Welcome to the July issue of HAP Happenings!
 

The Healthy Aging Partnership, a coalition of over 30 nonprofit and government organizations dedicated to improving the lives of older adults in the Puget Sound region, is pleased to share news, insights and activities with you in this quarterly newsletter. To forward news items for future issues, add more recipients to the distribution list, or to unsubscribe, email info@4elders.org. 

Help Yourself and Your Neighbors Breathe Easier  


 

Become a Master Home Environmentalist Volunteer
 

The American Lung Association of Washington is now accepting applications from volunteers who would like to be trained as Master Home Environmentalists. 

 
You don't need to be an expert or environmentalist to understand how lead, mold, dust, household chemicals and other pollutants can affect health. The American Lung Association of Washington provides the know-how so you can share it with other community members, as well as family and friends. 
 
A series of classes is scheduled for Sept. 9 to Nov. 11 at the Seattle office. This free, 35-hour training meets Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. plus occasional Saturdays. Volunteer applications are due Aug. 31.
 
Master Home Environmentalist volunteers receive formal training from local indoor air quality and environmental health experts so they can:
 

• Learn to recognize indoor health hazards that contribute to allergies, asthma and chemical sensitivities;
• Find low or no cost solutions to reduce these problems;
• Teach others about health hazards in their homes;
• Conduct home environmental assessments.

 
"Volunteers learn how to see homes in whole new ways," said Aileen Gagney, asthma and environmental health program manager. "They look at all the chemicals in the house, the furnace, the vacuum, etc., and tell people what they can do to make their homes healthier."

For more information, call 206-441-5100 or go to Frequently Asked Questions. The American Lung Association of Washington is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined.
 
With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association of Washington funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. For more information, call 1-800-732-9339 or click here.

Find out how you can make your home healthier 
 

Home improvement can take more than a hammer and nails. The American Lung Association of Washington offers home environmental assessments to help residents learn how to make their homes healthier.

The assessments focus on recognizing indoor air pollution and reducing exposure to toxic chemicals in the home. These evaluations of the home environment are particularly good for people with asthma and/or allergies, children, the elderly or pregnant women.
 
"We spend 90 percent of our time inside and elders spend even more than that," said Aileen Gagney, asthma and environmental health program manager. "Our indoor air can be five times as polluted as our outside air." Click here to read full article.

Make a difference workshop aimed at boomers
 
The Seattle Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens is offering a free workshop, "Make a Difference... to Your Community and Country" to inspire aging boomers to explore opportunities for national and community service. 

                                         
AmeriCorps, VISTA, JustServe, Senior Corps and Citizen Corps are among the featured programs.
 
This free event is scheduled Wednesday, July 16, from 10 a.m. to Noon in the Central Building, 810 Third Ave., between Columbia and Marion streets in downtown Seattle.
 
"AmeriCorps was my bridge to a new beginning," says Patti-lyn Bell of her decision to join AmeriCorps at age 51. "After my mother's death, I knew I wanted to get back to work. But returning to professional corporate sales and marketing just didn't feel right. Doing something from my heart, on a temporary basis while reassessing where I wanted to be, was important to me."
 
Ten years later, Bell coordinates volunteer programs for the Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens. She will facilitate the workshop featuring Bill Basl, Washington Commission for National and Community Services; Ian Dapiaoen, Solid Ground (formerly Fremont Public Association); Ginger Seybold, ElderHealth Northwest AmeriCorps; and several older volunteers.
 
To register for "Make a Difference... to Your Community and Country" or learn about future workshops, contact Patti-lyn Bell at 206-684-0639 or click here to send an e-mail.
 
The Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens promotes healthy aging, independent living, and social and civic engagement for older adults. For more information, call 206-684-0500, send an e-mail or click here to visit the Web site. 

Speaking of community service . . .

Day of Caring is coming up


 

Mark your calendars Friday, Sept. 12, for United Way of King County's Day of Caring 2008. The Day of Caring is the largest single-day activation of volunteers in King County. Teams of volunteers from companies will volunteer at organizations throughout King County. So if you need help on a project or projects, register now by clicking here. For more information, call 206-461-3644 or send an e-mail.

Be a PAL: Physical activity program seeks volunteers/participants  

It's never too late to start moving, and now there is a program to help provide both motivation and encouragement! PALS (Physical Activity for a Lifetime of Success) is a free program that matches up caring, patient and enthusiastic telephone volunteers with sedentary seniors who want to become more physically active. 

 
Both participants and volunteers develop connections through bi-weekly phone call check-ins.  As a PALS volunteer, you can give back to your community through this health-enhancing program.  As a PALS participant, you can receive regular phone support to help you start or maintain a physical activity routine. PALS is open to residents of Seattle, the Eastside, and surrounding areas. For more information, call 206-722-2550 or click here to visit the Web site. 

Start! program gets people walking


 

The Start! program - now being piloted in Seattle and Columbus, Ohio - is geared toward getting people in the workforce to walk during lunch breaks and after work and to encourage companies to start workplace wellness programs.
 
The Team Start program targets weekend walkers. The goal is to get people to do 30 minutes of physical activity most days during the week.
 
The Heart Association is forming walking groups in King and Snohomish counties. An online component allows people to track their activity and calorie intake.
 
Need a little extra incentive? Start! Scavenger Hunt is an event offered in partnership with King County to get people out to five different parks with Woodland Park Zoo passes as prizes. 

Help fix the system

Join AARP for a series of health care town hall meetings this summer

AARP and the Healthy Washington Coalition are hosting a series of "Health Care Caucus" town hall meetings on the future of healthcare in the state. 

The meetings are scheduled for Yakima, July 15; Spokane, July 29; Bellevue, August 12; Everett, September 9; and Vancouver, Sept. 23. 

 
At each meeting, the public will have a chance to discuss the problems we face around healthcare access, cost and quality and how we can achieve reform.  

Those attending the town hall meetings will have the opportunity to learn about the process, voice their opinions and share their stories about health care in Washington.
 
For more information, click here.  To RSVP for an event call 1-877-926-8300, or send an e-mail with your name, address and phone number, including the location of the event you plan to attend.

Traumatic Brain Injuries can Result from Senior Falls

Traumatic brain injuries due to falls caused nearly 8,000 deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations in 2005 among Americans 65 and older, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in the June issue of the Journal of Safety Research. 

 
Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are caused by a bump or blow to the head; however, they may be missed or misdiagnosed among older adults. TBI often results in long-term cognitive, emotional and/or functional impairments. In 2005, TBIs accounted for 50 percent of unintentional fall deaths and 8 percent of nonfatal fall-related hospitalizations among older adults. Click here to read full article.

Too Cool For Driving School?

Popular Program Shows Driver's Ed Still Relevant for People 50+ 
 
By Jason Erskine, AARP Washington
 
Some motorists have never looked back since they first got their license at age 16, but participation in refresher courses like the AARP Driver Safety Program shows that even the most experienced drivers can benefit. Click here to read full article.

Announcements and upcoming events

 

• C.H.E.F. has moved: Comprehensive Health Education Foundation (C.H.E.F.) and its MissionWise division has a new address. After many years in its Des Moines location, the organization is moving into loft-style offices in the historic Washington Shoe Building in Seattle's Pioneer Square. The mailing address is 159 S. Jackson St., Suite 510, Seattle, Washington, 98104. C.H.E.F.'s telephone and fax numbers, and email addresses will remain unchanged. As always, you can reach C.H.E.F. at 800-323-2433 (toll-free outside the local Seattle calling area), 206-824-2907 (inside the local Seattle calling area), and 206-824-3072 (fax). To visit the C.H.E.F. and MissionWise Web sites, go to www.chef.org or www.missionwise.org. Stay tuned for future information about C.H.E.F. and MissionWise in the weeks ahead to learn more about its exciting new home, upcoming events, and mission-focused work.
• Training for PEARLS depression intervention counselors will be held in Seattle Sept. 24-26. PEARLS (Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors) is an evidence-based depression management program for older adults. Participants learn how to reduce their depression through problem solving, social and physical activity planning, and pleasant event scheduling. For more information about PEARLS and the September training click here or contact Sheryl Schwartz at 206-685-7258 or via e-mail. 
• Death and Dying: A series on Jewish traditions and practical preparations: Save the date(s) for a series of workshops in September and October at Jewish Family Service, 1601 16th Ave. in Seattle. All sessions will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Mondays. Here's a list of topics and dates:
  • "I Don't Know What to Say: Comforting the dying and bereaved" - Sept. 8
  •  "Preparing for the End of Life:  Documents, laws and finances" - Sept. 15
  • "Burials, Funerals and Cemeteries: Jewish traditions and practical concerns" - Sept. 22
  • "Remembering Our Loved Ones: An introduction to Jewish mourning rituals", Oct. 6

Workshops are $10 per person for individual sessions and $36 per person for all four sessions. Scholarships are available. Pre-registration required. Contact Adam at 206-861-8784 or via e-mail. 

• Health inequities documentary: The Healthy and Active Rainier Valley Coalition is hosting free public screenings and discussions of the documentary series, "Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?" on Monday and Wednesdays, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., July 7 to Aug. 20. The Monday screenings will be at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 S. Holly St. in Seattle. Contact Natalya Brusilovsky at 206-722-0317 or by e-mail. The Wednesday screenings will be at the Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Ave. S. in Seattle. Contact Time Pretare at 206-684-7484 or by e-mail. Unnatural Causes was produced to draw attention to the root causes of health and illness and reframe the debate over health in America. Each screening will be followed by a forum aimed at understanding and addressing inequities.
• Old Timers Picnic: The Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens will hold its annual Old Timers Picnic on Tuesday, Aug. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Woodland Park Zoo. Attendees must register starting July 14 by calling 206-684-4951.
• Vulnerable adult abuse conference: A two day conference, "Investigation and Prevention of Crimes Against Elders and Vulnerable Adults," is scheduled Sept. 10 and 11 at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. The conference will feature locally and nationally recognized experts on vulnerable adult abuse. Contact Cyndee Cavanah at 206-296-8797 or by e-mail for more information.
• Legislative forum: Advisory councils from the Pierce and King County Area Agencies on Aging will hold a free legislative forum "Aging Readiness: The Legislative Challenge" Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Tukwila Community Center. The forum will feature state and federal legislators and policy experts on issues important to older adults and people with disabilities. Registration starts July 15. For more information, call 253-798-4600 or 1-800-562-0332 or click here to send an e-mail.
• Check out the new Experience in Action: The quarterly newsletter for The Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) has a bright new design and eight pages of newsy content, including feature stories, columns and a list of volunteer opportunities and events. RSVP, a nonprofit National Senior Corps program sponsored locally by Solid Ground, encourages people 55 and older to volunteer in our community. It currently has 2,000 volunteers working at hundreds of businesses and non-profits in King County. For more information on RSVP, click here.
• Position opening: The University of Washington (UW) Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC) is seeking an administrative coordinator to perform a wide variety of office management tasks and provide administrative support for the director, deputy director and staff of the HPRC. Those interested in applying should contact Sheryl Schwartz at 206-685-7258 or by e-mail. For more information on the UW HPRC click here.
• Position opening: The Washington Dental Service Foundation is looking for a program officer/community development specialist who can execute strategies for improving oral health for older adults in Washington state. Please submit cover letter and resume to: Diane Oakes, Washington Dental Service Foundation, P.O.  Box 75983, Seattle, WA 98175-0983. For more information, contact Oakes at 206-528-2373 or by e-mail.
• Call for abstracts, award nominations: The Active Living Research Conference is calling for presentation and paper abstracts, as well as award nominations for its annual conference Feb. 18-20, 2009 in San Diego, CA.  The theme of the conference is "Active Communities for Youth and Families: Creating Momentum for Change." Abstracts are welcome on all topics related to active living policies and environments. The submission deadline is Wednesday, July 30, 2008, at 1 p.m. PDT. Notification will be in October 2008. Active Living Research also announces the second annual "Translating Research to Policy Award" to recognize innovative teams or individuals representing research, policy and/or advocacy who have had success in catalyzing policy or environmental change of relevance to youth physical activity, sedentary behavior and obesity prevention. For more information on the call for abstracts, click here. For more information on the award, click here.
• Healthy communities award: Applications are now being accepted for the "Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging Award", a national recognition program for communities that combine smart growth and active aging. Awards will be presented to communities that demonstrate the best and most inclusive overall approach to implementing smart growth and active aging at the neighborhood, tribe, municipality, county, and/or regional levels. Applicants must be public-sector entities in the United States and coordinate with their local Area Agencies on Aging. Applications are due Sept. 12. For more information, click here.