Council on aging talks healthy lifestyle for senior citizens

By Chris Kinkaid The Daily News

Having a healthy lifestyle for is important for everybody and Executive of the Council on Aging in Bogalusa Leona Magee talked about different ways to help keep senior citizens healthy. “They have to get out and be around people their own age and not be home isolated,” Magee said. “Being around people their own age helps keep their mind good and keeps them up. When they come into our center, we have four in the parish, it gives them something to do. They do bingo, crafts and we have lunch. But it’s not about the lunch, it’s just that they have somebody to talk to. We do blood pressure checks.”

Magee said that when they get to the Council on Aging, they have people waiting on them to get here.

“When we get here, they’re ready for us to get here,” Magee said. “I tell the staff all the time that they must like the way we do things here otherwise they wouldn’t come. We make them feel comfortable and we show them a lot of love. My staff is one of the best around. I give them an A+. I’m not just saying that, I’ve got a great staff. Almost everybody has been here for more than five years.”

Hot lunches are served at 11 a.m. each day Monday through Friday.

Magee said they have different people come in like home health. She said they will do bingo with them and bring the people gifts for bingo and some will bring them snacks.

Magee said that if a farmer gets a good crop, they’ll bring that in for the seniors and that gets them excited.

On the medical side, Magee said that checking vital signs and getting flu shots are important. She said they have talks about diabetes and the importance of them taking their medicine.

Magee said that exercise is important and that they do that once a week.

She said that Sheila Seal from Our Lady of Angels Hospital talks to the seniors once a month and it’s a different topic each time.

Council on Aging offers programs with homemaker services. Some that are not able to get to the center are called twice a week. They also offer transportation for their needs. They offer a caregiver sup- port program.

Caregiver support program offers support services caring for a relative or a loved one. It includes information and assistance and in-home respite. They offer home delivered meals. They serve five nutrition balanced meals. That’s for people who are homebound and low income and are the most socially needy. They also offer medic alert.

The Council on Aging has four locations in Washington Parish. Besides Bogalusa, they also have one in Angie, Franklinton and Pine.