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>> Good evening.

I'm so glad you're watching us tonight here on PBS for Way our show is called LIFE Ahead.

I'm S.E.

Thompson but the real guests are here with me and you'll meet them in just a moment.

We have a very interesting show tonight because they're going to be talking about an upcoming event that so many of you have attended in the past and if you haven't, you should.

We're going to tell you why it's the senior information fair.

And with us tonight we have Betty Foster meet Betty over here in the beautiful peach colored outfit.

>> And Betty, thank you for coming back and being with us.

>> Thank you for asking us.

And Betty is the president of the Senior Information Fair ?

>> Is that correct?

That is correct.

Well, this year for that for this year.

Well, we'll see if she does a good job.

It might be next to and also with us tonight we have Megan Clough's.

>> Megan, thank you for being here.

>> Thanks for having us.

I'm excited to be here where you're a busy girl, your secretary.

Correct.

I am the note taker of the group.

>> That is correct.

What a big job because there's so much information that you have to get out to people and just keeping everything organized because this is a major bit.

Betty, I want to start with you.

I've been many, many, many times to the senior information there and actually here's a little personal note.

>> The first one was 20.

>> How many years?

Twenty one years ago.

It's we've been holding the event this is our twenty first year.

>> This is the twenty first.

OK, here's the little story.

The first one yeah I was at and got to help with the ribbon cutting with Mayor Paul Helmke and it was at the senior center.

Yes.

At that time Carol Clark yeah.

>> Was so good to host us down there and then the program grew so much that then they moved to the downtown library and this year they're moving once again.

Tell me why and where are you going?

We are going to be at Turnstone on Clinton Street this year in their classman athletic center.

Yeah, we decided we needed to be able to move after our twenty nineteen event not because we didn't like the library GIRDWOOD we outgrew it and they also built the Abraham Lincoln Room and they did where.

Yes down at the west end of the Great Hall is okay so that's taking up space.

Yeah yeah it is and I know when you handed at the downtown library you had benders on both sides of that long hallway when you entered plus some of the side rooms in the auditorium and all over the place.

So now we've got a huge facility.

Let's talk about it a little bit in terms of the history who wants to address history here, Betty?

>> You know more about history.

Did you both do it better take it away.

>> All right.

You do it, Betty.

As far as I know it was started in nineteen ninety nine under Mayor Helmke at that time and of course it started at the senior center which is now the community center was held there for a number of years.

Carol Clark assisted there were a couple others that were involved in that had Offenbach back I believe was his name and him and Carol just took it and ran with it.

They outgrew that facility and then quickly outgrew it is a fact and then it was moved to the downtown library for a number of years.

So that was in nineteen ninety nine .

So we've been going there every year except unfortunately for the last couple of years.

>> Yeah and I know that was because of the pandemic and we just couldn't do group things you know but I've had a lot of people even ask me personally is there going to be one this year?

>> So people are looking forward to it for sure.

Yes.

Can we talk about attendance, Megan, as secretary you probably know all those numbers.

Do you have just a Rafie of how many people might be attending?

>> We we're hoping we're hoping for about a thousand people, maybe twelve hundred.

I think that with the new location it offers definitely a variety of space and accessibility but it is the first year back and we know that there are the pandemic is still happening so we are aware of that.

So we're just we're excited to see who comes out and we have lots of vendors who are excited to share information.

>> Sure.

So I think it'll be a good one .

>> I think I think that the board is really excited about seeing seeing the new facility and seeing how it works.

I want to talk about the new facility because I think that this is a great move considering that you continue to get more and more people.

Turnstone fantastic facility you just saw some pictures of it a moment ago Betty.

Why is this going to be so good for the fair is going to be good for the fair because there's open access.

>> Yeah, we will not have any vendors off and side rooms except for our hearing screening by Kiev give here.

Yeah because they do need a quiet quieter place but it's wider access for people that have mobility issues walkers, wheelchairs we've tried to space everything out so they will be able to get through the aisles easily and Turnstone is built with that in mind know disabilities in terms of accessibility to anything with ramps and whatever.

I'll talk about benders.

I was quite surprised when I met them a little while ago at the door here PBS I had been reading information but was as of a couple of days ago about the parent said you had eighty five benders benders.

>> I don't know maybe you have to wait laughter after over we'll check in with them later.

You had eighty five benders I again I think that was on purpose maybe but you said that's growing already and just a couple of days we have last week and this week we have added a number vendors and we're up to ninety one now and we do have space for a few more if anybody would like to join us.

But yes we're we're pleased with we're very pleased with the number and as Megan said, all the vendors are excited to be able to come back this year.

Yeah.

And you know hand out their materials and help the people not just seniors but people of the community.

>> Let's talk about people so who should attend the senior information fair?

>> Do you have to be a senior?

Megan, what do you say?

Oh, absolutely not.

So that's this fair will have information for people of all ages of course with it being the senior information fair, it's going to be about topics more prominent to seniors but caregivers people who might be closer to retirement are hoping to retire early or anything like that.

There will be a lot of vendors there that can that can walk you through those that end of year type living that is going to come up.

>> And I think that especially with the break that was with covid we Betty mentioned a hearing screening.

We will be having a lot of screening.

So this will be a really good time for anyone who might have questions about their health will be doing a couple of different like diabetes and correct me if I'm wrong diabetes and there will be hearing there will be osteoporosis screenings and everything like that blood pressure.

Blood pressure.

Yep.

And so those are those are you don't have to be an older adult to receive those those tests.

So if you're in the area if you want to check it out open to all ages obviously just with a more prominent focus on older adults and one I like is all this information is available as Meghan mentioned, not just for seniors but I mean maybe you have seen your parents or grandparents and maybe you're starting to take over some of the caretaking responsibilities .

This is the place where you can get the kind of information you need and I love the health screenings I think that's just a wonderful feature mainly because they're free.

It's great.

I mean you don't have to make a doctor's appointment or anything.

You're just going get your blood pressure checked and get do the help or the hearing screening and who does these things.

I mean is it a staff from the senior information center or other businesses?

There are business professional that will be doing screenings like I mentioned give here which is one of the nonprofits sure.

Area that assists people with hearing and children with hearing to they are actually going to be doing the hearing screening this year.

We also have another hearing vendor that will be doing earwax check good and the University of Saint Francis nursing program will be doing the diabetes tending under the testing under the auspices of Parkview Diabetes.

That's excellent.

Both Krantz's and Pakta were involved with that.

>> Well and then we have IU health also involved because they are one of our sponsors and they'll be doing the blood pressure and osteoporosis screenings for us so I love that.

>> I think that's great and again, you know I mean there's no copay.

>> You just go in and have those things done.

Well, one of the big things people always ask me about the senior information fair is where do I park you know, how does that all work?

Give us an overview again.

>> Yes.

This year we are at a new location so this year we are trying a few new things there will be parking obviously available on Turnstone campus and they have a big part.

We have a big parking lot and it's an accessible parking lot which is fabulous.

Sure.

But we will have different parking available across the way at Glenbrook Mall.

OK, so they've been generous to work with us to make some space available for especially our vendors but people who might be riding in on the Citilink bus.

So you can take the bus right over to Glenbrook Mall and we'll have a shuttle that's been for free free of charge that will bring you back and forth from the parking to the venue as well and that runs all day the shuttle back and forth.

Yes.

So it'll be running all day.

The fare will start at nine a.m. so don't run what is it every fifteen twenty minutes 15, 20, maybe 30 minutes depending on what the Citilink drops are for that of course in the morning we will have them stationed there to run the vendors back down after they if they're setting up on Thursday morning we're asking them to drop off their material materials that the booth take their vehicle and go to Glenbrook Mall and ah and the shuttle will bring them back down.

>> That's makes it so easy, you know and again, like you said, the parking lot at Turnstone is really quite large so it should be able to accommodate everybody that's going to come now per chance.

It's full when you get there you could just go over to Glenburn Park and take the shuttle back over and they'll take your cap correctly.

>> Yeah, that sounds easy.

OK.

The hours nine to two why did you choose those hours, Betty?

>> Well, we've we've done this for a number of years and we did have different hours originally but we have discovered that most people prefer to come around 9:00 a.m. and then usually early afternoon they want to be out and about and doing something else.

Sure.

So we used to hold it until 3:00 and we just scaled that back many years ago because it kind of fizzled out.

>> People kind of started leaving.

I'll have to say.

>> And again, having having been there so many years, don't hesitate at all going just a little bit later because it's packed at nine a.m. and you know, if you want to wait an hour or two or even wait till lunch time and go, you might find it easier to get around.

>> We have a phone call here from Conrade and he said Can young people show up for retirement advice?

>> Meghan, you talked about that.

Yeah, I'll take that question.

Thank you.

Thanks for calling in, Conrad.

>> So I yeah, I think that that would be a great thing that you could come in and talk to you.

I think that there are a couple different vendors that we have that would be able to offer some advice and maybe point you in the right direction.

>> We have not only insurance companies but we also have elder elder law attorneys that will be displaying there and any of them are very, very knowledgeable and would be able to point you in the right direction.

>> You know, I have to give a little endorsement to to what you're talking about right here and I don't think we've mentioned I've mentioned it to you before but I have a friend who just went through some life changes and needed an attorney and he still had a business card from the Bears Malaz Booth from three years ago from the Senior Information Fair.

So I mean there you go.

You know, at any time you might ,you know, pick up business cards, pick up brochures, you might find that you need these later on Conrad.

>> There you go.

We'll see you there.

Maybe you'll come for lunch.

Let's talk about everybody wants to know about lunch.

The senior information fair is pretty famous for complimentary lunch to a lot of people Betty.

>> Explain that we will be serving our annual free lunch which is a Subway sandwich chips in water.

It's good starting at eleven thirty now it is while supplies last and you must pick up a ticket at the senior information fare booth which won't be hard to find at all.

>> How will I find it right inside the front door?

It's not but it's at the top center of the track that goes around the gymnasium floors there will have a blue tablecloth with our white lettering the food tables she will see setting behind them.

>> Is that inside?

It's going to be inside.

Okay, because I know the food tent was outside previously and it was always vulnerable to weather so that'll be inside as well.

>> Everything OK?

So you need to go get a ticket when you get there, go to the senior information fair booth and pick up a ticket and again there's there's a somewhat limited supply so make sure you get the ticket when you first get there and it's one per person.

>> Yes.

OK, OK we just had another phone call here.

This is from Jane and she says Where in Glenbrook Mall will the shuttle be located for the event?

Yeah, that's a good question because Glenbrook pretty big as well.

OK, take it Mini it will be located on the back of the mall near the food court for attendees because that's where the city bus stop is that if the bus so that's where the shuttle will come and go.

Right.

Right.

It's a bad bank like we're Carson Strabane.

>> Yep.

OK, that's a pretty easy place to find so just go around the back to where parking cars that used to be and you'll find a shuttle bus there.

We have a call coming in from Peter here and he says Will there be Bender's addressing the lights insurance policy?

>> Hmmm.

Good question.

Oh the policy at the Fair.

>> What do you think, Betty?

Yes.

A lot of the vendors will be having information at their particular booth.

Yeah.

For that instance there and they can explain everything to you about any policy changes.

We have several of the different Medicare and insurance companies that will be showing there and so they'll be able to help you.

>> OK, all right.

Megan, in addition to finding out about legal situations, legal advice and life insurance, what are some samples of the other types binders that you're going to have?

>> I know it's so expansive.

Oh, but one of them yeah.

there are a ton of resources.

There will be lots of our senior living facilities there will be different transportation services, maybe some oh modification service.

OK, there will be a home health care agencies like Betty mentioned Medicare insurance, Medicaid presence as well.

All types of topics that you can think of and anything like banking banks will be there.

Oh cool.

We have we do have some of our sponsors I believe is a funeral home and so there are tons of different resources for people maybe to start conversations to to think about what what you might want to do.

>> And this is complimentary advice.

I mean when you go there to the fair they're not going charge you to stop by the booth for advice.

No.

In any way at all.

Bonnie are talking about the the resources that you have and in addition to the multitude of different types of vendors from health to just everyday living, they are going to have some special speaker sessions as well.

Tell us about that, Betty.

Who are we talking and what's the topic?

>> Well, has anybody ever tried to move from the house that she's really into?

>> You better attend the session.

I need to write I as the senior have downsized like three times.

>> When are you going to quit when you get to one bit or just one room apartment.

>> But it is very, very complicated to know where to start to be able to downsize what you want to get rid of , what you want to keep.

Maybe your kids want something.

Maybe they don't want anything so curtness of Nest Brothers real estate OK, they have a senior relocation program and he's very, very knowledgeable and very helpful about helping any senior or anybody downsizing because here in our community they're senior that may live here but their kids live out of state.

Yeah.

And they need help for mom and dad .

Sure.

And so Kurt being that has the help available even if they need some assessment in nursing or something like that.

Kurt's wife assists with that and then he also has Caitlin Sandoval and Chantelle Adlam.

That is part of the senior rededication program that they offer.

>> What time what time will we be speaking?

Kurts first session will be in the morning at 9:00 a.m. and then he will hold another session at 1:00 pm in the afternoon where where in the world is as soon as you walk in the door it is going to be straight across in the conference room oh there in the lobby and so it will be all set up with the chairs and Kurt will have speakers and maybe a projector and such in there for slides and such.

But that's where both sessions will be held and giving that advice to the people that are attending speaker sessions.

OK, all right.

Let's talk a little bit about some of the sponsors.

>> Megan, you start because you have and by the way, I'm going to show this right here.

>> I know you can't see it from where you are but I'm just giving you a general a general look at it.

This is the flier that talks about the senior information fair there.

>> You got to look at it and we even have a Bankside again.

>> It's September 15th, 9:00 a.m. to two p.m.

This has all the information you need in terms of where to park what's going on.

The major sponsors are on about the speaker sessions.

>> Where can we get these Betty?

You can pick them up at the community center downtown, the main library downtown.

>> OK, they're going to be all around the community but we've already dropped some off aging which is what Megan's busy doing.

>> Distributing the WI up on Dupont already has them OK. >> Some of the Walgreens stores have them probably backed by the pharmacy.

The citizen's square is going to have them.

I'm stocking the rack down there tomorrow with fliers which is very good location for people to pick them up too.

And I know they're going throughout the community not only to our sponsors but also to participants and such so well I think what's great is that you have such great sponsors are going to help advertise this for you to let people know.

>> And in addition to the actual flier, you have a website you can go to as well.

>> What is that magazine?

Yes, you can if you are interested in learning more and seeing our great sponsors who are really the backbone in making this happen.

You can go to our website.

It's W-W senior fair staff fair info senior fair dot info.

>> Correct.

Now I looked for it the other well there you go.

There it is senior fair dot info again September 15th from nine to two and I the other day I just Googled Fort Wayne senior information and information came up so if you want to do it that way you can do that as well.

If you don't come across any of these fliers I'm looking at some of the sponsors that are here on the flier.

I see you have a P your lunch sponsor is Paice Media sponsor Wayne T v we have McCombe and Sons several sponsors Indiana University Health .

>> We have Fairhaven.

We have sourced bank Songe what is that Sunshine Health Care Center.

>> Oh I see Sunshine Health Care and we have volunteer Center City Link and live.

What else do we have here who are some of the others that you might mention Megan so those are our big sponsors so we have those gold sponsors like you said our AARP American senior communities and then beers and then they've been they've been sponsor forever.

>> They're wonderful.

Yeah.

They've been around the block a couple of times our new sponsor this year is Pace.

They're they're sponsoring the lunch that free that we talked about earlier.

Yeah.

They're sponsoring and then yes we we also have a bunch of other sponsors who are listed on the flier are vendors who will be listed in the program day of and of course they're on our website as well.

>> If you wanted to to get a peek at those beforehand.

But yeah, no it's really just a great event and what a great community support behind behind bringing it back especially after that two year hiatus.

>> I know and everybody's missed it and I do want to recommend because they do so much in cost them a lot to do it in terms of people to it and their expenses.

>> You come across any of sponsors that we just talked about.

Kelly, thanks.

You know, thanks for doing this.

Thanks for putting on this event.

I'm sure that they would appreciate that a lot.

Betty, I have another question for you.

>> I've heard rumor Joe Justice is going to be there.

Yes.

Tell us who he is and what is he going to do?

Well, he is a well known area musician.

He does a lot of sets for senior facilities but he also is out in the community and the people that attend the fair just seem to absolutely love he's great.

>> He plays classics from the 60s, 70s, 80s just about anything and he is going to be at the center court.

>> So everybody that's even judge is going to be sitting around him this year so there won't be he won't be far off.

They'll be right around him.

He'll be in the center of the action right there and I think that's lovely.

I can remember how pleasant that is to be having lunch and listening to Joe Justice and then maybe going back in and visiting a few more booths at the senior center.

It's just wonderful event.

I'm going to remind you another time about the dates and the time.

Put it on your calendar.

It's coming up soon.

That's September 15th.

Senior information fair from nine to two and that again is changing in location right now.

It's going to be at the Turnstone Plasma Athletic Center.

Very easy to find out.

You can Google that there's a beautiful picture of the facility.

I think that's going to be fabulous for this event.

I want to thank you, Betty and Megan for being with me tonight to share all this information.

>> Thanks.

Good luck.

And two thousand people are going to come and see you.

>> We hope so.

Meanwhile, I hope I see you next Wednesday night right here on LIFE Ahead.

Our topic will be about ombudsman program that helps people sort out any issues they might have if nursing homes they serve as your representative, if you will.

You can find out about that next Wednesday night at seven thirty.

>> Good night