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The Momentum Summer 2022

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The Momentum Summer 2022

Anti- Boredom Month 6

HIV/AIDS and Aging 30 Grief Awareness Day 15 Medicare & Still Working? 41

In This Edition Vintage.......................................................2 JCCOA Friend of the Senior.........................4 JCCOA Senior of the Year............................5 Anti-Boredom Month...................................6 Need a Ride?..............................................10 Free Nutrition Counseling..........................11 Hot Enough for Ya Day?.............................12 How to Select an Assisted Living Facility...13 Grief Awareness Day..................................15 Older Adults and Oral Health......................20 Tell a Joke Day..........................................25 Caregiving in the US..................................26 Be Prepared for a Wildfire..........................28 HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day..........30 How Can I Stay Active as I Get Older..........34 2nd Hand Smoke in Multi-Unit Housing.....36 Talk Like a Pirate Day................................37 In-Home Services......................................38 COVID Booster Info....................................39 Vouchers...................................................40 Medicare & Still Working?..........................41 CARE Program...........................................43 Text2Live Health........................................45 Alzheimer's Education Series.....................46 Brain Camp................................................47 Lunches at the YMCA.................................48 Mobile Food Pantry....................................50 Smiles for Seniors.....................................51 Summit 50+ Connection Group..................52 Summit County Resources.........................53 Regional Resources...................................57

July - September 2022 Original content in this edition provided by Leah Rybak, LMR Consulting LLC Content Curated by Ceci Peterson, Vintage Magazine Edited by Amanda Rens-Moon, Vintage

We are The Alpine Region's Aging Expert

Vintage is the Alpine region's aging expert-ensuring that all of us have access to the supports, services, and resources we need as we age. We also provide deep content expertise to ensure our communities and providers meet those needs as well. Our services include financial assistance for in-home services, transportation, and dental & vision needs, information & referral, nutrition programs, caregiver supports, Medicare counseling, long term care ombudsman, volunteer opportunities, legal assistance and educational programs.

SERVICES FOR AGING WELL IN COLORADO Your Connection to Information, Resources, and Advocacy in Eagle, Grand, Jackson, Pitkin, Routt, and Summit.

Volunteer Opportunities We have a variety of volunteer opportunities such as Medicare Counselors, Regional Advisory Council Board Members, and Long Term Care Ombudsmen. Caregiver Support At Vintage, we support you in whatever stage of the aging journey you are on! For caregivers, we offer training and education, financial assistance, and have a volunteer respite program in Summit County to assist where you need it most. Medicare & State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) We are here to answer your questions or concerns about Medicare, Medicare benefits, or to see if you’re eligible for the Medicare Savings Program. LTC Ombudsman The Long Term Care Ombudsman protects and promotes the Resident Rights of the residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in our region.

Dental & Vision Assistance Programs We have funding for adults 60 and older for dental and vision needs that will keep you healthy and receiving the care you need. Transportation We have trusted transportation options to get you where you need to go when you need to go there. Options include transportation vouchers and other transportation services throughout the region. Health: Nutrition & Balance Vintage offers the following nutrition-related programs such as Home Delivered Meals, Community Based Meals, and Nutrition Education and Counseling. We also fund Evidence-Based Health and Wellness Programs and fall, prevention classes, Legal Assistance We contract with partners who provide legal services to older adults 60+ free of charge to those with the most significant economic or social needs.

Aging Services Focused on YOU Call our Resource Center at 970-468-0295 if you have any questions or are interested in learning more. www.yourvintage.org

Jackson County Council on Aging

Recognizes Friend of the Seniors

Rick Cornelison

Rick is a 5th generation North Parker who, after graduating from North Park Jr/Sr High School, left to pursue a career in construction. He married and has four grown children. His son, Nick, remains in North Park raising a seventh North Park generation. After working in many different states, Rick returned to North Park to help care for his aging grandparents. He has been helping people since he was just a kid himself, claiming that the desire to help people is inherited from his grandparents. Rick also took care of his dad, making sure that dad could comfortably remain at home in North Park while he aged.

Upon retirement Rick has been very involved in the community, VFW Auxiliary, Odd Fellows, Rodeo Committee, North Park Pioneers Association, and the Lions Club have kept Rick active and productive. Ricks involvement with the North Park Pioneer Museum began when his grandmother spearheaded the effort to start the museum. He is instrumental in keeping the museum open and a haven for North Park history. His involvement in the Lions Club finds Rick in charge of Medical Equipment that has been donated making items locally available. Items like wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, shower seats… North Park, more specifically Jackson County, is considered a Medical Frontier area meaning that we are a “sparsely populated area that is geographically isolated from population centers and services”. This makes the medical equipment program a much needed and essential service. North Park has no Senior Housing, no Assisted Living, and no Nursing Home facility. Our Elderly are able to age in place only by the blessing of good health or with the assistance of family and friends. Rick has opened his home to care for some of his aging neighbors ensuring that they are able to remain in North Park as long as possible. Rick has been their chauffeur, driving to and from medical appointments that are usually at least 60 miles from away. it is known that Rick has driven at least one of his neighbors to Arizona each autumn and retrieved them each spring ensuring that the “Snowbird” could enjoy North Park summers. He also makes sure that oxygen bottles are ready and properly used, and he see to it that prescriptions are picked up from the out-of-town pharmacy. If someone is in need you can be sure that Rick will step in to help. There are so many other ways that Rick has helped the people of North Park there is no way to list them all. Thank you, Rick, for helping our community fulfill the 2022 theme of “Age My Way” by assisting others to age in the beautiful community that they have chosen to call home.

Jackson County Council on Aging

Recognizes Seniors of the Year

Carl & Patty Shuler

Both Carl and Patty were raised in North Park, attended North Park schools, and graduated from North Park Jr. Sr. High School. While attending College, Patty went to Greely and Carl attended CSU in Ft. Collins, these two became more than hometown friends and in 1972 they married. Upon returning to Walden Carl worked construction related jobs, and in 1981 he started his own business. Carl also devoted 28 years with the Volunteer Fire Department. Patty raised their two children and began her teaching career. Another son was added to the family. After 29 years of teaching, Patty retired only to return to the classroom for another 4 years. Music has always been significant n the Shuler house. Carl plays guitar and Patty plays piano. Friends are often invited over to play and have a genuine good time. Carl often chooses the music for church service and Patty is often seen playing the church service piano. Musical instruments have also appeared at the annual Senior Summer Picnic.

Carl and Patty have been instrumental in helping others remain at home comfortably among familiar surroundings. They have looked after Aunt Mildred, after that Carlʼs mom, Lougine, and most recently Pattyʼs father, Ralph. Caring for each one, making sure that they had the things that were needed as well as personal interaction with family on a consistent basis. Now that the caregiving is over Carl and Patty are looking forward to “Age M y Way” together. They have purchased a “Honda Pioneer” 4X4 ATV to travel backroads and explore. Observing wildlife and fishing are among their favorite pastimes. Travel plans also include visiting kids and grandkids, automobiles and airplanes will be most helpful for this task.

Carl will continue to cook meals and do some painting with acrylics. He will do his best to keep shoveling the snow as it falls.

Patty looks forward to reading, sewing, doing water aerobics, and hosting at the Senior Center where Pinochle and Cribbage are enjoyed among friends.

Carl and Patty are a treasure in the North Park community. We are lucky to have them.

National

Anti-

Boredom

Month

July is National Anti-Boredom Month so let's learn about the health effects of boredom, and ways to alleviate boredom this year.

Boredom & its

effect on your

health

Boredom is the state of being weary and restless through

lack of interest.

Boredom is also defined as a distressing emotional state that combines feelings of restlessness and

lethargy, arising from situations that are no longer satisfying or stimulating. Early research often

dismissed boredom as temporary and inconsequential, but recent work has established its links to

mental illness, traumatic brain injury, and dysfunctional behaviors such as reckless driving and substance

abuse.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), older Americans are more likely to commit

suicide than any other age group. As noted by NIMH, nearly 16% of suicide deaths in the country were

those 65 years of age or older. Boredom that leads to depression is a major factor in many homes, senior

health care facilities, and assisted living homes.

Chronic boredom can lead to multiple emotional issues, including

Feelings of worthlessness

Feeling that life is no longer worth living

Feelings of intense restlessness

Feeling unloved or uncared about

However, when experienced occasionally, boredom has value as a signal that something needs to

change. It has the power to motivate us to pursue new goals when the old ones aren’t meaningful

anymore, and in this way, can help promote well-being. This kind of monotony-driven exploration and

learning is seen in not only humans but also in animals.

The Momentum | Summer 2022 | yourvintage.org

10 Facts about Boredom

1. Sixty-three percent of American adults experience boredom at least once every 10 days . A study, based on research at Carnegie Mellon University, found boredom more prevalent among men, youths, the unmarried, and those of lower income. 2. Many of us would take pain over boredom. A team of psychologists at the University of Virginia discovered that two-thirds of men and a quarter of women would rather self-administer electric shocks than being left alone in an empty room for 15 minutes. 3. While seen in many cultures, boredom is more common in North America and Western Europe than in Asia . Researchers theorize that Asians put more value on calm and relaxation and North Americans on excitement and adventure. 4. Boredom exists on a continuum. Psychologists use a "boredom proneness scale" to distinguish between people who experience transient boredom, which is situational and temporary, and those who are prone to chronic boredom, which lasts an extended, indefinite period of time. 5. Chronic boredom is associated with impulsivity and risky behavior , including careless driving, compulsive gambling, drug and alcohol abuse, reckless thrill-seeking, and other self-destructive behaviors. 6. People who are bored easily are susceptible to depression , anxiety, anger, academic failure, poor work performance, loneliness, and isolation. 7. Individuals with ADHD get bored faster and may have more difficulty than others tolerating monotony. In fact, many with ADHD feel understimulated, which may arise from failures in one of the brain's attention networks. 8. Boredom is common among people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may even affect their recovery. Some people with TBI often begin to indulge in riskier activities after their accidents. 9. Boredom is a top predictor of addiction relapse. In a study of 156 addicts ranging in age from 24 to 68 at a methadone clinic, overcoming boredom was the only reliable factor that predicted whether they would stay on course. 10. Religious people are less likely to get bored. In a study of 1,500 participants, who included agnostics, atheists, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, and Hindus, non-religious people subjected to a mundane task —transcribing an instruction manual about lawn mowing—tended to report higher levels of boredom. They were also more likely than religious people to say they wanted to do something of greater significance.

Source: Carla Cantor of the Columbia News found here:

https://news.columbia.edu/news/why-being-bored-can-be-hazardous-your-health

The Momentum | Summer 2022 | yourvintage.org

Things to Help Starve off

Boredom This Summer

(and always)

Creativity and Art One way to stimulate the brain, increase concentration, and gain a sense of positive self-esteem is by learning new arts, crafts, or hobbies. Music Because music can energize people, stir up their emotions, and fire up recall abilities, it often plays a big role in relinquishing boredom. Music may help ease anxiety and offer a sense of purpose to people with dementia. Check out music festivals or concerts in your area this summer! Games Card and board games, puzzles, and other tabletop activities engage the brain and offer low-stress interactions with others. Exercise Physical activity is one of the single most effective strategies for remaining healthy and happy. Exercise reduces the risk of diseases such as dementia, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Even if it's just a short walk, try to get outside and enjoy the summer weather in Colorado. Community Service Volunteering can even improve a personʼs health while battling boredom. One study suggests that people who volunteer because they want to help others may live longer. Check-in with your local senior center or local organizations you love, to see what volunteer opportunities there are this summer.

The Momentum | Summer 2022 | yourvintage.org

Vintage has a transportation voucher to suit your needs. The voucher program works in two ways: 1. You drive yourself and receive mileage reimbursement. 2. Someone else drives you, and we pay them or reimburse you for payment. Who is Eligible? If you are 60+ and live in Eagle, Grand, Jackson, Routt, Pitkin or Summit counties, you may qualify. NEED A RIDE?

Contact Ceci Peterson for more information [email protected] 970-531-4087

Do You Have Questions About Nutrition & Healthy Eating?

Managing Diabetes, High Blood Pressure & Chronic Disease Cardiovascular Disease Gaining/Losing Weight Digestive Problems Food Allergies Nutritious Snacks & Meals Nutrition Counseling can assist with variety of nutrition and health topics like: FREE NUTRITION COUNSELING by a Registered Dietitian for older adults (60+) and caregivers Contact Patti Murphy, R.D. [email protected] 720-300-3770