Welcoming Autumn with Wellness, Safety, and Advocacy

Believe it or not, it is time for pumpkin spice lattes to show up on the menu of your local coffee shop. Though we still have some warm days ahead of us in September, fall is definitely in the air. So it seems appropriate that this issue of AgeWise focuses on getting ready for autumn. Some articles focus on safety and prevention, some on ideas to keep your physical and mental health in good shape.

Sept. 22-26 is Fall Prevention Awareness Week, so we’ve included an article about staying active to help reduce the risk of falling. There is an article by staff at AARP about emergency preparedness; what you need to have at home if strong winds knock out your power or icy roads keep you homebound. The people who attended the Civic Coffee last month heard some good information about fraud prevention. Unfortunately, there seems to be no shortage of new ways scammers can try to convince you to give them your money or your personal information. 

On the mental health side, have you ever thought of recording your personal story in a video, audio tape, journal, or scrapbook as a gift to your friends and family? Check out the article by our Age Friendly Seattle intern who offers some great resources and tips on how to start. And since Seattle is such a city of avid gardeners, read about how some people continue to dig in the dirt as they age and produce beautiful flowers using adaptive gardening techniques. As an avid gardener myself, being in my garden gives me great peace and is a refuge from an often-chaotic world. I want to continue gardening as long as I am able. Also read about some good ideas on how to start your winter garden, including some healthy and delicious recipes using veggies like parsnips you may not normally use.

The fall season also brings with it preparation for the next state legislative session in Olympia as well as more action in Washington, D.C., on the federal level. The Aging & Disability Advisory Council has a very active legislative committee that meets monthly; as always, we will continue to include articles related to bills and budget items that affect older adults and people with disabilities in all our future issues. I am excited to announce that beginning with this issue, we are adding a regular feature: “Advocacy Tips 101.” This will include some simple information on how to be an effective advocate. We hope these tips can help you build confidence to have your voice heard on the issues that are critical to your health and well-being.

We are always interested in your feedback and ideas for articles and information for future AgeWise issues. What is important to you? Please send them to us at: advisorychair@agewisekingcounty.org.

As always, have a good month!

Contributor Alex O’Reilly chairs the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services. She welcomes input from readers via email (advisorychair@agewisekingcounty.org).

Mark Your Calendars

The following are upcoming events of interest:

• ADS Advisory Council Meeting: Friday, Sept. 12 (noon–2 p.m.); virtual meeting unless otherwise specified. To receive the meeting link and information, email michael.adusah@seattle.gov in advance.
• Fall Prevention Week Event: Friday, Sept. 26 (10 a.m.–2 p.m.) at Bell Street Park, 340 Bell St., Seattle, WA, 98121. Join the Seattle Public Library, Age Friendly Seattle, and Sound Generations at their celebration of Fall Prevention Week. Learn fall prevention tips, do seated yoga, attend a health and wellness fair, enjoy social time, and take part in arts and crafts. Contact agefriendly@seattle.gov for more information.
• Cool Plants, Hot Topics Plant Sale and Talks! Sunday, Sept. 14 (9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.) at Bellevue Botanical Garden, 12001 Main St., Bellevue, WA, 98005. The Master Gardener Foundation of King County invites you to an exciting day of plant shopping and expert talks. Discover unique plants, gain valuable gardening insights, and meet fellow plant enthusiasts in a vibrant, community-focused event.
• WA Cares Info Session for Providers in King County: Tuesday, Sept. 30 (2 p.m.) online. This session will help prospective WA Cares providers better understand the registration process and what it means to be a WA Cares provider.
• Fall prevention and health fairs: Great opportunities to learn, connect, and take proactive steps toward staying safe and active. Here are just a few to check out:

• • Burien: Burien Community Center – Sept. 11, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. (Spanish) and Sept. 18, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. (English)
  • Kirkland: Peter Kirk Senior Resource Fair – Sept. 18, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
  • Carnation: Sno Valley Senior Center Falls Prevention Day – Sept. 24, 8:45 a.m.–3 p.m.
  • Bothell: Northshore Senior Center Health Fair – Sept. 25, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.