Month: July 2016

Coming together to help others

Leland Kiang, who manages and frequently answers Iona’s free Helpline, has a lot of people leaning on him. 2,869 to be exact. That is the number of people who made 4,605 calls to the Helpline in the past year. Staffed by social workers every weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Information & Referral Helpline was set up to answer common — and uncommon — questions and to refer callers to services and programs in our area. Anyone can call the line. Iona gets inquiries from residents throughout the region as well as family members living across the country and overseas who have older relatives in the Washington area.

“My affinity for working with older adults stems from my grandmother, who helped raise me,” says Leland, who has a master’s in social work from Catholic University. He worked as an Iona case manager before taking over the Helpline in 2008. The job, says Leland, is part social worker, part resource librarian.

Most of the questions to the Helpline come from caregivers — spouses, adult children, close friends, and professionals — but some come from older adults interested in resources for themselves. Callers represent the spectrum of income levels. During the recession, there was an increase in inquiries related to financial support.

Today, many people are looking for affordable housing. Callers also want to know about free or low-cost transportation services, home care services, government benefits, and home-delivered meals. “Sometimes the call is from an adult daughter or son who has noticed that mom or dad isn’t functioning well,” says Leland. “They are overwhelmed and don’t know what to do.

“Our job is to sort out where the need is,” he says. “If the caller is anxious, I let her vent, which gives me time to figure out how I can help.” Questions run the gamut. Are they trying to find out if Medicare pays for long-term care? How to support a parent who is being discharged from the hospital? How to help a family member who is depressed or socially isolated? Leland frequently refers callers to Iona’s team of experts, which includes case managers, social workers, and a dietician, among others.

Beyond the Helpline, Leland produces the Bi-Weekly Resource Digest distributed to a mailing list of 1,000 area professionals. “The Bi-Weekly Digest is phenomenal, very valuable,” said Mary Ann Floto, United Way’s 211 Program Manager. “I’ve passed it on to information and referral colleagues in Maryland and D.C.”

Asked how this work has influenced thoughts about his own aging, 49-year-old Leland points out that he has the privilege of witnessing both the challenges and the rewards of aging. “I’ve seen a lot of courage and resiliency,” he says. “At Iona — and throughout the community — I’ve seen people collectively coming together to help others. If anything, it’s inspiring.”

To get answers yourself call (202) 895-9448 and ask for the Helpline or email info@iona.org.

Written by Janice Kaplan

Eating well

When Angela Mejia de Lopez retired as professor of ancient history from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, she had big plans which included reading all the books she hadn’t had time to read when she was teaching. Macular degeneration changed all of that.

Now 86, Angela has lived for the past year in a DC apartment, three blocks from her son and his family — who check on her every day and host her for lunch every weekend. But family members became alarmed when Angela began having trouble with food shopping and cooking because of her impaired eyesight. Angela agrees it had become a problem. She was no longer able to distinguish between products at her neighborhood grocery store, and meal planning had become difficult as well. It was her idea to look into home-delivered meals.

Angela’s daughter Adelaida Lopez — who lives in California — arranged through Iona to have meals delivered four times a week. (Through its grant from the DC Office on Aging, Iona delivered meals to 243 older adults in the past year.) “I live alone, but I’m glad to know I am not completely alone,” says Angela, who looks forward to the meals she receives. Adds her daughter: “It’s important for my mother to know that somebody cares about her besides her family.”

“The home-delivered meals program has not only allowed Angela to consume healthy and tasty meals, it has provided her daughter with a sense of relief that her mother is eating well and can continue to age well in her apartment,” says Jakia Muhammad, Iona’s home-delivered meals coordinator.

Iona’s home-delivered meals have been a safety net for Angela and her family. But notes Adelaida “this may be the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we need from Iona,” She recently arranged for her mother to meet with an Iona social work case manager.

Written by Janice Kaplan

Doing her own thing

Stella “Starr” Clarke, kept running into the sociable stranger in her Cleveland Park neighborhood. Each time, his message was the same: “Come check out the club.” After four invitations, she had to see this place for herself.

The “club” turned out to be Iona’s Active Wellness Program at St. Alban’s, held every weekday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the grounds of the National Cathedral. The program attracts older adults from the neighborhood and beyond who are drawn to the nutritious lunch and diverse activities — such as exercise class, a farmer’s market with free produce and field trips.

“I like the people and we have a lot to talk about, whether we are black, white, pink, or blue,” says Stella, 80, who is married and has children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren but appreciates the opportunity to do her own thing.

She has been doing her own thing since she was three years old and fell in love with dance. A native of Guyana, South America, Stella honed her skills as an interpretive and Caribbean folk dancer and, at an early age, was crowned Carnival Queen. She founded a well-known dance school; her “Dancing Dolls” performed for presidents and other dignitaries. In Guyana she is considered a national treasure. She was recognized by the government in an official ceremony celebrating her as a national cultural icon.

When she moved to the U.S., Stella was invited to train with the prestigious Alvin Ailey Dance School. She has been teaching dance ever since, even recreating “The Dancing Dolls” with children of Caribbean heritage living in the Washington area.

Frequently asked her secret to staying “young,” Stella’s response is morning exercise — in the shower! — where she stretches, twists, and touches her toes. “The warm water loosens you up; that’s why I look and feel like a teenager,” she laughs.

At St. Alban’s, “we talk about everything from our families to our finances. It’s as if we’ve known each other for years,” says Stella, who has been participating in the program since 2013.

Courtney Tolbert, who manages the St. Alban’s program, “is one in a million,’” says Stella. “She’s constantly adding new programs. For instance, September is National Hispanic Heritage Month so we listened to Joan Baez and José Feliciano and went to the National Portrait Gallery to see an exhibition about Dolores Huerta (the farm workers’ movement leader).”

“We all have such incredible lives,” says Stella, noting that a recent event featured a discussion about a new book by Alec McRae, another St. Alban’s participant.

And, in fact, Stella herself (along with granddaughter Kahina Haynes, School Director of Dance Institute of Washington) performed at St. Albans. “I plan to dance until the day I die,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.

Written by Janice Kaplan

Taking charge, aging well

They came together later in life and from different backgrounds. Larry Bell, the son of a popular disc jockey, had a hit record, “Hey Mr. Lonesome,” by age 17.

Later, he worked in a series of sales and music industry jobs around the country. Back in DC, he enjoys his work as a trainer in cross-cultural communication. Michelle Dompierre is from a small French-speaking enclave in Ontario, was inspired by the First Nation population that lived on a nearby reservation, and traveled the world working in international development.

An unlikely couple perhaps, Larry and Michelle met in the District in 1992. “That was the beginning of a whole new chapter,” Larry says. Michelle would cook while he read Siddhartha to her. After seven years of dating, they married. “We are different racially, culturally, and behaviorally but we connect on a spiritual level and around shared values,” she says.

Most recently they had begun thinking about the aging process. Their friends tend to be younger. They wanted to be with peers to get their perspective on aging and be better prepared for what lies ahead. So they signed up for Iona’s new Take Charge/Age Well Academy.

In Academy classes, they have candid conversations with other participants and Iona’s staff about everything from nutrition and second careers to the physical challenges of aging. (Michelle had knee-replacement surgery; Larry was in a life-altering traffic accident.) The Academy “demystified the aging process,” says Michelle, 71. “It reinforces that we are not alone, moves you to be more proactive, to be lighter, and enjoy aging.”

“If I learned one thing,” says Larry, 67, “it’s the more you plan, the more successful and happy you will be.” Michelle’s takeaways are: “Have an open attitude toward change. Be grateful. Be more deliberate in self-care. Embrace the possibilities.”

“We used to go hiking and dancing a lot,” she says. “Now it takes us longer to do things — cooking, entertaining, walking. I was getting impatient. But now we stroll. I am no longer the roadrunner. I am the turtle. But that’s okay. I am here.”

Written by Janice Kaplan