Island Hearing Healthcare
Stacie Nordrum, Au.D., CCC-A, of Island Hearing Healthcare offers hearing appointments at Orcas Senior Center on the first Thursday of each month. Make your appointment in advance as slots fill up quickly. Services available include hearing tests, consultations, hearing aid programming, and other hearing aid services. Clean and checks of hearing aids, as well as general consultations are offered free of charge. To schedule an appointment and other questions please contact Stacie directly at 360-378-2330 or islandhearing@gmail.com. To learn more about Island Hearing Healthcare, go to www.islandhearing.net.
Global Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Elder abuse is more widespread than many of us believe, and we see it here on Orcas Island. Not always physical abuse, it can be financial, emotional, and/or sexual. It also includes people who are neglected and those who neglect themselves for a variety of reasons. Social isolation, financial or emotional stress, and dementia can make a senior more vulnerable to abuse. COVID isolation increased these risks for older adults.
Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult, affecting millions of older adults annually. Older adults may be mistreated in many settings (homes, nursing homes) by family members, friends and neighbors, professionals, and strangers. Elders are especially vulnerable to online and telephone scams.
An estimated 1 in 10 older Americans are victims of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Experts believe that elder abuse is significantly under-reported. Research suggests that as few as 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse come to the attention of authorities.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15 this year. Please join Orcas Senor Center in working to ensure that seniors on Orcas have the opportunity age well and safely in our community.
Four bands provide tunes at Cider Festival
Four local bands will create a festive atmosphere at the Village Green in Eastsound on July 15, as part of Orcas Senior Center’s 2023 Cider and Mead Festival. Music from the stage is free during the regular Farmers’ Market, and tickets to the festival are available online at the festival’s website, www.orcasislandciderfest.org
Scheduled bands include the Orcas Senior Center ukulele kanikapila group, featuring Kathy Collister and her senior center students. Come sing-along to their familiar tunes! Next up will be Smithers, a band from Bellingham, featuring Kai Ross, a graduate of Orcas Island High School now at Western Washington University. The beat will change with Dust Bunnies, a local funk rock band, highlighting Al Bentley on tenor sax. Completing the lineup will be a classic garage band, Feral Mary and the Mother Electrix. Playing mostly originals, their vibe is uplifting, sometimes ambient and psychedelic. The band is composed of Mary Wachter, Jill Sherman, Suzanne Olson, Hannah Parker, and Penny Mills.
At the festival, ciders and meads from regional producers will be available for sampling and purchase. The event is a great opportunity to invite your friends for a weekend on Orcas to sample local products, food booths, village restaurants, shops and more!
