Caregiver briefs: Area Office on Aging’s 2022 Caregiver Expo set for Nov. 10

By: 
Press Staff Writer

        The 15th Annual Caregiver Expo presented by the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio will be held Thursday, Nov. 10 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Parkway Place, 2592 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
        Designed for family caregivers, the event – themed “Caring & Managing Together,” will feature exhibitors and a wealth of information and resources.
        The keynote speaker will be Elizabeth Miller, a family caregiver advocate, speaker, author and certified caregiving consultant.
        Miller’s personal experiences caring for aging parents with chronic and terminal illnesses and for a sibling with developmental disabilities inspired her to create Happy Healthy Caregiver (happyhealthycaregiver.com) in 2015. Through her coaching services, speaking, award-winning podcast, book and online community, Miller helps family caregivers infuse caregiving and self-care with their busy lives.
        She is the host of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast on the Whole Care Network, author of “Just for You: A Daily Self-Care Journal,” and facilitates an Atlanta support group for family caregivers called the Atlanta Daughterhood Circle. She is also an ambassador and retreat leader for the No Barriers USA Caregivers Program.
        To learn more about the Caregiver Expo and other services available offered by the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, visit areaofficeonaging.com.
 
Medicare open enrollment
        Medicare Open Enrollment runs through Dec. 7. Anyone looking for help comparing plans for 2023 can call Rachel at Magruder Hospital at 419-732-4061, Dianne at Ottawa County Senior Resources at 419-898-6459, or the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program at 1-800-686-1578.
 
Grandparent/kinship support group to meet
A support group for grandparents and other caregivers raising children in a kinship situation will meet Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Lake Elementary School gymnasium.
The group, sponsored by the Wood County Educational Service Center, meets in a casual and welcoming environment. Participants have the opportunity to meet other caregivers, develop a network of support and receive information about services.
Dinner and childcare are provided at no cost. “Carolyn's Catering has been so gracious to feed us at our meetings every month this year,” said Sara Nidiffer, Family and Community Partnership Liaison at WCESC “We cannot thank them enough.”
 The group will meet Dec. 13 at the same place and time.
To reserve a spot or for more information, call Nidiffer at 419-354-9010, ext. 136, email snidiffer@wcesc.org or call or text 419-409-2087.
 
Diabetes Prevention program
        For those who have been told they have prediabetes, the great news is that progression from prediabetes to Type 2 Diabetes is avoidable.
        Magruder Hospital’s Prevent T2 Program, led by the CDC, can help individuals choose healthier foods, become more active and maintain a healthy weight in order to help reverse prediabetes.
        Participants will work with a trained lifestyle coach and a group of other individuals like themselves to learn tips for making healthy lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, adding physical activity to their routines, stress reduction, problem solving and staying motivated.
        Magruder Hospital’s Prevent T2 groups will meet for one year, meeting weekly for the first six months and then one to two times per month for the next six months.
        For more information about upcoming diabetes prevention sessions, call Tracy Stadler, RD, LD, CDCES at 419-732-4047.
 
Drug Take Back Day
        The Ottawa County Health Department encourages area residents to participate in the next National Drug Take Back Day, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 29 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
        Several area law enforcement agencies offer medication take-back collection boxes for citizens’ safety and convenience including police departments in Genoa, Oak Harbor, Marblehead, Catawba Island, Danbury Township, and Put-in-Bay. These medication boxes are at departments throughout the year.
        Unwanted or unused medications present environmental and public safety concerns. Both prescription and non-prescription drugs are being found in rivers, streams and groundwater.
        Existing wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are not designed to remove these contaminants. Additionally, removing these medications from the medicine cabinet will help to reduce the chances of drug abuse and accidental misuse.
 
Holiday Outreach Project
        Wood County Committee on Aging and Wood County Job & Family Services are partnering to sponsor a “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Holiday Outreach Project this holiday season.
        Monetary donations will be accepted at all Wood County senior center locations and will be used to purchase gifts for grandchildren (birth to 17 years of age). Interested grandparents in need are asked to complete an application. Applications will be available Tuesday, Nov. 1 and the application deadline is Friday, Dec. 2.
        For more information or to receive an application, contact the Programs Department at 419-353-5661 or 800-367-4935 or email programs@wccoa.net.
 
Ottawa County Senior Directory 
        The Ottawa County Task Force on Aging published a focused resource guide for seniors and their caregivers.
        Thanks to the generous support of the Ottawa County Community Foundation, Ottawa County Job and Family Services and local sponsors, the publication is designed to promote awareness about senior services available in the county.
        Ottawa County is home to the highest percentage of people over the age of 60 in the state of Ohio. Given the aging population in the area, the Ottawa County Task Force on Aging looks to address aging-related issues to promote the safety and independence of seniors in our community.
        Visit oh-ottawacounty.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/2291/Ottawa-County-Senior-Directory-2022-PDF for more information.
 
GLCAP senior programs
        Great Lakes Community Action Partnership offers a Senior Life Transitions program for seniors looking for connections to local programs, resources and assistance available in the community.
        The program offers a one-stop hub that provides comprehensive information about local senior services including:
        • Socialization and senior activities.
        • Health needs including Medicare and Medicaid counseling, medication assistance, home health, behavioral health, Alzheimer’s and dementia, hospice and other medical needs.
        • Home-delivered meal options.
        • Transportation needs.
        • Living options including local senior housing, in-home assistance, long-term care, and assisted living/nursing facilities.
        • Caregiver and respite assistance.
        • Family services for seniors raising grandchildren or great-grandchildren.
        • Other community senior services.
        A copy of the Senior Life Transitions brochure is available online at glcap.org/media/2977/senior-life-transitions.pdf.
        Sandusky County Senior Directory
        A Sandusky County Senior Directory, compiled by the Sandusky County United Way, is a comprehensive list of services and resources including medical services, assisted living and nursing care, church groups, recreation and more.
        Access the directory online at glcap.org/programs/senior-services/senior-life-transitions.
        To learn more about GLCAP’s senior programs and services, visit glcap.org/programs/senior-services or call 800-775-9767.
 
Rita’s Soups
        St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 798 Coy Rd., Oregon, hosts a Rita’s Soups, a soup kitchen to assist people in need of simple nutrition, on the third Saturday of each month from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
        Three varieties of soup, along with crackers or bread and a beverage is available to anyone who comes through the doors.
        A freewill offering will be accepted from those wishing to contribute to the program and its future success.
 
 

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