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February 3, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

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Senior Nation Portal Lead Senior Nation Senior Highlights

Senior Nation: Take Care of Your Heart

February 1, 2023 by Susan Covey Leave a Comment

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, one in four deaths are caused by heart disease. The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions, even for people who already have heart disease.

Only you can change your lifestyle. It’s time to take action and get moving now!

Wear, share and rock your best RED on Friday, February 3rd. Meet in the auditorium at 10:00 and join our group walk around the block, followed by healthy snacks!

Susan Covey is the Fitness Director for Bayleigh Chase in Easton

 

Filed Under: Portal Lead, Senior Highlights

Ask Irma: A Personal Journey to Fitness

January 24, 2023 by The Spy Leave a Comment

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Most of the time, the Spy’s “Ask Irma” column seeks out the unique wisdom of Irma Toce about life after retirement but this time around, we turned the tables around and asked Irma to describe her recent personal journey for her own physical fitness. The CEO of Londonderry on the Tred Avon had typically counted on her lifetime walking habits to keep her body in shape, but having reached a certain age, Irma recently concluded that she had to do so much more to stay fit.

In our Spy chat this month, Irma talks about this lifestyle change and the remarkable benefits it brings with a little more effort and commitment.

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

Filed Under: Portal Lead, Senior Highlights

Juggling Anyone? By Susan Covey

December 1, 2022 by Susan Covey Leave a Comment

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For many of us holidays become a mixture of family, traditions, gratitude, giving and, often, challenges too. More than any other time we seem to find ourselves with a few plates in the air. So, in keeping with this theme, I offer a literal juggling challenge.

Juggling is more than just a cool party trick. Keeping a few balls in the air can make our brains and bodies healthier! Any activity that requires you to move in patterns and think about what you are doing are called “complex ideomotor activities.” Ballroom dancing, tai chi and juggling are just a few examples.

Juggling has other benefits as well. It is a form of aerobic exercise which we know improves everyday thinking and reduces dementia risk. It activates coordination and balance skills and keeping an object in the air requires hand-eye coordination too. Juggling makes you think fast; it improves reaction time and your brain’s processing speed, all of which often diminish with age.

Ready? Let’s Juggle!

Gently toss and catch a ball, bean bag or even a scarf in your dominant hand.

Gently toss your object of choice in your non-dominant hand.

Toss it with the dominant hand and catch it with the non-dominant hand.

Now, using two objects, one in each hand, toss the object in the dominant hand toward the non-dominant shoulder while switching the object from the other hand to the dominant hand. Catch the first object with the empty hand.

Continue this circular motion gently catching and throwing with swinging forearms.

Got it? Well, if not, just keep trying! It really is fun, especially if you make it a group event…and your brain will thank you!

Susan Covey is the Acts Bayleigh Chase Fitness Director

Filed Under: Portal Lead, Senior Highlights

Senior Nation: Just Keep Moving by Susan Covey

November 2, 2022 by Susan Covey Leave a Comment

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As the weather cools, the temptation to move less can be strong. However, we must resist this temptation and strive to stay active no matter the number of daylight hours or less than perfect weather.

Since November is the month that reminds us of all the things in our life we are thankful for, let us make movement one of them. Our bodies were built to move, to walk, to bend, to reach, to stretch. Though everyone may not be ambulatory, chances are there is some part of your body that is still motile. Be grateful for whatever ability you do have and build on that. 

In addition to functional exercises, do not forget how great it is to get out and explore your surroundings. There are many beautiful and motivating places to see in our area and these in themselves are something to be thankful for.

Some of the wonderful adventures awaiting you on the Eastern Shore include Adkins Arboretum, Tuckahoe State Park, Martinak State Park, Pickering Creek, Blackwater Refuge just to name a few. 

How lucky are we to have so many outdoor destinations within an hour’s drive!

Make it your monthly mission to take a hike or stroll through one of our area’s magnificent attractions!

Susan Covey is the fitness director at Acts Bayleigh Chase in Easton.

Filed Under: Portal Lead, Senior Highlights

Upper Shore Aging Seeks Ombudsman to Advocate for Mid-Shore Seniors

October 29, 2022 by Upper Shore Aging Leave a Comment

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Advocating for a senior or learning to navigate the world of home care, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home can be a daunting task. Upper Shore Aging (USA) offers several programs in Caroline, Kent, and Talbot counties to assist individuals and families protect the safety, welfare, and rights of seniors. One of the programs that the organization is currently seeking a manager for is its Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. The ombudsman investigates and advocates to resolve complaints from residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

“Our Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program plays such an important role in being the eyes and ears for our senior population and people of all ages, who may be experiencing issues in an assisted living facility or nursing home.  The ombudsman in the county is the advocate for people in helping them resolve their complaints, but also develops relationships with these facilities to improve the quality of life for residents there,” states Andy Hollis, Executive Director of USA.

“Recently, we have had to rely on the State’s representatives to oversee this role because we have not had this position filled locally. While the State has provided excellent support, residents on the Mid-Shore need to have an advocate locally who can work with these facilities regularly to address concerns and issues as they develop.”

Pictured is Mary Sellers, Family Caregiver Program Manager & Guardianship Program Manager for Upper Shore Aging, talking with a family member about services. Upper Shore Aging is currently seeking a manager for its Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. The ombudsman investigates and advocates to resolve complaints from residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

According to Stevanne Ellis, State Long-Term Care Ombudsman for the Maryland Department of Aging, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a program under the Older Americans Act.

“Whether you are in a nursing home for short-term rehabilitation or a longer stay, the ombudsman in the county is the advocate for that person. The ombudsman provides a minimum of monthly nursing home visits and quarterly assisted living visits. The ombudsman also responds to any complaints or requests between these visits. We have more than 1800 assisted living facilities and 227 nursing homes,” Ellis states.

“During these visits, we go and see how the resident is doing and what life is like for them. We want the resident to know that if he or she has a complaint, then we can help resolve the complaint to their satisfaction. Complaints can range everything from issues related to the building to hands-on care to staffing to cold coffee to physical and emotional abuse. We are also available to help people navigate the long-term care system, which can be complicated and confusing at times.”

She adds, “There are some facilities that they see us as a big help. We are focused on the same thing – that their residents are happy, receiving good care, and want to stay in the facility. That’s what we advocate for.”

In getting issues resolved, the ombudsman’s goal is first to empower residents – to help them figure out how to take care of their issues first. And if this is not successful, the ombudsman can go with residents to address concerns or get permission to talk to facilities without the resident being present. The majority of complaints are initiated by residents and residents’ families; however, friends, family, physicians, and ministers also can make complaints on behalf of the resident.

The Ombudsman Program Manager position provides leadership and direction for the Ombudsman Program, overseeing operations, fiscal performance, and effectiveness of the program.  In addition to investigating and resolving resident complaints, the ombudsman provides educational training and information presentations to residents, staff, and members of the community on resident rights, services available, and good health and safety practices.

“The position requires someone who cares about residents and genuinely has a passion for helping people in long-term care and helping families. I think the ombudsman job is a prestigious thing because it’s a form of social justice. By making the world a better place, you’re going to have the satisfaction that you truly made a difference in the quality of life for someone,” comments Ellis.

Other qualities of an ombudsman include an interest to learn new things, experience in health care or working with the aging community, a mediation background, strong community relations skills, and experience with volunteer recruitment and retention. Preferred qualifications for the position include a bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, or nursing and five to eight years of working with the elderly population providing case management.

The Department of Aging offers a comprehensive Ombudsman Training Program and there are mentors available to support the local ombudsman from the State.

Mary Sellers, Family Caregiver Program Manager & Guardianship Program Manager for USA sees the Ombudsman Program as an extension of her work in assisting individuals and families to keep seniors in their own homes or helping them when a family member has been discharged from a nursing home. She states, “My programs help connect seniors and families to community resources when they are living independently. The Family Caregiver Program is preventive service to connect families to community resources to help keep them in their own homes or help them when a family member has been discharged from a nursing home.”

“Through our Family Caregiver Program, Guardianship Program, and Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, our hope is we can also offer families important information about resources ahead of time, before they need it for a loved one, and to ensure seniors get the best care in whatever situation they find themselves,“ Hollis adds.

For further information about applying for the Ombudsman Program Manager position, contact Andy Hollis at (410) 778-6000. For further information, visit uppershoreaging.org.

Upper Shore Aging, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that is the designated Area Agency on Aging for Talbot, Caroline, and Kent counties, Maryland, serving a potential market of nearly 31,000 persons over the age of sixty years. The organization develops and manages a coordinated program of services that work together to help elders to remain, and live well, in the community for as long as possible. Upper Shore Aging, Inc. works closely with the Maryland Department of Aging to serve the needs of its clients.

Filed Under: Senior Notes Tagged With: local news, Senior Nation

Ask Irma: Why Wear Pink in your Hair this Month?

October 21, 2022 by The Spy Leave a Comment

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It wasn’t hard for Irma Toce, the CEO of Londonderry on the Tred Avon, to answer why she was wearing pink streaks in her hair last week when the Spy sat down here for our “Ask Irma” series.

For years, Irma, her senior management team, and more than a few residents of Londonderry have been showing solidarity with people living with breast cancer in October by adding a little pink, the official color of the Breast Cancer Awareness month on Octobere, to their coiffures. With the help of the on-site hairdresser at the Easton-based retirement community, Irma and her team use that extra tint to prompt conversations about this dreaded cancer and how important it is for women (and increasingly certain men) to undergo breast screenings regularly.

In our conversation with Irma, she talks personally about a close cousin now battling breast cancer and how important it is for the community to understand its impact, the advancement in treatment, and how easy it is to test for the condition.

This video is approximately 3 minutes in length. For more information about the UMMS Clark Comprehensive Breast Center in Easton please go here. For Londonderry on the Tred Avon please go here.

Filed Under: Portal Lead, Senior Highlights

Senior Nation: Nature’s Many Benefits by Susan Covey

October 4, 2022 by Susan Covey Leave a Comment

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Scientific studies have proven that, not only walking, but just being in nature has a profound positive impact on our health.  Of course, we know that if we walk at least 15 minutes a day, we will have fewer diseases and are less likely to get cancer, have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke and have better bone density. 

But recent researchers are now demonstrating a reduction in stress, blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as an upswing in mood and general outlook on life just as a result of being outside. They have also shown a link to longevity and decreased risk of mental illness and depression. (Kuo and Taylor 2004, DeVries et al. 2003)  Health benefits of nature may also have relevance to injury prevention and control, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, musculoskeletal conditions, and other maladies, including cancer (Li 2009).

Drawing attention to these benefits of outdoor leisure and recreation for improved health helps shift attention from the downstream costs of health care to the upstream efforts to prevent ill health from occurring. An upstream focus is always empowering and enables individuals to take a more prominent role in our own wellness.

So, take control and get out there!  Enjoy everything around you, and take the time to PLAY. After all, you’re never too old to jump in the leaves!

Susan S. Covey is the Director of Health and Fitness at Bayleigh-Chase.

Filed Under: Portal Lead, Senior Highlights

Message to Seniors: It’s Time to Come Back to Your Local Senior Center

September 20, 2022 by The Spy Leave a Comment

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Of the countless ways that COVID-19 impacted Mid-Shore communities, the great “senior citizen retreat” into isolation during the pandemic has been the least reported. By late Spring of 2020, hundreds of community elders ended their regular routine of visiting senior centers, such as Easton’s Brookletts Place, and have not been back since.

Their absence is worrisome for Upper Shore Aging’s Teresa Greene and Talbot County’s Department of Social Services Lee Lynch Newcomb. Not only are these seniors prone to more social isolation, but in more than a few cases, they are experiencing self-neglect. Over the past two years, many elders have forgone eating balanced meals, trips to the doctor, and forgetting to take medication and maintain personal hygiene. Without social interaction and contact with peers, there is a growing number of senior citizens trapped in their own homes, even as the dangers of the pandemic have been dramatically reduced.

The Spy drove over to Brookletts Place last week to chat with Teresa and Lee about the dangers of senior isolation and how they are partnering this Fall to get the word out to our aging population that it’s safe to come back and see old friends.

This video is approximately 3 minutes in length. For more information about Upper Shore Aging’s Brookletts Place programming please go here.

Filed Under: Portal Lead, Senior Highlights, Spy Highlights

Queen Anne’s at Home Installs Three New Board Members

September 15, 2022 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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Queen Anne’s at Home (QA@H) is pleased to announce the addition of three new Board members to guide its activities and further its mission. There are now 10 members on the Board.

Cathy Dougherty of Grasonville is a retired social worker and the former director of the Queen Anne’s County Department of Social Services. Her strengths lie in developing community partnerships. She plans to help QA@H by furthering connections in the area’s diverse senior community.

Karen Twigg resides in Centreville. She is a registered nurse who serves as the Vice President, Population Health, Community Health, for The Coordinating Center in Millersville. Her expertise lies in the design, implementation, and support of community health programs.

Bonnie Walter of Stevensville has extensive experience working with senior citizens, serving as President of the Queen Anne’s County Commission on Aging since 2016. She is the receptionist at the Queen Anne’s County Visitors Center and is active with the Kent Island Lions Club, Kent Island Elks, and the Terrapin Grove Resident Association.

“The directors and I are pleased to welcome these talented leaders as new colleagues on the Board,” said President Cindy Bach. “These accomplished people will add significant value to our organization, drawing from their experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.” Bach continued, saying, “It truly takes all of us to make a difference. I look forward to the additional insight that these Board members will offer our team as we strive to serve even more seniors in Queen Anne’s County.”

QA@H is a caring community of seniors who help each other stay safe, healthy, connected, and independent at home. Its mission is to help seniors thrive at home which addresses the number one fear that senior citizens have: “What if I can’t stay in my own home?” Members assist each other with rides to appointments and household chores, among other things. QA@H arranges social activities such as coffee meet-ups, happy hours, and outdoor adventures as well as informational seminars where experts present topics relevant to seniors.

To donate, visit www.queenannesathome.org or mail a check to PO Box 164, Centreville, MD 21617.

About Queen Anne’s at Home

Founded in 2018, QA@H is based on the model of seniors helping seniors to thrive as we age in our own homes. Members offer help as they can and seek help as they need. This reciprocity helps build on QA@H’s three foundational principles of empowerment, connection, and purpose. 

The Queen Anne’s At Home Fund is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a public foundation designated as a 501(c)(3) charity. Donations to the Fund support Queen Anne’s At Home’s programs helping seniors stay safe, healthy, connected, and independent at home and are tax-deductible as allowed by law. A copy of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation’s financial statement is available at www.mscf.org or by calling 410-820-8175. Information about Mid-Shore submitted under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act can be obtained from the Office of the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Filed Under: Senior Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, local news, Senior Nation

Senior Nation: September a Great Time to Start New Fitness Program

September 1, 2022 by Susan Covey Leave a Comment

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Not only is September “Healthy Aging Month”, but it is also a great time to start a new fitness program.  For one thing, fall can be a treat for the senses: the crisper air, the leaves beginning to change colors.  Walking and hiking are both awesome in the fall months. 

A FEW TIPS FOR FALL FITNESS:

Try thinking outside the box and learn something new, something you’ve always wanted to try like dancing, horseback riding or biking. 

Be an ACTIVE TV watcher.  If you’re into fall premiers and plan to sit down to watch for hours , make it a date with exercise AND TV.  While you watch, you can walk in place, do standing lunges, triceps dips off the couch, lift weights, or do push-ups and sit-ups during the commercials.  

Rejuvenate your mind and spirit as well.  Learn to meditate, take an art class or learn a new language.

Strive for the three C’s: commitment, convenience and consistency.  Put it on the calendar just like any other appointment; choose an activity that is close by and, when you can’t fit in 30 minutes each day, do 10 minutes rather than skip exercise altogether.

Susan Covey is the Fitness Director at Bayleigh Chase in Easton

 

Filed Under: Portal Lead, Senior Highlights

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