Senior Nation

Ask Irma: The Role of Adult Children with Aging Parents

October 14, 2019 by The Spy Leave a Comment

Senior Nation is committed to offering resources to help us deal with the challenges and opportunities of aging. To that end, we are launching a new monthly video blog called “Ask Irma” hosted by Irma Toce, C.E.O. of the Londonderry on the Tred Avon in Easton, where we will be exploring on all topics related to aging.

After a professional career working with adult children and the care and of their aging parents, as well as going through that experience herself with her own in the Netherlands, Irma Toce seems particularly well qualified to talk about this unique change of roles and responsibilities for the “kids” in the family.

With many parents living well into their 90s, their adult children increasingly play a critical part in caregiving or providing much-needed relief to aging couples from the sometimes overwhelming challenges facing those in their later years.

This video is approximately two minutes in length. For information about Londonderry on the Tred Avon please go here.

Ask Irma: Harmonicas for Health and Welfare

September 10, 2019 by The Spy Leave a Comment

Only a few years ago, the long-neglected ukulele had a burst of new enthusiasts starting to play this overlooked runt of the guitar family as their instrument of choice. And to our knowledge, this trend continues to this day.

But if Irma Toce has her way, the uku would make way for another neglected source of music, the American harmonica.

The Spy discovered this unique passion of Irma’s as we were setting up our camera for our “Ask Irma” question of the month. And as Irma started to talk about the physical and social benefits of harmonica playing for seniors, we make the quick decision to make this our September installment.

This video is approximately two minutes in length. For information about Londonderry on the Tred Avon please go here.

To read about the health benefits for those impacted by various lung diseases please go here.

Senior Nation: Ask Irma on the Link between Dementia and Depression

August 2, 2019 by The Spy Leave a Comment

This month: the important link between dementia and depression.

This video is approximately one minute in length. For information about Londonderry on the Tred Avon please go here

AARP Foundation Now Recruiting Volunteers for Tax-Aide

July 26, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide has kicked off volunteer recruitment for its 2020 Tax-Aide program, the nation’s largest volunteer-run tax-preparation service. The Foundation is looking to expand its team of volunteers for the upcoming tax season and is accepting new volunteers.

Tax-Aide offers free in-person tax preparation and assistance to low-and moderate-income individuals nationwide. Volunteers make a difference in their communities by helping taxpayers, and their families, who might otherwise miss out on the tax credits and deductions they’ve earned.

In 2019 taxpayers who used AARP Foundation Tax-Aide received $1.4 billion in income tax refunds and more than $200 million in Earned Income Tax Credits. Taxpayers do not need to be members of AARP or retirees to use Tax-Aide.

Local Tax-Aide volunteers prepare tax returns at the Kent County Public Library on Thursdays during tax season (February 1 to April 15) from 9 am to 3 pm and at the Amy Ferris Senior Center on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm.

In Chestertown, the Tax-Aide program needs volunteer tax preparers and client facilitators, who greet clients and help them complete initial forms. Volunteers complete training in December and January and earn IRS certification; no previous tax-preparation experience is necessary.

Last year in Chestertown, 12 AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers helped more 450 people file their federal and State tax returns. The average federal refund was more than $1,300.

One of the Chestertown volunteers said, “It’s a wonderful feeling to have someone come up to you in the grocery store and say, ‘Hey—you did my taxes for me. I really appreciated it!’”

If you think you may be interested in volunteering as a tax preparer or a client facilitator, please visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277). In Chestertown, you can call John Vail on (410) 778-1470 or reach him at vailjohn48@gmail.com.

After the First Decade: Upper Shore Aging’s Brookletts Place Celebrates Ten Years

July 25, 2019 by The Spy Leave a Comment

As the Spy celebrates its tenth year of operation, it dawned on us that there were quite a number of enterprises on the Mid-Shore that started at the same time as the Spy.

Ranging from bakeries to nonprofit businesses and buildings, dozens of small businesses opened their doors amid a significant economic recession, relying on instinct and confidence that their services would be sought after, no matter the current business climate.With that in mind, the Spy has decided to interview many of these brave entrepreneurs and leaders over the next year for them to reflect on their experiences.

We continue with our chat with the staff, designers, and volunteer leaders who made Brookletts Place, Upper Shore Aging’s senior center for Talbot County, a reality ten years ago.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about Brookletts Place please go here.

Helen Crow Celebrates 100th Birthday at Dixon House

June 17, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Born in rural Ohio, Helen Crow of Easton was always physically active. Her father, a builder, was also a physically active person. Helen recalls doing handstands and headstands when she was young. Today, she doesn’t miss an exercise class at The Dixon House. She recently celebrated her 100th birthday with a festive celebration with family, friends, and public officials at Dixon House, receiving citations from the President, Governor, Maryland Senate and House of Delegates, Talbot County Sheriff’s Department and Town of Easton.

Helen and her husband, Elmer, nicknamed “Amo” married after Amo served in the Army’s 17th Airborne Division as a paratrooper during World War II. The two had three children, and today she has three grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Amo had a career as a master craftsman, training many young men who entered the flooring trade, while Helen did office work for a law firm, then a refinery.

Photo: Back row, left to right, Matt Crow, Etta Crow, and Ben Crow. Middle row, left to right, Heather Crow, Helen Crow, Connie Crow, Philip Crow, and Roger Crow. Bottom row, left to right, Isaac Crow and Stella Crow.

Both Helen and Amo participated in an activities group for art in Cincinnati, where Helen enjoyed oils and watercolors and Amo enjoyed stained glass, caning, and pottery. The two also enjoyed music, attending Cincinnati Symphony concerts for 40 years. The couple retired to Florida and then to Easton, where their son, Roger and daughter-in-law Heather live. The two then came to live at The Dixon House in 2014.

Crow comments, “Easton is a nice town. We were amazed at the quality of friends we have made at Dixon House.” She adds, “I have had a good life.”

The mission of The Dixon House is to provide high quality and affordable residential care to seniors in an enriching home-like environment. For further information, contact Linda Elben, Executive Director at 410-822-6661 or visit dixonhouse.org.

Better to Wear Out Than Rust Out While Aging with Phil Burgess

May 28, 2019 by Dave Wheelan Leave a Comment

For the last four years, the Senior Summit, an annual gathering for seniors, children of seniors, and caregivers on the Mid-Shore, has gone out of its way to select nationally prominent experts in the field of aging to be their keynote speaker. And this year, it is no different with Dr. Phillip Burgess as their 2019 speaker.

Burgess, who has worked and lectured world-wide, has appeared on PBS, NPR, CNN, and CNBC, and his views have been reported in national and regional media – including “The New York Times,” “Wall Street Journal,” and “Christian Science Monitor.” He currently is President of The Annapolis Institute and a Senior Fellow, Center for the Digital Economy, University of Southern California. He writes a weekly column called “Bonus Years” – found in the Lifestyle section of the “Sunday Annapolis Capital.

The Spy sat down with Phil at the Bullitt House a few days ago to talk about his presentation, which is entitled, It’s Better To Wear Out Than Rust Out: How The New Longevity Is Changing Our Culture.” In a perceptive and penetrating look at retirement, he makes the argument that work, and the social interaction that comes with that labor, is the most essential ingredient for a successful and rewarding final phase of life.

This video is approximately thirteen minutes in length.

The Senior Summit will include workshops such as Rising Strength and Self-Defense; Body-Wise Gardening; End-of-Life Wishes; Increasing Resilience; Dementia: Diagnosis, Treatment and the Impact on Families; and Scams, Identity Theft, and Financial Exploitation. In addition to break-out workshops, there will be the opportunity for participants to have lunch and to visit vendor tables to gather additional information on aging issues and services.

Phil Burgess will be speaking on Thursday, June 6, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Talbot Community Center on Route 50 in Easton, MD.

Talbot Community Connections (TCC), a nonprofit arm of the Talbot County Department of Social Services, has the mission to raise and distribute funds to help keep families together, support children in foster care, and support the elderly so they can remain independent, safe, and healthy members of our communities.

The cost of the Senior Summit is $15 for the General Public, including seniors, and $80 for Professional Social Work CEUs. A healthy continental breakfast and lunch are included in the registration fee. Pre-registration is required by May 31. For further information, contact Kelley Werner at kelley.werner@maryland.gov or call 410-770-5908 or visit talbotcommunityconnections.org to download a registration form or to purchase tickets online. Registration forms are also available at the front desk at Talbot County Department of Social Services at 301 Bay Street, Unit 5 in Easton.

Talbot Community Connections Holds Fourth Annual Senior Summit on Aging – Phil Burgess to be Keynote Speaker

May 23, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Phil Burgess, PhD, an award-winning educator, businessman, and writer, will be the keynote speaker for the fourth annual Senior Summit, “Illuminating Your Life,” on Thursday, June 6, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Talbot Community Center on Route 50 in Easton, MD.

The day-long Summit for seniors, children of seniors, caregivers, professionals, and concerned residents will provide presentations and discussions on the issues that seniors face today, including health and wellness, technology, staying active, and transitioning in life. The event, sponsored by Talbot Community Connections (TCC) and the Talbot County Department of Social Services, helps to fund the unmet needs that are fundamental to the safety, security, health, and well-being of Talbot County’s children and adults.

At the Senior Summit, Burgess will present “It’s Better To Wear Out Than Rust Out: How The New Longevity Is Changing Our Culture.” His presentation will discuss how the post-career, bonus years are as rich and dynamic as the years from 25-60; why the core value of continued social engagement is a key element in successful; and to review the implications of increasing longevity for aging individuals and the rapid growth of aging-in-place alternatives.

The Senior Summit will include workshops such as Rising Strength and Self-Defense, Body-Wise Gardening, End-of-Life Wishes, Increasing Resilience: Dementia; Scams, and Identity Theft, and Financial Exploitation; and Heart Health. In addition to break-out workshops, there will be the opportunity for participants to have lunch and to visit vendor tables to gather additional information on aging issues and services.

Platinum sponsors for the 2018 Senior Summit are the Talbot County Department of Social Services, the Talbot County Government, and The Star Democrat. Gold sponsors to date are the Talbot County Health Department, University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, CareFirst, and Anne Arundel Medical Center.

Caption: Pictured is Phil Burgess, PhD, an award-winning educator, businessman, and writer, who will be the keynote speaker for the fourth annual Senior Summit. Talbot Community Connections and Talbot County Department of Social Services are hosting the fourth annual Senior Summit, “Illuminating Your Life,” on Thursday, June 6, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Talbot Community Center on Route 50 in Easton, MD.

HomePorts Benefit Dinner April 29

April 15, 2019 by HomePorts Leave a Comment

Luisa’s Cucina Italiana is the host of the annual fund-raising dinner to benefit HomePorts, Inc. The event is being held on Monday, April 29, with seatings at 5:15 and 7:30 pm. Luisa’s is located at 849 Washington Ave, Chestertown.

Proceeds benefit HomePorts, greater Kent County’s non-profit aging-in-place membership organization. HomePorts assists those over 55 in providing access to a wide range of services in order to remain content, safe, and confident living in their own homes. HomePorts resources include a cadre of vetted volunteers to help members and referrals to reliable service providers in the fields of transportation; interior and exterior home maintenance; grocery & household services; personal assistance & trouble shooting; and pet care. Additionally, HomePorts offers social and educational opportunities in cooperation with Shore Regional Health System. It also offers a subsidy for those with limited incomes.

A three-course meal will be offered with a choice of chicken, salmon, or eggplant parmagiana, coffee or tea. Tickets are $50. Call HomePorts, 443-380-0940 to reserve your spot. Space is limited.

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