Thanks to the generosity of community supporters, Kingston NY area seniors danced the night away waiting for the 2012 ball to drop. The annual  New Year’s Eve event was held at The Hillside Manor, a leading fine dining and events facility. Host Denni Demosthenes managed to get all guests to the table despite the many attendees who arrived up to an hour early! Over 350 seniors attended and enjoyed a full dinner and dessert, dancing to both live and DJ’d music, a champagne toast and, of course, New Year’s hats and noisemakers. The music makers mixed it up with the predictable old favorites and many contemporary hits that got everyone on the floor rocking.

For the third year, the main sponsors were Birchez Associates, the Bruderhof, and the Demonthenes family which owns The Hillside Manor. Other local purveyors also helped out. For example, Adams Fair Acres Farms donated beautifully prepared (and delicious) cookie platters for each table, Deisings Bakery provided the  dinner rolls.

The smiles of the seniors were evident at the festively set tables in both the full rear ballroom and the restaurants front function room. Not to be outdone by the decor, many of the ladies were “dressed to the nines.” As one quipped, “Where else am I going to get the opportunity to get so dressed up. I love it!” Join the festivities via video (only a minute and a half in length) in which Birchez principals Steve and Judy Aaron welcome one and all.

Several political leaders stopped by to lend their support, most notably Congressman Maurice Hinchey who greeted many by name. Outgoing legislator Walter Frey and encumbent councilman Jimmy Bruno traveled from Saugerties. Majority Leader for the Kingston Common Council Tom Hoffay was in early attendance. Newly elected Alderperson Deb Brown, 9th ward Kingston, shared her thoughts on the video.

Seniors who attended and who would like to comment on the evening can contact us at birchezassociates@gmail.com. We’d love to share your thoughts as we enter 2012!

To the right, meet Rose, age 100, as she poses for Ari’s blog.

Ari’s book, Advanced Style, is on pre-order with Amazon with an April 2012 publication date (that’s a shame because I would have loved to gift it this holiday season). As with his blog, the book promises insights from his subjects, an interview with a 91 year old subject, and delicious photos (many apparently candid, on-the-streets of New York photos).

Meanwhile, Ari’s blog also offers videos and enchanting tidbits on matching vintage items, and playing with different costumes and styles. Hats are plentiful and I predict an influx of designer canes!

I’ve seen many of our senior residents at the Birches communities, where the average age is in the 70s, styled and ready for their close up. Whether they are dressed for the fitness studio, the movie theater, or on their way out the door, many show great flair.

The old perception that the elderly dressed in dusters and wasted away their waning years in front of the TV just doesn’t play with today’s seniors. Fair warning, we’ll be featuring some of our own Stylin’ Seniors in future blogs.

Another of Ari’s elegant subjects is Ruth, shown to the left, who is also 100 years old.

-- K.J. McIntyre

One often mistaken notion is that you have to be Jewish to utilize Jewish Family Services. Far from it; somewhere around one in ten clients of JFS is Jewish. JFS, in addition to programs provided by staff and licensed social workers, also has a volunteer program to assist seniors. Whether it’s just a call of reassurance, or accompanying a senior to the doctor’s office or shopping, these activities done by volunteers can make a huge difference in a senior’s quality of life. On Thursday during the live broadcast, you can call in to ask Sharon questions at 845-331-9255.

Jewish Family Services has new quarters at 280 Wall Street in Kingston above the Board of Elections. Their phone is (845) 338-2980, email JFS.Ulster@gmail.com and their website is JFSUlster.org

*If you miss the half-hour broadcast you can hear it online. Just go to mykcr.org, click on program archives, and fast forward about 2/3rds through the recording.

Alzheimer’s Disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that affects memory, behavior, personality and muscle control. And the numbers are startling: While Alzheimer’s generally affects people 65 or older, a quarter of a million under 65 have the disease. Over the age of 65, one out of eight people has the disease. The likelihood of developing the disease doubles every five years after age 65 so that 49% of those 85 and over have Alzheimer’s — nearly one in two people.

Already more than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s and yet the Baby Boomers are just crossing the age 65 threshold. It is estimated that without a cure, Alzheimer’s will move up from the #7 cause of death among adults to number one by the middle of this century.

Ms. Rudder shared the 10 Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease with her audience, careful to explain that just forgetting where you put the keys last night or temporarily forgetting someone’s name or a movie title you saw two weeks ago are probably more senior moments than symptoms of the disease. www.alz.org gives some good examples of the difference between senior moments and symptoms under “Know the Ten Signs”. The 10 Symptoms are:

• Memory loss that affects everyday living
• Challenges in planning or solving problems
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks
• Confusion with time or place (even familiar places)
• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
• New problems with words in speaking or writing
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
• Decreased or poor judgment
• Withdrawal from work or social activities (initiative)
• Changes in mood or behavior.

Wendy suggested that the above symptoms may merit a visit to a neurologist. And she stressed that one or two of the symptoms by themselves may not mean an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Sometimes the combination of medications, or the body’s inability to absorb B12 is enough to mimic these symptoms.

The Alzheimer’s Association can help in many ways including education, referrals  and caregiver groups. Their helpline and website is www.alz.org. The Hudson Valley/Rockland/Westchester, NY Chapter is housed in Poughkeepsie. If you are calling from Ulster County, use 845-340-8474. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s raises funds for global research and to provide support services locally. In this area the Walks to End Alzheimer’s will be Saturday, October 15th in Poughkeepsie and Saturday, October 22nd in Stone Ridge. To sign up, www.alz.org/hudsonvalley or call 1.800.272.3900.

Alice has served in her position for the last six years. And as Steve Aaron, Founder and Managing Director of Birchez Associates, often says, “Alice works five days a week and is the first one in every morning.”

Alice has plenty of experience showing up and being on time having served thirty years in the Ulster County Legislature before accepting her position as Senior Advocate. Alice’s experience is invaluable as she matches resources to the needs of the residents in the four Birchez communities she services.

Appreciation was apparent in the applause, warmth and laughter expressed in the room of fifty or so. Among the attendees were several surprise guests including her son Tippy (Walter Scott Tipp II), her daughter Cheryl and son-in-law James McTague.

The residents presented Alice with a candle and candle holder to express the sentiment: “You Light up Our Lives.”

Steve and Judy Aaron presented Alice with a pearl necklace, and the staff gave her a basket of goodies and flowers. Ice cream cakes and pound cake rounded out her luncheon. Alice even read the sentiments of the many cards aloud and admired the stealth with which her friends had operated to pull off her surprise party.

The crown from Senior Property Manager Judy Fitzpatrick was just the right touch for a lady who deserves to be queen every day.

I was giving a tour of The Birches at Chambers, our latest senior living community, to a professional who worked with seniors. As we looked at the community room and the adjacent patio with pergola creating a sweet seating area, my guest said, “What a perfect place to have afternoon cocktails.”

I paused for a moment and said, “You don’t mean for our residents do you?” She sited another senior residence where afternoon sherry is the norm. “Well,” I said, “that’s not something you’ll find here.”

Owners Steve and Judy Aaron are fierce about protecting their residents, and it shows in both the non-smoking campuses for their latest senior properties and that alcohol is discouraged for any function in the public areas. Their concern took on new significance when I heard Dave Lucas reporting on WAMC public radio regarding a new study of Baby Boomers and Alcoholism. As he reported it: “The Baby Boomers have become Senior Citizens – the generation that rocked and revolutionized the 1960s and 70s – then settled down in the 80s and 90s are now into THEIR sixties and early seventies – experiencing the change of going from a working life into retirement. Perhaps no coincidence, alcohol abuse is on the rise among their ranks.”

Lucas spoke with Crystal Dea Moore, an associate professor and the program director of the social work program at Skidmore College, who is conducting interviews of seniors in the Saratoga area. She has worked with Swedish researchers on quality of life issues as they relate to alcoholism. The forecast is startling: the number of adults over 50 with substance abuse problems will double from 2.5 million in 1999 to 5 million by 2020.

It’s easy to see the correlation;  changing metabolism, isolation and depression are too often common in the senior population, and all can increase the use and/or impact of alcohol. It’s another reason we encourage an active life style at our communities and feature a senior advocate and others that can keep an eye out for our residents and recommend resources as appropriate. And it’s a reminder for all of us to stay in touch with loved ones who may not have the support system in place that they once had. Locally, Jewish Family Services offers non denominational, home-based, one-on-one counseling for seniors suffering from depression, grief and other symptoms (costs can be covered under Medicare and Medicare Part B). For more information, their website is http://www.jfsulster.org; they can be reached at 845-338-2980.

You can listen to the full interview (click here) on WAMC.

(K.J. McIntyre is Director of Marketing for Birchez Associates LLC. She can be reached at kjmcintyre@birchez.com)

The new book, a recent acquisition to the library, was read without prior rehearsal by two of the students to much laughter and applause. In the picture to the right, club mentor and school librarian Adamis speaks to some of the audience. Even the parents got into the spirit of the event sporting costumes — some scarier than the children’s! The event was one of several intergenerational activities with the neighboring school’s Nature Club.

The cause became a joint effort with the Crafts Club. Hand made cards, adorned with fabric, pearls, and many, many pink ribbons were enscribed with positive messages with a Hope/Believe/Cure theme. These cards will be donated to the American Cancer Society for those with or recovering from cancer. The Crafts Club went a step further creating glass coasters with a white grid and pink yarn ribbon.

Today it all came together with a special bagels brunch for breast cancer awareness held in the Community Room at The Birches of Esopus. Rie selected Panera “pink ribbon” bagels because not only were they shaped in the classic pink ribbon twist, but because she knew that Panera’s donates $0.33 of each of these bagels sold during October to the cause.

Residents enjoyed a relaxed — and very pink — event, all for a very good cause. And while fundraising wasn’t the primary aim of the event, Rie and Al Schreiver are very pleased with the check they will present to the American Cancer Society on behalf of The Birches at Esopus residents.

photos: top right is Rie Schreiver shows off some of the handmade cards that will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Lower left is one of the Panera “pink ribbon” bagels.

At the Saturday afternoon forum, candidates had the opportunity to present their backgrounds and what they bring to the position they sought. Audience members were free to question the panel of candidates — which they did with questions on the budget, on what the role of town councilperson consists of, street lighting, and more senior housing in the area, among other topics.

Showing support for the process were Town Clerk Diane McCord, Town Councilperson Gloria vanVliet and Town Councilperson Donna McAuley, all of whom joined in as information resources during the Q&A portion of the program.

Picture upper right shows Councilperson candidate Wenzel addressing the group. In the picture to the left incumbent Kyle Barnett speaks with a resident after the formal presentation. To left of Barnett is Town Clerk Diane McCord.

Van Blarcum warned the audience comprising residents of The Birches at Chambers, Chambers Court and neighboring Seven Greens never to give credit card information over the phone. “Ask them to mail you information,” said the Sheriff, reporting that the callers rarely bother. Van Blarcum reported one popular scam against seniors has been a caller claiming to be a grandchild needing money for a medical emergency or to make bail. One local area resident lost close to $4,000 in such a scam he said.

The internet is also a source of scams and not just for seniors. Van Blarcum talked about local residents receiving emails from someone they knew claiming to be abroad and needing finances to get home. Van Blarcum gave many examples of the role of technology — both in creating crimes and in fighting them.  A recent shooting near Onteora High School was solved in a couple of hours based on the work of members of the URGENT team and technology. “Within a short time, a computer line up of suspects was being shown to local residents — without them having to travel.”

Van Blarcum profiled the role of the Sheriff’s office and engaged in a discussion of community policing when a resident brought it up. “Wherever possible, officers can be assigned close to where they live,” Van Blarcum said as an example of effecitive community policing.

The Sheriff’s appearance promises to be the first in a series of presentations at the Birchez communities brought by law enforcement. Upcoming sessions will include CarFit and techniques for senior self protection.