collage of clients 


SENIOR MOMENTS
brought to you by 
Meals on Wheels and
 Senior Outreach
Services 

        925-937-8311            
         
IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome New Volunteers
Words We Live By
Upcoming Events
Media
AmazonSmile
Available Resources
Awards and Recognition
We're Hiring
Making A Difference
Meals on Wheels
C.C. Cafés
Fall Prevention
Healthy Bites
About Town
WELCOME NEW VOLUNTEERS
 
Meals on Wheels

Dave Abel
Rebecca Bhatt
John Boland
Angie Campbell
Martin Cortez
Angel Garcia
Kathleen Hayakawa
Kristen Mahler
Ed Manning
Robert Maroon
Sandeepa Nayk
Marsha Pieternelle
Joan Redford
Jim Rhodes
Laurie Sparrow-Price
Angie Sylvia
Denice Torres
Robert Ward
 
 Friendly Visitors
 
Vicki Bonardi 
Peggy Glickman
Sarah Glickman 
Judy Hatz
Linda May
Rebecca Merino 
Sheila Peterson 
Kim Wiseman
 
Office Volunteers
 
Sandeepa Nayak
Laurel Pang
WORDS WE
LIVE BY 
 
Excerpt from email to Cynthia Black, Health and Wellness Division Manager:
         
"Thanks so much for coming to do Tai Chi with our volunteer senior peer counselors.  They really enjoyed it.  You are quite the expert.  I am impressed. 
I'll be in touch for you to come again in the near future."
Liz
UPCOMING EVENTS

YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program  Pleasant Hill

 Session A: Mondays at 12:00pm
Session B: Tuesdays at 6:30pm
Cost: $35.75 per month for twelve months
For more information or to sign up, please contact Tracy Rogers, YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program Coordinator at
925- 887-4511 or
~~~ 
11th Annual
Living Better After 50

Featuring "Act II Improv"


Saturday, April 16th

8:45am - 3:15pm


 Pittsburg Adult Education Center,

Community Resource Building

1001 Stoneman Avenue, Pittsburg


 Flyer
 ~~~


Senior Rally Day

 Capitol Hill, Sacramento

 ~Save the Date~

 

Wednesday, May 11th

~~~


 

Convoy of Hope

Seize the Moment

 
Saturday, April 23rd
10:00am
Meadow Homes Park
2199 Sunshine Drive,
Concord
Help serve thousands of guests who will receive free groceries, haircuts, job services, and more.
 
~~~

Ombudsman Services
presents
From Theory to Practice 2016:
Residents First
 
Thursday, April 21st
8:00am - 4:00pm
Pleasant Hill Community Center
320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill
Register online here.
  Event Flyer
~~~
 
Laugh, Love Learn
Senior Live Well Forum
 Resource Fair

Friday, May 6th
8:30am -1:00pm

Pleasant Hill Senior Center
233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill
Click here
for more details
~~~


Free Family Caregiver Workshop

Tuesday, May 24th

1:00pm - 3:00pm


 

1300 Civic Drive,

Walnut Creek 


 Flyer

~~~
 

Live Well Resource Fair

Saturday, May 14th

8:30am - 12:30pm
 

Alcosta Senior Community Center

9300 Alcosta Blvd.,

San Ramon

~~~


MOWSOS Volunteer Appreciation Picnic

~Save the Date~

 

Thursday, June 16th

1:00pm-4:00pm


 Heather Farm,

Walnut Creek

~~~
Media
 
NBC Bay Area News captures March for Meals Community Champions Week.

More March for Meals Press:

  

AmazonSmile
 
 
 
When completing your shopping on Amazon, use Amazon Smile and pick Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services as your charity of choice.  Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to our organization.
  
Make your purchases count, visit smile.amazon.com! 
Available Resources

Free tax preparation February through April, 2016, for people with limited to moderate income in Contra Costa County.
For a location near you, click here.
~~~
Taxes Done Right!
EarnIt, KeepIt, $aveIt!

Free tax service you can trust.
  

29 Hunger Action Items
Here are some simple things you can do to  combat hunger and food insecurity.
Awards and Recognition

#WalnutCreekWorks Commendation from

Mayor Haskew

 

 Clayton Valley Women's Club

Celebration of Living Award 2016

  The Rotary Club of the Delta, Antioch

Certification of Appreciation

awarded to Elaine Clark

"In honor of Your Contributions and Presentation." 





New MOWSOS Position

Join the MOWSOS team as
our new
Volunteer Specialist

Check out the job description and help us spread the word!
Issue 4, Volume 4
April 2016
  donate_now_green_btn.gif
 
 
More than a meal!  A great reminder that delivering meals to homebound seniors is more than providing food.  Meals on Wheels volunteers are invited guests into  homes five days a week.  The friendships that develop are a lifeline for many isolated seniors.  The daily delivery and wellness check are life-saving.
 
Connecting older adults to fall prevention services, legal services, family counseling, health care, and regular visiting have primarily come about through calls from concerned volunteer meal deliverers.  More than a meal.
 
As the aging population grows and the need for supports increases, MOWSOS is planning for the future.  We continue to look for pockets of isolation and need within the County.  Currently we are focusing on growth in Far East County, an area lacking many of the social supports available in other parts of the County.  As we consider sustainable options, join us by becoming a volunteer or donating your financial resources.
 
Together we are more than a meal!

 
Sincerely,
 
Elaine Clark signature
 
    
Making A Difference
A Life of Volunteering Together

When people retire, it's not uncommon to see them relaxing and taking it easy.  But for Fran and Dominic Confetti, 78 and 83 years old, respectively, that notion never entered their minds.         
null
Dominic and Fran on their wedding day.

After reading a call to action for volunteer drivers in their church bulletin, the Confettis have been delivering meals together for twenty years.
 
"I had just retired and was looking for a way to keep myself busy and productive," says Dominic.  "I delivered on my own until Fran  retired and we've been delivering together ever since." 
 
Dominic and Fran both enjoyed forty year careers in the Bay Area and today enjoy time with their three children and seven grandchildren.
 
Fran and Dominic today.
"Volunteering for Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services has been an 
enriching and fulfilling experience for us," says Fran. "We have formed many relationships and friendships over the years."
 
"It's so easy to give your time," says Dominic, "and the feeling you get inside makes you feel so good."  Fran adds, "There's a real need out there.  If you have the time - just two hours a week, you should try it!"
 
For more information on becoming a MOWSOS volunteer, please contact Leigh Shughou at [email protected] or 925-239-2487.
Meals on Wheels
9606
red-table-setting.jpg

March for Meals A Success!

The week of March 21 - 25 marked Meals on Wheels' "March for Meals Community Champions Week," a national campaign to raise awareness about senior needs, especially around hunger and isolation.
  
As a member agency, Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services participated locally and invited community leaders to take part in meal delivery
ride-a-longs around the county.

District V Supervisor, Federal Glover, rode alongside
long-time volunteer drivers Fran and Dominic Confetti.  (see Making A Difference story above).

"Meeting the people receiving Meals on Wheels impressed upon me the importance of the services that go beyond simply delivering a hot meal for the elderly," says Glover.  "For many of the clients, the Meals on Wheels volunteers are the lifeline to the outside world and sometimes their only social contact for the day.  During their visit, the volunteers can evaluate the health and living conditions of the clients and connect other social and health services to the people they visit." 

He adds, "The volunteers who deliver the meals are really a special group of people.  They don't just deliver a meal, -- really, they deliver a social connection and love."

Community leaders who participated included:
  • District V Supervisor, Federal Glover
  • Antioch Mayor Pro-tem, Lori Ogorchock
  • Clayton Mayor, Howard Geller
  • Martinez Mayor, Rob Schroder
  • Pleasant Hill Mayor, Sue Noack
  • Oakley Mayor, Kevin Romick
  • Orinda Mayor, Victoria Smith
  • Walnut Creek Mayor Pro-tem, Rich Carlston
  • Pleasant Hill Councilmember, Tim Flaherty
  • Concord Councilmember, Dan Helix
  • Walnut Creek Councilmember, Bob Simmons
  • Bay Point All in One President, Delano Johnson
  • Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, Lt. Paul O'Mary and Deputies Katie Rhoe and Matt Buckley
  • Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County Executive Director, Will McGarvey
  • Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council Member, Debra Mason 
     
  • American Medical Response (AMR), Public Information Officer, Alicia Moore and EMTs Sarah Dotson and Jason Kalan
  • Dayna Wilson, Keller Williams Realtor.  
Proud Sponsor:
 

For more information on the Meals on Wheels Program, please contact Nancy Raniere at [email protected] or
 925-937-9606.  

C.C. Caf�s


   cc cafe logo        
Vision Loss Presentation at the Concord C.C. Caf�
         
Margaret Zhou, a 3rd-year UCSF medical student, treated the Concord C.C. Caf� diners to an informative presentation on the risk factors and early signs of vision loss and what we can do when vision loss occurs.

Zhou's presentation is part of a collaborative partnership between Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services, John Muir Health, and UCSF.
Pictured from left to right:  Margaret Zhou, UCSF Medical Student and Presenter; Jamie Elmasu, John Muir Health Fund, Community Program Coordinator; and Sharon Fitzgerald, MOWSOS Nutrition Services Division Manager.
 
"John Muir Health aims to provide a community-based experience to the UCSF medical students that rotate through our physician practices," says staff at John Muir Health. 
"By partnering with trusted community organizations, such as MOWSOS, the students are able to promote health through education while also growing their perspectives of the broad health needs of the community."
 
C.C. Caf�s are open to everyone 60 years or older. Contact Sharon Fitzgerald at [email protected] or
925-891-4872.
 Fall Prevention

            
 Vision and Falls


Thirty-five members of the Fall Prevention Coalition enjoyed a presentation on eye diseases and how the dieases can increase fall risk. 

MOWSOS Board Member, Emily Hopkins, sporting a great new look.
Dr. Jeanette Hochstatter of Foresight Optometry in Concord shared information on causes and symptoms of eye diseases that can develop as we get older.  The doctor recommended annual eye exams to detect changes in vision early.  Because the  progression of some diseases may be slow, we may begin losing parts of our vision without realizing it. 

Participants had a chance to see for themselves what different types of vision loss look like and how to protect their eye health.
null
Dr. Jeanette Hochstatter, Foresight Optometry (left) and Alayne Balke, Fall Prevention Program Manager.

If you would like to learn more about fall prevention, please contact the Fall Prevention Program Manager, Alayne Balke, at [email protected] or 925-891-4761.
           
Our next presentation on May 17th will focus on heart disease, diabetes and falls.  Visit our website for upcoming meeting dates and locations.
Health and Wellness

sunflower.jpg
The Ball's in Her Court
 
At the ripe young age of ninety, Ruth Enrico is taking up Tai Chi and having a ball with her friends at the Bay Point C.C. Caf� -- includingp erfecting the "holding the ball" pose
with her Tai Chi classmates during her 90th Birthday celebration.

"Mom has had a number of health-related ailments including atrial fibrillation which was diagnosed in 2012, " says Ruth's daughter and fellow Tai Chi participant, Vickie McKer. "We had to find ways to keep her active, mobile and social."

Ruth's 90th Birthday Celebration.

From left to right:  Ruth Enrico, Bonnie Tussing, Dee Etheridge, and Edna Bussey.

On the recommendation of a close friend, Vickie enrolled her mother in both the C.C.Caf� lunch program and MOWSOS' Tai Chi class in Bay Point.

MOWSOS' Health and Wellness Division Manager and Tai Chi Instructor, Cynthia Black, commends Vickie's persistence in keeping her mother involved. "Staying connected and being physically active are critical components of staying healthy as we grow
Pictured from left to right:  Vickie McKer; Ruth Enrico; and Bay Point C.C. Caf� Site Manager, Evelyn Baclig.
older," says Black. "Ruth's mobility and balance have been greatly enhanced since she began taking the Tai Chi class over one year ago."

"MOWSOS has been a big help to me," says Ruth.  "I love spending time with my friends at the caf� and Tai Chi class."  I don't have to use my walker as much and only use a cane when I walk long distances--that makes me feel really good about myself," says Ruth.
         
For more information, please contact the Health and Wellness Division Manager, Cynthia Black, at [email protected] or 925-239-2484.
 Healthy Bites

    fitness_woman.jpg

Seasonal Harvest: Asparagus


The fleshy green spears of asparagus are both succulent and tender and have been considered a delicacy since ancient times.

 

This highly prized vegetable arrives with the coming of spring, when its shoots break through the soil and reach their 6-8 inch harvest length. In California the first crops are picked as early as February, however, and the season generally is considered to run from April through May.
           
Check out this bountiful collection of healthy asparagus recipes from www.eatfresh.org.
 About Town

March for Meals Community Champions Week

Pleasant Hill Mayor, Sue Noack (left) and MOW client, George Injayan.

Volunteer Driver, Mike Ambrose (left), and Antioch Mayor Pro-tem, Lori Ogorchock.

MOW client, Laurena (left), and Pleasant Hill Councilmember, Tim Flaherty.

MOW client, Robert Hall (left), and Keller Williams Realtor, Dayna Wilson.

MOWSOS volunteer driver, Dan Mc Donald (left), and Concord Councilmember, Dan Helix.


MOW client, Larry Lunsford (left) with MOWSOS volunteer driver, Bill Buenneke (right), and Keller Williams Realtor, Dayna Wilson.

MOWSOS Volunteer Driver, Bill Barbanica; MOW client, David Strongman; and Bay Point All in One Executive Director, Delano Johnson.

 Sheriff's Deputy, Matt Buckley; MOW client, Amalia Aldana; Lt. Paul O'Mary; and Sheriff's Deputy, Katie Rhoe.


If you have suggestions for our newsletter or would like to contribute a quote, photo, or story, please contact:
Leigh Shughrou
Public Affairs Specialist
Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services
925-937-8311 x104
[email protected]

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 
 
As a 501(c)3 we are eligible to receive bequests.  Please contact Erica Marcus at [email protected] or 925-937-8315.
 
1300 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 
925-937-8311  mowsos.org