By JOANNE DAVIS-TURNER — “Will you still need me/Will you still feed me/When I’m 64?”
Paul McCartney asked this question in his dad-inspired 1967 Beatles song. It’s one of the many questions that people of all ages may be asking during a program exploring aging this Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Hyattsville Municipal Building. The free session, Making Choices that are Right For You as You Age, is sponsored by three organizations that are calling themselves Route 1 Villages: Helping Hands/University Park (HHUP), Neighbors Helping Neighbors/College Park (NHNCP) and Hyattsville Aging in Place (HAP). All three of the nonprofits have a mission to help residents remain in their homes as they age.
Hyattsville Aging in Place, for example, is a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to helping Hyattsville residents over 60 as they age in our community. The organization provides volunteer services, educational and social events, and a wide range of neighborly support.
The upcoming session, which will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m., is for anyone of any age who is curious about what services are available in our area. Sponsors of the program encourage people to consider issues about aging on a timeline that allows them to make choices and develop plans for their senior years. Lisa Walker, vice chairman of the executive committee for HAP, underscored this, saying, “You can be a very healthy person in your 80s or 90s, but you should have at least thought about issues that might come up and what to do. [Planning ahead] can relieve your stress levels.”
Susy Elder Murphy, owner of Debra Levy Eldercare Associates and a certified care manager will present information about planning for aging.
“Murphy has a wide range of experience and is well-known as the owner of the Levy Eldercare Associates. That is why we chose her as our speaker,” said Walker. “Murphy has experience helping families make critical decisions. She will talk about what it might cost and putting together support networks, or looking at options if they need to move from their homes, or need to move a loved one from their home, or bring other help in. She is quite knowledgeable.”
The program will address a range of issues such as selling your home, preparing legal documents, designating a healthcare power of attorney and drawing up a will. Walker noted that we may face these issues and associated expenses at any time in life.
And as Ronda Kaysen writes in the latest edition of the AARP Bulletin, “What does it take to create a better community? Almost always, it starts with people with a passion for the cause, a well-conceived plan for improvement and the tenacity to make it happen.”
