To be safe, you keep your door locked. But if you are home alone
and incapacitated from a health emergency, have you ever thought how the
emergency responders will enter to provide you the necessary care?
Recently, a representative from the Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue spoke
to the Meals-on-Wheels lunch crowd at the Center describing the advantages for
older adults of installing a Lock Box at their home.
He pointed out that if someone is incapacitated at home and the
doors are locked, when the emergency responders arrive, there is no way they can
enter unless through a forced entry. But with a Lock Box installed, which you
can purchase through Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, the emergency responders can
remove the entrance key from the Lock Box, enter the residence and provide the needed
help. Afterwards they can return the key to the box. You don’t need to hide a
key under the doormat, or hope your neighbor is home. There are no monthly
monitoring charges, and Lock Boxes range in price from $165 to $265 – cheaper than
replacing the front door. And they are UL listed against physical attack. To
learn more about the advantages of installing a Lock Box at your home, call the
Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue at 541-296-9445.
Norovirus has recently been in the news. It is commonly
referred to as “stomach flu” a gastrointestinal illness which results in some
combination of diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. And is often confused
with Influenza - a contagious respiratory illness. But if you are like me who thinks
that constantly using the alcohol sanitizers will prevent you from catching the
Norovirus bug, I recently learned from Teri Thalhofer, director of the North
Central Health District, to think otherwise. Alcohol sanitizers are not enough
to prevent the spread of Norovirus. Instead you should wash your hands
frequently and thoroughly, as well as disinfecting surface areas. (And I have
been told a good rule of thumb is to wash your hands for as long as it takes to
sing Happy Birthday twice. But I would suggest if you are in a public restroom -
not to sing it out loud!)
Unfortunately, there is not a vaccine for Norovirus. And if
you have it once, it won’t protect you from having it again - which just
doesn’t seem fair. So wash your hands often while singing Happy Birthday and
maybe you can avoid spending several days in close proximity to the bathroom.
Every Monday the Center’s Quilters lay bare their fingers
and thumbs, stitching together beautiful quilts to raise funds for the Center. But
this time they have out done themselves. They have just completed a quilt
incorporating fifteen cloth historical pictures of The Dalles. It is a
one-of-a-kind quilt that you can now see displayed at the Discovery Center, and
later will be moved to “A Whole Ball of Yarn” shop at 421 E 2nd street
downtown. For a chance to win this
lovely historical themed quilt, you can purchase raffle tickets at the Center for
$1 apiece.
A couple of quick reminders - because I know there is the
possibility you have no recollection of what I wrote last week. The Passport to
Happiness event for February on the importance of social health will be
Wednesday (20th) from 3:00 – 4:30 at the Senior Center with Julie
Reynolds leading the discussion. And the Zumba Gold class starts also on
Wednesday from 9:00 – 9:45 in the Center’s basement.
And before the weather
turns warmer and the ants start to gather on the kitchen counter – playing
tonight at the Center is Truman followed next week by “For the Good times”. Music
begins at 7:00, everyone is welcome and donations are always appreciated
Jerry
Lee Lewis sang the #1 hit “Great Balls of Fire which was recorded at Sun Studio
in Memphis Tennessee. (And the randomly selected winner of five quilt raffle
tickets is Jenny Garner.) But back to the early days of television - a
storehouse of memories from when television was young, innocent and black and
white. This actor, born in 1894, won three Academy Awards for best supporting
actor but is probably better known for starring in the TV comedy “The Real
McCoys” from 1957 – 1963. What was this actor’s name? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with the
recording of “Old Rivers” released in 1962.
Well, it’s been another
week, looking for the cherry on top. Until
we meet again, explore the impossible - you may be surprised.
"Remember—when you
are falling on your face you are actually moving forward." Anonymous
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