Hunger and Homelessness Awareness
As the cold weather settles in and some families make plans for the holidays, others are recognizing Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week this week. Hibah Hammad is the University of Oregon chapter chair for the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, or OSPIRG. She notes that Eugene has one of the highest homelessness rates in the country. Hammad says her organization is highlighting some of the services available for people struggling on U-of-O’s campus and also putting together medical kits for people experiencing homelessness in the community.
“A lot of houseless folks are requesting medical supplies because, especially as it gets colder, when they get cuts and bruises and things like that and they can’t take care of it, then a lot of them end up getting really bad injuries or even, unfortunately, pass away. That’s been a recent issue.”
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week was founded at Villanova University in 1975. Groups in more than 700 locations across the U-S are holding education, service and fundraising events this week.
Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and, importantly, it also coincides with National Family Caregivers Month. The progressive brain disease is common in Oregon, with nearly 70-thousand people living with Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Lenny Steinberg is the program director for the organization’s Oregon and Southwest Washington chapter. He says caregivers play a crucial role in the lives of people with the disease.
“It can be all-encompassing and certainly, over time, increase as the disease progresses. Caregivers are experiencing a huge emotional impact.”
Alzheimer’s disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Earlier this month, the Alzheimer’s Association’s Oregon chapter gathered for the 24th annual McGinty Conference on Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Aging, the group’s first in-person meeting since the start of the pandemic. Steinberg says results from a study last month on a drug called Lecanemab are promising. A clinical trial found that the drug reduced the rate of cognitive decline by 27 percent in a study of participants experiencing the early stage of Alzheimer’s.
“This is one of the most exciting pieces of research coming out in many, many years, and to be able to get on top of something like this at the early stages is just extremely promising for so many folks.”
Steinberg adds that people in need of support resources for someone in their life who has Alzheimer’s or dementia can reach out to his organization for referrals or consultation about care.
Kiwanis Thanksgiving Meal
The Florence Kiwanis Club will once again be offering their Thanksgiving Dinner free to the public in a drive through setting. The Kiwanis club moved to a drive thru pick up meal during the pandemic and have decided to continue it at least for this year. It will be served through the Elks facility on 12th street with the line for vehicles to begin at 12th and Maple street driving east into the Elks parking lot. The meal is free and there will be a 4 meal maximum per vehicle unless all recipients of the meal are in the vehicle. Distribution will begin at 11:30 Thanksgiving day and go until 750 meals are distributed.
RSV-COVID-19-Influenza
The Oregon Health Authority is reporting alarming rates of respiratory viruses across the state and urge residents to take precautions during the holidays. The report says the virus is expected to circulate at higher levels this season and family gatherings will likely be a link to that spread. Tom Jeanne is an MD with the OHA and says they can’t say whether or not the virus and influenza will be more severe than the pre-pandemic levels, but national trends are a cause for concern.
“we Do expect all three of these pathogens, COVID-19, RSV and Ifluenza to circulate during this respiratory season at higher levels than we’ve experienced over the last two years.”
Jeanne says all three have similar transmission vehicles including droplets, contact, and from surfaces.
