September 2026 Newsletter

Published on July 01, 2026

Download the September issue of our newsletter, The Buzz(PDF, 9MB)

A Message from the Office for the Aging Director

September – the days are shortening, and the nights are a bit colder – what a relief! My tomatoes did not like the weather this year, but oddly enough, the zucchini did! Some flowers loved it too – too wishy washy and changeable!

September is always Fall Prevention Month – there are many free or cheap things you can do inside your home or apartment to prevent falls. Call us if your apartment complex or senior group want to learn about a few key things to help – we can also show you some personal exercises to help as well! Falling is the number 1 reason for emergency room visits, hospitalizations and nursing home stays for older adults in this country and are largely preventable. We will have a Lunch and Learn on Falls Prevention on September 16 in Marbletown. Also, as usual, we offer our regular programming.

We still seek VOLUNTEER DRIVERS, especially from more rural areas, such as Wallkill, Pine Bush, Pine Hill, Shandaken, and out toward Phoenicia for our medical appointment driving program (mileage is paid). Your neighbors will be eternally grateful, and when the time comes and you need a ride, there might be someone else who can help you get to your medical appointment! We will be planning more driver safety education classes soon, so be on the lookout for that. If you have a place where you think at least 35 people could gather, and have a minimum of 15 people to attend, we can arrange that for you. Please let our office know!

One thing you can do to prepare for emergencies: make sure you have a way to charge your phone – don’t forget, all phones have flashlights, and the ability to call 911 if needed, so it’s a very useful tool in an emergency. Power blocks are very inexpensive, so that’s always a good option. Also make sure, if you know a big storm is coming, and you have a car, be sure to fill the tank – you never know where you might have to go! Have a few things in the car and on hand in your home – a bottle or jug of water, a candle, some matches, a blanket, some shelf stable food, just in case.

Enjoy the waning summertime! See you soon!

Susan Koppenhaver, Director, Ulster County Office for the Aging