More than 700 senior citizens crowded into the Castine Center Thursday for the Council on Aging St. Tammany Senior Resource Fair and meeting, complete with lunch, transportation, dancing, socializing and more dancing.

Executive director of COAST Mary Toti said that St. Tammany has a responsibility to serve the seniors in the parish. “We are the gumbo. The different people and cultures that have moved to St. Tammany make this an interesting place to live,” said Toti. “We provide services to help keep you [the senior citizens] active.”

Toti explained that COAST receives funding from a number of sources, including millage, yet could use more funding. She said that all funds go toward services for seniors.

Joniri Friedmann ask Irene Schexnaildre and Angela Nichols of Ochsner Home Health attended the COAST Resource Fair to tell seniors about available medical resources. (Staff Photo by Debbie Glover)

Information on various agencies and services was available, including free glaucoma and vision screenings courtesy of the LSU Eye Center and Mandeville Lions’ Club. Other health screenings included diabetes screenings, blood pressure, nerve screenings and information on various health problems faced by seniors.

About 70 vendors were available with information on everything including home health care, residential programs, hospice, assisted living, Medicare, Medicaid and other senior health resources.

Information on the federal program of reverse mortgages was also available. Sue Milligan of Indymac Bank explained that a reverse mortgage is just like any other mortgage. Programs vary but the idea is that you can tap into the equity of your home. At you death, your heirs either pay back the money owed, or sell the house and pay the mortgage.

No one takes a senior’s home away from him or her. In fact, criteria of the program states that the senior must be living in the home at least one day of the year and it should be the senior citizen’s primary residence.

During the board meeting of COAST, the formal election was held for new board members and other business was conducted. New board members for the coming year include: Lynette Soules, Dennis Bruhl, Julia Burden, Pierre Bouchee, Felicity Cole, Dallas Ward, Peggy Vallejo, Cindy Degnan and Lori Franzo.

Major sponsors of the event include the Louisiana Medical Center and Heart Hospital, Canon Hospice, People’s Health, St. Tammany Heart ad Vascular Institute, Wellcare of Louisiana, Home instead Senior Care, Camellia Gardens Retirement Community, Eye Care 20/20- Dr. Neil Nolaroberto, Metro Preferred Home Care, Ochsner Health Center, Touro Infirmary, Independent Living Services, Odyssey Health Care, Care Inc., Delta Home Health and Lacombe Nursing Home.