Webster Parish Council on Aging

06/23/2026

Say Hello to Bobbi Jo Reynolds, our "Client of the
Week" for June 15th - 19th

Bobbi Jo has been attending the Council on Aging for about five years. She has been in Minden for about sixteen years, when she moved from Cincinnati, Ohio! She was born there and reared her two children, a son and a daughter, while in Ohio.

She came from a big family and she was number eleven out of twelve children.

Bobbi Jo said that her mother-in-law attended the Council on Aging and she decided she would visit, and loved it. She said,
"The people are very friendly, and they bring a smile to my face,
and it makes me happy to come there."

She loves her flowers and gardening! She enjoys her black elephant ears and her purple Shamrocks, but Bingo is her favorite pastime while here at the Council on Aging.

Congratulations, Bobbi Jo!

06/17/2026

A Little Thought

How to Beat the Heat - Part 2

Last week we began a short series on "How to Beat the Heat!" There are four main ways or methods for doing just that. We have already found that "Hydrating and Cooling Your Body' was the first one.

Today, we will cover the second method: Clothing and Sun Protection
Wear loose, light-colored, breathable fabrics such as cotton or linen to allow sweat to evaporate and keep your body cool.

Dark or tightly woven clothing can provide UV protection but may trap heat, so balance sun protection with comfort. Sun-protective
clothing with a UPF rating can block harmful UV rays while keeping you cooler!

Always wear a hat outdoors. A wide brim hat that covers your entire head, from the top of your scalp to the tip of your ears and even your neck, is best. It needs to be light weight and light in color.

Footwear is important as well. Consider whether arch support, durability, and comfort are mandatory, and then choose the best breathable footwear for the activity in which you are engaged.

Choose function over style. Wear fewer accessories during hotter weather. Metallic accessories can heat up considerably and less is always best when it comes to keeping cool. Other clothing accessories can weigh clothing down, trapping in heat and moisture! (Cosmopolitan.com)

If you have long hair, wear it up and off your face and body, allowing the breeze to flow along your neckline. (Wiki How to Do Anything)

Always wear a good sunscreen to protect your skin as well as cooling you off.

I hope this has been helpful...stay cool y'all!

06/15/2026

Welcome our "Client of the Week" for last week. (June 8-12) - Elizabeth Strange or "Liz" as we call her.

Liz was born in Zwolle, Louisiana, in Sabine Parish. She was number two out of eleven children. She says they are all still very close and get together every chance they can.
She was caregiver for her older sister who passed away! Family is so important to her, and her 3 bothers and 6 sisters are all special to her, and they all still have so much fun together.

She moved to MInden at the age of twelve, and has lived here all these years. She attended the Minden schools, and enjoyed her classmates and all the activities.

For most of her adult life she has worked in several restaurants around the area. She enjoys meeting new people and serving others.

Liz has attended the Council on Aging for 24 years. She loves to play bingo. That is her favorite pastime.

She said, "I love the people, the food and all the fun things I get to do at the COA."

Congratulations, Liz!

06/10/2026

A Little Thought

How To Beat The Heat: First in the series!

There are four basic methods for beating this hot weather... and we are going to cover them all. Staying cool and safe in hot weather is essential for senior adults as we have discussed before.

HYDRATING AND COOLING YOUR BODY is the first one we will talk about today:

Did you know?
According to oregonstate.education, "Human beings are mostly water, ranging from about 75 percent of body mass in infants to about 50–60 percent in adult men and women, to as low as 45 percent in old age. The percent of body water changes with development, because the proportions of the body given over to each organ and to muscles, fat, bone, and other tissues change from infancy to adulthood. Your brain and kidneys have the highest proportions of water, which composes 80–85 percent of their masses. In contrast, teeth have the lowest proportion of water, at 8–10 percent."

Therefore according to these statistics, hydration is vital to our well-being and to life in general. We can stay hydrated in hot weather by drinking water regularly, replenishing electrolytes, consuming hydrating foods, and avoiding dehydrating substances.

The fastest way to rehydrate is to sip water steadily while supplementing with electrolytes through sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions, and consuming water-rich foods.

Water rich foods include: Fruits: watermelon (probably has the highest water count), peaches, cantaloupe, oranges and grapefruit, just to name a few.

Green vegetables, soups and broths also aid in hydration as well.

Plain yogurt is a great source of protein and contains lots of water, and other helpful nutrients too.

Staying hydrated is a leading method to best the heat this summer.

Stay tuned for the second method...Have a great day.

06/05/2026

Howdy Folks,
Meet our "Client of the Week," William L. Crawford, better known as just "Bill."

Bill was born in Winfield, Louisiana, and moved to Minden at the age of thirteen with his Dad, who was a truck driver for the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant.

He said his first real job was at a service station in New Orleans. While working there he also became interested in a position with the School Board in the Maintenance Department. He worked for them during the week and worked at the gas station on weekends.

Bill said that he received his GED in his late forties, and that was a very important accomplishment for him!

He is retired from the Dixie Inn Sawmill, one of his favorite jobs.

Bill has been attending the Council on Aging for the past five years and loves the people here. He says he enjoys everything about it.

Congratulations, Bill.

06/04/2026

06/02/2026

Our Next Veteran's Meet and Greet:

On Tuesday, June 16th, we will be having our next "Meet and Greet," for our Webster Parish Veterans. All Veterans, 60 and above are invited to attend a luncheon, free of charge, here at the Webster Parish Council on Aging!

This will be our quarterly meeting, with a guest speaker, followed by lunch in our large meeting room.

We will begin at 10:15 am in the exercise room and will then go to lunch after a short presentation.

Members of the Webster Parish Veterans Safety Net Coalition will be in attendance with some valuable resources available.

More details to follow...

06/01/2026

A Little Thought

It is getting much warmer as we get into the summer months now. And this heat is very hard on seniors.

According to an article on AOL,
"For many older adults, it’s not just about feeling sticky or tired. It can put real strain on the body, especially if you’re managing a health condition."

The article goes on to say, "Heat stress is the leading cause of weather-related death in the United States, and older adults are disproportionately affected. People often underestimate it — which is why it’s sometimes called a “silent killer.” Aside from sweating, you may feel more tired, your heart beating faster, and your breathing a little heavier. That’s because your body is working harder than usual to keep its temperature in a safe range. The heart pumps more blood to the skin, and sweat helps release heat. You may also feel sluggish or drowsy. That’s your body trying to slow things down to avoid overheating."

So, we must be aware of the dangers:
Watching the weather daily is one of the first steps to managing and being aware of the heat. Keeping an outdoor and indoor thermometer will be very helpful.

I'll be sharing more tips to beat the summer heat....
Stay hydrated and cool.

05/29/2026

Meet Sally Sullivan:

Sally was born and reared in MInden.
She graduated from Minden High School, and began working with her Grandfather, John David, in his drug store.
Sally was always close to her grandfather and grandmother. She said, "I never got too far from my Grandfather."

Sally has been attending the Webster Parish Council on Aging for many years. It is one of her favorite places to come every day.
She enjoys all of her many friends and the fellowship here at the Council on Aging.

Sally says. "The Council is like home to me. I love my time there."

Congratulations Sally for being our "Client of the Week!"

05/29/2026

A Little Thought

As you know, June is about to burst out in all of it's glory, and it is going to get warmer by the day.

So many of our folks who come to, and receive services from, the Council on Aging could use a little help with staying a little cooler during this time of the year.

June 1, 2026, will begin our "ANNUAL FAN DRIVE" here at the Council. We provide fans to seniors in Webster Parish who qualify and fill out a special form in order to receive a fan... at no charge.

We depend on our neighbors and the community businesses, to help us to secure fans so that we can meet the needs of our seniors! Some homes are not air-conditioned and the fans provide for needed cooling. A little bit always helps.

If you are interested in donating one, or a few box fans, we will be glad to be good stewards in the distribution to those in need. You have been so supportive in the past and we look forward to working together with you in the future!

(June 1, 2026 - Webster Parish Council on Aging..."ANNUAL FAN DRIVE!)"