Welcome to the February 2007 Seniors Digest!

Don Moreland, Advisory Council Chair

This month, it’s all about heart! It’s an exciting time for us as Seattle-King County Aging and Disabilities begins to craft the 2008–2011 Area Plan on Aging for King County. We need your help as we work on establishing our major goals and objectives for the next four years:

• Complete an online community survey!
  
  
• Join us for the Focus on the Future Forums! 

And speaking of heart, February is American Heart Month! See below to learn about Charlotte Ruff’s work with the Cultural Health Initiatives Committee of the American Heart Association. And our star chef (otherwise known as Advisory Council Member Houston Brown) reveals the secrets of healthy fettuccine alfredo in his “Houston Brown’s Healthy Cooking Corner” for February. Even this month’s wordfind puzzle highlights “Heart Healthy Dining.”

Also in this issue:

• Senior Lobby Day—A Valentine's Day Message for Olympia
  
  
• Storm-Related Reporting Deadlines
  
  
• Dementia Partnership Offers Financial/Legal Planning Workshop
  
  
• Links You Can Use

For More Information....

Check out SeniorsDigest.org, our national companion website. The Seniors Digest Resource Center is a great place to begin your search for information about issues of interest to seniors and their families.

We hope you will refer to our electronic pages often—to obtain advice, to learn of new and exciting services, and to offer us your constructive feedback.

Read Seniors Digest and tell us what you think. We are here to help.

Don Moreland, Chair
Seattle-King County Advisory Council
on Aging and Disability Services

* More About Charlotte Ruff

Charlotte Ruff retired from her job as a Public Health Services supervisor ten years ago. Today, the former nurse is working harder than ever to improve the health of her community. As a volunteer for the Cultural Health Initiatives Committee with the American Heart Association, Charlotte works to educate African-Americans about the risks of heart disease and stroke, and provides them with the tools to live healthy lives. One initiative she is helping to launch is a stroke awareness campaign, being conducted in local barber and beauty shops. She has also been instrumental in bringing health screening and disease prevention programs to her church.  

Charlotte is also helping the Northwest Kidney Center prepare for the African-American Kidney Fest, an awareness, education and screening event which will be held this spring. In addition, she is involved in an AIDS awareness program through MultiFaith Works, which helps people who are HIV positive or living with AIDS.

Charlotte chairs the Health Initiatives Committee for her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, and is working on a program to promote healthy lifestyles among its members. She also helps award scholarships and grants to deserving individuals, both through her sorority and through the Mary Mahoney Nurses Association. 

The Mayor's Council on African American Elders was delighted to have Charlotte join their team two years ago.  The Council realized what a treasure she is, and had invited her to join them several times, but Charlotte declined due to other commitments. Former co-worker and dear friend Gwen Brown was one of the members who continued to recruit her. Recently, Gwen passed away and Charlotte felt that she should honor her friend by serving on the Council.

Charlotte is on the advisory board for the African-American Elders Program, and was one of the initial key partners of that program, which provides outreach and coordinated services to low-income and isolated African-American elders in their homes.

To keep herself feeling good, Charlotte exercises three times a week at the Southeast Senior Center in the Enhance Fitness Program.  She also makes sure to have plenty of fun by playing bridge, going out to lunch with friends and attending productions at the Seattle Opera. With three teenage grandsons, she has become a big sports fan and is a frequent spectator at their many baseball, basketball and soccer games. She is also very active in her church and enjoys singing in the choir. On top of all this, she manages to find time to usher for performances at Benaroya Hall. "Staying busy keeps me from getting bored," says Charlotte.