Wednesday February 27 at 7:30 pm

Feature #1 - Resident Advisors

Living in an apartment complex that has an on-site service that can help you get information and link you to the community sounds rather appealing.  There is such a service in existence, highlighted here.

FURTHER INFORMATION
A resident advisor (resident service coordinator) links residents of senior housing with supportive programs and services in the community with the goal of helping seniors remain independent.  A resident advisor can explain Medicare, supplemental insurance, Lifeline, and other programs.  He or she can help a resident find out how to purchase medications at a lower cost, find someone to help with housekeeping, arrange home delivered meals, or connect with many other services. 

For further information you can contact: Nikki Ferguson, Director Embury Apartments, at 518-691-1551; Kathleen Ide, Administrative Coordinator, DePaul Housing Management via email Kathleen.Ide@rcda.org  or call 459-0183; or Pauline Bourgeois via email at bourgeoisP@nehealth.com.

Feature #2 - Veggie Mobile

It's been a long time since the milkman, bread man and the green grocer came into the neighborhood to deliver their goods.  But there's a new van in town--brightly colored, musical, and carrying fresh fruits and veggies to some neighborhoods.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
In April 2007, Capital District Community Gardens launched The Veggie Mobile as an innovative program aimed at increasing the availability of affordable fresh fruits and vegetables for inner city residents and senior citizens who live in areas that don’t have easy access to grocery stores. To provide easy access to nutritious food options, CDCG brings the store to the people. Running year-round, the Veggie Mobile provides convenient access to healthy, fresh food to inner city neighborhoods in Schenectady, Albany and Troy. The vegetables and fruits offered for sale on the Veggie Mobile are sold at cost to the consumer, making them more affordable than buying fruits or vegetables in the grocery store.

For more information on Capital District Community Gardens’ Veggie Mobile contact Amy Klein, Executive Director at 274-8685 or via email at amy@cdcg.org.

Contributing Segment - Pillows For Patients

The seniors at the Schodack Senior Center sit for long hours making heart and kidney-shaped pillows for patients at Albany Medical Center.  These pillows are used to help those who recently had kidney or heart surgery.  The patients really become attached to the pillows, helping their healing process become a speedy recovery.
 
If you’d like to find out more about the knitting and sewing group you can contact Barbara Fausner, the Director of the Schodack Senior Center, at 477-6581

For information on volunteering at Albany Med, please call Kelly Morrone, manager of volunteer services, or Kim Read, administrative support associate at (518) 262-3491.

Interview

Ken Harris, CASP
Director, The NYAHSA Center for Senior Living and Community Services
A Division of the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
150 State Street, Suite 301
Albany, New York 12207
Telephone: 518-449-2707, ext. 139
Email: kharris@nyahsa.org

Ken Harris is the Director of The New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, Center for Senior Living and Community Services. His duties include regulatory and legislative review of federal and state housing, community services and assisted living policy, legislation and regulations.  Ken has 20 years of experience in providing non-profit housing and services for seniors and individuals with special needs in a variety of settings. Prior to NYAHSA, Ken was the Executive Director for B’nai B’rith Parkview Apartments in Albany, New York.