Do you have older adults who would like to have a volunteer deliver a Thanksgiving meal on 11/21/19? The Colorado Gerontological Society is partnering with Charles Schwab and PF Chang’s to deliver Thanksgiving meals this year. Please call 303-333-3482 with names of individuals or families who would like to receive a Thanksgiving meal.
Through our research, we hope to provide the county with information to inform their short & long-term planning around respite, inclusive programming, safety net services, etc. and provide recommendations to improve opportunities for populations who are aging with a disability in Douglas County.
Let Douglas County know your needs as you or someone you care for ages with a disability. We appreciate any feedback from the whole of Douglas County, but we are specifically interested in the Highlands Ranch & Santa Fe corridor.
Please complete the survey below or attend the focus group session.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z3F666R
SURVEY FOCUS GROUP Wednesday, December 11 Light snacks & beverages provided!
Questions or to RSVP to the Focus Group, contact: Kim Tenure | k.tenure@nmscolo.org | 303-435-3548 Dinah Frey | d.frey@dpcolo.org | 303-884-9261
Please click here to take the survey
Thank you in advance for your time and effort.
Happy riding!
Denver B-cycle
Lyft users in Denver may soon be picked up by an electric vehicle.
The ride-hailing company announced Thursday that 200 long-range electric vehicles will be made available to rent in December for its drivers in the Mile High City.
“I was just talking to a Lyft driver who told me that their single biggest cost is gas,” said Gov. Jared Polis, flanked by Lyft officials and other government leaders on the steps of the state Capitol. “And so his earnings will go up when he’s driving electric vehicles.”
Lyft estimates a driver could save between $70 and $100 per week in fuel costs, based on similar programs in other cities.
Recent legislation that lowered the purchase cost of electric vehicles for ride-hailing companies was key to Lyft’s decision to launch its program, said Cal Lankton, Lyft’s vice president of fleet and global operations.
“Colorado’s obviously been a fantastic place for Lyft,” Lankton said.
Lyft’s expansion will expose thousands of riders to electric vehicles, Polis said. He hopes that will persuade them to buy an electric vehicle for their next purchase.
“This is what our renewable energy future looks like,” he said. “Getting creative, saving people money, providing more choices, creating jobs, and staying focused on our goals of reducing emissions and improving air quality.”
Lyft said the 200 electric vehicles will make up a substantial part of its rental fleet in Denver, though a company official declined to give specifics.
BRING INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS, ISSUES, AND MEETINGS TO SHARE WITH COLLEAGUES AT SENIOR ISSUES BRIEFING ON 11/12/19
NEXT MEETING: November 12, 2019
TIME: 8:30 am to 9:30 am
TOPIC: Information Exchange and Opportunities for Collaboration
PRESENTER: All Participants
LOCATION: Balfour Senior Living, Boar’s Head Room, 2979 Unita, Denver.
REFRESHMENTS: Courtesy of Balfour Senior Living
NEXT MEETING: December 10, 2019
DO YOU HAVE OLDER ADULTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A VOLUNTEER DELIVER A THANKSGIVING MEAL ON 11/21/19. THE COLORADO GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY IS PARTNERING WITH CHARLES SCHWAB AND P F CHANG TO DELIVER THANKSGIVING MEALS. PLEASE CALL 303-333-3482 WITH NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES WHO WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A THANKSGIVING MEAL.
Military dogs want the same things people want when they retire: comfort, some peace and quiet, and quality time with their loved ones.
That’s not too much to ask for a pup who served their country, now is it?
While 90% of canine veterans end up with their handlers, a few end up available for adoption.
Air Force officials at Lackland Air Force Base, the San Antonio base are worried over the sharp disinterest faced by the retired military working dogs post-retirement.
While the trainee puppies who don’t make the cut for active duty are readily adopted, the older K9s yearn for a home but keep getting overlooked.
Source: Demetrius Lester/Wikimedia Commons | Senior Airman William O’Brien/Wikimedia Commons
The officials have now turned to the people for help. They have requested potential adoptive parties to consider retired K9s too.
These hardworking K9s have dedicated their lives to the safety of the nation and its people. They will be assets to their new family in every aspect.
Lackland Air Force Base, the San Antonio base where all military pups receive their training, handles all their own adoptions, as does the Transportation Security Administration.
There are also organizations like Mission K9 Rescue, which help facilitate adoptions of contract military working dogs, which are often harder to reunite with their handlers.
You can expect most retired military working dogs (MWDs) available for adoption to be between the ages of 10 and 12.
Common breeds include German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and Belgian malinois—all loyal, energetic and intelligent.
“Every MWD, when they’re retiring, they do a behavioral test and an adoptiontest to make sure they’re not going to be food aggressive or bite a small child or chase the mailman down the street,” says MAC Chief Petty Officer Jason Silvis, who works with MWDs at Lackland Air Force Base.
“We do a wide variety of tests before we decide that the dogs are good to be adopted to the public.”
Of the dogs that end up back at Lackland, 75% are approved for adoption. At any given time, there can be as many as 200 approved adopters on their waitlist.
According to Silvis, there are a few requirements that have to be met before you can get your paws on a MWD:
Lackland only places about six dogs a month, but like Mama always says, good things come to those who wait.
Interested in adopting a retired military working dog? Contact the officers at mwd.adoptions@us.af.mil or call 210-671-6766. Visit Lackland Air Force Base’s website for more info.
Please spread the word and help increase the chances of adoptions for our loyal K9 veterans.
Click the video below to watch how amazing K9 veterans are and how you can adopt them!
Story: Man’s About To Return Shelter Dog When He Reads Previous Owner’s Note
A man had finally settled into his new town, but something still felt missing from his life. He thought getting a companion in the form of a shelter dog might help. So he did just that. He went to the shelter where a black Lab named Reggie needed a home. But they didn’t hit it off right away.
The man gave it two weeks (the amount of time the shelter said it may take for the dog to adjust to his new home), but it just wasn’t working out. Maybe it was the fact he was also trying to adjust to a new situation. Maybe they were too much alike. But then the man started going through Reggie’s stuff, and that’s when he was reminded of a letter the previous owner had left with the dog. That’s what would end up changing their lives dramatically.
What an amazingly beautiful story. It’s all going to work out for Tank and his new owner. 🙂
You’ve read this far… you need to watch this short BEAUTIFUL video clip.. It will touch your HEART! Enjoy!
[h/t Tickld]
Does this sound familiar? Your dog suddenly starts making loud snorting sounds—over and over again, in quick succession.
Do you start wondering, did they swallow something they shouldn’t have? Can they breathe?!
Chances are, you’re experiencing the infamous “reverse sneeze.”
Veterinarians often see dogs whose owners rushed them in for an emergency appointment after finding them standing with their elbows apart, head pulled back, and eyes bulging as they snort or gasp repeatedly.
Yet for the vast majority of these dogs, a vet visit was unnecessary.
Reverse sneezing looks and sounds scary the first time you encounter it. However, it’s a fairly common and harmless respiratory event for dogs.
Read on to learn how to identify reverse sneezing, what causes it, and how to tell the difference between a harmless reverse sneeze and something else.
A reverse sneeze is pretty much what it sounds like: a sneeze that happens in reverse! The above video is a good example of what it looks and sounds like.
In a regular sneeze, air is rapidly pushed out through the nose. In a reverse sneeze, air is rapidly, and noisily, pulled in through the nose.
It occurs in spasms lasting anywhere from a few seconds up to a minute and sounds like snorting, snuffling, and even gagging. See the above video for an example.
Because of the sounds their dogs make while reverse sneezing, many people mistakenly think their dog is choking. However, a reverse sneeze is almost as normal and harmless as a regular sneeze.
There’s no single cause for a reverse sneeze. Like regular sneezing, it’s often triggered by an irritation or inflammation in the nose, throat, or sinuses.
It often occurs when dogs wake up from a nap, or after eating, when their breathing pattern may have rapidly changed. It’s also caused by irritants in the airway—anything from dust to an inhaled hair!
Some dogs experience more frequent reverse sneezing in springtime when the air is full of pollen and other allergens.
Others reverse sneeze more in the winter, when sudden temperature changes between outdoors and indoors cause the nasal passages to contract.
Another common cause of reverse sneezing is pressure on the throat and neck. A too-tight collar, or straining against the leash, can irritate the throat and lead to a reverse sneeze. That’s just one more reason to consider a harness for your dog.
Finally, some dogs reverse sneeze after exercise, or when they’re overexcited. This is particularly common among brachycephalic, or short-nosed, breeds like pugs and bulldogs.
When they get worked up, they may inhale their elongated soft palates into the throat, triggering an episode of reverse sneezing.
Reverse sneezing is super-common, and it won’t hurt your dog. However, some dogs become anxious during a reverse sneezing episode, and a lengthy episode may be uncomfortable.
You can help your dog recover from a reverse sneezing episode by remaining calm yourself. If you get anxious, your dog’s anxiety will increase, too. So, stay calm, and show your dog there’s nothing to panic about.
If your dog is experiencing a particularly long episode of reverse sneezing, you may be able to ease or end the episode by:
In the vast majority of cases, there’s no need to intervene. Reverse sneezing doesn’t last long, and your dog will be perfectly normal after it stops.
As mentioned, reverse sneezing rarely requires veterinary treatment. As soon as the sneezing episode stops, the situation is resolved. However, if episodes increase in frequency or duration, you should call the vet just in case.
You should also seek treatment if your dog’s reverse sneezing is accompanied by other respiratory symptoms or if they have any unusual discharge from their nose.
Occasionally, chronic reverse sneezing can be a symptom of more serious issues. These include nasal mites, foreign objects in the airway, respiratory infections, and tracheal collapse.
If you’re concerned about the intensity of your dog’s reverse sneezing, take a video to show the vet. They’ll be able to determine potential causes.
Most dogs experience episodes of reverse sneezing at some point in their lives. For the vast majority of dogs, it’s a common, temporary, harmless reaction with no lasting aftereffects.
Of course, it still sounds unsettling to our human ears! But now that you know what reverse sneezing is, you’ll be less likely to make an unnecessary vet visit.
VIA 
VIA