Peninsula Daily News column 4-28-2011 "9th annual information fair set May 6"

                Do you ever wake up in the morning and think about all the different
places you could be? Tahiti? Cancun? Philadelphia? Or the ever-popular first-choice, the bathroom? (OK, me, too)

                But, it’s true: We could be any number of places doing any number of things, within the often-restrictive parameters of our imaginations and circumstances. And since, for many of us, our “circumstances” have become even more restrictive in the last couple of years, we might find our choices somewhat…contained.

                Given that unhappy fact, I have a happy idea: On Friday, May 6, a week from tomorrow, you could choose to be where I’m going to choose to be…Well, at least between 10:00 and 2:00 – After that, where I’ll choose to be is none of your business.

                But between 10:00 and 2:00, I’m going to be lurking about the Port Angeles Senior Center (328 E. 7^th in P.A., if that’s news), with a cadre’ of cohorts, because we’re presenting the “9^th Annual Information Fair!”

                What?

                What do you mean, “what?”? We’ve been doing this for 9 years! OK, maybe you’ve been spending every May in Philadelphia – Here’s the deal:

                This is where we get all of “us” (“Information & Assistance”) in one place at one time, and set up a bunch of tables on different subjects, like “Medicare” or “Long-Term Care” or “Medication Management” or “Medicaid” or “Family Caregiver Support” or or or… Then you get to wander aimlessly about and see what might be helpful or interesting to you or yours.

                The best part is that we’re all there, so if you ask one of us a question that another of us knows more about, we can walk you right over to that somebody and you can take care of your business on-the-spot, rather than calling somebody else at some other time who might be in some other place at some other number…You know how that goes.

                Maybe you need “Respite.” Maybe you need to talk to somebody about “Advance Directives” or “P.O.L.S.T. forms.” Maybe you need help at home and have no idea where to look or what you’re looking for. Maybe you’ve got someone you care about in a facility, and things aren’t going so well – Or maybe you need to find a facility.

                Maybe you’re thinking that someone close to you needs a guardianship. Maybe you’re worrying about your sister in St. Louis. Maybe Part D is looming on your horizon and you’d like to have somebody talk you all the way through it. Or maybe you couldn’t find your car keys.

                Or maybe you have no idea what you’re looking for – You don’t even know what you’re wondering about or what to even ask! You just know what’s happening to you or yours – What’s “wrong,” or could go “wrong” – And you just need to tell someone the story, who might be able to help.

                Then, between 10:00 and 2:00 on May 6, you’ll be in the right place.

                No program, no speeches, no polite applause; well, if you want to be there between 10:30 and 11:30, you could sit down in another room and listen to Paul Corning, from the Attorney General’s “Consumer Protection Division,” talk about consumer fraud and identity theft, as well as mortgage and foreclosure issues – That would be worth the doing! Then you could mosey back in with the rest of us and cruise the tables (Note: Paul will also be staffing a table with information, and answering questions, after his presentation, so you’ll have a 1-on-1 shot).

                A free lunch! I’m serious! I’ll bet you didn’t get that in Philadelphia!

                Door prizes! Access to an Elder-law attorney! (No, we are NOT giving away the Elder Law Attorney!)

                What else do you want??

                Seriously, these really are fun, because we really can just talk. I can honestly tell you that I work with some of the best and smartest people around, and we’ll all be there, so why don’t you be, too?

                We’ll have all kinds of info on all kinds of topics that you can take with you, tables where you can sit down and/or eat and/or talk or just…Rest – No programs, no speeches, no polite applause.

                  So, when you wake up in the morning on Friday, May 6, and think about all the different places you could be, the Port Angeles Senior Center between 10:00 and 2:00 would be a GREAT choice for Choice #2!

                …first things, first.