Dear Senior Members,

Picture this:

You are alone in your home, suddenly you are overcome with a feeling of nausea and dizziness - you dial 911 and ask for help - and then you pass out. SB Police and EMT's arrive at your door and try to get in -- but they can't! The door is locked, you are immobile, and their only option is to break down the door to provide the first aid you need. Our wonderful emergency response team renders the aid you need, but there is hundreds of dollars of damage to your door.

Luckily, here in South Brunswick there is a solution: Operation Blue Angel. This wonderful program supplies small lock-boxes (similar the ones used by realtors) that hold a key to your door. The box is securely installed on or near your front door, and the access code is recorded at the police Communications Center. In the event of an emergency, responding officers are provided the code as they arrive at your home, they quickly retrieve your key, and are able to enter and provide aid without causing any damage.

There is specific criteria you need to meet to enroll in the program, but if you are eligible, please consider it. Please read on for more details.
Background:
Operation Blue Angel is a grant funded program run by the South Brunswick Police department intended to provide Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) access to a residence in the event of an emergency where the resident is unable to open the door.

Eligible residents (55 or older, living alone or has a medical condition that is potentially incapacitating or is alone on a frequent basis) will be provided with a free lock box. A key to the residence, provided by you will be stored in the secure lock box near the entrance to the residence.

The access code to the lock box will only be available to Police personnel and used only during an emergency. If the code is utilized the combination will be reset. There is a free application that you can get print or we are happy to mail one to you.

You must also fill out a waiver that needs to be notarized and our department can help with that if we can do it in a safe manner.

As always, please let us know how we might be able to help you during this difficult time.

My Best,
Caryl
732.329.4000 x 7682
Resources

Water and Sewer Discounts SAVE MONEY OFF YOUR BILL!!! If you need assistance with this please reach out to Darlene Dawson at 732.329.4000 x 7676

Are you registered to vote? Voting is a precious right that should not be taken for granted. If you are a citizen, make sure you are registered to vote in November. And you can receive election reminders and other information at VoteAmerica .

Check to see if you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to with the easy to use BenefitsCheckUp provided by the National Council on Aging. Need help with benefits? Give Darlene a call 732.329.4000 x 7676
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Upcoming Class:

Intro to Arabic - Taught by one of our wonderful volunteers. All material will be emailed to you and taught on line for free. Please email me for further information . Caryl

Join our Facebook Group for ongoing live classes, fun quizzes, discussions and more.

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Join us for a fun, free, virtual good time, featuring local resident
Mitch Frumkin,
who loves to make people laugh! Mitch was featured at ‘Gotham Comedy’ in NYC and ‘The Metropolitan Room in NYC.’

Empty your bladder before you dial in and be ready to LOL (laugh out loud) Bring your beverage of choice and join us
Wednesday, August 5   th   at 4 PM.

+1 347-467-1434   United States, New York City (Toll)
Conference ID: 437 797 732#

If you have low back pain , you are certainly not alone. At any given time, 1 in 4 people report having had low back pain within the past 3 months.  If your low back pain is accompanied by the following symptoms, you should visit your local emergency department immediately: loss of bowel or bladder control and/or numbness in the groin or inner thigh. 

These symptoms might indicate a condition called "cauda equina syndrome," and is considered an emergency situation. Luckily, most conditions are far less serious & can be managed conservatively with physical therapy. With low back pain, symptoms can vary quite a bit; they can be dull, burning, or sharp. It may be localized or go into one/both legs. There are many different causes of low back pain, some of which commonly include degenerative disc disease, stenosis, herniated discs, or osteoporosis. 

In many cases, unless there was trauma, tests (i.e. x-rays and MRIs) are often not necessary in your recovery. In fact, a recent article concluded that patients who received an MRI first vs physical therapy first for low back pain spent on average $4,793 more (with similar outcomes in each group)! If you are experiencing low back/leg pain, fortunately, Penn Medicine Princeton Rehabilitation at South Brunswick can help & it’s right here within your Senior Center!  Esther Frasso, PT can help manage your pain, increase your strength & flexibility and improve your posture & mobility. 

Research shows that movement & activity have been shown to be highly effective in managing low back pain; in fact, most physicians often recommend physical therapy for low back pain because of its known success in managing this condition. We know that not all low back pain is the same, so your treatment will be developed with your goals in mind, and will be specific to your symptoms. Once Esther completes your initial examination, she will evaluate the results, identify the factors that have contributed to your specific back problem, and design an individualized treatment plan for your specific condition including manual therapy, exercises, modalities and education. Low back pain is common, but it doesn’t have to be permanent!

If you are experiencing low back pain/hip or leg pain, let your doctor know that you would like to try physical therapy. Give us a call at (609) 497-2230 . Most insurances accepted!