ELDERLY

Services and Programs Related to: The Elderly

For too many senior citizens, the “golden years” are tarnished…their daily lives lonely and lost to worry. Queens Health Coalition (QHC) tries to make those precious years the quality time that seniors deserve and desire. Our knowledgeable staff provides compassionate and confidential assistance to the elderly, so that their health care needs are met with health care solutions.

QHC’s dedicated, multilingual team of experienced professionals, working in cooperation with our many partner agencies, can provide valuable information, counseling, training, referrals and support. If you or a loved one have questions on matters relating to older adults, including Medicare Part D, EPIC, respite care, emergency response systems, Supplementary services and transportation, give us a call. Ask for Moona at 718-762-0346 extension 13

The Gazette - February 24, 2010 - Grandma the Techie - click here to view

QHC Honored by Queens Smoke-Free Partnership

At a recent awards ceremony sponsored by the Queens Courier newspaper and TD Bank, Queens Smoke-free Partnership awarded community leaders for their efforts in promoting tobacco control, especially among vulnerable populations such as children. The honorees included New York State Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn for legislation she introduced to prohibit subjecting a child to second-hand smoke in an automobile; Laura Cadorette, who helped to make her Jackson Heights Co-op smoke- free; health care advocacy organizations, the Korean Community Services and the Queens Health Coalition (QHC)for their work in reaching at-risk people to educate and assist in smoking cessation, understanding the tobacco industry’s use of advertising to promote smoking, especially among children and to encourage retailers not to display tobacco products among family-oriented items such as baby formula.

In accepting the award for her organization, Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of the Queens Health Coalition challenged the audience of 100 by saying: “I ask anyone here in this room to come up with one good thing to say about smoking. You can’t! It cost lives, it’s expensive, and it’s smelly. For an organization such as ours, which is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles, it’s a no-brainer that we would get involved. I urge everyone to do the same. If ever there were something that has no redeeming qualities, smoking is it. Let’s continue to work with the Smoke-free Partnership to help ensure that all New Yorkers are convinced of this.”

Pictured: Lorena Flores, QHC’s Senior Health Educator; Jessica Safier, Project Manager, Queens Smoke-free Partnership and Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director, QHC.

QHC Hosts Cultural Sensitivity Training

The Queens Health Coalition (QHC) recently hosted a program of cultural sensitivity training, attended by more than 25 consumers and providers of health care and social services. Guest speakers included Anindita ChatteeBhaumik of CONNECT, a domestic violence watchdog organization focused on South Asian women, (pictured seated, left of presenter) and Barbara Serrano of Voces Latinas, which specializes in HIV/AIDS information and education for Hispanic families, (pictured during her power point presentation).

As Phyllis Shafran, (pictured second left of presenter), QHC’s Executive Director, noted in her welcoming remarks: “Being culturally sensitive has become the “In” topic these days: discussed by talk-show hosts to newspaper columnists. It’s very “Politically Correct”. But that’s not why we’re here today. We’re not concerned with being “PC”. We’re concerned with saving lives. In health care and social service, not understanding the ethnic nuances, the languages, traditions and taboos of the people we serve, keep them from seeking the help they need and can have a devastating outcome.”

Queens Health Coalition Joins Smoke-free Partnership

The Queens Health Coalition has joined forces with the Queens Smoke-free Partnership to combat exposure to second-hand smoke.

At a recent press conference convened by Queen Borough President Helen Marshall, Queens elected leaders and community-based organizations met to pledge support for a new initiative funded by the New York State Tobacco Control Program aimed at reducing tobacco-related death and disease. 25,000 tobacco-related deaths are recorded in New York State annually.

In addition to targeting second-hand smoke, another key component of this program is to defend children against tobacco addiction. An estimated 6,000 children living in Queens smoke, and one-third will die prematurely.

Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn, a member of the Health Committee, announced that she has introduced legislation to protect children under the age of 16 from exposure to second-hand smoke while traveling in a car. She was joined by the bill’s Co-sponsors Assembly members Grace Meng and David Weprin. The bill calls for heavy fines for drivers smoking with minors present. Underscoring the need for this legislation is a California Environmental Agency’s report which stated that exposure to closed car smoking is comparable to firefighters’ exposure to four to eight hours of fighting a wildfire.

Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of the Queens Health Coalition, said: “Just ask anyone if there’s one good thing that can be said about smoking. I’m sure we’d all agree: Smoking kills, smoking is expensive, smoking stinks! Yet, 15.5% of Queens residents still do it. Our organization is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles by making healthy choices, so it’s natural that we would join the efforts of Queens Smoke-free Partnership and applaud the responsible leadership of our elected officials who understand that nothing positive can come from smoking. We are confident that this collaborative effort will protect the vulnerable and save lives.”

For more information on joining this program or on programs for smoking cessation, call Smoke-free Partnership at 718-520-4922 or the Queens Health Coalition at 718-762-0346.

Pictured: Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director, Queens Health Coalition; Jessica Safier, Program Manager, Queens Smoke-free Partnership; Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn; Helen Marshall, Queens Borough President; Dan Carrigan, Program Director, Queens Smoke-free Partnership; Assembly members Grace Meng and David Weprin.

Junior-Senior Partnership

Engaging and empowering Queens’s residents with healthy tips for healthy living through the Junior-Senior Partnership.

It is never too old or too young to learn or teach! Let’s spread the wealth of knowledge in experience!

Where:
Presbyterian Church of St. Albans
190-04 119 Avenue St. Albans, NY 11412
1(718) 723-7255
Please Contact: Ms. Judith Henry Health Information ministry

Date:
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Time: 1-4pm

Call us! At (718) 762-0346 ext. 12, ext. 13 and ask for Lorena, Moona.

For participating in our one time session a $15 cash stipend will be given, and a metro card!

Refreshments will be provided.

Please click here to download the flyer.

Grandma the "Techie"

Thanks to a project of the Queens Health Coalition (QHC) entitled: Junior-Senior Partnership, 15 young adults met with 15 older adults to swap information on communications.  For the oldsters’ part, they reminisced about pre-high tech days: no cell phones, no computers, no text messaging.  As one senior recalled: “In those days, you looked for a quarter and a pay phone; Google was just a dream and instantly knowing what your friend was up to, was unheard of and would be thought of as more information than you needed to know.” The teens were aghast!  To them, a world without immediate communications; the need to own a library card and not sharing your every thought, every minute seemed, well, primitive.

Most of the older adults did admit that regardless of the simplicity and charm of “the good old days” they would gladly take on the trappings of this “new tech age” except for one problem: despite countless gifts of BlackBerrys, PCs and Sidekicks from their sons and daughters, few really understand how to work them.

As Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director of QHC noted: “This is where the great value of the Junior-Senior Partnership is seen. While the teens welcomed the stories of surviving time-delayed information and the art of personal communications, the seniors left that day with email accounts set up, learning to Twitter and how to find the side effects of their new medication on Google.”

The next Junior-Senior Partnership program is being planned for mid-March. Participants receive a stipend, a MetroCard and refreshments. For more information call Moona at 718-762-0346 extension #13 or Lorena at extension #12.

Queens Health Coalition conducts the Junior-Senior Partnership, hosted by partnering agency, Voces Latinas of Sunnyside

QHC Lends A Hand to 'Willing Hearts, Helpful Hands'

The Queens Health Coalition (QHC) joined in a collaborative project of Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and the Weinberg Foundation entitled: 'Willing Hearts, Helpful Hands' .  This program trains volunteer care givers to provide respite care for family care givers.  For more information call Parker's Rachael Shields at 718-289-2100x4980 or QHC's Moona Syed at 718-762-0346x13.

QHC staff (center) and volunteers attended the recent kick-off to the program, which promises to be a national model.

Day Out For Providers of "Time Out"

To say "Thank You" to caregivers of the elderly for the invaluable role they play in the lives of both the individual senior citizen and society at-large, Queens Health Coalition (QHC) helped organize a day out to offer some respite care for caregivers-who are often family members and elderly themselves. QHC, working in conjunction with other health care organizations, (Elmhurst Hospital, HANAC, Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, Pragati, Queens Community House and the Samuel Field YM/WHA) is part of a NYC Department of the Aging's Caregivers' Respite Care Program, which offers the caregiver respite care. As QHC's Executive Director, Phyllis Shafran noted: "We think it is very important to give a day out to the people who give us a 'time out'. Caregivers can put a smile on an older adult's face, offer conversation mixed with compassion and enable the elderly to enjoy the comforts of home. To the aged person, this is the medicine no prescription drug can provide, and is less expensive than institutional care. We want to acknowledge the emotional support and economic savings they provide and show our appreciation by giving a little respite to them too". For more information call the Queens Health Coalition at 718-762-0346x13 and ask for Moona.

Queensbridge Riis Senior Shakers presented by Queens Health Coalition	Tsu Chi Foundation's Sign Language Singing presented by NYC HHC Elmhurst Hospital Center
Bayside Glee Club presented by HANAC	Music with Shira Fishkin presented by Queens Community House
Queens Health Coalition: Moona Syed, Case Manger; Lorena Flores, Senior Health Educator; Surinder Sandal, Fiscal Officer; Margarita Servillano, volunteer; Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director and Karim Lamhaouar, Health Educator.

Caring About Caregivers

Wednesday, September 30, 2009
10am to 1pm
Queens Community House
80-02 Kew Gardens Road, Suite 202
Kew Gardens, NY 11415

In recognition of the vital role played by caregivers of the elderly to both the individual and society at-large, Queens Health Coalition (QHC) has organized a free day of fun, food and prizes for them. Many of the caregivers are family members and elderly themselves. Working in conjunction with other health care providers who are part of a caregivers' respite care program, QHC and its partners (Elmhurst Hospital, HANAC, Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, Pragati, Queens Community House and the Samuel Field YM/WHA) will host this event which features entertainment performed largely by other senior citizens. As QHC Executive Director, Phyllis Shafran noted: "Caregivers can put a smile on an older adult's face, offer conversation mixed with compassion and enable the elderly to enjoy the comfort of home. To the aged person, this is the medicine no prescription drug can provide, and is less expensive than institutional care. We want to acknowledge both the emotional and economic support and savings they provide by giving a little respite care to the caregivers".

Program:
*Introductions and Welcome
Laurie Avery, Queens Community House, Director-Social Adult Day
 and Caregiver Support Services
Phyllis Shafran, Executive Director-Queens Health Coalition
*Music with Shira Fishkin presented by
 Queens Community House
*Bayside Glee Club   presented by
HANAC
*Tsu Chi Foundation’s Sign Language Singing presented by
NYC HHC Elmhurst Hospital Center
*Samuel Field Y Choraleers, Led by Marilyn Herman, Ozzy Goodman at piano
presented  by
Samuel Field YM/YWHA
*Queensbridge Riis Senior Shakers  presented by
Queens Health Coalition

Grandparents' Day at Parker Institute

In recognition of the national celebration of Grandparents’ Day, Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation hosted a day of family fun that included live music, stilt walkers, magicians, a petting zoo and ice cream. The Queens Health Coalition (QHC) participated in the festivities by providing an “up-and-coming” performer, Marge Colombraro, age 95 (pictured in pink) who enthusiastically entertained the appreciative audience. QHC’s Executive Director, Phyllis Shafran noted: “This was a great time for the entire family to come together to formally offer the “thanks” we often forget to say for the tremendous role our grandparents play in our daily lives and our overall well being. Margie embodies the spirit and message of the day”. 

QHC Staff Completes Domestic Violence Training

Staff members from the Queens Health Coalition (QHC) received certificates in recognition of having completed basic training in domestic violence. The program was offered by CONNECT, an organization that counsels, trains and advocates on behalf of victims of domestic violence. QHC is a coalition of over 60 agencies and community-based organizations that provide health and social services with a special emphasis on high-risk individuals who experience barriers to quality care due, in part, to cultural, educational, economic and age-related factors. QHC has partnered with CONNECT to help combat domestic violence ranging from intimate partner dating among teens to elder abuse.

CONNECT instructor Anindita Chatterjee Bhaumik taught QHC staff about the various signs of domestic violence and how to best advise victims. QHC Executive Director, Phyllis Shafran noted: “We are every grateful to CONNECT not only for the work it does when dealing directly with domestic violence victims, but for also taking the time to train our staff so that together, we can offer additional resources to
this most vulnerable segment of our population. A person who suffers abuse at the hands of loved ones and friends, shouldn’t have to feel further betrayal by thinking that there is no where to turn. There is. We’re here. So is CONNECT.”

For questions call QHC at 718-762-0346 or visit CONNECT’s web site at: www.connectnyc.org.

Gina Porras, QHC Project Coordinator; Lorena Flores, QHC Senior Health Educator; CONNECT instructor Anindita Chatterjee Bhaumik; Phyllis Shafran, QHC Executive Director; Rose Marie Dorvily, Program Director of QHC’s Comprehensive Prenatal/Perinatal Services Network and Moona Syed, QHC Case Manager.