Nov. 13, 2013:  On Sunday afternoon, November 3, Gramatan Village hosted a talk by Dr. Mark Lachs, director of geriatrics for the New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System, which attracted a large, attentive crowd to the Bronxville Public Library's Yeager Room.

With the aid of cartoons, graphs, and a lot of humorous patient-related anecdotes, Dr. Lachs spoke about the challenges and opportunities of aging, information that is summarized in his book, What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Getting Older: An Insider's Survival Manual for Outsmarting the Health-Care System.

Dr. Lachs urged everyone to "take responsibility for your own care". You should be especially alert during "care transitions" when moving from one health care place or provider to another, such as going from the hospital to your home or from a specialist to your primary doctor. This is a dangerous time when information can be lost. How not to be a victim of care transition? Assume your medical records will be lost, do not rely on electronic records, and carry a "greatest hits" list with you, including all your vital information, such as a photocopy of your most recent EKG.

Dr. Lachs also warned family members to look out for delirium--a sudden disturbance in a patient's thinking ability, involving confusion and disorientation--which is epidemic among hospitalized older adults, and he outlined proven interventions that can prevent or reduce the condition.

Not only hospitals can make you sick. According to Dr. Lachs, your home can make you seem sick. One patient who kept falling went through batteries of expensive tests, but when Dr. Lachs visited her home he noticed that her armchair and her carpet were the same color. Adding a different color cushion helped her sit without falling. He went over numerous other simple, inexpensive fixes that can keep older people safely at home.

Perceptions about aging also contribute to a person's well-being. Concepts such as "as you become older you become less useful," "it's normal to become disabled as you age," and "things keep getting worse as you age," can shorten a life by as much as seven years. The aim of Dr. Lachs and other geriatricians is "not to add years to your life but to add life to your years."

Dr. Lachs's final admonition was: "The meek do not inherit the earth. You need to be proactive and take responsibility for your own care. If you want to find your best primary care provider, simply look in the mirror!"

Dr. Lachs's talk will be broadcast on the Bronxville cable channel; to request a copy of the presentation, send an email to CLOAKING .

Pictured here:  Dr. Mark Lachs.

Photo courtesy Julie Dalton, Executive Director, Gramatan Village 

Oct. 2, 2013:  If you ever organize an event on a Saturday morning starting at 9:00 am, you may also want to order a sunny, crisp, picture-perfect fall morning and have Mayor Mary Marvin as the master of ceremonies.

There were over 100 attendees at village hall. Some arrived in style via the Tuckahoe Trolley, thanks to the generosity of the Village of Tuckahoe.

The mayor set the tone by saluting our community's senior citizens for not only the important role they play, but also the significant contributions they make to Bronxville. 

Each of the speakers who followed also paid tribute to our seniors. Remarks were shared by Irma Damhuis, co-chair of the Senior Citizens Council; Nancy Hand, co-chair of Gramatan Village; Jeff Rohr, president of The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester and Tuckahoe; Tracy Conte, vice president of marketing and development at Lawrence Hospital Center; and Bronxville Police Chief Christopher Satriale. 

NYS Assemblywoman Amy Paulin presented a proclamation. Other VIPs in attendance were Rev. Dr. John Hartwell of Village Lutheran Church, Gabriella Radujko, director of the Bronxville Public Library, and New York State Senator George Latimer.

Tuckahoe Mayor Steve Ecklond, Eastchester councilmen Glenn Bellitto, Joe Dooley, Luigi Marcoccia, and Fred Salanitro, and Gilda Press, director of senior programs and services for Eastchester, also attended.

The village provided cider and doughnuts from the Bronxville Farmers’ Market immediately following the opening ceremony.

Evey Riccobono, the energizer bunny and also the exercise instructor for the Bronxville Senior Citizens, then led the group to Bronxville High School’s front lawn, where there was a tai chi demo. From there, the crowd meandered into the business district, where there were several information tables with senior-related information and chair massages. 

Throughout the village, businesses made the day all about seniors by offering "silver specials." 

By 1:30 pm, after enjoying a leisurely lunch (some having power-shopped in town and now ready to get off their feet), the crowd headed to the Bronxville Public Library, which hosted the movie Quartet, a free raffle, and yet another light refreshments break. 

Immediately following, the crowd of 75 enjoyed a Frank Sinatra impersonator. Some brave souls headed back to town to take advantage of the early bird specials.  

Sponsorship by Lawrence Hospital Center and the Rotary Club Foundation made the entire day a reality. We are grateful to our local businesses and organizations for embracing Salute to Seniors day.

The Salute to Seniors committee was a joint effort of members of the Senior Citizens Council, Bronxville Senior Citizens, and Gramatan Village.

Pictured here: Senior citizens gather in front of Bronxville Village Hall while listening to Chief of Police Christopher Satriale speak.

Photo by Mary Liz Mulligan, Member, Board of Directors of Senior Citizens Council and Gramatan Village