Two by Two Visits

As the Senior Centers are phasing in and adding more small group activities to keep everyone safe, we would like to give you and a friend the opportunity to visit with one another inside the centers. Please stop by the front desk to check in and receive your Two by Two passes for your visit in special areas around and inside the centers with social distancing to keep everyone safe. No need to make a reservation.  We ask that you limit your visit time inside the center to two hours so others might have the opportunity.

Please note spaces are limited, so once the designated areas are filled and until a pair leaves and returns their passes, there will be no other space available. There is space to visit on the patios at the centers, please take advantage of this space as well, no “pass” needed for these spaces. Please remember to practice your social distancing. 

Dementia - Let's Talk About It

Join OCDoA’s dementia care specialists for a conversation around topics related to dementia education, living with cognitive change, and being a dementia caregiver. We will provide 15-30 minutes of education at the start of the hour, and the remaining time will be spent in conversation, Q&A, and resource-sharing around the day’s topic. Grab your preferred morning beverage and join us!

Fee: FREE   Topic: Creating a Caregiving Backup Plan
Date: Tue, Jul 20   Time: 10:15 - 11:15 am   
Join: Contact Marie Dagger (919-245-4279). Link/phone number will be shared ahead of class.

Summer Time Walk with Myra Austin

There’s never been a better time to get active and head out on a good long walk.  See the changes at the Seymour Center and view the beautiful Riverwalk in Hillsborough.  Join Myra Austin and bring a couple of friends to catch a breeze and get active.

Register by: Calling the Passmore Center 919-245-2015
Location: Hillsborough Riverwalk - by the Eno River Parking Deck at Nash & Kollock Street, adjacent to the Weaver St. Market.

Date: 2nd Wed, Jul 21;    Activity # (232264-07)
Time: 9 – 10 am

Visit Washington DC with Historic America Virtual Tour

Beyond the National Mall & Capitol building, Washington DC has rich history & culture. The Music & Murals tour of U Street will highlight musical stories of the city through historic sites & modern street art!

Register by: Tue, Aug 3, call 919-968-2070 to register
Fee: $5 per person payable at registration
Date: Tue, Aug 10    Time: 2 pm
Rain-date: Thu, Aug 12; Rain-date Time: 2 pm
Join: Device with audio and video capacity needed for full enjoyment of the virtual tour
link will be provided one week prior to tour

Get Your Shot!

To register with the Orange County Health Department, NC, Click on the icon above or call (919) 913-8088. The phone center is open weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spanish and other languages available.

Information Search Behavior Study

Be part of a research study that looks into users’ search behavior with a spoken conversational agent!
 
To participate in this study, you work on search tasks with an intelligent conversational agent, Jessie. The study consists of two sessions. The session A collects basic information and you will take several cognitive tests (30-40 min). The session B will invite you to search for information using a conversational search agent (Around 1.5h). The completion time may vary across subject  individuals. You will receive $30 for the completion of both sessions. The study will be conducted remotely on Zoom, an online meeting platform, and NO physical contact is required. We will provide assistance if you have any problems using Zoom.
 
To participate in this study, you are expected to

1. Be Native English Speaker
2. Age 60 and above
3. Have no hearing loss
4. Have a laptop or desktop to access internet.

If you are interested in the study, please text message to 919-260-5844 or email  zhaopeng@live.unc.edu with “I am in” plus your first name and age, like “I am in, Steve 63”. We will contact you with more detail! If you are with your laptop or desktop, you can fill this questionnaire https://unc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0cxlGL5WVbMiJRr to sign up!
 
IRB study number: 20-3363

Meal Delivery Drivers Needed! 

We are seeking volunteers for our Community-based Services team to deliver lunches to older adults throughout the County.
 
If you miss engaging with people and want to give back to your community, then this could be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you!
 
We are looking for dependable, qualified drivers to deliver lunch meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays from 12 pm – 1 pm.  For only an hour of your time you can provide support and assistance to older adults and add a little joy to their day.
 
Don’t delay; contact Shenae McPherson, Volunteer Connect 55+ Administrator at 919-245-4243 or via email shmcpherson@orangecountync.gov today!

Where’s My Tax Refund?

Although most returns are processed timely and refunds sent within 21 days , the IRS is facing significant delays in processing many tax returns.  At last count they are working through millions of returns that require some level of manual processing.  This might be because of a discrepancy between the taxpayer’s request for stimulus payments and IRS records, possible identity theft, or other issues.  You can check the status of your refund at  www.irs.gov/refunds or by downloading the IRS2Go app.

Aging Helpline 

Talk to trained staff about any aging-related issue. You may also email Aging Services. We try to find answers to your age-related questions and link you to the services that you need. Helpline hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Chinese & Spanish Language Helpline
Call 919-245-4275 to speak to our staff in Mandarin.
Call 919-245-4245 to leave a message in Spanish.

Aging Transitions, Senior Center programming and Volunteer Connect 55+ staff are available to meet individually by appointment, phone, or email. For more information call the Passmore Center at 919-245-2015, Seymour Center at 919-968-2070, or the Aging Helpline at 919-968-2087.

Stay Healthy with Medicare’s Preventive Services

You can live a healthy lifestyle and prevent disease by exercising, eating well, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.  Medicare pays for many preventive services that can find health problems early and fight off certain diseases.  If you have Medicare, you can get a yearly wellness visit and many other preventive services with no co-pays.
 
Learn more about all of Medicare’s no-fee preventive health services.  The Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program has certified counselors available to answer questions about Medicare.  Call 919-245-4274 or visit www.orangecountync.gov/ocncshiip to make an appointment.

Technology Classes Available Through the  Seymour Tech Center

Seymour Tech offers FREE classes for older adults around personal computer, tablet, and smart phone use. See the full list of upcoming programs here and contact Mike Gilliom with questions.

For more information about ways to help, please visit:

• Orange County Health Department - How I Can Help

• UNC Health- Ways you can help

• Duke Health - How you can help during COVID-19