Tuolumne County Commission on Aging Post "Cathie Peacock, Fearless Advocate" / Senior Expo And Calendar 2011

Welcome to the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging blog: it’s our ongoing effort that we hope will bring information to help and inform seniors in our county.  
The commissioners, with their extensive and varied experience and expertise, are all volunteers and without exception are primarily concerned with doing whatever they can to improve the lives of our county’s seniors in and around the Motherlode.

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CATHIE PEACOCK, FEARLESS ADVOCATE - NOMINATED FOR AWARD

Tuolumne County Commission on Aging’s Cathie Peacock has been nominated for an award called “Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women.”  Cathie was nominated by Laurel Utecht, a member of Soroptimist International of Sonora (see nomination text below this section).

This award is described by Soroptimist International in the – excerpted - paragraph below.  Editor: Roberta Goodwin

The Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women
Formerly called the Soroptimist Making a Difference for Women Award, the Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women Award.  A Ruby is a deep red gemstone associated with wisdom, importance, vitality, strength, vivacity, power and love: all words embodying strong and compassionate women. The Soroptimist Ruby Award honors women who have worked to improve the lives of women and girls through their professional and/or volunteer work.

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Ed. note: nomination written by Laurel Utecht, Soroptimist International of Sonora…

I have known of Cathie Peacock for many years, hearing her name many times associated with community fundraisers and community activities. I have been a volunteer at Interfaith Community Social Services for ten years and Cathie came on as our Director two years ago. Interfaith has served our community for over 20 years providing the necessities of life to any one who is in need.

Cathie Peacock

Since Cathie has been our Director our monetary donations have increased, our donations of food, clothing and household items have increased and those that use our services have increased, all through Cathie’s efforts. I have nominated Cathie for the Ruby Award because I have seen her involvement with women of our community that most would walk away from. I watch her mentor them, provide the aid they need, and be their friend.

There is Pat who is homeless and lives in the woods during the summer and finds a way to go to jail in the winter. Mary Ann, an alcoholic and hoarder who irritates most [people] she is around and Kate, the cat lady who lives in a travel trailer without electricity or water and her ten or more cats. Kate smells so bad that it is very difficult to be around her. However, Cathie will take her into her office and talk to her about the problems of Kate’s daughter’s recent suicide without ever wrinkling her nose.  

Many of these women are mentally ill and on medications. They don’t always take their medications and can become very difficult to be around.  However, Cathie never sees them as being difficult. She never speaks ill of any of our seemingly hopeless homeless women. She never preaches to them or demeans them. In her eyes they are as worthy a woman as you or I. 

Cathie has failed to mention Sonora’s Annual Christmas Eve dinner that feeds over 1,500 each year and provides gifts for all children in attendance. She is personally responsible for this event. To fund the dinner she organized “The Old Mill Run”.  I am unsure of how long these two events have been in existence but I know it has been many years. She appears to be dauntless and her energy level is unbelievable. 

On top of all that she does, this past winter a tree fell on her house making it unlivable. She continued with her work while living in a motel for much of the winter. She lives “up the hill” and never lets the snow stop her from doing what she does.

For those reasons and many more I have submitted Cathie Peacock as worthy to receive the recognition as provided by the Soroptimist Ruby Award. She treads where many women would fear to tread.

Ed. Note: Laurel says the award will be presented to Cathie on June 23^rd at the annual dinner for Soroptimist of Sonora.  She will let us know the location.

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SENIORS WILL BE HONORED

Senior Volunteer of the Year Ceremony

Written by Cathie Peacock, Tuolumne County Commission on Aging

The Tuolumne County Commission on Aging will be hosting a recognition and award event for senior volunteers serving in and around Tuolumne County.  This event will take place June 22, 2011 (Wednesday), 11AM in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 4^th Floor, 2 Green Street, Sonora.  Anyone wishing to recognize and nominate a senior should complete a Senior Volunteer of the Year Nomination Form and submit it by June 10^th.  Nominees must be residents of Tuolumne County; be 60 years of age or older, and NOT members of the Commission on Aging.
Nomination forms may be obtained from the Senior Center on Greenly Rd; Area 12 Agency on Aging offices on Standard Rd in east Sonora; Senior Lounge in downtown Sonora; the Little House in Groveland; UpCountry Senior Center in Sugar Pine.  All nominations must include a follow up telephone number for verification of submitted information. To request applications, or for any additional information, contact Cathie Peacock at 586-4802.

Centenarian Society Event

The Tuolumne County’s Commission on Aging is seeking information on local centenarians, those who have reached or surpassed the age of 100 years.  A special recognition and honoring event is planned for Wednesday, October 19^th, 11AM, at the Senior Center on Greenly Rd., in Sonora.  The Commission on Aging is asking eligible individuals’ family members, friends, churches, residential care and skilled nursing facilities to submit names.
In addition, anyone who has reached the ages of 96, 97, 98, and 99 yrs will be honored as well, in recognition of their status in Tuolumne County’s Centenarian University of Life. Those who are aged 96 years are freshman, 97 years are sophomores, 98 years are juniors, and 99 years are seniors.  Upon reaching the age of 100 years, those individuals will be inducted into the Centenarian Society of Tuolumne County.  Their name will be placed on the Centenarian Society wall plaque at the Senior Center on Greenly Rd.  Each name submitted will receive a personal invitation, including their families, and a certificate of recognition of their status in our communities.  The Senior Center will provide lunch free to the honorees, and $3.50 to all others, to be served by community leaders and Commission on Aging members.
For additional information or to submit names, contact Cathie Peacock at 586-4802 or JoAnn Rascon at 588-9004.

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ANNOUNCING 2011 Senior Expo

The 2011 Senior Expo will be held May 25, 2011 from 9am to 2pm at the MOTHERLODE FAIRGROUNDS, John Muir Building.  The Expo features the opportunity for blood draws, a very popular Senior Idol contest, and many various for-profit and non-profit groups will present their senior-oriented services and wares.  In addition, many booths will be informational. This is a FREE event open to anyone, particularly seniors, baby boomers, family, caregivers, and all interested parties. For more information, go to the website: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Features and typical booths: 

*      Senior Idol contest! DO YOU SING OR DANCE?

*      Medical: blood draw 9AM-2 PM (nominal fee)

*      Caregivers: information / options
*      Finance/Insurance
* Legal 

FOOD will be available

Hosted by:  The Tuolumne County Commission on Aging
Sierra Senior Providers (Meals on Wheels)

Co-sponsored by: Black Oak Casino *Ray Suess Insurance*
Blue Mountain Minerals* JS West* Bob’s Greenley Pharmacy*
Reminder: Stay updated on the latest info at: http://www.seniorfair.com/

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Commission on Aging Events Calendar 2011

1)  Commission on Aging Executive Board meetings 1:00PM, 1^st Monday each month, at the Senior Center

2)  Commission on Aging Public Relations committee meetings, 12:00PM, 1^st Wednesday each month, at Interfaith

3)  Commission on Aging general meetings 1:30PM, 2^nd Monday each month, at Area 12 Agency on Aging, Standard Rd., Conf. Room C
NOTE: the June 13^th meeting will be in Groveland at The Little House.

4)  May 25 – Senior Expo, Motherlode Fairgrounds, John Muir Building 9AM-2PM

5)  June 22 - Senior Volunteer of the Year Awards Ceremony 11AM at Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors' Chambers, 4th Floor, 2 Green St.  Sonora

6)  October 19 - Centenarian Awards Ceremony 11AM Senior Center Sonora
 

***2011 Speakers’ schedule***
(to inform the commissioners on senior related issues.)
>May - Linda Zach

>June - John Gray

>August - Kathy Toepel

 

All COA meetings are open to the public. Please come and give us your ideas, concerns, and information regarding senior issues!

In future, we will be blogging with more information on matters of interest to county seniors so stay tuned!  And please feel free to let us know YOUR ideas for events or forums that you want to see! We actively solicit your comments.  You may contact the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging by email aging2010@gmail.com.

To go to Friends and Neighbors website go here: http://seniorfan.com/ 
To go to the San Francisco Institute on Aging website, go here: http://www.ioaging.org/

Blog Editor: Roberta Goodwin

What thoughts have YOU?  Email them to me at: aging2010@gmail.com.  Roberta

Tuolumne County Commission on Aging Post: Seniors Will Be Honored / Senior Expo And Calendar 2011

Welcome to the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging blog: it’s our ongoing effort that we hope will bring information to help and inform seniors in our county.

The commissioners, with their extensive and varied experience and expertise, are all volunteers and without exception are primarily concerned with doing whatever they can to improve the lives of our county’s seniors in and around the Motherlode. 

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SENIORS WILL BE HONORED

Senior Volunteer of the Year Ceremony

Written by Cathie Peacock, commissioner, Tuolumne County Commission on Aging

The Tuolumne County Commission on Aging will be hosting a recognition and award event for senior volunteers serving in and around Tuolumne County.  This event will take place June 22, 2011 (Wednesday), 11AM in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 4^th Floor, 2 Green Street, Sonora.  Anyone wishing to recognize and nominate a senior should complete a Senior Volunteer of the Year Nomination Form and submit it by June 10^th.  Nominees must be residents of Tuolumne County; be 60 years of age or older, and NOT members of the Commission on Aging.

Nomination forms may be obtained from the Senior Center on Greenly Rd; Area 12 Agency on Aging offices on Standard Rd in east Sonora; Senior Lounge in downtown Sonora; the Little House in Groveland; UpCountry Senior Center in Sugar Pine.  All nominations must include a follow up telephone number for verification of submitted information. To request applications, or for any additional information, contact Cathie Peacock at 586-4802. 

To download a nomination form, go here: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/78048875/Senior-Volunteer-of-the-Year-nomination-form

Centenarian Society Event

The Tuolumne County’s Commission on Aging is seeking information on local centenarians, those who have reached or surpassed the age of 100 years.  A special recognition and honoring event is planned for Wednesday, October 19^th, 11AM, at the Senior Center on Greenly Rd., in Sonora.  The Commission on Aging is asking eligible individuals’ family members, friends, churches, residential care and skilled nursing facilities to submit names.
In addition, anyone who has reached the ages of 96, 97, 98, and 99 yrs will be honored as well, in recognition of their status in Tuolumne County’s Centenarian University of Life. Those who are aged 96 years are freshman, 97 years are sophomores, 98 years are juniors, and 99 years are seniors.  Upon reaching the age of 100 years, those individuals will be inducted into the Centenarian Society of Tuolumne County.  Their name will be placed on the Centenarian Society wall plaque at the Senior Center on Greenly Rd.  Each name submitted will receive a personal invitation, including their families, and a certificate of recognition of their status in our communities.  The Senior Center will provide lunch free to the honorees, and $3.50 to all others, to be served by community leaders and Commission on Aging members.
For additional information or to submit names, contact Cathie Peacock at 586-4802 or JoAnn Rascon at 588-9004.

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Elder Awareness Conference, 9am-4pm, May 4, St. Patrick's Parish Hall, downtown Sonora– more on this from the events section of Friends and Neighbors Magazine: “Elder Awareness Conference, 9am-4pm, May 4, St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, downtown Sonora. Sponsored by Mother Lode Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, serving Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa and Alpine counties. Conference topics and speakers: Healthcare Reform, Jose Salazar of Tarazana Treatment Centers; Web Safety for Older Adults, Carol Power of Mother Lode Internet; Trusts and Wills, Tirzah Woodward, attorney; Bankers Against Fraud of Older Adults, representatives of local banks; Alzheimer’s Update, Elizabeth Edgerly of Alzheimer’s Association; Scam Database, Tuolumne County Community Service Unit. Call to reserve a seat, $25 per person, 532-7632.”

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ANNOUNCING 2011 Senior Expo

The 2011 Senior Expo will be held May 25, 2011 from 9am to 2pm at the MOTHERLODE FAIRGROUNDS, John Muir Building.  The Expo features the opportunity for blood draws, a very popular Senior Idol contest, and many various for-profit and non-profit groups will present their senior-oriented services and wares.  In addition, many booths will be informational. This is a FREE event open to anyone, particularly seniors, family, caregivers, but also any and all interested parties. For more information, to become a sponsor, or to reserve your own booth (the deadline is April 30th!), please call the Senior Expo Coordinator: 209-532-1607 or go to the website: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Features and typical booths:

*      Senior Idol contest! DO YOU SING OR DANCE?

*      Finance/Insurance

*      Medical such as blood draw (nominal fee)

*      Caregivers information / options     FOOD will be available

Co-sponsored by: Black Oak Casino *Ray Suess Insurance*
Blue Mountain Minerals* JS West* Bob’s Greenley Pharmacy*

Reminder: Stay updated on the latest info at: http://www.seniorfair.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Commission on Aging Events Calendar 2011

1)  Commission on Aging Executive Board meetings 1:00PM, 1^st Monday each month, at the Senior Center

2)  Commission on Aging Public Relations committee meetings, 12:00PM, 1^st Wednesday each month, at Interfaith

3)  Commission on Aging general meetings 1:30PM, 2^nd Monday each month, at Area 12 Agency on Aging, Standard Rd., Conf. Room C
NOTE: the June 13^th meeting will be in Groveland at The Little House.
All meetings start at 1:30PM.  All our meetings are open to the public. 

4)  May 25 – Senior Expo, Motherlode Fairgrounds, John Muir Building 9AM-2PM

5)  June 22 - Senior Volunteer of the Year Awards Ceremony 11AM at Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors' Chambers, 4th Floor, 2 Green St.  Sonora

6)  October 19 - Centenarian Awards Ceremony 11AM Senior Center Sonora

All COA meetings are open to the public. Please come and give us your ideas, concerns, and information regarding senior issues!

In future, we will be blogging with more information on matters of interest to county seniors so stay tuned!  And please feel free to let us know YOUR ideas for events or forums that you want to see! We actively solicit your comments.  You may contact the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging by email aging2010@gmail.com.

To go to Friends and Neighbors website go here: http://seniorfan.com/ 
To go to the San Francisco Institute on Aging website, go here: http://www.ioaging.org/

Blog Editor: Roberta Goodwin

What thoughts have YOU?  Email them to me at: aging2010@gmail.com.  Roberta

Tuolumne County Commission on Aging Post "BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID" / Senior Expo And Calendar 2011

Welcome to the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging blog: it’s our ongoing effort that we hope will be the first of many aimed to bring information to help and inform seniors in our county.

The commissioners, with their extensive and varied experience and expertise, are all volunteers and without exception are primarily concerned with doing whatever they can to improve the lives of our county’s seniors in and around the Motherlode.

Credit Card Scam - BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID

  by Roberta Goodwin, email me at: aging2010@gmail.com

So: one morning, I got a phone call.  Not just any phone call.  One of those “Toll Free Call” things, but I didn't get there in time to answer before the machine picked up.  Whoever it was hung up.  So I called back, thinking it might be important, somebody I was expecting to call back, y'know like, I don't know, Mobility-Plus, or my bank or something.  The person who answered said “Visa”.  I explained, and asked why they called.  She said, “No, we don't make outgoing calls.”  I argued and said, “Wait a minute.  But you DID.  I just called back using my caller ID system. So it had to be you.”  Patiently now she says, “Noooo, WE DON'T CALL YOU.  We never do.  It had to be that company who is on a calling campaign now, trying to trick you by asking you questions and getting your personal sensitive credit card information out of you. It’s fraud.”  Getting it now finally, I said, “Aha, we are to know it’s not you guys because you always expect US to call YOU?”  She says, ever-so-patiently, “Yes, exactly.” 

She also advised that I call my “credit card provider” (in my case, it’s Chase) so I did.  Chase asked me for the number they used (an actual VISA number – spoofed, of course) and advised me to check my account.  I had done that already, logging on and looking at my “activity” while dialing Chase.  She also said IF they have to call customers, they never ask for identifying info, such as last four numbers of the credit card, Social Security number, name address etc. 

Well, it took me a while, I admit.  In a former life, post AT&T, one of the things I used to be was an IT (Information Technologies) person, which means I was responsible for maintaining a computer network, preventing virus attacks, and making sure in all ways that the office network ran smoothly.  Like that.  A trained technician, a critical-thinking person, and yet this took me some time to understand.  Yes, I thought, and YET.  So I started thinking:  Be Afraid – be VERY AFRAID.  In my opinion, seniors are at particular risk because, like me, our generation grew up trusting those who call to be who they say they are, and if a CREDIT CARD Company calls, they must have good reason, and we jump to comply with their request.

Conclusion-as we do things during the day and get distracted, tired, or frustrated, take medications that cause fuzzy thinking perhaps, or otherwise have an unguarded moment, we may know better but the danger is to release this kind of information.  If you get one of these calls, excuse yourself, and call back your credit card company (after looking up the specific phone numbers on your credit cards to check for the applicable one).  Remind your family members and friends too. 

Note: After reading this blog today, Marge Depew chimes in with a new  wrinkle.  She says she got a phone call the other day displaying "Out of Area" caller with the area code of 129.  This caller hung up on her machine, too, and was likely a scammer.  The NPAs (or "numbering plan areas") for this country do not include a "1" as the first digit.  US area codes anymore have no specific format after years (1951-1990) of requiring "0" or "1" as the second digit.  Google now just identifies "129" as "Non-US. NPA must be between 201 and 999".  So, an interesting wrinkle.  Thank you, Marge.

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Elder Awareness Conference, 9am-4pm, May 4, St. Patrick's Parish Hall, downtown Sonora– more on this from the events section of Friends and Neighbors Magazine: “Elder Awareness Conference, 9am-4pm, May 4, St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, downtown Sonora. Sponsored by Mother Lode Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, serving Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, M

Publish Post

ariposa and Alpine counties. Conference topics and speakers: Healthcare Reform, Jose Salazar of Tarazana Treatment Centers; Web Safety for Older Adults, Carol Power of Mother Lode Internet; Trusts and Wills, Tirzah Woodward, attorney; Bankers Against Fraud of Older Adults, representatives of local banks; Alzheimer’s Update, Elizabeth Edgerly of Alzheimer’s Association; Scam Database, Tuolumne County Community Service Unit. Call to reserve a seat, $25 per person, 532-7632.”

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ANNOUNCING 2011 Senior Expo

The 2011 Senior Expo will be held May 25, 2011 from 9am to 2pm at the MOTHERLODE FAIRGROUNDS, John Muir Building.  The Expo features the opportunity for blood draws, a very popular Senior Idol contest, and many various for-profit and non-profit groups will present their senior-oriented services and wares.  In addition, many booths will be informational. This is a FREE event open to anyone, particularly seniors, family, caregivers, but also any and all interested parties. For more information, to become a sponsor, or to reserve your own booth (the deadline is April 30th!), please call the Senior Expo Coordinator: 209-532-1607 or go to the website: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Features and typical booths:

*      Senior Idol contest! DO YOU SING OR DANCE?

*      Finance/Insurance

*      Medical such as blood draw (nominal fee)

*      Caregivers information / options

*      FOOD - will be available 
Reminder: Stay updated on the latest info at: http://www.seniorfair.com/

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Commission on Aging Events Calendar 2011

1)  Commission on Aging Executive Board meetings 1:00PM, 1^st Monday each month, at the Senior Center

2)  Commission on Aging Public Relations committee meetings, 12:00PM, 1^st Wednesday each month, at Interfaith

3)  Commission on Aging general meetings 1:30PM, 2^nd Monday each month, at Area 12 Agency on Aging, Standard Rd., Conf. Room C
NOTE: the June 13^th meeting will be in Groveland at The Little House.
All meetings start at 1:30PM.  All our meetings are open to the public. 

4)  May 25 – Senior Expo, Motherlode Fairgrounds, John Muir Building 9AM-2PM

5)  June 22 - Senior Volunteer of the Year Awards Ceremony 11AM at Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors' Chambers, 4th Floor, 2 Green St.  Sonora

6)  October 19 - Centenarian Awards Ceremony 11AM Senior Center Sonora

All COA meetings are open to the public. Please come and give us your ideas, concerns, and information regarding senior issues!

In future, we will be blogging with more information on matters of interest to county seniors so stay tuned!  And please feel free to let us know YOUR ideas for events or forums that you want to see! We actively solicit your comments.  You may contact the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging by email aging2010@gmail.com.

To go to Friends and Neighbors website go here: http://seniorfan.com/ 
To go to the San Francisco Institute on Aging website, go here: http://www.ioaging.org/

Blog Editor: Roberta Goodwin

What thoughts have YOU?  Email them to me at: aging2010@gmail.com.  Roberta 

Tuolumne County Commission on Aging Post: Catherine Driver / Senior Expo And Calendar 2011

Welcome to the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging blog: it’s our ongoing effort that we hope will be the first of many aimed to bring information to help and inform seniors in our county.

The commissioners, with their extensive and varied experience and expertise, are all volunteers and without exception are primarily concerned with doing whatever they can to improve the lives of our county’s seniors in and around the Motherlode.

Speaker April 11th, 2011

Catherine Driver appeared and spoke before the Commission at their general meeting last Monday April 11.   Ms. Driver is the Engagement Coordinator for the Mother Lode Office Catholic Charities – Diocese of Stockton, which is on Mono Way in Sonora, and she briefly covered all the programs that their organization sponsors.

Their main focus - as of Monday - was the free senior luncheon April 13^th in six locations, two counties.

Acting Chair Carleton Penwell, Recording Secretary Charlotte Frazier and Commissioner Kathi Bramblett were especially impressed.  This observation comes from Carleton: “She gave a good 10-15 minute informational session and got her message out as per their programs and information.” Kathi said: “They are especially looking for volunteers for legal advocacy, ombudsmen and friendship line.”

Catholic Charities’ programs include:

The Mother Lode Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program; Office of Legal Advocacy; Older Adults Outreach and Engagement Program; Home Share; Elder Awareness Conference at St. Patrick's Church (see longer description below) which is open to the public; please call the Catholic Charities office for tickets at 209-532-7632.

Elder Awareness Conference, 9am-4pm, May 4, St. Patrick's Parish Hall, downtown Sonora– more on this from the events section of Friends and Neighbors Magazine: “Elder Awareness Conference, 9am-4pm, May 4, St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, downtown Sonora. Sponsored by Mother Lode Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, serving Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa and Alpine counties. Conference topics and speakers: Healthcare Reform, Jose Salazar of Tarazana Treatment Centers; Web Safety for Older Adults, Carol Power of Mother Lode Internet; Trusts and Wills, TirzahWoodward, attorney; Bankers Against Fraud of Older Adults, representatives of local banks; Alzheimer’s Update, Elizabeth Edgerly of Alzheimer’s Association; Scam Database, Tuolumne County Community Service Unit. Call to reserve a seat, $25 per person, 532-7632.”

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More news affecting seniors:  Sierra HouseCalls announces they are accepting new patients!  If you are homebound, over 60 years of age, and unable to drive or if you have family members or friends who are homebound, over 60, and can't drive anymore, call Tina at Sierra HouseCalls 209-532-4287 for more information, or if you have questions. 

From their website - http://www.shmgi.com/about.html

Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group is dedicated to caring for the needs of our greatest resource-the senior members of our communities. We are committed to working as a team with other organizations to help patients remain in their own homes for as long as possible. Sierra HouseCalls strongly believes that all patients have the right to compassionate and sensitive health care that considers the needs and desires of each individual.

Sonora physician Matt Personius started Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group in February 2003 with the goal of helping elderly and disabled individuals remain independent. Dr. Personius moved to Tuolumne County in 1997. He relocated to the area to take a position at a local hospital, where he recognized the growing need for home health care in the area.

Most seniors remember the days when physicians commonly made “house calls” and were able to observe the patient in their home environment. This relationship allowed physicians to better understand the social dynamics that impacted the overall health of their patients. Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group innovative medical practice combines “old fashioned” house calls, one-on-one doctor consultations and the newest technology all in the comfort of your home.

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ANNOUNCING 2011 Senior Expo

The 2011 Senior Expo will be held May 25, 2011 from 9am to 2pm at the MOTHERLODE FAIRGROUNDS, John Muir Building.  The Expo features the opportunity for blood draws, a very popular Senior Idol contest, and many various for-profit and non-profit groups will present their senior-oriented services and wares.  In addition, many booths will be informational. This is a FREE event open to anyone, particularly seniors, family, caregivers, but also any and all interested parties. For more information, to become a sponsor, or to reserve your own booth (the deadline is April 30th!), please call the Senior Expo Coordinator: 209-532-1607 or go to the website: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Features and typical booths:

*      Senior Idol contest! DO YOU SING OR DANCE?

*      Finance/Insurance

*      Medical such as blood draw (nominal fee)

*      Caregivers information / options

*      FOOD - will be available 
Reminder: Stay updated on the latest info at: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Commission on Aging Events Calendar 2011

1)  Commission on Aging Executive Board meetings 1:00PM, 1^st Monday each month, at the Senior Center

2)  Commission on Aging Public Relations committee meetings, 12:00PM, 1^st Wednesday each month, at Interfaith

3)  Commission on Aging general meetings 1:30PM, 2^nd Monday each month, at Area 12 Agency on Aging, Standard Rd., Conf. Room C
NOTE: the June 13^th meeting will be in Groveland at The Little House.
All meetings start at 1:30PM.  All our meetings are open to the public. 

4)  May 25 – Senior Expo, Motherlode Fairgrounds, John Muir Building 9AM-2PM

5)  June 22 - Senior Volunteer of the Year Awards Ceremony 11AM at Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors' Chambers, 4th Floor, 2 Green St.  Sonora

6)  October 19 - Centenarian Awards Ceremony 11AM Senior Center Sonora

All COA meetings are open to the public. Please come and give us your ideas, concerns, and information regarding senior issues!

In future, we will be blogging with more information on matters of interest to county seniors so stay tuned!  And please feel free to let us know YOUR ideas for events or forums that you want to see! We actively solicit your comments.  You may contact the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging by email aging2010@gmail.com.

To go to Friends and Neighbors website go here: http://seniorfan.com/ 
To go to the San Francisco Institute on Aging website, go here: http://www.ioaging.org/

Blog Editor: Roberta Goodwin

What thoughts have YOU?  Email them to me at: aging2010@gmail.com.  Roberta 

Tuolumne County Commission on Aging Post "Eight Million Stories" / Senior Expo And Calendar 2011

Welcome to the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging blog: it’s our ongoing effort that we hope will be the first of many aimed to bring information to help and inform seniors in our county.

The commissioners, with their extensive and varied experience and expertise, are all volunteers and without exception are primarily concerned with doing whatever they can to improve the lives of our county’s seniors in and around the Motherlode.

Eight Million Stories

All of us come from varied backgrounds.  I'm reminded of the old TV show and its slogan: “There are eight million stories in The NAKED CITY!”...

I myself happen to be a “hearing child of deaf parents”.  Deaf as in Deaf-State School educated deaf adults.  Deaf as in Deaf Culture deaf.  Deaf as in sign language deaf.  My parents were, neither one, deaf from birth, but deafened as very young children.  Thus I am not deaf.  My dad had an accident on his family’s farm in southwestern Arkansas at nine months of age, and my mother’s deafness at two years old was caused by a common side effect, in those days, of scarlet fever.  Both were educated at the Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock, which is where they came to know each other and where they married after graduation.  Growing up, my house was both one of loud TVs (Mother being hard-of-hearing) and silent sign language, and of parties of deaf people gesturing in signs and laughing, but with no audible words.  (How strange – and at the same time how wonderful - my friends and neighbors found my parents’ parties!) 

Their problems as deaf adults were typical of those of their deaf friends, more problematic of course than those of “hearing people”, but as seniors these problems were exacerbated by my mother’s early onset schizophrenia and my father’s Alzheimer's.  I've always considered that my mother’s schizophrenia was at least partly caused by having a foot in both worlds, but firmly rooted in neither.  How confusing she thought the world she lived in.  So much so that when having a difficult conversation with hearing folks, she might resort to much nodding and agreeing with everything rather than trying to make herself understood or understanding them.  

Growing up, my role was always as interpreter (I started answering the telephone at age four).  Through the years, I  took her to many doctor appointments, and other such errands, both before and after the schizophrenia, all mostly filled with difficult communication sessions of one kind or another.  My dad? He always had his own business (a dry cleaners, wherever we lived).  He said it was to avoid communication problems with any possibly disagreeable hearing boss.  But I knew it was also because he was stubborn as all get-out, not inclined to take orders.  And later on? Oh my, how hard is it to deal with the confusion and wanderings of a stubborn, opinionated, elderly man with whom the authorities or passers-by on the streets could not effectively communicate? And how terribly frightening and confusing was his world at that point?

I admired my parents for their intelligence, as both went on from the State Deaf School in Arkansas to attend Gallaudet, the only college for the Deaf in the US.  And I marveled at their various talents, all their triumphs over adversities;  I marveled that they were so successful in life in spite of their deafness.  My father was a successful businessman, and my mother, despite being afflicted with polio in her early thirties, albeit a mild case, learned the game of golf as therapy (walking was prescribed), and went on at that late age to become a near-scratch golfer. She never heard the sound the golf ball makes, dropping into the cup.

I just cannot imagine the difficulty level of my parents’ travails (can YOU?), even after seeing them all my life.  But as it was said before, there are all kinds of stories in this world.  What stories have YOU run into with your parents, grandparents, or seniors you know, and would like to share?  

Email me at aging2010@gmail.com.  Roberta

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More news affecting seniors:  Sierra HouseCalls announces they are accepting new patients!  If you are homebound, over 60 years of age, and unable to drive or if you have family members or friends who are homebound, over 60, and can't drive anymore, call Tina at Sierra HouseCalls 209-532-4287 for more information, or if you have questions. 

From their website - http://www.shmgi.com/about.html

Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group is dedicated to caring for the needs of our greatest resource-the senior members of our communities. We are committed to working as a team with other organizations to help patients remain in their own homes for as long as possible. Sierra HouseCalls strongly believes that all patients have the right to compassionate and sensitive health care that considers the needs and desires of each individual.

Sonora physician Matt Personius started Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group in February 2003 with the goal of helping elderly and disabled individuals remain independent. Dr. Personius moved to Tuolumne County in 1997. He relocated to the area to take a position at a local hospital, where he recognized the growing need for home health care in the area.

Most seniors remember the days when physicians commonly made “house calls” and were able to observe the patient in their home environment. This relationship allowed physicians to better understand the social dynamics that impacted the overall health of their patients. Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group innovative medical practice combines “old fashioned” house calls, one-on-one doctor consultations and the newest technology all in the comfort of your home.

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ANNOUNCING 2011 Senior Expo

The 2011 Senior Expo will be held May 25, 2011 from 9am to 2pm at the MOTHERLODE FAIRGROUNDS, John Muir Building.  The Expo features the opportunity for blood draws, a very popular Senior Idol contest, and many various for-profit and non-profit groups will present their senior-oriented services and wares.  In addition, many booths will be informational. This is a FREE event open to anyone, particularly seniors, family, caregivers, but also any and all interested parties. For more information, to become a sponsor, or to reserve your own booth (the deadline is April 30th!), please call the Senior Expo Coordinator: 209-532-1607 or go to the website: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Features and typical booths:

*      Senior Idol contest! DO YOU SING OR DANCE?

*      Finance/Insurance

*      Medical such as blood draw (nominal fee)

*      Caregivers information / options

*      FOOD - will be available 
Reminder: Stay updated on the latest info at: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Commission on Aging Events Calendar 2011

1)  Commission on Aging Executive Board meetings 1:00PM, 1^st Monday each month, at the Senior Center

2)  Commission on Aging Public Relations committee meetings, 12:00PM, 1^st Wednesday each month, at Interfaith

3)  Commission on Aging general meetings 1:30PM, 2^nd Monday each month, at Area 12 Agency on Aging, Standard Rd., Conf. Room C
NOTE: the June 13^th meeting will be in Groveland at The Little House.
All meetings start at 1:30PM.  All our meetings are open to the public. 

4)  May 25 – Senior Expo, Motherlode Fairgrounds, John Muir Building 9AM-2PM

5)  June 22 - Senior Volunteer of the Year Awards Ceremony 11AM at Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors' Chambers, 4th Floor, 2 Green St.  Sonora

6)  October 19 - Centenarian Awards Ceremony 11AM Senior Center Sonora

All COA meetings are open to the public. Please come and give us your ideas, concerns, and information regarding senior issues!

In future, we will be blogging with more information on matters of interest to county seniors so stay tuned!  And please feel free to let us know YOUR ideas for events or forums that you want to see! We actively solicit your comments.  Contact Tuolumne County Commission on Aging by email aging2010@gmail.com.

To go to Friends and Neighbors website go here: http://seniorfan.com/ 

Blog Editor: Roberta Goodwin

aging2010@gmail.com

Commission on Aging News & Calendar 2011

Sharing information for the well-being of seniors in and around the Motherlode.  The Commission on Aging is an informed voice in the community, to advise, support and advocate on any or all matters affecting the aging in Tuolumne County.

MEDICARE IS NOT LONG TERM CARE
THE REALITY-PERCEPTION PARADOX

By Commissioner Bill Dorffi, Tuolumne County Commission on Aging

The Reality-Perception Paradox: My perception is my reality and the truth is irrelevant. 

Unfortunately, the Reality-Perception Paradox is alive and well regarding Medicare and Long Term Care (LTC).  The following illustrate many common mis-perceptions regarding the two.

Medicare, and its supplements, covers medical care. This means the treatment is restorative or rehabilitative and the patient will recover.  LTC covers a variety of services, assistance, support and facilities for those who have lost their ability to function independently.  LTC does not provide any medical care and Medicare does not provide any LTC service.

Over the past 20 years a number of consumer surveys have consistently reported that a majority of people believe Medicare covers LTC.  This perception is so widely held that people don’t adequately plan for LTC.  It’s uncertain why this mis-perception is so common.  One reason could be that Medicare pays for skilled nursing and many LTC facilities are named a Skilled Nursing Facility.  But the reality is only a small percentage of beds are available for skilled nursing care and the great majority of beds are for nursing home care.  Another reality is that of the people entering skilled nursing care, less than 5% are Medicare beneficiaries and their average length of stay paid by Medicare is 8 days.  

Another common mis-perception is LTC is nursing home care.  The reality is that over 95% of LTC is provided outside of a nursing home.  There are many services that provide support and assistance in the community and in the home.  A few examples are:  Meals on Wheels, Adult day care, Alert services that are on call and will send a paramedic when alerted, Visitor services where volunteers visit people in their homes to provide social interactions, as well as a great variety of other home care providers. 

The need for LTC develops in different ways.  There are three models of disability requiring LTC.  Injury, especially falls, or sickness, is one way.  If the person does not fully recover from medical treatment they need LTC.  In this situation Medicare pays for the medical treatment. But if there is a need for custodial care after the medical treatment, then LTC provides that care.

The other two models are more common and are a result of the aging process.  One is cognitive impairment, dementia or Alzheimer’s.  The   other is frailty, defined as loss of strength or immunity.  Both develop rather slowly so family members often are slow to recognize the loss of capability.  It’s common for the family to be alerted to the impairment by the family physician or other medical practitioner.

Thus the question, if Medicare doesn’t pay for LTC who does?  There are only 4 ways to pay for LTC.  First, each individual is responsible for their cost of care.  This is the same as being your own insurance company.  The odds are after age 60 there’s a 70% probability of needing some form of LTC later in life.  At age 85 there’s an 80% probability of needing nursing home care.  If these odds are unacceptable, one can transfer the risk with LTC insurance.  The third option is a reverse mortgage to pay for care at home.  But make sure the terms of the contract are fully understood before taking this option.  The last option is MediCal, a welfare program that one must prove impoverishment to be eligible for LTC.

There are probably more perception-reality paradoxes but this is all that comes to mind now.  Besides, these are enough to consider and evaluate for now.

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More news affecting seniors:  Sierra HouseCalls announces they are accepting new patients!  If you are homebound, over 60 years of age, and unable to drive or if you have family members or friends who are homebound, over 60, and can't drive anymore, call Tina at Sierra HouseCalls 209-532-4287 for more information, or if you have questions. 

From their website - http://www.shmgi.com/about.html

Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group is dedicated to caring for the needs of our greatest resource-the senior members of our communities. We are committed to working as a team with other organizations to help patients remain in their own homes for as long as possible. Sierra HouseCalls strongly believes that all patients have the right to compassionate and sensitive health care that considers the needs and desires of each individual.

Sonora physician Matt Personius started Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group in February 2003 with the goal of helping elderly and disabled individuals remain independent. Dr. Personius moved to Tuolumne County in 1997. He relocated to the area to take a position at a local hospital, where he recognized the growing need for home health care in the area.

Most seniors remember the days when physicians commonly made “house calls” and were able to observe the patient in their home environment. This relationship allowed physicians to better understand the social dynamics that impacted the overall health of their patients. Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group innovative medical practice combines “old fashioned” house calls, one-on-one doctor consultations and the newest technology all in the comfort of your home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ANNOUNCING 2011 Senior Expo

The 2011 Senior Expo will be held May 25, 2011 from 9am to 2pm at the MOTHERLODE FAIRGROUNDS, John Muir Building.  The Expo features the opportunity for blood draws, a very popular Senior Idol contest, and many various for-profit and non-profit groups will present their senior-oriented services and wares.  In addition, many booths will be informational. This is a FREE event open to anyone, particularly seniors, family, caregivers, but also any and all interested parties. For more information, to become a sponsor, or to reserve your own booth (the deadline is April 30th!), please call the Senior Expo Coordinator: 209-532-1607 or go to the website: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Features and typical booths:

*      Senior Idol contest! DO YOU SING OR DANCE?

*      Finance/Insurance

*      Medical such as blood draw (nominal fee)

*      Caregivers information / options

*      FOOD - will be available 
Reminder: Stay updated on the latest info at: http://www.seniorfair.com/

Commission on Aging Events Calendar 2011

1)      Commission on Aging Executive Board meetings 1:00PM, 1^st Monday each month, at Senior Center

2)      Commission on Aging Public Relations committee meetings, 12:00PM, 1^st Wednesday each month, at Interfaith

3)      Commission on Aging general meetings 1:30PM, 2^nd Monday each month, at Area 12 Agency on Aging, Standard Rd., Conf. Room C

4)      May 25 – Senior Fair & Expo, Motherlode Fairgrounds, John Muir Building 9AM-2PM

5)      June 22 - Senior Volunteer of the Year Awards Ceremony 11AM at Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors' Chambers, 4th Floor, 2 Green St.  Sonora

6)      October 19 - Centenarian Awards Ceremony 11AM Senior Center Sonora

All COA meetings are open to the public. Please come and give us your ideas, concerns, and information regarding senior issues!

To go to Friends and Neighbors website go here: http://seniorfan.com/ 

Blog Editor: Roberta Goodwin

aging2010@gmail.com