Prime Times Briefs

The Gift of Hearing
        For their grand opening, Frequency Home Hearing is conducting a “Give the Gift of Hearing” contest. Community members from Northwest Ohio are invited to submit an essay about why their family member or friend should win a free pair of Starkey Livio rechargeable hearing aids.
        To nominate someone for the contest, submit a short essay about why a friend or loved one deserves a free pair of hearing aids, along with their name and contact information to Frequency Home Hearing at frequencyhomehearing@gmail.com. Entries will be accepted through April 30.
        The winner will be notified by May 15, during Hearing Health Month. All entries will be eligible for 10% off the cost for a pair of hearing aids.
        For more info about the contest or about Frequency Home Hearing, call 440-370-0332 or message them on their Facebook page.
        Frequency Home Hearing specializes in service to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and senior living communities. The company also provides in-home hearing care services, including hearing evaluations, video ear inspections, hearing instrument fittings, remote adjustments, and verification.
        For more details, or to set up an appointment, call 440-370-0332 or visit their Facebook page.
 
Senior Levy support sought
        Sandusky County voters are being asked to support the Sandusky County Senior Levy in the May 4 Special Election.
        “We are asking the community to support a 1-mill replacement.  It will generate nearly $1.6 million a year for five years to support the senior services,” said Robin Richter, Director of Senior Services, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP). “The majority of funds support the Meals on Wheels operation.”
        Over the past five years, the levy has:
        • Helped with the relocation of the Fremont Senior Center from its former location to a larger and more easily accessible facility.
        • Created Senior Helping Hands, a service to assist seniors with health and safety-related home repairs.
        • Expanded the Meals on Wheels service to deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors.
        • Developed nutrition, wellness, and fitness initiatives to promote senior health.
        • Assisted seniors with emergency needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
        According to a brochure paid for by Citizens for the Senior Levy, the 1-mill replacement levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home with a taxable value of $35,000 $35 per year — about 10 cents per day.
 
Grab-and-go meals
        The Oregon Senior Center offers hot, grab-and-go meals provided by the Area Office on Aging to anyone 60 and older.
        Pick-up at the Oregon Senior Center, 4350 Navarre Ave., daily 11:30 a.m.-noon. Pull around to the side kitchen door and center staff will bring meals out. RSVP 24 hours in advance by calling 419-698-7078. The suggested donation is $2.50.
        See the March menu online at www.oscohio.org/calendar-of-events.
        Bingo Live
        Play Bingo Live on Facebook with the Oregon Senior Center Wednesday, March 24 at 2 p.m. Bingo is sponsored by Orchard Villa.
        Get bingo game packets Monday through Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the senior center. There is a maximum four cards per game; one bingo packet per person will be available.
        There is no cost to play.
 
Washington, D.C. trip
        The East Toledo Senior Center, with the help of Diamond Tours, will host a trip to Washington, D.C. Sept. 10-14.
        The cost will be $605 per person, based on double occupancy. The price includes transportation via luxury motorcoach, four nights lodging, four breakfasts and dinners, tours of the WWII Memorial, Capitol Hill, Embassy Row, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Smithsonian, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and more. Admission to George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate and garden, admission to the Museum of the Bible and a tram ride through Arlington National Cemetery are also included.
        A $75 per person deposit is required by Monday, May 3 to reserve a spot. Checks may be mailed to the ETSC, 1001 White St., Toledo OH 43605 or call 419-691-2254 to pay with a credit card by phone.
Assistance available
        Need help getting a COVID-19 vaccine appointment?  Need a ride to get a vaccine, or to the grocery store, pharmacy, post office, bank and/or doctor's office?  Call the center to speak to the bilingual outreach worker and transportation scheduler for help.
 
Monthly health screenings
        Magruder Hospital, 615 Fulton St., Port Clinton, has resumed the updated monthly lab screening, which includes a basic metabolic panel (glucose, BUN/Creatinine, calcium, potassium, sodium, chloride, CO2, etc.), a lipid profile (total cholesterol/LDL/HDL/triglycerides), and a COVID-19 antibody IgG test.
        Screenings are by appointment only and will be offered twice in April: Wednesday, April 7 and Saturday, April 24 starting at 8 a.m.
        The cost is $20. Appointments may be made by calling 419-732-4061.
 
Safety is priority
        Ottawa County Senior Resources recognizes that seniors are anxious to reunite with friends and family, but is following Ohio Department of Aging guidelines for the reopening of senior centers and adult day centers and will wait until Gov. Mike DeWine changes his orders before opening county senior centers, according to Dianne Martin Mortensen, Senior Resources director.
        “Currently, the Governor’s order mandates COVID-19 testing for all visitors, members and staff to the senior centers, along with mask-wearing and cleaning requirements, for which we will still need to abide by until the order is changed,” she said. “We remain in contact with the Area Office on Aging of Northwest Ohio regarding this order and any upcoming changes.”
        Senior Resources will share all information with seniors about any changes in the current order. “Once we are able to reopening senior centers, our reopening plan dictates that we open the senior centers one at a time to ensure that we are meeting all state guidelines,” Mortensen said. “Keeping our seniors safe is our number-one priority.”
 
Care Compass Project
        Care Compass Project is a quarterly educational series designed for those who are seeking training to learn about best practices in caregiving and those who realize the caregiving journey is inevitable and want to plan ahead.
        Sessions include training, resources and support for all phases of the journey.
        The next session will be presented virtually via Zoom on Wednesday June 2 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The topic for the presentation will be “Wound Care and Diabetes Management.”
        Lunch will be provided by Brookdale of Bowling Green, and will be delivered to participants’ homes within Wood County by the Wood County Committee on Aging.
        Registration is free and is required by Friday, May 28 to receive lunch.
        Call 1-800-367-4935 or 419-353-5661 or email programs@wccoa.net to register and receive Zoom log-in details.
        Caregivers are also encouraged to join the Facebook community, facebook.com/WoodCountyCareGiverCircle.
        The Care Compass Project is sponsored and brought to the community by WCCOA, Brookdale Senior Solutions of Bowling Green, Ohio Living, Wood County Hospital, BGSU Optimal Aging Institute and Golden Care Partners.
 
Hospice offering virtual grief support
        In the absence of face-to-face bereavement support group meetings due to COVID-19, Hospice of Northwest Ohio is offering a variety of virtual bereavement group sessions, as well as private counseling sessions to anyone in the community who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
        Current groups offerings include:
        Coping with Loss – A twice monthly interactive support group for adults who are adjusting to the loss of any loved one. Participants will learn about grief and have the opportunity to express and receive support, develop an understanding of one’s loss, learn realistic expectations for one’s self and discover healthy coping skills.
        COVID Loss – A twice monthly interactive support group for adults who are learning to adjust to the loss of someone to COVID-19. Participants will address grief issues related to losing someone to COVID-19, gain perspective on self-compassion and the need for self-care during a global pandemic, give and receive emotional support to others who have experienced a loss and express feelings of loneliness and isolation.
        Mending Grief with Mindfulness – A twice monthly support group for adults coping with any loss. Participants will meet in a supported environment to learn techniques – including meditation – to manage the intense emotions that come with grief.
        Spousal or Partner Loss – Twice monthly support group for those who have experienced the death of a spouse or partner. Participants will learn ways to adapt to this life-changing event, including setting realistic expectations, learning to take care of one’s self, gaining support in understanding grief and living with and managing the loneliness after loss.
        Anyone interested should call the Hospice bereavement team at 419-661-4001 to schedule a time for a virtual assessment to help determine which group would be most beneficial.
        All bereavement services are provided free of charge and are available to anyone, whether or not they have had previous involvement with Hospice of Northwest Ohio. All meetings are conducted by professional counselors.
        To learn more about grief and loss, visit www.hospicenwo.org.
 
Alzheimer’s programs
        The Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio Chapter will present a variety of virtual educational programs to help the community and families impacted by the disease.
        The presentations cover a variety of topics and occur at different times during the day and evening via videoconferencing.
        All programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register for the program, call 800-272-3900.
        The schedule includes:
        • April 5: Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 11a.m.
        • April 5: Healthy Living for Brain and Body, 3:30 p.m.
        • April 6: Living with Alzheimer’s, Early Stage, Part 1, 11 a.m. (Part 2 offered April 13 and Part 3 offered April 20).
        • April 6: 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s, 5 p.m.
        • April 7: Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 3 p.m.
        • April 8: Dementia Conversations, 11 a.m.
        • April 8: Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior, 3 p.m.
        • April 12: Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 6 p.m.
        • April 14: Healthy Living for Brain and Body, 10 a.m.
        • April 14: Effective Communication Strategies, 4 p.m.
        • April 15: Healthy Living for Brain and Body, 11:30 a.m.
        • April 15: Dementia Conversations, 4 p.m.
        Visit alz.org or call 800-272-3900 for more information about the Alzheimer’s Association and programs offered.