursday, September 29th from 1:30—3:30pm at the Xenia Community Center. Falls are the leading cause of emergency room visits, hospital stays, and deaths for seniors, but they do not have to be! Come join the GCCOA team as we learn to reduce our risk of falls and keep ourselves strong, healthy and upright! Visit our web site for more information.
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The 2021 Audit is complete and the Annual Report is available. You can see the report on our website.
Thank you to Mike McGrath, who served two terms on the Council’s Board of Directors, including as President 2020 to 2021. We are pleased to have Steve Haller as the newest Board member. He was elected along with Barbara Vandecreek and Jonathan Hebrank, who are on their second three-year term.
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JamFest is the Place to Bee! |
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Wednesday, August 17th, 4—6:30pm, at the Xenia Community Center. Cost is $10 per person. Get ready for an afternoon of family fun, games & food! JamFest features the Olde Country Store with homemade treats & gifts.
Returning this year: the Cloud Race Tournament with announcer Paul Newman Jr. and some very special competitors, the Silent Auction (starting online then finishing at JamFest), the 50/50 Raffle, and the Action-Packed Homemade Treats & Jam Auction with Auctioneer Roy Hatfield with Real Roots Radio.
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Kinship is a situation in which someone steps in to raise a child when the parents are not able to. There doesn’t need to be a blood relationship, but most of the time this person is a grandparent or great-grandparent. Becase of this, it is natural for the Council to provide support to Kinship caregivers. The Council has a Kinship Liaison dedicated to helping kinship caregivers, including:
- Supportive contact via home visits, phone calls or email
- Referrals to agencies or programs
- A monthly support group
- A quarterly Kinship newsletter
- Assistance with online forms
The Kinship Liaison networks with community organizations to find supportive events as well, such as giveaway programs for shoes, clothing, or school supplies and holiday assistance.
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It's My Money, My Stuff, & My Life! |
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Save the Date - October Shred Event |
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This program is on Tuesdays from October 4—25, 6pm to 8:30pm at the Xenia Community Center.
Join us for this popular 4 week estate planning program presented by local professionals. The cost is $40 per household and includes a binder with all program materials, and a box supper. Space is limited and reservations are required. For information or to register please contact us.
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Are you haunted by piles of paper in your home? On Saturday October 29th from 9am to noon, bring up to 3 boxes of your private papers to be shredded by an onsite shredding truck at the Xenia Community Center. (Medical or financial papers; no recycling please, no businesses.) We will also be giving out some prizes for the friendliest ghost costumes and vehicle décor. Go to gccoa.org for more information.
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Please join us in thanking these generous donors who shared their financial gifts since the last newsletter.
In Memory Of:
Beverly Jean Cook
Roger Fender
David and Shirley Harper
Pat D. Mayer
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Donors:
Thomas & Jean DeBrosse
Rita A. Duncan
Margaret Fender
Jeanette Johannes
Luann McHarg
Tony McIlvaine
Lauren Myers
Elisabeth Rath
Gayle Rathbun
Anne M. Rensberger
Cynthia Spracklin
Country Club Village Condo Association
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Please join us in acknowledging the volunteers since the last newsletter: |
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Lynn Berry
Terry Byers
Stacie & Kyle Davis Family
Jerri DeVoe
Pam Dorsten
Don Dunn
Molly Hall
Barb Hawk
Rika Hendrickson
Roger Hilbig
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Alforetta Hughes
Edward Hughes
Jim Jones
Linda Jones
Robert Lacy
Scott Kayser
Letha Kimball
Sherry Matsel
Rachel Maury
Sarah Maury
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Sherry Newcomer
Linda Parsons
Candice Purdin
Tracey Rickey
Kelly Rickabaugh
Barbara Vandecreek
Ginny Vikmanis
Lisa Weinstein
Roberta Wilhelm
Dee Willis
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For more information on any of these events, or to make a reservation, contact us at yourfriends@gccoa.org, or 937-376-5486.
◊ Medicare 101
Wed, August 10th, 2:30pm to 4:00pm, Xenia Community Center
◊ Homemade Treats and JamFest -
Wednesday, August 17th, 4:00pm to 6:30pm, Xenia Community Center
◊ Legal Chat - How Property & Assets Actually Transfer
Thursday, August 18th, 2:30pm, Peace Lutheran Church, Beavercreek
◊ Memory Loss, Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease
Wednesday, September 14th, 2:30-4:30pm, Xenia Community Center
◊ Grief & Loss Group
2nd Mondays (Feb 14th & Mar 14th ), 10am-Noon, Peace Lutheran Church
◊ In-Person Caregiver, Parkinson’s & Kinship Support Groups
Boomers and Beyond on Wednesdays around 12:05 pm
Partners in Caregiving on Thursdays soon after 6:00 pm
Please be on alert regarding tree trimming/removal, Social Security, and other scams.
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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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