CARES Elfers Senior Center News

The CARES Elfers Senior Center in New Port Richey has moved to a renovated building at 4136 Barker Drive. This was an 11,000 square foot renovation, which was built with grant funding. This building now has a satellite branch of the New Port Richey Library - called the Avery Branch Library. This library will be staffed by CARES volunteers and contains over 1,000 books. This Senior Center will provide many activities including yoga, dancing ( ballroom and line dancing), music, tai chi, card games, computer classes, and craft programs. You can access their calendar here. 

You can learn more about the CARES Elfers Center on their website. If you are interested in volunteering at the Elfers Center, please call 727-847-1290.

New Report on Older Adults

The Administration On Aging, the Administration for Community Living, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have published a new statistical report: "A Profile of Older Adults: 2012". The statistics in the report are mainly from the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This report defines older adults as age 65+. Here are some of the highlights from the report:

• Over one in every eight, or 13.3 %, of the population is an older American.
• People reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 19.2 years ( 20.4 years for females and 17. 8 years for males).
• The median income of older persons in 2011 was $27,707 for males and $15, 36 2 for females. 
• Almost 3. 6 million elderly persons (8.7 %) were below the poverty level in 2011 .
• In 2011, approximately 497,000 grandparents aged 65 or more had the primary responsibility for their grandchildren who lived with them.

 You can read the entire report here.

Older Americans Month 2013

May is Older Americans Month.  This observance was originally called "Senior Citizen's Month" when it was created in 1963, but it was renamed "Older Americans Month" by President Carter in 1980.  The Administration on Aging has announced the theme for this year - "Unleash The Power of Age".   

This is a very special celebration, since it is the the 50th anniversary of Older Americans Month. One in eight Americans is an older adult. This May, celebrate this growing segment of our population. Their achievements have made this nation what it is today. 

You can celebrate Older Americans Month by contacting the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco - Pinellas and finding out about volunteer opportunities with programs which help Older Adults in our community. Another way to celebrate Older Adults Month would be to invite an older adult to give a presentation for your organization in their field of expertise.

The Seniors Vs. Crime Project is on Your Side!

The Seniors Vs. Crime Project is a non-profit organization that was started in 1989.  This organization works with the Florida Attorney General's Office to educate Seniors about crime prevention and to investigate complaints about companies and individuals who have defrauded the elderly. Volunteers called "Senior Sleuths" help with investigations and by reporting suspicious activity. You can learn more about volunteering here. This organization has two outreach programs: the Florida Seniors Against Investment Fraud (FSAIF) and the Senior Medicare & Medicaid Patrol (SMMP). There is also a link to scam alerts here. 

One of their most important activities is helping consumers to get money back from companies which have defrauded them. The Seniors Vs. Crime Project reports that they return approximately $1,000,000 per year to Seniors who have been cheated. If you would like to file a consumer complaint, you can request help online.  You can learn more about the Seniors Vs. Crime Project here.

Upcoming Pasco County Library Programs

Would you like to learn how to to navigate Facebook, learn how to use your new Ipad, or see a great film? These are just a few of the upcoming Pasco library programs. The Friends of the Library sponsors our programs.  Here are some of the upcoming library programs for Older Adults in Pasco County:

Every Tuesday at 5:45pm
     Ruby's Tuesdays
     Hudson Regional Library
 A fun group that likes to knit! From the beginner to the advanced, this group is for everyone. Bring your yarn and needles and join the fun.
Hudson Regional Library
8012 Library Road, Hudson, FL 34667
(727) 861-3040
  
Wed, Mar 20th at 2:00pm
    Introduction to Facebook
     Centennial Park Library
Learn how to use Facebook to keep up with family and friends.
Centennial Park Library
5740 Moog Road Holiday, FL 34690
(727) 834-3204

Thurs, Mar 21th at 11:00am
    Windows 8 Basics
    Hugh Embry Library
Adults, beginners. Call 352-567-3576 to sign up as space is limited! Learn the basics of Windows 8, email, and searching the Internet. Bring laptop, or follow along.
Hugh Embry Library
14215 Fourth Street, Dade City, FL 33523 
(352) 567-3576

Thurs, Mar 21 at 2:00pm
Five Wishes Advance Directives
Land O'Lakes Library
 Come learn more about your Five Wishes and prepare for end-of-life issues. This program is presented by Gulfside Regional Hospice. Attendees will receive a complimentary Five Wishes booklet- a legal document.  
Have you thought about what YOUR Five Wishes are: 
1. For the person I want to make care decisions for me when I can't. 2. For the kind of medical treatment I want or don't want. 
3. For how comfortable I want to be. 
4. For how I want people to treat me. 
5. For what I want my loved ones to know.
 Land O'Lakes Library
2818 Collier Parkway 
Land O'Lakes, FL 34639
(813) 929-1214

Fri, March 22nd at 11:00am
     Knitters for Charity
     Hudson Regional Library
 Come join this fun group as they knit different items for different charities. .
Hudson Regional Library
8012 Library Road, Hudson, FL 34667
(727) 861-3040

Fri, Mar 22th at 2:00pm
    Senior Movie Feature
    Hugh Embry Library
Seniors, enjoy the latest releases of great films, along with light refreshments, thanks to our generous Friends of Hugh Embry Library! Call 352-567-3576 for film titles.
Hugh Embry Library
14215 Fourth Street, Dade City, FL 33523 
(352) 567-3576

Wed, Mar 27th at 2:00pm
     Introduction to Facebook
     New River Library
Learn how to use Facebook to keep up with family and friends.
New River Library
34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375

Thurs, Mar 28th at 11:00am
    Ipad Basics
    Hugh Embry Library
Adult beginners, bring your iPads to learn more about how it works.
Hugh Embry Library
14215 Fourth Street, Dade City, FL 33523 
(352) 567-3576

Thurs, Mar 28th at 6:00pm
     Knitting Club
     New River Library
 Learn basic knitting techniques. Please bring a pair of size 8 knitting needles and a ball of #4 yarn. This club is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
New River Library
34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, FL 33543
(813) 788-6375

Also, many branches offer book discussions, gardening, and history programs.

Enjoying Life in Their Nineties

People are living longer and healthier lives nowadays. One of the reasons for this increase in longevity is that people are exercising more. Here are two inspirational videos of women in their nineties who are breaking the stereotypes of aging. In this first video, Mathilda Klein, age 94, does a solo ball room dance performance:

You can read more about Mathilda Klein here. 
In this second video, May Morabito, also 94 years old, performs a cha-cha dance - complete with splits! She also designs ballroom dresses.


For more information about May Morabito, please click here for a NewsNet5 article.

Florida Strawberry Festival

The Florida Strawberry Festival started yesterday and continues through March 10 in Plant City, Fl. Regular gate admission is $10 for adults. However, Thursday, March 7th is Florida Blue Senior Citizen's Day, when patrons 60 years of age or older get $2.00 off the gate admission. Festival favorites include:

• World Champion Lumberjills
• Dennis Lee
• Kandu Magic Show
• Neighborhood Village - handcrafted and homemade items
•  Jump! The Ultimate Dog Show

       Florida Strawberry Festival
  Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm through March 10th 
  303 North Lemon St.
  Plant City, FL 33563

For more information, you can visit their website or call (813) 752-9194.