Generations

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER'S MONTH

Family and friends are great people to ask for help, but they are not the only sources of support for caregivers. Others who may be able to help include:

Your doctor. Tell your doctor that you are a caregiver. They can give you advice about taking care of your physical and mental health. Health care professionals may also know about support groups, respite care, and other resources offered in your community.

A counselor or other mental health professional. If you are feeling anxious, frustrated, or depressed, help is available. Ask your doctor for referrals to counselors, and check with your health insurance provider to find out about your plan's coverage.

Your local senior center, state office on aging or social services office, or local Area Agency on Aging. These organizations will be familiar with resources available in your community and may have tips for accessing them.

Your faith community. Larger congregations may host support groups for caregivers. You can also ask for guidance from your pastor, rabbi, or other religious leader.

To read entire article visit nia.nih.gov/health/caregiving/taking-care-yourself-tips-caregiver.

NO ONE SHOULD GO HUNGRY

We urgently need your help! Sadly, funding for Meals on Wheels has not kept pace with the increasing number of older adults in need. At this very moment, one in nine people in our community are struggling to secure reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. It's heartbreaking to think that someone you know — perhaps even a family member — is faced with choosing between food and medicine. For the past 50 years, Generations has provided the lifeline of home-delivered meals to homebound older adults in our community who needed them; however, we now find ourselves unable to meet the demand for food assistance and this summer had to start a wait list. Compounding the ever growing need, is that meal costs have risen 30% since July 2023 and donations have decreased. If you can help and older homebound adult with meals, you can send us a check at Generations, P.O. Box 314, Vincennes, IN 47591, donate online at www.generationsnetwork.org.

DINE WITH A DOC TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY

Senior Education Ministries, in partnership with Generations and Vincennes University, will present Dine with a Doc from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday at Isaac K. Beckes Student Union, 1101 N. Second St. The program is free to the public, and a free lunch will be provided. November's speaker will be Dr. Mohammed Ismael. Good Samaritan Hospital is the sponsor for this month. This program provides the opportunity to fellowship with peers while receiving valuable information from our medical community. To RSVP for Dine with a Doc contact Cathy Jones at 812-888-5159 or by e-mail at catherine.jones@vinu.edu.

BUILD-A-BASKET SEASON IS IN FULL SWING

This holiday season, Generations is sponsoring its 16th annual Build-A-Basket project to help provide for the basic needs of Generations' clients while bringing them some holiday cheer. Generations serves older adults in Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Knox, Martin and Pike counties. These individuals are on fixed incomes and often cannot afford the everyday necessities that many of us take for granted. This project is open to schools, churches, businesses and individuals. Just purchase a laundry basket or tote and fill it with items such as dish soap, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Many individuals also decorate their baskets to make them more festive. A list of suggested basket items, as well as list of drop-off sites is available on the Generations' Web site GenerationsNetwork.org and on the Generations' Facebook page. Baskets must be completed and dropped off no later than Dec. 20. Generations' staff and volunteers will deliver the gift baskets. For questions, or to register your basket by phone, please contact Alma Kramer at 812-888-4527, toll-free at 1-800-742-9002, or by email at akramer@vinu.edu.

BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

Generations received a grant from the National Council on Aging to provide free training and technical assistance to older adults on digital literacy.

We can help you get started or learn more about efficient and safe ways to use the internet. We will start holding office hours for technical support on computer, email and internet basics and cyber security from 1-3 p.m. on Mondays at the Generations office, 1019 N. Fourth St., or virtually. For more information on programs or office hours, please contact Angie Cambron at 812-888-4267.

A MATTER OF BALANCE VOLUNTEER COACHES TRAINING

Generations is seeking volunteers to be trained to facilitate a fall prevention program for older adults. The training, Matter of Balance, is an evidence-based fall prevention program. This nationally recognized program's goal is to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among community-dwelling older adults.

Studies show that one-half of the older adult population fear falling, one-third of older adults do fall and falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for this group.

"We need volunteers who would like to be trained to lead these classes in our community," said Alma Kramer, Healthy Aging Program coordinator. "We feel this program has the potential to help many individuals in Dubois County and hope to find the volunteers that are needed," Kramer said.

Generations and their partners will provide materials for classes, supervision and program promotion. For those individuals interested in volunteering or for more information, contact Kramer at 812-888-4527 or akramer@vinu.edu.

MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT ENDS DEC. 7

Generations is now taking appointments for SHIP (State Health Insurance Plan) counseling to assist you in choosing your best option for your Medicare prescription drug plan. The best plan for you could change from year to year depending on your health, medications,

etc. Do not assume that the plan that you have always had is the best for you. Let us help you take a look at all of your options, and then you decide which plan that you want to go with. This is a free service. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with one of our SHIP counselors, contact Linda Yochum at 812-888-4854. Please, no walk-ins.

Generations, Area 13 Agency on Aging and Disability, is a program of Vincennes University's Community Services Division. Our agency connects individuals and caregivers to community resources and options for long-term care and in-home services.

For more information, call 800-742-9002 or 812-888-5880 or visit our Web site at www.generationsnetwork.org.