Aging in the Hudson Valley, Part I: Getting Old Is “Not for Sissies”
by Constance Young
Almost on the day I turned 50 I started getting letters from the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons). Retirement hadn’t entered my mind. My life was active and busy and I felt vibrant and creative. Was this some invisible societal cutoff? Were they telling me I was verging on old? Later, as age really started setting it, I began to get catalogues for walkers, arthritis remedies, burial plots as well as advertisements for all the things that could possibly go wrong. The automatic reaction of most healthy older people to this bombardment of direct mail is probably like mine—shock, maybe even outrage or sadness, and denial that the body is no longer what it once was. I now think that, even though the information may have come to me too soon for me to digest, learning about what is available for older people is a good thing: that amidst all those back braces and canes in the catalogues were some useful tools and resources for people of any age.
Today, a few years and much reflection later, as I have begun to accept my body at this time of my life, I think of aging more as William Shakespeare did “… as a lusty winter, frosty, but kindly.” Nevertheless, even with my new acceptance of life’s realities, the truth remains that aging is a challenge. As Bette Davis once remarked, it is “no place for sissies.”
Accepting Life’s Challenges
Some older people find the challenges of aging difficult to face and become depressed and isolated, although which comes first is not clear. According to the Nation’s Voice on Mental Illness (NAMI) depression in its many forms affects more than 6.5 million of the 35 million Americans who are 65 years or older. Here in the scenic Hudson Valley many retired people live privileged lives, but even among this group, ill health, death of friends and loved ones, the loss of meaningful work and possible financial instability as well as other losses loom. All of these events can cause depression in older people. The suicide rate for the elderly as a whole is more than 50 percent higher than for young people; and white men over age 80 are six times more likely to commit suicide than any other demographic group. Researchers attribute most suicides in the elderly to undetected or untreated depression.
This article is the first in a three-part series that will tackle issues that confront older people in the Hudson Valley. Housing and health concerns will be covered in future articles. In this report, we focus on the opportunities available locally to help older people face two of their greatest challenges: money and social isolation.
Money Worries
While there are certainly some comfortably retired older people in our area who can travel at will and keep several residences, there are no doubt a greater number of older people with money problems. Financial resources can dwindle for people on fixed incomes and economic assets are subject to the whims of governmental edicts, regulations, fraudulent corporations like Enron, and other factors out of our control. All the planning that went into retirement can be negated by a few bad stock deals.
Concern over money can lead to social isolation, depression, poor sleep, and failing health. We all have heard about the poor old person who has to choose between food and paying the heating bill. People under a certain income can sign up for the following Federal state and county programs:
• Food stamps enable low-income seniors to buy nutritious food using coupons and Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. You can apply for food stamps at the local food stamp office, which is generally listed in the government section of the local telephone book. If that doesn’t work, call the toll free Food Stamp Hotline for your State. General income limits for a single individual are a gross monthly income of $1,037 and net monthly income of $798. Applicants who are age 60 or older, or who are disabled may have $3,000 in countable resources, such as a bank account. Certain resources, such as a home, are not counted. For more information visit www.fns.usda.gov/fns.htm.
• Other nutrition programs. Several “Nutrition Sites” throughout Dutchess County offer hot meals and informational, educational and recreational programs on Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 2:00 PM. Among these sites is one in Millerton at the Village Hall Community Room (518-789-3081); in Rhinebeck at the Church of the Good Shepherd (845-876-8134); and Poughkeepsie at the First Presbyterian Church (845-471-1262). For more information about this and other DC Office for the Aging Programs call toll-free 866-486-2555 and ask for their brochure, “2005 Directory of Senior Services,” or visit www.dutchessny.gov/countygov/departments/aging/agindex.htm.
• HEAP program. In conjunction with the Dutchess County Department of Social Services, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) provides financial and other assistance with home energy needs for people with low incomes. Services include financial help with fuel bills. Contact the Office for the Aging for more information.
• W.R.A.P program. The Weatherization and Referral Program (W.R.A.P.) helps older people with energy-related problems or needs and provides linkages to weatherization, energy, and other human services programs. Program officials will, for example, come to your house to determine if your house needs insulation and, if needed, will provide insulation at no cost. For more information call 845-452-5104.
• Community Action Partnership. The Dutchess County Community Action Agency (845-452-5104) offers several services aimed at low-income families or individuals, including an Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP).
• The STAR program. The School Tax Relief (STAR) Exemption is available for homeowners making $66,050 or less. Applications can be obtained from each town’s Assessor’s Office and must be filed each year before March 1.
• The New Medicare Drug Plan. Senior Health, including Medicare and Medicaid will be the subject of another article, but the confusing new Medicare drug plan may be of immediate financial concern to any seniors reading this article who don’t have other health insurance (as may be other changes in Medicare). Whoever wants more information about the new drug plan may call the Health Insurance Counseling Program of the Dutchess County Office for the Aging. Call toll free at 866-486-2555 or 845-486-2555 or visit www.dutchessny.gov/countygov/departments/aging/agindex.htm. If you can stand long waits, you might call Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE.If you are still not satisfied, contact the office of your senator or other federal and state officials for information.
Get Out and Meet Someone
People can become socially isolated after a loss of family or friends, or because of financial difficulties or poor health. A study at the University of Wisconsin published in the December 5, 2005 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science shows that aging women who have strong social ties and sleep well have lower levels of the immune system protein -inter-leukin-6 (IL-6) than people who are isolated or sleep poorly. People with high IL-6 levels are at greater risk of osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. The study found that social relationships and sleep quality appeared to protect against high levels of IL-6. Moreover, good social ties appeared to compensate for poor sleep, and the reverse.
On a recent Tuesday I visited the Milan Senior Group at Milan Town Hall, and found about 20 engaging people having lunch. According to the group’s secretary, Milan’s Deputy Town Clerk Judi Gelardi, the group meets Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 10:30 AM and has about 100 members. Among its active members are Milan’s two judges Frank Christensen and Ken Kremenick. According to Judge Christensen, people anywhere in the area who are over age 55 can join the group; dues are $5 per year. Several of the group’s activities include: 1) Birthday celebrations for members whose birthday fall within the month held on the third Tuesday of each month; 2) A vegetable program during the growing season that offers a weekly truckful of freshly picked vegetables for sale at reasonable price; 3) Free bus to transportion for special trips, such as visits to the Westchester Dinner Theatre and West Point (the next trip, in March, will be to the Orchid Show at the Bronx Botanical Gardens).
• Senior Fellowship Programs. Several communities in the area offer services for older people that provide fellowship and community. To find out about Milan’s program contact Judi Gelardi at Milan Town Hall (845-758-5133). To find out about other programs, look in the AboutTown calendar under “Community” or contact your Town Hall or your county’s Department of Aging or the State.
• Adult Day Care Programs. Among its many other programs, the Dutchess County Office for the Aging has Adult Day Care Programs that provide supervision, care, and companionship for elders who cannot be left alone during the day and who can benefit from socialization. Adult Day Care Programs offer activities and a meal; transportation may be arranged. The programs include those at Ferncliff Adult Day Care in Rhinebeck (845-876-02011, ext. 248); at the Lutheran Care Center in Poughkeepsie (845-486-9494); and River Valley Care Center (845-454-7600, x4160).
Other resources include the Nation’s Voice on Mental Illness: www.nami.org; Depression Help Center: www.womens-menopause-health.com/Depression/elderly and the Dutchess County Office for the Aging: 866-486-2555 or www.dutchessny.gov/countygov/departments/aging/agindex.htm.
