GAC - Blog

We are Meals on Wheels

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:47:00 -0400

The Golden Age Centers is proud to be a part of the Meals on Wheels Association of America. Through our partnership with the Meals on Wheels Association we work to eradicate senior hunger in our community.

We are working every day to put an end to senior hunger by delivering nutritious meals and providing compassion to seniors in our community.

To receive home delivered meals call 216-481-4959.

Golden Achievement Awards - 2011

Tue, 24 May 2011 10:29:00 -0400

Deemed as the most "Esteemed Gathering of the Year", the Golden Achievement Awards dinner was held May 1st at the Country Club. Many thanks to the attendees who paid tribute to this year's honorees and bid on wonderful silent auction items, all for the benefit of the Golden Age Centers Senior Hunger Fund. The Senior Hunger Fund provides funding for an annual average of 280,000 group and home delivered meals to thousands of low income seniors in Cleveland.

Allan Bellin and Family - Honoree - Education

Dr. Michael Roizen, Barbara Bellin Janovitz and Lori Joseph Schmitt - Dinner Co-Chairs, Dr. William Ruschhaupt - Honoree - Medicine

Martha Towns - Honoree - The Arts
Allan Bellin - Honoree - Education

(L-R) - Dr. Michael Roizen, Past Honoree, Lee Seidman - Honoree - Community,
Charles Ratner - Honoree - Business, Barbara Bellin Janovitz - Dinner Co-Chair,
Allan Bellin - Honoree - Education

Phyllis and Dr. Avrum Froimson - Past Honoree
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Jewish News)

Jane Seidman (Middle) - Honoree - Community
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Jewish News)

Joe Tait - Honoree - Sports Legends
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Jewish News)

Joe Tait and young fans
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Jewish News)

Paul W. Alandt - Honoree - Gerontology

Van Donation - Commodity Supplemental Food Program Launch

Wed, 18 May 2011 14:21:00 -0400

A public celebration was held to recognize the donation of a new, fuel efficient Ford Transit Connect vehicle by the Meals on Wheels Association of America. This home delivered meal van will greatly enhance the Golden Age Centers ability to cost effectively deliver an average of 750 nutritious meals daily to homebound, often low income seniors, in Cleveland.

A partnership with the Cleveland Foodbank, through the newly implemented Commodity Supplemental Food Program, will provide an average of 500 boxes of shelf stable nutritious food monthly to homebound and low income seniors in our community. We are proud to be a partner in this pilot program in Cuyahoga County.

Bob Herbolsheimer, Vice President, Meals on Wheels Assoc. of America
Angela Velasquez, CEO, Golden Age Centers of Greater Cleveland

Anne Goodman, CEO, Cleveland Foodbank
Angela Velasquez, CEO, Golden Age Centers

Loading boxes of nutritious food for homebound seniors into the new vehicle.

Community advocates for seniors.

Bridget Montana, GAC Board Chair

Photos from Annual Meeting

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:22:00 -0400

Gathering important information at the Senior Information Fair.

Enjoying a festive time!

Many thanks to volunteers from Eaton Corporation and Delta Gamma Sorority-CWRU

Guests included Mayor Frank Jackson, Angela Velasquez, CEO Golden Age Centers, Nancy Mendez United Way Services, and Councilman Michael Polensek.

Many thanks to the Downtown Kiwanis Club for their long time financial support of
GAC.

Bridget Montana, Chair, GAC Board of Trustees, congratulates S.R. Petry II for his induction as a Life Member of the GAC Board of Trustees.

Many thanks to our corporate Sponsors: HCR ManorCare, Aristocrat West, Westpark and Crestmont North Healthcare facilities, Crossroads Hospice, Kiwanis Club of Downtown Cleveland, Hospice of the Western Reserve. Thank you Lakeshore GAC for your hospitality.

Monitoring your Medication Interactions

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 10:26:00 -0400

DrugWatch.com is a comprehensive Web site database featuring extensive information about thousands of different medications and drugs currently on the market or previously available worldwide. DrugWatch.com includes up-to-date information about prescription and over-the-counter medications and includes details about associated side effects to aid in the protection of patients and consumers.

For more information call - 1 – 800 – 452 – 0949

Holiday Gift Giving Touches GAC Seniors

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:58:00 -0400

The holidays can often be a lonely time.   Thanks to the generosity of the Eaton Corporation Legal Department, UPS Customs Brokerage office, and Hands on Northeast Ohio volunteers, hundreds of isolated seniors in Cleveland received practical and enriching holiday gifts including: personal care and household items, handmade afghans, handmade cards, and warm clothing.   Many thanks.

Meeting the Senior Hunger Crisis

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:12:00 -0400

Help the Golden Age Centers meet the

Senior Hunger crisis....

Imagine Aging.....

Alone

Afraid

Hungry

Each weekday, 800 homebound, frail seniors in Cleveland receive quality home delivered meals from the Golden Age Centers.

Most live on incomes of $700 or less a month.

Most are faced with difficult choices: Food or Medicine, Heat or Meals.

This year, there has been a 50% increase in the number of Cleveland seniors who need home delivered meals provided by the Golden Age Centers.

More Than a Meal, the home delivered meal program also provides daily monitoring and professional support.

You can help the Golden Age Centers provide for seniors in need. Make a donation today, (only $6 provides a nutritious home delivered meal to a homebound senior) click here to donate.

Callie Hopes - Volunteer Blog

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:06:00 -0400

I suppose success can be measured in many ways. Depending on one’s station in life, obtaining higher education might make them feel successful. An upwardly mobile or steadily progressing career might do the trick for someone else. Retiring as a respected pillar of one’s professional community may very well be the culmination of a lifetime of several collective successes. Arguably, all of these measurements ring true.

But how do you measure influence? I believe it’s in the eyes of those around you; more so, I believe it’s in the hearts of those who need you.

As a young professional who has always tried to reach for the stars, I’d become quite expectant of the accolades of managers, clients, even peers to validate my feelings of success. But as a recent volunteer with Golden Age Centers, my influence in the lives of people who may have never framed success in the terms that I had, has made me feel more successful than any professional accomplishment ever has.

Once a week, I visit the E. J. Bohn Center as the Arts & Crafts Volunteer. It always feels so uncomfortable when the staff or participants thank me, as I always walk away feeling as if I’ve received so much more than what I put in. Recently, a senior, with limited motor skills, and fairly impaired speech smiled the biggest smile and said “This is the highlight of my week;” her smile, their laughs, and the appreciation they all show make visiting the Bohn center the highlight of mine.

Before I actually began volunteering with GAC, I met with the volunteer coordinator and read the stats. I read about the meals GAC provides. I read about the transportation the organization offers, and the home visits social workers conduct. It was all very nice, but admittedly very abstract. It wasn’t until I met the people, heard their stories, and got the chance to really peek into their actual lives, that I realized what influence GAC is having on the greater Cleveland community; I’m humbled that I get to share in the success of it all.

Callie Hopes
GAC Volunteer

Shout! was a great time for all!

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:52:00 -0400

A great time was had by all at Shout! As promised, the night was filled with fun, dancing, and grand grazing! Thanks to all who attended and a special thanks to all of our sponsors. $0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0

Case Western Reserve University Students help GAC

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:37:00 -0400

Many thanks to students from Case Western Reserve University who participated in Case Community Day. A few groups of Case students cleaned and painted Bohn and Lakeshore Golden Age Centers. Thanks again! Your help is greatly appreciated!

Volunteer satisfaction assured!

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:00:00 -0400

“The Golden Age Centers are a great place for Golden Agers, and younger folks, to volunteer. We’ve been coming here for months and feel privileged to be a part of something positive in the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. We’ll be a part of the Golden Age Centers as long as they will have us!”

Sandy and Ed Werden volunteer with the GAC monthly, packaging food for home delivered meals to homebound seniors. They love the people that they work with and are proud of the quality of food GAC provides to seniors in need.

SHOUT!

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:47:00 -0400

SHOUT! Retro Dance Party

Did you know that GAC’s home delivered meal waiting list has risen 50% in the past few months? Because of this increase, many needy homebound seniors are waiting to receive home-delivered meals and The Golden Age Centers needs your help! How about a fun filled night with dancing and mingling, while still helping an important cause and many senior citizens in the Cleveland area? Does not seem like a bad deal to me! The SHOUT! Dance Party will be help October 2^nd, 8 – 11 p.m., at the Cleveland Yachting Club, 200 Yacht Club Drive, Rocky River. It is going to be a night filled with music, food, beverages, and fun! If you would like to join us at this festive event check out our home page and follow the link to buy tickets. You can also contact Lynn Krumholz at 216-231-6500, ext. 120 or by email lkrumholz@goldenagecenters.org, for more information or details. Your support is greatly appreciated and you will not be sorry. Don’t miss out on an event that is sure to be a great time for all!

Kara Allocco
GAC Intern

Senior Health Fair - Interesting and Festive!

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:22:00 -0400

Senior Health Fair - Interesting and Festive!

In June, the City of Cleveland Department on Aging, in conjunction with the Golden Age Centers held their Annual Senior Health Fair at the LakeShore Golden Age Center. Seniors learned about various health benefits and providers, and received health screenings. Lively musical entertainment and great refreshments were provided in a festive atmosphere. Many thanks to all who participated! See you next year.

Seniors Give Back!

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:23:00 -0400

Seniors Give Back - GAC Faces of the Month

Sandra Nunn is an active participant at The Golden Age Centers. She not only attends the Paul Alandt Lake Shore Center regularly, she teaches knitting classes there. Once Sandra retired about a year and a half ago, she began teaching classes to the other women at GAC. She teaches them the basic skills of knitting and crocheting and then progresses to knitting blankets, scarves, and slippers. Sandra said, "It is a very rewarding experience teaching her friends and fellow GAC members a skill that is so important to her, as well as skill that they will have for the rest of their lives."

Sandra not only helps the other women learn to sew, she and the GAC knitting group also make hats for premature babies at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. "Before I retired, I came up with the idea to make hats for the babies because their heads are so small that one cannot find hats to fit their heads. It actually got addicting because it is fun and does not take too long," said Sandra. Sandra says that every fourth birth is a premature baby so the hospital can really use these hats. Sandra and the Golden Age Center knitting group also make hats for The Salvation Army to distribute to homeless persons and a local daycare center.

Sandra certainly enjoys her time at GAC. Besides knitting, she loves to watch movies with the others, socialize, and just being around people she can relate to. It has positively affected her life because she enjoys being able to get out of the house and be with people her age. "We get to go on trips to restaurants and malls, as well as participate in the exercise club. I really enjoy playing the new Wii game system that the center just got and watching movies," said Sandra.

"Hats off" to Sandra and so many other seniors who make this world a better place!

Older Americans Month and the Golden Age Centers

Mon, 03 May 2010 13:10:00 -0400

The Golden Age Centers (GAC) embraces May as Older Americans Month, continuing to celebrate the achievements of older adults and provide support, as needed. Every day, the Golden Age Centers provide an average of 1,200 senior citizens in Greater Cleveland with:

A hot nutritious lunch meal, either in a group or home delivered setting.

Transportation to and from GAC senior centers and to critical appointments.

Enriching, educational, and fun recreational, cultural and socialization opportunities to reduce isolation.

Rewarding volunteer opportunities.

Critical health screenings.

A friendly and professional staff to lend a hand in times of need.

The Golden Age Centers honor older Americans and look forward to working with them for many years to come!

You too can help!

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:47:00 -0400

I have noticed that aging can be quite an experience. After visiting the home of a home delivered meal client, the importance of the Golden Age Centers is much more meaningful. Sometimes people don’t take the time to realize that life can be so much more of a blessing with a little bit of help. The 86 year old woman that I visited was very thankful for the services that the Golden Age Centers provides for her. She has very limited mobility and very little family or friends to help, so a hot meal everyday is very beneficial to her daily nutrition. Working for the Golden Age Centers and visiting the homes of clients has really impacted the way I view the aging process. Assistance is something that so many elderly people need and we can all help. You too can donate or volunteer your services to the Golden Age Centers. Call us or email at 216-231-6500, ext 120, or email lkrumholz@goldenagecenters.org.

Kara Allocco
Intern at the GAC

Golden Age Centers Annual Meeting - A festive time to celebrate!

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:07:00 -0400

The Golden Age Centers of Greater Cleveland would like to thank everyone who attended its Annual Meeting today. The meeting was a great success, thanks to seniors who attended, GAC Board members, community partners and vendors. A special thank you to the Visiting Nurse Association for use of their wonderful conference room.

With a lively group of seniors, outstanding board members, and generous vendors, the day was a great turnout. The business was discussed, but most importantly the day was filled with smiles, laughter, and dedication. Dan Ellish, musical entertainer, and E.J. the cartoonist, both brought out some laughs, singing, and even some dancing.

A special thanks to the sponsors, The Kiwanis Club of Downtown Cleveland, HCR Manor Care, and PK Management. Also, thanks to the speakers, Cris Branche, Bridget Montana, Joan McCarthy, Susan Federico, Leona Sellers, and James Armour.

We would like to thank all of our seniors who came out. The Golden Age Centers are here to serve you. We hope that all of you had a great time and look forward to seeing you all next year!


The Annual Meeting had a great turnout!

The Senior Information Fair was well received!

The head table, Jim Armour-GAC CEO, Councilman Michael Polensek Ward 11/GAC Board Member, Bridget Montana-Chair GAC Board of Trustees

Enjoying some social time


Singing, laughing, and even some dancing!

Many thanks to HCR Manor Care for their sponsorship.

Primary Meeting Sponors- Kiwanis Club of Cleveland, PK Management, HCR Manor Care. Many thanks for your generosity.

Make Yourself Safe in Your Home - Free Grab Bars and Hand Rails!!!

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:11:00 -0400

Attention seniors 62 and over and family members - The Senior Safety Program, through the Cuyahoga County Department of Development and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health is offering the following services free of charge to eligible residents in the 50 communities of the Cuyahoga Urban County:

Grab Bars
Hand Rails
Smoke Alarms
CD Alarms
Transition Strip
Carpet Stretching

Seniors 62 and over are eligible to apply. Maximum income for a family of one is $36,300 and a family of two is $41,500.

Deadline for application is April 15, 2010. Call 216-348-4066 for an application or visit www.development.cuyahogacounty.us or your local city hall.

March - National Nutrition Month - GAC's role in helping Cleveland's at risk seniors stay healthy!

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:55:00 -0400

March is National Nutrition Month, a nutrition education and information campaign created by the American Dietetic Association. For over 50 years, The Golden Age Centers of Greater Cleveland has played a primary role in providing healthly lunchtime meals in a group setting and vitally needed home delivered meals to homebound seniors in the Greater Cleveland area.

Did you know that:

** The Greater Age Centers serve more than 1200 hot and nutritious meals EACH DAY to seniors in need?

** 93% of seniors receiving home delivered meals are eligible for nursing home care, but are able to stay in their homes, with assistance from the Golden Age Centers?

** $100 provides 100 home delivered meals to one senior for one month?

** The GAC is a primary provider of vouchers which enable low income seniors to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, normally not attainable within their budgets?

We are proud to provide outstanding programs which enhance the quality of life and independence of older persons. Thanks to the Golden Age Centers of Greater Cleveland, 291,745 hot meals were provided to needy seniors over the past year!

Meet Isabel Taylor - GAC's Face of the Month

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:30:00 -0400

Isabel Taylor, a 90 widow who lives on less than $1,000/month, is frail and alone. She says that her participation in the Lake Shore Golden Age Center, gives her a daily purpose and provides her with the necessary support to continue to live independently. She is one of the more than 5,000 elderly who live in the Cleveland community served by the Golden Age Centers of Greater Cleveland.

Five days a week, community donations to the Golden Age Centers, provide free transportation, a nutritious hot meal (for many, the only meal they will eat all day) and a variety of social and educational services. 55% of the seniors served by the GAC live alone, 72% are women, 90% or more live below the poverty level, and 98% of the home delivered meal clients are eligible for nursing home care. Many participants have multiple disabilities such as cognitive impairment, physical limitations, and hearing and visual impairments. Without the support of the GAC, this vulnerable population would face insurmountable obstacles.

Come hear the stories of Isabel and so many like her, who benefit from GAC programs which promote independence, alleviates loneliness and isolation, and defines what a caring society is truly about. Help support the Golden Age Centers by attending the GAC's Annual Meeting, 3/22 or by sending in a donation via How You Can Help on our website.

"The true measure of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable members."

Fulfilling and exciting volunteer opportunities!

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:45:00 -0400

The Golden Age Centers offer a variety of volunteer opportunities which will benefit primarily low income, frailer and isolated seniors served by the agency throughout its sites, and provide a most satisfying volunteer experience. These include ongoing or one time direct service opportunities such as:

Teaching craft classes.
Running games such as bingo, pinochle, cards and chess.
Leading a variety of exercise activities at varying levels.
Helping serve noon time lunch meals.
Delivering home delivered meals to homebound seniors.
Providing an educational program or talk.
Storytelling or reminiscing.
Playing piano, leading a choral group, or providing musical entertainment.
Organizing and executing festive parties.
Socializing with seniors.

Come join us provide outstanding programs and supportive services which enhance the quality of life and independence of older persons!

Contact: Lynn Bercu Krumholz, Golden Age Centers, 216-231-6500 ext. 120, lkrumholz@goldenagecenters.org

What’s Your RealAge?

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:46:00 -0400

What’s Your RealAge?

At GAC we believe “Aging Matters to Everyone!” It’s a process we begin at birth, a rite of passage, and what we do with this allotted time ultimately depends on us. With that in mind, I’d like to recommend one of my favorite websites - and I can’t stress this enough - this site has something important to say to everyone - from teen-agers to nonagenarians. It’s easy to use, informative, innovative, and you’ll keep going back for more. It’s called RealAge and it helps us become a full partner in designing a wellness program that is uniquely ours. The RealAge Program and web site were founded by Dr. Michael Roizen, Chief of the Cleveland Clinic Health & Wellness Institute and noted author and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Basically you’re asked this question - “Are you biologically younger, older or the same as your calendar age?” You can take the RealAge test that’s available online and you’ll quickly receive the answer. You also begin to understand that feeling younger isn’t as hard as you thought and you’ll get a personalized list of what’s making you younger or older. Keeping track of our chronological age is important for planning birthday celebrations but the age of our bodies tell us a lot more about the way we live. Once you have completed the test, you’ll periodically receive wonderful tips about healthy aging that are great reinforcements. All right, you’re not a test taker. Check out the site anyway. Everyday there are wonderful ideas and options for staying young. The very best part is this information is available 24/7 by taping in these simple letters RealAge.com.

The “Shoulds”

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:46:00 -0400

The “Shoulds” . . .

I’ve found great thoughts often develop during lunch with good friends. Some conversations are worthy of serious consideration. That’s the case with an idea I first heard about almost 20 years ago. It’s all about the “Shoulds” we have in our lives. We know how easily we can slip into feelings of regret or anxiety about what we should or should not be doing. One afternoon, while a group of us were talking about stress in our lives, a very wise friend [a learned professional] asked all of us, “Do you know about the tapes? The tapes she referred to are the endless thoughts that play, over and over, usually uninvited in our minds 24 hours a day. They’re the “Should Tapes.” You know, “I should be thinner,” “I should be on time,” “I should clean out all the closets.” You probably have some of your own. Well it turns out we can do a better job of combating these thoughts and saving them for a more appropriate time than 3:00 AM. We can temporarily stop the tapes by consciously thinking to ourselves, “I’m turning off the tapes.” If you can begin by just turning the tapes off for a brief time, don’t despair, it’s a good beginning. The rest will come more easily as we condition ourselves to be in charge of when we listen to the tapes of our lives. Frankly, I like to say the words out loud. “I’m turning off the tapes.” It has a certain resonance to it. Of course, it’s best to repeat that phrase out loud only when you’re alone.

A Gift to Remember

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:45:00 -0400

A Gift to Remember . . .

A family friend of ours delighted his children and grandchildren last holiday season by committing to paper, a history of his family. He doesn’t use a computer so he took pen in hand and told their stories in his own words, on a yellow legal pad. He recorded facts and memories from his early childhood, young adult years, middle age, and slightly beyond. He captured the essence of his family’s life, the holidays, vacations, births, losses, and the character of those involved in the journey. When he was finished, he photo-copied the pages, stapled them together, wrapped them carefully, and presented them on Christmas Day to his adult sons and his brothers. What a labor of love. Each was captivated by the history and recopied them for their children. The story was read aloud to the youngest ones. At this time of year when thoughts of the upcoming holidays begin to creep into our consciousness I thought about the priceless gift our friend had given his children. What a labor of love! Would it be difficult to commit our own story to paper. Possibly, but well worth the effort. It need not be a formal genealogy, just glimpses of the more recent generations who came before us and influenced us in ways many of us are just beginning to understand. One of the best ways to get started is a trip to the Western Reserve Historical Society [WRHS], one of Cleveland’s landmark institutions, a virtual treasure chest of information. They’re located at 10825 East Boulevard in University Circle. They also offer classes that will satisfy the most inquisitive researcher. The WRHS Library’s Archives & Genealogy Center [open Thursday through Saturday, 10AM-5PM] is one of the largest family history research centers in the country. While you’re there you might check out the Museum’s gift shop because a good way to get started is to create a “Family Tree.” You’ll find wonderful, affordable “Family Tree Keepsake Charts” you can fill in and present on birthdays, reunions, or christenings. Visit the Museum in person or check out their web site www.wrhs.org. There is no simpler way to include the young and the not-so-young than to record their names in a personal family history you all share.

A Small Treasure

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:43:00 -0400

A Small Treasure . . .

Sometimes I think there’s not enough importance attached to the everyday routine of our lives; the small things, the things that if taken away would cause a deep ache in our hearts. While I pondered this thought I was reminded of an experience a GAC Social Worker shared with me. While performing a scheduled assessment of a frail, home-bound senior, the question of good nutrition was raised. “Mary,” a 92 year old former registered nurse, lives in Cleveland’s inner city, in a home she shared with her husband, a retired high school principal, until his death 11 years ago. Through the efforts of Mary’s husband, changes were made to insure that their home was made handicapped accessible. This action allowed Mary the opportunity to continue to live in the comfort and safety of her own home. While responding to the social worker’s question about nutrition, Mary spoke glowingly about how much she values the delivery of her daily hot meal. “When I hear my door bell ring and the GAC driver call out my name, I know it’s going to be a better day.” When asked about her other food options Mary acknowledged that the Home-Delivered-Meal is her only full meal of the day. I was deeply touched by Mary’s story. It centers around a wonderful senior who has adjusted to the many complexities of life. It is a story that includes a compassionate team of professionals: a caring social worker, a dedicated kitchen staff, a driver and a jumper, all deeply involved in the lives of each senior they serve. A perfect example of how a small treasure - a hot meal delivered to the front door - instantly becomes an enormous pleasure.

The pleasure of your company

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:41:00 -0400

The pleasure of your company . . .

One of my favorite quotes - often repeated around our offices - probably because the older we get, the more sense it makes, is: “Youth is a Gift, Aging is an Art.” To emphasis the point, GAC established annual Golden Achievement Awards to honor individuals of mature years who have made a significant contribution to the quality of life in our community. Seventeen years later we are still at it, spotlighting the accomplishments of an amazing group of individuals who redefine aging in their personal lives and serve as exemplary models for all of us. You’ll meet them here on this Blog and learn what they have to say about getting older and smarter, the pros and cons of retirement, and how they look at the opportunities advanced years can offer. By the way, the “pleasure of your company” is requested for Sunday, May 2, 2010 for the 2010 Golden Achievement Award Gala. It’s also time to consider the possibilities. Have you ever looked at a list of names that reflect a certain category of work and thought that “so and so” would be an excellent addition to the list? If so, the time is now. It’s easy: write to us, e-mail us, or phone us. Tell us why you believe your nominee[s] would make excellent Honorees. We will be delighted to facilitate the process. Contact numbers are available at the end of this post. Nominations for Golden Achievement Awards are accepted in one or more of the following categories: Business, Community Service, Education, Gerontology, Medicine, Sports’ Legends, and The Arts. To find out more about the Golden Achievement Honorees [1993-2009] click onto: www.goldenagecenters.org and scroll down to Golden Achievement Awards.

And the Award Went To

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:41:00 -0400

And the Award Went To . . .

The Annual GAC Golden Achievement Awards made their debut on the first Sunday in May of 1993. Joseph M. Foley, MD was the first recipient of the prestigious award for Medicine. Massachusetts born in 1916 and Harvard educated, Joe was recruited in 1961 by University Hospitals of Cleveland to serve as Director of the Division of Neurology where they were putting together a clinical-basic science group focused on the nervous system. Joe answered the call. The Center for the Assessment and Care of the Aging opened in 1981. Such was Joe’s influence in that endeavor that six years later it was renamed The Joseph M. Foley ElderHealth Center. Joe is known internationally as “an innovative and groundbreaking researcher” who, through his work, teaching and leadership, propelled the field of neurology into the 21st century.” Recently, when asked to comment on his own aging experience Joe’s response was predictable and memorable . . . “Probably the most important thing is that I’m adaptable. I’ve been able to adapt to the changes in my life. I think more attention should be given to the facts of aging: what aging does and what it doesn’t do - the limitations and the opportunities of aging. As one ages one acquires a certain amount of experience and background. Some call that wisdom. I’m not sure it is but it definitely allows you to think things through, make decisions, put things in perspective - too many people deny the onset and process of aging. The danger in doing that is they accept the limitations and infirmities that come with aging without trying to make changes and accommodations to compensate. In doing that, they give up living actively; they give up being involved and retreat from the rest of the human race.” Today at 93, Joe is still actively engaged within the community. His enthusiasm for life comes from a true generosity of spirit. His wisdom, intelligence and quick Irish wit make every meeting he attends much better for his presence and participation. I’d say, Joe is not officially retired. Last week he addressed the 2nd year medical students at CWRU who now understand why Joe is a considered a legend in his own time. You can find more about Dr. Foley by clicking onto benrose.org then Myth Busters.

The Blog!

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:21:00 -0400

Welcome . . .

It is our distinct pleasure to welcome you to GAC’s newly updated website and the launch of the GAC Blog. We’d like to share thoughts and ideas with you though this wonderful technology called “blogging” that allows us to easily communicate with each other. “To Blog or Not to Blog” - your choice of course - but know we’d like to hear from you. You can state your opinions, provide some insights into the issues that interest you or just join us as a silent partner.

Contact us at: Golden Age Centers of Greater Cleveland
12200 Fairhill Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44120

About this blogger: Jeanne Hoffmeyer is the Director of Development for The Golden Age Centers of Greater Cleveland and editor of GAC’s annual Resource Guide, CLEVELAND: Resources, Services & Treasures. Jeanne claims not to be an expert in aging but agrees that her work [over a quarter of a century with GAC] has allowed her many great opportunities to meet an amazing range of individuals who influence the way we look at aging today.

You can reach Jeanne at www.goldenagecenters.org/Blog