WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon 35

In this issue of “Spotlight onAging” I would like to discuss sen-ior hunger in the District of Colum-bia. I have discussed this issuetwice in the past (November 2012and November 2013); however, asthe staggering data reveal, we mustcontinue to increase the public’sawareness about this terrible plightimpacting so many seniors in theDistrict of Columbia. Through edu-cation and advocacy, I am confidentthat one day there will be no seniorswho are hungry in the District ofColumbia. In the past issues that focused on

senior hunger, I informed readersabout what the District of Columbiagovernment is doing to combat theproblem. More specifically, the Dis-trict’s Office on Aging has an 111percent increase in funding to en-sure that no frail, homebound sen-iors are on the waiting list for home-delivered meals. The funding wasalso used to expand the number ofcongregate meal sites across theDistrict of Columbia. I am also excited to announce

that at the District’s six senior well-ness centers, we made the diningexperience a little nicer, as we haveadded a fresh salad and fruit bar,which gives our seniors food op-tions for the first time. Moreover,many seniors prefer fresh fruit op-tions over the canned fruits that areless healthy because of the highamount of sugar and preservativesadded to them.In addition to opening more food

sites and improving food options,we have also streamlined theprocess for seniors to access foodby acquiring the Commodity Sup-plemental Food Program and the

Seniors Farmers’ Market Programfrom the District of Columbia De-partment of Health. This meansthat seniors can come to oneagency, the District of Columbia Of-fice on Aging (DCOA), and applyfor these two programs along withthe congregate meal program orthe homebound meal program, andthe Supplemental Nutrition Assis-tance Program (formerly known asthe Food Stamps Program).Through this streamlined process,we hope that seniors find it moreconvenient to work with a singleagency to learn about these nutri-tion programs and other servicesthat may be useful to them. Let me also add that through a

new partnership with the NationalFoundation to End Senior Hunger,we are ensuring that seniors areeating foods that are appealing tothem so that they may maximizetheir food intake in our nutritionprograms. Through the What a Waste Pro-

gram, we are tracking the amountof waste accumulated by seniorswho are not eating their entiremeals. Through a detailed analysis,we can determine which foods areless appealing to seniors, and weare committed to making anychanges to the menu to ensure thatseniors are eating all of their nutri-tious foods, as it represents one-third of their dietary intake accord-ing to the U.S. Department of Agri-culture. This is very important, assome seniors are on medications totreat their chronic diseases and afull, healthy meal can go a long wayin keeping seniors balanced.Also, through a partnership with

VOLUME XXV, ISSUE 10 A newsletter for D.C. Seniors October 2014

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGEBy John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA

Senior Wellness CentersNew Hours of Operation

See DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE, page 36

Seniors at the Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center in Ward 8 give athumbs up to the newly installed salad bar at their site. The center is locatedat 3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE.

DCOA has expanded the senior well-ness centers to include new evening andSaturday hours to accommodate workingseniors and others who cannot attend dur-ing regular hours. Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center, Ward 13531 Georgia Ave. NW, 202-727-0338 Monday and Friday 8:30 to 4:30, Tuesdayand Thursday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednes-day 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center, Ward 4,324 Kennedy St. NW, 202-291-6170Monday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday andWednesday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Model Cities Senior Wellness Center, Ward 51901 Evarts Street, NE, 202-635-1900

Monday, Wednesday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.;Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m. to 5p.m. (Every 4th Friday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.);ad Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hayes Senior Wellness Center,Ward 6, 500 K St. NE, 202-727-0357Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 7:30a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.Washington Seniors Wellness Center,Ward 73001 Alabama Ave., SE, 202-581-9355Monday and Wednesday to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday class 9:30to 11:30 a.m.Congress Heights Senior WellnessCenter, Ward 83500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave.SE, 202-563-7225Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.,Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The DCOA has partnered with Sib-ley Hospital to establish the ClubMemory Program on the East End ofthe City. Club Memory is a stigma-freesocial club for people with early-stageAlzheimer’s, mild cognitive impair-ment or other forms of dementia andtheir spouses, partners and care-givers.

If you or someone you know is af-fected by Alzheimer’s or other formsof dementia, make sure they knowmore about Club Memory.

Club Memory is hosted by the Con-gress Heights Senior Wellness Center,which is located at 3500 Martin LutherKing, Jr. Ave. SE. Call our office 202-724-5622 to sign up for the program.

Club Memory

D.C. OFFICE ON AGING NEWSLETTER

Common Good City Farm, DCOA hasestablished intergenerational gardensat the Ward 5 Model Cities Senior Well-ness Center and the Ward 7 WashingtonSeniors Wellness Center. The purposeof these programs is to increase accessand availability of fresh produce for sen-iors, enhance cooking demonstrationsand nutrition classes at the senior well-ness centers, and provide intergenera-tional opportunities with CommonGood City Farm’s students. Seniors will

also have an opportunity to consumesome of these vegetables at home. Even with all of the progress that we

have made in the past three years toaddress senior hunger in the Districtof Columbia, there are approximately15,000 seniors who continue to experi-ence hunger. Therefore, our fight con-tinues as we combat senior hunger inthe District of Columbia. I trust thatyou will join the Office on Aging, theNational Foundation to End SeniorHunger, D.C. Hunger Solutions, and ahost of other organizations committedto resolving this devastating problem. Every senior deserves good, nutri-

tious food and we have the resourcesto make it happen. Please join us byidentifying seniors in your neighbor-hood, church, civic associations andother places that may live alone andmay be in need of additional resourcesor who may be frail and are unable toprepare their meals. By identifyingthese seniors, we will be one step clos-er to combatting senior hunger in theDistrict of Columbia. It is my hope thata year from now, I can report on seniorhunger with some exciting news aboutthe decreasing number of seniors whoare hungry in the District of Columbia.Please partner with us by calling

202-724-5622 with information on anysenior age 60 and over who is in needof a hot meal, groceries and/or addi-tional resources to purchase gro-ceries. I also encourage you to partnerwith D.C. Hunger Solutions by partici-pating in its Supplemental NutritionAssistance Program (SNAP) Chal-lenge from Oct. 6 to 12. The purpose ofthis challenge is to highlight the strug-gles faced by so many people through-out the Washington Metropolitan re-gion who cannot afford to pay for themuch needed food. To learn moreabout the SNAP Challenge, please visithttp://www.dchunger.org/.

Director’s messageFrom page 35

The National Foundation to End Sen-ior Hunger (NFESH) has launched Whata Waste, a new initiative to combat seniorhunger by reducing and recapturingfood waste in the District of Columbia.Under contract to D.C. Office on

Aging (DCOA), NFESH will developand lead DCOA in implementing thetwo-year high-tech pilot study in threesenior wellness centers that operatenutrition programs to serve meals toseniors. All kitchens, regardless of sizeand type, experience some food waste.This innovative project is designed tohelp senior nutrition programs identifyand categorize it, so that unnecessarywaste can be reduced and waste thatcannot be eliminated can be recap-tured and turned to good use.What a Waste brings state-of-the-art

technology, along with live instructionon how to use it, into the senior wellnesscenter kitchens. Together these will en-able kitchen workers to measure, cate-gorize and quantify food waste through-out the process, which begins with pur-

chasing and preparation and ends withwhat is left on seniors’ plates.The technology will show exactly

where the food waste is occurring andwhat particular food items are notbeing consumed. This, in turn, willhelp nutrition programs improve boththeir purchasing decisions and theirmenus. That will translate into dollarssaved and more seniors served.“The D.C. Office on Aging has been

working tirelessly with its partners tocombat senior hunger in the District,”said Dr. John M. Thompson, executivedirector of the District of Columbia Of-fice on Aging. “Strategic partnerships,such as the one with NFESH, helpDCOA to bring innovative and bestpractices to the District that improveseniors’ quality of life. Our collabora-tive efforts will ensure that more sen-iors have access to nutritious meals,health and wellness programs, and so-cial activities that promote good healthand combat social isolation.”Based on the data collected in the

initial weeks of the project, NFESHwill create a customized waste reduc-tion plan and work with DCOA to im-plement new practices and proceduresdesigned to significantly reduce un-necessary food waste. The waste that cannot be eliminated,

and which previously had been dis-posed of, will be captured and turnedinto nutrient-rich soil through compost-ing. Composted soil will be then used tocreate on-site gardens, where seniors atthe wellness centers can grow freshvegetables. This food production addsan element of sustainability to the oper-ation and will be a source of additionalfood for use by the centers. And thatcontributes to reducing hunger.By reducing the amount of food

waste occurring in the wellness cen-ters, DCOA will be able to optimize cur-rent resources to enhance vital servicesand potentially expand them to meetthe future needs of seniors in DC.“The serious problem of senior

hunger is solvable, but it is clear that

‘business as usual’ is not part of the so-lution. It takes courage and visionaryleadership to try something new,”NFESH Founder, President and CEOEnid A. Borden said. “Here in the Dis-trict, DCOA is providing that coura-geous leadership. Through this proj-ect, DCOA is serving as a model forthe nation to follow. Every citizen ofthe District should applaud that.”Nearly one in six, or 15.3 percent, of

seniors in the United States faced thethreat of hunger in 2012. In the Dis-trict, the rate of senior hunger mirrorsthe national average, according to thelatest research from NFESH.That same year, the United States gen-

erated more than 36 million tons of foodwaste, according to the EPA. Throughwaste reduction and composting, the DCsenior wellness centers are decreasingtheir carbon footprints and building amore sustainable, environmentally friend-ly city for all its residents.For more information on What a

Waste, see www.nfesh.org/what-a-waste.

New Program Reduces Food Waste and Combats Hunger

Chances are you may know some-thing about the National SchoolLunch Program and why it’s impor-tant. What you may not realize is thatthe USDA has a similar program forseniors, which the Capital Area FoodBank has been operating in the Dis-trict of Columbia on behalf of the DCOffice on Aging (DCOA) since 2012.The Commodity Supplemental Food

Program (CSFP) provides a monthlygrocery supplement to low-income sen-iors to help stretch their already taxedfixed incomes. Participants receivenearly 30 pounds of nutritious food,which meets their specific dietaryneeds including healthy canned proteinand dairy, whole grains, low sodiumvegetables, and low added-sugar fruit.

The grocery mix encourages seniors tocook from scratch, and many chooseto make the ingredients their own. In response to a significant demand

for fresh produce, the Capital AreaFood Bank provides fruits and vegeta-bles to seniors who pick up at its twoCSFP clinic sites (one in CongressHeights at 3720 Martin Luther King, Jr.Ave. SE and the other at 5601 EastCapitol St. SE).The DC Commodity Supplemental

Food Program is unique among juris-dictions in that it is administered intandem with the Senior Farmers Mar-ket Nutrition Program, which pro-vides participants with an annual freshproduce voucher to be redeemed atparticipating local farmers markets.

For many, the farmers’ market vouch-ers serve as a major incentive to par-ticipate in the CSFP program. Providing nutritious food to a food in-

secure senior population is critical. Theadverse health effects of food insecuri-ty are magnified for seniors. Food inse-cure seniors have significantly worsehealth outcomes than food secure sen-iors. They are 50 percent more likely tobe diabetic, three times more likely tosuffer from depression, and 60 percentmore likely to have heart failure or ex-perience a heart attack.The Capital Area Food Bank admin-

isters CSFP on behalf of the DC Of-fice on Aging (DCOA). Through thepartnership with DCOA, the CapitalArea Food Bank is able to expand the

realm of resources that can be provid-ed to at-risk seniors. Congregate mealprograms, home delivered meals, andtransportation assistance are all avail-able to ensure that DC meets its goalof being “Age Friendly.”More nutritious foods in the hands

of seniors means seniors, like stu-dents, remain active and engaged. It’stime we give back to those who havegiven so much, the true experts inthe school of life.For more information on the Com-

modity Supplemental Food Program, call202-644-9880 or email csfp@capita-lareafoodbank.org. For more informa-tion on DCOA programs, please call 202-724-5626 or visit http://dcoa.dc.gov/page/food-meals-and-nutrition.

Commodity Foods Available for Seniors

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D.C. OFFICE ON AGING NEWSLETTER

Intergenerational Gardens at Local Centers

Hundreds of District residents attend-ed the Generations Community Festi-val: A Celebration of Life held at theGateway Pavilion, 3500 Martin LutherKing, Jr. Ave. SE. The free event fea-tured activities for the entire family,including workshops on interior de-sign and long-term care services; ac-tivities for children; information andresources for seniors, persons livingwith disabilities and veterans; freshproduce and meats from Whole Foods

Market; and free gently used clothingfrom A Wider Circle Pop Up ClothingBoutique.Senior vendors also had the opportu-nity to sell their handmade items, whilelive music and entertainment was alsofeatured on the main stage hosted byWPGC 95.5 FM’s Pablo and Tati.For more information and to view morephotos from the event, visit our website atwww.dcoa.dc.gov or like us on Facebookat www.facebook.com/DCAgingNews.

DCOA Holds Generations Community Festival

The D.C. Office on Aging hasbegun a pilot program with Com-mon Good City Farm to bring inter-generational gardens to ModelCities and Washington SeniorsWellness Centers. The programhopes to increase access and avail-ability of fresh produce for seniors,enhance nutrition education at thewellness centers, and provide inter-generational opportunities withCommon Good City Farm’s stu-dents. Seniors at the wellness centersplanted seeds and seedlings of avariety of vegetables, herbs, andflowers in garden beds, andlearned about gardening fromCommon Good City Farm’s staff.They will harvest the produce as itgrows throughout the fall!

Seniors at Model Cities Senior Wellness Center plant flowers, herbs and vegetables with Common Good City Farm students.

Seniors from the Hayes Senior Wellness Center were one of many acts that performedduring the Generations Community Festival.

2014 General Election Key

Dates & RacesThe General Election is on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Absentee Voting by MailOct. 20 - Nov. 1Deadline to request: Oct. 28 Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4 and receivedby DCBOE no later than Nov. 14. To request an absentee ballot,visit www.dcboee.com

Early VotingOne Judiciary Square (441 4th St., NW)Oct. 20 - Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., (Closed on Sunday)Nine Early Voting Centers Oct. 25 - Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.,(Closed Sunday)

Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 4th, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

RegisterThe deadline to register and update registration informationat vote4dc.com or via DCBOE Vote (mobile application) is Oct.6, 2014. UOCAVA voters (military and overseas voters) may alsoupdate their registrations until Oct. 6, 2014Local voters wishing to register or update their information afterOct. 6th should do so in person at an Early Voting Center or applyfor same day registration at their local polling place on Election Day.

Contests on the BallotDelegate to the US House of RepresentativesMayor of the District of ColumbiaChairman of the Council of the District of ColumbiaAt-Large Member of the Council of the District of ColumbiaWard 1, 3, 5 and 6 Members of the Council of the District ofColumbiaAttorney General for the District of ColumbiaUnited States (“Shadow”) RepresentativeUnited States (“Shadow”) SenatorWard 1, 3, 5 and 6 Members of the State Board of EducationAdvisory Neighborhood Commissioner OfficesInitiative 71: “Legalization of Possession of Minimal Amountsof Marijuana for Personal Use Act of 2014”For more information, visit www.dcboee.com or contact DCBoard of Elections, 441 4th St. NW, Suite 250 North, Washing-ton, DC 20001 Tel: (202) 727-2525 | TTY: (202) 639-8916 | Tollfree: 1-866-DC-VOTES

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon 37

Community CalendarOctober Events

1st • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Flu shots will be available at Model Cities Senior

Wellness Center, 1901 Evarts St. NE. For more infor-mation, call 202-535-1321.

2ndFlu shots will be available at Asbury Dwelling,

1616 Marion St. NW. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

4th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.There will be a Community Health, Wellness and In-

formational Fair at Holy Name Catholic Church, 92011th St. NE. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

6th • 11 a.m.A presentation on depression in older adults will be

made at all Ward 5 senior nutrition sites. For more in-formation, contact Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

6th • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.The 10th Street Baptist Church will host a Com-

munity Health, Wellness and Informational Fair. Thechurch is located at 1000 R St. NW. For more infor-mation, call 202-535-1321.

7th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Get a flu shot at the Asian/Pacific Islander Senior

Service Center, 417 G Pl. NW. For more information,call 202-535-1321.

7th and Nov. 5 • 6:30 to 8 p.m.Iona and Brighton Gardens of Friendship Heights

are partnering to provide a free forum for adult chil-dren and other caregivers of those with memory loss.On Oct. 7, the program is “Keeping Family Memberswith Memory Loss Active and Engaged,” presented

by Sharon O’Connor, director of Iona’s Wellness &Arts Center. On Nov. 5, the program “Supporting aFamily Member with Memory Loss, Depression, orAnxiety” will be presented by social worker Bill Amt.The program will be held at Brighton Gardens ofFriendship Heights, 5555 Friendship Blvd., ChevyChase, Md. To register for either or both sessions,email registration@iona.org or call 202-895-9448.

8th • noon to 2 p.m.Get a flu shot at Hubbard House, 3500 14th St.

NW. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

9th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Flu shots will be available at, Vida Senior Center,

1842 Calvert St. NW. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

9th • 11 a.m.A town hall meeting will be held at the Petersburg

Senior Nutrition Site, 3298 Ft. Lincoln Dr. NE. For moreinformation, contact Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

9th • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.The 2014 Mayor’s Annual Disability Awareness Expo-

sition will be held at the Great Hall of the Martin LutherKing, Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. The free eventis for all the D.C. residents with a disability, advocates,caregivers and providers to share information and valu-able resources; build new relationships; participate in ac-tivities that are fun, relaxing and empowering. Thisevent will feature more than 30 public and private pro-grams & service providers. Register online athttps://DisabilityAwarenessExpo.eventbrite.com. Formore information and/or accommodations, contact KaliWasenko at the Office of Disability Rights, 202-724-5055or kali.wasenko@dc.gov.

14th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The Bernice Elizabeth Fonteneau Senior Wellness

Center, 3531 Georgia Ave. NW will offer flu shots.For more information, call 202-535-1321.

14th • 11:30 a.m.Learn about mail scams at North Capitol @ Ply-

mouth Senior Nutrition Site. For more information,contact Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

15th • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.The Southwest Waterfront AARP Chapter and

DCOA’s Annual Community Health and WellnessFair will be held at River Park Mutual Homes,1311 Delaware Ave. SW. For further information,contact Chapter President Betty Jean Tolber tJones, bettyjeantolbertjones@yahoo.com or 202-554-0901.

16th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The D.C. Retired Teachers Association will host a

Community Health, Wellness and Informational Fairat the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, 4606 16thSt. NW. DCOA Executive Director John Thompsonwill be the keynote speaker. For more information,call 202-535-1321.

17th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Get a flu shot at the Hayes Senior Wellness Center,

500 K St. NE. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

22nd • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.Get a flu shot at St. Albans Senior Center, 4001

Wisconsin Ave. NW. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

D.C. OFFICE ON AGING NEWSLETTER

Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Officeof the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Adver-tising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C.Office on Aging or by the publisher.

500 K St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002

202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.govJohn M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA

Executive DirectorDarlene Nowlin

EditorKrystal BrantonPhotographer

The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate againstanyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, religion,national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appear-ance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibili-ties, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source ofincome, and place of residence or business.Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which

is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based onany of the above protected categories is prohibited by theAct. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be toler-ated. Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action.

The Office on Aging is in partnership with the District of Columbia Recycling Program.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING

Breast cancer is the most common canceramong women in the United States, other thanskin cancer. It is the second-leading cause ofcancer death in women, after lung cancer.The earlier breast cancer is found, the better.

Sign up for a breast cancer screening reminderfrom Project WISH, and we’ll remind you basedon early detection guidelines. Women 40 yearsor older should have a mammogram and breastexam every year and report any breast changesto your doctor right away.

Project WISH recommends that women 40and over have yearly mammograms — unlessotherwise recommended by their practitioner.If you need further information on Breast

Cancer or where to go get a mammogramplease call Project WISH at 202-442-5900.According to a Rand report, D.C. ranks:# 1 in breast cancer deaths.# 1 in prostate cancer deaths.# 1 in colorectal cancer deaths among women,

5th among men.

October is Breast CancerAwareness Month

Members of the Model Cities Senior WellnessCenter joined the YMCA Golden Agers on a tripto Ottawa, Canada for a six-day excursion. The visit to the capital city of Canada included

visits to the Royal Canadian Mint, a cruise on the

St. Lawrence River in the Thousand Islands, andvisits to museums and art galleries. To find outmore about exciting trips, contact your local cen-ter or call Sandra Hunter, YMCA Golden Agers at202-862-9622.

DC Seniors Visit Canada

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