FREE ‘Seniorhood’ Resource Fair Connects Senior Adults and their Families to Available Services
Free Coffee, Tea and Doughnuts Available; Free Lunch for First 300 Attendees
VERNON, Connecticut – Senior and social services staff from several Tolland County communities are hosting a special fair on Saturday, Oct. 21 to showcase opportunities and services for senior adults, their family members and caregivers. The Seniorhood Resource Fair runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Vernon Center Middle School, 777 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon.
The event is presented by the Tolland County Multidisciplinary Team. Admission and all presentations are free.
The goal of the Seniorhood Resource Fair is to provide seniors, adults and caregivers with ways to plan and enhance their "seniorhood" years through workshops, demonstrations, exhibits, and resources. Exhibitors will showcase a variety of public and private services that are available in the local community that focus on the lifestyle needs of a growing senior population.
“The Seniorhood team has been working for nearly a year to plan this special event,” Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said. “Providing our seniors with the information and resources they need to lead fulfilling lives is important work and a tremendous service to our community.”
There will also be opportunities to learn more about Medicare, as well as options for housing, transportation, safety, home care services, leisure and recreation opportunities.
“For seniors and their families, obtaining the proper help – for day-to-day tasks we often take for granted such as driving, shopping, medical care, managing bills and other affairs – can be a daunting task,” Vernon Social Services Director Matt Hellman said. “The purpose of the Seniorhood resource fair is to help our local seniors identify available community options so that they can lead safe, secure and stable lives.”
Maureen Gabriele, Director of the Vernon Senior Center, said Seniorhood is “a wonderful setting for our seniors to connect with organizations that may be beneficial to them, but that they are not aware of.”
There will be about 50 exhibitors and a variety of seminars on topics that include: Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia, Medicare, Conservatorship and Estate Planning, and Staying Safe from Financial Fraud for Older Adults.
The North Central Health District Health Department will offer flu shots and blood pressure screenings. Insurance is accepted for flu shots.
There will be free coffee and doughnuts beginning at 9:30 a.m. and a free boxed lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. for the first 300 attendees. There will also be a variety of giveaways.
In addition to the Town of Vernon, sponsors include the Housatonic Valley Community Council, Eastern Connecticut Health Network, the Vernon Housing Authority and M&T Bank.