THKSGVG 2017
A 70 Year Old Can Change Their Ways
By:
Jim Krueger, BA, Executive Director of North/Eastside Senior Coalition
I recently read a blog for Changing Aging by Jeanette Leardi, entitled Age and the Potential to Change, expressing frustration about our society’s perception that a 70 year old cannot change their ways. Changing Aging is a multi-blog platform that challenges conventional views on aging.
Leardi contends that many Americans believe “a person’s age is inversely proportional to his or her capacity to change.” She feels that society has “developed the ageist assumption that our values, beliefs, and behaviors, like our arteries, harden with the years and that if we live long enough, most of us will morph into the caricatured grumpy, stubborn old man or lady”. Leardi concedes that “some elders are determined to hold on to the lifestyles they have grown accustomed and continue to treasure,” but stubbornness, ignorance, and fear can inhabit a person at any age in life.
Many older adults today do not fit this personality and they are embracing change and developing different values and beliefs about how they want to live their later years. NESCO offers technology assistance for older adults most of whom are 70 years or older. These older adults have no desire to feel old or be labeled as old. They are curious and motivated to learn and explore new ways of doing things. They want to be connected with today’s society. Leardi reminds us that “personality traits can be developed at any time and, in fact, are more likely to grow as we age.”
Leardi concludes society “must realize that age in itself is not a factor in the evolution of an individual’s personality.” Older adults are changing and we need to better educate ourselves and our community about the many inaccurate assumptions on aging.
Happy Thanksgiving from the NESCO Staff!
Day Trip to Galena!
Join us on a Badger Motor Coach to beautiful and historic Galena Illinois, situated on the Galena River. We will disembark the bus at the DeSoto House on Main Street, in the heart of Galena’s shopping district. The street is lined with boutique shops, restaurants, antique stores and much more. The history, architecture, great food and walkability
makes Galena the perfect place to play for the day.
This is not a guided tour and lunch is not included in the price of the trip, so all activities are at your discretion.
Tuesday, October 24
8:00 am-5:00 pm
$30 per person (non-refundable)
Includes transportation only (Seating for 40)
Payment is due at time of registration.
RSVP by Monday, October 2, 2017 by Noon:
(WMSC) Candice Martin (608) 238-0196
(NESCO) Ruth Helenbrand (608) 243-5252
Bus Pick Up and Drop Off Locations
8:00 am Pick up: North/Eastside Senior Coalition
1625 Northport Drive, Madison, WI 53704
8:30 am Pick up: West Madison Senior Center Offices
517 N. Segoe Road, Madison, WI 53705
We will be returning around 5:00 pm.
Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver
Presentation by Martin J. Schreiber,
Former Governor of the State of Wisconsin and Family Caregiver
Join former Wisconsin Gov. Martin J. Schreiber as he shares
lessons from his decade-plus journey as a caregiver for his
wife, Elaine, who lives with Alzheimer’s disease. Governor
Schreiber will candidly describe his challenges and missteps,
and highlight how compassion and humor provide comfort
to both caregiver and the person with dementia. His raw
honesty and practical advice will inspire other caregivers to
find patience, courage and love as they climb the Alzheimer’s
mountain. My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as
an Alzheimer’s Caregiver will be available for purchase for $15.
Net proceeds will be used to promote Alzheimer’s caregiver
support programs.
Tuesday, September 19th
5:30 - 7 p.m.
Stoughton Hospital
900 Ridge Street, Stoughton
Bryant Health Education Center
(lower level)
Light appetizers will be served. To register for this free
event, please go to stoughtonhospital.com and click on
“Classes & Events.”
Sponsored by Azura Memory Care & Stoughton Hospital
Are you ready to retire? Wonder where the best cities to retire at in the United States?
Here are the top 10 cities for retirement: (from: Yahoo Finance)
- Orlando, Fla.
- Tampa, Fla.
- Miami, Fla.
- Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Atlanta, Ga.
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Denver, Colo.
- Austin, Tex.
- Las Vegas, Nev.
On the flip side Newark, N.J. was named the worst city for retirees.
To read this story, please visit: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ready-retire-best-cities-seniors-180627024.html
Don’t Fall for Impostors’ Scams
From: Madison Gas and Electric
MGE customers are reporting fraudulent calls from impostors claiming to work for MGE. These impostors attempt to collect money for past-due accounts and/or upgrades or repairs to utility meters. The scammers give instructions to pay with a prepaid debit card or with a wire transfer and often threaten immediate disconnection. This is not MGE.
On the phone:
- Ask for identification. Pull out your most recent MGE bill and ask the caller to tell you the account number and the amount due. If you don’t have your bill handy, ask for the name on the account, the account address, and the exact balance. If the individual cannot provide this information, it isn’t MGE.
- If you suspect the call may be fraudulent, hang up and call us at 608-252-7222.
- When customers are behind in their payment, MGE provides past-due notification in writing before service is shut off for nonpayment.
- When customers call MGE for billing inquiries, employees will always be able to provide account information and the exact balance due.
Do not provide your Social Security number, credit card numbers or bank account information to anyone who requests the information during an unsolicited phone call.
At your home or business:
- Ask for identification.
- All MGE employees and contractors working for us are required to carry a Company ID card with their name and photo prominently displayed. Ask for it. Don’t let anyone enter your home if he or she cannot show you proof of identification.
- If someone comes to your door claiming to be from MGE and you aren’t sure, call us at 608-252-7222 to verify the person works for MGE.
- Look for our uniform. While not all MGE employees wear uniforms, our field service people, who are most likely to request access to your home, wear uniforms with an MGE logo sewn on.
- MGE employees who access your home typically drive a clearly identifiable white and green MGE vehicle as well.
Don’t be fooled:
- MGE will not ask for money to replace or work on your meter.
- MGE meters will not blow up if you use a lot of power.
- MGE does not charge for line clearance work. Do not pay for tree-trimming work by individuals claiming to be from MGE or an MGE contractor.
- MGE will not attempt to collect a bill payment at customers’ homes or businesses.
Help stop impostors from trying to victimize others.
If you’ve been approached, please:
- Call your local police department. In Dane County, call 608-245-3662.
- File a complaint with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
- Let’s stop these people before others can be hurt! Thank you for your help.
Why Case Management is so necessary
By: Jim Krueger, Executive Director of NESCO
One thing we do regularly is help seniors in need who have no family around and we provide this service for free. One of the seniors in our neighborhood had been living in his house for years and many things were in need of repair or replacement. He is also a very proud man with no family and limited income who felt he should just grin and bear it. One of our case managers, Kate, had been visiting him over the last year and gained his confidence and trust.
On one of Kate’s regular check-ins she found that the door to his refrigerator was broken. He let Kate call Project Home on his behalf and they came out to his home. It was determined the fridge was beyond repair and Project Home was able to provide him a new one for free. They found a number of other things needing repair, including broken windows and a leak in the basement. Kate encouraged our senior to participate in the Project Home “Hammer with a Heart” Day when they fix homes in need of repairs for free. In addition to the essential repairs the workers knew that he loves baseball and made a small baseball mound in his yard. His pride in his home and himself went way up that day, and his home is safer and more energy efficient. Our case managers have developed partnership with many organizations like Project Home to provide resources for low income seniors. A special thanks to Project Home for making this all happen. This is one prime example of the significance of our case management program.
For more information about Madison’s North/Eastside Senior Coalition, please visit: www.NESCOinc.org
