Republished with permission from The Vermont Standard
Well, I completely forgot last week to report on the wonderful Book Club meeting we had with Cassie Horner, whose book, Lucy E we read last month. It was interesting to learn how she went about her family research & which parts of the book were fact & which were fiction. It certainly showed that life was far from easy in VT in the aftermath of the Civil War, especially for women. Our book for discussion on 11/6 is Orphan Trail by Christian Kline.
We are pleased to announce that Janis Hall from Senior Solutions will be our speaker at the 10/16 Reach Out Luncheon, held in the downstairs Community Room of Tyson Church. Open to anyone in the community, come learn what services are available to seniors in our area. She has another appointment, so will start speaking promptly at 11:00 AM. Soup, grilled ham & cheese sandwiches, salad & apple crisp are on the menu!
Consider attending the Shakespeare Alive performance on Sat, 10/18 at the Union Christian Church at noon. I attended last year & it was very clever & wonderfully funny! These NYC performers are extremely witty & talented & should not be missed….
Another important meeting is 10/28 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM, when Betsy Burghardt, Director of Case Management, at Mt. Ascutney Hospital & Health Center will be on hand at the Plymouth Schoolhouse Community Center to help us understand & complete Advanced Directives. The VT Ethics Network form is a exceptional tool to help sort out what you want to have done medically speaking & it is a gift to your loved ones so that they know exactly the kind of care you want when you are not able to explain it for yourself. Even if you already have one completed, this would be a good opportunity to review it. Plan to attend!
Hopefully folks stopped by the Tyson Ladies Aid table at Bounty Day & looked at some of the books that are available at the Tyson Library. That tiny building houses a large number of good books, some of which are very current. The Library, currently open 10:00-noon Tues – Sat, will close for the season on 10/11. You can access reading material, however, by calling Julia Baldwin at 228-4017 or Carolyn Scott at 228-3125.
At the TLA meeting on 10/2, it was decided to bring non-perishable food items to our Nov meeting to be given to Black River Good Neighbor Services for the Food Shelf. Our December meeting/Christmas party will include a hat/mitten/scarf tree, items which will then be donated to charity. This is a lively group of ladies & anyone is welcome to come to one of our meetings & consider joining. Although not part of Tyson Church, the meetings are held in the Community Room downstairs at the church on the 1st Thursday of each month.
I am including (with permission) an article that appeared in the Rutland Herald on 10/1. Entitled: 60 PLUS: OLDER ADULTS AT GREATER RISK OF CO POISONING by Sandy Conrad (executive director of Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging) & Joyce Lemire (executive director of Senior Solutions in southeastern Vermont. The Senior HelpLine can be accessed by calling 800-642-5119.
A co-worker of ours recently experienced symptoms of mild carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, which prompted us to learn more. It turns out that older people, and those with respiratory illness or heart disease, are at greater risk of CO poisoning than the general population. So now, with the heating season upon us, let us review the dangers and recommend some precautions.
According to the University of Vermont Extension Service, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning death in our country. CO is produced by combustion or fire, and cannot be smelled or seen. Any equipment that burns fuel to operate may become a hazard if not maintained properly, or if adequate ventilation is not provided.
Symptoms of mild CO poisoning may include dizziness, headache, irritability, weakness, confusion, and/or nausea. These types of symptoms can also be caused by a number of other health problems. For this reason, the cause of illness may escape notice. Meanwhile, the source of poisoning remains. Continuous exposure to low levels of CO can cause confusion, depression and memory loss.
Severe CO poisoning causes additional symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty moving and thinking; and eventually leads to loss of consciousness, coma and death. Carbon monoxide is known as a silent killer. People of middle and advanced age are more at risk, as are babies and children. Now is the time to take precautions and reduce your risk.
Follow these tips can make your surroundings safer:
Make sure the exhaust vents and fresh air intakes of your home are kept clear of snow, ice and leaves.
Have your furnace, stove, stovepipes and chimneys inspected and cleaned by professionals every year.
Install CO detectors with UL-approved label. Follow instructions carefully, and replace after five years.
Avoid using unvented kerosene space heaters, if at all possible. If you must use one, follow instructions very carefully. Do not fully close up the room, and do not sleep in it.
Never use a charcoal or gas grill in a porch, shed or garage.
Never leave equipment (car, snowblower, chainsaw, generator) running in the garage or right outside open windows.
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