Resources

Yes, it is a true emergency!! If anyone, any age has sudden numbness in their face, arm, leg, especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, lack of coordination. Sudden severe headache with no known cause. Call 911 right away!! This is a real emergency. If left unattended the consequences can be life altering if not fatal.

If you think someone might be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T.

F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?

T—Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.

The sooner someone is treated the better the outcome. Strokes can be potentially reversed or at least stopped if a stroke is treated within the first 3 hours. Call an ambulance. Do not drive them!! The crew on the ambulance can start treatment sooner and the outcome will be better. You want life-saving treatment as soon as possible!!

If you think you are having a stroke call 911 right away. You might not be able to make that call even a few minutes later.

Every year over 800,000 people have a stoke. Nearly 150,000 die each year. Strokes are the leading cause of serious long-term disability. BUT 80% of strokes are PREVENTABLE!!

Most strokes are caused by clots blocking blood flow in the brain and strokes are a leading cause of disability. Some ways to prevent or lower your risk of having a stroke is to stop smoking, limit alcohol,  maintain a healthy weight, eat plenty of veggies and fruit, and exercise. Also be sure you are managing your diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease. Stress and depression can also contribute to the risk of a stroke.

By looking at your own risk factors  of having a stroke and living a healthier lifestyle you can help reduce the odds of having a stroke. Be sure to review all of this with your health care professionals. Check with them before taking or changing supplements to see if they are right for you. Get regular checkups. Reach out to other professionals for help to improve your lifestyle.

And it is never too late to change! Talk to your doctor and modify some things in your life!!

Marketing trends have been heading in new directions for a while but the COVID19 is really pushing that envelope into horizons we cannot even imagine. We currently are living, working, and shopping in ways we never dreamed of. And these new ways too will change quickly as we readjust to a whole new “normal” as we come out of this lockdown.

We will mourn the loss of many things, as we start consuming services and goods in different ways. We will be discovering what companies and businesses have survived. What new businesses have emerged.

Stopping for a coffee can be a good example. How many of us stopped daily for that great cup of Joe? Couldn’t live without it…. Until….. Our lives changed. The habit got broken because we were no longer leaving the house every day. The question becomes how many cups of coffee will that business sell as we all come out of this pandemic? Will the local shops even reopen?

Companies must adjust quickly if they plan to survive and be profitable over the next 5 years. Marketing trends have been heading in new directions for a while but the COVID19 is really pushing that envelope into horizons we cannot even imagine.

Trends show we will continue to hold virtual meetings which will become a more efficient use of time. We will socialize in every different ways. We have found we do not like social distancing so much. Clubs will pop up and memberships will increase. Facebook groups will evolve and start gathering in person. Established groups such as VFWs, The Elks, The Moose will attract new members. Senior Centers, the Y, Park n Rec and similar organizations will experience a surge in activity as people discover their new routines.

The public will spend months perhaps years looking for and discovering their new day to day habits. And when creating this new life, they will select the parts they liked and discard what they will not do again, and businesses need to be where the consumer can find them such as SeniorCenterCt.org. This collective site is trusted and contains trusted information. This cutting-edge resource is that place where users find what they are looking for, mark their calendars with activities and though clickable ads find services and products they are looking for. Plus, then can relay all this information to their family and friends.

Businesses need to:

• Be that trusted advisor/service/site/provider
• Strengthen existing customer relationships
• Identify real opportunities and shift accordingly
• pinpoint key priorities
• determine their brand and do extensive brand building so their company is easy to recognize
• Be ready for the recovery

And all businesses need to be very aware of the senior population. As a group they will be for the most part the least affected by all of this. For the most part their income will continue to be very stable. And they still will be purchasing and consuming at the rate they were.

Resources like SeniorCenterCt.org will grow in popularity as the senior population, their friends and families are looking to establish and get back their “new” ordinary lives.

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that Connecticut residents over the age of 65 will be eligible to schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments starting on Thursday, February 11, 2021, as the state rolls into the next part of phase 1b of its vaccination program. Vaccinations for individuals over the age of 75 and those within phase 1a will continue.

With approximately 350,000 individuals in Connecticut between the ages of 65 and 74, and a slightly increased but relatively small weekly supply of the vaccine being received in the state from the federal government, Governor Lamont and state public health officials are stressing the need for patience on the part of Connecticut residents.

Currently, the state anticipates receiving about 60,000 first doses of the vaccine per week from the federal government.

“In a perfect world, we would receive enough doses of the vaccine to make it available to everyone in Connecticut right now, however each state is being given a very limited supply, which is why we need to phase it in and give priority to the most vulnerable populations,” Governor Lamont said. “I know that people are anxious to receive it, and I will continue advocating for our state to receive increased allocations in the coming weeks and months.”

“COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted older individuals and individuals in traditionally underserved communities,” Connecticut Public Health Acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford said. “Now that we’ve vaccinated the majority of our highest risk age group, we are ready to move to those over the age of 65. However, we want to ensure that within this high risk group, we focus on getting vaccine to individuals within the group who come from communities that have been hardest hit by the virus, namely our Black and Latino communities. We are working with our vaccine providers and other community partners to identify underserved areas and focus vaccine resources into those areas, including providing transportation assistance and other solutions to address barriers to vaccine access.”

All eligible residents are required to make an appointment in advance of receiving the vaccine. To find available vaccination clinics throughout the state, residents can visit ct.gov/covidvaccine and enter their zip code.

Appointments can be made utilizing the following tools:

VAMS online system: VAMS is the Vaccine Administration Management System and can be used to schedule appointments at multiple clinics across the state. To make an appointment using this system, click here.

Call Connecticut’s COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Assist Line: Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccine appointment assist line is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week. To make an appointment, call 877-918-2224.

Hartford HealthCare: Hartford HealthCare has multiple locations throughout the state, including large clinics in the Hartford area. To make an appointment using this system, click here.

Yale New Haven Health: Yale New Haven Hospital has multiple locations throughout the state, including large clinics in the New Haven area. To make an appointment using this system, click here.

Stamford Health: Stamford Health is operating a clinic seven days per week at Stamford Hospital. To make an appointment using this system, click here.

Walgreens: Walgreens is currently offering the vaccine at 12 different locations and will soon be adding many more across the state. To make an appointment using this system, click here.

CVS: CVS is currently offering the vaccine in four locations (Colchester, Putnam, Waterford, and Windsor Locks) and will be expanding to 12 more locations in the next week. To make an appointment using this system, click here.

Walmart: Walmart will be offering the vaccine at seven locations across the state (Hartford, New Haven, North Windham, Norwalk, Torrington, Waterbury, and West Haven). To make an appointment using this system, click here.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccination distribution plans in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.

People continue to be surprised on what is still happening in Senior Centers as we continue dealing with COVID and all of those restrictions.

Well first off, the Senior Center Staff is still working. They are just as helpful as they were when you were there. They miss you, too!! They cannot wait for you to come in those doors!

The staff is just as committed to serving you – it’s just that things are different

The Senior Center phone lines are manned, and you can still get your questions answered. Call and let them know what you need help with.

You can still sign up for Meals on Wheels, Fuel Assistance, Elderly & Totally Disabled Tax Relief Program, AARP income tax assistance, and other programs. Or get the information on how you can apply.

You can find out which of these programs you are eligible for. Plus, any others you might be able to take advantage of.

You can get Meals on Wheels delivered to your home.

Most Senior Centers are still providing transportation.

Many Senior Centers have meals you can order and pick-up curbside.

If your local Senior Center is not distributing food, they can tell you where your closest location is.

There are lots of virtual and Zoom classes available. The beauty of those is that you can attend events that are well out of your area. There is no need to travel to a Senior Center across the state. Just register and login on the day and time the event is happening.

SeniorCenterCt.org has a Zoom calendar on the main landing page. Just click on the Zoom Calendar icon and you’ll find any number of things you can do.

Here is an example of some of the virtual and Zoom classes that you might find: Tai Chi, Genealogy, Sing Along, Trivia, lectures on a number of topics, paint night, bingo and more!!

So, call your Senior Center and see if you can pick up jigsaw puzzles, books from the Senior Center Library, or maybe even craft kits. Who knows, give them a call, and ask!!

So even though, you might have thought your Senior Center is CLOSED, it’s not really…. It’s just that the public cannot go into the building.