News
Rouille Honored for Service to Seniors
Dale Rouille has been selected CAREGiver of the Year by the Home Instead Senior Care office in South Burlington. She was recognized for commitment and service to the older adults who are local clients of Home Instead Senior Care.
In April 2010, Rouille was honored as 2009 CAREGiver of the Year at the CAREGiver meeting. Over the last four years, Dale has provided dedicated, compassionate care to over 47 clients, logging nearly 7,000 hours of caregiving to date.
“She has enhanced the quality of life of every senior she’s worked with and we are proud to recognize her as a valued member of our team,” said Home Instead owner PatriceThabault.
CVAA works with Local Chefs to Combat Senior Hunger
Sam Palmisano of Pulcinella’s will try to defend his title as Top Chef at the fourth annual Top Chef of the Champlain Valley, an Iron Chef Experience to benefit CVAA’s Meals on Wheels and Case Management programs. Palmisano will go head to head with Donnell Collins of Leunig’s Bistro and Kevin DesChenes of 156 Bistro on August 9 at UVM’s Davis Center in Burlington to prove they have what it takes to be the Top Chef.
Sean Buchanan of Vermont Public Television’s “Feast in the Making” and former Executive Chef of the Stowe Mountain Lodge will emcee with Charlie Papillo of WVMT. The panel of judges who will critique the chefs’ performances include Mark Timms, Executive Chef of Norma’s at the TopNotch Resort & Spa in Stowe, Suzanne Podhaizer, food critic for Seven Days, and Tim Elliott, Executive Chef and Owner of Stone Soup in Burlington.
The Top Chef event supports local farms, using all Vermont ingredients in this gourmet cook-off. Some of the area’s top chefs will be providing tasty appetizers and desserts for the audience. A wine, beer and draft cider tasting will be hosted by Shelburne Vineyards, Switchback Brewing, and Woodchuck Draft Cider. Lake Champlain Chocolates and Cabot Creamery will host tastings. Live music will be provided by acclaimed local Celtic band ‘Trinity.’ A silent auction will offer food items, sports packages and more.
Tickets are $35 and are available online at www.cvaa.org or by calling 1-800-642-5119.
Elderdance Classes Offered in Burlington
Elder Dance, a new weekly dance exercise class designed for people ages 50 and older, is now available at Studio 58 in Burlington’s Chace Mill. The classes are conceptualized and taught by Carol Leinwohl, a local psychologist and behavioral health specialist.
Leinwohl’s Elderdance program emphasizes the mind-body connection and movement as a path to maintain and enhance physical and mental wellness. She encourages participants, to explore and improve current abilities in the face of any age-related limitations.
At the same time, workouts are energetic, fun, uplifting, and creative, accompanied by a wide variety of musical genres.
No experience is needed, just enthusiasm to move the body to music, and the class is appropriate for all fitness levels.
For more information, contact ckleinwohl@aol.com or call 865-6815.
AARP Launches New On-line Resources to Answer Health Reform Questions
As a part of its efforts to help older Americans understand the impact of the recently enacted health reform package, AARP has launched new on-line resources for people with questions about the new law.
The AARP Bulletin’s new “Health Care Reform Explained” column – available at www.aarp.org/getthefacts – provides practical answers and charts that detail how the new law will impact older citizens. It also addresses questions submitted by visitors. Each week, AARP is answering the top questions about the new health care reform law emailed by readers to HCRquestions@aarp.org.
“Older Americans have a lot at stake as the new health reform package rolls out, and they’re having a hard time getting complete or consistent information about how it will affect them,” said AARP Senior Vice President Drew Nannis. “This new resource is just the latest part of our efforts to make sure they have straightforward, reliable information to make the best decisions for themselves and their families.”
AARP’s Get the Facts website hosts a user-friendly guide to understanding the benefits of the new health care law, as well as fact sheets in plain language on various topics including prescription drugs and long-term care.
Nannis said, “AARP will use all of our communication channels – from our publications and website to in-person events – to make sure that our members and all older Americans have reliable information about what they can expect – and how they can benefit – from health care reform.”
AARP’s website will be updated with answers to questions sent in to HCRquestions@aarp.org, as well as other information to help older Americans get the most out of the new health care reform law. Print materials are also available at AARP Vermont’s office in Burlington by calling 866-227-7451.
‘Golf Across Vermont’ Tournament
to Benefit Vt. Ski Museum
Join ski and golf enthusiasts at the Ralph Myhre Golf Course for the eighth annual Golf Across Vermont Tournament on June 11. This fun, family day on the greens supports the Vermont Ski Museum’s mission to preserve and celebrate Vermont’s skiing history.
Several Vermont ski towns have superlative golf courses; this tournament moves to a different picturesque course yearly and provides operations funding to the Vermont Ski Museum, a not-for-profit organization.
The event is open to the public and this year’s featured theme challenges all Vermont ski areas to send a team to compete for which ski area has the best golfers. Teams of four are welcome for the 1 p.m. shotgun scramble tournament.
To register a team, contact the Vermont Ski Museum at 253-9911 ext. 201 or send an email to programs@vermontskimuseum.org.
Vermont Nursing Homes Designated ‘Gold Stars’ for 2010
By Susan GordonThe Gold Star Employer Program, which is sponsored by the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) and the Vermont Health Care Association (VHCA) was designed to foster and support best practices for recruitment and retention of caregivers, particularly direct care staff in nursing homes. The program recognizes those nursing homes that employ Best Practices. Research in Vermont and elsewhere in the nation has shown that several different approaches, referred to as Best Practices, lead to improved recruitment and retention rates. Successful recruitment and retention, in turn, contribute to improved quality of care for residents, improved employee and resident satisfaction. Annually, nursing homes can pick a project from the list of Best Practices and apply to be a “designated” Gold Star provider. If they show success in their efforts, they are awarded this designation. At the Annual Gold Star Conference for 2010, which took place in May, 18 Vermont nursing facilities were awarded the Gold Star designation.
Since the Gold Star Program was introduced in 2004, participation has grown from 11 nursing homes to 25 nursing homes in 2009. Every nursing home in Vermont is eligible for Gold Star Employer recognition.
The program focuses on staff and is a great tool for retaining good workers. Gold Star projects build professional skills; increase resident and staff satisfaction; reduce turnover; reward employees for great customer service and a job well done; improve communications and provide opportunities for success.
This year’s Gold Star designees:
Bel-Aire Center, Newport
Berlin Health & Rehab, Berlin
Bennington Health & Rehab, Bennington
Burlington Health & Rehab, Burlington
Centers for Living & Rehabilitation, Bennington
Crescent Manor, Bennington
Derby Green, Derby
Franklin County Rehab, St. Albans
Helen Porter, Middlebury
Mayo Healthcare, Northfield
Menig Extended Care, Randolph
Mt. Ascutney Health Center, Mt. Ascutney
Mountain View Center, Rutland
Springfield Health & Rehab, Springfield
Starr Farm, Burlington
The Manor, Morrisville
Vernon Green, Vernon
Woodridge Nursing Home, Barre
Caregiver Scholarship Winner Announced
Charlene Waite of Granville is the recipient of the first annual Linda Andersen Caregiver Scholarship. This scholarship, sponsored by Armistead Caregiver Services in conjunction with the Community of Vermont Elders (COVE), was established to honor a long-time caregiver who passed away suddenly in 2009. “We want to honor Linda’s dedication to seniors, her teammates and Armistead with this $1,000 scholarship. We also want to honor care giving as a career by making access to education and training a little easier,” said Rachel Lee Cummings, President of Armistead.
Waite has been working as a live- in caregiver for a geriatric patient who had been told by his doctors he was being sent home to die six years ago. Her client commends Waite for helping to save his life and keeping him healthy. She has been working with the elderly since the early 1990s and has been a hospital volunteer at Gifford Medical Center. Her professional goal is to become a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) and to work with geriatric patients. She hopes to eventually pursue a nursing degree as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
Celebrating Seniors, Inc. Event at the Elks
The Dixie Six, with fiddler Elizabeth Cram, entertained at the Senior Spring Fling.
Celebrating Seniors, Inc. hosted the second annual Senior Spring Fling on May 12 at the Elks Lodge in Burlington. Over 130 seniors came from all over Chittenden and Grand Isle counties to have a delicious meal and hear some live music. Fiddler Elizabeth Cram from Middlebury kicked off the event, followed by the Dixie Six with special guest Colleen McLaughlin, activities director at Starr Farm Nursing Center.
Celebrating Seniors, Inc. is a non-profit made up of professionals who work with seniors. They plan and promote fun, social activities for seniors to attend in the spring, summer and fall. The next event will be two boat cruises on the Spirit of Ethan Allen on Thursday, July 15 and Thursday, July 22, from 2-3:30 p.m.
For more information, call Jeanne Comouche at Armistead Caregiver Services at 288-8117.
Members of Congress Launch Landmark ‘CPI for Seniors’ Act
RetireSafe, representing 400,000 senior-citizen supporters across America, recently praised U.S. Representatives John “Jimmy” Duncan, Jr. (TN-2), Daniel Lipinski (IL-3), Marcia Fudge (OH-11), Michael Arcuri (NY-24), and Gregg Harper (MS-3) for introducing H.R. 5305, the CPI for Seniors Act.
H.R. 5305 would establish a new Consumer Price Index for Seniors (CPI-S) so that annual Social Security Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLAs) can be fairly determined. H.R. 5305 would direct the Bureau of Labor Statistics to finally determine a new CPI-S formula for seniors, one based exclusively on the costs actually incurred by older Americans. RetireSafe, an advocacy organization for older Americans, supports this legislation to correct the “faulty” formula now used by the BLS, one that has resulted in a “zero” COLA for 2010.
RetireSafe President Thair Phillips noted, “The BLS now calculates annual Social Security COLAs using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Clearly this is wrong, as older Americans use different products and have different expenses, including much higher health care costs.”
Phillips also noted that “while the experimental index for the elderly (CPI-E) provides more accurate reflections of senior inflationary pressures, it too has proven flaws. While there may be other approaches to this problem, we believe the critical first step should be a truly accurate CPI-S that can be used to provide a fair and accurate Social Security COLA each year,” he said.
For more information, visit www.retiresafe.org.
New Report on Alzheimer’s available
A new report on Alzheimer’s disease was unveiled recently at a Congressional briefing in Washington, D.C. The Alzheimer’s Association report, “Changing the Trajectory of Alzheimer’s Disease: A National Imperative,” represents a dramatic shift in focus for the association. The report, which can be viewed at www.alz.org, shows that in the absence of disease-modifying treatments, the cumulative costs of care for people with Alzheimer’s from 2010 to 2050 will exceed $20 trillion in today’s dollars. For more information, visit www.alz.org.
Douglas Announces ‘Enhancing Quality of Life’ Grant Recipients
Governor Jim Douglas recently announced the “Enhancing Quality of Life” grant recipients. More than $160,000 will go toward measures that will improve the quality of life for residents in Vermont nursing facilities.
The grants are funded from penalties collected from nursing facilities across the state over the last decade for regulatory deficiencies. By law, these funds must be directed to improve resident life in Vermont nursing facilities.
“It took ten years to accumulate enough money to make this grant process successful,” says Jim Beeler, President of the Vermont Health Care Association, the trade organization representing long term care providers. “That says something about the high quality services our nursing facilities provide.”
The competitive grant process was open to all of Vermont’s 42 nursing facilities as well as others interested in implementing quality improvement projects in nursing facilities. Eight projects were awarded a combined $166,654. Winning project ideas ranged from creating a courtyard garden to implementing a nationally recognized end-of-life program for those with Alzheimer’s or other dementia-related diseases.
“The winning projects are consistent with our members’ continuous focus on quality improvement and ‘culture change’,” said Laura Q. Pelosi, Executive Director of the Vermont Health Care Association.
Grant award recipients include Derby Green in Derby; Mountain View Center in Rutland; Pine Heights at Brattleboro; Porter Healthcare and Rehab Center in Middlebury; Starr Farm Nursing Center in Burlington; Thompson House in Brattleboro; the Vermont Veterans’ Home in Bennington; and PHI in coordination with Bel-Aire Center in Newport, Greensboro Nursing Home and Woodridge Nursing Home in Berlin.
Burlington Architect Develops ‘Aging in Community’ Housing Model
Burlington Architect Steve Mackenzie is recognized as a leader in the creation of a new housing model called “Aging in Community.” This emerging trend represents new housing and community development options for aging Baby Boomers, elders, and families of all ages. Mackenzie works closely with leaders in aging services/policy, construction, and energy-efficiency to explore and implement new approaches to housing for an aging population.
The Aging in Community model features the creation of multi-generational communities that provide residents the opportunity to build social capital with one another while continuing to find meaning, purpose, and engagement within the community.
Mackenzie is working on an expansion of the Cedar Hill Continuing Care Community in Windsor. Phase One of the project will create additional capacity in the Assisted Living and Memory Care divisions. Phase Two will feature a multigenerational approach that invites individuals and families of all ages to live in compact, efficient dwelling units arrayed on a denser site plan that favors pedestrians over automobiles.
A centrally located Neighborhood Center will link the family housing with the elder care neighborhoods. This will unite both neighborhoods for a more authentic sense of community, one similar to the neighborhoods many remember from childhood. Because Aging in Community emphasizes multi-generational integration, it represents a gradual move away from age-segregated housing. Mackenzie believes that multi-generational settings appeal to many Boomers because they help to address the loneliness, depression, and boredom that sometimes accompany traditional approaches to elder housing, while offering younger individuals and families the benefit of having elders live nearby.
For more information visit the Web site www.mackenziearchitects.com.
Memory Impairment Support Group ‘In Harmony’ Forms
Armistead Caregiver Services and The Arbors at Shelburne recently announced the formation of a first of its kind support group for individuals who are under 65 and have had an early diagnosis of any form of memory impairment. The group, called In Harmony, will be meeting on the second Tuesday of every month from 5:30-7 p.m. at The Arbors, 687 Harbor Road in Shelburne. In Harmony is a 9-month series and there is a $50 sign-up fee with scholarships available to cover the cost of joining. Space is limited to five individuals and their support persons.
For more information or to enroll in the group, please contact Rachel Lee Cummings at 802-288-8117.
Thabault Recognized for Outstanding Business Performance
South Burlington business owner Patrice Thabault was recently recognized for outstanding business performance at the Home Instead Senior Care annual international meeting held in Omaha, Nebraska.
Thabault was recognized with a Hallmark II award at the April event. The award is presented for superior sales and service satisfaction.
“What an honor to be recognized for our service to this area’s seniors and their families who are such an important part of this community,” Thabault said. “We thank our staff and caregivers for contributing to this success by making the world a better place for seniors each and every day.”
With more than 875 independently owned and operated franchises in 14 countries and 15 markets, spanning four continents, the Home Instead Senior Care network is the world’s largest provider of non-medical home care and companionship services for seniors.
Jarrett Joins CVAA Board of Directors
Glenn Jarrett has joined the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging’s board of directors.
Jarrett is the principal of Jarrett Law Office, PLC, in South Burlington, In addition to being an attorney, he is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner. He is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Society of Financial Service Professionals, where he serves as immediate past-President of the Vermont Chapter.
Jarrett earned his A.B. degree from Middlebury College with honors and his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He has been a board member for several area non-profit organizations.
CVAA helps seniors age with independence and dignity by providing information, services, education, support and advocacy to seniors and caregivers.
Dowd Named Certified Senior Advisor
Stephen Dowd, CSA, a Field Care Manager at Armistead Caregiver Services in Shelburne, has passed the Certified Senior Advisor exam offered by the Society of Certified Seniors.
SCSA educates professionals to work more effectively with their senior clients and believes that the right kind of planning, recommendations and referrals can make aging a state to be savored. For those who work with seniors, that means understanding the key health, social and financial factors that are important to seniors,-and how these factors work together.
Prior to joining Armistead, Dowd was a teacher at Essex Junction High School more than 30 years. He was also head of the English department from 1999-2008 and coached track and field for many years at Essex High School. A life-long learner, Steve is presently earning a certificate in gerontology.
Community “Lives” United
United Way Rallies Nearly 400 Volunteers
Getting employees to work without pay is not usually a viable option in this economic environment. But, between May 7th and May 14th thirty one nonprofit agencies in Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties will find “employees” ready and willing to work for the satisfaction of lending a hand! Nearly 400 volunteers will join the 2010 “Spring Days of Caring” workforce to continue the spirit of National Volunteer Week and to participate in the fifth annual event, a joint initiative of IBM and United Way of Chittenden County’s Volunteer Center.
When IBM kicked off a Fall Day of Caring for their employees in 2005, it was such a success, they decided to invite other local companies to participate with them in the Spring of 2006. Citizens Bank and Verizon partnered that first year and have been involved every year since. This is the biggest year ever with12 companies who will participate including: IBM, Bruegger’s Enterprises, Chittenden Bank, Citizens Bank, Engelberth Construction, FairPoint Communications, The Merchants Bank, NBT Bank, New England Federal Credit Union, Northfield Savings Bank, The Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center and the United Way of Chittenden County.
Forty-two different projects will be on the agenda for the volunteers during this year’s “working” celebration and participants will find themselves: cleaning the ambulance bay for Essex Rescue; cooking for the clients of Hope Lodge, the Ronald McDonald House and Prevent Child Abuse Vermont; removing graffiti for the City of Burlington; helping fix up Voices Against Violence in St. Albans; preparing for the openings of many camps such as Camp Abnaki, Camp DREAM, and Camp Hochelaga and numerous garden and “sprucing up” projects for Cathedral Square, the Heineberg Senior and Community Center, the VNA Family Room – just to name a few.
According to Gretchen Morse, Executive Director of United Way of Chittenden County, “Donating time is extremely valuable to the network of nonprofit agencies that provide services day in and day out to our community. Our mission is to mobilize resources to build a stronger community in order to improve people’s lives, and this partnership with IBM and the other businesses is a perfect example of mobilization. It points out that each of the participating businesses has established, and is committed to, an organizational culture of ‘giving back,’ freeing up employees to spend several days away from their responsibilities to help others.”
The week-long celebration will kick off at a special IBM-sponsored breakfast for volunteers and the agencies on Friday, May 7th at the Sheraton Hotel at 8 a.m.
National Volunteer Week is sponsored nationally by the Points of Light Foundation and Hands On Network.
To make a donation to United Way, please call 864-7541 or visit www.unitedwaycc.org. To volunteer, please call United Way of Chittenden County Volunteer Center at 860-1677, or visit www.unitedwaycc.org and click on “Volunteer Now.” To get help finding help, please call Vermont 2-1-1, a statewide information and referral program of United Ways of Vermont – simply dial 2-1-1, or visit www.vermont211.org.
Bristol Woman Wins State Award
It wasn’t long ago that Helen Zamojski thought she would never have fun again, much less earn a living. This was a tough pill to swallow for someone who had once been lucky enough to work as a classically trained musician.
She spent years playing the viola in the Washington, D.C area with various orchestras, even performing in the National Cathedral. It was her dream job, but that dream turned into something of a nightmare when she developed a debilitating arthritic condition in her spine that made it impossible to hold a viola under her chin. After several risky surgeries and almost being paralyzed, she was forced to give up her dream.
Zamojski moved to Vermont to get away from the stresses of city life that only aggravated her health problems, but found there wasn’t much call for an ex-violist, no matter how talented. But Helen wasn’t about to let her disability sideline her for long. With the help of Vermont’s Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, she was able to build on other skills and find another way to support herself. VocRehab Vermont has been very successful in helping Vermonters with disabilities find employment. Its job placement rate is higher than the national average and has experienced a 142 percent increase over the last 12 years, in the process moving more than 1,200 Vermonters off public assistance and on to employment. VocRehab works with the Vermont Association of Business, Industry and Rehabilitation (VABIR) to place people like Zamojski with employers that see the advantage of hiring people with disabilities. Living Well Residential Care Home in Bristol is one of those organizations. Living Well Residential Care Home was a good place for Zamojski to begin her new career, where she now serves as Operations Manager.
In fact, Zamojski’s return to the work world has been so successful she was recently honored with the Director’s Award from Diane Dalmasse, Director of VocRehab and from Chris McCarthy, Executive Director of VABIR. They also honored Living Well Residential Care Home with the Director’s Employer Award for its work with Zamojski. Finding a new way to earn a living inspired Zamojski to find a new way to bring music back into her life, as well. She may not be able to hold a viola anymore, but she can still hold a microphone and, brother, can she sing!
New Rehab Center Offers Cutting-Edge Therapy Model
The new STAR rehabilitation center in Burlington is being welcomed by local seniors.
Like a handful of trend-setting centers around the country, the STAR center at Burlington Health & Rehabilitation offers intensive, customized therapy programs along with amenities and personal services. Patients can take advantage of a state-of the-art rehab gym, massage therapy spa, cyber café, personal concierge service, and private rooms equipped with DVD players.
“We are very excited to be the first center to bring this kind of rehab care to Vermont,” said administrator Ursula Margazano. “Today’s seniors are very active and independent, and they want to stay that way for as long as they can. Programs like STAR help make that longer-term independence possible.”
In addition, she said, studies have shown that the transitional period between the hospital and home is the most important factor in healing from surgery, a stroke or even a respiratory illness. “People often want to go straight home after they leave the hospital, but that is not usually a good idea,” said Margazano. “Almost invariably, they start doing household tasks they are not ready for.”
Programs like STAR try to solve this problem by being “more attractive than going home. STAR provides a comfortable environment that allows patients to focus on getting better. Between visits to therapists, they can completely relax and enjoy themselves,” Margazano said.
Burlington Health and Rehabilitation, a member of Revera Health Systems, offers short-term care and therapy after surgery or illness for adults of all ages, as well as long-term, respite and hospice care. For more information, visit www.reveraBurlington.com.
Sanders Announces Federal Funds for Senior Centers Across Vermont
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has announced $487,000 in federal funding he secured for equipment and renovations at 34 senior centers across Vermont.
“This continues an effort that we have been making over the last five years which has now brought into Vermont more than $1.2 million for senior citizens,” Sanders said. “This money will go for a myriad of purposes, depending on the needs of the center. It will, among other things, purchase new kitchen equipment, repair roofs, buy a new dishwasher, install a new furnace, repair an elevator, make centers more energy-efficient and improve services for the Meals on Wheels and Congregate Meals programs.
“I am a strong supporter of Vermont senior centers. These centers, and the thousands of volunteers who work with them, do an extraordinary job in bringing seniors together — making sure they get good nutrition, health care and social activities. In these difficult economic times, I’m proud to be working with them,” he added.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development grants — valued up to $18,675 per center — will be administered by the Vermont Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
Prize Winners at the 50 Plus & Baby Boomers EXPO 2010
AAA Northern New England – $50 Visa gift card: Joyce Dutton, Orleans; AAA Travel First Aid Kit: Colette Dismaier, Essex Junction
Ameriprise Financial – $100 gift certificate to Pauline’s: Valerie Hills, Essex Junction
Armistead Caregiver Services – $25 gift certificate to Price Chopper: Alice LeBlanc, Essex Junction
Artworks Design/Build – $80 gift certificate to Sweetwaters: Mary Durkaw, Williston
Bankers Life & Casualty – $50 gift certificate to Leunig’s Bistro: Tatiana Bechard, South Burlington
Beltone: $25 gift certificate to Ground Round: David Reynolds, Burlington
Birchwood Terrace – Vermont Basket, ($130 value): Susan Yandow, Williston
BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont – Camera: Florence Bringling. Books: Joan Dusablon, Virginia Irving, Angelina Arena
Cathedral Square – Gift basket ($75 value): Marion Cloud, Randolph
Compatibles – One free month of service: Harv Lawrence, Bolton. Starbucks coffee for two: Erika Place, South Burlington
Ethan Allen Residence – Quilted wall hanging: Annette Gregoire, Milton
Keene Medical Products – Light Therapy Box ($204 value): Jean Boylan
Liberty Mutual Insurance – Dinner for two on the Northern Lights Burlington: Terri Picard, Berlin
Living Well Residential Care Home – $150 gift certificate to Healthy Living: Barbara Walling, Hinesburg
LNR Getaways – Two nights accommodations: Marty Valla, Sandi Goodyear, Phil Kiefer
Lyric Theatre Company – Two tickets to opening night, “LaCage Aux Folles”: Diane Dufresne, Underhill
Nikken Wellness Products – Magnetic insoles: Lynn Butler, Burlington
Northern Meridian – $75 gift certificate to Windjammer Restaurant: Pam Richer, Colchester
Nowak & Nowak Financial Services – $50 cash: JM Roberge, Williston
Pillsbury Manor – $50 Pauline’s gift certificate: Ardelle St. Gelais, Winooski
Revera Living – Gift Basket: Erica Moy, South Burlington
S.R. Smith Real Estate – ½ gallon of Pure Vermont Maple Syrup: Mary Carroll, Essex Junction
Starr Farm Nursing Center – Fruit basket with $50 gift card ($120 total value): Charleen Pariseau
The Converse Home – $50 gift certificate to Hannaford: Lynn Faber, Essex Junction
The Essex Resort & Spa – Two dinners for four in Butler’s Restaurant & Tavern: John Truax, Essex Junction and Deb Bouvier, Bristol
The Lodge at Shelburne Bay & Otter Creek – Two tickets to Flynn Center’s “Don Quixote,” Israeli ballet: Howard Parsons, South Burlington
The Vermont Agency – $50 gift certificate to the Windjammer: Willie Docto, Waterbury
UVM College of Medicine – Mirabelle’s gift certificate: Renate Parke, Hinesburg
Vermont Public Television – Ken Burns National Parks Series; VPT Dud Set: Sharon Stevens, Burlington and Darlene Lander, Jericho
Vermont’s Green Mountain Tours – Casino Trip for Two, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun: Fern Tangway, Orleans
WithinU Life Coach – Coach & Care package ($100 value): Virginia Washburn, Williston
DeLuca Wins VHCA Award
Devida DeLuca was honored recently by the Vermont Health Care Association for her outstanding work at the Living Well Residential Care Home in Bristol, her hometown. She received the Administrator of the Year Award, the most prestigious of all the awards given by the VHCA at their annual banquet at the Burlington Hilton last month.
Dee also spearheaded the development of educational programs like the Living Well Family Band which won the Governor’s Award for Healthy Aging last year.
Gift Wrapping Offered, Volunteers Needed
The Burlington Emergency Shelter will provide gift wrapping services at the University Mall in South Burlington during the holiday season. The Shelter’s Helping Hands Gift Wrap Booth will be open daily Nov. 27 – Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m, Mondays through Saturdays, and until 6 p.m. on Sundays and Christmas Eve. The booth will be located behind the big Christmas Tree and Santa’s Chair at the entrance to Sears.
The Shelter is also offering its gift wrapping services to all employers in Chittenden County who may need to have employee and customer Christmas gifts wrapped for the holidays. Pick up and delivery services are available for large orders.
All donation proceeds benefit the Burlington Emergency Shelter, serving Burlington and the Chittenden County area for the past 27 years.
To volunteer as a gift wrapper, contact Karen Fossi at 802-878-5848 or karen.fossi@gmail.com, and for all other matters, contact Malissa Rivoire at 802-658-4755 or malissa48@gmail.com.
Local Seniors to Receive Blizzard Bags
The Champlain Valley Agency on Aging is hard at work to help seniors cope with the unique challenges of the long winter months. Many seniors rely on CVAA’s Meals on Wheels to help maintain their independence and health in their own homes.
Last year, more than 220,000 Meals on Wheels were served to seniors in Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, and Addison counties. Hundreds of CVAA volunteers deliver meals to seniors every day, no matter how remote. During the winter months, hazardous driving conditions sometimes prohibit volunteers from delivering meals, so CVAA is putting together “Blizzard Bags,” containing stable meals that seniors can use when the weather prohibits meals from being delivered.
Blizzard Bags contain food that is easy to prepare, is shelf stable, and provides the protein and nutrition seniors need.
For information or to volunteer, call the Senior Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 or go to www.cvaa.org
Inspiring the Retiring
Workshop Explores “Working on Purpose in the Second Half of Life”
by Phyl NewbeckWhat is your next goal in life?
Perhaps you are thinking of retirement; you’ve raised your kids, you’ve left your career behind, and you’re free to do as you wish. What’s the next step? To guide you as you face the future, the UVM Center on Aging and the UVM Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will present an all-day workshop entitled “Working on Purpose in the Second Half of Life” on Sept. 26. For a fee of $130, participants will “explore alternatives to the conventional notion of retiring from work.”
Deborah Worthley, Associate Director of the UVM Center on Aging, and Director of the Osher Institute, admitted to two reasons for having UVM sponsor the conference. The first is professional. Worthley said this is a topic which really resonates with baby boomers. In the past, life was divided into several distinct phases: education, work, and retirement. But, the traditional concept of retirement can be restricting for people who are looking for options beyond sitting on the porch and watching the world go by.
Worthley’s second reason is personal. She is approaching that stage of her life herself, and is starting to think about options to conventional retirement.
The workshop is open to a maximum of 110 participants. At least half the slots have already been filled. In addition to what they learn during the day, workshop participants will be provided with tools and materials which will allow them to continue their personal exploration at home. “It’s not just a one-shot deal,” said Worthley. “The workshop will plant the seed to give participants tools to break down their values and skills and look at the rest of their productive life as purposeful.”
The goal is to get retirees more engaged in the world around them and “out of the box” of traditional retirement. Worthley said some attendees will have a goal of “personal purposefulness” while others may be more interested in contributing to the greater good. Either way, it is important for retirees to see that they have options. Worthley describes the day as one of “personal exploration.”
Barbara Hoese, the conference facilitator, said research on purposeful lives started after studies in the 1970s and 1980s found an alarming number of men who died within two years of retirement. For those men, their jobs had been their sense of purpose. Since then, there has been a movement to help people live longer, healthier lives by doing things they care about after they retire.
Hoese cited a study which found that those who can articulate what is important to them and their loved ones are more likely to define themselves as “living the good life.” She also referred to the work of Dan Buettner, who studied communities which had a high percentage of people over the age of 100. Despite the geographic differences between these communities (which include Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; and Loma Linda, California), there were nine things the inhabitants had in common and one was a sense of purpose.
Hoese sees the workshops as “a series of conversations.” She wants to help participants “find their gift.” What are they talented at? What do they love? What do they care about? Those three questions, according to Hoese, are the keys to finding a sense of purpose.
Many people think their sense of purpose should be something grand and altruistic, and when they can’t save the planet singlehandedly, they give up. Rather than do that, Hoese wants conference participants to work on what she calls a “calling card exercise” in which they define their abilities and skill sets. She remembers one man whose number one card was “care giving.” When he saw that he smiled and said it explained everything. When his mother was dying, he had spent time caring for her. Later, he assisted a neighbor whose husband wasn’t well, and then did the same for a woman in his church. He realized this was something he loved to do: giving care to people who didn’t have anyone else in their lives.
Hoese does encourage conference participants to consider philanthropic endeavors. She also noted that being involved in your community and connecting with others has proven to help people live a longer, healthier life. Hoese suggested several potential volunteer efforts, some that might be connected to a previous career and some that might not, as a way to give back and feel a connection. She quoted E. B. White who wrote, “I awake each day torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savor the world.”
Hoese stressed the importance of having a balance between those two ideals. She said the most important thing is to have people articulate what has value for them. It might be public service, but it also might be family or travelling. The crucial component is to understand what you consider important.
“People don’t realize their potential,” said Worthley, noting that this untapped promise may simply be the product of lack of awareness of options. Particularly given our longer life spans, there is greater opportunity to accomplish more. Worthley noted that “people are thinking about it and talking about it, but they don’t necessarily know how to go about it and that’s where this conference comes in.”
The conference will be an interactive one which also provides time for reflection. Hoese will ask a series of questions and then facilitate both large and small group discussions. Although many who attend will already have retired, she believes it is important for those who are contemplating retirement in the next three to four years to attend. “People get the most out of these sessions,” she said, “when they are thinking about making a change or knowing that things can be changed in their lives.”
For more information, contact UVM Center on Aging at (800) 639-3210.
Named Top Chef at CVAA Benefit
Sam Palmisano of Pulcinella’s in South Burlington took home the title of the Top Chef of the Champlain Valley for the second year in a row.
Palmisano’s winning dish was a honeyed lamb tartare on mesclun greens in a ring of lightly roasted green pepper and for his entrée offered up a sweet and savory crusted lamb on wilted greens and gnocchi with honey sauce.
The Top Chef of the Champlain Valley, an Iron Chef Experience benefits the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging’s Meals on Wheels and Case Management Programs. Nearly $25,000 was raised, enough to provide over 5,000 meals to homebound seniors.
For information about services available for seniors 60 and older call the Senior Helpline at 1.800.642.5119 or go to www.cvaa.org
Lever named Patient Navigator at Cancer Center
Theresa Lever has been hired to join the Care Management Department at Central Vermont Medical Center as the Patient Navigator at CVMC’s National Life Cancer Treatment Center.
The goal of the Patient Navigator is to guide healthcare consumers through the complicated healthcare system by assisting them in overcoming access problems and other barriers to quality care. The Patient Navigator also serves as a connection between the patient and the many providers involved with the patient’s care. The Navigator will assist patients and their families to obtain needed information and will provide referral to and coordination of community resources.
Theresa and her husband Tom have lived in Montpelier for thirty years. Their two daughters and three grandchildren live nearby.
Fleming Museum Receives Highest National Recognition
The Robert Hull Fleming Museum has achieved re-accreditation from the American Association of Museums (AAM). Accreditation is the highest national recognition for a museum and signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.The Museum was first accredited by the AAM in 1997.
“It is an honor to receive this important recognition from the American Association of Museums,” said Fleming Museum Director Janie Cohen, “the Staff and Board of Advisors of the Fleming Museum are proud and gratified to know that the museum experience we offer our public is one of excellence at the national level.”
For more information on Fleming Museum, visit www.flemingmuseum.org, call 656.0750, or E-mail fleming@uvm.edu
Brattleboro Retreat To Celebrate 175th Birthday
Guests at the Brattleboro Retreat’s birthday party that celebrates 175 years of mental health and addiction recovery and commemorates September as National Recovery Month, will enjoy a sit-down dinner and dancing to an 18-piece band, along with some inspirational star-power. Ken Howard, Emmy and Tony Award winning actor, will lend his support and awareness to the benefit that’s slated for Sept. 12 at 5:30p.m. at the Retreat’s campus.
Howard will share his personal story about coping with a family member’s struggle with addiction and depression. “It’s all about helping better the lives of those with health issues, whether they are mental or physical,” says Howard.
The 175th Anniversary Celebration supports The 1834 Fund for the renovation and preservation of the historic campus. For more information go to brattlebororetreat.org/175th-anniversary-benefit-celebration or email development@brattlebororetreat.org.
Allen Health Care Goes Paperless
Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington is entering the paperless era.
In June, providers at Vermont’s largest health care facility stopped using paper charts in favor of entering medical information into computers, which are spread throughout the hospital.
Fletcher Allen is investing $57 million in a comprehensive electronic medical-records system. The system will eventually link all medical practices affiliated with the hospital.
Other hospitals across Vermont are also making the switch to electronic records. (AP)
Top Chefs to Support Meals on Wheels
The Champlain Valley Agency on Aging (CVAA) will hold its 3rd Annual Top Chef of the Champlain Valley competition on August 10 at UVM’s Davis Center.
Sam Palmisano of Pulcinella’s (2008 Top Chef) will defend his title against Chef Robert Barral of Café Provence and JJ Vezina of the Windjammer Restaurant and Upper Deck Pub.
The competition benefits CVAA’s Meals on Wheels and Case Management programs.
Watch the chefs go head to head in this gourmet cook-off. A selection of tasty appetizers and desserts will be served along with a complimentary wine, beer and draft cider tasting.
Tickets are $35 and are available online at www.cvaa.org or call 1-800-642-5119.
Essex Welcomes New Senior Housing
Franklin Miller loves his new home in Essex. Miller is one of the residents of Town Meadow, the newest community managed by the non-profit Cathedral Square Corporation.
At 76, Miller says, “I love the people here and I can be independent. It is so important for me not to be a burden on my family. What I love most is that I have my own place to call home and in the winter, I can see the snow on the mountains.”
For Rosemary Stoddard, 60, her fully accessible apartment has been a lifesaver. In March 2009, she underwent two open heart surgeries and says, “Little did I know that I was going to need the handicapped features in my bathroom. After my husband’s death in November 2008, I needed to find housing that was easy to take care of. I watched the building go up and the appearance and location really inspired me. I love the morning light in my apartment, it is secure and well designed. I walk four times a day and the sidewalks make it so easy for me to get around.”
Located at 22 Carmichael Street, Town Meadow Senior Housing offers the first affordable housing option for seniors in the town of Essex with 43 one-bedroom and 5 two-bedroom apartments. The community is located by the Essex Shoppes and Cinema, Hannaford and the post office. Rental subsidies are available to income-eligible residents.
Town Meadow is the 56th community that Cathedral Square Corporation has helped create. “Our residents range in age from 55 to 100,” said Nancy Eldridge, Cathedral Square’s Executive Director. “We offer affordable and secure housing with services including wellness nursing visits, resident activities, underground parking, and on-site resident managers. We want everyone to enjoy their housing and to have access to the services that they need to do so.”
The number of Vermonters 65 years and older is projected to grow by 38 percent over the next ten years. By the year 2030, one in every four Vermonters will be 65 or older. At the same time, the number of nursing home beds in Vermont will decrease.
For information, call 863-2224 or visit www.cathedralsquare.org.
Vermont to Launch New Lottery Game
The Vermont lottery will launch a new game this summer to boost sales after a drop in lottery revenue.
A legislative committee approved the game Hot Lotto in June, according to Vermont Public Radio. Vermont Lottery Director Alan Yandow says the game is like a mini-Powerball, where players pick a certain amount of numbers from a list. Like the power play in Powerball, there’s also a “sizzler” where non-jackpot winnings are tripled.
Profits from the lottery go to the state education fund. New budget figures show the transfer to education fund was down about nine percent, or $2 million, from last year.
Hot Lotto will be launched later this summer. (AP)
AARP Appoints New Tax-Aide Program State Director
Walt Keating of Milton has been named the Vermont State Coordinator of the AARP Tax-Aide program – the nation’s largest free volunteer-run tax counseling and preparation service. Keating will oversee some 130 volunteers and regional coordinators serving Vermonters across the state in preparing and filing tax returns. Last year, the program helped 6,000 low and moderate income Vermonters, with special attention to those age 60 and older, file state and federal tax returns resulting in approximately $2.5 million in refunds.
Keating is retired from over 35 years in the Aerospace industry; GE Aerospace, Lockheed Martin and retiring from BAE Systems, where he served in a variety of technical and program management positions. Keating is the father of four daughters and has five grandchildren.
Keating stressed the need to bring new volunteers into the program, which provides comprehensive training and program-related travel expense reimbursement. No prior tax or financial background is needed, nor do volunteers nor clients need to be an AARP member, he said.
For more information on how to join the AARP Tax-Aide team, call Walt at 802-893-2067. For those living south of Montpelier, call Norb Johnston at 802-254-6976. Learn more by visiting the AARP Web site at www.aarp.org/taxaide.
Alan Chandler Receives National Recognition for Agency on Aging Volunteer Work
Alan Chandler is a handyman volunteer for Champlain Valley Agency on Aging, using his own tools, expertise, and sometimes his own money to provide home repairs to seniors who cannot afford and need this type of help. He received national recognition as a Silver Honoree in the Team Spirit category of the MetLife Older Volunteers Enrich America (OVEA) Awards.
The goal of the awards program is to honor and build awareness of the exemplary contributions of older volunteers, as well as to encourage other older adults to contribute their knowledge, skills and time to enrich society through volunteerism.
Chandler began his volunteer work with CVAA in 2007 as part of the IBM Days of Caring program, which allows IBM employees to volunteer one day during their normal workday each spring and fall. Chandler contacted CVAA to do a one-day project, but when he saw the need for and the impact of his work, he said he would be happy to do more. And he certainly has.
Since he began, Chandler has done home repair and home modification projects for 12 different seniors. His projects ranged from repairing floors to installing doors to building ramps.
In addition to much needed help, Chandler brings warmth, understanding, and compassion to isolated seniors, accepting each one regardless of their beliefs, lifestyle, or situation. He enjoys the opportunity to get to know them and to help them.
For information about services available for seniors, call the Senior Helpline at 1.800.642.5119 or go to www.cvaa.org.
Vermont Cancer Patients to Benefit from Expanded ‘Navigator Program’
The American Cancer Society launched its Patient Navigator Program at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington on May 1. This is the first site to launch in Vermont as part of a strategic nationwide effort to significantly extend the reach of this innovative program and assist individual cancer patients in negotiating the health care system.
“A cancer diagnosis can be a life-changing experience for patients, their families and their caregivers,” said Debbie Dameron, the American Cancer Society’s State Vice President for Health Initiatives. “Our patient navigator helps to provide support every step of the way, from explaining what to expect with chemotherapy, to making sure patients have transportation to and from appointments. Fighting cancer is a difficult, challenging journey; but with the help of trained American Cancer Society patient navigators, people don’t have to go through it alone.”
The American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program directly connects cancer patients to a cancer education and support specialist – known as a “patient navigator” – who, through one-on-one relationships, serves as a personal guide to patients and caregivers as they face the psychosocial, emotional and financial challenges that cancer can bring. The service is free and confidential, and places an emphasis on assisting the medically underserved.
According to American Cancer Society estimates, approximately 4,000 people in Vermont will be diagnosed with cancer in 2009. The funding in Vermont is part of a $10 million pledge by AstraZeneca to the Society to accelerate development of at least 50 new Patient Navigator Program sites over a five-year period in communities throughout the United States.
As no cancer experience is the same, American Cancer Society patient navigators connect patients and caregivers with the most appropriate programs and services to help improve each individual’s access to health care services. Whether it is getting patients and caregivers the information they need to make treatment decisions and better understand their disease, helping them deal with the day-to-day challenges of living with cancer, such as transportation and insurance issues, or connecting them with community resources such as support groups, American Cancer Society patient navigators can provide help throughout the disease continuum – from the time of diagnosis, through treatment, into survivorship. Furthermore, navigators are able to increase treatment compliance and follow-up care.
For more information, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
Call For ‘Hometown Hero’ Annual Volunteer Award Nominations
United Way of Chittenden County is seeking nominations for its 2009 Hometown Hero Annual Volunteer Awards, sponsored by Citizens Bank.
Community members, non-profit organization staff, and businesses are invited to nominate outstanding community volunteers for one of five prestigious awards. Award categories are Adult, Senior Adult, Youth, Group, and Businesses who support employee volunteerism through workplace policies. To be eligible, the volunteer service must have been performed in Chittenden County, however, the volunteer’s residence may be outside Chittenden County.
Nominations will be accepted until June 12, 2009, and will then be reviewed by a panel of community volunteers. All nominees will be honored and awards announced on September 3, 2009 at a breakfast celebration at the Sheraton Hotel Burlington & Conference Center. The winner in each category will receive a special Vermont Teddy Bear, a pair of tickets to a performance at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, and a certificate of appreciation from the United Way of Chittenden County. The agency served by each winner will receive a donation of $1000.
Anyone can submit a nomination — community members who know a wonderful volunteer and non-profit organization staff who work with volunteers. Companies are encouraged to nominate themselves in the Business category. Any individual or group who volunteers or any business that encourages volunteerism in Chittenden County may be nominated.
Nomination forms and guidelines can be found on the United Way Web site at www.unitedwaycc.org or call United Way at 860-1677 or email volctr@unitedwaycc.org .
Vermont Senior Centers Launch Statewide Association
Until recently, Vermont senior centers serving thousands of older residents have had little or no voice at the state or regional level. That changed when directors of several leading senior centers across the state agreed to form an association to better represent the interests of these vital community resources and their members. It is called The Vermont Association of Senior Centers.
The mission of the association is to advocate for senior centers on a statewide level, promote the growth and quality of Vermont senior centers, and strengthen the professional skills of senior center staff. The goal is to build an association that represents a dynamic network of senior centers and professionals committed to excellence and responsive to the needs of the state’s growing older population.
“For too many years we have operated without a strong voice at a state level,” said Gail Moreau, director of the Heineberg Senior Center in Burlington’s North End. “Now, as an association, we will be able to benefit from the support, ideas and collective strength that comes from being organized. This is an important step forward for all of our centers and for the people we serve every day with meals, activities and important social interaction.”
New Senior Monitoring Service Offered Locally
Local in-home senior care company Armistead Caregiver Services recently announced the launch of SafeSenior, a new senior care product that uses automated telephone and Web-based technologies to place well-being calls and medication reminder calls to seniors on specific days and times as needed.
The senior can receive such calls up to three times a day, and in the case of medication reminder calls, up to six medications per call, and different medications for each of the calls.
Rachel Lee Cummings, owner of Armistead says, “With our SafeSenior product, we serve the two greatest desires that seniors, families and health professionals have — that someone is checking in on the senior regularly and their medications are being taken properly. And that’s a good step toward keeping them independent in their homes for as long as possible.”
Plenty of seniors will admit that it is all too easy for them to forget to take their medicines or accidentally over-medicate. Often, seniors will not remember if they took their medications, and then inadvertently take them again. With Armistead’s new SafeSenior system, the senior can take his medications when the reminder call comes in and then he doesn’t have to think about it again.
For more information, please call 866-284-1912 or visit www.armisteadinc.com.
Macy’s Recall
WASHINGTON – The Consumer Product Safety Commission says Macy’s will voluntarily recall about 33,000 hooded children’s sweatshirts that pose a strangulation risk.
The recall announced Wednesday covers boys’ and girls’ Epic Threads and girls’ Greendog sweatshirts, in small and medium sizes, that have a drawstring sewn in the base of the hood. They were sold nationwide from July 2008 to March 2009 and cost between $32 to $50.
The sweatshirts were made in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Taiwan. Consumers can remove the drawstring to eliminate risk. If they are returned, the store will give a full refund. The commission said no injuries have been reported.
For more information, call Macy’s Inc. at (888) 257-5949.
