Highland Group Attended MVP Play

Eight individuals from Highland County, most of them members of the local chapter of the Red Hat Society, journeyed to the Old Dairy Barn Community Center in Warm Springs, courtesy of the DRPT Transportation Grant, on Sunday to attend the Mountain Valley Players’ presentation of two one-act plays.

The program was especially enjoyable for the Red Hat ladies because one of their own members, Norma Reynolds (center), was in the cast. (Also pictured are Selena Lacks, left, and Cathy Lowry, right.)

The hilarious presentation of “The Revenge of the Red Feather Ladies” and its sequel “The Red Feather Ladies Get Their Man” was accented by an intermission “tea party”, with tea sandwiches, assorted deserts and – of course – tea, provided by the Bath County Relay for Life team as a fundraising event.

Posted on May 6, 2013 · Leave a Comment

CDSME Workshop Schedule

The Valley Program for Aging Services recently announced its schedule of Chronic Disease Self Management Education (CDSME) workshops for the Bath-Highland region.

Monterey Presbyterian Church
Thursdays April 25 – May 30 9:00 – 11:30
Spruce Street, Monterey
540-468-3300 or 540-468-3001

Bath Senior Center
Mondays May 6 through April 24 9:00 – 11:30
212 W. Warm Springs Drive
Warm Springs, VA
(540) 839-5604

Monterey Presbyterian Church
Thursdays July 11 – August 15 9:00 – 11:30
Spruce Street, Monterey
540-468-3300 or 540-468-3001

Please contact CDSME Coordinator Joyce Nussbaum at joyce@vpas.org or 540-820-9567 if you would like to plan workshop in your area.

Posted on April 24, 2013 · Leave a Comment

CDSMP Workshops Planned in Bath

Joyce Nussbaum, CDSME Coordinator, and Perlista (PY) Henry, CDSMP leader, made a presentation to the 14 Bath Community Senior Center members, two potential new BCSC members, one caregiver, and three staff members present on April 22.

Joyce explained to the group that 2.2 million Virginians have a chronic condition (any physical or mental condition that will not get better over time) and that most individuals will have two or more chronic diseases in their lifetime. PY told the group that she learned a lot in leader training about how to manage her own conditions, that she feels it is a very valuable program and she’s looking forward to working with it. She briefly shared the symptom cycle and an overview of the Self-Management Tool Box and that it is much easier to accomplish things that you have committed to in goal writing. The BCSC members enthusiastically embraced the concept and were immediately ready to devote six of their Monday mornings to this workshop! Joyce Ryder, Center Director, added that they can be the publicity in the community for this program after they learn these self-management tips. Because there are already enough BCSC members anxious to participate, this will be a somewhat “closed group”. It is scheduled for May 6 through mid-June.

Following the presentation, Joyce Nussbaum, PY and Kathryn met with nursing staff at Bath Community Hospital and have tentatively scheduled the second Bath County CDSMP workshop for July 11-Aug. 15 in Millboro.

Posted on April 24, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Funds Secured for BCSC Historical Registration

When the Bath Community Senior Center (BCSC) Local Council unanimously approved VPAS continuing the process of seeking inclusion of the former John Wesley United Methodist Church, which the BCSC occupies, in the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register, the Council understood that the completion of the required Registration Form would be very expensive.

Paul explained the Form should be completed by an architectural firm with a specialty in this, and that it could cost as much as $5,000. Since VPAS would not be able to pay for this, Paul asked the Council if it would consider trying to raise these funds; the Council agreed. Paul then contacted Frazier Associates in Staunton which proposed to prepare the Form for a not to exceed price of $4,000.

PY Henry, who represents Bath County on the VPAS Board of Directors, informed Paul on April 2 that $2,250 had already been secured towards the cost! The Center members decided to use $1,000 of their funds, a long-time Center member pledged another $1,000, and PY felt that she had roughly $250 more identified. They will have some time to raise the additional funds.

Frazier Associates will now submit a written proposal to Paul for consideration by April 10. Beth Scripps, their Architectural Historian, is tentatively scheduled to visit the BCSC on May 7 to complete the on-site review. PY is preparing a detailed agenda of individuals who will meet with Beth to describe the history of the Church and its adjoining cemetery, and provide any relevant materials. The objective is to to submit the Form for consideration by the VA Dept. of Historic Resources by June 14.

Posted on April 22, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Fifteen Leaders Completed CDSMP Leader Training

Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) Leader Training was held in Lexington January 21,22,31 and February 1 and was facilitated by Joyce Nussbaum, Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Coordinator and Cathie Galvin, CDSMP Master Trainer.

Fifteen participants completed the training and are certified to lead CDSMP workshops. There are 8 new Leaders who will facilitate workshops in Buena Vista, Lexington and Rockbridge (BLR) County, 4 who will lead workshops in Highland and Bath Counties, and 2 Leaders who are instructors at Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center and plan to lead workshops there. One leader will be working with LOA Area Agency on Aging. The first workshop for BLR is scheduled to begin March 21 at the Maury River Senior Center.

Posted on February 6, 2013 · Leave a Comment