Aging Well in the Gorge April 10th 2019

Are you interested in receiving periodic volunteer assistance from neighbors in your community? Or are you interested in lending a hand to friends and community members around you? In The Dalles and the surrounding area, the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation is launching a pilot program known as Circles of Care.

Circles of Care matches seniors with trained local volunteers who are available to lend a hand assisting with everyday tasks such as transportation, meals, errands, light cleaning, technology support, friendly check-ins, minor yard and household maintenance and much more!

Circles of Care is a way for older adults to feel supported by local volunteers with various tasks that may have become more challenging to complete. And it gives both older adults and volunteers the opportunity to engage in meaningful connections while bridging generational gaps and strengthening our communities.

In The Dalles we have some of the best independent and assisted living communities. But most of us desire to live in our own homes for as long as we can. It is familiar and less expensive.

But with the increasing number of older adults requiring long term care and the costs growing, alternative models to support older adults in their homes need to be developed. Circles of Care is one such model.

The founder of Circles of Care, Keren Wilson, has an incredible resume. She has over 30 years of experience in long-term care and supportive housing. During the 1980’s she was the principal architect of the Oregon model of assisted living and has founded three assisted living companies. Currently, Keren is President of the Jessie F Richardson Foundation, a charitable organization working on housing and service issues for very low income and hard-to-serve elders.

You can meet her and learn more about the benefits of this innovative program and how to get involved when she speaks about Circles of Care on April 17^th at 1:00 PM at the Center.

You probably read about it in the Chronicle several weeks ago but here is a quick reminder about “Bone Soup” - Home at Last’s fundraiser sponsored by Valvoline Instant Oil Change. It is on Saturday, April 13th, from 6-10 pm at the Civic Auditorium and will include a gourmet soup dinner, music, and great auction items. Tickets are $25 advance or $30 at the door. You can purchase tickets by visiting the Home-at-Last website, calling 541-296-5189, or visiting Klindt’s Booksellers or the shelter at 200 River Road. This fundraising event will help Home at Last continue to care for the homeless animals of Wasco and surrounding counties. And could this also be the time to consider adopting a new furry companion?

Last week I mentioned the benefits of walking. Every morning driving to work I see folks out for their “morning constitutional”. The Center would like to start a walking group with a little twist: using Walking Poles - which has been growing in popularity. They provide stability and exercise your upper body if done properly. If you are interested in walking with poles call the Center and we will see what we can get started.

One of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original Mickey Mouse Club and who went on to become a successful American actress and singer was Annette Funicello. (I received correct answers from Cheri Brent, Betsy Ayers, Lana Tepfer, Jess Birge, Diana Weston, Jerry Phillips and Jim Heitkemper, winner of a free quilt raffle ticket, and who was born on the same day, month and year as Annette but I don’t believe ever dated her – as far as I know. And last week I was bad - missing both Cheri Brent and Betsy Ayers.

In the 1950’s the term Rock and Roll was coined by a Cleveland disc jockey who during the height of his popularity in 1956 and 1957 was featured in four movies: Don’t Knock the Rock with Little Richard; Rock, Rock, Rock! with Chuck Berry, Mr. Rock and Roll and Rock Around the Clock. For this week’s “Remember When” question what was this disc jockey’s name? And if that question is too difficult, what musical group starred in Rock Around the Clock? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or return your answer with a 1952 ticket to the Moondog Coronation Ball in Cleveland believed to be the nation’s first-ever rock and roll concert.

Well, it’s been another week, forgetting what I forgot. Until we meet again, keep up the good fight.

“Never forget. We are alive within mysteries.” Wendell Berry, Writer/Farmer