Where to find food assistance – Sara Duris – June 2020
Region IV Area Agency on Aging receives many inquiries about food availability. Below are some resources for those needing food. For emergency food assistance, regardless of age, call 2-1-1 to find food pantries near you. You will be asked to put in your zip code and then just follow the prompts for food assistance. Some […]
Events coming up as Campus for Creative Aging begins to reopen – Lynn Kellogg – June 20, 2020
Like virtually all other organizations, Area Agency on Aging is planning how to responsibly reopen its Campus for staff and public alike. Like most, we’re taking a cautious, phased approach that considers important guidance coming from key state sources and of course the local Health Department with its steady information flow of local COVID-19 data […]
Covid-19 Response Data Impact Report (3/16/20-6/7/20)
During the 12-week span from mid-March 16, 2020 to the first week of June, Region IV Area on Aging was called to action to care for the population most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. With one in four persons in Berrien, Van Buren, and Cass counties being at high risk, the need for innovation of […]
Connect with the older generation – Lynn Kellogg – June 7, 2020
A week after Memorial Day, I was drawn to the cover of the current National Geographic magazine: a photo portrait of Lawrence Brooks, an impressive looking African-American man who at age 110 is America’s oldest known World War II veteran. The feature story was entitled, The Last Voices of World War II. Mr. Brooks’ gaze, […]
Find some joy in these trying times – Pat Arter – May 31, 2020
Gardening has always brought me joy. This year, however, has been an amplified blessing. The last couple of years we just did basics – a couple favorite peppers, and two tomato plants. We had been spending many weekends camping, so there just wasn’t as much time to tend to a garden. When we realized we […]
Be sure to ‘Make Your Mark’ during Older Americans Month – Christine Vanlandingham – May 24, 2020
Each May, we celebrate Older Americans Month. This year’s theme, “Make Your Mark”, is apt for our times. Older Americans Month was first celebrated in 1965, when the federal Older Americans Act (OAA) was signed into law. The OAA set the foundation for a national network of local Area Agencies on Aging to plan and […]
Friendly Caller Line for Area Seniors is Open
By the third week of the stay at home order, 66-year-old Saundra was overwhelmed with loneliness, isolation and was growing desperate. A survivor of abuse with PTSD, and still grieving from losing her daughter last year, Saundra’s usual systems of coping were no longer available and she was feeling panicked. As the days grew into […]
Be proactive, plan ahead for emergency situations – Sara Duris – May 10, 2020
Q. My parents live on the west coast and, although they are healthy and have done their estate planning, I’m worried now with the current travel bans and social distance restrictions that if something happens, we wouldn’t be able to get to them and we haven’t planned well enough for this type of emergency. Any […]
Resiliency in the face of a pandemic – Lynn Kellogg – May 3, 2020
Does your day-to-day experience ever result in several disjointed things striking you with a common cord? I was grateful that a now nearly 80-year old friend still runs a weekly music radio show. In partnership with his daughter, he brings my husband and me joy. In addition to music, hearing the voice of a dear […]
Battling isolation with Friendly Callers – Pat Arter – April 26, 2020
Week five of staying home. Still working, but from home. I never was interested in being a remote worker. I am energized by my colleagues, learning from them, gaining inspiration from them, and also laughing and crying together when needed. I’m adjusting, though, better than I could have imagined. The first week was difficult. I […]