12/03/2021 - 12/16/2021

Topics in this Edition

• Upcoming Programs

• Announcements

• Resources & Services

• Volunteer Opportunities

• Contact Us

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Dod Gast Ye Both! A Comedy of Mountain Moonshiners

Presented by the Prime Time Players, Dod Gast Ye Both! Is a comedy of NC mountain moonshiners; written by Hubert C. Heffner and originally produced by the Playmakers of UNC Chapel Hill in 1920.  It will have you laughing at their fears about the "revenoors" catching them. Watch the production: Dod Gast Ye Both! - YouTube

If you are not already a Prime Time Players subscriber, please subscribe so that you can see past productions, 22 and counting. 

Caregiver Support Groups

A virtual space to meet with other caregivers to share experiences, learn new skills, and get answers to questions about dementia and other long-term disabilities.

• Date: 1st and 3rd Thursday (12/2 and 12/16)  
  Time: 1 – 2 pm     Location: Virtual  
  Register: Contact Kendall Kopchick (919-245-4278) for more information or to register

• Date: 1st and 3rd Friday (12/3 and 12/17)    
  Time: 10:30 – 11:30 pm     Location: Virtual
  Register: Contact Kim Lamon-Loperfido (919-245-4253) for more information or to register

Caregiver Education Series: Hospice 101

Carrie Knoernschild, Care Transition Coordinator at Heartland Hospice, will discuss Hospice care and debunk some myths about Hospice programs.

Date: Mon, Dec 6    Time: 10 - 11 am     Fee: FREE     Location: Virtual
Registration: Register in advance for this meeting
Questions: Kendall Kopchick 919-245-4278 kkopchick@orangecountync.gov

Dementia – Let's Talk About It

Join OCDoA’s dementia care specialists for an ONLINE 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. You may register for one or multiple sessions.
 
Topic: Tools for Dementia Caregiving    Date: Tue, Dec 7   Time: 10:15am    Fee: FREE

Contact: Aging Helpline (919-968-2087) for more information and registration.

Walks with Edie

Join Edie for a long walk through the woods and along the Eno River at the beautiful Hillsborough Riverwalk.  Bring a couple of friends, catch a cool breeze and enjoy the great outdoors. Let’s get active together!

Date: Wed, Dec 8 , 22    Time: 10 am    Fee: FREE
Location: Riverwalk’s Main Entrance: Eno River Parking Deck, Nash & Kollock St.
Registration: phone/email Passmore Center- 919-245-2015

Memory Café on the Move: Carolina Inn

Join us for a fun, festive outing to explore the 12 Days of Christmas at the Carolina Inn! This event is a casual, low stress social outing for people living with cognitive changes and their care partners.

Date: Thu, Dec 9    Time: 2 - 3 pm    Fee: FREE   Location: Carolina Inn
Registration: Contact Kendall Kopchick (919-245-4278) for more information or to register by December 6th at 5 pm

National Cocoa Day Drive-thru Event

Looking for a nice warm and cozy drink while relaxing during the chilly season? In recognition of National Cocoa Day, stop by the center and pick up a cocoa kit made just for you. Staff will be outside for your convenience from 12:30 - 1:30pm. No worries if you are unable to make it, stop by prior to closing. Please register for this special treat by calling 919-968-2070.

Date: Mon, Dec 13    Time: 12:30 – 1:30 pm    Fee: FREE    Location: Seymour Outdoor  Activity Code: 313119-01    Register by:  Mon, Dec 6, call 919-968-2070 

Sounds of the Season

Enjoy the sounds of the season with talented musician Paula Snyder. Nothing is better than listening to popular holiday classics, favorites, and more with friends . Enjoy warm, delicious soup to go after the performance. Min: 15/ Max: 25

Date: Tue, Dec 14     Time: 4:30 pm    Fee: FREE    Location: Passmore     
Phone: 919-245-2015      Activity #: 213012-01     Register by: Tue, Dec 7

New to Medicare? Join our Welcome to Medicare Class

If you’re turning 65 soon, you’re probably being bombarded by mailings about Medicare.  This free online class will provide valuable information whether you’re retiring soon, already retired or continuing to work.  You’ll learn how and when to enroll, potential penalties for late enrollment, Medicare’s costs, benefits and options. 
 
There’s no fee, but you do need to register by calling 919-245-4274. *Leave us your name, phone and email address.  You’ll receive a confirmation email and a second email the day before the class that includes a link to join our Zoom Meeting.  

Date: Wed, Dec 15    Time: 12:00 - 1:30 pm    Fee: FREE   
Location: Virtual    Registration: *Required, call 919-245-4274

Ugly Sweater Bingo Party

Put on your holiday party sweater (not required to participate) and join the fun as we spend the morning playing Bingo. We are adding a few twists to the game so be prepared for anything to happen! Min: 15/ Max: 25

Date: Fri, Dec 17     Time: 10:30 am     Fee: FREE     Location: Passmore    
Phone: 919-245-2015     Activity Code: 213066-01    Register by:  Fri, Dec 3      

Festive Folk with Blumora

Come out and enjoy this talented local duo with their beautiful acoustic arrangements inspired by folk, country, bluegrass and Americana. You'll hear strong melodies and harmonies, along with the sound of guitars, mandolin, and electronic foot percussion. Min. 10 / Max 30. This performance will include virtual live stream.

Date: Fri, Dec 17   Time: 2:30 – 3:30 pm     Fee: FREE    Location: Seymour Hybrid      
Activity Code: 313118-01      Register by: Fri, Dec 10  

ANNOUNCEMENTS

COVID-19 Booster Shot Eligibility
Expanded to Anyone Age 18 or Older

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. Nov. 22, 2021 ? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended booster vaccine shots for all adults 18 and older to help strengthen and extend protections against COVID-19.

If you received the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you can get your booster six months after your second shot. If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you can get your booster two months after your shot.

Anyone over 50 or at high risk, as well as those 18 or older who were vaccinated more than two months ago with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, should get a booster dose now. Read the full press release in English / Spanish

Donate Books and Games

The Seymour Center Friends are accepting donations of books, games and puzzles, with all the pieces, for their future BaGs (Books and Games sale) fundraiser. Date to be disclosed later

Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period Ends December 7th

We still have a few appointments available to meet with a Certified SHIIP Counselor for free and unbiased assistance with 2022 Medicare Drug Plans.  Everyone with a Part D Drug Plan should review their options before the Open Enrollment Period ends December 7th.  Schedule online at www.orangecountync.gov/Medicare or call us at 919-245-4274.
 
If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will have another opportunity to change plans during January to March 2022.  

Seeking Volunteers!

Handy Helper Volunteers enable older adults to stay in their homes by providing high-quality, volunteer/pro-bono repairs of minor maintenance issues for those unable to afford to complete repairs on their own. Volunteers perform small maintenance jobs (less than three hours), such as changing light bulbs, fixing a broken screen, unclogging plumbing, patching minor leaks, and installing smoke detectors. *Volunteers must be willing to undergo background checks for this position.

Telephone Reassurance Volunteers make telephone calls to local older adults, providing reassurance and a check on their status, safety, and comfort. Volunteers are trained to provide phone calls, and commit to making calls once per week (recipients receive daily calls Monday through Friday between the hours of 8am – 10am) or serve as a substitute for regular callers as needed. 

If you are interested in becoming a Handy Helper Volunteer or Telephone Reassurance Volunteer, call Alison Smith, VC 55+ Volunteer Coordinator at 919-245-4241, or email alsmith@orangecountync.gov.

RESOURCES & SERVICES

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.

Caregiver Supports

Support groups, educational programs, Memory Café, and Care Partner Collaborative; gather and stay connected with us online or in-person, depending on the program.  For upcoming programs download our Current Caregiver Programming flyer. 

For more caregiver resources, sign up for the monthly Community News for Caregivers e-newsletter.

Develop Your 2022 Job Search Plan Now

 
To search for a job, here are three things you can do right now.

1. Define the kind of work you want to do. What are you qualified to do? What are you really good at? And because your ideal job might not be available right away, you also need to confirm the kind of work you will and can do in the meantime (see Ideal and Acceptable Jobs).
2. Get started with Networking. All of us are challenged by the pandemic and the economy. Because over 50% of all jobs are not posted, you need to know how to learn about them. One really good way is through networking (see Networking Thoughts and Networking Contact Information List).
3. Guiding Your Networking Contacts can be done quite easily. We’ve developed Networking Briefs for you to make and use. It’s one-page with three essential parts – your name and contact information, a summary of you, and a section called “Here’s how you can help” that makes it easy for anyone to help you (see Guiding Your Contacts and an example Networking Brief).

If you want help with your job search, we can meet virtually, on the phone, via emails, or in-person. I’m Mike Komives, Employment Specialist, Orange County Department On Aging. Call me at 919-616-8778, or email me: skomives@orangecountync.gov

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or by visiting https://getemergencybroadband.org.

Handyperson Recommendations

Have you hired a fair, helpful, and trustworthy handyperson?  We are compiling a list of individuals who assist with home repair work in our community.  If you had a positive experience with a particular person or company and would recommend them to a neighbor, please share!
Complete our online recommendation form or call the Aging Helpline (919-968-2087) to submit your recommendation.

In Need of Incontinence Supplies?

Thanks to generous donations, the Department on Aging has a supply of incontinence supplies including: Bed pads, pull up briefs, adult diapers, wipes, and adult booster pads. If you are in need of any of these supplies, we may be able to provide you with up to one pack per month (depending on availability of the items requested). Contact the Aging Helpline (919-968-2087 or agingtransitions@orangecountync.gov) to request supplies.

Senior Center Fee Payment and Financial Assistance

The Orange County Senior Centers strive to be accessible and welcoming to all seniors.  If you want to participate in senior center fee-based activities and are unable, or unwilling, to pay a required fee, you may still participate.

Furthermore, a selection of free activities and programs are available to seniors age 55 and over. Read more.

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.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

CONTACT US