Fall Into the Season: Health, Laughter, & Connection

Dear Friends,

Taking care of ourselves and each other is always top of mind at the Council on Aging Martin County, and especially so as we approach the autumn months and flu season.

In this issue of the newsletter, our Day Primary Clinical Director Katie Diamond shares with us her thoughtful and well-researched advice on being proactive about our health and taking positive steps to stay healthy through the upcoming holiday season.

You’ll also find the Big Reveal of our upcoming Kane Center entertainment series. Laugh, applaud, maybe make some new friends, and see what our Membership and Event Coordinator Lisa Bharath has in store of us this season.

We hope to see you soon at an event, or call us if you need us. We’re Your Hub for Senior Resources.

Sincerely,

Karen Ripper, President and CEO

Katie Diamond, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, CDCES, BC-ADM, Clinical Director, is a much loved and respected practitioner in our Day Primary Care Center. Katie helps us cut through the confusion about whether and which vaccines you should get this fall to protect your health.

A Safe Shield for the Season Ahead: Protecting Your Health and Your Holidays

As the autumn air brings a welcome crispness to Martin County, we look forward to cooler days and spending time with loved ones. With the holiday season just around the corner—from Thanksgiving gatherings to New Year's celebrations—we all want to be healthy and present for those precious family moments. This year, we have more safe and effective tools than ever to protect our health, and choosing to get vaccinated is a decision you can make with confidence.

Health experts are urging vigilance against a "triple threat": influenza (the flu), COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). In my role as a Nurse Practitioner and the Clinical Director at Day Primary Care, I have unfortunately witnessed the devastating impact of these viruses firsthand. I've cared for patients through severe complications after long hospital stays, and tragically, I have seen these illnesses lead to loss of life. An illness like this can do more than affect our health; it can cause us to miss out on the traditions and memories we cherish most. The vaccines available to us have undergone rigorous evaluation to ensure they are safe, effective, and ready to protect you.

Let's look at the highly effective and safe vaccines recommended:

• ​The Influenza (Flu) Vaccine: This vaccine has a decades-long track record of safety. Getting your annual flu shot is a simple way to leverage this proven science to prevent an illness that could keep you from the Thanksgiving table.
• The Updated COVID-19 Vaccine: With billions of doses administered globally, the safety of COVID-19 vaccines is well-established. This updated vaccine is specifically designed to fight the most recent variants, keeping you protected and ready for holiday travel and family visits.
• The RSV Vaccine: This new vaccine’s safety was the highest priority during its development. It was studied extensively in thousands of adults aged 60 and over to ensure it is a safe and effective tool to prevent severe RSV, which could otherwise lead to hospitalization during a time meant for celebration.

Protecting yourself is not only safe but also convenient. You can often receive your flu and COVID-19 vaccines on the same day. I strongly encourage you to schedule a conversation with your healthcare provider or pharmacist. They can answer any questions you have about these safe and life-saving immunizations.

Here at the Council on Aging, we want you to enjoy a season of vibrant health and uninterrupted joy. Staying healthy means not having to miss a grandchild's school play, a cherished holiday dinner, or a visit with dear friends. Taking this simple, protective step is the best way to ensure you are there for all of it.

Katie Diamond and the other healthcare providers at Day Primary are accepting new patients. Call 772-223-7864 or visit our website coamartin.org to find out more.

Looking for something special to lift your spirits and make unforgettable memories? Join us for a season of fun-filled entertainment at the Kane Center.  

Whether you're here for the live music or just to spend quality time with friends and family…there’s something truly magical waiting for you. As Lisa Bharath, our Membership and Event Coordinator explains it, “Expect smiles, new friendships, and experiences that will stay with you long after the day is over”.

So come as you are, bring your whole heart, and get ready to laugh, dance, explore, and be part of something truly special…because sometimes, the best memories are made when we simply show up and enjoy the moment together.

Click here for dates, times and ticket information.

Got plastic grocery bags looking for a good home?! You can do a good deed for the environment by keeping these bags out of the landfill and help the Council on Aging Martin County’s Meals on Wheels program at the same time.

Staff from Meals on Wheels, headquartered at the Kane Center, prepares over 100,000 hot, healthy meals annually in our commercial kitchen. Volunteers deliver the meals with a warm smile to local seniors and other community members in need from Monday through Friday. The service is a true lifeline for many clients who might otherwise have no one to check on their well-being.

You can play a part in this enormously important enterprise by donating your extra plastic bags. Drop them off at the Kane Center, 900 SE Salerno Road, weekdays between 8:30 am and 5 pm.

The Meals on Wheels program depends on generosity from the community as well as volunteers committed to the mission. Every donation helps. To find out more, go to our website www.coamartin.org. 

Our staff members are well known for their devotion to serving the community. This September we turned the tables a bit and launched the first annual Health & Wellness Fair to be sure that our employees are taking care of themselves as well. 

Held at the Kane Center, the Employee Health & Wellness Fair was a new and exciting opportunity for our teams to come together and prioritize their own health and wellness by discovering resources, specialists, and services that are available to us all throughout our community. Smoothies, healthy snacks, goody bags, and some special giveaways made the event fun as well as meaningful.

Both employees and vendors gave amazingly positive feedback about the event. Our Human Resources Manager Angelica Day assures everyone that, “We’ll do it again! I’m very excited to organize another Employee Health & Wellness Fair next year, with the goal of keeping our employees informed and engaged.” 

The project to create a larger, more welcoming Memory Enhancement Center and a more private and secure Adult Day Club is well under way at the Council on Aging Martin County.

We’re committed to maintaining our programs during construction, and we feel fortunate that we found a contractor who agrees that clients come first. All work is being done after hours and on weekends.

“This plan means that construction is taking longer than if we went at it full bore,” our facilities guru Adam Levenson reports, “but we’re doing it the right way for our clients. The final results are going to be terrific for clients, families and staff.”

Construction is expected to run through mid-October.

Once again we want to thank the generous donors who contributed to the Council on Aging Martin County to make the project possible: Nancy Angsten, Mr. and Mrs. George Barngrover, and the Wong Family Foundation. Their care and concern for our seniors will make a substantial difference in the lives of every client and family member who need the services of the Memory Enhancement Center or the Adult Day Club.

Interested in learning more about Adult Day Club? Check out our website.

John Strader, Co-Chair of the Southeast Florida Alzheimer’s Association Board of Directors based in Fort Lauderdale, had heard great things about the Council on Aging Martin County. In August, he came to see for himself.

Mr. Strader was quite impressed (we knew he would be!) by our programs, including the Adult Day Club for people experiencing mild or moderate dementia or mobility issues, the Memory Enhancement Center for building up brain muscles and helping people improve their memory, and the GUIDE program to provide patients and caregivers with the resources they need on a daily basis.

If a loved one, family member, friend or neighbor needs help, please reach out to the Council on Aging Martin County. Our care navigators can help.

Call 772-223-7800 or visit coamartin.org.

The smiles were contagious as the Misty’s Pals, a group of volunteers with the Humane Society of Martin County, ushered in some very well-dressed dogs for the entertainment of Memory Café participants at the Kane Center.

All 10 of the dogs came in costume, and one even demonstrated how to properly push a walker! Wagnolia’s provided treats for the canines, and everyone was thrilled to enjoy treats from Mister Softee.

It’s not too early to put the Poinsettia Power Luncheon on your calendar! This event is a holiday tradition, full of fun, fashion, friendship, shopping and good food – all to benefit the cherished Meals on Wheels program in our community.

A Table of 8, at $1,200, covers the cost of 20 meals. A Table of 10, at $1,500, covers 25 meals. How can you be sure to secure a great table and have the most fun? How about making it a neighborhood event? Be an ambassador from your local neighborhood or gated community and build a table of 8 or 10 fun folks who are eager to get into the holiday spirit. You’ll have a great time while doing good!

To learn more about Poinsettia Power, visit our website.

The generous contributions you make to the Council on Aging Martin County directly support our Mission. When you make a gift to benefit our programs, you help seniors reduce loneliness, anxiety and depression. By supporting our work you help build a sense of purpose and social connection for our community's seniors.

You can make a gift today or plan for the future. Please contact Michele Leigh Jacobs, Chief Philanthropic Officer, to discuss opportunities that best suit you, your philanthropic priorities and your passion for our senior community.

Email: mjacobs@coamartin.org
Direct: 772.223.7803
Secured Online Giving: www.coamartin.org

About the Council on Aging Martin County

For seniors, their families, and caregivers, the Council on Aging Martin County is their trusted and comprehensive hub for the resources they need for a safer, healthier, and happier life. 

From services like the Adult Day Club and Day Primary Care Center to exercise classes, games to improve memory, concerts and social events, the Kane Center on Salerno Road is a beehive of activities. Services also take to the road – like Meals on Wheels, providing a hot meal and a warm smile to more than 500 homebound and needy Martin County senior residents in their home each day, or Senior Dining Centers at locations throughout the county in East Stuart, Jensen Beach, Indiantown and Hobe Sound, offering a healthy lunch and socialization through exceptional programming. The Elder Care Mobile Outreach Bus, the newest member of our family of care management services, brings knowledgeable and compassionate staff directly to seniors in local neighborhoods. 

For 51 years, the Council on Aging Martin County has been working tirelessly to inspire a community that embraces, uplifts and encourages seniors to maintain lives of quality and purpose. 

We invite you to visit us in person, explore our website at www.coamartin.org, or connect with us on social media to learn more about the wide range of services offered by the Council on Aging Martin County. Our staff and volunteers are ready and eager to help.