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Throughout September, the Ohio Department of Aging partnered with individuals, groups, and organizations around the state to raise awareness of the epidemic of older adult falls and the many things older adults can do to reduce their risk. The fifth-annual “10 Million Steps to Prevent Falls” campaign boasted 114 local walking events or groups. In all, 13,242 individuals walked 50,693 miles, or 126.7 million steps, in the name of older adult falls prevention.

One in three older adults will fall this year. An older Ohioan is injured in a fall every five minutes on average, and two older Ohioans are hospitalized each hour. Three older Ohioans die each day because of a fall-related injury. While older adults make up nearly 17 percent of our population, they account for more than 87 percent of fatal falls.

“Older adult falls are a community issue, which is why ’10 Million Steps to Prevent Falls’ engages partners at all points in our communities,” says Ursel J. McElroy, director of the department. “We thank all our partners for making fall prevention a priority. We far exceeded our goal and posted a record number of steps.”

Regular physical activity, such as walking, is one of the most basic things older adults can do to reduce their risk. “10 Million Steps to Prevent Falls” encourages older adults to remain active as the weather begins to turn colder. The agency’s goal is to have at least 4,000 Ohioans of all ages walk at least one mile to raise awareness.

Community partners volunteered to create local walking groups or events. The events were spread around the state and throughout the month, with the majority taking place on National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, Sept. 23. Partners included state agencies, area agencies on aging, senior centers, local health districts, local school districts, health care providers, long-term care providers, Alzheimer’s Association Chapters, businesses, and more.

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 Holiday Lantern Tours at Hale Farm & Village transport guests to the Christmas season in the 19th Century Western Reserve.

This holiday tradition is a 90-minute lantern-lit evening tour held November 30, December 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 19-23. 

With lantern in hand, stroll through Hale Farm’s Wheatfield Village during the Christmas Season. The historic houses, delightfully decorated, are the backdrop for tales of holidays long ago. Meet the village residents as a story unfolds and join in the merriment. After each tour guests are invited to join in a holiday party. 

“Hale Farm & Village’s Holiday Lantern Tours are a seasonal tradition; they evoke the sentiments of days past, and there is a new tale to tell each year,” says Jason Klein, Director of Hale Farm & Village. 

During all tour dates, the MarketPlace at Hale Farm & Village will be open, featuring handcrafted at Hale gifts as well as favorite local artisan and Ohio made selections. While shopping, guests can enjoy a sweet treat or a glass of Ohio-crafted wine or beer. 

Tours depart every twenty minutes, beginning at 5:40 pm. dress appropriately for this indoor/outdoor activity. Attendance at Holiday Lantern Tours requires reservations in advance. 

Reservations can be made by calling (330) 666-3711 ext. 1720 or by email at [email protected]. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for members and $12 for children ages 3-12, group rates are available for 10 or more adults.

Photo: Candlelit lanterns set the atmosphere in the Historic Village for Hale Farm & Village’s Holiday Lantern Tours. Photo credit: Nancy Balluck 

Hale Farm & Village, a living history museum of the Western Reserve Historical Society, is located on 90 acres in Bath, Ohio with 32 historic structures, farm animals, heritage gardens, farming and early American craft and trade demonstrations. The location is open for a summer season June – August, Wednesday – Sunday; weekends only September and October; and signature events or educational programming during other times.

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Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 69 million Americans will increase 1.6 percent in 2020, the Social Security Administration announced recently.

The 1.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 63 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2020.  Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2019.  (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits).  The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages.  Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $137,700 from $132,900.

Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail in early December about their new benefit amount.  Most people who receive Social Security payments will be able to view their COLA notice online through their my Social Security account.  People may create or access their my Social Security account online at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

Information about Medicare changes for 2020, when announced, will be available at medicare.gov.  For Social Security beneficiaries receiving Medicare, Social Security will not be able to compute their new benefit amount until after the Medicare premium amounts for 2020 are announced.  Final 2020 benefit amounts will be communicated to beneficiaries in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security’s Message Center.

The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated.  To read more, please visit socialsecurity.gov/cola.

 

 

 

 

This press release was produced and disseminated at U.S. taxpayer expense.

 

 

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Criminals will often watch different individuals to determine who is not paying attention and who is most likely to be surprised by their actions.  Criminals are looking to take the victim by surprise because if the victim is surprised, the criminal is much more likely to be successful. ...

Trusting others also makes the elderly a target for scammers. The “grandparents” scam is one that seems to always be around. The “grandparents” scam is when an older person receives a call, usually in the middle of the night, from someone claiming to be their grandchild. The caller claims they’re in trouble and need money immediately and to not tell mom and dad. They play on your emotions. The caller will usually ask the victim to buy gift cards and scratch off the back of the card to reveal the ID number, and then have them read the number over the phone. This is a scam that has been going on for years. ...

Has this ever happened to you? An elderly neighbor or family member tells you about a phone call from a "relative" asking for money for an overseas emergency. Or they have a new "friend" who needs money for a business venture or a medical bill. If you help with managing their money, you suddenly notice a dip in their bank accounts or missing checks. What should you do? This article gives helpful information about protecting a vulnerable, elderly loved one or friend. ...

Social Security - what to get, when to get it, can be confusing for many of us. Brandon P. Smith, public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration Cleveland office. He'll be writing columns and answering your questions about Social Security. ...

Pun alert: we’ve got a few books we think you’ll fall for this autumn. Carve out time for a couple of these titles and leave the busyness of the season behind. These book suggestions are from Jason Lea, Community Outreach Coordinator for Mentor Public Library and reference librarian Cailey Williams. 

 Go to mentorpl.org to learn about upcoming library events.

 

Mrs. Everything 

By Jennifer Weiner

Jo and Bethie Kaufman have always been opposites. As children, Bethie was the good girl, while Jo’s dress was always dirty. Bethie never questioned their mother, and Jo pushed boundaries. But when push comes to shove, the sisters always have each other’s back. Growing up in the 1950s, coming of age in the 1960s, and into adulthood, their experiences couldn’t be more opposite. One takes the traditional family route, and the other joins the counterculture of the day. Follow these very different women on their journeys through life, love, good times and bad, and see that no matter what happens, they have each other.

 

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper 

By Phaedra Patrick

Arthur Pepper, 69, is a quiet man focused on his routines. While cleaning out his late wife’s things, Arthur discovers a charm bracelet he’s never seen before, a hint to his wife’s life before they married. Stepping entirely out of his comfort zone, Arthur goes on a journey to discover the hidden stories behind these charms, taking him to Paris, London and even India, where he learns more than he ever wanted to know about both his wife and himself.

 

The Keeper of Lost Things

By Ruth Hogan

Forty years ago, Anthony Peardew lost a beloved keepsake. Since then, Anthony has become the keeper of lost things, gathering the lost items he finds on the bus, in the park, on the street, carefully documenting and saving them in case their owners ever come looking.

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