The Area Agency on Aging of Somerset County

10/26/2026

Join us tomorrow for our annual Wii Bowling tournament. Who are you rooting for...The Alley Cats or the Holy Rollers? 🎳

Stat tuned for our livestream of the event at 10am!

10/22/2026

Conemaugh Township Senior Center will be closed on Friday, October 23, 2026 through Friday, October 30, 2026. The senior center will reopen on Monday, November 2, 2026.

10/11/2026

Somerset Senior Center consumers visited the Flight 93 Chapel. Our hosts, Connie Hay and Paul Keteles showed us around the chapel and talked about many of the items on display. It is well worth your time to visit the chapel.

10/02/2026

PDA has partnered with Penn State to offer: Living With Dementia – Education. Support. A Stronger Tomorrow. The series will begin on October 6, with other opportunities to join throughout the month.

This free, interactive virtual and in person learning opportunity connects caregivers with multidisciplinary specialists to share best practices for dementia care.

Program Highlights:
🔹 All sessions are FREE
🔹 All sessions are different; however, you do not need to attend each one.
🔹 Structure: Brief expert talks followed by real-world, peer-led case discussions
🔹Model: Collaborative "all teach, all learn" approach to solve care challenges
You can learn more about the series by visiting https://engage.ltcrc.org/LWD

Register:
💻 https://redcap.ctsi.psu.edu/surveys/?s=TPWNMR3J38PETJR7
📧 [email protected]
☎️ 717-531-6747

09/25/2026

09/22/2026

Way to go Somerset!

While We didn’t win the pizza party for collecting the most items to donate to our local food pantry, the seniors collected more than 496 items. Way to go Somerset Senior Center Attendees! A Finishing Second Celebration is planned for October.

09/20/2026

The Late Stage of Dementia

The late stage of dementia can be one of the most difficult parts of the journey for both the person living with dementia and those caring for them.
At this stage, the person may need help with almost every part of daily life. Communication may become very limited, mobility may decrease, and eating, drinking, swallowing, toileting, and personal care can become more difficult.

Common changes may include:
• needing help with bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting
• difficulty walking, standing, or changing position
• increased sleeping and reduced energy
• little or no verbal communication
• difficulty recognizing familiar people or surroundings
• swallowing problems and changes in appetite
• incontinence
• increased vulnerability to infections, falls, dehydration, and pressure injuries
Not everyone will experience these changes in the same way or at the same pace.

Even when words are limited, feelings and the need for comfort remain. A familiar voice, gentle touch, favorite music, calm surroundings, and simply sitting nearby can still provide reassurance and connection.
Care during the late stage often becomes less about correcting, teaching, or maintaining independence and more about comfort, dignity, safety, and quality of life.

Watch carefully for signs of pain or discomfort. A person who cannot explain what is wrong may communicate through facial expressions, restlessness, calling out, withdrawing, changes in sleep, or refusing care.

It is also important to talk with the healthcare team about changing needs, including swallowing difficulties, nutrition, mobility, pain management, infection prevention, and whether palliative or hospice care may be appropriate.
For caregivers, this stage can bring deep sadness, exhaustion, anticipatory grief, and difficult decisions.

Please remember that being present matters.
Holding a hand matters.
Speaking gently matters.
Keeping someone comfortable matters.
Protecting their dignity matters.

Even when dementia has taken away many abilities, the person is still there and still deserving of love, respect, and compassionate care.
In the late stage of dementia, sometimes the most meaningful message is simply:
“I am here. You are safe. You are loved.”

09/19/2026

Sending a huge shout out to our staff, family and friends that joined our agency on the Walk to End Alzheimers today!

09/18/2026

Please pay attention to your mail. Also, please be sure to call our office at #814-443-2681 to schedule your Open Enrollment appointment.

Prior to Medicare open enrollment you may receive certain notices highlighting changes for the next year.

Carefully consider your options by reviewing your health and prescription drug needs to determine if your plan will continue to meet your needs in 2027.

Call PA MEDI, 1-800-783-7067, to schedule an appointment for free, personalized, unbiased and confidential Medicare insurance counseling.