Positive Aging!

Two members of the staff at Senior Citizen Services are also Board members of the nonprofit agency Center for Positive Aging (CPA). This organization may be found at www.centerforpositiveaging.org. Since its founding in 1982, CPA has been the trusted source of information for seniors and their families. The easy-to-use website directs viewers of all levels of income to product and service providers in the areas of housing, meals, nurse care, and many others. SCS and other quality providers are listed in the Directory only after adhering to the highest standards established in the senior care industry. It’s totally free to access the site and information, and can be a valuable aid in the planning of retirement and elder care.

-- By Brad Catherman
Vice President of Gift Planning

Snowy, Icy Meals On Wheels Deliveries

With the recent snow storm, Senior Citizen Services was unable to deliver meals last Saturday, the 13th. The volunteers were scheduled, staff was ready, but with heeded warnings from Georgia Dept. of Transportation, we reluctantly canceled meal deliveries at 8:00 a.m. However, the good thing is that the Meals On Wheels Atlanta (MOWA) staff had already implemented the Emergency Plan.

The Emergency Plan calls for providing shelf-stable meals to clients in case we are not able to deliver their regular meals due to weather or any other ‘disaster’ reason. These meals are able to be eaten without the need for natural gas or electricity to heat them. The MOWA staff will deliver a new, shelf-stable meal to clients to replace the one they consumed Saturday later this week and early next week.

It’s always hard to make the call to not deliver meals; we know many clients depend on SCS and MOWA for their nutrition. With the emergency plan in place, it makes the decision of not delivering meals a little easier. And, with the roads icy and snowy as they were on Saturday, keeping staff and volunteers safe is also a factor that weighs heavily into the decision.

MOWA and Volunteer Services appreciate the dedicated volunteers who agreed to meet the day and elements, but we also appreciate their understanding of us wanting them to be in a safe environment when driving through the streets in the neighborhoods.

-- by Patrick O'Kane, Director of Operations

Black History Month at Neighborhood Senior Centers

In February, we celebrate Black History Month at our Neighborhood Senior Centers. The senior participants plan and perform in their programs throughout the month. If you are interested in attending one or more of these programs, please see the schedule below.

February 16 12:45 pm —1:45 pmAfrican American Trivia followed by African Spirituals
Northside Shepherd’s Center, 1705 Commerce Dr. NW

February 18 11 am
Black History Month Program
New Horizon Neighborhood Senior Center, 745 Orr St. NW

February 23 11 am — 12 noon
The Faces of Auburn Art Exhibit
Auburn Neighborhood Senior Center, 300 Edgewood Avenue NE

February 25 11:00 am
“A Journey to the Past” highlighted with the play “A Letter from the Birmingham Jail”
Dogwood Neighborhood Senior Center, 1953 Donald L. Hollowell Pkwy

February 26 9 am — 12 noon
The Poetry Club of Carver High School
Bethlehem Neighborhood Center, 87 Thayer Ave. SE

February 26 10:30 am—12 noon
Black History Program
Southeast Neighborhood Senior Center, 1650 New Town Circle SE

by Steve Hargrove, Director of Events and Marketing

Federal Benefits Info Help

We get asked from time to time by our senior clients for basic information about federal benefits and services. Here is a helpful federal government telephone information number to be shared with your loved ones or your fellow senior friends:

1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636)

Operators speaking English and Spanish are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, and cover a wide range of topics from Social Security to Medicare to renewing passports. One may also find information online at Answers.usa.gov.

Happy New Year and a happy new you for 2010!

By
Brad Catherman
Vice President of Gift Planning