Each week the Secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Brian M. Duke, releases a Friday newsletter with information relevant to activities, issues and events for older Pennsylvanians and persons with disabilities across the Commonwealth.
“Who is WellSpan? ” - The Lebanon Daily News
“The York-based health-care network is in the process with merging with Good Samaritan Health System and Philhaven”
The Good Samaritan Hospital in Lebanon is in the process of merging with WellSpan Health. (left) The Calvin & Janet High welcome center at Philhaven in West Cornwall Township. (right) - PHOTO SOURCE: Jeremy Long — Lebanon Daily News.by Brad Rhen | The Lebanon Daily News“With the recent news that WellSpan plans to merge with Philhaven, two of Lebanon County’s largest employers could soon be part of the York-based WellSpan’s ever-growing network.
“In addition to Philhaven, the Good Samaritan Health System and WellSpan Health are also in the process of merging.
“So what exactly is WellSpan?
Click here to read this Lebanon Daily News article in its entirety.
Ephrata Community Hospital in Lancaster County joined WellSpan Health on Oct. 1, 2013.
“App turns a smartphone into a speech translator for the deaf”
“Even deaf people who excel at lip reading need a bit of help when it comes to meetings or group conversations. The developers of a new app called Transcense claim it’s the hearing impaired’s answer to understanding hard-to-follow chit-chats where everybody’s talking almost all at once.
“How? Well, Transcense can translate speech into written words and transcribe it on screen in near real time. To make that possible, the app connects to several phones and activates their mics to capture what everyone’s saying, then it uses voice recognition to assign each person in the group a color for their speech bubbles. Also, the user can ask the program to speak for him using a digital voice or get everyone’s attention through the app when he wants to say something.”
Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair Coming to Lancaster This Fall
LANCASTER, Pa. (Oct. 14, 2014) – Area veterans, active military, and their families are urged to attend the Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair, a free, one-day event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at the Eden Resort, 222 Eden Road, Lancaster.
Presented by OLP Events, the Veterans’ Expo will connect active and retired military members with the benefits and resources available to them through local businesses and organizations.
Exhibitors represented will include community service providers, healthcare professionals, VA benefits counselors, education/training providers and business startup assistance.
In addition, the Job Fair will provide an opportunity for veterans and employers to meet face to face to discuss available positions. Workshops and seminars will be offered on relevant topics, including resume writing, career planning, interviewing techniques and becoming an entrepreneur.
Three-star Lt. Gen. Dennis L. Benchoff will speak during the opening ceremony, and Audrey Bergstresser, department service officer at VFW, Department of Pennsylvania, will present information on veterans’ benefits.
The Red Rose Honor Guard will honor all branches of service with a special ceremony.
Compliments of Brenneman Printing and ARC Marketing, there will also be a special collection for the Stocking for Soldiers program through Keystone Military Families, which sends care packages and Christmas stockings to American troops.
Musical highlights from the day will include Peggy Keller, 2011 PA State Senior Idol winner, performing the national anthem, and Tom LaNasa, three-time PA State Senior Idol semifinalist, performing “Ragged Old Flag.”
For more information on the Veterans Expo & Job Fair, call (717) 285-1350 or visit www.veteransexpo.com.
SOURCE: news release
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Every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. More than 5 million Americans are living with the disease. Learn the facts. Help wipe out Alzheimer’s disease.
Medicare “open enrollment” begins tomorrow
Open Enrollment. October 15–December 7. Remember, Medicare plans can change each year.
October 15 to December 7 is when ALL people with Medicare can change their Medicare health plan and prescription drug coverage for 2015. Information on 2015 plans will be available beginning in October. People with Medicare can call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov for plan information. If a person is satisfied that their current plan will meet their needs for next year, they don’t need to do anything.
Click here or on the graphic below to download this handy reference.
This AARP article provides helpful tips to consider.
For local information about “open enrollment” contact:
Register for an important Webinar: Monday, October 20 - The Role of Community Inclusion in Improving Behavioral Health Care
Monday, October 20, 3:00 - 4:00 pm Eastern Time
Community inclusion is a measure of the extent to which individuals with mental health needs are able to “live like everyone else.” Please join us for a Webinar on The Role of Community Inclusion in Improving Behavioral Health Care moderated by Mental Health America.
Although community inclusion is greater than the sum of its parts, it can be broken down into eight domains. For each domain, the question should be asked: “Is the individual able to live like their nondisabled peers?” The domains include:
- Housing
- Education
- Employment
- Civic Engagement
- Healthcare
- Recreation
- Relationships
- Spirituality
“The Best (and Worst) Countries to Grow Old In” - 24/7 Wall St.
“The global population is aging rapidly. Today, there are roughly 868 million people who are at least 60 years old globally, or about 12% of the world’s population. By 2050, more than 2 billion people will be 60 or older, or 21% of the projected global population. In the United States, 27% of all Americans will be at least 60 years old.
‘Generally, wealthy countries are better able to provide for their residents than poor countries. All but one of the top 10 countries had a GDP per capita of at least $30,000. At the other end of the spectrum, just one of the 10 worst-rated countries had a per capita GDP of more than $5,000.
“However, Kate Bunting, CEO of HelpAge USA, told 24/7 Wall St. that being a wealthy nation alone is not enough for a country to rate well. ‘We focus on a multidimensional look at being older,’ Bunting said. The ability of older people to continue working and ensuring that they do not feel socially isolated are examples of important factors not necessarily captured by GDP, Bunting added. Despite the challenges of crafting policies to help an older population, ‘We feel that global aging is really a triumph of development.’
