07/01/22 - 07/14/22

Topics in this Edition

Upcoming Programs
Announcements
Resources & Services
Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Us

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

New to Medicare? Join our Welcome to Medicare Class

If you’re turning 65 soon, you’re probably being bombarded by mailings about Medicare. This free class will provide valuable information whether you’re retiring soon, already retired or continuing to work. You’ll learn how and when to enroll, potential penalties for late enrollment, Medicare’s costs, benefits and options.

Wednesday June 29, 12:00-1:30pm
Orange County Public Library
137 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough NC
Register by calling 919-245-4240

Wednesday July 13, 6:00-7:30pm
Online class using ZOOM
Register at www.orangecountync.gov/Medicare101_july

Garden Delight "Seek and Find"

Our garden is beautiful all year long and you never know what you might see hidden about the flowers and shrubbery. Stop at our front desk fora list of items to “seek” in our garden and once you “find” them return your form to the front desk and we will enter you name in a drawing for a special prize. Leader: Patty Meehan

Date: Fri, July 1 – 29; Location: Passmore
Phone: 919-245-2015; Code: 223007-01
Register by: Not Required; Fee: FREE

eye glasses - magnifying glass - word search

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: Visual Changes in Dementia; Fee: FREE
Date: July 5; Time: 10:15 - 11:15 am; Activity: 255018-03
Location: Online; To Register: Email or call the Aging Helpline (agingtransitions@orangecountync.gov or 919-968-2087). You will receive the meeting link/phone# after registration.

Support Groups

Support groups are a space to meet with other caregivers to share experiences, learn new skills, and get answers to questions about dementia and other long-term disabilities. We have resumed in-person meetings and have added a new Zoom only group.

Zoom Only Support Group
To join, contact Kim Lamon-Loperfido or 919-245-4253.
Tuesday, July 5 at 12:30pm via Zoom

Chapel Hill Support Group

To join, contact Kendall Kopchick or 919-245-4278.
Friday, July 8 at 10:30am at Seymour

Hillsborough Support Group
To join, contact Keisha Andrews or 919-245-2022.
Thursday, July 14 at 1pm at Passmore

movie projector - film - rainbow background

Summer LGBTQ+ Dinner and a Movie Series

Warmer weather and longer days offer the perfect opportunity to spend the evening out. Each month will feature a new movie that celebrates the joys, struggles, and journeys of the LGBTQ+ community. Dinner will be served at 5:30 pm. Co-Sponsored by SAGE of Central North Carolina and Project EngAGE LGBTQ+ SRT.

This month’s feature, Cloudburst, follows characters Stella and Dotty, an older lesbian couple from Maine who embark on a Thelma and Louise-style road trip to Nova Scotia to get married after Dotty is moved into a nursing home by her granddaughter. Along the way, they pick up Prentice, a hitchhiker travelling home to Nova Scotia to visit his dying mother, and the three bond as they travel together.

Date: Wed, Jul 6; Time: 5:30 – 8 pm
Location: Seymour Center; Register by: Fri, Jul 1
Phone: 919-968-2070; Fee: FREE

Retirement Reimaged: Your Next Chapter

Most of us consider “retirement planning” a financial matter only. We often neglect the equally important social, emotional, practical, and spiritual challenges that come with this major life transition. Whether you are retired or planning to retire, Retirement Reimagined can help you write your “next chapter.” WEEK 1—Getting Started; WEEK 2—Retirement as a Life Transition; WEEK 3—Planning for the Transition; WEEK 4—Reinvesting Skills, Experience, Gifts, Values, Passion; WEEK 5—Writing Your Next Chapter: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”; WEEK 6—Your Legacy. Instructor: C. Michael Thompson

Date: Tues, Jul 12 – Aug 16; Time: 2 – 3:30 pm;
Location: Seymour; Phone: 919-968-2070;
Code: 324215-02,03; Register by: Tues, Jul 5; Fee: FREE

African-American woman - pensive - looking out window

Life After Loss Grief Support Group

Have you experienced the loss of a loved one? Are you in need of a supportive safe space to share your experiences? We invite you to join our grief support group
to engage with people whom share similar experiences and to learn ways to cope with loss. Contact Kendall Kopchick to join (kkopchick@orangecountync.gov or 919-245-4278).

Wednesday July 13 at 1 pm at Seymour Center

Memory, Forgetfulness and Aging

There’s never been a better time to discuss the ties between memory, aging, and the “norms” surrounding them. Join Carol Diggs to discuss what’s normal and what’s not.

Date: Wed, Jul 13; Time: 1 am – 12 noon
Location: Passmore Hybrid; Phone: 919-245-2015; Code: 232266-01; Register by: Wed, Jul 6; Fee: FREE

The Gift Best Given: A Memoir

Edward Di Gangi is a Hillsborough resident and the author of the book, The Gift Best Given, which tells the story of a son's search for the woman who had placed him for adoption. He subsequently discovered that his birth mother had been a celebrity performer in the ice skating spectaculars of the 1940s and 1950s, and the 1943 movie, Lady Let's Dance. Join him for the movie, Q&A and book signing.

Date: Thu, Jul 14; Time: 1 – 3 pm
Location: Seymour Hybrid; Phone: 919-968-2070
Code: 333276-01, 02; Register by: Thu, Jul 7; Fee: FREE

Maple View at the Seymour Center

Come celebrate National Ice Cream Month with us at the Seymour Center! Delicious frozen treat courtesy of our local favorite, Maple View Ice Cream.

Date: Fri, Jul 15; Time: 11 am – 12 pm
Location: Seymour Outdoor; Phone: 919-968-2070
Code: 333342-01; Register by: Fri, Jul 8; Fee: FREE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

"We will be closed, July 4, for Independence Day." American Flag - flag pole - blue sky

COVID-19 Home Test for people who are blind or low vision. Phone - earphones

ANNOUNCING! Free At-home COVID-19 Tests for People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

The Biden-Harris Administration has launched a new initiative to expand the availability of at-home tests that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. The tests work with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone app to provide users with audible instructions, and audible test results. Learn more >>.

Are You Raising a Child Under Age 18?
Be Sure to Claim Your Child Tax Credit!

If you are a caregiver of a child who lived with you for more than half of 2021, you are eligible for a government payment of $3000-$3600 per child, even if you don’t have taxable income. This includes if you are a grandparent, aunt or uncle, adoptive parent, sibling or a foster parent. You must file a 2021 income tax return before November 15 to claim this tax credit. For assistance, call 211 or visit www.GetCTC.org.

"SHARP Direct Care Worker Awards" with five stars

Direct Care Worker Award Nominations
now OPEN!

Orange County Department on Aging and the community group, Senior Health Advocacy and Resource Partners of Orange County (SHARP) will host the eighth annual SHARP Direct Care Worker Awards.

Nominations will be accepted through September 15, 2022. A recognition ceremony will be held for award winners on Thursday, November 3.

This event is in honor of Direct Care Workers (nurse aides, personal care aides, companion caregivers, etc.) who affect their clients’ lives on a daily basis and make a difference in the Orange County community. Read the full press release.

For more information about the awards and to nominate a direct care worker, please complete the online or downloadable nomination form at: www.orangecountync.gov/SHARPAwards

NC Works4Health Research Study Recruitment flier

Learn more >>

2nd COVID-19 Booster Shots now Available

Stay Healthy with Medicare’s
Free Preventive Services

Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage Plans all cover a large number of preventive services with no co-pays or deductibles. These include:

Annual Wellness Visit (Note: this is not a full Annual Physical Exam but instead is designed to check your health status and identify important tests or services that are important for maintaining your health)
Bone Mass Measurement
Screening Mammogram
Screening Colonoscopy
Cardiovascular Screening
Immunizations – Flu, Covid 19, Pneumococcal, Hepatitis B
And More. Check out the complete list.

Your Senior Center Registration Forms – Need Updating

It's time to update your OC Dept. on Aging Senior Centers' registration. We've noticed over the last few months, we need to include some additional information on our registration forms. Beginning in July, we will ask EVERYONE to stop by the front desk at either the Passmore or Seymour Center and complete a newly revised registration from or to complete one from our website http://www.orangecountync.gov/2676/Senior-Centers-Registration.

Please help us to have the most up-to-date information for you, especially in the case of an emergency we want to have the correct up-to-date ways to get in touch with you. Thank you. OC Dept on Aging Staff

RESOURCES & SERVICES

smart phone - internet signal - signal tower

Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service. Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application. You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575.

Office setting-desk-computer- smiling Hispanic woman on phone.

Aging Services

Aging Transitions Services

Talk to trained staff about any aging-related issue. Call the Aging Helpline at 919-968-2087 or 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 Housing Assistance (EHA)

The EHA was created to help Orange County residents with low incomes prevent eviction and homelessness and secure and maintain stable housing. Assistance is available to households in Orange County that:

Earn no more than 30% of the area median income
Have an urgent need for housing assistance that is related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and
Do not have adequate resources to cover the cost of their housing need.

Rent, mortgage and utility payments, security deposits, application fees and other emergency housing-related expenses are eligible for reimbursement.

To learn more or to apply, call the Orange County Housing Helpline at 919-245-2655 or visit Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) Program

The program is funded by Orange County and the Towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, along with state and federal funding.

illustration: colorful 2-story house - trees - scrubs

Financial Assistance for Housing Payments

The NC Homeowner Financial Assistance Fund is now accepting applications from North Carolina homeowners whose finances were impacted by the pandemic and who need assistance with housing-related expenses.

Homeowners can learn more and apply for help by calling 1-855-MY-NCHAF (1-855-696-2423) or by visiting NCHomeownerAssistance.gov.

adult incontinence supplies - bed pads - disposable pads - disposable underwear

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.

illustration - blue hand - splashing water

Low Income Household
Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)

LIHWAP is a temporary emergency program that will help eligible households and families afford water and wastewater services, providing a one-time payment for eligible low-income households paid directly to the utility company. LIHWAP runs through September 2023 or until the funds are exhausted. Apply online at www.epass.nc.gov or call/visit your local County Department of Social Services. Learn more download the LIHWAP flier.

Podcast for People who are
Blind or Print Impaired

Thanks to our friends at the North Carolina Reading Service (NCRS), you can find a podcast of each monthly edition of the Orange County Department of Aging’s OCDOA Upcoming Events e-newsletter by taking the following steps:

• Go to the North Carolina Reading Service website (https://www.ncreadingservice.org/)
• Click on the “Listen" tab
• Next to "How to Listen to NCRS”, click on “Skip to Podcasts Section"
• Under the “Newsletters" column on the far right side of the page, click on "Orange County Dept. Of Aging”

About the North Carolina Reading Service (NCRS).

Options Counseling, is it for you? Older Hispanic couple - smiling

Click to Enlarge

Senior Center 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.

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.

photo: Mike Komives, Employment Specialist, OC Dept. on Aging

Two suggestions for Job Seekers

1. Knowing what KIND OF WORK you're seeking and the TYPE OF PEOPLE you are comfortable working with, will make your job search much more effective. You can focus on finding employers who have the type of work that's a good match. And your networking and interviewing will confirm whether the people at that employer are a good match for you.

Enclosed is an easy way to confirm these -- "Ideal Jobs."

2. Employers today want to know about your SUCCESSES -- especially the ones that are relevant to the responsibilities in the job description.

Enclosed is an easy way to confirm these -- "Identify Your Successes.”

We're here to help you succeed in your job search. Let us know if you have any questions or wish additional information.

Mike Komives, MBA
Employment Specialist
Orange County Department on Aging
2551 Homestead Road I Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919.616.8778 | www.orangecountync.gov/aging

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Image: Older African-American - carpenter level; older Caucasian woman - phone. Text: If you are interested in becoming a Handy Helper or Telephone Reassurance Volunteer, call Alison Smith, VC 55+ Volunteer Coordinator at 919-245-4241, or email alsmith@orangecountync.gov.

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+) Volunteer Coordinator, Alison Smith by phone at 919-245-4241 or email alsmith@orangecountync.gov.