Senior Expo near Pottsville 'one-stop shopping' for boomers, beyond

Oct. 19—POTTSVILLE — Catherine Toborowski has been retired for about 30 years, but the 92-year-old Shenandoah Heights resident still remains active.

On Tuesday, she participated in a seated yoga class at Fairlane Village mall during the 12th Senior Expo.

"It's the first time I did yoga, and it feels good," said Torborowski, a retired garment factory worker. "It's good to keep active at this age."

Hundreds of seniors turned out for the expo, sponsored by Diakon Living and Learning After 50.

When the doors opened at 10 a.m., long lines formed to pick up promotional materials from 44 exhibitors lining the mall's center court.

Information was available on senior living arrangements, independent living services, immunization, hospice and funeral arrangements.

"The expo is about giving seniors the opportunity to come to one place and gather information on a host of services," said Karen Wood, executive director of Diakon Community Services in Pottsville. "It's one-stop shopping."

The expo, Wood said, is also somewhat of a social affair.

"It's like old home week," she said. "People see people they haven't seen in years. It's like a reunion."

Susan Long, Diakon services director, said the turnout for this year's expo is somewhat larger than last year.

With Medicare open enrollment in effect through Dec. 7, Diakon consultants at the PA MEDI Program were busy providing independent analyses of Medicare supplemental insurance programs.

"It's a free service, it eliminates confusion and gives people the opportunity to see what's out there," said Rae Thompson, a Diakon volunteer.

David Hafer, decked out in a Philadelphia Phillies baseball shirt, stood for a balance test from Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in Cressona Mall.

Dr. Meghan Boran, the physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist who performed the test, said balance is critical in preventing falls among seniors.

All about hearing

Among visitors to the Pottsville Hearing Center table, much of the talk was about over-the-counter hearing aids.

On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released regulations that make it easier to get hearing aids without a doctor's prescription.

Ron Papeika, who got his hearing aid through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, said it's unlikely he would buy an over-the-counter hearing aid.

"You need a doctor to give you a good examination before getting a hearing aid," said Papeika, 73, a retired factory worker who lives in Pottsville.

"OTC is fine for mild hearing loss," he said, "but if you can't hear, you need to see a doctor."

Ed Jalonski says there are times when an over-the-counter hearing aid is fine.

"I know two guys who paid $6,000 to $8,000 for hearing aids, and they don't wear them," said Jalonski, a retired Verizon worker who lives in Ashland. "It seems to me it's just as likely you'd get a good one over the counter."

Kay L. Hranichny, an audiologist at Pottsville ENT (ear, nose and throat), said over-the-counter hearing aids have been on the market for several years.

The recent FDA regulations, she said, have focused renewed attention on the devices.

Hranichny stressed the need to have an ear exam and hearing test, even for people who intend to purchase a hearing aid over the counter.

Standard procedure at Pottsville ENT, she said, is to examine a patient's ear, test hearing and feed the information into a computer program to determine the type of hearing aid needed.

Sign of the times

Senior Expo advertising materials said the event was designed for "Boomers and beyond."

Once the drivers of art, culture and politics in the 1960s, they're now retirees facing decisions about health issues, independent living and home health care.

One of those issues is final arrangements.

Louis D. Truskowsky, a Mahanoy City funeral director, said more people are considering cremation as an option.

There's still a lot of confusion about cremation, said Truskowsky, whose funeral home offers the option.

"With cremation, you can still have visitation and a church service," he said. "When the service is over, the body is cremated instead of being buried."

The expo wasn't all about major life decisions.

Diakon turned the former Schuylkill Valley Sports store into a senior citizens center for a day. Seniors enjoyed bingo, checkers and Zumba Gold.

No gathering of seniors would be complete without the Pennsylvania Lottery, which had a stand in the mall court.

Since 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $32.6 billion to programs benefiting older Pennsylvanians, according to a Lottery brochure.

Gail Hoffman, a Pottsville resident, needed no encouragement to play. She's a regular player of Cash 5, Match 6 and other games.

"My brother was one number away from winning a million dollars," Hoffman said. "I'm determined to hit it big someday."

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007