Large crowd gathers for celebration honoring Nancy Jarred
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Over 80 people gathered for a celebration on Friday, February 23 honoring Nancy Jarred, who has served at the Tingley meal site for over 50 years.
No one has served longer than Jarred according to Sherri Carson, the Director of Health Living Programs for Connections Area Agency on Aging.
“She is the only person we’ve ever had serve that many years,” Carson noted during the 50 year celebration hosted by the Connections Area Agency on Aging.
One of six agencies across Iowa, Connections Area Agency on Aging currently operates 34 congregate meal sites like the one at the Tingley Community Building. However, the state and federal funding that offsets the cost of providing healthy meals throughout the service area may no longer be available after June 30.
“We plan to keep the meal site open as long as we have funding,” Sherri Carson, the Director of Health Living Programs for Connections Area Agency said.
While the agency received federal COVID relief funding, it is expected to be depleted in the next four months.
“When COVID came, numbers went down,” stated Ronda Engles, the Healthy Living Coordinator for the Tingley meal site.
The site temporarily closed during the COVID pandemic, and roughly 50 meals a week have been served at the Tingley site since reopening. Jarred estimates she serves an average of 18 meals each day.
Meals are currently served on site Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, and meal delivery within Tingley is also offered as part of the program.
Prior to the Area 14 Agency on Aging merging and becoming the Connections Agency in 2013, meals were prepared and served on site four days a week. Meals are now contracted out and prepared by Trio in Council Bluffs.
“We moved to catered meals a couple years after the agency merged,” stated Engles, “it was around July 1, 2015 when we quit cooking in the kitchen.”
Connections Area Agency on Aging hosted a celebration for Nancy Jarred, who has served the Tingley meal site for over 50 years on Friday, February 23. Pictured left to right: Nikkole Cordemann, Ronda Engles, Nancy Jarred, Sherri Carson, and Joyce Rodenburg.
Engles, who plans to retire on March 4, noted she has worked with Jarred for 19 years to coordinate the Tingley meal site, where retired adults have gathered to enjoy a hot meal, fellowship, singing, bingo, card games and puzzles.
Many sites have moved to home delivered meals, and the Connections Cafe program now provides an alternative meal option for adults over age 60.
The Connections Cafe Card rolled out in December of 2021, and by July of 2022 they had 1500 participants registered in the program, which allows seniors to purchase a meal from participating restaurants like the Wagon Wheel Cafe in Tingley.
Nikkole Cordemann, a community engagement and evidence based specialist for the Connections Agency also helped serve at Jarred’s celebration, and provided a short presentation of additional programs that can be provided by request.
The programs she shared information about are designed to assist with balance, chronic disease maintenance and health and nutrition.
A matter of balance workshop, developed by Maine University, is available for adults age 55 or older who have concerns about falling and may restrict their activities due to their fear of falling. The workshop is designed to teach participants to view falls as controllable, set goals for increasing activity, make changes to reduce fall risks at home, and learn exercises to increase strength and balance. Each two-hour workshop is conducted by trained leaders, once a week for eight weeks.
Another workshop, Tai Chi for Arthritis, helps people with arthritis or other neuromuscular conditions to improve all muscular strength, flexibility, balance, stamina, and more. A total of 12 one-hour sessions are conducted by trained leaders. Tai Chi has been shown to be one of the most effective exercises for preventing falls.
Classes for caregivers are also available, including stress busting for caregivers and older adults technology services to teach older Americans about smartphones, and other technology.
For more information, contact Nikkole Cordemann by calling 800-432-9209 ex 8710 or email ncordemann@connectionsaaa.org
