ABLE program seeks volunteers to advocate for elderly
The Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman/Nursing Home Advocacy Program at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) is seeking volunteer ombudsmen to help provide advocacy services to residents living in nursing homes located throughout the area.

The next training is scheduled for May 27 and June 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Applicants must complete the application process before attending classes.

Long-Term Care Ombudsmen advocate for resident rights and quality of care, and they provide education to empower long-term care residents. Volunteers extend the capacity of the Ombudsman program by establishing a presence in nursing home facilities throughout northwest Ohio.

Training is required by the state. Once volunteers have completed the 12-hour initial training and a Bureau of Criminal Investigation Check, they are certified as ombudsmen. The training is designed to assist participants in becoming effective advocates for nursing home residents. Once certified, volunteer ombudsmen are expected to contribute a minimum of four hours each month at an assigned facility.

More than 9,000 individuals live in more than 100 nursing homes located in ABLE’s Ombudsman Program’s 10-county service area, including Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood counties.

To volunteer as a certified ombudsman or to obtain more information, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Volunteer Coordinator at 419-259-2891 or 1-800-542-1874, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and currently not employed as a long-term care provider.

Grief support
“Walk With Us” grief support group meets the third Thursday of the month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at New Harvest Church, 3540 Seaman Rd., Oregon.

For June, July and August, the first-Thursday-of-the-month noon meetings are cancelled. They will resume in September.

The meetings, which are not religious or social in nature, are open to all who grieve the death of a loved one. Walk in or call Judy Hoeflinger at 419-691-9750 or Julie Marshall at 419-343-2311.

Vision, hearing evaluations
To promote healthy vision and hearing and raise cataracts awareness, OptiVue is offering free eye exams and hearing evaluations for seniors age 60 and older through May 28.

Cataracts and hearing loss are often a part of the aging process. More than 20 million Americans have cataracts, and the major symptom is a progressive, painless loss of vision. Twenty-eight million Americans suffer from hearing loss.

To schedule an appointment for a complimentary exam, call 419-693-4444, or 800-642-2261.

Memory Walk 2010
The Memory Walk 2010 season is kicking off with a Captain Kick Off Party June 1 at 6 p.m. at the Alzheimer’s Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter office in Toledo at 2500 Reynolds Rd., Toledo.

Food and information about the Memory Walk will be provided at the event, which is expected to raise $138,500 in Toledo.

Tom Helberg, Toledo attorney and co-founder of Bellevue Investors, will be the honorary chairperson for the 2010 Toledo Memory Walk.

Team captains, those who would like to be a captain and those who would like more information on how to get involved in Memory Walk are invited to attend the party, to call the Alzheimer’s Association at 800-272-3900 or visit www.alz.org/nwohio.

More than 32,000 people living in Northwest Ohio have Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder. Funds raised through Memory Walk 2010, help support research, programs and services such as support groups, the Helpline Service, the Safe Return program, speakers bureau, resource libraries and numerous other educational programs and services that are offered free to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia and their families

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease of the brain that destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s can be fatal and today is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.

Need for blood donations is constant
The American Red Cross wants to remind seniors and others in the community that the need for blood is constant.  Many blood donors forget how much they’re needed. But a slump in blood donations could quickly become a threat because the need for blood is constant.

Those who give blood at the Toledo Blood Donor Center, located at 3510 Executive Parkway, now through the end of May you will receive a “Proud Donor” T-shirt and an entry to win a $100 gas card

Also, donating blood around Memorial Day is a way you can honor U.S. service men and women who gave their lives to defend our nation. Donations will help strengthen the blood supply during a time of year when blood can be in high demand. While that need is constant, the number of people donating can vary, particularly during summer. Slumps in blood donations are typical from May through September since donors may fill their calendars with seasonal activities and overlook giving blood.

Call the Red Cross today at 1-800-828-1975 to schedule an appointment.

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