News from the Central Area

There is still not much to report from the Central Area this month as most people are still staying close to home to protect themselves and their families.  When I go out to do some errands, I find most Villagers are being smart; wearing masks and social distancing.  Hopefully, with everyone’s cooperation and advances in treatments and a vaccine, we will see some improvements in the not-too-distant future.

One improvement I have seen recently is the addition of the pool Aquatic ADA Access Lifts.  While many of us do not have an immediate need for these devices, we never know when we may have a need for these.  Obviously, we are all aging in place, and over time we may be happy to have these lifts.  But we may also sustain some sort of injury or have surgery that could make using the stairs difficult.

When they put one in our neighborhood pool, I thought it would be good to see how it worked so that I could possibly assist someone who might need it.  I found it very well-designed and simple to use.  It uses water to power it and smoothly lowers and raises the person in and out of the pool.  It is also designed so that someone in a wheelchair could easily transfer to the seat and enjoy the pool. They even provide a life vest if someone feels the need for one.

Some time ago, I attended the Water Buffalo group at the Hacienda Sports Pool.  One of our members had an exceedingly difficult time walking but, because the lifting device was in place, he could easily get into the water to participate in the exercises because of the buoyancy in the water.  Then he got back on and lifted out of the pool and went on his way.  It certainly contributed to his quality of life.  I thought at the time it was a great.  And now they are putting them in all pools. While we all hear folks complaining about almost anything that involves a change, I would hope that this would be a welcome change.  I certainly did not move to The Villages because I thought there would be access devices like this, but it is one of many enhancements I have seen in my time in The Villages.

Did you know:
Attention Veterans:  Did you know that you are entitled to be interred in a national cemetery at no cost to you or your families?  One of the best ways to arrange this is to participate in the VA program called Pre-Need Eligibility.  Pre-Need establishes eligibility for VA burial and memorial benefits before you die, so your family does not have to go searching for documentation at the time of your death.  Simply fill out VA Form 40-10007 and mail it to the St. Louis office that makes all these burial arrangements.  You can get the form by going to www.cem.va.gov/pre-need It takes a little while to get a response because they are dealing with arrangements for on-going deaths, but I went through the process and I have my certification on file for when my time comes.  Which I hope is not anytime soon.

Stay healthy and safe!