Up-coming  Meetups:

============================ Special Meetup ==================================

PIZZA... to be announced
For more information:
Meetup platform: https://www.meetup.com/Mid-Hudson-Valley-Disabilities-Meetup/
=========================== Standing Meetup =================================
Setup Meetups in the Newburgh Area.
Play card or other games with friends.
The most important is just talk.
Newburgh Meetup is the second Friday of the month from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm:


Independent Living, Inc. (Newburgh Service Center)
5 Washington Terrace
Newburgh, NY 12550
Phone: (845) 565-1162
http://www.myindependentliving.org
Please note: People with severe disabilities may come with their caregiver assistance
All meetup events are Dutch treat and please confirm or we may cancel.

Meetup Organizer: Joe DeJong
Email: Joe_dejong@hotmail.com
Phone: 845 787 3960

=========================== Standing Meetup =================================
Up-coming  events:
Setup Meetups in the Middletown Area.
Play card or other games with friends.
The most important is just talk.

Middletown Meetup, fourth Friday of the month. Time is from 1:30 to 3:00.

   09/28/2018
  10/26/2018
  11/23/2018 Canceled
  12/28/2018 Canceled

Independent Living, Inc. ( Middletown Service Center)
441 E. Main Street
Middletown, NY 10940
Phone: 845-342-1162
http://www.myindependentliving.org
Please note: People with severe disabilities may come with their caregiver assistance.
All meetup events are Dutch treat and please confirm or we may cancel.

Meetup Organizer: Joe DeJong
Email: Joe_dejong@hotmail.com
Phone: 845 787 3960
=========================== Standing Meetup =================================
Up-coming  events:
 Orange Regional Medical Center (ORMC) Stroke support group is inviting people with Brain Injuries (Stroke, TBI, mild TBI, acquired TBI, all forms of brain injury, caregivers, Veterans, friends, family members and social workers).
https://www.ormc.org/services/stroke-center

Orange Regional Medical Center address is:
707 East Main Street
Middletown NY 10940

 The Main entrance is on the right of the building. Go to the front desk and request the stroke support group. They should guide you straight to the elevators. Go to the ground floor. Go straight until you see conference room 1 on the left. If you come to the hallway to cafeteria, you went too far.

The Stroke support group meets the fourth Tuesday of the month from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
    09/25/2018
    10/23/2018
    11/27/2018
    12/25/2018 Canceled

Conference Room 1

Please note: People with severe disabilities may come with their caregiver assistance.
All meetup events are Dutch treat and please confirm or we may cancel.

We are noticing many people with disabilities are having troubles working with computers. We are asking the caregivers to signup and join http://www.meetup.com/Mid-Hudson-Valley-Disabilities-Meetup/. Maybe the caregivers can ask their love ones what they want to do. The caregiver can become an event organizer and set up a new Meetups.


Meetup Organizer: Joe DeJong
Email: Joe_dejong@hotmail.com
Phone: 845 787 3960

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Recent Meetup Event:

West Point Holiday Show


After West Point Event:


Pizza Event:



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All meetup events are Dutch treat and please confirm or we may cancel.

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Please get the word out... print or email our  MHVmeetupFinal.pdf file.

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Mission statement:
Mid-Hudson Valley Disabilities Meetup is a way of connecting friends with disabilities. People are busy, and it takes effort to stay connected. Having a few close, mutually supportive friends can be the key to staying healthy.  These relationships may help you feel supported, stay mentally sharp, reduce stress, and enhance your sense of well-being and happiness.
The coordinating groups will be in Newburgh and Middletown NY. The purpose is to have people living near each other to form public/private Mini-Meetups. The Military, Veterans and their families are encouraged to join. Meetups will be non-clinical, nonprofit ,and peer driven. 
To get involved, go to Meetup.com,  and sign up to join Mid-Hudson Valley Disabilities Meetup.
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For a quick look, Google “Mid-Hudson Valley Disabilities Meetup.” You are not required to sign up and join. When you do sign up, you can see if your neighbors are members, chat, RSVP, and get more detailed information. 
For more information and updates go to ww.MHVmeetup.org.
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Socializing can improve your coping skills strategies. They may be: staying positive, aware of flooding, aware of your filters, uses of post–its, lists, journals, follow a routine, take breaks, make tasks easier, smaller tasks, avoid distractions, stay focused, use visuals for memory problems, play memory games with friends, computer/cell phones learning (games, education, social media), building relationships. The most important is social anxiety (getting out of the house).
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Possible Actives:
Play cards or other games with friends
Go to the a movie, or a sporting event, Travel with a group
Try different restaurants
Join a group interested in a hobby like knitting, hiking, walking, or painting.
The most important is just talk.

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Topics of interest:
Social Support For Persons with Disabilities
Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Heart Disease
Dementia
Diabetes
Mental Health/Behavioral Health
Multiple Sclerosis
Cancer
Cancer Survivors
Epilepsy
Care Giver Burnout
Fibromyalgia
Alzheimer's Disease
Stroke
Spinal Cord Injury
PTSD
Anxiety Attacks
Social Anxiety/Shy/Awkwardness/Introverted
PTSD Veterans/Military
Physical Disabilities
Developmental Disabilities

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"We are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention program. My therapy dog Lucy and I go to the Montrose VA PTSD unit. Once an hour a Veteran is committing suicide. It was decided in our disabilities Meetup groups that we will hand out dog tags from the Veterans crisis line. The phone number 1-800-273-8255 is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Press 1 is for the Veterans or wait for the nearest civilian Crisis Center. We were thinking it would be a fun project handing out dog tags. We were also thinking it would be an honorable thing to do helping our Veterans. There is an increase in teen suicide because of bullying. People with disabilities may have suicidal thoughts. So by helping the Veterans, we may be helping ourselves. The dog tags will be available at our Meetups." ... Joe DeJong
  http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
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We are also including the therapy dog program into our discussions.
Go to: therapydoglucy.org
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For more information, cancellations or updates go to MHVmeetup.org

Please get the word out... print or email our MHVmeetup10112016Final.pdf  file.

Please note: People with severe disabilities must come with their caregiver assistance.

Meetup Organizer: Joe DeJong
Email: Joe_dejong@hotmail.com
Phone: 845 787 3960