Bangor DASH fair draws 280 Elderly, disabled survey resources

BANGOR – Many of Maine’s independent-minded elderly and disabled residents were attracted Wednesday to the third annual DASH Network fair. DASH stands for the Disability and Aging Services Helpline.

Dozens of vendors, service providers and informational resources were on display at the Spectacular Events Center in Bangor at the free event coordinated by the Eastern Area Agency on Aging.

“The mission is to keep people in the community healthy and living as independently as possible,” said agency director Valeria Sauda. The federal Department of Health and Human Services, she said, gives money to states to organize yearly “one-stop shopping opportunities” for elderly and disabled residents to obtain the services and equipment they need. In Maine, the regional agencies on aging coordinate the events.

Those attending the DASH fair could learn how to do an effective breast self-exam or sign up for telephone services for the hearing-impaired. They could explore volunteer and paid employment opportunities, arrange to tour an assisted-living facility, report a rape or domestic assault, or schedule door-to-door transportation services.

Penobscot County Sheriff Glenn Ross was there collecting unwanted medications. Because pharmaceuticals should not be flushed down the toilet and are unsafe to store at home, Ross said, people should look for opportunities to turn them over to law enforcement agencies. The collected medications – prescription and over-the-counter – are stored securely until they are incinerated, he said.

Ross said groups can arrange for a medication collection by contacting his office at 947-4585.

Judi Coburn-Harris, 60, of Bangor was making the rounds in a power wheelchair. Disabled by a spinal cord injury and other nerve damage, the former rehabilitation counselor said the DASH fair provides a valuable opportunity.

“A lot of people have needs but don’t know to ask for help,” she said. Especially in Maine’s rural areas, she said, people may be isolated and not learn about new services and technologies that are available.

“A lot of us grew up without technology, … like, right now, I’m running around with this Bluetooth in my ear,” she said, referring to the hands-free wireless telephone hooked behind her ear. “I’ve taken two calls that, if I’d missed them, it would have been quite detrimental.”

At the booth of the Technical Exploration Center, people could examine products ranging from voice-recognition computer software to adaptive gardening tools. Husson College occupational therapy work-study student Stephanie Thibault explained that the center, located on Summer Street across from the new Bangor Police Department, operates like a lending library, allowing people to try out some of its 2,500 products in their homes before investing in them.

The booth of the Portland-based Maine Center on Deafness included a smoke alarm that triggered a can’t-miss-it strobe light display instead of the more familiar high-pitched alarm, which may be inaudible to a person with impaired hearing.

Many of the products and services displayed at the DASH fair are available at little or no cost or are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance plans.

Ralph and Phyllis Goss of Glenburn said they heard about the DASH fair from friends who attended last year. Ralph Goss, 85, said he wanted to learn about the Dirigo Pines retirement community in Orono. He also had his blood pressure measured – “Right on the money,” he said – and enjoyed exploring the various displays.

Phyllis Goss, a retired nurse who declined to give her age, said she was disappointed not to find information about legal assistance for the elderly or the Senior College program. But she was pleased to have learned about the Iris Network, which provides a range of services to people with impaired vision. And she was surprised to learn that the Penquis agency in Bangor provides transportation to medical appointments. “They’ll pick you up at home and bring you back,” she said.

About 280 people attended the DASH Network fair. Awards were presented during the event to Tim Hortons on Broadway in Bangor for meeting the needs of disabled customers and to Dora Petry, owner of the Beaded Moose in Bangor, for offering beading classes for individuals with special needs.

Information about all resources represented at the DASH Network fair can be obtained by calling the Eastern Area Agency on Aging at 941-2865 or 800-432-7812.