February 2025
More Information
From the National Institute for Health:
Cold Weather Safety for Older Adults.
From FEMA:
Seven Winter Safety Tips for Older Adults
From the Mayo Clinic:
How to avoid winter slips and falls
From the Low- Income Home Energy Assistance Program:
Eligibility Tool if You Need Help with your Energy Bill
Community Connections for Older Adults
Larimer County Connections– behavioral health and therapy referrals
(970) 221-5551
Larimer County Office on Aging– Information and referrals to programs, services, and resources for older adults, caregivers, and adults living with a disability
(970) 498-7750
Aging Clinic of the Rockies– Senior peer counseling services, individual counseling for caregivers, and neuropsychological assessments
(970) 491-6795
Colorado Crisis Services– Colorado’s statewide resource for mental health, substance use, or emotional crisis help, information and referrals.
1-844-493-TALK (8255)
Aging Clinic of the Rockies Newsletter:Preparing an Emergency Plan
Preparing an Emergency Plan for Your Unique Needs
As fires are still going in California and we just survived a cold spell where it got to –11 degrees we encourage you to start thinking about an emergency plan. About 4 out of 5 Americans live in counties hit by weather events since 2007, according to disaster declaration data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). That illustrates how these events can impact nearly everyone and the importance of having a plan. Here are some things to think about now to be prepared for what might come later:
Discuss your plan. Talk about preparedness with friends, neighbors, and family members. Discussing the topic can help you create a support network, find local resources for preparation and identify contents for a custom emergency kit.
Create a contact list. Make a list of people and places you can turn to for support in an emergency, including people you may need to help or notify of your safety. Include phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses. Also include insurance providers, health care professionals and medical supply companies. Keep one copy on hand and put another copy in a watertight container in your emergency kit.
Prep for power outages. Ask your health care providers about how to prepare for power outages, especially if you depend on medical devices that use electricity, such as oxygen, dialysis or a power wheelchair. Write down your plan, along with information about your devices, and keep a copy in your emergency kit.
Make a list of all medications and medical supplies. Keep a list of your medicines, including dosages and allergies, along with other essential supplies like extra eyeglasses, hearing-aid batteries and at least a week’s supply of all prescription medicines in your emergency kit.
Plan for transportation. Have a plan in place in case you need to evacuate or get to health care services during an emergency. Know what equipment you need and how you will transport it. Perhaps a neighbor or family member can include you in their evacuation plans. Set this up beforehand and plan how to coordinate in the event of a disaster.
Plan for pets and service animals. Include food, medications and other supplies your pets may need in your emergency kit.
Pack the essentials. In addition to your medical information and needs, don’t forget essentials such as non-perishable food, water, a weather radio, a flashlight, extra batteries, blankets, cash, extra clothing and personal hygiene items. Keep your emergency kit in an easy-to-access location.
More information about emergency plans at: https://acl.gov/EmergencyPreparedness.
February 2025 Days to Celebrate
All of February: Black History Month
Feb 6: Optimist Day
Feb 1-7: Women’s Heart Week
Feb 10: National Flannel Day
Feb 14: Valentine’s Day
Feb 26: Carpe Diem Day
February is a month to celebrate love—whether for Valentine’s Day, cozy flannels, or life itself! Take some time to reflect on what you love, and share the joy with others. Here are some ideas:
Create a Valentine’s card for a neighbor, family member, or mail carrier to spread love and appreciation.
Celebrate optimism by writing down 3-5 positive things you’re looking forward to this month, whether it’s the Super Bowl, longer daylight hours, or warmer weather!
Local February Events
Feb 7 & 8: Ice Sculpture Weekend @ Old Town Square
Every Saturday: Fort Collins Winter Farmers Market @ Foothills Mall
Feb 7-17: Fort Collins Book Fest (More Info)
Feb 8: Lunar New Year Celebration – Year of the Snake @ The Drake Center
Feb 19: Dry Soup Workshop @ Harmony Library
Feb 20: ASL Social @ New Belgium Brewing Company
The Aging Clinic of the Rockies (ACOR) provides professional counseling services to support older adults and their loved ones. Our services include caregiver support programs, general mental health services, psychotherapy, and neuropsychological assessments. To learn more, contact us at:
(970) 491-6795
http://psychology.colostate.edu/acor/
Stay safe and enjoy February!
