May is Older Americans Month, a perfect opportunity to show our appreciation for the older adults in our community. Since 1963, communities across the nation have joined in the annual commemoration of Older Americans Month—a proud tradition that shows our nation’s commitment to celebrating the contributions and achievements of older Americans. The theme for Older Americans Month...   Read more »

I have recently heard of several people who have received traffic citations regarding red arrows, so I thought I’d pass on the following information I received from AARP Vermont: Vermont drivers are all familiar with circular red lights. They indicate that we must stop before reaching either the stop line or the crosswalk and must not proceed until the light turns green. Right turns at...   Read more »

Happy spring! Today I’d like to share with you a list of 10 ways to make your visit to your doctor more satisfying that was compiled by Virginia Fry, MA, a Vermont hospice care specialist. Bring all the Prescription Medications you are taking or make a list of them, including when you take them, how much, and how often. Make a list of all the things you take that are not food,...   Read more »

Elder Connection By Barbara Hanson The “NewsBites” section of a recent Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter describes some findings of researchers led by Sheldon Cohen, PhD, of Carnegie Mellon University, who studied the value of sleep in warding off a common cold. The study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, involved 153 healthy men and women, ages 21 to...   Read more »

Elder Connection By Barbara Hanson One of the goals of the Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging is to connect local elders with services that can help them live as independently as possible. As people get older, managing finances can become difficult. The Council, in partnership with AARP foundation, enlists and trains volunteers to help seniors with tasks like bill paying and balancing their...   Read more »

Elder Connection by Barbara Hanson Today I want to tell you about an important upcoming workshop series for family caregivers. The Rutland County Caregiver Coalition, a dedicated group of health and human service professionals who work to improve support and education for the caregivers of our community the members of which are: Southwestern Vermont Council on...   Read more »

Elder Connection By Barbara Hanson I’ve received notice that there is a need for Hospice and Palliative Care volunteers in our region, and that training for those desiring to do this important work is coming up in March. A free eight-week, 24 hour training class for individuals who wish to become hospice and palliative care volunteers in Rutland County, Dorset and Rupert is being...   Read more »

Elder Connection By Barbara Hanson If you are a grieving male, the world may not see you as the bereaved person that you are. Because of your gender, in our society, you may have been taught that “big boys don’t cry”, and hold your grief in. But you shouldn’t hold it in. Don’t confuse grieving with weakness and not grieving with strength. Holding in grief...   Read more »

Elder Connection By Barbara Hanson The combination of bad weather, the stress of the holidays and the inevitable “letdown” that comes in January and February can result in phenomena called “winter blahs” or “cabin fever.” No germs are involved, but “cabin fever” can get you down just as surely as flue or pneumonia. Nancy Loncaric, writing...   Read more »

ELDER CONNECTION by Barbara Hanson Now that we are in the grip of "old man winter", it's time to look at some ways to avoid the possibility of hypothermia. As we get older, our bodies become less able to respond to long exposure to cold or to heat. In cold weather, some older people may develop accidental hypothermia, a drop in internal body temperature that can be fatal if not detected and...   Read more »