A four-week series of positive aging programs, hosted by our Holmes County neighbors, will celebrate Older Americans Month in May.
The Falls Prevention Program of Holmes and Wayne, under the direction of the Holmes County General Health District, and the Standing Against Falls Coalition are sponsoring the free workshops geared toward people 60 and older as well as caregivers and adult children.
Kerry MacQueen, health educator/injury prevention coordinator for the Holmes County District, and a guest expert for our Stepping On programs in Wayne County, coordinated the series.
The free workshops will take place from 1-3 p.m. May 6, 13, 20 and 27 on the second-floor conference room at the Holmes County General Health District, 2600 Glen Drive, Millersburg. Each workshop consists of two one-hour sessions. Speakers will include representatives from Holmes and Wayne County agencies and the State of Ohio. Pre-registration is needed to plan for the appropriate number of resources.
The schedule is as follows:
May 6 Workshop:
MacQueen will lead an interactive discussion to help participants learn that falls are not a natural part of aging. She also will review fall prevention efforts with the Falls Prevention Program of Wayne & Holmes region.
Session Two, 2-3 p.m. – Share YOUR Story
Ron and Sandy Schlegel and Pam Leach from the Holmes and Wayne County region will share their impactful stories on falls and how their journeys can help promote the importance of being educated about fall prevention.
May 13 Workshop:
Leisha Hickenbottom, caregiver education coordinator and certified dementia Practitioner with the Area Agency on Aging Region 9 will provide a unique perspective on the difficulties we may face as we age. She will also address the caregivers on difficulties their loved ones may face, including vision impairment and function, and mobility loss.
After a brief overview of the basics of dementia, Marty Williman, program director for Ohio Council for Cognitive Health, will highlight common changes experienced by individuals living with dementia and responsive strategies and resources to guide and support caregivers.
May 20 Workshop
Consumers of all ages rely more and more on technology. Danielle Murphy, consumer educator with Office of Ohio Attorney General’s Protection Section, will talk about talk about how vital it is for consumers to understand how to protect their electronic devices and keep personal information private. She will discuss the importance of both security and privacy, including the special challenges presented by the use of smartphones and other mobile devices. CHIPP presentations are customized according to the age of the audience.
Life requires stuff, but “clutter” hurts. It can make life inefficient, expensive, and stressful. Kate Shumaker, Ohio State University Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences educator in Holmes County, will lead a session that is NOT going to tell you to get rid of everything. It WILL knock the wind out of the “reasons” why you are holding on to clutter and offer tips to help you release it in manageable ways.
May 27 Workshop
Physical therapist Nikki Roach will provide information to help in the understanding of Parkinson’s Disease, identifying signs and symptoms, methods for helping someone with the disease, and a review of current research.
Pomerene Rehabilitation Doctor of Physical Therapy Josiah Koser will discuss with participants the importance of daily physical activity and exercise as we age. Participants will be introduced to different forms of exercise that can help improve strength and balance.
Each session will include a question-and-answer period with brochures and resources available. Contact Kerry MacQueen at the Holmes County General Health District, 330-674-5035 EXT. 251 to preregister or with questions.
Sounds like a good lineup of speakers for those interested in positive aging.
Laurie Sidle is an Ohio State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H program assistant and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or sidle.31@osu.edu.
CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaes.osu.edu/nondiscrimination. For an accessible format of this publication, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: OSU Extension focused on helping aging population, caregivers
Reporting by Laurie Sidle/Wayne County Extension, Wooster Daily Record / The Daily Record
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