2010 Ideas for Life Senior Expo Education Seminars Announced

Senior Expo 2010 Educational Seminars

   

Brain Health- Feed It, Train It, Enrich It

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

When we think about staying fit, we generally think from the neck down.  But brain health plays a critical role in almost everything we do - thinking, feeling, remembering, working playing - even sleeping.  The good news is we now know there are things we can do to keep our brain healthier.  Join us as we explore ways to keep our brains fit.

Presenters:

Sandy Larson, RD

Sandy is a registered dietician and has worked with seniors for over 20 years.  Her position with Lutheran Social Services of Michigan entails quarterly reviews, resident assessments, menu planning and in servicing.  Sandy enjoys grocery shopping, meal planning and cooking.   We will learn how food effects our brain.

Chris Weaner, Alzheimer’s Association

Chris is the Regional Director of the NorthWest/Northeastern regions of Michigan.  She has worked hard to get Alzheimer’s disease out in the open and to get rid of the sigmas.  She will share some interactive techniques to keep our brains healthy. 

Marilyn Wares, Harpist

Marilyn’s interest in the harp developed when she took a harp class for cancer survivors.  Her husband was so interested in the positive effect that playing this instrument had on his wife, he designed what became know as the Tranquility Harp.  Marilyn will share with us the wonderful impact on the comfort, joy and serenity that learning to play the harp can have on both those that play and hear it.

Lunch-N-Learn

Senior Services 101 - Navigating the System

12 noon-1:30 p.m.

Come to this lunch-and-learn prepared to have a fun time while learning about senior services and how to get connected.  Whether a senior or care giver for a senior, the panelists will provide valuable insights into navigating what can be an overwhelming system of service and support options.    Box lunches can be enjoyed during the formal presentations right in the conference room.  Then be ready to test the panelists on their senior service knowledge by participating in “The Expo Game Show”.  Taking questions from our M.C., Mike Sheehan and attendees, the three panelists will share more information and tips for getting the help that you need in a light-hearted game show atmosphere.  Prizes will be provided to attendees!

Presenters:

Lana Patenaude

Lana is the Office Specialist at the Grand Traverse County Commission on Aging.  Her primary responsibilities include coordination the COA’s participation in area special events and working with Grand Traverse County seniors who are in need of financial assistance.

Lori Wells, BA, CIR-A

Lori has been the director of Traverse City Senior Center since 1991.  She is responsible for the operations of the Senior Center which has over 100 programs, including an ambitious travel schedule and over 200 members.  Lori has held the credential Senior Director Certified with the Michigan Association of Senior Centers since 1994.  More recently, Lori was certified in Information and Assistance by the national Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS), validating her expertise and knowledge of the field of Information and Assistance for seniors in our community.

Dee N. Wilkinson, BS, CIRS-A

Dee is the Housing Coordinator for Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan (AAANM).  Dee began her career in senior services in 1986.  She was employed as a Nutrition Program Assistant, Director of a Senior Meals Program and a Senior Center Director before joining AAANM in 1991.  Dee has worn many hats at AAANM-contracting, public relations, technical assistance, events coordination and more.  Just prior to accepting her current role, she served nine years as the Information and Assistance Specialist for the agency.  Dee maintains her national Information and Assistance certification through the Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS).

Stages of Life Care- “Marching through Time”

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Take a brief trip forward - through the stages of aging with this one hour seminar.  Begin with an active life style and progress through the various stages of aging, and the accompanying support for your heart, mind and soul.  We all will travel this road - lets travel it knowingly!  Presenters are knowledgeable representatives of the various stages of life care and will give a short synopsis of services and life style available with their support and guidance.

Presenters:

Kat Brown, Experience Works

A national, charitable, community-based organization that helps older adults get the training they need to find good jobs in their communities.

Janis Russell, Home Instead Senior Care

A company that specializes in providing in home companion, home helper and personal care aimed at keeping you in your own home safely and joyfully.

John Baynton, Cedar Creek Commons Senior Apartments

Cedar Creek Commons offers the finest in senior accommodations.  Available homes include one, two, and three bedroom apartments complete with full kitchens and private balcony.

Jo Panter,Hope Village

Hope Village provides beauty, privacy and gracious living to its residents, offering a variety of opportunities for community living activities and companionship within an atmosphere of caring.

Kevin Hagler, Tendercare Nursing Home & Rehabilitation

Tendercare a leading provider of long-term skilled nursing care in Michigan with a full continuum of services, including special care units and full cycle rehabilitation programs.

Jenn Simmer, Hospice of Michigan

Hospice provides specialized health care services for people with terminal illness and support for their loved ones.  These services focus on comfort measures and pain control, or palliative care.  

Vaughn Seavolt, Life Story Funeral Home

Dedicated to Life and Memories not Death and Caskets.  When the experience of the funeral is over the memories that were recorded at a Life Story Funeral along with the Life Story will be shared for generations to come.

Zonta Club of Traverse City Mini-Grant Applications available

The Zonta Club of Traverse City is accepting mini-grant (up to $2500)
applications through April 1, 2010.  The applications are available on
Zonta's website, http://www.zontacluboftraversecity.org/aboutus.html,
or by contacting Stephanie Anable, sanable@charter.net or
231-947-4685.  There are very limited funds this cycle and Zonta
anticipates awarding a smaller number of grants than usual.

Parkinson Foundation elects two new members

The Oakland Press (theoaklandpress.com), Serving Oakland County

Life

GOOD HEALTH: Health briefs

Sunday, January 31, 2010

BINGHAM FARMS

Parkinson Foundation elects two new members

The Board of Directors of the Michigan Parkinson Foundation recently elected two new individuals. The appointments were announced by Chief Executive Officer  Deborah Orloff. Newly elected was attorney Tyrone Baharozian of Berkley. He practices general law, initially serving as an assistant city attorney and an assistant prosecutor. Baharozian, whose mother had Parkinson’s, has been very actively involved in MPF walk-a-thons.

Also elected was Maxine Meach of Traverse City, who founded the Grand Traverse Area Parkinson’s Education and Support Program more than 20 years ago. Her husband, Charles, had Parkinson’s disease and she recognized the education and support needs of people affected by the disease and their families. She has been very active in the organization in the Grand Traverse region, fostering services, education and support, including the Summer Forum, which attracts more than 200 people from around the state the first Thursday in June.

— Staff writer Jerry Wolffe

 

Mother Knows Best.and Daughters Can, Too!

Mother Knows Best…and Daughters Can, Too!

 

Join us at 6 pm on February 23^rd, 2010 at

Bowers Harbor Vineyards to discuss and

learn about what it means to be a Caregiver.

 

Special guest speaker, Kristin Harrison from

Munson Home Health will give you helpful insight on what being a Caregiver is and different options to help your loved one live better.

 

Cost is $5 to attend but will include appetizers

and samples of Bowers Harbor wines.

 

Please RSVP by calling 231-223-7615.

 

Hosted by:

EXTENDICARE  . . .  helping people live better

 

25th ANNUAL PARKINSON'S SUMMER FORUM - Speaker Announced

Traverse Area Parkinson’s Support Group is announcing their keynote Speaker for the 25^th ANNUAL PARKINSON’S SUMMER FORUM to be held on June 3^{rd ,} 2010 at the NWM College Hagerty Center in Traverse City, MI. 

Stanley Fahn, M.D. is the H. Houstan Meritt Professor of Neurology and the Director of the Center for Parkinson’s Disease and Other Movement Disorders at Columbia University, New York City.  He is the Scientific Director of the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. 

Dr. Fahn has published many scientific papers on Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders.  He currently Chairs the Parkinson’s Community Research Advisory Council of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease Research.

Bay Area Senior Advocates (BASA) celebrates another success story!

The combined efforts of BASA Member organizations and businesses have proven to positively affect the lives of area seniors. One recent success story is that of area resident Terry Berth. Terry’s situation was brought to the attention BASA through one of its members, Kristin Harrison of Munson Home Health, who became aware of Terry’s situation through their work together in their local church (Windward).

Terry was struggling financially after being let go from his job. He received help from friends and his church, however, being 58 years old he was not eligible for standard forms of senior assistance.

The perfect storm - a recessed economy, increased competition for jobs, and age-related employment barriers - has created a crisis for America’s older low-income workers. Being between 55 and 62 years of age is also very challenging if you are unemployed because this age group many times fall “between the cracks” as they are not eligible for many standard resources and assistance. The unemployment rate for this age group is the highest since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tabulating data by age in 1948.

BASA has a Senior Support Team that provides support to adults 50+, accessing available resources, navigating the systems and at times providing limited financial support in emergency situations. Terry’s advocate explored all available resources and services, provided a one-time assistance check of $300.00 to help him with back rent.

Terry Berth had contacted the local Experience Works program, the nation’s largest provider of temporary paid-training and employment opportunities for low-income seniors, and worked with Experience Works assistant, Kat Brown to help him find a job. Terry needed income documentation from his former employer, which proved all but impossible to receive due to the nature in which employees were paid, via a debit card. A “standard pay stub” which was not available, nor any other “written proof of income” prohibited Terry from moving forward within the process to become a participant within the Experience Works program. At this point Terry contacted Lori Wells of the Traverse City Senior Center soliciting her help accessing his work history via computer, he was having difficulty communicating his needs to automated telephones and impersonal office personnel. He needed someone to be his advocate, to make the calls, to navigate through the system just to discern his eligibility for Experience Works job placement.

Lori Wells soon came to understand Terry’s frustration. Only an approved user of the automated system could gain access to Terry’s work history. After reviewing a list of approved users, Lori turned to the local Manpower office and Carol Ross, Branch Manager, for her assistance in getting Experience Works the income documentation needed to discern his eligibility for the program. “Lori and Kat went above and beyond… I know they didn’t have to put as much into helping me as they did… but now I have hope!”

“Without Lori’s assistance and the concerted effort of all of these agencies and businesses working collectively, I don’t think Terry would be happily training at his Host Agency, the Salvation Army Thrift Store as a Custodian through the Experience Works program in hopes of getting another job in the near future”, says Lynne Ruden, Employment Training Coordinator for 13 counties in northern Michigan for Experience Works. “Thank you all!”

Personal Emergency Response System Cost assistance

In these tough economic times, referring your patients and family members to Lifeline could protect them from costly repercussions. For your patients every penny counts.

The Munson lifeline program would like to assist them in covering some of the initial install and activation cost. They are offering free activation as well as the 1st months monitoring fee free through the end of February.

To take advantage of this fantastic offer please call 1-866-674-9900, ext 4474....Use coupon code A269DND7MI016

If you feel this is worthwhile to B.A.S.A members please pass this along.

Thank You

 

Dale Gauthier

Lifeline Community Outreach Manager

Munson Home Care

231-935-9133 Desk

231-645-0555 Cell

ggauthier1@mhc.net

Funeral Home offers Cemetery Marker Program

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.  Life Story Funeral Home is offering a program to help families in financial need place cemetery markers on unmarked graves.

Many people cannot afford to purchase a marker for the grave.  Vaughn Seavolt, owner of Life Story Funeral Home says, “I want to help those in financial need.  For me, the funeral business is a passion, a ministry and helping people, not just about business.  I feel it is sad when a grave is unmarked.  Helping to mark a grave of a child is especially close to my heart.  In 2009 I had the honor of helping a family mark the grave of their son and brother, whom died at birth 7 year earlier and a lady that was murdered 33 years ago.   The program allows me to make a difference for those whom died and the lives of the surviving family member. ” says Seavolt. 

The program will help those in financial need purchase markers so the grave doesn’t continue to be unmarked.  Markers will be significantly discounted from retail cost.  “I have the ability to get unique sizes and colors at reduced pricing for even lower costs.  I also have contacts that may be able to help the family with funds that meet specific criteria” say Seavolt. 

Some restrictions will be placed on the program. Seavolt says, “I truly want to help those in financial need, so I am limiting the program to burials that took place over 1 year ago.  However, a case-by-case situation will be evaluated for families under the 1-year criteria.”  Cemetery restrictions and charges will apply. 

The program will run through April 1, 2010.  To ensure delivery for Memorial Day, orders need to be placed early. Life Story Funeral Home is a locally owned full service funeral home, offering Cremation and Cemetery Burial programs. See a professionally-written Life Story® in print, digital film on the web, at www.lifestorynet.com.  If you need financial assistance in marking an unmarked grave, contact Vaughn Seavolt at 231.941.9034.