good evening and welcome to PBS Fort Wayne.

We have a great show for you tonight.

Some information I think you'll find very valuable for yourself or someone you know we're going to be talking about the senior information fair if you've been to it in the past years.

It is wonderful and there are so many opportunities for you to learn a lot of things, get some free things and certainly go home more informed about things for the older generation .

However, the senior information fair is also for younger people that are helping someone older, perhaps their caregivers for their parents or grandparents and will have lots of suggestions for you as well.

>> I'm Sandy Thomson, the host of the show but I'm not the of these two over here on this Nars this is Josh, right.

>> Josh, welcome to Life for.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for having me.

And I'm going to tell you in a second what Josh does but Betty Foster.

Hi, Daddy.

Hello.

It's just wonderful she's been a LIFE Ahead.

>> Do you know how many years you've come to?

At least five and she always comes in.

It has been telling us about the senior information fair.

She's been the president and has organized it don't know you do it.

>> It's a huge event.

I don't organize it.

This entire group our board when I was there giving you credit for four.

>> Thank you.

Now Betty has been the president and organizing senior information for Josh gets the job next year the president elect.

>> I am.

Yes.

You ready for this?

>> Well, Betty does a lot of work behind the scenes so she she tries to play modest but she does a lot of the grunt work behind the scenes work that really makes all of this happen.

So just watching her and making sure that everything is going to run smoothly, I think I'm up for the task but it is a pretty big undertaking and I know as you shared earlier, you have a really good board that's going to be helping.

>> We do, yes.

>> There's a lot of support there is full of amazing people who do a lot of work in order to make this happen.

Well, to give Betty some more congratulations Betty.

And I've shared this every time we've had this show.

I think I've seen your information fair.

I was at the very first woman and what do we decide?

It was twenty six years ago.

Twenty six years ago.

Twenty six years ago it was that the senior center downtown there were maybe twenty five bendir and about 200 people came mahoungou and I cut the yellow ribbon to open the fair.

>> It was really exciting.

It was wonderful and every year grew and grew until you had to move downtown to the library but now you are at Turnstone.

Tell me about Turnstone Betty.

Why did you move to that location?

Well, Bill down at the library had partly to do with it but we moved and chose Turnstone specific only because of the athletic center and it's large enough to host all of our vendors and also isn't that beautiful?

>> I think that's a spectacular building.

It's kind of across from Glenbrook.

It's just down the road just a little bit of gumbrecht.

But yeah, for anybody coming we'll have a shuttle running from Glenbrook to Turnstone where they can park parking lot up there and come down.

>> So I know they have a lot of parking at Turnstone and you can do that free but if you can't find a space there as Betty said, go over to Glenbrook I think it's near McMahons Tire last and I believe that's where it's going to be there.

>> But there will definitely be signs posted to tell people where it's safe and that shuttle will take you to over to the fair and it will bring you back home.

>> I mean it's running day.

Yeah, we actually have two of them that be running.

>> Oh, all right.

Well that makes it pretty easy.

Turnstone is such a fabulous place.

I've been there many times and now you have so many vendors we're calling them vendors but there are businesses organized nations that have have rented booth space or kiosk space or whatever and it's amazing to me to think you have over a hundred.

>> Yes.

Yes we do.

It keeps growing.

You proud of that to you?

That's a lot.

It keeps growing every year and we're happy to see the vendors come out so that they and furnish their information and resources to the seniors or anyone 18 or older that has an interest that may be a caregiver or something like that with their grandpa or their parents or what have you and we'd really like a big turnout this well let's go back and you're going to be looking by the way, at some of the photos from the fair from last year.

But it's like what it'll be like this year as you get the opportunity to see what some of the booths are like.

And there's the information again we're going to keep reminding you it's Thursday, September 18th, nine o'clock in the morning until two p.m. nine to two .

I will tell you this you do not have to be there at nine a.m.

In fact, if you go at nine a.m. that's when it's that the busiest and you might want to, you know, give a little time and go just a little later in the morning or even early afternoon there will still be all of those activities going on.

>> Josh, we have speakers this year.

Do you usually do?

Actually I got to speak one year now that I remember several years ago.

>> Yes, you were.

Yes, My topic was age is just a number.

>> Yeah OK about that that was exciting.

>> That was down at the library but now tell us about this your speaker.

Yes, we've got two speakers this year.

One is Charles.

He's a local attorney who does elder law work a lot of work with making sure we preserve our assets.

We also have Todd Honeycut from Aging and In-Home Services.

He is there to be able to talk about our caregivers and the support that we have in the community for them.

A lot of caregivers aren't aware of the resources that are there so he's going to be there to speak about that.

>> Charles talks at 10:00 a.m. and Todd talks at twelve forty five and I'm assuming that if need be they would hang out a little bit and answer the question almost as sure might have.

Yes.

Great topics both of them very, very timely of course we were talking a little bit I'll tell you before the show about how much more popular our home health care is now than it used to be.

>> Would we decide was the reason John, there's there's multiple reasons.

>> One is just a change in how the the money is being distributed from the state and from the federal government to another is that some people just want to stay home.

They want to be able to be in the home that they've known for years and they want to avoid going to a new place that may be unfamiliar, that may be scary and so that home health care is it's a pretty booming business because of that need and it's very fascinating.

>> We've done several shows here on line forget about home health care and it is big business now and the people the caregivers for the home health care services and there are many of them by the way are well trained.

>> I mean and they depending on what your needs are, they would have training in giving medications, maybe taking care of tasks around the home.

>> It could be as simple as preparing meals or going to get groceries for you.

>> It could be transporting people to doctor's appointments .

What's the word when you transfer them from a wheelchair to their bed or something like that?

I mean there's a specific way that you're taught to do those things in the home.

Health care givers know how to do that.

>> You've got vendors that are home health care givers, isn't that right?

That is correct.

We have quite a few of those to share.

What are some of the screenings everybody wants to know about that which is wonderful and a lot of people just come to the senior information fair to get all of these free medical screenings and there are a lot of them.

>> Could you speak to that many?

>> One of the biggest is a diabetes glucose.

Oh yes.

We'll have them there.

There's a couple vendors that will be doing that.

We have DEXA scan that will be going on for a DEXA scan.

Oh DEXA scan OK it is for osteoporosis.

They have blood pressure checks ,O2 oxygen status and we'll also have mammograms available because Francene yes.

>> Will be there but do they need an appointment for a mammogram?

I don't believe so.

They have some openings today of that name will be taking future appointments if you want to set one at that time.

>> So how about two of the significant medical areas vision and hearing?

>> Do you have any issues with that?

We do Gogu.

We have a vendor that will be giving a complete hearing screening and then we have several others that will be doing an on scope exam of the inside of your ear which is very easy to do.

Another vendor will also be doing a screening and then we also have a lot of that have miscellaneous screenings going on at their booth and I know that a lot of times don't have medical students that are there helping with the screenings and whatever I've I've always participated in the screenings and I remember the last time I went I did what was a balance balance.

>> I think I failed.

I didn't know I did I didn't know it was still young.

>> But you and I we failed.

>> So anyway there you go.

But it's worth it to go just to get those if I mean you saw that whole list of screenings and if you just did even half of them, you're saving a lot of money to go to the doctor or a lab for every one of those individual tests.

>> So that's worth it.

But let's talk about money.

Is there a cost for this, Josh?

I know it is for you to join so you are welcome to come in at any time.

>> There's no cost to you to walk in the front door and everyone is there shouldn't be our you're going to be handing out some free items as well in order to promote their businesses.

>> Yes.

And that's always a popular thing to you know, people will collect whatever ballpoint pens or pill bottles or you know, whatever.

>> But again, keep in mind that you need to use some some good common sense with it to and not overtake things or whatever and and if a vendor to boot is talking to you give them the respect and stop and listen to them.

>> You know it'll be worth your time and and worth their time as well because this is a wonderful thing and all these people over well over one vendors and businesses that's in a lot of people that are giving up their whole Thursday to come to the fair and share their information so you know, thank them.

Thank them for that.

All right.

Let's talk about another topic everybody wants to know about.

Well, briefly touch lunch, Betty.

>> There is a free lunch while supplies are still available.

>> People just need to stop at the senior information fair booth to get a ticket for it.

I believe the booth number is thirty six.

It'll be right at the top of the inside track.

>> You won't you won't be able we have a big floor flag that flies.

There will be a tablecloth on there that says senior information fair you shouldn't miss it whatsoever and lunches complimentary as well but again as Betty mentioned you know it's obviously catered so it's a limited supply.

>> So if you miss that I don't know stop somewhere on the way home.

>> I guess that'll work as well .

>> Josh, let's go over parking again.

Yeah.

If people aren't familiar with Fort Wayne , what would you suggest and where can they park and it doesn't cost anything.

>> Turnstone does have some parking is free market Turnstone we also have some parking over at Glenbrook and if you have a park over Glenbrook because you can't find any parking at Turnstone we do have busses courtesy of OK, they're going to be running back and forth to be able to take you over to Turnstone and take you right back.

>> OK?

All right.

That sounds easy enough.

>> And again, I love what you see on the bottom of the screen there free event open to the public now as I said earlier when I did it the first time there were a couple hundred people came and now it could be a thousand even more you know that that might be there and it's wonderful because it's such a great community event when there are so many things in one place I want to know here about justice.

>> Everybody talks about him, Betty who's he and why are we talking about John?

He's a well known musician here in the community and he plays for a lot of the senior figures and yes, yeah.

>> He also does events at different senior residential community and such around the areas and he's been in at a long time but he plays classics from the know 60s, 70s.

>> Everybody always loved it.

Yes, always loves that now I see John is Johnny Camp.

>> Yes, John he's going to be there.

He will make an appearance there.

Excellent.

Yeah.

Right now who's there who's down on the Three Rivers therapy dogs are going to join us.

>> I read about that.

Yeah.

>> So the therapy dogs will be there and you can interact with them.

Exactly.

OK, that's cool.

I don't remember that from before but I love dogs so I would be there just to visit with them and obviously that in itself therapy dogs could be a part of somebody's home health care as well.

>> It could be their medical recovery .

OK, let's talk about is it bocce ball and what is it?

>> Josh is laughing so we've got a few activities set up in the same location gymnasium.

>> Yes.

And the gymnasium area is just on the other side of that gymnasium.

So we have a few activities set up once you have mingled with all of the vendors and you've gone through and see all of the information that we have, we do have some activities.

We've got the basketball.

>> We've got thingo size size.

Yes.

But we want to see what the size is.

>> I have no idea not a clue that's going to be put on by Turnstone their staff that will be doing but I love bingo so that's yeah.

>> I mean who does that?

That's always the fun so that's kind of cool.

>> So you can have your own recreation that afternoon as well.

>> How about shots?

You know we talked about health screening.

Right.

But I hear now you could even get some of your vaccinations down.

>> Yes.

We also have a booth that's going to be doing some vaccinations.

I believe it is the the flu shot, the single shot and I'm missing one pneumonia and then the pneumonia shot.

>> Yes.

Is there a charge for those?

>> I believe those are three or four shot but you have to have your insurance card because they do have to report it.

I can't say it depends on your insurance company but most of those you mentioned are free shots.

>> If you were going to a pharmacy or something.

>> Most insurances cover it for now and that's great once again, you know you can go have lunch, go to all of these vendors here some music, go play bingo and bouncing ball and get your vaccinations all at the same time.

>> OK, now other things that we want to talk about and we did talk about the speakers but let's go over again the who what when where and I want to bring that slide up again that has the date and the time.

>> We can't emphasize that enough.

It's not that far away.

September or eighteenth Betty.

>> What are the other parameters we should know just show up at 9:00 a.m. in inner the Turnstone located on Clinton Street just down from Glenbrook Mall.

We want everybody to come and enjoy the day you can take your time to walk through the vendors.

There's not a rush.

Lunch will start serving about eleven thirty.

>> The speakers will be in the conference room which is just inside the front entrance.

>> Oh OK. OK Turnstone so Charles will speak at 10:00 a.m. you would have to go back out into the lobby area and into the conference room for that and then of course in the afternoon Togged would speak and again the same thing I think those are both favorite topics and really very timely topics to various things that seniors need to know about because as you well know, Sandy , our world changes every single day.

>> I kind of noticed that especially lately.

>> Yes.

This by the way I don't know you can't see it up close but you know this this flier which has all the information about the senior information fair and the photos which we've already shown you there on the air but as a reminder to yourself, you can pick these up at the Allen County Library so a lot of them have them in the information section in the lobbies you can get them at the community center.

They have their in their information section.

They're also stocked at Citizen Square inside the one door I made sure that I had them stocked their and they're just at various places throughout the communities some of the pharmacies Walgreens have them you can find them there by the pharmacy and just you just need to look for them and just pick one up and put it on your refrigerator magnet so you don't forget the information and the time and and grab a couple to pass out to your neighbors or your family to to remind them to come.

>> You know, you might even want to make this an outing and I know a lot of people who have done that.

>> You know, several ladies get together or a couple of couples and they come together to the event as a social thing for him and that's lovely as well.

>> Yeah, certainly something that you can do.

>> All right.

Let's talk about sponsors, Betty.

>> You have a lot of sponsors.

We have the most sponsors this share that we have ever had in any other year really we have twenty one sponsors.

>> Wow.

I mean I want to recognize that because it's amazing and we're looking at that list of sponsors right now.

>> It's amazing how the community has gotten behind the scene information fair.

>> I mean look at all of those organizations and businesses that are so known and respected in our community that believe in their senior information fair and have decided and chosen to be sponsors, right?

>> Yes.

That and the fact that the senior services has grown so much in the community they're needed so much in the community and these businesses and area professionals.

Yeah, I want to make sure that they are able to provide the seniors or their families and caregivers the information resources as much as possible.

And so you know, senior information fair is a convenient location for them to come to and all the vendors are there under one roof.

You can take your time going through gather the information you want if there's someone specific you're looking for , you can ask either a board member or a volunteer.

They know where their booth is and again there is so much information out there and excuse me it's factual information.

>> Right.

And if you're looking for a specific thing like Betty said, you know, you can go to the senior information booth and say OK, I want to learn about nursing homes.

I want to look at some possibilities for my grandparents.

You know what should I go to and they can send you in the right direction.

>> How about home health care are there for that?

>> Yeah.

We also have a lot of booths for home health care.

We have a lot of booths for a lot of different services the seniors are going to need we have home health care as you said.

We have nursing homes.

We have people who will help with disability and just improving your own home in order to make it more disability accessible.

We have a wide variety of vendors to offer a wide variety of services and it's important to be able to take a look at all of those in order to know what exactly is out there.

I've only been on the board for a few years and I've learned each year that there's more services out there that I didn't know about last year.

>> I know it's amazing.

I mean I've been doing this like the head show for a number of years and we've done so much with elder services and whatever but I keep learning new things and we keep having new businesses that come along about a new service that's available that we didn't used to talk about.

So it's a great community and I love the senior information for her because they put it all in one place they make easy for you, right?

>> Right.

Yes.

You don't have to be on the phone forever or trying to figure out where you can get information.

You know, we have the vendors right there.

Yeah.

Under one roof so it's easy for you to gather information it home review you know, save it.

>> Do they give like a plastic bag or something when you go some of the vendors do OK and the vendors do right and you can go around to the vendors and collect you know, all of this information you can go home with a bag full of brochures and business cards and peruse what you're interested in at your leisure which might might spark something I want to share with you.

>> I know you're an attorney Josh a friend of mine went to the fair several years ago a number of years ago and he stopped at the legal booth and talked to some attorneys there and that was great.

You know, had a nice nice visit and whatever and and one of the attorneys gave her gave him her card and two years later his wife passed away and he still had that card in a junk drawer or something in the kitchen and he pulled that out and called that attorney to help him get through what he needed to do with the estate planning and and the follow up.

>> So you never know you might find something that you'll you'll use a number of years later.

>> That's right.

You know, the legal booth has always been very popular.

I know, right?

Yeah, we have we have several legal booths that are going to be there, several different law offices who offer different kinds of services and and to your point, there are a lot of things that even if you don't need those services right now, you may in the future you may have somebody at home who needs those even if you don't you may know somebody and it's important to just get that information so that when you encounter that you can supply that information even if you don't need it yourself.

>> Exactly.

And that's why we want to appeal to everybody out there you never know tomorrow you know grandpa might fall off the ladder while he's trying to paint the eggs or something and need some at home care and maybe you'll be the one responsible or maybe your mom had some surgery and she needs six weeks of recovery time where your family might need to help be a caregiver for her.

>> You just never know what your needs might be.

OK, one more time let's go over the who what when where again September 18th.

>> That's Thursday 9:00 a.m. to two p.m. any time within that time frame at Turnstone on North Clinton.

>> It's just a fabulous fair recommend it to your friends Josh and Betty.

>> I can't thank you enough for coming tonight to share this with our viewers.

We appreciate you having us.

Thank you.

I do want to mention that anybody that would like to ride the city bus system can do so and they can go to the booth our senior information fair booth in show their day pass that they use and we will reimburse them a day pass for Nancy Grace.

>> Think of everything you've got a big job next door to the rest of you.

>> Thank you so much for watching us this evening and share that information.

I'll be back here next Wednesday night with another topic and some other guests.

Meanwhile, have a great night.

>> Stay safe and healthy