Aging Well in the Gorge April 14th 2015

You usually hear dementia associated with memory loss, but it is also often expressed through ceaseless repetitive questions and irrational behavior that can be challenging for any caregiver. To help better understand how dementia affects the person living with dementia and the caregiver, there will be two workshops on May 2^nd presented by Vicki Schmall, OSU Extension Gerontology Specialist Emeritus; and sponsored by OSU Extension Service and the Oregon Geriatric Education Center and supported by Providence Home Services.

The first workshop, “The Challenging Behaviors of Dementia: Preventing & Responding”, will be offered at the Center from 10:00am-12:00pm. It will provide an understanding of how brain changes resulting from dementia affects a person’s perceptions and behavior; why challenging behaviors occur; what to do to minimize such behaviors and intervene when the behaviors do occur; and the adaptions the caregiver must make as dementia progresses.

The second workshop, “Packing Your “Caregiving Basket” for Self-Care” will be offered at the Hood River Adult Center from 2:00pm - 4:00pm.  It will provide you the tools to reduce stress, increase self-care and maintain your personal well-being while taking care of your family member.

Besides serving tasty and healthy meals at the Center, Meals-on-Wheels has scheduled music before their dinners on several days of the month. Starting at 11:00, Tom Graff performs on the first and third Thursdays of each month and on the second and fourth Tuesdays, Andre Lamoreaux and KC Kortge perform. In addition on Thursday, April 23^rd at 11:00, the excellent local bluegrass band “Hard Shell Harmony” will be making a special appearance. They perform throughout the Gorge and will once again be playing at the Baby Back Rib Dinner at the Center on Friday October 2^nd.

There will be a $2 a Bag Sale for used clothing and fabric at the Center on Saturday April 18^th from 8:00 to 1:00. The Center’s Nu-2-U Shop is overflowing with clothes from the generous donations and they need to make room. If you can’t make the Bag Sale, the Nu-2-U Shop, which offers the best of the best used clothing at very reasonable prices, is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 – 3:00.  

It was nice to visit with U.S. Representative Greg Walden lst Friday night when he stopped by the Center to attend Opportunity Connection’s 48^th Anniversary Dinner and show his support for the good work they do providing services and supports for people with disabilities. Besides discussing the challenges of life within the D.C. beltway, several of us were also able to share with him examples of how Meals-on-Wheels and the Center are working to support older adults

Last week I shook up the Tuesday Night Music announcement by reversing the text. See how fast you can read this week’s mixed up announcement – which you should find a little easier than last week’s.  

.appreciated always are donations and welcome is Everyone .00:9 by home be can you and 00:7 at starts music the  ,00:6 at open doors The .pleasure listening and dancing your for music country of brand special their playing be will Boys Simcoe popular the 21st April on Center the at Dance and Music Night Tuesday the For

The name of the dance where you would 'dance' under a stick that was lowered as low as you could go, and was popularized by Chubby Checker’s hit song “Limbo Rock”, was, you guessed it, the Limbo. (Winner of five Necktie Quilt raffle tickets is Corliss Marsh - and you may want to ask her what it was like being a limbo champion.)

I haven’t asked a question about old time radio in quite a while, so let’s see if anyone recalls this week’s “Remember When” question. What was the name of the satirical radio quiz show that aired from 1942 – 1951 and featured "a board of experts who are dumber than you are and can prove it” answering questions such as "What town in Massachusetts had the Boston Tea Party?" Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with a CD of Dr. IQ episodes.

Well, it’s been another week, still trying to keep time to the music without falling over. Until we meet again, you know life is unfair when the November freeze killed many of the rose bushes, but the blackberry bushes are still thriving.

“If we are strong, and have faith in life and its richness of surprises, and hold the rudder steadily in our hands. I am sure we will sail into quiet and pleasant waters for our old age.” Freya Stark