Aging Well in Boulder County | Issue 10 |July 18, 2016

The 5th annual Age Well Conference will be on Friday, October 28. This year’s conference theme is health and aging and features a keynote by Dr. Bruce Chernof, MD, FACP, President & CEO of The SCAN Foundation. Sessions include innovations in health and technology, the future of care, case studies and best practices, collaborative strategies, understanding dementia, and more.

Visit our webpage for more information about the exciting lineup of presenters.

Did you know there has been an important update and change to the laws regarding Mandatory Reporting for abuse of at-risk adults? Join Detective Chris Merkle of Longmont Police to learn more about the statutory changes.

What: Mandatory Reporting Training
When: Thursday, Aug. 4, 9:00—10:30 a.m.
Where: Longmont Senior Services

Please register by calling 303-651-8411.

We celebrated the work of our diverse and talented volunteers with a volunteer appreciation luncheon on June 21. Forty three volunteers attended, representing our volunteer programs. They are: the Respite & Companion Volunteer program; Ombudsman services; LGBT programs; Medicare counseling; wellness programs; caregiving programs; the Aging Advisory Council; and the Aging Services Foundation.
Volunteers provide invaluable support for our efforts to promote the health and well-being of older adults—we could not do what we do without them, and are very grateful for their compassion, generosity, and talents.

Interested in volunteering your time and talents? Email Kari Middleton for more information about our many volunteer opportunities.

On June 21, we collaborated with Out Boulder County to present an LGBT cultural responsiveness training to key staff at the Louisville Recreation and Senior Center. Sara Connell, Education and Services Manager from Out Boulder County, taught ‘The Four Corners of Identity’: Sex Assigned at Birth, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sexual Orientation. Sara, who identifies as a transgender woman, was open to all questions and provided thoughtful scenarios which encouraged good discussion. She noted that “if you build an inclusive community, we (the LGBT community) will come”. The training received top marks from all 14 participants.

We’re offering a course for family caregivers of older adults to help them learn and practice the essential skills necessary to provide quality care for frail older loved ones living at home. Taught by a registered nurse, the course covers topics including caring for someone on bed rest, providing personal care, using a wheelchair safely, managing medications, taking vital signs, controlling infection, preventing falls and using local resources.

What: National Caregiver Training Program
When: Thursdays, July 21 – Sept. 1, 5 – 8 p.m.
Where: St. Vrain Community Hub, Longmont

For more information, or to register, email us.

Extreme Heat

As summer is upon us, this is good time to plan for periods of extreme heat. During these periods, everyone can take important steps to prepare. Take actions to:

• Build a personalized kit with any specialized items you may need including extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, and food and water for service animals.
• Plan to check on family, friends, and neighbors who do not have air conditioning, and spend much of their time alone or are more likely to be affected by the heat.
• Plan to check on service animals more frequently to ensure they are not suffering from the heat.

*Adapted from the Administration for Community Living July 2016 Newsletter*

The Elder Justice Coalition of Boulder County celebrated the efforts of our local community by presenting awards to local heroes who have intervened in elder abuse, neglect and/or exploitation, at an event on June 16.

2016 Awardees:

-Det. Steve Faber, Boulder Police Dept.

-Off. Colleen Wilcox, Boulder Police Dept.

-Steven Seay, (pictured) BCAAA

-John and Robyn Jugl, Neighbors,

-Todd Stoneman, Attorney at Law

-Comm. Heidi Prentup, Sheriff’s Office

-Det. Paul Dunphy, Sheriff's Office

-Det. Brian Jones, Sheriff's Office

-Crime Analyst Dave Rogers, Sheriff’s Office

-Investigator Mark Husmann, DA’s Office

-Det. Mark Spurgeon, Sheriff’s Office

Learn more about our Elder Rights program.

• National Caregiver Training Program | Thursdays July-September|Longmont
• Medicare Basics | August 4| Boulder
• Mandatory Reporting Training | August 4|Longmont
• Aging Advisory Council Meeting | August 5 | Nederland
• Matter of Balance Classes - Spanish | Tuesdays August-September|Longmont
• Senior Law Day | August 6 | Longmont
• Medicare Basics | August 15| Longmont
• Boulder Pride | September 11 | Boulder
• Age Well Conference | October 28 | Longmont
• Be Well Classes | Ongoing | County-wide