Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults
Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults
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The Heart of Seniors Expo & Fashion Show, hosted by the Senior Coalition, will be held on Thursday, February 13, at the Visalia Wyndham Hotel, 9000 W. Airport Dr., Visalia. The event, which marks its 10th anniversary year, will include a vital resource fair with vendors, a fashion show with senior models escorted by American Ambulance team members, and a luncheon. The resource fair opens at 8 a.m., with the program beginning at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 per person, and...
Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, which provides vital services to millions of people 60 and older, might be on pause until March, despite a unanimous Senate vote on Dec. 10 to renew this vital piece of legislation. Older Americans Act reauthorization would boost existing funding and add several new programs and services for older people. With only days left before the end of the 118th Congress, there was a push in the House to pass the bill and send it to President...
On November 15, AARP released a poll of voters from the 43 most competitive congressional districts in the 2024 election season. Voters ages 50 and older were key in the election. Data shows that across the country, older voters made up 55% of the electorate, and that winning the 50+ vote was key to winning races up and down the ballot around the country. AARP's survey found House Republicans won voters 50+ by a 50% to 47% margin while these districts were a dead heat among...
The California Highway Patrol (CHP), in partnership with the Office of Traffic Safety, announced the receipt of a $225,000 federal grant to launch the "Keeping Everyone Safe" (KEYS) program. This program is designed to enhance traffic education and health awareness for drivers aged 65 and older and aims to ensure older drivers remain safe, confident, and informed on the road. A vital feature of this program is the "Age Well, Drive Smart" class. This free, two-hour course...
On November 15, the U.S. Postal Service announced that a stamp honoring Betty White (1922-2021) will be included among the stamps scheduled for release in 2025. Emmy Award-winning actress White is best known for her roles in the classic sitcoms "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Golden Girls." White won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for the first season of "The Golden Girls" and was nominated every year of the show's run. She also guest-starred on...
When you are relearning how to walk, sometimes it's the grass that trips you up and sometimes it's the rocks. Kaweah Health Rehabilitation Hospital's new mobility course, which had a ribbon-cutting on September 16, helps patients who have had life-altering injuries learn how to maneuver through various types of terrain. "For older adults especially, mobility involves more than just walking on flat, controlled surfaces," said Molly Niederreiter, director of Rehabilitation and...
On October 1, The Carter Center and the world celebrated the 100th birthday of former President Jimmy Carter, the longest-living U.S. president in history. Born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, Carter has dedicated his life to service and human rights. Early in life, he was an active member of the Plains community alongside his wife, Rosalynn, whom he married in 1946. He was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1962 and served as Georgia's 76th governor from 1971 to...
District Attorney Tim Ward is warning of a financial scam targeting Tulare County residents, particularly seniors, with bogus claims that personal bank and investment accounts have been compromised. "This scam is happening in Tulare County, and the Office of the District Attorney has prosecuted and is currently prosecuting offenders involved in the scam," said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward. The scam begins as many others do, with an erroneous pop-up computer ad or...
California’s aging population is more diverse and growing faster than any other age group. By 2030, an estimated 10.3 million older Californians (age 60 and over) will make up 25% of the state’s population. California’s Master Plan for Aging (MPA) affirms the priority of the health and well-being of older Californians and people with disabilities. It acts as a “blueprint” for state government, local government, the private sector and philanthropy to prepare the state for the coming demographic changes and continue Californi...
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced that drivers 70-years-old and older in California whose licenses expire in 2024 and beyond will no longer be required to take a written knowledge test. "All drivers have been required to take a written test once they turn 70 as a policy requirement and not a requirement of law," said DMV Director Steve Gordon. "We are eliminating the written knowledge test for those without traffic violations on their record to...
Since our last issue went to press, California Public Utilities Commission voted to allow residents to keep their landline phones, a critical communications tool in emergencies. Telecommunications giant AT&T had requested that the CPUC relieve AT&T of what is called its “Carrier of Last Resort” (COLR) obligations in certain areas of California, including the South Valley. The CPUC vote denies AT&T’s bid to drop landline service that includes free access to 9-1-1 and telephone relay service (for people with speech or heari...
The global electric wheelchair market was valued at $7.3 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach a valuation of $18 billion by 2032, an annual increase of 10.6% over the next eight years. The electric wheelchair market has seen significant developments and growth, with more than 10 million units currently in use around the globe. This surge is attributed to technological innovations and increased awareness about mobility solutions. A notable advancement is the enhancement...
The Neighborhood Village, the first master-planned community in California to provide dignified homes, jobs and services for those experiencing chronic homelessness, will celebrate its grand opening on Thursday, September 26. Currently, one out of every four individuals who are homeless are 55 or older, and the number of homeless seniors is expected to increase, partly due to the high costs of housing and health care. Salt + Light's Neighborhood Village community, on West Rigg...
On May 13, the Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging (K/T AAA) released the results of its survey of seniors, and their caregivers and others who work with them. The agency's new four-year area plan outlines its future activities based on the responses to the survey questions. The top priorities of the seniors interviewed included transportation solutions, nutritional support, technology assistance, home safety modifications, recreation and socialization. The main concerns of...
On May 19, Blue Origin successfully completed its seventh human spaceflight and the 25th flight for the New Shepard program. The astronaut crew included former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, who was selected by President John F. Kennedy as the nation's first Black astronaut candidate but never had the opportunity to fly. Dwight, who was born in Kansas City in 1933, is now the oldest person who was sent into space. At the age of 90, he is older than actor William Shatner was...
Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) developed and maintained the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) – a federal program offering eligible households a discount on their monthly internet bill and a one-time discount off the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. Over 23 million eligible households were enrolled, with many seniors and veterans receiving the monthly discount. Unfortunately for those in the program, t...
Kaweah Health, Health Net, Family HealthCare Network and Valley Health Team are all sponsors of Dinuba Certified Farmers' Market, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The City of Dinuba Parks and Recreation Dept. and STEP UP also support the market. Held in Downtown Dinuba, the Dinuba Certified Farmers' Market provides education and fresh, healthy food to combat obesity, diabetes and other health challenges faced in the Central Valley. It is also an important...
Family HealthCare Network's (FHCN) PACE adult daycare in downtown Visalia is scheduled to open in July, and many services will be available on the first day of operation, according to Stacey Beachy, vice president of marketing and public relations for FHCN. The 25,000-square-foot facility and its parking lot fill all of the 1.75 acres on the block surrounded by Murray Avenue, Tipton Street, School Avenue and Santa Fe Street, with the two-story building facing School Avenue. "T...
A murder trial in Kings County has focused the community's attention on elder abuse. On May 20, the Kings County District Attorney's Office filed a criminal complaint alleging that Kelli Yingling committed murder and elder abuse between April 29 and May 7 of this year. The DA's Office added an additional count: that the defendant committed elder abuse on December 12, 2023. The victim of all of the alleged crimes was Kelli Yingling's mother, Peggi. Last year, Kelli Yingling was...
The 2024 Visalia Senior Games are now history. The competitions, which were held on various weekends from March to May enjoyed different levels of success. "The events that we were able to host were a success," said Holly Ellis, recreation supervisor for the City of Visalia Parks & Recreation Department. However, some of the scheduled events were cancelled due to low registration. This included the final two competitions. "Unfortunately, our participant numbers did not meet...
The Exeter Senior Center has been reopened by Community Services Employment Training (CSET), which manages the center and seven others in Tulare County. The center, which reopened its doors on April 22, held an open house featuring coffee, tea and pastries during the morning event. Located at 301 S E Street in Exeter, the Exeter Senior Center will be open from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm on weekdays and will provide seniors with programming and nutrition services. The calendar of...
After much anticipation, a new VA clinic is set to open its doors soon in Visalia, replacing the existing VA clinic in Tulare. Driving this transition are the space limitations of the current location in Tulare. The smaller facility on Cherry Street no longer meets the needs of the growing Veteran population. The transition to the new clinic represents a significant milestone for VA staff, said Tulare Administrative Officer Tawanda Cochran. "With nearly 5,000 Veterans enrolled...
If everything proceeds on schedule, a 31,000-square-foot indoor pickleball center will be open to the public by the end of the year. The center, which will feature 11 courts, will be at 730 S. Bridge Street in Visalia. The project was submitted at the Visalia Site Plan Review meeting on March 20. Concerns were raised at the meeting, most noteably about parking and trash bin placement, but John George of J.F. George Enterprises, Inc., the property owner and main force behind...
June is World Elder Abuse Awareness Month and observances will be held in both Tulare and Kings Counties. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was launched on June 15, 2006, by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social,...