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November 28, 2023

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

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Senior Nation Senior Notes

Buildings & Grounds Team Creates Safe & Superior Lifestyle at Londonderry on the Tred Avon

July 15, 2023 by Londonderry on the Tred Avon Leave a Comment

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Londonderry on the Tred Avon’s values include a commitment to excellence, which can be seen in every aspect of the community, with each department playing a role in helping residents feel comfortable and safe. The Buildings and Grounds team plays a vital role in this, providing the community with accessible and superior living that meets the team’s renowned high-quality standards.

James Brooks, Londonderry’s Director of Buildings and Grounds, describes his Buildings & Grounds team as “always looking for ways to improve the community. With team members that are on call 7 days a week, 365 days a year, who have special backgrounds in electrical, HVAC, appliance repair, painting, etc., there is always someone available who knows how to fix it!”

The team takes pride in the work they put into the community and are always looking for ways to improve the campus’s attractiveness as well as its safety. For example, the salt the team uses in the wintertime is pet, concrete and interior floor-friendly, instead of using a less expensive and harsher variety.

Residents appreciate the lengths that the Buildings & Grounds team goes to, with their goal of fulfilling work orders within 24 hours and performing preventative maintenance to make sure everything is in the best condition it can be.

The Londonderry on the Tred Avon Buildings and Grounds Team is committed to making the Londonderry campus accessible, safe and beautiful for all residents and visitors. Pictured from left are John Riccio, Dane Brinsfield, Tory Sherwood, James Brooks and Chris Andrews.

“From sidewalks to speed bumps to patios to siding, my team is consistently staying on top of the preventative work that needs to be done,” says Brooks. “We want to make sure everything is taken care of for our Londonderry residents. We like to tell our residents we are just a phone call away.”

Londonderry’s campus displays scenic views, with river birches lining the front of the Community Center and multiple ponds that contain fountains and local wildlife, with benches and walking paths surrounding the space. The Buildings & Grounds team strives to nurture these areas so that residents can enjoy the outdoors as much as the indoors.

Keeping the cottages and apartments in the best possible shape is also a top priority. The team aims to create unique and beautiful homes for their residents. “My favorite part of my job is when I get the opportunity to refurbish a cottage. I get to see the residents’ faces when they view their personalized selections for the first time,” shared Chris Andrews, Buildings & Grounds team member.

“Excellence means providing the best of myself to my team and the Londonderry residents every day,” said Brooks. “It means stopping to ask how someone’s day is going or to say hello and tell or listen to a joke. Excellence means contributing to enriching the lives of everyone around me.”

About Londonderry on the Tred Avon

Londonderry on the Tred Avon is an intimate residential cooperative community for adults ages 62+, offering a variety of housing options from convenient apartments to spacious cottages among 29 acres, including 1500 feet of waterfront shoreline. For more information, visit www.londonderrytredavon.com.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Senior Notes Tagged With: local news, Londonderry on the Tred Avon, Senior Nation

Londonderry Resident Margaret Bryan, Celebrates 100th Birthday

July 1, 2023 by Londonderry on the Tred Avon Leave a Comment

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On Thursday, May 11th, Margaret Bryan celebrated her 100th birthday with her fellow Londonderry residents. They enjoyed a menu that included her favorite dishes, named for places and events important to her. Continuing the celebration on Friday, May 12th, Bryan’s friends, family and the Londonderry team enjoyed a birthday party in the clubhouse, which was decorated in rose gold, and her favorite drink, a blushing mimosa, was served. Pictured is Bryan sitting in her birthday chair with 23 balloons attached to represent the year she was born, 1923.

About Londonderry on the Tred Avon

Londonderry on the Tred Avon is an intimate residential cooperative community for adults ages 62+, offering a variety of housing options from convenient apartments to spacious cottages among 29 acres, including 1500 feet of waterfront shoreline. For more information, visit www.londonderrytredavon.com.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Senior Notes Tagged With: local news, Londonderry on the Tred Avon, Senior Nation

Maryland Secretary of Aging Pays Visit to Upper Shore Aging Facilities

June 24, 2023 by Upper Shore Aging Leave a Comment

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Maryland Secretary of the Department of Aging Carmel Roques took a tour of Upper Shore Aging’s facilities while also providing a public forum for a discussion on aging issues facing seniors across the state and on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Secretary Roques reminded participants at the gathering at Talbot County Senior Center at Brooklett’s Place in Easton that she wasn’t a politician, but rather had worked a long career in the private sector. She stated, “I was absolutely honored to be asked to serve in this role. I have many years centering my life around caring for older people, their families, and their care providers. And so, you know, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a licensed clinical social worker, doing direct therapy and care management of older people.”

“Maryland is a long-lived society. Half of the five-year-olds alive today will expect to live to 100. We need to begin to shape our policies and services around that. They will sit under the trees that we plant but that will never see.”

Photo: Left to right – Chuck Callahan, President of the Talbot County Council; Childlene Brooks, Manager of Brooklett’s Place; Maryland Secretary of the Department of Aging Carmel Roques; and Andy Hollis, Executive Director of Upper Shore Aging.

According to Secretary Roques, the Maryland Department of Aging is a $90 million agency comprised of federal and state funding. When she arrived, the agency had 40 full-time employees but was operating at a 30 percent vacancy rate. The agency oversees 19 area agencies on aging and Upper Shore Aging is one of them.

Andy Hollis, Executive Director of Upper Shore Aging hosted the Secretary’s visit, which included seeing the Caroline Senior Center in Denton and Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activity Center in Chestertown. He added, “Secretary Roques’ visit underscored the critical importance of Upper Shore Aging’s partnership with the Maryland Department of Aging.  Upper Shore provides senior services on behalf of three counties, and the Secretary’s remarks about her vision for the department, and her focus on bettering the lives of our state’s seniors, will serve the citizens of Caroline, Kent, and Talbot Counties well.  She has worked in the field for decades and knows the challenges that lie ahead.  Her comments expressing her commitment to meeting those challenges and overcoming them was inspirational.”

Among the issues raised by participants at the discussion at Brooklett’s Place were affordable housing and long-term care, food insecurity among seniors, the need for gap-filling services like adult day care, and transportation.

Secretary Roques added that nationally, the United States hasn’t made a commitment to long-term care and that moving forward recommendations for improving nursing homes are needed as they are closing around the country due to not being as profitable as they used to be.

“Older Americans are healthier than previous generations and living long enough to outlive their resources and require complex supportive care, but more people are choosing assisted living or staying at home because they can’t afford private pay at these facilities,” she explained.

“Under 3% of the housing in this country is assessable for older adults with disabilities.”

In looking toward the future, Secretary Roques explained that the new Governor is setting in motion a couple of initiatives – the biggest one being a multi-sector planning process, which involves cabinet-level leaders working together to better use state or federal funds to solve some of these problems and issues, as well as working with each other to influence policy across these issues.

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. Our organization develops and manages a coordinated program of services that work together to help elders to remain, and live well, in the community as long as possible. Upper Shore Aging, Inc. works closely with the Maryland Department of Aging to serve the needs of its clients.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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

Upper Shore Aging’s New Brand Reflects Agency’s Future Direction

June 5, 2023 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

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Upper Shore Aging, Inc. (USA), the nonprofit Area Agency on Aging serving over 31,000 seniors in Caroline, Kent, and Talbot counties, has a new logo. It is no accident that the logo the organization selected includes a lotus blossom – the symbol of strength, resilience, and rebirth – selected with staff input and representative of USA’s renewal in serving some of the Eastern Shore’s most vulnerable – its aging population. Under the leadership of a new executive director, Andrew Hollis, and his leadership team, and board president Bill Shrieves, the organization is tackling the growing demand for the services that the agency offers.

“Andy Hollis has brought a fresh new approach to the work being done at USA since his arrival a year ago. He has engaged the community in learning about the gaps in service and the growing needs, as well as tackled the agency’s staff vacancies. We are now fully staffed and can serve those in need on the Mid-Shore,” comments Bill Shrieves, president of the board of USA, who has been the driving force in the agency’s recovery. Shrieves, a pancreatic cancer survivor, opened Comfort Keepers and is an active volunteer with the Mid-Shore Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, the Bay Hundred Community Volunteers, and the St. Michaels Rotary. This year he received the Community Impact Award from Talbot County’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

Hollis is no stranger to working with the senior population as before his appointment at USA, he worked for Delmarva Community Services, Inc., as County Manager for Talbot County, and for Londonderry on the Tred Avon Retirement Community. He adds, “My experience over the years has shown me that our most vulnerable seniors don’t know they have a voice and suffer in silence, often not asking for the services they need. We now have a dynamic team to address some of the challenges seniors are facing today – food insecurity, re-engagement at our senior centers, the equipment and resources to age safely at home, the rising costs of prescription drugs, and the gaps in meeting the costs for assisted living today. I believe with our new staffing; we can start to impact the needs in these areas.”

Photo: The staff at Upper Shore Aging, Inc.’s headquarters in Chestertown, Maryland displaying the agency’s new logo and branding – representing its new direction in serving the Mid-Shore’s aging population. Front row, left to right: Ursula McEntee, Fiscal Specialist; Debbie Beaver, Upper Shore Housing Fiscal Manager; Jensen Vandyke, Nutrition Specialist; Sheila Wilson, Administrative Assistant; and TreShawn Todd, Operations Director. Back row, left to right: Judi Bianco, Finance Director; Deborah Nicholson, Ombudsman; Andy Hollis, Executive Director; and Jeff Scott, Senior Care Case Manager.

Tracey Watters, RN, BSN, BC, Kent County Health Department Director of the AERS Program, refers clients to the USA’s programs. She comments, “My role is to see what services can help the seniors most. These are the elderly who are low-income residents who may not have a family to care for them and who are on Medicaid. Andy Hollis has a heart for the clients he serves. He desires to serve them and get them what they need.”

“As the new Executive Director of USA, he reached out to the community to see where the problems existed and began addressing them systematically. He has hired a phenomenal team that is also based on heart. The new team is about helping people and if they don’t know the answer, they will find it. The client is at the center of this care delivery no matter what the obstacle is.”

Upper Shore Aging develops and administers programs and services and serves as the chief advocate for the seniors it serves. Its programs function cooperatively to maintain and improve the quality of life for seniors, working to help them remain healthy and independent. Among the programs offered through the agency include:

  • Operating five senior centers in Kent, Caroline, and Talbot counties.  These centers are a hub for activities helping seniors stay active and involved in their community.
  • Operating the Meals-On-Wheels program which delivers meals to homebound seniors.
  • Providing a Senior Care Program that supports seniors aging in place, keeping seniors living in their own homes, and at a lower cost than a long-term care facility. Services vary according to need but may include personal care, light housekeeping chores, and emergency response systems, and case management services.
  • Managing the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), sponsored by USA and funded by AmeriCorps, which recruits and places older adults (age 55+) in a diverse range of volunteer activities to meet various community needs.
  • Providing one-on-one counseling, information, and group seminars on Medicare, Medigap and Medicaid insurance programs, private health insurance issues, and long-term care insurance.
  • Operating Maryland Access Point (MAP) a one-stop source of information and assistance for family members, caregivers, disabled adults, and seniors, which helps them navigate through the maze of long-term care services and links them with local and state programs.
  • Providing Senior Medicare Patrol to educate clients about these programs and to prevent incidents of fraud and abuse.
  • Providing a Long-Term Care Ombudsman who investigates and resolves complaints of elder abuse and neglect in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living facilities.

In addition, USA provides senior legal assistance, refers senior housing needs to Upper Shore Aging Housing Corporation, administers the Senior Assisted Living Subsidy program for low and moderate-income seniors, providing access to participating assisted living facilities; provides case management services for Medicaid-eligible seniors to receive home or community-based services, provides a Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program and Family Caregiver Support Program, partners with Delmarva Community Transit to provide transportation to its senior centers, and offers a shopping service for seniors in Kent county who unable to shop for themselves.

“Last year my wife and I moved to St. Michaels from North Carolina where we lived for 30 years. The staff at Upper Shore Aging helped us to enroll in a better Medicare Part D drug plan and helped us evaluate Medicare supplemental insurance, as well as our enrollment in Medicare. They really helped us find the best coverage for our medications and the best coverage for the payments we were making, taking a comprehensive look at what we were getting. This was an undiscovered gem for us,” comments resident Stephen Parr of St. Michaels.

“Upper Shore Aging is giving services back to people in the community – especially services that are impactful like Medicare Part D. Their success is only possible based upon the professionals they have on their team, not only volunteers but more importantly the staff who have a passion for their work.”

Chuck Callahan, President of the Talbot County Council adds, “I have been so impressed at the response of Upper Shore Aging in meeting the growing needs of our seniors. Their staff, led by Andy and Bill, are making a significant impact on the quality of care our seniors are getting every day across the region. We applaud their hard work and tenacity in moving the agency forward in a positive way.”

For information about Upper Shore Aging, Inc or to donate, visit uppershoreaging.org or call 410-778-6000.

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. Our organization develops and manages a coordinated program of services that work together to help elders to remain, and live well, in the community as long as possible. Upper Shore Aging, Inc. works closely with the Maryland Department of Aging to serve the needs of its clients.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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

Londonderry on the Tred Avon Welcomes Dirck Bartlett to Board of Directors

May 17, 2023 by Londonderry on the Tred Avon Leave a Comment

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Londonderry on the Tred Avon is pleased to welcome Dirck Bartlett to its Board of Directors.

Londonderry on the Tred Avon is pleased to welcome Dirck Bartlett to its Board of Directors. The Londonderry Board of Directors is comprised of residents and community members who volunteer their time to provide guidance and strategic direction to the residential cooperative and its management team.

“We are very excited to welcome Dirck to the Londonderry Board of Directors,” said Irma Toce, Londonderry CEO. “We are sure to benefit from his professional experience and vast community involvement as we continue to make Londonderry the premier senior living community on the Eastern Shore.”

Dirck Bartlett helped start a family-owned construction company, ILEX Construction, Inc. in 1986 and has worked for ILEX since then. He moved to Easton in 1998 with his wife, Christy, who he married in 1989. Together, they have two grown children, Peter and Katherine.

Dirck is an active member of the Mid-Shore community: serving on the Board of the Academy Art Museum, the Talbot Historical Society Board, the Talbot Free Library Board, the Mid Shore Regional Council as Past President, the Board of Pickering Creek – Audubon Center as Chairman, the Talbot County Council (2006-2018), and serving on the Christ Church Vestry as Senior Warden. He currently serves on the Spring Hill Cemetery Board.

About Londonderry on the Tred Avon

Londonderry on the Tred Avon is a vibrant, independent living cooperative community for adults ages 62+ that promotes wellness of mind and body. Londonderry offers a variety of housing options from convenient apartments to spacious cottages among 29 acres, including 1500 feet of waterfront shoreline. For more information, visit www.londonderrytredavon.com.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Portal Lead Tagged With: local news, Londonderry on the Tred Avon, Senior Nation

Save the Date for Local Health Expo

May 15, 2023 by HomePorts 2 Comments

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HomePorts is pleased to announce their annual Health and Wellness Expo on Thursday, October 21, from 8am to noon at the Kent County Family YMCA, 200 Scheeler Road in Chestertown.

The largest health fair in this region, it is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to become more informed on health issues that we face or may face and reflect on how we can stay well.  This event is held in partnership with the Kent County Health Department and the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health.

Sponsorship and exhibitor  information is available by contacting [email protected] /443-480-1987, or by visiting https://homeports.org/events/

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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

Culinary Excellence Contributes to Healthy Lifestyle at Londonderry on the Tred Avon

March 31, 2023 by Londonderry on the Tred Avon Leave a Comment

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Londonderry on the Tred Avon’s commitment to excellence is apparent in every aspect of the community, with each department playing a role in helping residents be active and healthy. The dining experience is no exception, providing the community with the healthy, nutritious and delicious meals that meet the team’s renowned high-quality standards.

Chelsea Harris, Londonderry’s Director of Dining, describes culinary excellence as “having the freshest, top-quality ingredients utilized by our trained team of chefs and cooks to create delicious and nutritious meals.”

Harris’s “eat good, feel good” mentality greatly influences what the dining department serves residents. “The food we provide to the community is essential to the Londonderry lifestyle because what we put into our body is going to affect not only our physical well-being but also our mental health,” says Harris.

Residents certainly appreciate the dining team’s efforts since their dining room is filled with patrons each evening and the meal-delivery service is also very popular.

Londonderry Tred Avon’s dining team plays a critical role in helping residents be active and healthy by providing the community with the healthy, nutritious and delicious meals. Director of Dining Services, Chelsea Harris and Lead Line Cook and Baker, Shavonte Greene, work in the Londonderry Kitchen.

“We have created a welcoming and homey dining area, where residents and guests are catered to in every way we can manage,” says Harris. “We love to give residents the best dining experience, whether that is at the table with their neighbors or in the comfort of their own homes.”

A special feature that the dining team offers is a tour of the kitchen, where the staff talks Londonderry residents through each station so that they may learn how their food is prepared.

Residents can also experience fun activities in the kitchen, such as nutritional cooking classes and how to build charcuterie boards.

Londonderry also invests in its culinary team and offers 100% tuition reimbursement for all staff members who wish to pursue additional education in the field.  Harris shared that Andy Riesburg, Prep Cook, and Nick Satchell, Line Cook, are currently in culinary school.

Other culinary team members include Shavonte Greene – Lead Line Cook and Baker, Shavonte Greene – Lead Line Cook, Bryant Harper – Prep Cook,  Emma Freeman – Prep Cook, Charlie Guy – Dishwasher, and Willey Cephas – Dishwasher.

“Our team is very proud to provide residents with delicious and nutritious meals,” shared Harris. “We will continue to play our part supporting Londonderry’s mission of promoting the complete wellness of every resident.”

About Londonderry on the Tred Avon

Londonderry on the Tred Avon is an intimate residential cooperative community for adults ages 62+, offering a variety of housing options from convenient apartments to spacious cottages among 29 acres, including 1500 feet of waterfront shoreline. For more information, visit www.londonderrytredavon.com.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Senior Notes Tagged With: local news, Londonderry on the Tred Avon, Senior Nation

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

October 29, 2022 by Upper Shore Aging

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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.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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

Queen Anne’s at Home Installs Three New Board Members

September 15, 2022 by Spy Desk

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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.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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

Upper Shore Aging’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program Seeks Volunteers and Volunteer Stations

August 9, 2022 by Upper Shore Aging

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Volunteering has never been easier!  Upper Shore Aging’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), sponsored by Upper Shore Aging, Inc. (USA) and funded by AmeriCorps, spans three counties on the Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland: Kent, Talbot, and Caroline. RSVP, launched in 2021, recruits and places older adults (age 55+) in a diverse range of volunteer activities to meet various community needs.

Pictured is Gil Slagle of Worton, an RSVP volunteer, who helps to run the Upper Shore Aging Senior Care Farmer’s Market, held at the Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activity Center in Chestertown.

Mavis Jones joined the program in August 2021 as the Kent County Project Coordinator for Upper Shore Aging’s RSVP. She states, “My job is to recruit and place senior volunteers over the age of 55 to work with nonprofit organizations that are willing to host a senior volunteer. These nonprofits partner with USA to become a volunteer station, signing a Memorandum of Understanding which outlines the organization’s responsibilities.

Currently, in Kent County, these organizations include the Chester River Hospital Center Auxiliary, Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activity Center, Meals on Wheels, Kent Association of Riding Therapy (KART), Eastern Shore Rabbit Rescue and Education Center, Main Street Rock Hall, AARP Tax-Aide of the Mid-Shore, and Upper Shore Aging. Adds Jones, “I am also looking to build relationships with any organization that wants to host senior volunteers so that we can expand the volunteer opportunities available.”

Upper Shore Aging’s website for RSVP, volunteersontheshore.org is a centralized place for anyone seeking a volunteer opportunity in Kent, Caroline, or Talbot counties. The site includes information on the enrollment process and a listing under each county of volunteer opportunities.

That is how volunteer Gil Slagle of Worton found the site in May while looking for places to volunteer. Slagle, who volunteers at the Farmer’s Market held at the Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activity Center, recently returned to the area after retiring from a career with Southern States and cooperative agriculture and living in North Carolina.

“I was born and raised in Kent County and was looking for a way to give back. I got on the Internet and searched for volunteer opportunities and this program came up,” he states.

“I enjoy interacting with the seniors coming through the Farmers Market and helping them with their produce. I am interested in doing additional volunteering with the Chester River Hospital Center Auxiliary.”

In addition to the Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activity Center, volunteers can work at several other locations, including the Eastern Shore Rabbit Rescue and Education Center in Rock Hall. Here they can feed and groom the bunnies, clean cages, and provide rotational play time in a large pen. At the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, volunteers can assist nurses and other hospital staff by performing messenger duties, patient, and specimen transportation, and conducting COVID screening of visitors.

Jones adds that RSVP is always looking for new organizations to place volunteers with so that the program can get volunteers in the right places right off the bat.

“The benefits of the RSVP are that I can screen them to determine what might be a good fit for their volunteer service and help them navigate getting connected to that organization. This can be a real timesaver as there are a lot of nonprofits in Kent County. Our volunteers also become part of a network of volunteers,” Jones comments.

“This program serves a dual purpose. It’s not only giving the senior volunteer a meaningful volunteer experience that suits them, it’s serving the needs of the organization, which also means meeting critical community needs.”

Some of the advantages of being an RSVP volunteer are that the volunteers are covered under a supplemental accident and liability insurance policy, they can get meal and mileage reimbursement, and they receive volunteer recognition and ongoing support.

Currently, there are between 25 and 30 people in the program and the average age of RSVP volunteers is in the 60s. Jones schedules each volunteer commitment based on the terms of the volunteer.

“I’m finding with senior volunteers that they want flexibility – some just want a few hours at a time and others want to give more of their time.  The majority probably also want to do something different from what they’ve done in their careers.

Upper Shore Aging serves Kent, Talbot, and Caroline counties, so the RSVP has coordinators like Jones in each of the counties to help match volunteers to services. Volunteer service opportunities are as diverse as the communities in which volunteers serve and can include areas such as delivering meals to the homebound, offering to transport a senior to an appointment, helping with a home repair, socializing with a senior in person or by phone, teaching or leading an activity at a Senior Center, assisting with tax preparation, or offering legal aid, helping with a community garden, packaging and distributing food at a food pantry, tutoring or mentoring a child, supporting a child in school or during a summer program, or working with developmentally disabled children or adults.

In Kent County, RSVP is looking for volunteers to help with the senior care programs, senior reassurance phone calling, answering phones, making calls, and greeting visitors at Upper Shore Aging’s office, as well as engaging seniors in an activity at the Senior Center.

“Anyone with crafting abilities, health promotion skills, or any kind of special talent is welcome to come to offer that to our seniors,” Jones adds.

Jones, a retired public health nurse took this volunteer coordinator position because she was not ready to stop working completely herself. “I love working with the volunteers – just the whole networking part of this. I still think that we have not tapped into the growing number of volunteers out there who want to volunteer but just haven’t pulled the trigger yet,” she states.

“We have got a lot of organizations doing a lot of good things, but they are sort of operating in silos. I like the idea of trying to bring people together to serve the needs of the county. For organizations that become a part of RSVP, they become aware of some other organizations that are doing something similar so that they can coordinate services.”

According to Andy Hollis, Executive Director of Upper Shore Aging, “We are currently looking for people to serve as project coordinators in Caroline and Talbot counties. It’s a great opportunity for someone who is connected to their community. We are not only looking for volunteers in each county for this program, but we are also looking at developing new relationships with volunteer organizations to serve as volunteer stations.”

To volunteer or to become a volunteer station in Kent County, call Mavis Jones at 410-708-6610. If you are interested in applying for a position as a project coordinator for the RSVP, contact Andy Hollis at (410) 778-6000. For further information, visit volunteersontheshore.org.

Upper Shore RSVP is managed by Upper Shore Aging, Inc., with funding by AmeriCorps, a federal agency that seeks to “Bring Out the Best in America.” 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.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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

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