Senior community bulletin

The Newcomers Club of Central Florida is hosting a luncheon and general meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19, at McCormick and Schmick's Seafood Restaurant at the Mall at Millenia. Advance reservations are required. If you're new to the area, newly retired, or just ready to make new friends, this is the women's club for you. For more information, call Tina Parrish at 407-359-1497, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.newcomerscfl.org.

Excerpts from the Orange County Commission on Aging Newsletter August 2010:

Counsel for Caregivers Seminar – Elder law attorney Carolyn Sawyer is the August speaker and will focus on Medicaid planning and other legal concerns at 12:10 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19, at the downtown Orange County Library, 3rd Floor, Albertson Room; 101 E. Central Blvd. The event is free and lunch is provided to the first 50 who RSVP to 407-836-7446 or [email protected].

Orange TV – You can now watch many of Orange TV's video clips at any time on the web. Visit www.orangetvfl.net and click on "vital living–seniors".

RSVP – The Orange County RSVP Office has a new website: www.rsvporlando.org. Visit to learn more about volunteering in Orange County.

Orlando@50+ – The National AARP conference is in Orlando this year at the Orange County Convention Center from Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Visit www.aarp.org/events to register and see why this event attracts more than 25,000 people every year!

Cool website - www.partnershipsforolderadults.org looks at how to establish community partnerships to develop innovative solutions and options that meet the needs of seniors.

Alzheimer's - The Social Security Administration has added early-onset to the list of conditions under its Compassionate Allowance Initiative, giving those with the disease expedited access to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/adult.htm for more details.

Fraud Protection –The Investor Protection Trust has a new "clinician's pocket guide" that identifies common warning signs and techniques to gauge a person's financial capacity. Visit www.investorprotection.org/ for more information.

End-of-Life - A new study found that nursing home patients who participate in a program that enables them to record their wishes for end-of-life treatment are less likely to receive unwanted hospitalization and invention. For more information, visit www.americangeriatrics.org/press/id:999/.

Caregiving – You can create your own private website to help family and friends stay in touch and updated during someone's illness. Visit www.caringbridge.org to learn more.

Medicare Advantage Program – This Kaiser Family brief explains how the health care reform law affects the Medicare Advantage program, visit www.kff.org/healthreform/8071.cfm for details.

Positive Ager: The SRA "50+ Lifestyle Guide" features a positive ager in its bi-monthly magazine. Visit www.sraflorida.org to learn more about this issue's positive ager: Rita Bornstein.

Did You Know… Alzheimer's Disease is the 7th leading cause of death. On average, African-Americans waited six years; American Indians, five years; and Caucasians, two years from the time they recognized symptoms of dementia to the time they sought a diagnosis. Source: Alzheimer Association.

Recommended Reading … "The Longevity Prescription: The 8 Proven Keys to a Long, Healthy Life" by Robert Butler

Senior Trip – Those 55 and older are invited to join the Recreation and Parks Department as they travel to Tampa to spend the day at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino on Tuesday, Oct. 12. Try your luck at the 145,000-square-foot casino, with over 2,500 of the hottest Vegas-style game machines on the planet! The cost is $25 per person before Oct. 1 or $30 before the registration deadline on Oct. 8. Round trip bus service will be provided by JB Bus. To register for the trip, visit Riverside Bank at 1600 Lockwood Blvd, or call 407-971-5575 for more information.

The Winter Park Health Foundation (WPHF) has approved an $8,000 grant to the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce to create a leadership program for older adults in Winter Park. It will be patterned after the Chamber's successful Leadership Winter Park program which has been offered for 20 years. This program offers a behind-the-scenes look at issues and challenges facing Winter Park. The Chamber also offers a Youth Leaders program twice each summer for local high school students. The pilot program for older adults will be tested twice, once in the fall and once in the spring. Feedback gathered from participants will help shape the content and format for future sessions. For more information, contact Lynn Carolan at 407-644-2300, ext. 234, or [email protected].

Walk, run, stroll: all of these options are available at the Jewish Pavilion's "A Walk in the Park" on Sunday, Oct. 3, at Crane's Roost Park in Altamonte Springs. The festivities will include free food, entertainment, a health fair with flu shots and health screenings, a Baby Boomers and Seniors Expo, T-shirts for walk registrants, give-a-ways and more. Vendor tables are available for only $100. Over 700 people are expected to participate. For more information or to register for the walk, visit www.jewishpavilion.org.