Department Of Aging

The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging offers programs, services and events for older adults and their families and certain individuals with disabilities. Many programs provide practical help for active older adults; others assist frail older adults. The department's Information and Assistance Program offers information for those who have questions about services and benefits for older adults or the disabled. Contact: Department of Aging, 410-222-4464. Web page -- www.aa-aging.org.

* The Baltimore County Department of Aging will present information sessions at county senior centers this week on how senior citizens can manage and treat arthritis. The sessions are: 11 a.m. Monday at Seven Oaks; 11 a.m. Tuesday, Parkville; 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Ateaze in Dundalk; 1 p.m. Thursday, Cockeysville; and 10 a.m. Friday, Bykota in Towson. Call 410-887-2594 or visit baltimorecountymd.gov/aging.

Rosalie Coffman could be playing cards, watching vintage movies or just enjoying her retirement at Bykota Senior Center in Towson. Instead, she's happily ensconced in her office down the hall, where she supervises a staff of 40 for the Baltimore County Department of Aging. Coffman is one of more than a dozen employees who could be clients, but have decided they would rather help run the agency. They are people in their 60s and 70s who find work invigorating. At 62, Coffman manages County Ride, Baltimore County's senior transportation program, which served almost 5,000 clients last year.

LNG firm to delay impact surveys The Virginia-based energy company that wants to build a liquefied natural gas terminal at Sparrows Point and a pipeline to Pennsylvania said Tuesday that it will delay required surveys of rare, threatened or endangered plant and animal species until summer. AES Corp. won conditional approval of the project in January from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission contingent on meeting requirements of several federal and state agencies, including the surveys ordered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

A former Baltimore County department head rehired seven months ago to aid the local welfare reform effort will replace Camille B. Wheeler, the popular 19-year social services director ousted by the county executive three weeks ago.Barbara A. Gradet's appointment to the $88,076-a-year job was announced to department staff members at a meeting yesterday -- although County Executive C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger says he had her in mind for the job even before Feb....

The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities is seeking volunteers for a focus group to help the agency form a marketing strategy to promote its services. Part of the problem, officials say, is that some people aren't aware of specific county services. "That has been a concern of our department," said Jeffrey Balentine, assistant director of the Department of Aging and Disabilities. "We'll hear about people saying they haven't heard of our services, so we'll try to market our department and make sure they know what we offer."

People shop around for a car and a house. Why not do the same for their funeral? That's what advocates for the elderly at Baltimore County's Department of Aging were thinking when they began putting together a consumer guide to planning a burial or cremation. The 36-page booklet, with advice on how to choose a casket or donate your body to science, was released this week. Because the subject often makes people squeamish, the authors gave the guide the oblique title, "It May Be Your Third Largest Purchase."

Seniors provide a growing market, and the Anne Arundel Trade Council is giving local businesses an opportunity to tap into it at the third annual 55+ Expo next week in Glen Burnie, organizers say.The expo, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 18 at La Fontaine Bleu on Ritchie Highway, will include representatives from banks offering advice on estate planning and travel agents talking about getaways, said Jeanette Wessel, chief operating officer of the Anne Arundel...

In Sunday's Anne Arundel County section, the director of the County Department of Aging was incorrectly identified. Carol R. Baker holds that position.The Sun regrets the error.Pub Date: 4/08/98

The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging, the U.S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 4422 are sponsoring a Carrier Alert program for seniors.Under the free program, mail carriers will notify the Department of Aging if seniors don't pick up their mail.The Department of Aging will maintain a roster of participants and will send a list of their names and addresses to the post office every week.If mail accumulates at a participant's home, the mail carrier will notify Department of Aging officials, who will call the person or ask a neighbor to call.

O'Malley picks school board members Gov. Martin O'Malley announced today the reappointment of the current president of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education and the appointment of two members to the newly expanded panel. Incumbent President Tricia Johnson of Davidsonville is seeking a second five-year term in the at-large seat, and Teresa Birge of Seven Oaks, who intends to represent the newly created District 32 seat in West County, must go up for a retention vote in November, which means there will be no other names on the ballot.

Police seek identity of homicide victim An autopsy has determined that an unidentified man whose badly burned body was found Sunday morning in a new townhouse community near Middlesex Elementary School was a homicide victim, county police said yesterday. They declined to release the cause of death or discuss other details of the investigation. Police released a sketch of the victim and were asking yesterday for the public's help in identifying the man.

Medicare Part D help available Anne Arundel County has opened a Medicare Part D Assistance Center to help residents learn about their prescription plan options. The Department of Aging's Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program counselors will provide free, confidential and personalized assistance to seniors, disabled people and their families as they sort through the Medicare prescription plan options available for 2008. The center, in the Department of Aging and Disabilities Building at 2666 Riva Road, Annapolis, is open weekdays with appointments beginning at 9 a.m. Appointments can be made by calling 410-222-4464, ext. 3080.

The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities is seeking volunteers for a focus group to help the agency form a marketing strategy to promote its services. Part of the problem, officials say, is that some people aren't aware of specific county services. "That has been a concern of our department," said Jeffrey Balentine, assistant director of the Department of Aging and Disabilities. "We'll hear about people saying they haven't heard of our services, so we'll try to market our department and make sure they know what we offer."

The Baltimore County Department of Aging is offering a long-term-care awareness workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Seven Oaks Senior Center, 9210 Seven Courts Drive. The free presentation is on strategies for planning for financial needs and is to include information on advance directives, financial resources and long-term care insurance. Social Security Administration and the Maryland Department of Aging representatives are to attend. Information: 410-887-2059.

On Friday, May 11, 2007, JUNE ELIZABETH (nee Roese); beloved wife of the late Elmer G. Cross; devoted mother of Junerose Sordon, Gregory Cross, Donna Barraco, Kris Cross, Bruce Cross, Pamela Nowicki, Melody Stedding, Michael Cross, Colleen Cross and the late Patricia Schwartz. She was the grandmother of 29 and great-grandmother of 34. Friends may call at the Miller-Dippel Funeral Home, Inc., 6415 Belair Road, Baltimore, MD 21206, on Monday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 A.M. on Tuesday, at the Church of the Annunciation.

Department of Aging preparing directory of senior services The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging is preparing its 2002-2003 Senior Services Directory. The directory, due out in early May, will contain information about programs and services available to help seniors maintain their health and independence. Advertisers and volunteer and government agencies that deal with aging-related issues will be listed. The free directory will be available at libraries, senior centers, supermarkets and other locations.

Department of Aging offers information on presidential vote Staff members and volunteers from the county Department of Aging are providing information for seniors on voting in the Nov. 7 presidential election. Information on registration deadlines, arranging to cast an absentee ballot and transportation to the polls is available at county senior centers. Assistance in filing voter forms will be available at Pascal Senior Center, 125 Dorsey Road in Glen Burnie, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Tuesday and Oct. 11. Maryland's voter registration deadline to participate in the election is 9 p.m. Oct. 13.