Dutchess County’s Division of Aging Services (Aired on May 25, 2012)

Joe Ryan, Outreach Coordinator for the Division of Aging Services, provides many interesting statistics and other facts about the many ways this agency assists seniors. Approximately 57,000 seniors, defined as anyone over 60 years old, live in Dutchess County, and residents between 40 and 60 years old total about 90,000. Other Hudson Valley counties provide similar services, which include help with legal issues (wills, trusts, etc.), transportation (for medical purposes especially, but for other purposes such as grocery shopping), medical information (long term care, levels of living), free exercise programs, the Brain Games program, and loads more. They also provide assistance to caretakers for the aging. The agency receives about 39,000 calls per year asking for help. The agency’s goal is to keep seniors living independently and at home as long as possible because studies show that seniors live longer in their own environment.