More About At Home in Darien



Aging in Place+Gallivant Renamed At Home in Darien

Here is the official word about Aging in Place+Gallivant changing to At Home in Darien.



Members of the Board of Directors, Maureen Tyrrell, Gina Blum, Erin Shea, Peter Eder, Bill Ball, Kaye Barker, Anne McGuire, Amy Squyres, Nancy Herling and Diana Kalman, display the new and previous logo designs.


To more clearly communicate its mission of helping Darien Seniors live independently, comfortably and with dignity in their own homes, Aging in Place+Gallivant (a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization) has renamed itself, At Home in Darien.

“Formed almost three years ago by the creation of Aging in Place in Darien and a subsequent merger with Gallivant (the senior transportation service established more than twenty years ago), At Home in Darien is a more reflective identifier of our purpose and programs,” notes Nancy Herling, Board President.

A new graphic identity is simultaneously being introduced, thanks to 341 Studios, a Darien marketing and design firm. Gretchen Bruno, Managing Partner notes, “Through simple, comprehensive graphics, At Home in Darien programs will be more quickly recognized and easily remembered.”  A set of symbols depicts the array of services and the tag line “connecting seniors to community” has been incorporated into the design.

There are almost two hundred aging in place organizations around the U.S. who have similar missions.  Darien has been in the forefront of this national initiative, focused on communities.  Every Darien resident sixty and over is automatically a member of At Home in Darien.  The organization also strives to assist families as they handle the needs of aging parents.

At Home in Darien offers flexible transportation alternatives through its long established car and van service.  It maintains an expanding database of pre-screened, vetted services providers.  Volunteers serve as friendly visitors, shoppers, drivers, and provide basic in-and-around the house assistance with chores.

By working with existing public and private institutions like Darien Human Services, the Darien Senior Activities Center, The Darien Community Association, the Darien Library, the Community Fund of Darien, and with regional, state, and national organizations, At Home in Darien provides access to, and enhances programs and services supporting seniors wanting to remain in their homes.  “Our programs and services are communicated by our Out and About newsletter, which is mailed three times yearly to all Darien mailboxes and our monthly on-line bulletins”, comments Gina Blum, the Executive Director.

For more information, call At Home in Darien at 203.585.4094 or visit: www.athomeindarien.org   



Aging in Place+Gallivant Changed Its Name to At Home in Darien

Aging in Place+Gallivant has changed its name to At Home in Darien.

The organization's board (of which I'm a founding member) made the change to more clearly communicate the nonprofit's mission of "Helping Darien Seniors live independently, comfortably and with dignity in their own homes."

Along with the name change, At Home in Darien has updated its logo. 341 Studios did the design.

You can learn more at: www.athomeindarien.org.

Board Vice President Peter Eder, Executive Director Gina Blum, and Office Coordinator Sandi Kornblum display the previous and new logo designs.

Scam Alert - Latest Phone Scams

I just got the following scam alert from my state senator, Bob Duff. I've received the phone message (a robocall) that Connecticut State Senator Duff cites in his alert. It sounds real, but it certainly designed to prey upon seniors.

Read more from Senator Duff...

Last week, I sent out a notice to the media about a call I received at my home regarding getting a free medical alert system. The person who left a message sounded very professional, calm and certain. It was nothing more than a scam. Turns out, many people from all over the country have received the same call - some multiple times. I received a lot of feedback, so I want to make sure you are aware too.

Click here http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/duff-130719.php to find out more information and to listen to the message. (It's a "wav" file, which works best on Internet Explorer.)

Secondly, a senior called me because she received a live call about a "new" Medicare card. That's also a scam. Medicare will never call you. It's happening nationally and here's more info: http://roanoke.bbb.org/article/bbb-alert-medicare-card-replacement-scam-40782

Many times the calls come from out of state or another country, which makes prosecution difficult. Only by staying vigilant and passing along information to our loved will be outsmart these criminals.

Sincerely,
Bob

P.S. With these scammers, I've found that it's not a good idea to press numbers to be taken off their lists. It just alerts them that it is a "working" number. Hang up or use your call i.d. and don't even answer the phone.

Senator Bob Duff
Standing Up for You

(203) 840-1333

Staying Independent At Home

Last week, health columnist Jane Brody wrote an excellent piece on successful aging in one's own home and community. 80 to 90% of American seniors want to remain in their homes. But they can't do it alone. It takes community support. Fortunately, organizations have sprung up all over the country that provide exactly this kind of support. Read the article, "Staying Independent in Old Age, With a Little Help."

Full disclosure: I am a founding member and a current board member of Aging in Place+Gallivant, an organization that provides precisely the kind of help Jane Brody writes about, but for older adults in Darien, Connecticut. We provide transportation, handyman services, referrals and information.