Senior Citizens Go back to College… Sort of…

Generally, we try to write a lot about Oregon Assisted Living and general senior housing issues, but this is too good to pass up. I just read what I thought was a hilarious story on FoxSports.com about a unique job that senior citizens have found at the University of Kansas. It seems that the school’s athletes sometimes have trouble… um… “remembering” to go to class. This is not news to anyone who follows collegiate sports. Many Division I athletes got their scholarship, and routinely cut classes with the unspoken understanding that their professors will let it slide. This is especially true in College Basketball, where the top athletes generally attend just one year of college (because they are not old enough to go pro yet), and then bolt for the NBA. They don’t care about grades.

Anyway, there is the backdrop… So the University of Kansas decided to hire people to keep tabs on their athletes; to make sure they weren’t cutting classes. They had tried using other students, but of course, that didn’t work. So instead, they hired grandparents!

Okay, not the actual grandparents. The University hired a retired elderly police officer and a band of additional senior citizens to watch over the shoulders of the student athletes. If they cut class, the will report them. So far, this arrangement seems to be working out great. The students would prefer a different system, of course, but they go with it. They know deep down that they need the accountability. And who better to give it than actual elderly folks?

This just goes to show you that a retired senior can still make a world of difference. And there are a host of volunteer opportunities as well as part time work available to those who are willing to work outside the box.

So kudos to Kansas! They made a smart move!

AARP Now Offering Free Tax Help to Some Seniors

The American Association of Retired People (the A.A.R.P.) has just begun its annual Tax Aide volunteer program for low income seniors. The program has caught on all around the nation. Last year in Oregon, more than 51,000 returns were filed by the AARP Tax Aide volunteers, and the total refunds received topped 57 million dollars! As far as volunteer elderly care services go, this one is hard to top!

How do they do it? They have an army of volunteers designed to make tax time less painful. Seniors who have normal “straight forward” tax returns are welcome to bring their returns along with their 2010 financial statements and identification to an AARP Tax Aide volunteer site.

There is, of course, the chance that a senior’s taxes will be too complicated to be handled for free by a Tax Aide volunteer. Seniors generally know when they fall in to this category. Remember, these are volunteer tax preparers who are giving of their time for free. If you think your taxes could be too much for a volunteer to handle in a reasonable amount of time, it is better to contact a professional tax preparers office, like H & R Block.

The tax Aide service is a great tradition, put on by some great, big hearted folks. To find a location to get your taxes done if you are a low income senior (or a senior loved one, if you are not:), visit the AARP site here. If you need some other type of care for elders in your life, visit our homepage.

Can a Dog Help Your Senior Loved One?

We all know what a big help dogs can be to the handicapped of our society. Seeing eye dogs have been used since before World War II, and guide dogs in general have been used, some believe, for the past 500 years. So I guess it should be no surprise to find that therapy pets have recently been all over Assisted Living locations and adult day care centers helping with seniors who have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

So how do they help? Do they fetch memories of yesteryear, when the senior they are visiting had a dog of their own? Maybe. But probably not. What they do is help the patient relax. People who experience pet therapy often get their stress levels reduced, along with their blood pressure. In general, they just feel better.

There is something about therapy dogs and the patients they work with. And this isn’t just some feel-good but far-fetched idea being touted by fringe scientists. Doctors and animal experts–from places like the Mayo Clinic–agree that pet therapy is extremely helpful; almost like having a drug, as elderly care article quotes.

So what does this mean for you? It means you can take advantage. Do you care for your loved one at home? Maybe you should think about getting them a dog. A friendly one, like a well trained golden retriever. Or if you have your senior in an Oregon assisted living facility, consider having pet therapy visits by bringing a pet to them.

I know, I know… it doesn’t have to be a dog. It could be a cat. Or a hamster, or a parrot for that matter. But I’ve got my money on Fido.

How Care for Elders in the Winter

It’s January, and reports of blizzards and record cold temperatures are hitting us like, well, like a barrage of snowfall. Cold weather makes us want to stay inside all day long. But if you have a loved one in elder care services, don’t wait too long! After all, regular family visits are big highlights in the lives of grandparents who live in elder care communities.

But what can you possibly do in the winter?

Here are just a few ideas:

Things to do with Grandma in a Wet Winter Climate:

• Grab an umbrella and take a walk at the park.
• Go visit a nature reserve.
• Take the kids along to the zoo. The animals don’t take days off when it’s wet!

Things to do with Grandma in a Cold Winter Climate:

• Get to a coffee shop, grab some hot tea, and then go take in a local show
• Go to the mall. It’s not snowing there!
• Go pick her up and bring her over to your house. Have her make cookies with the kids.
• Grab a DVD, pick up some lunch, and surprise her at the elderly care facility. That way, she doesn’t even have to put on a coat to have some special family time.

I know, I know… these are pretty basic ideas. But the fact that I came up with a half dozen in a few minutes shows just what a no-brainer this is. So what if the weather is bad! There are lots of things you can do to have a good time, and to help your loved one remember that she is not forgotten!

Central Oregon Senior Services

With the generation of baby boomers all reaching seniorhood, many senior citizen service organizations are feeling the need to expand and network together to more fully address the growing demand for senior care.

Finding Senior Services in Central Oregon

The Central Oregon Council on Aging (COCOA) is an example of senior citizen service organizations networking together to care for the seniors of central Oregon. COCOA is a private nonprofit organization whose goal is to meet the immediate needs of central Oregon’s senior citizens while supporting their dignity, safety, and independence.

Seniors in LaPine, Madras, Sisters, Redmond, Prineville, and Bend, Oregon may benefit from transportation services including discounted bus fares and personal transportation to and from work, doctor’s appointments, shopping centers, and other recreational destinations offered through COCOA’s Dial-A-Ride service.

Another well known organization, Meals-on-Wheels, in conjunction with COCOA, provides hot weekday lunches and frozen weekend meals and nutritional information to central Oregon seniors who are house-bound.

COCOA has networked with senior centers in central Oregon to help seniors become aware of the elder care services and community activities offered through their local senior center. Providing opportunities for seniors to connect with each other and give back to their community by participating in projects are just twp of the many ways senior centers are enriching the lives of Central Oregon’s seniors.

In addition to the above services, COCOA has coordinated with SHIBA (Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance) to provide seniors with assistance in obtaining medical insurance, understanding insurance coverage, and resolving medical bill or insurance disputes.

To find out more about the elderly care services offered by the Central Oregon Council on Aging, call 1-877-704-4567.

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