Free Spring Education Series For Elders And Their Families

MIDDLEBURY — Elderly Services will be hosting a Community Education Series of five informative presentations this spring on topics of importance to both area elders and their families. The series will begin on Tuesday, May 6, and run until Thursday, June 12. All programs are free and open to our entire community.

Session 1 on May 6 will be “Protecting yourself — Combatting fraud in the digital age”. Hosted and presented by the National Bank of Middlebury Security Team, this seminar will focus on protecting yourself or your elderly loved one from the growing threats of fraud including computer, telephone and mail scams. The program will provide tips on protecting yourself and your personal information and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.

Session 2 on May 15 will be “You’re not alone — Caring for your elderly loved one” led by Joanne Corbett, a clinical social worker heading up the new ESI Center for Positive Aging.

Session 3 on May 29 will be “Dementia and home safety — Helping older Vermonters create a safer environment” presented by Rachel Wiley, MS, Occupational Therapist/The Dementia Collaborative. This session will cover essential fall prevention strategies, ways to reduce the risk of wandering, and key considerations for kitchen safety, medication management, and personal emergency response systems like Lifeline. Whether you’re living with dementia or caring for someone who is, this presentation will offer practical tools and strategies to enhance safety and support independence at home.

Session 4 on June 5 will be “Tips for managing diabetes in older age” led by Margaret Young, MPH, RDN, LD Diabetes Educator with UVMHN/Porter Medical Center. People with diabetes can effectively manage their disease to prevent further health complications, which can be costly and individuals with prediabetes can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Join us to learn about lifestyle changes proven to help people with type 2 diabetes manage and improve their condition as well as help those with prediabetes to delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Finally, session 5 on June 12 will be “Driving and aging — challenges, strategies and things to consider” led by Andrea Spinale from the Vermont Department of Health. Have you thought about what happens if you or a loved one can no longer drive? Join us for an informative session on the challenges older drivers face in Vermont. The program will also cover how to approach the difficult conversation about driving retirement and how to start planning for the future.

Sessions are free and open to the public. To RSVP or learn more, call Susan Bruce at Elderly Services — 388-3983 or send an email to rhallman@elderlyservices.org.

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