“Inter-Com” – DALTC Newsletter February 2017

A Monthly

Newsletter

For:

The

Onondaga

County

Department of

Adult & Long

Term Care

Services www.ongov.net/

adult

Put your heart,

mind, and soul

into even your

smallest acts.

This is the secret

of success.

Swami

Sivananda

In This Issue:

- Monthly Staff Spotlight

- Valerie Flanagan - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Employee Recognition Aware

- Commissioner Alford on Ted Talks

- Community Services February In-Service

- Retirees - Nancy Pitts & Eileen Popp

- 10 Digit Dialing

- Senior Citizen of the Year Nomination Form

- The 2017 Office for Aging Updated Resource

Guide is Available On-Line

- The Institute for Caregivers (I Care) Spring 2017

Catalog is Available

- I Care Course List

- Medicaid: An Overview

- Nutrition & Health Expo - March 18th, 2017

- Seeking Sponsors for Nutrition & Health Expo

- Cycle of Health with Cynthia Stevenson

- February is Black History Month

- American Heart Month

- Wear Red Day

- Groundhog Day

Kathy Jolly Clerk - Adult Protective Services

I have been a clerk in Adult Protective for

29 years. I knew when I came here that this

is where I wanted to be. I have never been

anywhere else that made me feel more like

I belonged. It is my home and second

family.

I took, on my own time, 5 years of study to

become a Baptist Lay Minister and

completed all the necessary courses to

receive my license to preach in NY State. I

have also been a volunteer in Jail Ministry. The rewards there are amazing.

I have been working for 4 years, part-time, in Senior Care mostly with

Alzheimer’s patients. I find that the elderly people are so rewarding to work with

because they are so grateful for anything you do for them.

My hobbies are all related to me being an animal lover of all animals. I have a zoo

of my own at home.

I also like to read and spend time with my grandchildren. I have 3 adult children

and 5 grandchildren. Three of my grandchildren are living with me which keeps

me very busy.

Congratulations to our very own

Valerie Flanagan

Administrative Assistant for SPOA!

Valerie is the 2017 recipient of the

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Recognition Award!

She was honored at a ceremony on Monday,

January 16, at the

Southern Missionary Baptist Church

Within her SPOA role, Valerie provides excellent customer service to those seeking

information and assistance in processing their applications. Outside of work Valerie is the

Co-Director of the non-profit, Junior Frontiers of the Mohawk Valley’s Syracuse Branch. She

first became involved in the organization in 2008 when her own children joined. Valerie

started as a parent, then a volunteer and believes so strongly in the group’s mission that she is

now a co-director, helping close to 40 students of all races and backgrounds prepare for

college.

Junior Frontiers offers college tours to help students visualize themselves on campus and

realize what steps they need to take to get there. Students meet with admissions

representatives, department heads and college students. The group also helps with SAT

Preparation, community service projects and college scholarships. Currently Valerie’s group

contains close to 40 students, ranging in age from 12 to 18. Thanks to Valerie and the other

Junior Frontier’s leaders, 100% of the students in their program go to college.

Valerie uses some of her own paid time off, each year, for the Junior Frontiers to take

students on college tours during their school winter break.

She is also a scholarship enrollee at OCC and will be graduating in May. She will then

matriculate to a Bachelor’s Degree program to achieve her educational goals.

Due to Valerie's dedication, achievement and service to the community she was awarded the

2017 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recognition Award!

Congratulations from all your co-workers.

“Lessons From Mr. C”

Commissioner Lisa Alford

Speaks at TEDx

at Onondaga Community College

This years TEDx at Onondaga Community College theme was ―Dare to Defy‖

It introduced speakers who have overcome odds, beat social, economic, and

gender norms, and have accomplished great things. They shared their journeys

and provided insight for others to achieve their own goals. ,

Commissioner Alford chose to talk about her son. She highlights the lessons

that she has learned from him; an individual who dares to defy.

The event was held on October 1, 2016 and the video was just posted on-line.

Please take a few minutes to watch this powerful presentation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7crvNGpoKo

Community Services February In-Service

Language Access Training

by JoAnne Spoto Decker, Director of Community Services and Long Term Care

The Department of Adult and Long

Term Care Services-Office for Aging-hosted

the first annual Language Access Training.

The session was held on Thursday, January

26, at The Greenpoint in Liverpool.

Presentations were made by Barrie

Gewanter, Executive Director of Onondaga

County/Syracuse Human Rights

Commission, Mary Stronach, Outreach

Coordinator for MAMI, Inc. and Maggie

Russell, Director of the Marjorie Clere

Interpreting Referral Service at Aurora of

Central New York. Included in the training

was a demonstration of using the Language

Line for telephonic interpretation.

More than 45 people attended the two-hour event. Staff from the Department, as

well as many subcontract staff and senior housing managers, learned about Limited

English Proficiency laws and regulations. Attendees also received written procedures on

how to access the Language Line, sign Interpretation and face to face language

interpretation.

Our attendees learned a great deal from the knowledgeable presenters. Barrie

Gewanter remarked that the training was a ―model‖ for Onondaga County. We are

grateful to our presenters for taking the time be at this important event.

PS…the training was recorded for future use

Congratulations to Our Retirees

Nancy Pitts & Eileen Popp

On Friday evening, January 27th the employees, friends and family of the

Adult Services Long Term Care Resource Center gathered to honor the

retirement of two of our long time employees at the Empire Buffet.

The party was held in honor of Nancy Pitts, who was a clerk in the Aide

Office and Eileen Popp, a Community Health Nurse who worked for New

York Connects. JoAnne Spoto Decker, Director of Community Services

and Long Term Care, presented each of them with award certificates for

their years of service. Nancy has worked for the Resource Center for 35

years and Eileen Popp has been with Onondaga County and New York

Connects for 21 years. Also, Marge Owens and Cathy DeMarzo presented

Eileen and Nancy with cards and gifts and words of appreciation for their

hard work. A good time was had by all Friday night as we shared

memories with each other and reminisced with old friends too.

Thank you Nancy and Eileen for your service to Onondaga County,

you will be missed.

Submitted by Eileen Freeman, Long Term Care Resource Center

Retirement Party Photos

www.ongov.net/aging

www.ongov.net/aging/icare/

http://video.wcny.org/video/2365936025

Cycle of Health - PBS - January 2017

Getting older is not always about aches and ailments! Meet an active

couple in their 80's finding joy by helping others in town. Discover

how field trips, friends and fun create an oasis for seniors seeking in-

tellectual growth; Bridging the gap – how seniors can teach millenni-

als a thing or two about health. And, if you want to stay in your home

as you age put a plan in place today.

Cynthia Stevenson, Director of

Caregiver Services, was a guest on

PBS’s Cycle of Life. Click on the

link above to watch the episode.

The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after

theThirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. That September,

the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse

E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History

(ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by

black Americans and other peoples of African descent. Known today as the

Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the

group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week

of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick

Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local

celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures.

In the decades the followed, mayors of cities across the country began issuing

yearly proclamations recognizing Negro History Week. By the late 1960s, thanks in

part to the Civil Rights Movement and a growing awareness of black identity,

Negro History Week had evolved into Black History Month on many college

campuses. President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized Black History Month in

1976, calling upon the public to ―seize the opportunity to honor the too-often

neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor

throughout our history.‖

Since then, every American president has designated February as Black History

Month.

American Heart Month

American Heart Month/Wear Red Day

President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the first American Heart Month in 1964. Ever since then,

the month of February has been dedicated to cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular disease is

the nation’s No. 1 killer of both men and women, but steps can be taken to reduce risk and

improve outcome. The American Heart Association is constantly conducting research and

raising awareness to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans.

This February 3rd, help the American Heart Association and Go Red For Women celebrate

American Heart Month and raise heart disease awareness by participating in National Wear

Red Day. Every 80 seconds, one woman is killed by heart disease and stroke. That’s 1 in 3

deaths among women each year. These statistics can be shocking, but building awareness is one

of the best ways to fight this horrible disease. Did you know that 80% of these deaths can be

prevented with education and action? By wearing red and using #GoRedWearRed you are

helping raise women’s awareness and support education on cardiovascular health.

Get Your Numbers: Ask your doctor to check your blood

pressure, cholesterol and glucose.

Own Your Lifestyle: Stop smoking, lose weight, be physically

active and eat healthy.

Raise Your Voice: Advocate for more women-related research

and education.

Educate Your Family: Make healthy food choices for you and

your family. Teach your kids the importance of staying active.

Donate: Show your support with a donation of time or money.

American Heart Month statistics:

In the United States…

Fewer Americans have been dying of heart disease and stroke since the

1980s thanks to progress in medical therapies for patients with a history of

heart disease and stroke and from lifestyle changes that are curbing the

risk.

In every year since 1900 except 1918, CVD accounted for more deaths

than any other major cause of death in the United States. Stroke still ranks fifth.

An estimated 85.6 million people in the U.S. are living with cardiovascular diseases, including

heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure and chest pain.

Among U.S. adults, 32.6 percent—about 80 million—have high blood pressure.

Despite an overall 28.8 percent drop in cardiovascular disease death rates from 2003 to 2013, the

high blood pressure death rate increased 8.2 percent over that same time.

Black History Month

Every February, Americans celebrate Black History Month as well as the achievements and role in

history of black Americans. This month is especially important to the American Heart Association

because it gives us an opportunity to connect more with the black community and educate on

health issues they face. Did you know that blacks have higher death rates for stroke compared to

whites? Or that over half of black men and over ¾ of black women are obese? Differences in

culture, lifestyle, and genetics have an impact on the cardiovascular health of all races, but blacks

have some of the highest risk.

African-American risk facts:

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death for African-American women, killing

over 48,000 annually.

Among African-Americans adults, 48 percent of women and 46 percent of men have some

form

of cardiovascular disease.

Among African-American adults, 46 percent of women and 45 percent of men have high blood

pressure.

Of African-American women ages 20 and older, 48.3% have cardiovascular disease. Yet, only

14% believe that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health problem.

Only about 50% of African-American women are aware that pain that spreads to the shoulders,

neck, or arms is a sign of a heart attack.

Groundhog Day falls on February 2 in the United States, coinciding with Candlemas. It is a part of

popular culture among many Americans and it centers on the idea of the groundhog coming out of

its home to “predict” the weather.

What Do People Do?

Groundhog Day is a popular observance in many

parts of the United States. Although some states have

in some cases adopted their own groundhogs, the

official groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, lives at

Gobbler’s Knob near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

The town has attracted thousands of visitors over the

years to experience various Groundhog Day events

and activities on February 2. The Punxsutawney

Groundhog Club plays an important role in

organizing Groundhog Day in the town. Club

members, news reporters, locals, and visitors meet at

Gobbler’s Knob on February 2 each year to await

Phil’s appearance and his weather prediction.

Pennsylvania’s governor has been known to attend Groundhog Day ceremonies. Many weather

researchers questioned the groundhog’s accuracy in predicting the weather, but some of the

groundhog’s fans may not agree.

Roots in Nature Thousands of years ago when animalism and nature worship were prevalent, people in the area of

Europe now known as Germany believed that the badger had the power to predict the coming of

spring. They watched the badger to know when to plant their crops. By the time the first German

immigrants settled in Pennsylvania they probably understood that this was not true but the tradition

continued.

Unfortunately, there were not many badgers in Pennsylvania so the groundhog was substituted for

the badger. Tradition has it that if the groundhog sees its shadow on February 2 it will be frightened

by it and will then return to its burrow, indicating that there will be 6 more weeks of winter. If it

does not see its shadow, then spring is on the way.

Punxsutawney Phil Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the United States in the 1800s. The first official trek

to Gobbler's Knob was made on February 2, 1887. It is said that Punxsutawney Phil (the

groundhog) was named after King Phillip. He was called Br'er Groundhog prior to being known as

Phil. Canada also celebrates Groundhog Day. The movie ―Groundhog Day‖ from 1993, starring

comedian Bill Murray, made Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania famous worldwide. The film's

plot added new meaning to the term ―Groundhog Day‖ as something that repeats itself endlessly.

Groundhog Day in the United States