Diabetes Education Classes

Do you or a family member have diabetes or pre-diabetes? The Orange County Health Department is now recruiting participants for their Diabetes Self-Management Education Services (offered through Telehealth), where you can get the support and information you need to lead a healthy lifestyle and manage your diabetes.
 
Service Overview:   An American Diabetes Association Service that is 10-hours of education on the basics of diabetes prevention and management. Services are led by a multi-disciplinary team trained in diabetes.  Class topics include living with diabetes, monitoring blood sugars, nutrition, medication management, exercise, managing sick days, and complication prevention. Additionally, we mail an education manual and prizes to help participants better manage their diabetes.
  
Upcoming Class Schedule:
November 11 and 18 (Spanish only)
December 2 and 9
January 13 and 20
 
Payment Guidelines:   The Health Department is an in-network provider with most insurances and accepts payment on a sliding scale fee schedule with a minimum payment of $20 per appointment. Scholarships are available for any person who has difficulty paying for the service.
 
Register: Please email Renee Kemske (rkemske@orangecountync.gov) or call us at 919-245-2380.

Caregiver Education Series: Caregiving 101

Join Kendall Kopchick, MSW, LCSWA for an overview of resources and tips and tricks for caregivers.

Date: Mon, Nov 15   Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm    
Fee: FREE    Location: Virtual    
Registration: Register in advance for this meeting at https://orangecountync.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqceqqrT4tH9wHRh182uu6dd3GejH30sMt

Dementia – Let's Talk About It

Join OCDoA’s dementia care specialists for an ONLINE conversation around topics related to dementia education, living with cognitive change, and being a dementia caregiver. We will provide 15-30 minutes of education at the start of the hour, and the remaining time will be spent in conversation, Q&A, and resource sharing around the day’s topic. You may register for one or multiple sessions.
 
Topic: Holidays with Dementia    Date: Tue, Nov 16   Time: 10:15am    Fee: FREE
Contact: Marie Dagger (919-245-4279) for more information and registration.

Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period
Open through December 7

 Medicare plans change each calendar year.  Your medication costs can increase significantly if your plan changes their drug list and pricing as of Jan 1.  Many people save hundreds and even thousands of dollars by switching plans, but most can only change during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period.   The Orange County Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) provides free and unbiased assistance.
 
Meet with a certified counselor for an Annual Medicare Review.   We will be offering in-person appointments at the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill and the Passmore Center in Hillsborough as well as online using Zoom Video Chat.  We begin scheduling appointments for Open Enrollment on October 5.  Schedule online at www.orangecountync.gov/Medicare or call 919-245-4274. 

Donate Books and Games

The Seymour Center Friends are accepting donations of books, games and puzzles, with all the pieces, for their future BaGs (Books and Games sale) fundraiser. Date to be disclosed later.

The Handy Helpers Program is
Recruiting New Members!

Handy Helpers enable older adults to stay in their homes by providing high-quality, volunteer/pro-bono repairs of minor maintenance issues for those unable to afford to complete repairs on their own. Volunteers perform small maintenance jobs (less than three hours), such as changing light bulbs, fixing a broken screen, unclogging plumbing, patching minor leaks, and installing smoke detectors. *Volunteers must be willing to undergo background checks for this position.

If you are interested in becoming a Handy Helper Volunteer, call Alison Smith, VC 55+ Volunteer Coordinator at 919-245-4241, or email alsmith@orangecountync.gov .

Orange County’s Rectrac/Webtrac
to be Upgraded

The County's RecTrac and WebTrac client and facility reservation system will be upgraded on Monday December 13, 2021. Due to the upgrade, the system will not be available to the public on Monday, December 13th from 8 am - 1 pm.

After this process there may be some delays. Please continue to check back with the County by phone at 919-245-2662 or email if you experience delays after this time. You may also call the front desk at either of the senior centers; call the Passmore Center at 919-245-2015 or the Seymour Center at 919-968-2070. 

Telephone Reassurance Volunteers

Volunteers make telephone calls to local older adults, providing reassurance and a check on their status, safety, and comfort. Volunteers are trained to provide phone calls, and commit to making calls once per week (recipients receive daily calls Monday through Friday between the hours of 8am – 10am) or serve as a substitute for regular callers as needed. 

If you are interested in becoming a Telephone Reassurance Volunteer, call Alison Smith, VC 55+ Volunteer Coordinator at 919-245-4241, or email alsmith@orangecountync.gov.

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 919-245-4245 to leave a message in Spanish.

Aging Transitions, Senior Center programming and Volunteer Connect 55+ staff are available to meet individually by appointment, 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.

Caregiver Supports

Support groups, educational programs, Memory Café, and Care Partner Collaborative; gather and stay connected with us online or in-person, depending on the program.  For upcoming programs download our Current Caregiver Programming flyer. 

For more caregiver resources, sign up for the monthly Community News for Caregivers e-newsletter.

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or by visiting https://getemergencybroadband.org.

Fee Payment and Financial Assistance

The Orange County Senior Centers strive to be accessible and welcoming to all seniors.  If you want to participate in senior center fee-based activities and are unable, or unwilling, to pay a required fee, you may still participate.

Furthermore, a selection of free activities and programs are available to seniors age 55 and over. Read more.

Handyperson Recommendations

Have you hired a fair, helpful, and trustworthy handyperson?  We are compiling a list of individuals who assist with home repair work in our community.  If you had a positive experience with a particular person or company and would recommend them to a neighbor, please share!
Complete our online recommendation form or call the Aging Helpline (919-968-2087) to submit your recommendation.

In Need of Incontinence Supplies?

Thanks to generous donations, the Department on Aging has a supply of incontinence supplies including: Bed pads, pull up briefs, adult diapers, wipes, and adult booster pads. If you are in need of any of these supplies, we may be able to provide you with up to one pack per month (depending on availability of the items requested). Contact the Aging Helpline (919-968-2087 or agingtransitions@orangecountync.gov) to request supplies.

Technology Classes Available Through the  Seymour Tech Center

Seymour Tech offers FREE classes for older adults around personal computer, tablet, and smart phone use. See the full list of upcoming programs here and contact Mike Gilliom with questions.

Why is networking so important?

Looking for a job today is challenging. One key to success is having a network of people who can help you in a variety of ways.
 
For instance, you want to learn what a company or organization does, and do their needs involve people with credentials and experience similar to what you have. You want to know about the hiring manager (most often she/he is not a Human Resource person). You want guidance on how to meet with her or him.  You want insights on company culture, and do they promote from within. You want to learn about company benefits – health insurance, contributions to 401k or others, and whether work-from-home is allowed and / or encouraged.
 
Equally important, in many industries more than half of all job openings are not posted! Many employers rely on employees to recommend candidates. These employees put their own reputation on the line, on behalf of the candidate. The employer saves money and time by learning about qualified people for current or upcoming jobs better and faster.
 
To learn about how to build and use your own network, or for other job search subjects, contact me. I’m Mike Komives, here to help you.
 
Mike Komives, MBA
Employment Specialist
Orange County Department on Aging
2551 Homestead Road | Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919.616.8778 | skomives@orangecountync.gov
www.orangecountync.gov/aging

Meal Delivery Drivers Needed! 

We are seeking volunteers for our Community-based Services team to deliver lunches to older adults throughout the County.
 
If you miss engaging with people and want to give back to your community, then this could be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you!
 
We are looking for dependable, qualified drivers to deliver lunch meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays from 12 pm – 1 pm.  For only an hour of your time you can provide support and assistance to older adults and add a little joy to their day.
 
Don’t delay; contact Shenae McPherson, Volunteer Connect 55+ Administrator at 919-245-4243 or via email shmcpherson@orangecountync.gov today!

Volunteer Opportunities

Would you like to share your skills and gifts with older adults in Orange County?  To volunteer, please contact Orange County Department on Aging's Volunteer Connect 55+ (VC 55+) administrator, Shenae McPherson by phone (919-245-4243) or email shmcpherson@orangecountync.gov. 

For more information about ways to help during COVID, please visit:

• Orange County Health Department - How I Can Help

• UNC Health- Ways you can help

• Duke Health - How you can help during COVID-19