LINKTHEJULY / AUGUST 2015

Your Aging and Disability Resource Connection

Visit us at Legacylink.org

In This issue Keeping Cool This Summer Page 3

Towns County Senior Center NewsPage 4

Union County Win Wii BowlingPage 5

New Board Officers ElectedPage 7

Salt In Your Diet Page 7

See Relay for Life on page 5

georgiaadrc.com

Legacy Link participated in the Relay for Life on May 15th from 7pm to 2am at the University of North Georgia track in Oak-wood. Elaine Tolan was the event organizer for Legacy Link.

Several Legacy Link Employ-ees took part in running our tent the night of the event and fund raising that included donations, a yard sale, selling donuts and many raffles for employees.

The original goal was to raise $1,000.00! (Most first time teams don’t raise over $400.00 and most returning non-profits range be-tween $1,200.00 and $1,400.00. A special thank you to the Leg-acy Link Staff, friends and fam-ily that allowed us to contribute $2,646.00.

Legacy Link exceeds expectations in first Relay For Life participation

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The Link Published by Legacy Link Editor Don Colombero

Contributing EditorsLisa howard,

Dottie Suchke, Barbara hilber& Steve Wareham

Subscriptions

To subscribe to E-editions: Send your e-mall address to dfcolombero@legacylink.org

For mailed copy send to:Subscriptions at

Legacy LinkP. O. Box 1480

Oakwood, Ga. 30566

Upcoming Events

by Pat FreemanChief Executive Officer

Living Well Courses (sign up information)Want to take charge of your health and feel good? Join one of these Wellness Workshops to get

started: each Wellness workshop meets one day per week. Living Well is a 6-week self management program that will empower you to enjoy life while dealing with conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, lung disease, depression, and other chronic health conditions.

Living Well with Diabetes, also a 6-week self-management program, focuses specifically on issues and challenges associated with living with diabetes to enable participants to take control and enjoy life.

A Matter of Balance is a program that meets for eight weeks. This program helps participants view falls and fear of falling as controllable to increase self-confidence and reduce fall risk factors. Contact Lisa howard at 770-538-2711 or Lshoward@ legacylink.org for more information about any of these workshops designed to help you put life back into your life!

Answers to your QuestionsKeeping Seniors Cool During Summer’s Heat

Aug 20, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

OutreachChrist the king Church

Cumming, Ga

Sept 29:00 am – 4:00pm

OutreachLumpkin Parks And Rec Ctr.

Dahlonega, GA

I thought I would give you a little sample of some of the questions that come to me. You do realize we are in the business of receiving questions, don’t you? That’s one of the reasons for us to be here.

One common question is about how to find services for a family member or neighbor or church friend who needs help to live as independently as possible and remain at home. Those questions go directly to our Gateway Department so staff can research resources with the caller to locate assistance.

Our computerized data base has over 25,000 entries for Georgia and we can also help locate an information line in any other state.

How can I volunteer to help older people? A call to Legacy is the right call because we have the Retired Senior & Volunteer Program and can help find volunteer placements in the 13

county region in a wide variety of programs and agencies.

I’m 56 and really need a job. I have looked for a year since I was laid off and cannot find a job anywhere! Call Legacy for information about eligibility for our Senior Community Service Employment Program. We make placements at non-profit and public agencies for eligible older workers for job training. Trainees receive minimum wage while on-the-job and help in locating a job.

I need some information about places I can exercise. But, I don’t want to go where all those young, skinny girls are exercising! Call Legacy and we’ll help you find places where seniors are exercising and learning how to eat healthier meals.

Where could I join a group of seniors who are learning about how to handle chronic diseases? I would pay a small fee but don’t know where to start to find a group.

I’ve just been given the responsibility of raising two young grandchildren and need some advice about legal issues. And, the school systems are so different from when I raised my children 20 years ago? Can you help me? Legacy has a Kinship Care Program for grandparents with groups who meet regularly. Give us a call.

All this information about Medicare is like Greek to me! Who can help me figure out the options for prescription insurance? I don’t use a computer. Call Legacy and someone in our Georgia Cares Program will help. There is no fee and we’re not selling anything.

Questions??? Call us first.

Legacy Link, Inc. (770) 538-2650

4080 Mundy Mill Road 1-800-845-LINK

Oakwood, GA 30566

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Are You 55 or Older and looking for employment? The Senior Community Service employment Program

provides useful part-time community service assignments for persons with low incomes who are 55 years old or older, while

promoting transition to permanent or full time employment.Call 770-538-2650

Are You a Grandparent or Relative Raising Children?

The kinship Program provides a place to share experiences with other Grandparents and Relatives raising children and to

find out about programs for which you and your children may be eligible. Call to find a meeting near you.

Call 770-538-2650

According the National Weather Service, heat is one of the leading causes of weather-related death in the United States, causing hundreds of fatalities each year. Older adults are even more susceptible to the dangers of heat, as they are less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature. Additionally, as we grow older, our bodies become less efficient at regulating body temperature. Seniors are also more likely to have a health condition or be taking medications that make it more difficult for the body to regulate its temperature or to perspire.

The importance of staying hydratedJust as our sensitivity to heat dulls as we age, so does our

awareness of thirst. This, along with our body’s decreased ability to conserve water as we grow older, puts seniors at greater risk of dehydration. Summer heat adds to the risk, because on hot days, the body loses water more quickly. Here are some tips for staying hydrated this summer:• Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to take in fluids. If

you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as these can cause the

body to lose even more fluid.• Eat lots of fresh fruit, a wonderful source of fluids.• Add fresh lemon or lime to your water to add a little

flavor.• Use water to dilute fruit juices, making them last lon-

ger and increasing your fluid intake.• Get creative! Make “mocktails,” like nonalcoholic daiquiris and

piña coladas.• If you are on a fluid-restricted diet, consult your physician about

how to get the fluids you need during the hot summer months.

Other tips to beat the heatHere are some other ways to beat the heat this summer:• Keep your home safe and comfortable by running the air con-

ditioning during the hottest parts of the day and by letting in cool air in the early morning and late evening hours. If you need financial help to keep you home cool, contact the Low Income

Home Energy Assistance Program.• If your home isn’t air-conditioned, take a break during the hot-

test part of the day by going to a movie, shopping at an indoor mall, visiting a library, or attending an air-conditioned senior center.

• Dress in lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing, made of natural fabrics, like linen or

cotton.• If you must go outside to run er-rands, work in the garden, etc., plan this for the early morning hours,

when it’s coolest.• Supplement your diet with fo-lic acid; a new study from Penn State showed that folic acid can enhance blood vessel dilation in

older adults, which may help them to avoid heat-related issues such as heart attacks or strokes.• Take a cool shower or bath.

• Get plenty of rest.

If you do experience problems…If you or a loved one experiences heavy sweating, weakness, a fast

and weak pulse, nausea or fainting, this could be a sign of heat exhaus-tion. In this case, move to a cool location as quickly as possible. Lie down, loosen clothing and apply cool, wet cloths to as much of the body as possible. Sip some cool water.

Heat stroke is a more serious situation and is characterized by a body temperature above 103 degrees, hot and red skin, a rapid and strong pulse, or unconsciousness. In this case, call 911 immediately. Before paramedics arrive, move the person to a cooler environment, remove or loosen tight clothing, and apply cool, wet cloth or towels to the skin.

Enjoy your summer! With a little diligence and preparation, every-one should be able to enjoy fun and safe summer months.

Keeping Seniors Cool During Summer’s Heat

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Pat Nicholson

Towns County Senior Center News Pat Nicholson Retires

Relay For Life Pat Nicholson retired as Towns

County Senior Center Director af-ter 30 years of service on June 10th. Several Legacy Link emplorees at-tended as well as Towns County Commissioner Bill Kendall.

Towns County Commissioner Bill Kendall

Bobbie Parker Named New Towns County Senior Director

Bobbie is a native of Towns County and a graduate of Towns County High and the University of North Georgia. She moved back to Towns County this year after living in West Virgina since 2007. Bobbie said, “I am so very blessed to be able to take over from Ms. Pat. I hope to grow the cen-ter and expand our list of activities.” New staff members of the center include: Vicky Stephens-Berrong, Program Co-ordinator and Greg Lan-gerin, Transportation

Kathy Hill, Union County Senior Center director with Pat Nicholson

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Continued from page 1

Senior Center Wii Bowling Competition - 7th annual

UNION COUNTY SENIORS WIN Wii BOWLINGThe Union County Lucky Strikes are the winners for the 2nd year

in a row of the 7th annual Wii Bowling competition. They won by the smallest margin of victory over the Bowling Hart Breakers – 1 point dif-ference at the end of the week-long competition between the centers. 6 teams competed for the trophy this year: Bowling Hart Breakers, Union Lucky Strikes, Forsyth Alley Cats, Habersham Bowling Stones, Gaines-ville-Hall Senior Strikers, and Towns Mountain King Pins.

Legacy Link spon-sored CarFit at Cress-wind on June 1st. Safe driving techniques were given to residents while they sat in their car.

Pictured: (L-R) Lisa Howard, Wellness Coordinator, Albert Hollis, Diane Plotkin, Wilma Burch, Dorothy

Patterson, Dorthy Hughes, John Conkle

Relay For Life

CarFit at Cresswind

Pictured From left to right: (Julia Souther, Elaine Tolan, Andy Eller and Leland Smith)

Habersham Guards Donate to Legacy Link

Legacy Link would like to thank the Habersham Guards, Sons Of The Confederate Veterans for their recent $500 donation.

Julia Jessee and Elaine Tolan Dianne Currans and Lisa Howard

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RSVP Volunteer ViewMeet a RSVP Volunteer

Can Helping Others Protect Our Brains?

Judy came to volunteer at the Senior Life Center after suffer-ing a stroke. She believes it was a wakeup call to become more involved in her community. Judy feels lucky to have had no serious effects from the stroke and decid-ed it was an opportunity to take advantage of her good health to give back to others who may not be so fortunate. Hearing about the Senior Life Center from a friend, she visited and decided she would love to help with the programs and activities there. With a back-

ground as an activities person at a nursing home, Judy is well equipped to assist with games like peanut butter ping pong or other activities and kitchen duties. She tries to go every day to the Center and enjoys seeing and talking to people. She loves that it keeps her active and enjoys being able to help others. Gloria Wilms, the ac-tivities coordinator at the Senior Life Center, says Judy is an ex-ample of a true volunteer who is concerned about helping others.

In addition to spending time with older adults at the Senior Life Center, Judy also has a reg-ular Meals on Wheels route that she delivers twice every week from the Gainesville Hall County Community Service Center. Her advice to others about volunteer-ing is “just try it! I can’t explain it.” When suggested she has found a way to feel useful and produc-tive by helping other people she agreed!

Judy assists with lunch at the Senior Life Center.

Judy Camarotti – Meals on Wheels Senior Life Center - Hall County

Over the past two decades, a growing body of research in-dicates that volunteering provides individual health benefits in addition to social benefits. This research has established a strong relationship between volunteering and health: those who volun-teer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer.

Key Findings¨ Older volunteers are most likely to receive greater health

benefits from volunteering.¨ Volunteers must meet a “volunteering threshold” to receive

significant health benefits.¨ Volunteering leads to greater life satisfaction and lower

rates of depression.¨ Volunteering and physical well being are part of a positive

reinforcing cycle.¨ evidence suggests the possibility that the best way to pre-

vent poor health in the future, which could be a barrier to vol-unteering, is to volunteer.

¨ individuals who volunteer live longer.¨ A state’s volunteer rate is strongly connected with the phys-

ical health of the state’s population.Corporation for National and Community Service, Office of Re-

search and Policy Development, “The Health Benefits of Volunteer-ing for Older Americans: A Review of Recent Research,” May 2012 www.nationalservice.gov

Health Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteers often receive a plaque or certificate honoring them for their service. Might they also receive an MRI showing in-creased brain health?

Most people who volunteer say that civic engagement gives them a big mood boost and a sense of accomplishment. Now, research-ers from Johns Hopkins have shown that helping others can actually slow the shrinking of the brain that happens as we grow older.

Over the course of two years, Professor Michelle Carlson and her team studied a group of se-niors. At the beginning of the study, the team took MRI scans of the brains of the participants, who were an average of 67.2 years old.

Then, half of the study subjects began participating in the Balti-more Experience Corps, a pro-gram that brings retired people into public schools to serve as mentors for young children and

to help them learn to read.Two years later, brain scans

showed that the seniors who had taken part in the volunteer pro-gram had maintained their brain size. Some participants even showed a modest growth in the memory center of the brain. The volunteer group also demonstrat-ed an improvement on memory tests. By contrast, the seniors who did not volunteer exhibited typi-cal age-related brain shrinkage.

“Someone once said to me that being in this program removed the cobwebs from her brain, and this study shows that is exactly what is happening,” said Carlson. “By helping others, participants are helping themselves in ways beyond just feeding their souls. They are helping their brains. The brain shrinks as part of aging, but with this program we appear to have stopped that shrinkage and are reversing part of the aging process.”

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MEDICARE 2014 OPEN ENROLLMENT

2014 ANNUAL OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR

MEDICARE PART D PLANS AND

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS IS

OCTOBER 15—DECEMBER 7 (Plans are effective January, 2014)

For free, unbiased, objective plan comparisons, call

Call Legacy Link and ask for —

GeorgiaCares 770-538-2650

For Many Seniors, Good Health Is a Balancing ActAccording to the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injuries in older adults. Many of these injuries are fatal. Nearly one out of three older adults falls each year.

While not all falls are caused by balance disorders, many are. Older Americans are at greater risk for balance problems. This is due to the natural aging process, as well as the fact that many con-ditions that can cause a balance issue – arthritis, taking medica-tions, ear infections – are most common among seniors.

Some of the more common balance disorders include:Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

Thanks to Alfred Hitchcock, most people are familiar with ver-tigo. BPPV is one of the common balance disorders and is marked by an acute feeling of dizziness that occurs by a sudden change in the position of the head. It’s caused when tiny calcium crys-tals become loose and disrupt the sensors of the inner ear.Labyrinthitis

This is caused by an inner ear infection, often as part of respira-tory infection such as the flu, and

causes dizziness and a loss of bal-ance.Ménière’s disease

This is a condition marked by vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and a feel-ing of fullness or blockage in the ears. Scientists aren’t sure about its cause.Perilymph fistula

This condition occurs when fluid from the inner ear leaks into the middle ear, which can cause dizziness and nausea. It can result after a head injury, sudden chang-es in air pressure, surgery or on-going ear infections.

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms above, you should schedule an appointment with an otolaryngologist, often called an ENT (ear/nose/throat) doctor. The doctor can help make a diag-nosis and provide treatment, and also can determine if your con-dition may be a result of another underlying medical condition. Side effects of a medication might also be the cause.

Treatments range from the rel-atively simple (if you’re diagnosed with BPPV, your doctor may per-form a series of movements to dislodge the crystals) to the more complex, which may include

changes in diet or even surgery.Not all balance disorders are

curable, but symptoms can be mitigated. There are a number of exercises that can help people improve their balance. Tai chi and yoga have helped many people improve their balance and flexi-bilty. There are also several exer-cises you can do at home. For ex-ample: Using the back of a chair for support, lift one leg, so you’re standing one one foot. Hold for 10 seconds, then switch legs. Re-peat this 10-15 times. Or try the heel-to-toe walk. Focus on a spot ahead of you and walk toward it by touching the heel of your foot to the toes of the other foot. Re-peat for 20 steps.

To learn more about ways to help improve balance condition symptoms, you may want to con-sider making an appointment with a vestibular rehabilitation therapist.

Source: IlluminAge AgeWise

New Board Officers Elected

Just for LaughsRemember When?

When there were two types of sneakers for girls and boys (Keds & PF Flyers), and the only time you wore them at school, was for “gym.”

Three Seniors

Three seniors are out for a stroll.One of them remarks, “It’s windy.”Another replies, “No way. It’s Thursday.”The last one says, “Me too. Let’s have a soda.”

Reporter: “So you are 100 years old. How did you manage to live so long?” Old man: “Well, son, I got married when I was 21. The wife and I decided that if we had arguments, the loser would take a long walk to get over being mad. I suppose I have been benefitted most by 79 years of daily 2 mile walks.

New officers were elected to the Legacy Link Board of Directors on June 25th. Jimmy Berrong as Chair-man and Pamela Elfenbein as Vice Chairman. Legacy Link would like to thank outgo-ing Chairman Joe Hirsch for his lead-ership during the past year.

Left to right: Jimmy Berrong , Joe Hirsch, Pamela Elfenbein

GeorgiaCares is a volunteer-based program that provides free, unbiased and factual information and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers.

Local assistance is available for health insurance related issues including Medicare, Medicaid, financial assistance programs, health error, fraud and abuse and long term care insurance.

For more information call 770-538-2650.

Medicare Open Enrollment

Medicare Open enrollment is October 15th - December

7th Call 770-538-2650 to ask

questions about Medicare and receive your free health and

drug plan comparison.

Health Benefits of Volunteering

LEGACY LINKArea Agency on Aging

4080 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, Ga 30566

nOn PROFiT ORG.U.S. POSTAGe PAiDGAineSViLLe, GAPeRMiT nO. 82

Resource GuideHome Based ServicesGateway to Aging Services: Legacy Link’s toll free number (855-266-4283) ac-cesses the Gateway to Aging Services. Trained intake specialists provide confidential access to information, assistance and referral concerning services for seniors, family members and persons with disabilities. Callers are assisted in locating resources and services in the regions, in Georgia and across the United States.

Community Care Services Program: (CCSP) serves low-income, frail persons of all ages in the 13 county service region. The program assists people who are el-derly and/or functionally impaired to continue living in their homes and communities by offering personal support services, such as, adult day health, caregiver support, respite care, home delivered meals, emergency response systems, and basic personal care. The individual or family members along with the CCSP nurse and care coor-dinator will develop a care plan to prolong independence and avoid nursing home placement. (855-266-4283). Source Program: Serves individuals who meet nursing home level of care and are SSi Medicaid recipients. Personal support services are arranged with the individual, physician and care management team to reduce emergency room visits, hospitaliza-tions and improve quality of life while living in the community. in addition to the 13 county service region, Source is also offered by Legacy Link in Barrow, Cherokee, Clarke, elbert, Gwinnett, Jackson and Madison counties. (855-266-4283). Alzheimer’s Care Consultation Program: A free, telephone-based information and support service for adults with memory impairment, including Alzheimer’s and demention, and friends or family who care for them. Care Consultation provides, particularly to caregivers, ongoing help to find practical solutions to concerns about health and care as well as coaching and support. Clients do not have to be enrolled in any other Legacy Link program to be eligible to participate in Care Consultations. (855-266-4283).

Employment and EducationEmployment and Training for Mature Workers (SCSEP): Persons aged 55+ on the Senior Community Service and employment Program are placed in part-time positions in public and non-profit agencies for training to enable them to enter the workforce. Funded by the national Council, assistance is provided to residents of 23 north Georgia counties. (770-538-2650)

Community Based ServicesWellness Programs: Addresses social, emotional, physical, mental, and intellectual well-being of adults 60 years or older, including but not limited to: nutrition and health education, fitness and physical activity, health screenings, art classes, computer classes, and other educational opportunities. For more information about what is available in your area, contact your local senior centers. (770-538-2650)Kinship Care Program: This program provides information and referrals regard-ing benefits availble for children being raised by Grandparents, Aunts, or Uncles. Kin-ship Care Support Groups for persons who are “parenting the second time around” are available in the 13 counties of north Goergia. (770-538-2650)Retired and Senior Volunteer Program: RSVP, a national Senior Corps program, matches adults age 55+ with volunteer service opportunities at public and non-profit agencies in 10 counties. Funding is provided by the Corporation for national and Community Service (CnCS), a federal agency. 770-538-2650 www.nationalservice.gov

Legal and AdvocacyLong-Term Care Ombudsman: Ombudsman staff provides advocacy services to nursing home and personal care home residents and family members in 13 counties. (770-538-2685). Georgia Legal Services: for assistance and counseling for persons aged 60 and above. (770-535-5717).

Medicare CounselingGeorgia Cares Program: Medicare Counseling - Staff and trained volunteers make presentations to groups and counsel individual beneficiaries and assist in enrollment in all Medicare Programs. eligibility screenings and assistance are provided for those qualifying for help paying Medicare and other health benefit programs. (770-538-2650)

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