When Willie Mae Baker of Athens arrived at the Alabama A&M Agribition Center in Huntsville on Tuesday morning, she knew a good time was in store at the TARCOG Senior Fun Fest.

“It’s a big old fun thing I’m used to coming to,” said Baker, who has been attending the annual Fun Fest for at least 10 years. “I love it. I love it.”

Willie Mae was among about 800 from Northeast Alabama who enjoyed musical and dance performances, games, refreshments, lunch, and door prizes to celebrate Older Americans Month at TARCOG’s Senior Fun Fest in Huntsville on Tuesday, May 14.

One thing was different for the 37th Annual Fun Fest. For the first time in the event’s history, it wasn’t held at Sharon Johnston Park in New Market.

TARCOG Executive Director Michelle Jordan said it was a tough decision because everyone loves the park. But the forecasted rain and storms forced a last-minute change to the Agribition Center, where events could be safely held indoors.

Aside from a few sprinkles throughout the morning, participants from DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties got to have their celebration before forecasted rain and storms later in the afternoon.

Brenda Littrell, of Paint Rock, attended her first ever TARCOG Senior Fun Fest this week and had a blast enjoying the music and activities.

“I love it, I love it, I love it I’ll be here again when you have it,” she said near the end of the event.

Seniors participated in the Fun Fest from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Tuesday. The honorary co-chairs of the event were Nancy Robertson, TARCOG’s former executive director, and Rene Breland, the agency’s former director of aging programs. This was the first regional Fun Fest since 2019 and since both retired from the agency.

The event was co-sponsored by the Madison County Commission, with Commission Chair Mac McCutcheon and Commissioners Tom Brandon, Violet Edwards and Steve Haraway attending.

McCutcheon and Haraway are TARCOG board members. Other TARCOG board members who participated included Limestone County Commission Chair Colin Daly, Athens City Councilman James Lucas, Huntsville City Councilwoman Jennie Robinson and Helen Carter, an Athens resident.

The event was held in Brandon’s County Commission District, where Sharon Johnston Park and The Agribition Center are located. County parks and recreation staff helped throughout the months of planning and on event day, Michelle said. The Agribition Center staff were also integral in making the last-minute venue shift.

“It takes a team effort to pull off an event of this size for our seniors,” Michelle said.

There were about 40 vendors and exhibitors which added to the fun environment with giveaways, activities, and snacks. There was a cooking lesson, photo sessions, and opportunities for health screenings among the many offerings of the day.

“It was truly a fun day for our seniors,” Michelle said. “We saw a lot of smiling faces and that’s the whole goal of this Fun Fest. We want them to have a day that’s all about them, and a chance to feel like a kid again.”

At age 84, Bunny Graves enjoys working for extra money with a job she landed through TARCOG’s senior job training program.

“It has helped me tremendously especially the way prices keep going up and up,” Bunny said. She reached out to John Sanders, manager of TARCOG’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) back in September 2022 after learning about the program while donating to a local charity.

“During Covid, prices started going up and while I felt like I had enough to survive, I thought it would be nice to have some pin money,” Bunny said. “If you don’t know what pin money is, it’s from a long time ago when the ladies used to save all their money from selling their bread, eggs or vegetables from their gardens so they could buy steel sewing pins, and that’s why it’s called ‘pin’ money.”

She hadn’t worked anywhere since 2011, but John said she had a solid work history and a great attitude. Placement during the pandemic was challenging, but he had assignments to keep Bunny busy until a placement worked out.

Bunny remembers going on a couple of interviews that just didn’t work out. But then, she went to the Robert “Bob” Harrison Senior Wellness and Advocacy Center in north Huntsville. That’s where she went into training as a front desk clerk on Dec. 6. 2022. Recently, the center hired her before it was time for her to move to another worksite with the four-year training program.

Working part-time, she fills in for staff if they’re busy, makes out membership applications, gives tours around the building, and helps in any way she can.

“Ms. Bunny has been a joy to us and our customers here at the Bob Harrison Center and her enthusiasm and brightness has brightened my days,” said Deitrick Smart, the center manager.

Bunny was the first SCSEP placement for the Harrison Center, but Deitrick said he’s expecting another trainee to assist with the Nutrition Program starting in June.

“It’s working out great for us,” he said.

John said the senior employment training program is a “win-win” for both sides. In Bunny’s situation, she will work 20 hours each week and her new job netted her a 29 percent pay increase. The senior center gained an employee with a proven track record.

May is Older Americans Month and this year’s theme is Powered by Connections,  to recognize the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being.

INPUT NEEDED ON NEW STATE PLAN ON AGING

The Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS), in partnership with TARCOG Area Agency on Aging (AAA), wants to hear from you. Every four years, ADSS completes a State Plan on Aging that acts as a blueprint of advocacy efforts and services to help meet the needs of senior adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers so they can live at home for as long as possible.

ADSS wants to make your voice heard by giving you the opportunity to share what’s important. If you are a senior adult, person with a disability, caregiver, and/or someone who’s interested in people living at home and their communities for as long as possible, please click here to complete the short anonymous Needs Assessment.

The deadline to submit is Friday April 12^th, 2024.

A memory screening is a simple and safe “healthy brain check-up” that tests memory and other thinking skills that TARCOG staff is certified to provide at no cost.

Lydia Weeks, coordinator of the Alabama Cares Program provided through TARCOG, and Darrell Hill, program case manager, will perform screenings by appointment either virtually, in person at the TARCOG office, or at community sites throughout DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties.

TARCOG was recently designated as a trained memory screening site by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), after Weeks received her certification and Hill also began the certification process.

What is a memory screening?

The memory screening is a series of questions and or tasks that takes about 10 minutes to complete. It can indicate if someone might benefit from a comprehensive medical evaluation. It is not used to diagnose any illness and does not replace consultation with a physician or other clinician, Lydia said.

Why are memory screenings important?

Lydia said the screenings are a significant first step toward finding out if a person may have a memory problem. Memory problems could be caused by several medical conditions, including vitamin deficiencies, thyroid issues and depression, as well as dementia-related illnesses including Alzheimer’s.

Some memory problems such as those cause by vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems, can be readily treated, she added. Other memory problems might result from causes that are not currently reversible such as Alzheimer’s disease. In general, the earlier the diagnosis the easier it is to treat one of these conditions.

“Early detection of mild cognitive impairment may afford a person the opportunity to take advantage of treatments that may slow the changes in memory and thinking skills ‑ or participate in a clinical trial,” Lydia said.

If the memory problem is the result of a dementia-related illness such as Alzheimer’s disease, she said early detection may enable the person to begin treatments and therapeutic interventions sooner, afford greater opportunity to participate in a clinical trial and take a more active role in developing their health legal and financial plans.

Other TARCOG resources

The memory screenings are a new tool for the TARCOG staff which also provides virtual dementia tours and Dementia Friendly Alabama trainings for school aged children, businesses and first responders.

For more information about services or to schedule an appointment for a memory screening, contact Lydia at lydia.weeks@tarcog.us or 256-830-0818.

Oh, What Singing!

It’s been said that there’s power in a name and the Young at Heart Activity Center in Pisgah is proof with its steady attendance of caring and fun-loving participants.

The senior center is in a town of about 681 that sits along the western edge of Sand Mountain in Jackson County. At age 98, Ed Gant is the center’s oldest participant.

“I think I’m as old as the mountain,” Ed said, explaining that he’s lived in Pisgah since he was 14 and his family moved there from Scottsboro. He goes to the center every day and often shares poems or Gospel songs he’s written.

There are several activities for seniors at the center, like a workout room, Bingo, dancing, card games, a penny auction and puzzles. Center Manager Glenda Shiflett said about 24 show up each day between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. The center provides lunch and snacks.

“We really try to make everyone feel welcome and enjoy themselves,” said Glenda, who has managed the center about 17 years. She was instrumental in keeping things going when the center burned down in an overnight fire in 2019. Today, the rebuilt center remains a hub of activity.

On a recent Wednesday, a special musical guest stopped by, and the participants sang, clapped and danced.

It was the first time that musician Jimmy Ray Weatherly of Scottsboro played his guitar and sang a variety of songs from different genres like country, gospel and rock-n-roll.

“When I was a kid, I hated country,” Jimmy told the group after singing Silver Wings by Merle Haggard. “Country was all my Mama and Dad listened to. I was only interested in rock-n-roll, and they were upstairs listening to songs like this,” as he belted out another Merle Haggard tune, Mama Tried.

One of the ladies shared that her son has the words “Mama tried” tattooed on his finger.

Something changed when Jimmy hit his 30s, and he realized there was something special about country music.

“I’ve been to the Grand Ole Opry, and I’ve seen Elvis,” said Gayle Lambert, as Jimmy started singing the George Jones classic, He Stopped Loving Her Today.

Jimmy said he never appreciated classics like that song until he got a little older. And he launched into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama as the crowd clapped and sang along before he switched it up with Three Wooden Crosses by Randy Travis.

“Sing some Alabama songs,” one participant yelled out. “How about some Good Ole Rocky Top, another one requested as Jimmy started playing Old Flame, followed by a rousing rendition of Rocky Top.

Jimmy also got the crowd going with the old Gospel favorites, I’ll Fly Away and Amazing Grace. It seemed like everyone knew the words to most all the songs that Jimmy played.

“I’m so thankful for the gifts the Lord Jesus has given us,” Jimmy told the group. “The gift of life, he showed us the way and he gave us one commandment that you love each other as I have loved you … so we should love as Jesus loved, unconditionally …”

Jimmy sang Make the World Go Away and George Jones first hit, White Lightning, which prompted a a lively conversation about family members or people the participants have known throughout their lives who made home brew.

Every song Jimmy sang resonated with the group from “Dixieland Delight,” “Devil Woman” and “Sweet Caroline”, to “Country Roads” and “It’s Only Make Believe.”

“This was a lively group and I’d like to come back here as part of my ministry,” he told Glenda and the group, who told him he’s welcome any time he can work it in his schedule.

Gayle Lambert, who is in her late 70s or early 80s, said she used to play and perform guitar, piano and sing. Jimmy Ray told her he appreciated her harmony.

“I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed this today,” Gayle said.

While Jimmy’s performance was something new, Glenda said they bring in different types of entertainment from time to time, along with their regular activities.

“Everyone enjoys staying active and we really enjoy our center,” she said.

Alice Reed, 74, has been coming to the activity center for two years after Glenda invited her when they ran into each other at the dollar store.

“I didn’t know if I’d come. I had just lost my husband, but Glenda told me she knows where I live so I came and I’m still here,” Alice said. “Everyone made me feel so welcome and look, I am a very, very, shy person but coming here has got me out of some of that and it’s a good thing. We sit around and visit, play cards and we have fun”.

Brenda Shealy, 72, enjoys playing card, doing puzzles “or just doing something. We come as often as we can if we don’t have doctor’s or other appointments. It’s part of our routine and we enjoy it.”

Johnnie Smith, 83, been coming to Young at Heart about 13 years.

“I was going to Ider for 10 years before that and then started coming here because it’s a little closer,” she said. “Being with other people and socializing is important.”

Glenda and assistant manager, Wanda Roberts who started about a year ago, both love what they do at the center, and it shows before you ever walk into the front door. The parking lot is full. Once inside, you find a group that’s as close as family. Everyone understands and is accepting of each other’s challenges and they’re supportive of each other.

“We welcome anyone who wants to join us,” Glenda said.