Senior Fun Fest and Jamboree

The Senior Connections and Mature Lifestyles magazines will be sponsoring a "Senior Fun Fest" on Thursday, June 30th, from 9:00am - 2:00pm in Plant City.  Admission and parking are free and the event will feature:

• Dancing
• Live Entertainment
• Free Health Screenings
• "Senior friendly" sports area
• Games
• Free Coffee and Muffins
• Prizes and Giveaways

Strawberry Festival Grounds

2202 W. Reynolds St.
Plant City, FL

For more information about the Senior Fun Fest, please call 813-653-1988.

Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

The National Center on Elder Abuse of the Administration on Aging has announced that June 15, 2011 is the 6th annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  This agency wants to increase awareness of elder abuse, which can occur in homes or in institutions such as nursing homes. The types of elder abuse include:

• physical abuse
• verbal abuse
• sexual abuse
• theft, fraud, or use of undue influence to gain an older person's money or property
• neglect
• abandonment

You can find the warning signs of elder abuse here.  For more information about elder abuse, you can click here for a tip sheet from the National Center on Elder Abuse.

To report suspected elder abuse, neglect or exploitation in Florida, here are the contact numbers:

• 1-800-962-2873 (For suspected elder mistreatment in the home)
•  1-800-453-5145 (For suspected elder mistreatment in the home, TDD/TTY access)
•  1-888-831-0404 (For suspected elder mistreatment in long-term care facilities). This is the number for the Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman program.

How can you help ?

• contact older friends, neighbors, and relatives often and find out if they are having any problems.
• Contact your local Area Agency on Aging office to find local programs and sources of support for older adults (such as Meals on Wheels). These programs promote the health and independence of older adults. The elder helpline phone number for Pasco County is 1-800-963-5337.
• Volunteer as a Long-Term Care Ombudsman (see video below)

Free Online Computer Classes

Would you like to learn more about computers for free?  The Goodwill Community Foundation, Inc. provides free self-paced computer classes on their website gcflearnfree.org.  This website was designed to "create and provide quality, innovative online learning opportunities to anyone who wants to improve the technology, literacy, and math skills necessary for them to be successful in both work and life".  They have step by step instructions and videos on many topics, including:

• computer basics
• internet basics
• email basics
• Microsoft Word (tutorials for version 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2010)
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Google
• Open Office
• Facebook

For more information, please click here.

Coping With the Summer Heat

We are entering the hot summer months in Florida and it is important to prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion.  Older Adults (aged 65 and older) are more susceptible to heat stress than younger people and older adults may also be taking medications that decrease their ability to regulate their body temperature.  Here are some tips from the Administration on Aging to stay safe in the heat:

• drink more fluids (but avoid drinks with lots of sugar or alcohol)
• stay indoors as much as possible
• electric fans help some, but are not helpful if the temperature is in the high nineties
• take a cool shower or bath
• if you do not have air conditioning, consider visiting a public library or mall
• never leave anyone in a closed and parked vehicle

If you become very overheated, you may get heat stroke.  This serious illness occurs when the body can not regulate its temperature anymore and the body stops sweating.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists these symptoms for heat stroke:

• high body temperature - above 103 degrees
• hot dry skin
• rapid pulse
• dizziness
• nausea
• throbbing headache

For more information, on heat stress in Older Adults, you can click here.