New blood pressure guidelines from the American Heart Association. CC BY-SA
Hamilton Relay Offers $500 High School Scholarships: Application deadline is January 18, 2019
As the Telecommunications Relay and/or Captioned Telephone service provider for the state of Pennsylvania, Hamilton Relay acknowledges that opportunities for higher education affect the future of Pennsylvania’s high school students.
We are pleased to once again extend the Hamilton Relay Scholarship opportunity to graduating high school seniors in Pennsylvania who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking to assist in their goals of continuing their education.
Please share the attached scholarship application and information with your eligible students. Hamilton Relay selects one candidate from each of the states where Hamilton is the contracted service provider. All candidates are required to submit an application, write an essay under the topic of communication technology and provide a letter of recommendation in order to qualify. The application documents can also be found online at www.hamiltonrelay.com.
The scholarship deadline is January 18, 2019 and applications must be received or postmarked by this date. The scholarship is in the amount of $500 and the winner will be determined on or before February 28, 2019.
Hamilton Relay is excited to give back to the community by offering this scholarship opportunity to students who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking. We look forward to learning more about the outstanding students in Pennsylvania.
Download the Hamilton Relay Scholarship Guidelines and Application and apply today!
Landis Communities and Friends Life Care Join to Launch Continuing Care at Home program in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties
Lititz, PA – Landis Communities is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Friends Life Care to launch a Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) program in Lancaster and Lebanon counties. This arrangement will allow both organizations to expand their missions through the innovative Friends Life Care service and exceptional senior care. This new offering is a membership-based program designed to help people remain in their home as they age and can be utilized for care at home, if and when needed, and even residence-based care as those needs may evolve. The program, launching in October 2018, will therefore give older adults another option to remain living where they choose for as long as possible.
“Friends Life Care offers the first and largest continuing care at home program in the country,” explained Evon Bergey, VP of Community Initiatives at Landis Communities. “The Friends Life Care program provides a truly unique combination of care coordination and financial benefit needed to help ensure older adults have the resources and support that they will need to remain in their own homes as they age. If care is ever needed, it will be coordinated by Friends Life Care and provided by our trusted network of caregivers.”
“We are delighted to join resources with Landis Communities and bring our distinctive services to Lancaster and Lebanon Counties,” said Carol A. Barbour, president of Friends Life Care. “Friends Life Care’s philosophy is centered upon vitality, independence, growth and resilience and enables us to launch and maintain a strong partnership with Landis Communities.”
The composition of America’s aging population is changing greatly, mainly due to the very important baby boomer generation. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 8.7 million people will be 85 or older by 2030 — the year when all baby boomers join the 65 and older population. According to research, nearly 90% of people want to stay in their own home as they age. This partnership with Friends Life Care to expand the time-tested Continuing Care at Home program provides people with more options to age in place.
Landis Communities and Friends Life Care will begin holding informational seminars in October 2018. These seminars will provide additional detailed information regarding membership in the Continuing Care at Home program. Online webinars will also be made available.
Landis Communities owns and operates Landis Homes, a Continuing Care Retirement Community/ Life Plan Community serving nearly 900 residents, in addition to a number of living options and services for seniors in the area. Friends Life Care is a not-for-profit, mission-focused Quaker-Based organization known for its expertise, integrity and product strength, all vital components for a successful partnership with Landis Communities. More information about Friends Life Care and Landis Communities and dates for seminars and webinars can be found at www.FriendsLifeCare.org/Landis or by calling 1-844-2Landis (1-844-252-6347)
Landis Communities delivers an array of services and housing options throughout the Lancaster County area. Known for enriching lives, they provide caring, high quality service to persons helping them live full lives with access to the services they need. Landis Communities began in the early 1960s when Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities (now EMM) started exploring how they might develop a community for retired mission workers, pastors and others. The organization now operates across a widening spectrum of services based on personal preferences, physical needs and financial resources. Landis Communities is a conference related ministry of LMC: A Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches and Atlantic Coast Conference of Mennonite Church USA.
Friends Life Care offers long-term care protection by providing wellness programs, home health care, related personal care services and facility care to enrolled members in the Philadelphia and Delaware areas. Individuals and couples become members of Friends Life Care in order to protect their independence, guard their financial security and gain peace of mind. All member care is coordinated by a team of credentialed and selected professionals and provided by carefully screened aides.
“Before the fall: How oldsters can avoid one of old age’s most dangerous events” – The Conversation
“Falls are the No. 1 cause of accidental death in people 65 and older and a major cause of disability.” Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com
“Baby boomers, who once viewed themselves as the coolest generation in history, are now turning their thoughts away from such things as partying and touring alongside rock bands to how to they can stay healthy as they age. And, one of the most important parts of healthy aging is avoiding a fall, the number one cause of accidental death among people 65 and older.
“The issue is growing more pressing each day. More adults than ever – 46 million – are 65 and older, and their numbers are increasing rapidly.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in four older adults will fall each year. ”
“The latest blood pressure guidelines: What they mean for you” – The Conversation
by John Warner
“Updated blood pressure guidelines from the American Heart Association mean that many more Americans, notably older people, are now diagnosed with high blood pressure, or hypertension. This may sound like bad news, but the new guidelines highlight some important lessons we cardiologists and heart health researchers have learned from the latest blood pressure studies. Specifically, we have learned that damage from high blood pressure starts at much lower blood pressures than previously thought and that it is more important than ever to start paying attention to your blood pressure before it starts causing problems.
“High blood pressure accounts for more heart disease and stroke deaths than all other preventable causes, except smoking.”
“Do you know someone who needs to ‘hang up the keys’?” – AARP
“There’s nothing more important than an older loved one’s safety. And when someone you care about is still driving, it’s crucial to pay close attention to their habits and, possibly, talk with them about planning for a life without driving.
Of course, it’s never easy to know the right time for them to “’hang up the keys,’ but these discussions can be easier. To help you, AARP Driver Safety has created an easy-to-complete program called We Need To Talk.
This FREE online seminar offers practical tips and advice in three interactive sessions:
- The Meaning of Driving – Find out what driving means to older adults and the emotions they may face when they have to give it up.
- Observing Driving Skills – Learn to notice and assess your loved ones’ driving skills objectively and talk about alternatives to driving.
- Planning Conversations – Discover ways to have “the talk” while encouraging independence. It’s a difficult conversation to initiate, but with the right tools, you can really make a difference in the life of an older driver.
“AARP Driver Safety offers many valuable educational programs. Click here to find out more.”
April 28 – National Drug Take Back Day
DRUG TAKE-BACK LOCATIONS.Do your part and take back those prescription pills –
If you need assistance in finding a treatment provider or funding for addiction treatment, please call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or contact your local county drug and alcohol office.
What is Person-Centered Counseling?
“Person-centered counseling (PCC) allows individuals to be engaged in the decision making process about their options, preferences, values, and financial resources. Individuals in need of services or who are planning for the future have access to one-on-one counseling in a variety of settings, including within the home, community residence, acute care hospital, school settings, or several other settings based on the individual’s needs.
“PCC is a valuable tool for the aging and disability networks that can improve access to care through streamlined partnerships, technology, and resources that put the focus on the needs of people and their caregivers.
“A person-centered system recognizes that every individual is unique and the system must be able to respond flexibly to each individual’s situation, strengths, needs and preferences. Person-Centered Counseling is centered on the individual and their personal goals and desires, and is much broader in scope than any formal assessment or eligibility determination process tied to a public or private program.
“The Person-Centered Counseling Training Program
“The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is offering a course designed to help individuals build competency working with person-centered counseling (PCC). There are 23.6 million people in need of PCC every year. The practice of person-centered counseling is built on the principle that individuals receiving counseling should be given power over the options surrounding the services they are receiving. This includes allowing the individual to choose where they would like to access counseling. Person-centered counseling centers on the specific needs of an individual, their families, and their caregivers, tailoring resources to fit their unique needs.
“This course is split in six parts, spanning from an introduction to No Wrong Door Systems to the role of advocacy. While the majority of the components are online, course 2B: Person-Centered Thinking and Practice is held in-person. Interested parties may register for a free trial of the first part of the course here.
PA Higher Education Consortium’s 2018 Symposium at Hershey Lodge
While most are counting down for the New Year, we invite you to countdown with us the days until Symposium 2018 – The Journey of Inclusion: Experiencing the College Years.
… for more information and details about the day with our Award-Winning Authors, International Leaders and Innovators – John O’Brien, Bruce Uditsky, and Cate Weir.
Scholarship Available
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship to attend the Symposium please see the application below:
“Got Cancer Questions? This Little-Known Hotline Is Here To Help” – NPR
by Courtney Columbus
Jill Wiseman answers questions for the Contact Center based at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. – Robert Hood/Fred Hutch News Service
“If you were worried you had cancer, who would you call for information? Chances are a federally-funded cancer helpline isn’t the first place that pops into your mind.
“But for 40 years, a helpline funded primarily by the National Cancer Institute has been answering people’s questions about cancer.
“It’s a source of information for people who have been called back for a follow-up after routine screenings and are worried they might have cancer. And it can also help cancer patients get information about participating in clinical trials and help them figure out questions to ask their doctors.”
Continue reading this article, click here.
National Cancer Institure Contact Center—Cancer Information Service
Friday Wrap-Up, June 2, 2017 | a message from the Secretary of Aging, including Pennsylvania’s CARE Act.
Each week the Office of the Secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Aging releases a Friday newsletter with information relevant to activities, issues and events for older Pennsylvanians and persons with disabilities across the Commonwealth.
And the Secretary’s lead item in this week’s “Wrap-Up” is “Pennsylvania’s passage of the Caregiver, Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act.”
Click here to download the newsletter as a .pdf file.
The Secretary notes “AARP Pennsylvania has developed a cut out card that can be folded around your insurance card to keep in your wallet or purse. This way you will have valuable information about this new law at your fingertips should you need it.”
You can download the AARP Wallet Card by clicking on this graphic.
