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Orange County Requires Residents to Wear Face Covering
Orange County has extended its COVID-19-related state of emergency through Aug. 31 and has mandated the use of face coverings in many situations. The face covering requirement, which went into effect at 5 p.m. Friday, June 12, applies to: - All customers, employees and other users of restaurants and grocery and retail stores while they are indoors.
- All occupants of public transportation vehicles.
- Anyone in an indoor or outdoor situation where they cannot maintain a 6-foot physical distance from others.
Face coverings are not required: - For people whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing a face covering.
- For those who cannot wear a face covering due to a medical or behavioral condition.
- For children under 12 years old.
- For restaurant customers while they are dining.
- In private offices.
- When complying with directions of law enforcement officers.
- In settings where it is not practical or feasible to wear a face covering when obtaining or rendering goods or services.
- While with family or household members
For more information, please check Orange County's 'Face Coverings' page.
- Newsletter: Sign up for the COVID-19 newsletter from the Orange County Health Department.
- Text: To receive daily text updates, text ocnchealth to 888-777.
- Hotline: Questions about COVID-19? Call (919) 245-6111 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Spanish language and other languages available.
- Email: Email your questions to covid19@orangecountync.gov.
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AnnouncementsGood NewsFood & Financial ResourcesHealth & Wellness at HomeOnline Senior Center ProgramsAging Transitions ServicesHow to Help
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New Testing Tools for Everyone to UseThere are several new digital tools available to help expand testing capacity, streamline contact tracing efforts, and provide members of your community with guidance on how to protect themselves and their families.?These?tools include:?
Check My Symptoms (www.ncdhhs.gov/symptoms),?a?public website that allows people to enter their symptoms and determine if they should get tested for COVID-19. If they are recommended to be tested, they will receive a link to a list of nearby testing sites via email or text.? Note: The symptom checker is an informational tool to help people determine if they may need to be tested; however it is not a physician order. Testing sites may require their own screening. ?
Find My Testing Place?(www.ncdhhs.gov/TestingPlace), a public website that allows people to input their county or ZIP code and access a list of nearby testing site locations online.
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Through a grant from Duke Energy, the Department on Aging has been able to provide fans to older adults in need. So far, the Seymour Center has provided 50 fans to Chapel Hill residents and the Passmore Center has provided 74 for northern-Orange residents! Sending a big thanks to all the team members who are helping seniors beat the heat this summer.
Very limited quantities of fans are still available for those who qualify – contact Robin Bailin (919-245-4252) for more information.
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Community Based Services (CBS) at the OC Dept. on Aging keeps the programs coming despite a pandemicThe CBS division of the department includes the Senior Centers, plus the Lunch and Wellness programs.
If you didn’t already know it, our division has never stopped serving OC residents since the onset of the COVID pandemic. We know how much OC residents age 60 and over count on the daily nutritional meal, so our lunch program staff, with the guidance of Food Services Coordinator Isabel Jackson, made a way for it to happen with assistance from other CBS team members. Participants receive six meals a week; one hot and one bag meal on Mondays and Fridays, and two hot meals on Wednesdays all via curbside pickup. In addition, we are grateful to the local law enforcement agencies who have helped to deliver a portion of these meals to residents who otherwise may not be able to receive them.
The Wellness Program, under the leadership of Wellness Coordinator Latonya Brown, and the Senior Center Programs, under the leadership of Program and Operations Managers Cydnee Sims (Seymour) and Terry Colville (Passmore), have also continued to adapt. They are continually researching ways to provide ongoing programming, and are working with their fitness and program instructors (area health, education, and entertainment professionals). Please check out the programs on the website; you will see tabs for ONLINE Programs and Activities, the Lunch Program, and Fit Seniors ONLINE.
The programming staff and their teams have contributed to many of the department’s programs and services, as well as provided numerous ongoing informational and program fliers to our lunch program participants. While the CBS division has been challenged at times with the best ways to serve older adults during this pandemic with curbside/meal delivery and virtual programming, they have continued to rise to the challenge as they always do and will continue to bring services and programs to the older adults of OC.
If you have a question about one of our programs offered online or in our upcoming Calendar of Virtual Activities, please give us a call: 919-968-2070 (Seymour) or 919-245-2015 (Passmore). |
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Food & Financial Resources
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Grocery Delivery ServiceIf you are in need of grocery delivery, or if you know an older adult who would benefit from this service, Volunteer Connect 55+ is now offering this resource. To register for this program, complete the online request form or contact the Aging Helpline at 919-968-2087.
This service is being offered to Orange County residents age 60 and over. Ordering requirements apply.
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LAST CHANCE FOR FREE ASSISTANCE WITH 2019 INCOME TAXThe deadline for filing 2019 income tax is July 15, 2020. The Orange County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) is providing free tax preparation and electronic filing to low and moderate-income taxpayers who provide their 2019 tax documents by Wednesday July 1. Eligible taxpayers have income below $65,000 for a single person or $90,000 for a household. Those with social security retirement benefits must file an income tax return if their income from other sources plus 50% of their social security benefit exceeds $24,000 ($32,000 for a married couple).
During the month of June, we are offering a Drive-Thru Drop-Off Service at both Senior Centers. Taxpayers can bring us their tax documents and complete paperwork in your car. We’ll scan the documents while you wait and you will return a week later to pick up your completed return. Our IRS-certified preparers will contact you by phone as needed to prepare and electronically file your return. No appointment is needed, but be sure to arrive during one of our scheduled Drop-Off Times:
Seymour Center in Chapel Hill Friday June 19, 1pm-4pm
Monday June 22, 1pm-4pm
Friday June 26, 1pm-4pm
Monday June 29, 1pm-4pm
Passmore Center in Hillsborough
Wednesday June 24, 1pm-4pm
Wednesday July 1, 1pm-4pm
For more information including what to bring when dropping off tax documents, please call our information line at 919-245-4242 or visit our website: www.orangecountync.gov/ocncvita.
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Medicare & Health InsuranceThe Orange County Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) is continuing to assist Orange County residents age 55+ with questions about Medicare and ACA/Obamacare plans. All consultations are currently done over the phone or video chat. To schedule an appointment, please call 919-245-4274.
Financial Assistance with Medicare Costs: If your gross income (including social security benefits) is less than $1595 per month for an individual or $2155 for a married couple and you have limited savings, you may qualify for assistance with Medicare premiums and/or copays. Call Jeanne Chamberlin at 919-245-4240 to learn more.
Other Helpful Resources:
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Stimulus ChecksMost adults can receive up to $1200 one time payment. Most have already been electronically deposited, and the government is now mailing prepaid debit cards to those that did not have bank account information available. Be aware that these debit cards will come in a plain white envelope and be careful not to throw it out.
Get information about the status of your ‘Economic Impact Payment’ at www.irs.gov/eip. For those with Social Security or SSI payments, see this Guide for helpful information.
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 Mike Komives
Employment Specialist
Orange Co. Dept. on Aging
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Resources for Mature Job SeekersHere are links to four Web sites for jobs in Orange County, NC from companies and organizations who are hiring right now. These are both full-time and part-time. If you are interested in applying for any of these, your resume and cover letter should be correct, concise, and compelling.
Want help? Contact Mike Komives, Orange County Employment Specialist. Contact Mike Komives or call/text (919) 616-8778.
Orange County Department On Aging is here to serve and help you achieve your job search goals.
Mike Komives is also a co-founder and facilitator of the Jobs Network ministry at his church. On Saturday, June 13, 29 people participated in their virtual meeting. Presentations included the Job Search Process, and Salary Negotiations for Women. Two more people announced they had landed. If you want more information, contact Mike. The Jobs Network is open to any and all job seekers.
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Health & Wellness at Home
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Fit SeniorsCheck out our at-home exercise options offered by OCDOA Wellness Program instructors and staff to help keep you fit and healthy. Visit Fit Seniors to connect with LIVE classes from Dianne, Judy, and Vicki, or pre-recorded videos from Charron, Salli, and Kevin!
Watch for more options in the future and get started today!
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SEATED TAI CHI and 18 form Shibashi QigongJoin Judy Lechner’s live Zoom class on Sundays at 11:00 am. The class can be done seated or standing. Download the class resource and join the class below: Topic: Seated Tai Chi
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet Fridays 11 AM EDT.
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/380243385
Meeting ID: 380 243 385
Password: 5pd3TS
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Online Senior Center Programs
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At-Home ActivitiesMissing your usual activities at the Seymour and Passmore Centers? Check out our new list of at-home activities, curated by your favorite senior center staff members!
Download our listing of online activities that mirror some of our drop in activities including crosswords, card games, reading books, painting, table tennis, DIY projects, and more. Find the updated list on the Senior Center Online Programs Page!
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Being Better than Before
Part I: A Free Webinar Series for the Mature WorkerPlease join us for a four-part webinar series designed to help the Mature Worker. We’ll provide advice on how to find a job you love. We’ll share principles and practices for growing your creative capacity and developing your best entrepreneurial behaviors. And we’ll show you productive ways to think about this new world we’ll be living in from now on—the changes we will find as we step back into it will be profound, and we need to be prepared for wave after wave of changes that will continue to wash over us for years to come.
Each webinar is 90 minutes long and will be led by four folks who have been serving the 50+ community for years.
Mike Komives MBA, Employment Specialist, Orange County Department on Aging, helps mature workers improve their job finding skills.
Heidi Hackney, MC, CPCC, ACC- Owner/Coach, Dream Reach, LLC, will help you apply your values and tap into your talents to serve your job search.
Mark Tully, Partner, Being Better than Before, will help you understand the neuroscience behind your preferred business behaviors.
Carl Nordgren, Partner, Being Better than Before, will help you develop the creative and entrepreneurial qualities of those preferred business behaviors.
Between them they have helped thousands of mature workers identify the job they’ll enjoy doing most, find that job, and then perform consistently at peak levels. They’ve been revising and extending their content to suit this new world and look forward to sharing their insights with you.
Please register by calling the Seymour Center at 919-968-2070.
All registrants will receive Zoom ID and passcode via email prior to June 17th.
Zoom Webinars will be fast paced and the hosts will invite your participation.
Time: 10-11:30 am
Dates: Wednesday, June 17 Friday, June 19 Wednesday, June 24 Friday, June 26
Part II: Living a fulfilling and creative life in the new worldA free webinar filled with optimism about our futures.
As you look out at this new world, what do you see?
We see the pandemic as both a tragedy—and we hope you and your family are navigating it well—and as an important reminder that we live in a world filled with unexpected changes.
We believe that whatever you intend to do living in this new world you will do it more successfully, more gracefully, even more joyously, if you approach it as the most creative version of yourself, with the goal of being better than before.
We are offering two fast paced and entertaining webinars that will: - Share new research about the biological changes happening to a 55+ brain that invite us to take on a creative renewal
- Share the creative concepts that will accelerate the growth of your creative capacities.
- Explore the neuroscience behind why we have favorite behaviors and how we can strengthen them
- Guide you in the creation of your personal Being Better than Before plan
Part II webinar led by: Mark Tully, Carl Nordgren, & Heidi Hackney
Time: 10 – 11:30 am
Date: Wednesday, July 1 and Wednesday, July 8
Register for program by calling the Seymour Center at 919-968-2070. All registrants will receive Zoom ID and passcode via email prior to July 1. Webinar will be fast paced and the hosts will invite your participation.
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Mindfulness at the NC Museum of ArtConnecting with works of art can help us slow down and focus on the present moment, a skill that can help to regulate stress in our day-to-day life.
We are still in the process of gauging our community’s interest in this live, interactive mindfulness program to be offered in a virtual format later this summer (date to be determined). To be added to our sign-up list, please contact Lisa Meinert at (919) 245-4251.
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The Prime Time Players, Present,“The Beggar and the King” by Winthrop ParkhurstThe next in a series of online Readers’ Theater productions. This presentation is directed by John Paul Middlesworth, produced by Joan Ontjes, and audio/video edited by Darryl and Mary Freedman. Join three of their players (Bob Lauterborn, Marie VanDerbeck and Sylvia Dante) as they perform from their own homes this 20 minute entertaining reading on Tuesday, June 16 at 2 pm.
As a new way of connecting with their audience, Prime Time Players will bring a virtual production every other Tuesday for you to enjoy. In the event you are not able to watch videos when posted, please know that videos are viewable at your leisure by clicking on the available link.
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Creative Conversations via The CloudJoin Dr. Ho, conversation moderator, for 6 weeks of interesting, inevitable conversations prompted by stimulating questions adopted from TimeSlips, an international network of artists and caregivers committed to bringing joy to late life and founded by MacArthur Fellow, Anne Basting. This social outlet will enable you to think and converse differently, openly and confidently. You will find this setting comfortable, inspiring and enjoyable as you share your response to the beautiful question posed by the group leader with your peers.
Register for this interactive group today by calling 919-968-2070.
These 30-40 minute conversations will be held every Monday morning at 10am via Zoom. All participants will receive questions, link and other information via registration. Space is limited.
Mondays, June 22 – July 27
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Aging Transitions Services
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Activity Engagement CoachingAs we all continue to spend a lot of time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be challenging to find ways to keep loved ones with dementia engaged throughout the day.
For caregivers connected to our various dementia support programs, we are now offering one-on-one consultations (via phone or GoToMeeting) where we can brainstorm together with you to identify enjoyable activities that are - Person-centered, i.e. tailored to your loved one’s current and past interests, likes, & preferences
- Meaningful
- Appropriately modified to current level of cognitive ability, thereby reducing frustration and stress
If interested, please contact Lisa Meinert (919-245-4251), certified Dementia Care Partner and Activity Professional or Marie Dagger, OTR/L (919-245-4279).
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Caregiver SupportsSupport groups, Memory Café, and Care Partner Collaborative have all gone online and most participants have been quick to adopt this new way to gather and stay connected. For more information about these programs, please contact Kim or Lisa. Caregiver Support Group Friday, May 22 at 10:30am
Thursday, May 28 at 1pm Available via GoToMeeting. Register one day prior to the meeting. To register, please call 919-968-2087 or email agingtransitions@orangecountync.gov. Contact Kim for more information.
Memory Cafe Tuesday, June 2 at 2:30pm Available via GoToMeeting. Register one day prior to the meeting. To register, please call 919-968-2087 or email agingtransitions@orangecountync.gov. Contact Kim for more information.
For more caregiver resources, sign up for the monthly Community News for Caregivers e-newsletter. |
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Need 2 Know launches June 11, 2020 and continues its popular weekly Thursday 1:00 - 2:00 PM time slot. Join us for presentation, panel, interview and discussion on something you Need 2 Know. Join our Facebook Group Need 2 Know Zoom Series here for our schedule of presenters, and be able to ask questions and engage with us.
Register for the live events here.
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Plan for the Road AheadResearch for the Older Adult Driving Initiative (ROADI) has recently launched their new tool - Plan for the Road Ahead. The website include information about potential changes to driving skills as you age and resources to plan for 'driving retirement'.
Check it out here!
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Aging Helpline Talk to trained staff about any aging-related issue. You may also email Aging Services. We try to find answers to your age-related questions and link you to the services that you need. Helpline hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Chinese & Spanish Language Helpline
Call 919-245-4275 to speak to our staff in Mandarin.
Call 919-245-4279 ext. 1 to leave a message in Spanish.
Aging Transitions, Senior Center programming and Volunteer Connect 55+ staff are available to meet individually by appointment, by phone or email. For more information call the Passmore Center at 919-245-2015, Seymour Center at 919-968-2070, or the Aging Helpline at 919-968-2087.
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COVID-19 Volunteer OpportunitiesWould you like to share your skills and gifts with older adults in Orange County? Leaders from Orange County’s Department on Aging and UNC’s Partnerships in Aging are creating a list to match volunteers with the needs and changing circumstances of individuals and organizations that serve older adults.
To volunteer, please add your name to the COVID-19 Volunteer list.
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For more information about ways to help, please visit:
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103 Meadowlands Dr. (PO Box 8181)
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Phone: 919-245-2015
Currently Closed to the Public
Typical Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 8 am - 8 pm
Fridays, 8 am - 5 pm
Saturdays, 9 am - 11 am |
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2551 Homestead Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Phone:919-968-2070
Currently Closed to the Public
Typical Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 8 am - 9 pm
Fridays, 8 am - 5 pm
Saturdays, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm |
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