Vol. 23 No. 3 • Fall 2018 Senior Circle www.tclifelong.org www.tompkinscounty.org/cofa A circle is a group of people in which everyone has a front seat. Senior Focus: Gay Huddle, A True Local by Janis Graham, Lifelong Board Member “Bloom where you’re planted”: It’s no wonder this 8, Gay established her own neighborhood expression is often cited by Gay Huddle. Not only do lending library, in which she would carefully log her local roots run deep personally, they are out her Nancy Drew volumes to pint-sized extensive professionally as well. The author of 618 “patrons.” Not surprisingly, the job she held that (and still counting) columns for the Ithaca Journal, “ was dearest to my heart” was when she was Gay is thoroughly embedded in the events, volunteer coordinator during the Tompkins personalities and opportunities that abound in the County Public Library’s move in 2000 to its communities of Danby/West Danby/Newfield/ current site on the corner of Green and Cayuga Brooktondale and upper South Hill. “I love Streets. “It was a dream come true to work in a chronicling what’s happening in the small towns library!” Gay Huddle around Ithaca and being connected to it all,” says Gay, now age 70, joined Lifelong years ago and community are shared by her husband Garry. Gay “It means so much to me that people let me tell has taken lessons in chair yoga and country After a career at Cayuga Press, then Cornell, he their stories.” western dancing, among other things. She is also is now one of Danby’s Town Justices, an elected Speaking of stories, hers begins in the Fall Creek a proud member of the Gorges Gals, a chapter of position he has held for 11 years. “He loves it,” neighborhood (“we called ourselves “Fall Creekers’), the Ladies Red Hat Society—an organization for according to Gay, who notes that his favorite where she was born and raised. She graduated from women over 50 who gather for no other reason part of the job is officiating at weddings. He even Ithaca High School in 1966, the same year she than to have fun and make new friends. “We’ve officiated at their daughter’s wedding, putting married her high school sweetheart Garry Huddle marched in purple clothes and red hats in the on his black robe after walking her down the nd (the two just celebrated their 52 anniversary). Ithaca Festival Parade, we go to plays, we have aisle! When her two children were young, Gay ran a breakfasts, lunches and dinners together,” notes When it comes to the Huddle’s children, the daycare in her Danby home “because I just didn’t Gay. “I am a true believer that just because you apple doesn’t fall from the tree: Son Jeff, want to miss a thing when it came to seeing my kids get older doesn’t mean you can’t be playful!” daughter Kasey and their families live nearby, in grow up.” (Continued on page 10) Gay’s appreciation of her hometown environs as During those years, Gay also developed a lifelong well as her inclination to “give back” to the commitment to volunteering. “It was a way for me to INSIDE THIS EDITION have some adult company when the kids were young Page 2 & 3: and then I found I loved the involvement.” Besides PLANNING FOR CARE: IT’S OK Senior Services Listings stints serving on the Danby PTA and Danby TO ASK FOR HELP Celebrate the Caring Work of Home Health Community Council, being an usher at the Hangar Aides About two-thirds of people who live past age 65 The Red Folder Project Theater and helping out at the hospital gift shop, Gay are going to need long-term care, according to Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) coordinated the Danby Fun Day for 30 years. AARP, but relatively few of them have made Caregivers Corner - Taking Care of You Up Coming Workshops: Legal and Financial Volunteering and writing aren’t Gay’s only passions. plans for help with their daily activities. Planning for Family Caregivers and Another is reading. “I always have 5 or 6 books going “Planning for Care: It’s OK to ask for help” is an Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors at the same time, usually mysteries,” she says. “This Exciting News form Bike Walk Tompkins interactive workshop open to the public, on has been true since I was a little girl.” In fact, at age Pages 4 & 5: September 12, from 1-3 p.m. at McGraw House Welcome New Ombudsman Program Staff – 221 South Geneva Street in downtown Ithaca Medicare Open Enrollment Clinics at Lifelong (parking is on Geneva Street only). Jane Segelken of Got Medicare Questions? McGraw House and Teri Reinemann of Finger Medicare Basics with Sarah Jane Blake Medicare Resources Profit Profit - Lakes Independence Center (FLIC) will share their PAID PAID Pages 6 & 7: Non Organization Organization expertise in navigating the process of care. Permit No. 375 Permit Ithaca, NY Ithaca, 14850 Guide to Accounts, Passwords & Digital Topics to be covered will include: Details Physical Activity: Important for Your Bone how to know you need care Health types of caregivers Pages 8 & 9: costs and paying for care Experience Fall at Lifelong From the Desk of the Executive Director hiring help and building your team. Flu Clinic at Lifelong on October 9am- 12pm All seniors and their families are invited. Even if Up Coming Events at Lifelong you don’t need care at this time, knowledge for NEW: The Aging Mastery Program (AMP) your future, should the need arise, will be very What is a CSG? Lifelong’s Walk Program beneficial. Pages 10 & 11 Come see how to make a smooth transition and The Book Nook ensure your ability to age in your community, Northside Southside Summer Program with a healthy and meaningful quality of life. Volunteers Connected - Opportunity Listings Closer Look: Ithaca Free Clinic Contact Teri 272-2433 or Jane 272-7054 Coming - Volunteer Recognition Harvest Event Page 12: There will also be informational displays of Stay Steady Tompkins various care related products and services in our Let’s Do Lunch - Foodnet area, because it’s OK to ask for help. Senior Circle Lifelong, Enhancing the Second Half Second the Enhancing Lifelong, 14850 NY Ithaca, W. Court • St. 119 Page 2 Senior Circle • Fall 2018 The Red Folder Project Senior Services A collaboration of several organizations—Lifelong, Tomp- NY Connects kins County Office for the Aging, Foodnet Meals on Wheels, NY Connects Tompkins County Office for the Aging provides and the Tompkins County Health Department have teamed information, assistance, and referrals for Long Term Services and up with the Human Service Coalition’s Health Planning Council to distribute Supports for people of any age and any income. Long Term Services red folders to older adults in our community. The Red Folder Project is paid and supports are for medical and non-medical needs. for with funding from an Excellus Community Grant. The purpose of the project is to place these folders in the hands of older adults to collect their NY Connects can provide information about: health information to bring to physician and specialist appointments. The -Personal Care Services folders contain 3 heavy duty magnets so that they can be prominently dis- -Caregiver Supports played on refrigerators. The folders empower individuals to take charge of -Respite Care their health information and store important information such as medica- tions, questions for doctors, and key contact information in one easily acces- -Financial Benefits sible place. The Red Folders come with an information checklist to guide -Education and Counseling individuals in what types of information to collect and update regularly. -Care Coordination If you are an older adult and would like a Red Folder, stop in and ask pro- -Transportation gram staff at any one of the agencies listed above. -Health and Wellness -Plus, other services to help you remain as independent as possible Celebrate the Caring Work of NY Connects staff can assist you either on the phone or in person Home Health Aides between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. If you know a home health aide that serves someone you know—a neighbor, In person: Tompkins County Office for the Aging, friend, relative, or maybe yourself, prepare to celebrate their service during 214 W Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Ithaca, NY the month of November. The Long Term Care Committee of Tompkins County and the Health Planning Council is collaborating with a wide network By phone: (607) 274-5482 or 1-800-342-9871 of home care agencies, the Office for the Aging, community-based Or visit us on the web at www.tompkinscountyny.gov/cofa organizations, and health care providers to host an education and Free language interpretation and translation assistance services celebration event for Home Health Aides. available The event will take place at the Space at Greenstar on Thursday, November 8th 4:30 – 6:30 PM. Longview's Adult Day Program Longview's Adult Day Program has become the home away from Good Food is at the Heart of Home Care event! The celebration will feature home for many Tompkins County seniors, offering companionship, a presentation by Kelly Quinn, Senior Nutritionist for Foodnet, and a cooking recreation, safety and security. The daily fee of $55 includes personal demonstration by Lorraine Johnson, volunteer cook extraordinaire. It will supervision, recreational programs, morning and afternoon snacks as also offer an opportunity to express our gratitude for these frontline workers well as a hot, nutritious lunch.