Happy Thanksgiving from all your friends at Council on Aging! Please see below for holiday closure information.

CLICK AND GO - TABLE OF CONTENTS

Simply click on the listed item in BLUE,

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• Many Thanks to our Christmas on the River Sponsors!
• COA & Transportation Thanksgiving Closure Information
• NEW: Hastings Happenings - Art Classes!
• Florida Mobility Week Prize Winners
• Hastings Senior Center - Day Trip Fun!
• COA on the Radio: Thursday, 11/30 at 8 am with COA's Amy Robinson
• NEW Book by COA's Paulette Kozlowski: Guidance Through the Care-Giving Journey - Into the World of Dementia - Now Available for Purchase!
• New Virtual Caregiver Support Group
• COA Volunteers Needed! Make a Difference to Local Seniors
• In Nocatee: Savvy Caregiver Course Begins in January
• COA Travel Club - Upcoming Trips
• Employment Opportunities with COA
• IMEP™ - Openings Now Available in St. Johns County
• What Doctors Say About IMEP™
• Strengthen Your Memory with IMEP at HOME
• IMEP™ Calendar - Ponte Vedra Memory Care Center
• IMEP™ Brain Challenge: Election Day Trivia
• Sunshine Center Adult Day Care & Respite Care Available
• River House - November/December Calendar; November/December Free Events
• Center at Nocatee - December Calendar; December Newsletter; November Calendar; November Newsletter
• THE PLAYERS Senior Center PVB - December Calendar; November Calendar; November Newsletter
• Coastal Community Center - December Calendar; November Calendar
• Hastings Senior Center - November Calendar
• Trout Creek Senior Center - November Calendar
• Armchair Travels: Peak Fall Foliage - Aerial Drone Tour
• Music: James Taylor "You Can Close Your Eyes"
• For Foodies: Easy Pumpkin Bread
• Caregivers, You are not alone! Free Caregiver Support Offered by COA
• COA Coastal Transportation - Support COA While You Ride in Comfort
• Turning 90 or Up? Let us know so we can celebrate you!
• NEW Community Resources page - Around Town and On The Web:
• Help Is Available! Visit this page for information on programs and resources available for seniors through COA, online, and through our partners in the community.
• Tech Help for Seniors at River House
• Here To Help at COA
• Seniors Need Your Help Today! Please Join Elder Guard Today

MANY THANKS to all who participated in our Christmas on the River fundraising event for Care Connection Sunday at River House!

We would like to take a moment to thank all of our partners in the community who made this important event possible through their sponsorships. Your generous support will help St. Johns County seniors for the coming year through COA's Care Connection program, which provides local seniors with the crucial services they need in order to continue to enjoy independence and quality of life at home. Care Connection is financed entirely through donations and powered by caring and dedicated COA volunteers. The program supports seniors in remaining in their homes where they are most comfortable, rather than being forced by circumstances to enter assisted living. Services provided include minor home repairs, lawn maintenance, wheelchair ramp construction, as well as assistance obtaining low or no-cost prescriptions, utility assistance, pet food, wheelchairs, and other assistive devices. Care Connection provides the crucial services for which no other funding sources exist.

Thank you to the sponsors below for ensuring that St. Johns County seniors continue to receive the assistance they need to enjoy quality of life and independence! Please join us in thanking our partners below.

Council on Aging offices, centers, and transportation headquarters will be closed on Thursday, November 23rd and Friday, November 24th 2023 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Sunshine Bus and Paratransit transportation services will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23, 2023. They will be in service on Friday, November 24th.

We wish you all a happy and healthy Thanksgiving from all your friends at COA!

Joyce Kahnoff won the blue walker, pictured here with Serena Baker.

We are pleased to announce that the following transportation clients won prizes during our recent Florida Mobility Week event:

Sunshine Bus Winners:

·        David Saunders won the Adult Bicycle

·        Mark Storgill won the Children’s Scooter

·        Susan Vincent won the December Monthly Pass 

·        Patricia Branch won the Sunshine Bus Annual Pass (pictured below with Operations Manager Nelson Wiley.)

Paratransit Winners:

·        Laura Fisher won the red walker (pictured below with Paratransit Bus Driver Ron Joiner.)

·        Joyce Kahnoff won the blue walker (pictured above with Serena Baker.)

Thank you to all who participated! To learn more about COA's Transportation services in St. Johns County, visit www.coasjc.org/transportation.

Patricia Branch won the Sunshine Bus Annual Pass and is pictured here with Operations Manager Nelson Wiley.

Laura Fisher won the red walker and is pictured here with Paratransit Bus Driver Ron Joiner.

The Hastings Senior Center enjoyed their day last Monday in downtown St. Augustine. They started with an enjoyable Red Train Trolley tour with the USA OT students. Then, they joined the Coastal Community Senior Center in St. Augustine for a yummy lunch! 

Join us in Hastings for fun, friendship, and delicious lunches!

To learn more, visit www.coasjc.org/hastings-center.

Click the graphics above at the scheduled time if you'd like to listen online.

New Book, Guidance Through the Caregiving Journey – Into the World of Dementia, by COA’s Paulette Kozlowski

Council on Aging (COA) is excited to announce that COA’s Paulette Kozlowski, RN, CRRN, CDP, QDCS, ADC, has published a new book, Guidance Through the Caregiving Journey – Into the World of Dementia. The book invites readers to step into the extraordinary world of dementia in order to both improve their understanding of the experience of those in their care and improve their caregiving journey. The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble retailers.

Guidance Through the Caregiving Journey – Into the World of Dementia is available for purchase at Amazon, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble retailers. To purchase on Amazon, please click here.

You can make a difference!

Volunteers just like you share kindness and touch lives here at COA. Here are our current volunteer needs:

Drivers Needed for Meals on Wheels – We are need of an individual or team to deliver on Wednesday in St. Augustine. Meals pick up is between 9:30 – 10:00 and this route takes approximately 3 hours to complete. Client list with detailed driving directions will be provided to you. If you have time on Wednesday mornings, this is your opportunity to give back.

Carpentry Skills Needed – Care Connect is seeking individuals who would like to put their carpentry skills to work building Wheel Chair Ramps. We are in the process of putting together teams to work on upcoming projects. Experience is a plus but we welcome those who are willing to apprentice and learn new skills.

PACKERS Needed – Coastal Community Center is looking for volunteers to pack meals. We are looking for three volunteers on Wednesday and two volunteers on Thursday. The location is in St Augustine from approximately 9:00 – 10:00 am. This is your opportunity to “give back”.

IMEP Volunteer – Our IMEP (Integrative Enhanced Memory Program) has an on-going opportunity for a volunteer. This individual will assist the program facilitator with daily activities. We need your help on Tuesdays and Wednesday from 9:00 – 2:00 at the Ponte Vedra Memory Center location.

Administrative/Clerical Assistance – Put your Clerical skills to work by volunteering at the Trout Creek Senior Center. We are seeking an individual that is computer literate to assist with entering participant information. Knowledge of Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel a plus. This opportunity is for Monday and Wednesday and/or Friday from 8:00 – 12:00 in Trout Creek.

Hastings Senior Center – Is seeking several volunteers to help in a variety of areas. 1) Administrative/Clerical tasks, 2) Organizing spaces/closets/supplies 3) Assistance with special events, activities and programs, 4) An individual to lead various classes: exercise, art, music or any “special” class that would be of interest to Seniors. This is an ongoing need on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 8:30 – 12:30. This location is in Hastings. This is your opportunity to fill your time and help others at the same time.



Hastings Senior Center – Friday Volunteer to lead in a Chair Exercise Class. Prefer someone with experience in leading an exercise class of some type, and has knowledge of basic exercise. A certification in Exercise or a Wellness Program is a plus. This opportunity is for Fridays from 10:00 – 10:30 am. Come get physical with us!

For more information or to schedule your interview, please contact COA's Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@coasjc.org or 904-209-3686.

Join our team at COA and spread a little sunshine everyday in our community! We are currently in need of the following;

• Customer Service Representative - Full time
• Transit Drivers - Full time and Part time

. To view information about the position, please click here. We look forward to hearing from you!

Don't wait! Take action today and combat the progression of memory loss and dementia! Our groundbreaking Integrative Memory Enhancement Program, IMEP™, has a few spaces open at our locations throughout St. Johns County. Our researched-based, classroom program is designed to keep your brain active and reduce the progression of the cognitive decline of the aging process and dementia.A few spaces are available in our IMEP classes at convenient locations throughout St. Johns County.

Read what participants say: “It’s a totally relaxed and non-threatening environment. It’s very comfortable – one of the most comfortable I’ve experienced. That’s just as important as the educational aspect – the experience of being in a supportive and caring environment.”

Read what families say about IMEP: “I am so happy that my mom has the opportunity to be part of this exceptional program. Mom is excited, positive, and for the first time in ten years she wanted to go buy herself a new outfit to go to class!”

Get started today! For more information on IMEP™ and to get started, please visit www.imeprogram.com or call (904) 729-9535.

IMEP@HOME - Our groundbreaking Integrative Memory Enhancement Program, IMEP™, is now available for home use. Subscribers receive a weekly IMEP@HOME lesson delivered to their email inbox every week. Cost is only $40 per month.

Get started today! To subscribe to IMEP@HOME visit:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_e3tX6vkoCZq0jrNZ8rgZP-PDZvoAY7H3bnz80txpqbgm8g/viewform

To view a sample IMEP@HOME lesson, visit the following link:

http://imeprogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Sample-IMEP@HOME-1.pdf

For more information on IMEP, please visit www.imeprogram.com.

Instructions: Read the questions and hints below and see how many Election Day facts you can identify. 

1.    Election Day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday of this month: 

a) September b) October c) November

2. In the U.S., the popular symbol for the Republic Party is a/an: 

a) elephant  b) donkey  c) eagle

3. The popular symbol for the Democratic Party is a/an: 

a) eagle  b) donkey  c) owl

4. When keeping track of how states are voting, states primarily voting Republican are depicted with:     

a) red  b) white  c) blue

5. States primarily voting Democratic are depicted with: 

a) black  b) white  c) blue 

Answers:

1. C) November – November was initially chosen because it was after the harvest was brought in, and before harsh winter weather made travelling difficult. 
2. A) Elephant  
3. B) Donkey
4. A) Red
5. C) Blue    

What our participants and families say: "My goal is to not have to put my husband into a nursing home. By him attending COA, it gives me a few hours a week to run errands, go to doctor appointments, or to just do nothing. This has definitely helped my sanity. I am able to cope better with the day-to-day caregiving. If I could afford to send him more days I definitely would, but I'm on a fixed income. I appreciate the funding United Way pays allowing for the extra days. As for my husband, the days he comes to COA his attitude seems better, he sleeps better at nights, his mind and body are getting a workout. Being able to be with other people besides me 24/7 is good for his soul. All the girls who are in charge are great. They are informative, caring and always know how to handle loved ones. When I leave my husband at COA, I know he is in good hands and I never worry about him." 

~ A Sunshine Center caregiver

To register, contact COA's Paulette Kozlowski at (904) 209-3690 or via email at pkozlowski@coasjc.org. For more information on the Sunshine Center, please visit www.coasjc.org/adult-day-care.

The Sunshine Center is licensed by AHCA #9081.

IT'S NOVEMBER IN FLORIDA! For information on what's in season this month in north Florida, click here.

Has your loved one been diagnosed with Dementia?

     Facing problems and need someone to talk to?

Not sure what to do next?

Community-Care Giving is here to help. It’s a Free, Confidential Service for St. Johns County Florida residents and their families.

Community Care-Giving

To get started, please fill out our needs assessment form by clicking here.

Once your form has been submitted, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment with a COA Certified Dementia Care Practitioner who will:

• Set up a time to discuss your situation 1:1
• Develop an individualized education and needs assessment
• Support, Guide, and Empower you to find solutions to those needs.

With SJC COA Community Care-Giving program, you do not have to face dementia alone - your community is here for you. See below for dates, times, and locations.

Get started today!  

Have questions? Email us at: caregiving@stjohnscoa.com

or call (904) 209-3674

LET'S CELEBRATE: Are you or a loved one turning 90 or better this year? We want to hear from you! Contact us at COA and we will send you a simple questionnaire and photo request. Then, during your birthday month, we will celebrate your special milestone in these pages. 

Email Carolyn Karger at ckarger@coasjc.org with your name, email address, birthday and milestone age. Let's celebrate the good times together with our COA community!

Reach out and touch someone...

Social isolation is very difficult for everyone, but it is especially difficult for those who live alone. 

"We want to encourage community members to give COA a call, even if it's just to touch base, chat and reconnect," Becky Yanni, COA's Executive Director, explained.  "We are here to help."

Whether you need answers to questions or would simply like to chat, our friendly COA receptionists are available to take your calls, answer questions and direct you to the staff members and resources seniors and caregivers need Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm at 904-209-3700 or info@coasjc.org.



Please Join COA's Elder Guard Today!