Cindy Venable personifies a Champion for the Aging

Spring 2014
Empowering older adults to live independently with dignity
Cindy Venable personifies a Champion for the Aging
T
hose who have come
in contact with Cindy
Venable, Director of the
Louisville Metro Office for Aging
and Disabled Citizens, know
that for her this is much more
than a career – this is her mission in life.
Volunteering in the community since the age of 12,
Cindy’s passion for helping seniors and the disabled has only
grown stronger over the years.
“I started out as a volunteer
for the Kentucky Society for Crippled Children and fell in love with the
work,” she said recently.
After graduating from the University of Maryland with a Master’s
Degree in Social Work, Cindy intended to follow the path of working
with children as a play therapist. “That plan changed pretty quickly
when I was offered the position
of director at the Margaretta
Williams Adult Day Care Center in Baltimore,” she laughed.
While in Baltimore, she also
worked to develop the first
State Association for Adult Day
Honoring
in Maryland to champion the
rights of seniors and the need
Cindy Venable
for more services. Becoming
Director of the Louisville Metro
Office for Aging and Disabled
known nationally, Cindy was
Citizens
part of developing, as well as
presenting at, the first National
Friday, June 13, 2014
Conference on Adult Day held
Galt House East, Grand Ballroom
in St. Louis in 1978.
140 N. 4th Street, Louisville, KY
“I thoroughly enjoyed my
four-and-a-half
years there in
11:30 a.m. – Noon (Networking)
Baltimore,
but
I
was beginning
Noon – 1:15 p.m. (Program)
to miss my friends and family
Purchase your tickets at
in Louisville.” Fate soon inter-
2014 Champion
for the Aging
Award Luncheon
www.elderserveinc.org
ElderServe Newsletter.indd 1
Champion for the Aging Award
Luncheon 2014 Sponsors
• Brown-Forman
• Kindred Healthcare
• Wyatt Tarrant & Combs LLP
• LG&E KU
• Citizens Union Bank
• Garrett Stotz Company
• Trover Solutions, Inc.
• Morgan & Pottinger
• Norton Healthcare
• Sam Swope Auto Group
• Passport Health Plan
• Yum! Brands Foundation
• UofL Institute for Sustainable Health
and Optimal Aging
• Manna, Inc.
• Monroe Shine
• Elder Law of Louisville
• Mr. & Mrs. Duane Murner
• Mr. & Mrs. David Daulton
• Mr. & Mrs. Brian Lower
• Mr. Michael Hanks
• Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Kipper
• Vicki Aubrey Welch, District 13, Metro
Council
• A Friend of ElderServe
• Magnolia Springs
• Rodefer Moss & Co. PLLC
• Masonic Homes of Kentucky
• PCA Pharmancy
• The Brook Hospitals
• TARC
• AARP
• Today’s Transitions
Sponsor commitments as of May 21, 2014
Continued on page 2
5/27/14 2:51 PM
At The Nucleus of Aging Campaign
T
his is certainly an exciting time for ElderServe. In
February, we announced
our move to The Nucleus later this
year. We also launched the “ElderServe – At The Nucleus of Aging”
$500,000 fundraising campaign
designed to primarily support the
move from our current home at
Dosker Manor, where we have been
since 1968. Funds raised will also support the upgrade of
our IT systems, in preparation for supporting more seniors
as demand for services grow. After nearly 50 years of
working from our offices here, it will be a huge change for
us. While we are very grateful for the generosity we have
received from Louisville Metro Housing Authority over the
years, we believe we can better serve the senior community from our new location.
Operating out of the new state-of-the-art facility will
raise the profile of our agency and expand our ability
to provide answers and services to seniors who would
otherwise struggle to find solutions. Support from Atria
Senior Living is helping to make this move possible for
our agency. In addition, a significant amount of additional
contributions have been made by individuals, corporate
foundations and companies in the local, for-profit eldercare and senior housing businesses, including Almost Family, Elmcroft Senior Living, Kindred Healthcare, ResCare,
Signature Healthcare and Ventas. Yet, we still have a long
way to go to reach our goal of $500,000.
The Nucleus at 300 E. Market Street.
We are so grateful for this opportunity to develop
new synergies with these partners to make the lives of our
senior citizens healthier, safer and more enjoyable! If you
would like to donate to our campaign, please contact me
or Lisa Cobb at [email protected]. Thank you for
your continued support!
Julie Guenthner
CEO, ElderServe
Cindy Venable, Champion for the Aging, continued from page 1
vened to take care of that for Cindy when she was offered a
position as director of a planned Adult Day Center, and later
as Executive Director of the Kling Center in Old Louisville. “I
was thrilled to have the opportunity to advocate for seniors
with Arthur Kling and to return to my hometown.”
“I am blessed to be doing this work, and I truly feel it
was meant to be,” she said. “From the beginning, one position has led to another pretty seamlessly, and I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given.”
Cindy began working with the City of Louisville in 1990
as Administrator of the Senior Services Division of the Department of Community Services. Once again, she served
as a catalyst and coalition builder, bringing together groups
to address the serious issues facing older adults. In 2000,
she became director of the office she heads today.
“I can’t think of a more deserving candidate for our
Champion for the Aging Award,” said Julie Guenthner, CEO
ElderServe Newsletter.indd 2
of ElderServe. “Cindy has worked tirelessly as an advocate
for older adults and those with disabilities in our community for years. She is completely committed to the people
she serves and will do whatever is in her power to improve
their lives.”
In her current position, Cindy is fully focused on improving services for older and disabled people and continues to work toward community responses to the coming
challenges of our aging society. Areas of concern that are
really special to her include incorporating human needs
into the planning process for transportation through the
Regional Mobility Council, and an improved community
response to elder abuse and exploitation through the Elder
Abuse Coordinating Council.
If Cindy is working toward a goal, you can bet it will
happen.
5/27/14 2:51 PM
Louisville Fire Department and
ElderServe partner for national
conference
T
he Louisville Fire
Department and
ElderServe have
been selected to participate in Remembering When: A Fire
and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults sponsored by
the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Remembering When helps older adults develop safe
habits that will reduce risks of fire and falls as they age.
“Folks over the age of 65 are twice as likely to die in a
home fire compared to the total population,” said Karen
Berard-Reed, NFPA senior project manager. “Falls are the
leading cause of death from injury for this age group.
This program has helped thousands of older adults learn
strategies to help them live safely at home for as long as
possible.”
Following the conference, the Louisville Fire Department will give group presentations. ElderServe will integrate
materials from the training sessions into their home visits.
Join one of our committees
D
o you want to volunteer and “give back” but can’t
find the time? Consider joining one of our board of
directors committees. Most meetings occur once
a month during the lunch hour. We are always looking for
volunteers to share their expertise and creative ideas to
enhance our services and programs for seniors. Consider
attending one of the committee meetings listed below and
see if it is right for you.
•Information Technology
•Finance
•Communications
•Development
For more information, please contact Lisa Cobb at
502.736.3825 or [email protected]. Most meetings
are held at ElderServe.
Please give today to end Elder Abuse
Staying safe in the summer heat
S
ummer can be a good time for older adults to enjoy
gardening, taking a walk or playing with the grandchildren. Just make sure to follow these hot weather
tips to stay healthy this season. The heat and humidity can
cause hyperthermia, which includes heat stroke and heat
exhaustion, and seniors are at greater risk.
Here are some tips from The National Institute on
Aging to help seniors stay safe and comfortable when the
temperatures are high:
• Stay inside during particularly hot and humid days, especially when air pollution alerts are in effect.
• Don’t have a fan or air conditioning? Ask friends, neighbors or relatives to provide transportation to cooler locations like shopping malls, movie
theaters and libraries.
• Call Metro United Way at 2-1-1 to
locate a cooling center.
If you suspect someone is suffering from heat-related illness:
•Get the person out of the sun and
into an air-conditioned or cool
place.
• Offer water, fruit or vegetable
juices.
• Encourage the person to shower, bathe or sponge off
with cool water.
• Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists or neck, places
where arterial blood passes close to the surface and the
cold cloths can help cool the blood.
• Urge the person to lie down and rest, preferably in a cool
place.
Check with your physician to see if any of your prescription medications could cause you to be at greater risk for
hyperthermia during the summer.
WORLD
ELDER ABUSE
AWARENESS DAY
JUNE 15
ElderServe helped more than 3,000 seniors last year. Many of them
were victims of crime. Sadly, more than 90% of those perpetrators
were family members, like Eleanor whose grandson, John, was
physically abusing her. “ElderServe advocates helped me get an
Emergency Protection Order against my grandson and helped me
find transitional housing,” she said. “I don’t know what I would
have done without their help.” Please make your gift today to help
more victims like Eleanor who deserve to live with dignity, free
of fear. Visit our web site at www.elderserveinc.org or use the attached envelope for your donation. Thank you!
ElderServe Newsletter.indd 3
5/27/14 2:51 PM
Administrative Offices
411 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd.
Louisville, KY 40202
502.587.8673
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Louisville, KY
Permit No. 566
Senior Center
631 South 28th Street
Louisville, KY 40211
502.778.7418
ElderServe is one of Louisville’s largest non-profit organizations devoted to
supporting seniors as they navigate the different stages of the aging process.
Programs include HomeCare, Geriatric Care Management, Adult Day,
TeleCare, Crime Victim Services, Friendly Visitor, Senior Companions, CATCH
Health Habits and ElderServe Senior Center.
ElderServe is funded, in part, under a contract with KIPDA
through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
with funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
ElderServe provides services to clients equally without regard to age,
gender, race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.
Crime Victim Services is funded in part by the Victims of Crime Act.
www.elderserveinc.org
www.facebook.com/elderserveinc
twitter.com/ElderServeInc
Join Us for ElderServe’s Education Sessions!
Do you have an aging parent, relative or friend you’d like
to help? Are you interested in learning about issues facing
seniors in our community? If so, ElderServe’s Friendly
Visitor program offers free, one-hour education sessions
on a variety of topics related to older adults.
The Friendly Visitor program provides volunteer
companions to seniors in need in Metro Louisville. As a
service to the community, ElderServe and the Humana
Foundation offer these education sessions each month.
Contact Megan Carpenter at 502.587.8673 or
[email protected] to reserve your spot.
All sessions are located at Metro United Way, 334 E.
Broadway.
June 25
3 – 4 p.m.
Elder Abuse
Awareness
ElderServe Newsletter.indd 4
July 21
4 – 5 p.m.
Issues of Aging
August 15
3 – 4 p.m.
Diabetes
Awareness
5/27/14 2:51 PM