Age Happens

One constant challenge here at JABA is how to boil down all that we do — the health insurance counseling, home delivered meals, care coordination, adult care centers, intergenerational programs, community centers, and more — into one easy to understand line. Well, I’m happy to say that I think we’ve found it! And now that we have we intend to plaster the news on every available bumper in Central Virginia.

The message on the bumper sticker is simple — Age Happens. But not to worry, because we’ve also added our website — www.jabacares.org — so anyone with questions about this fact of life can contact us. In other words, think of us as “your GPS for aging issues.”

Everyone is invited to celebrate the aging process by picking up an Age Happens bumper sticker at any of JABA’s eight community centers or at JABA’s offices at 674 Hillsdale Drive in Charlottesville. Check here for center locations or call (434) 817-5222. But remember, we’re a nonprofit and we don’t have a lot of extra money. Supplies are limited, so get one soon.

Muddy Water & High Hopes in Louisa

An email from our Case Manager in Louisa County came in this morning asking us to remind residents there to check their chimneys and wells. Seems the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Louisa County on August 23^rd continues to make the basics of living—such as staying warm or getting a drink of clean water—difficult.

The Commonwealth puts the official estimate of damage to residential properties at nearly $15 million, mostly in uninsured costs. A significant amount of that damage was to wells and chimney. Louisa residents who notice that their water is muddy or discolored water should stick to bottled until they can have their wells tested. Meanwhile with colder weather already here, unseen damage to chimneys poses a serious risk for fire. People should have their chimneys inspected prior to use this winter season.

Anyone finding damage should report it to Louisa County at (540) 967-3496. This information is critical in order to develop an accurate assessment of damages. In addition, we understand that the Commonwealth is appealing the denial of its request for Individual Assistance by FEMA. Damage reports could help ensure notification of financial relief if any becomes available.

Louisa residents, however, are not just waiting around for the cavalry. A totally homegrown event this Friday evening will bring together great music, food, fireworks and some 70 local organizations for Louisa Cares. Should be a great time. I happen to know there will be some amazing baked goodies for sale, which I promise you won’t need to have tested before eating.

A Day of So Much Caring!

The 126 United Way Day of Caring volunteers who pitched in at JABA had our own Volunteer Department working overtime just to say “thank you” for all they did.  The volunteers completed an amazing 11 projects in one day.

Looking at the list of all they accomplished I’m amazed the dust has settled at all.

• 15 State Farm volunteers distributed 500 Senior Resource Guides to businesses in the community;
• A team from UVA repaired and painted a Fluvanna couple’s front porch and cleaned up their yard;
• Volunteers from UVA’s School of Nursing created cheerful displays on all the stairwells at Crescent Hall encouraging residents to walk;
• State Farm volunteers attended the Nelson County Center and treated the members to an ice cream social and games;
• A team from UVA Medical Center played games and treated the Greene County Center to an ice cream social and then weeded and cleaned the garden area, as well as the storage closet;
• Commonwealth Assisted Living employees cleaned the dining area at Mountainside and then set up and served for a Hawaiian Party;
• Employees from Sun Trust Bank weeded and cleaned out the garden beds at Hillsdale and spread new mulch on the playground for Shining Star;
•  Three teams from JAUNT, UVA and Darden worked at our Mary Williams replanting the fall garden beds, organizing craft areas, made 40 new bags for foster children, ironed t-shirt designs, made bouquets for members, cleaned out and packed up closets, painted the raised beds, made 19 angels and spent quality time with the members – all in only four hours!

To check out the Mary Williams crew in action follow this link:   share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaMWrdu0cNWbElg

Our sincere thanks to all who volunteered on the 2011 Day of Caring!

Medicare Part D Deadline Moves Up

Last New Year’s Eve, as the final minutes of 2010 ticked away, one of JABA’s VICAP volunteers was on the phone helping a frantic Medicare Part D recipient make a choice for 2011 coverage. That scene will definitely not be repeated this December 31, but not because our current volunteers are any less committed  (although I’m sure they’ll be happy to have the holiday free.) The reason is this year’s Open Enrollment for Medicare Part D begins and end significantly earlier than ever before. 

The annual Medicare Part D Open Enrollment will run this year from October 15 through December 7.  Enrollees will especially want to note the end date of December 7, which is a full three weeks sooner than before. This is the only opportunity currently enrolled individuals will have to review the plan choices for 2012.

What won’t change is the help enrollees in Central Virginia can expect from JABA’s VICAP program. (By the way VICAP stands for the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program.) This year, our dedicated VICAP team will begin taking requests Monday, October 3 for appointments at its offices at 674 Hillsdale Drive in Charlottesville. If you’re currently enrolled in Medicare Part D, live in Central Virginia and would like to request an appointment, please wait until October 3, then give us a call at 434-817-5222.

Taking It in a 5.8 Stride

A quieter moment at Shining Star in Louisa

JABA’s first preschool, Shining Star, opened last December in Louisa County VA. That’s the now famous Louisa County, epicenter of Tuesday’s earthquake. We found out almost immediately that everyone from the youngest Shining Star to the oldest member of our Adult Care Center, which is housed right next door, came through just fine.

The following report from Shining Star’s manager attests to what a band of little troopers the kids were.

“… Shining Star children were all asleep when the earthquake hit.  Staff calmly woke the children, lined them up and marched into the locker room.  They then proceeded to sing songs and when tiles started falling out of the ceiling moved to the outdoor playground.  Louisa staff did a great ‘shelter in place drill’, even if this one was for real.”

Good work, all!

Dinner with Andrew

The annual “Dinner with Andrew’ food drive is now in progress. It’s the 11^th year for the drive, which honors Andrew Baber who died at the age of 19 on New Year’s Day 2001. At the time of his death, Andrew was working at the Millmont Domino’s pizza. The idea to honor him with a food drive came from Andrew’s boss, Alan Asef.

The food goes to a number of organizations in Central Virginia: The Salvation Army, The Jefferson Area Food Bank, SARA, The Emergency Food Bank and JABA. I’d be willing to bet that not one of these organizations has seen a decline in need since last year. I know JABA certainly hasn’t.

Nonperishable food or monetary donations may be dropped off at any of the Charlottesville area Domino’s locations through Sunday, August 7. Monetary donations are also gladly accepted. If you’d like to help with a check, please write “Dinner with Andrew” on the menu line and mail to:

Domino’s Pizza
1137 Millmont Street
Charlottesville, VA 22901

Andrew’s mother, Colleen, tells me that this past winter was one of the hardest since his death. (As unbelievable as it sounds, this healthy young man simply choked on a piece of candy, while talking with friends.) By all accounts, he was a warm outgoing guy who loved life. The food collected in his memory during the past 10 years has helped so many. Here’s to you, Andrew.

The View from Up Close

Whether it’s aerial photography or an approaching retirement, the view changes as you get closer to your target.

This summer, I’ve been entranced by the banners of George Steinmetz’s Wild Air photos that have decorated the trees on Charlottesville’s Main Street Mall. Part of the Look3 Festival of the Photograph, the images are desert scenes captured from above with one important difference.  Steinmetz took the photos while navigating a motorized paraglider, which gave him the ability to come in lower than an airplane would allow. Another bonus, animals apparently find a mechanized human with wings less frightening than a plane. The results are landscapes of abstract beauty, often filled with an unexpected abundance of life.

Perhaps because I’ve been reading so much about the first Boomers turning 65 (or more likely because I am a Boomer) the photos remind me how different the world can look as we get closer to retirement. Yes, it can be a bit frightening, as certainly flying a paraglider can be. The ground can be awfully hard if you’re not prepared for the landing. But, the closer we get to what some might consider the “desert” of retirement, the more varied the terrain reveals itself to be.  There’s a lot of life down there and, right now, I’m enjoying the close-up and getting closer view.

Steinmetz’s photos come down July 10, by the way. If you haven’t had a chance to see them, I highly recommend a visit soon. http://look3.org/exhibits/treescaptions/

The Art Reflex

The ability to express oneself through art is at the core of what makes us uniquely human. If you doubt that statement, I’d like to invite you to a display now up at Charlottesville’s Fashion Square Mall that could change your mind.

Titled “…like a flower in sunlight” the exhibit features artwork made by members of the Adult Care Center at JABA, as well as pieces from JABA’s intergenerational arts program. The Adult Care Center is designed for adults (18 years +) who need assistance with daily health or personal care activities. Often this means some form of dementia. The creative spark, however, remains a constant. With the guidance of Intergenerational Arts Coordinator Lauren Catlett, members create works of art that always touch and often surprise.

The exhibit only runs through July 2, so I’d advise dropping by early. And, let me know what you think.

Summer of the Volunteer

Yesterday, JABA’s Manager of Volunteer Services Martha Williams emailed me about the critical need for volunteers some of our programs are having this summer. Here’s what she wrote,

While we escape from the heat and shop in air-conditioned stores, there are some of our elderly neighbors who cannot leave their homes and may not have a meal without our help.

There are several openings for Home Delivered Meals drivers in Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Louisa County and Nelson County.  This can just be for the summer or an ongoing commitment.  The meals are delivered only twice a month and, in some cases, once a month and you are reimbursed 100 percent of your mileage.  The need is critical and if you can help or know someone who can help, please let me know.

Twice Is Nice, JABA’s resale boutique, is in need of help in the store sorting clothes, assisting customers, picking up donated items.  All the proceeds from Twice Is Nice go to supporting Mountainside Senior Living in Crozet.

Legacy Hospice, one of JABA’s nonprofit volunteer partners, is recruiting volunteers. For details, please call or e-mail Sallie Ross at 434-970-7776 or sallieross@legacy-hospice.com.

The complete list of volunteer opportunities would fill a book.  So, if these aren’t to your taste, I’d suggest calling JABA anyway. We just might have what you’re looking for. As for when,  for me, summer really is the perfect time to volunteer. The days are long, so I don’t have the impulse to rush home before dark. And, when regular volunteers leave town on vacation, you can sometimes “try on” a volunteer position by helping out for a few weeks or a month.

Are you volunteering this summer? We’d love to hear about how it goes.

Simple Relief from the Heat

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises that older adults (those 65 and over) are more vulnerable to heat related illnesses due to physical changes. Even when we’re healthy, we just don’t adjust as easily to temperature extremes. Add a chronic condition, such as high blood pressure or diabetes,  or a  prescription medication or two, and you have a recipe for heat stroke.

The CDC website has lists of heat stroke and heat stress symptoms with easy inexpensive suggestions for preventing or addressing them. Well worth a read as the temperatures continue to rise.

The “inexpensive” part is particular important for many of us. It’s sad but true that there’s little point in having an air conditioner if you can’t pay the electric bill. Unfortunately, it’s also one more nasty choice that the elderly with few resources make on a daily basis. That’s one of the reasons JABA is focusing on getting fans into the homes of at-risk, income-eligible seniors locally this summer. It’s part of our updated Cool-Aid program. Details here.

If you have tips for staying cool without busting the budget, we’d love to hear them.