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Helping a senior adjust after moving to independent living

by Anne-Marie Botek

Moving is a notorious source of stress, regardless of an individual’s age or life situation. Disrupted routines, the challenge of finding a new home, and the hassle of packing and unpacking all of one’s personal belongings are just a few factors that contribute to the overwhelming amount of work that goes into a major move.

For older adults who are vacating their long-time homes to take up residence in independent living (IL) communities, these normal stressors are often compounded by feelings of anger and sadness due to a perceived loss of freedom and vitality.

While it’s common to feel nostalgic and a sense of loss when moving from a cherished home, there’s far more powerful emotions at play for older adults who are moving to senior living. Leaving their home in the community is a symbolic end to the life they worked for years to create. Things will certainly be different in independent living, but it’s important for a senior’s family members and close friends to ease this transition by reminding them that they still have their independence and there are many new opportunities and friendships awaiting them at their new home if they are open to these things.

Making sure the move itself goes smoothly can also help reduce stress to a senior. This is why you should look for highly rated moving companies Chicago, or indeed wherever they are based, before proceeding onwards. After all, the move to independent living can seem like a slippery slope for seniors. Logically, the next steps are assisted living and possibly even a nursing home. Acknowledging and accepting this reality is challenging, but the emphasis should be placed on the present rather than the hypothetical future.

A move to independent living is not the tragic ordeal that many older adults believe it to be, argues Wallace. Unlike assisted living facilities and nursing homes, IL communities don’t accept seniors who need skilled nursing care or assistance with activities of daily living. The men and women in independent living settings are still capable of maintaining a relatively active and autonomous lifestyle.

These communities are settings that offer enhanced independence for residents. The services available at IL are meant to support an elder’s ability to remain self-sufficient and take mundane responsibilities like home maintenance, transportation, meal preparation and housework off their plates. Ideally, the additional free time these services create can be used to explore community amenities, pursue social opportunities and focus on enjoying a happy and healthy retirement.

While much of the success of this transition lies with the seniors themselves, there are things that family members can do to ease the adjustment before, during and after the big move. Here are a few tips for family caregivers to keep in mind:

Acknowledge your loved one’s loss. Realize what your loved one has left behind by moving out of a home they’ve lived in for many years.

Be prepared for the move. Avoid unnecessary stress by packing well in advance of the move-out date so you’re not rushing through this delicate process.

Help them get settled in their new home. Wallace encourages relatives to assist with the unpacking and decorating of an elderly loved one’s new home.

Let them go. Knowing when to step back and let a loved one get on with their new life in independent living can be tricky—there’s no one sign that will tell you it’s time to let them figure things out on their own.

Vol. 12, No. 17 – May 22 – June 4, 2019 – Opinion/Editorial

∙ Although the City saw increases in arson and thefts from vehicles, major crime decreased by 3.74% in 2018 in Ventura compared to 2017.

Last year, Ventura police responded to 98,652 calls for service and arrested 6,554 people. The most common arrests were non-aggressive crimes such as narcotics-related offenses, being drunk in public, misdemeanor bench warrants and drunken driving.

Among property crimes, the largest increase in Ventura was in arson, which doubled in number from 2017 to 2018. Must of this is attributed to fires started by the homeless in the river encampments.

Ventura police reported a sharp increase in thefts from vehicles, which were reported 230 times more in 2018. Much of this is attributed to doors being left unlocked or valuable property left in plain view. Amazes me when reading police reports that people leave very valuable things in their cars – laptops, credit cards and even money.

∙The state Bureau of Cannabis Control in January approved the legal deliveries of marijuana – medicinal and recreational – anywhere in the state.

Accepting that it could no longer prohibit such deliveries, the Thousand Oaks City Council introduced an amendment to modify the city’s cannabis ordinance to start regulating them.

Under the amendment, marijuana dispensaries that want to deliver to Thousand Oaks will need to first get a business license permit from the City. The retailers will have to pay a business tax and provide the City access to their point of sale systems for audits. The City will conduct background checks of delivery drivers.

Under their amendment, TO will now have “a regulatory framework” in place to require a business license and to require remittance of tax payment based on the voter-approved marijuana tax from last Fall.

Isn’t it about time for our City Council to allow this here as well and gain large amounts of money we are losing from prohibiting what is now legal, including retail outlets? Why should Venturan’s take their money to other cities, which they are constantly doing?

∙Concerned that some new surveillance technologies may be too intrusive, San Francisco has banned the use a facial recognition tools by its police and other municipal departments. Some retail stores are now using this technology to basically monitor customers buying habits in order to present them with specific ads. Hopefully states will ban this practice also.

∙Once again, the Supreme Court has voted 5-4 in making one of their decisions. This one is a broad ruling that shields states from private lawsuits filed in other states. The ruling doesn’t bother me, but I’m still bothered by 5-4 decisions governing our country.

∙Taiwan has become the first country in Asia to let same sex couples marry with most of the same civil benefits that heterosexual couples receive. They joined 27 other countries worldwide that have legalized same sex marriage. I say it’s about time for all countries to recognize and respect peoples wishes if they don’t do harm to others.

∙Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (a lady no less), has signed the state’s controversial near-total abortion ban. The new law is the most restrictive anti-abortion measure passed in the United States since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. The legislation “Human Life Protection Act” bans all abortions in the state except when “abortion is necessary in order to prevent a serious health risk”. It criminalizes the procedure, reclassifying abortion as a Class A felony, punishable by up to 99 years in prison for doctors. The legislation makes no exceptions for victims or rape or incest.

These are the same people who complain when a young poor mother has a child and goes on welfare. It’s about control of women’s sexuality and lives.

Venturan Esther Cole stated, “What gives old, white men the right to mess with women’s bodies?

How about old white women telling men they had to have a vasectomy? If old, white men can mess with the rights of women, ’tis only fair, that old white women should have equal rights over the reproductive organs of old, white men.”

If a 12-year daughter of an Alabaman who voted for this is raped and gets pregnant, would the parents secretly look to abort her? If so they would need to take the child to Mexico or to an underground facility (bringing back-alley abortions to America again)?

Why are Christian conservatives against abortion? Think about it.

∙I never understood why people make their bed every day to only mess it up at night. Now, there is a reason to not make it up. Your bed is probably home to more than 5,000,000 hungry dust mites feeding off your dead skin cells left on your sweat soaked sheets. It’s easy to stop them, don’t make your bed, exposure to sunlight kills them.

∙There are certainly mitigating conditions for our very high gas prices, but it is finally time for Sacramento to find out why. The California energy commission has concluded that “market manipulation “may be one factor as to why the states gas prices are so high compared to other states (sometimes up to $1.50 per gallon more) and have ordered a study of why this is true. The study will take 5 to 6 months so won’t help with our summer gas prices but might help in the future.

∙If a person dies naked will their ghost be naked also?

Mom’s Moving In: How to Adapt Your Home for an Elderly Parent

Bathrooms often become the most dangerous rooms in the house.

by AgingCare.com

Whether it’s due to a stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, low vision or simply old age, eventually everyone reaches a point in their lives when they must rely on someone to help them with activities of daily living (ADLs). Depending on a person’s specific situation, that could mean it is time to move into a senior living community or move in with a family member. Both options involve big changes for the senior, but when an aging parent moves in with you, it can be a stressful change for both parties.

Multi-Generational Living vs. Senior Housing

Most family caregivers care deeply for their aging loved ones. We want to make sure our elders are taken care of, and if that means that Mom and/or Dad must move in with us, then so be it. Many people don’t consider assisted living or a skilled nursing home to be an option for an elder who can no longer live alone safely. In their minds, senior living communities are pricey and conjure up images of seniors watching daytime television and consuming Jell-O by the gallon. Yes, long-term care is costly, but these stereotypical notions about senior living communities are largely exaggerated and outdated.

Still, many adult children do not consider senior housing to be the best option for their elderly parents. This is when the idea of multi-generational living usually pops up. As long as you have a spare bedroom or adequate space you can re-purpose for a loved one’s quarters, it doesn’t seem like such a big change at first glance, right? Not so fast. This is a decision that should be carefully thought through and discussed at length with everyone involved. It’s important that you thoroughly research the ways in which you can help your loved one live comfortably. For example, you might choose to get a platform stairlift installed, these are ideal for disabled people and can really help make their lives much easier. Make sure you do plenty of research before your loved one moves in with you.

Of course, the extent of these changes depends on the nature of your relationship with your loved one and the level of care they require (which will increase). In addition to weighing the emotional implications of this decision, it’s important to consider the logistical details of the transition as well. Most seniors do not want to be a burden on their loved ones. They wish to adhere to their daily routines with as little assistance as possible. Some families feel it’s necessary to install stair lifts to help their older family members navigate around their home more independently if their home is spread over multiple floors. Los Angeles and Orange County stair chairs are installed by T. L. Shield to solve two-story home mobility issues, some people like to use this company whilst others might want to find some mobility aids more local to them. A stair lift is just one of the potential changes you could make to your home if you wanted to. Furthermore, as a person with your own life outside of care giving, it is unrealistic to assume you will be available 24/7 to provide a helping hand. For these reasons, adapting your home to maximize your loved one’s safety and independence is paramount.

Fortunately, manufacturers of independent living products are constantly developing items and equipment that are beneficial to both seniors and their caregivers. Products that allow seniors to safely handle activities of daily living with little or no assistance are also being redesigned to look less clinical and function more efficiently without permanent installation. Using independent living products to adapt your home will allow your aging loved one to maintain an independent and safe lifestyle, helping you feel less burdened and enabling your house to retain its normal appearance.

Bathroom Modifications to Improve Senior Safety

As we get older and our strength and balance wane, bathrooms often become the most dangerous rooms in the house. This area of the home combines moisture and hard, slick surfaces-conditions that increase the risk of falls and provide no forgiving areas for a senior to land. Simple tasks like getting on and off the toilet or stepping in and out of the shower can be very risky for older adults. Showering can be made much easier with wet rooms or larger shower spaces. You might also want to consider switching your old shower for one of the best electric shower systems. Electric showers can benefit older people as they deliver hot water instantly, meaning that if your elderly parents are more sensitive to the cold, they won’t have to wait for the shower to warm up.

Grab bars are an essential addition for helping a senior handle personal care tasks like bathing and toileting safely and independently.

Yoga and older adults

“Perhaps yoga would not be quite so much work.”

Yoga is a mind and body practice that typically combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation. Researchers are studying how yoga may help improve health and to learn more about its safe use in older adults.

Recent studies in people in their late 40’s have found that yoga is helpful in reducing chronic low-back pain and improving function. However, evidence is not yet available on its effectiveness and safety for older adults.

If you’re thinking about practicing yoga, keep the following in mind:

Put safety first. Yoga is generally safe in healthy people. However, if you have special health considerations such as a joint replacement, arthritis, balance problems, high blood pressure, glaucoma, or other health issues, talk with your health care provider before starting yoga. Start with an appropriate yoga class—such as one called Gentle Yoga or Seniors Yoga—in order to get individualized advice and learn correct form.

Look for a well-trained instructor who’s attentive to your needs. Ask about the teacher’s experience and training. Standards for teacher training and certification differ depending on the style of yoga. The International Association of Yoga Therapists has developed standards for yoga therapy requiring at least 800 hours of training.

Practice mindfully. Be sure to let your yoga teacher know about any medical issues you have and ask about the physical demands of yoga. Listen to your body. Yoga poses should be modified based on individual abilities. Be careful to avoid overstretching. Because older adults are at higher risk of developing strains and sprains when doing yoga, you may need to modify or avoid some poses to prevent injury.

Miriam & Henry Schwab Academy of Music at Ventura College

Ventura College announces the first annual Miriam and Henry Schwab Academy of Music – a highly intensive, three-week summer program of courses designed to develop & introduce chamber music & orchestral repertoire skills, attract advanced young artists and develop musicianship through many types of ensembles.

Classes are scheduled June 17 – July 7, 2019 and focus on brass, keyboard, percussion, string, classical guitar and woodwind instruments. Application for admission to Ventura College is open now and registration for the Academy opened on April 28, 2019. Auditions to determine intermediate or advanced class placement are scheduled for June 13 & 14, 2019 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center.

“Students will study with music faculty who are Internationally recognized experts in their field. We encourage students from Ventura and Santa Barbara county high schools to register.” Robert, E. Lawson, Music Director

Throughout the three weeks, students will study and rehearse alongside academy music faculty. Chamber and Orchestral performance will take place every weekend in Ventura Colleges Helen Yunker Auditorium. Performances are open to the public and scheduled as follows:

The full class schedule, faculty biographies and steps to participate can be found on our website at http://www.venturacollege.edu/schwab. A short video regarding the Academy can be viewed at https://youtu.be/7QKPxZQ-poM

Register now for Adult Summer Sports Leagues!

Looking for a new sport or hobby to pick up this summer? Registration is open for all City of Ventura Adult Sports Leagues. These are a great opportunity to stay fit and have fun over the summer! Grab some friends and join us at your favorite City of Ventura city parks. Leagues run from mid-June to mid-August.

Basketball – register by 5/30, Coed and Men’s Softball – register by 5/30,Coed and Men’s Soccer – register by 5/30,Coed Kickball – register by 6/21,Corn Hole – register by 7/2,Bocce Ball – register by 5/31

Find rosters, rules, and league information at www.teamsideline.com/ventura, call 805-658-4743 or email [email protected].

Vol. 12, No. 17 – May 22 – June 4, 2019 – Mailbox

Dear Editor,

Donald Trump wants to celebrate the 4th of July on the steps of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Statue.

Abraham Lincoln, an outstanding president of the United States. His greatest achievement was helping to free the slaves. A terrible, dark, and cruel, part of our past. Free men and women had been abducted from parts of Africa, and brought to the United States and sold into slavery. The additional horror, was our Civil War, killing thousands of Americans.

Donald Trump has done nothing, to make him worthy, of, even, looking up at the carved face of Abraham Lincoln. Donald Trump is responsible for the deaths of children. He is responsible for dividing families seeking a peaceful home, in the United States.

Donald Trump, who was elected, illegally, with the help of a foreign power, is the least worthy president — or, in my opinion, the least worthy human being, to stand,  near a statue of Abraham Lincoln.

Appalled,

Esther Cole, Ventura

Editor:

Hundreds of former federal prosecutors are saying they believe President Trump would have been indicted in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe for obstruction of justice if he weren’t president.

Their statement argues the Justice Department’s policy of not indicting sitting presidents is the reason Trump avoided prosecution.

They stated “Each of us believes that the conduct of President Trump described in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report would, in the case of any other person not covered by the Office of Legal Counsel policy against indicting a sitting President, result in multiple felony charges for obstruction of justice.”

Charles Baker Ventura

Ventura City Council:

The correct way to challenge the “Status Quo” is to address the inconsistency of “private sector vs. public sector” employee benefits.

Defined Benefit Plans (DBP) are practically non-existent in private industry. Businesses began eliminating them in the late 1980’s.  Private sector employees are unlikely to have DBPs again. Businesses do not want the risks associated with DBPs. So Private sector employees use 401k plans to fund their own retirement.

For the most part DBPs are only found in the case of government employees. Thus, we have the very unfair situation of private sector employees having to pay taxes to support public employees. Private sector employees cannot afford to pay for a benefit that they do not have.

Elected politicians have lacked courage to terminate DBPs in the public sector. Why? Public Employee Unions have waged campaigns against politicians who have tried to remove or weaken their DBPs.

Since Councilmembers are unlikely to remove the DBP, Councilmembers might consider putting this before the people. The Citizens of Ventura would like the opportunity to vote on a full array of DBP options (including termination, funding, etc., etc.).

Kindest regards,

Charles Spraggins, M.B.A.,

Breeze:

We should praise the three members of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors for approving the Habitat and Wildlife Ordinance (4537) that will protect 163,000 acres of county rural and suburban land from reckless mismanagement and over development (VC Star, May 12, 2019).

Mining interests, developers, and ranchers want to fence off, clear, and also build on areas that are known corridors for wild animal passage between our remaining open space and riparian land that lead into the Los Padres Forest. These passages are ancient, known for ages by many species large and small. We need to carefully regulate these remaining wild zones within our urbanizing county.

The ordinance does not set permanent and fixed protections. Business and development interests (CoLab and CalCIMA) want existing policy to govern them, but that does not assure these sensitive and essential pathways will remain. The new Ordinance requires more detailed and elaborate permits in order to change them.

From mountain lions to condors to snowy plovers, from red-legged frogs to arroyo toads to dozens of plants even our semi-healthy habitats are constraining them. This can draw them closer to our shopping malls and highways and housing tracts, which should not “step out” into open space. These increase the threat to all animals needing undisturbed habitats and unblocked or narrowed paths when they are on the move. New “roads in the woods” only intensify threats to their healthy survival.

I wrote in the national magazine, American Scientist (September-October 2017, “Suburban Stalkers”) about my reservations for building big new expensive causeways over freeways. They might avoid traffic deaths of animals following their instincts but they also bring new animals from the hinterland into suburbia, give reckless people a chance to use them however prohibited– and they cost millions.

By regulating existing open space in the form of corridors, pathways and land around streams and rivers, we provide for the health of local animals at the reasonable cost of requiring development to take it easy. They would have to provide more elaborate plans and studies of their proposed impacts so we can decide how much more of the county we want to give over to our own species. Our near-insatiable grab of natural resources does need stiffer regulation—our own survival depends on it.

Robert Chianese. Ph. D.

The dream is a spontaneous happening and therefore dangerous
to a control system set-up by the non-dreamers.
~ William S. Burroughs

Boys & Girls Club celebrates new ten passenger van

 

Photo by Bernie Goldstein

On Wednesday, May 15, at the Robert Addison Clubhouse a celebration was held for the unveiling of the Boys & Girls Club new ten passenger van. Generously matched by Aera Energy, this van will provide a safe path from school to the Club.

Robert Addison Boys & Girls Club, 1440 North Olive Street, Ventura.

Congratulations 2019 Grads!

Ventura College Graduates featured on CAPS Media

Believe it or not, it’s graduation season and CAPS Media recorded and facilitated live-streaming of the Ventura College graduation ceremony on Friday, May 17. Next up are El Camino High School on Friday, June 7 and Foothill High School on Thursday, June 13. All of the graduation ceremonies will be recorded and broadcast on CAPS Channel 6 in the weeks following the events. Congratulations to all the Grads!

Recently CAPS Media hosted a media workshop for Public Information Officers (PIOs) from throughout Ventura County at the CAPS Media Center. The group included PIOs from Ventura County, various cities, schools and other institutions and agencies in the region. The quarterly meeting provided the media professionals with suggestions for media production (video, radio and online), an overview and tour of the CAPS Media Center to allow them to more fully appreciate the resources available, plus time to network with colleagues with similar objectives.

The CAPS Media Family Treasures Workshop is coming on Thursday, May 30 at 4pm at the CAPS Media Center. If you’ve thought about documenting your family history this is a great opportunity to learn how to using family stories, interviews, photos, keepsakes, memorabilia and more to create a personalized and professional Family Treasures video. Every family has wonderful stories and memories that should be recorded and then shared with family members and passed along to generations. CAPS can help you move your family history project from the “I wish I’d done that” column to the “I’m glad I did it” column. The Free Family Treasures workshop is the place to share ideas on what to gather and learn about resources available to create your family treasure. The workshop will be held at the CAPS Media Center, 65 Day Road in Ventura. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today by emailing us at [email protected] or calling 805.658.0500.

CAPS Media is collaborating with Community Council organizations throughout Ventura to record, broadcast and stream their neighborhood meetings. CAPS covered the East Ventura Community Council meeting on May 16 and is scheduled to record, broadcast and stream the Westside Community Council meeting on Wednesday evening, June 5th. If other community council groups want CAPS Media to record their meeting they should contact CAPS at [email protected] or call 805-658-0500.

All the resources and training at the CAPS Media Center are available to the entire Ventura community. To find out more go to capsmedia.org/events, sign up for the next orientation class on the first Thursday of the month and discover that for a low annual membership fee of $25 you can receive hands-on instruction in videography, video editing, radio production (additional fee required) and more. Member/Producers have access to CAPS Media’s state-of-the-art facilities including video cameras, editing systems, the fully equipped television and radio studios. Don’t miss out. Go to capsmedia.org, or call 805-658-0500 for information.

Celebrating 15 Years of Footworks Youth Ballet Performances

Coppélia is where brilliant classical dance meets a delightfully comic narrative. Photo by Todd Lechtick

This year marks the 15th year of full-scale, live ballet stage productions by Ventura’s Footworks Youth Ballet, where students and audiences alike experience the utmost in classical ballet. Students fill lead roles whenever possible in productions like The Nutcracker every December, or other classics like Snow White, Swan Lake, or Peter and the Wolf every spring. And this spring, they bring the timeless and comedic Coppélia to the Ventura College Performing Arts Center on June 1st (2 pm and 7 pm) and June 2nd (2 pm).

“We are excited to be bringing Coppélia to Ventura this spring,” says Artistic Director Kirsten Oakley. “One of the few comedic ballets in the classical ballet repertoire, Coppélia is the perfect story ballet for all audiences.”

Coppélia is where brilliant classical dance meets a delightfully comic narrative. The three-act ballet tells the lighthearted story of how Franz, a village boy engaged to Swanhilda, becomes infatuated with a life-like doll created by the eccentric inventor, Dr. Coppelius. Hilarity ensues over love and mistaken identity.

Originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon, Coppélia premiered in Paris in 1870. Saint-Léon’s interest in folk dancing figures prominently in the ballet, and is also reflected in the lush symphonic music by French composer Léo Delibes. With its tuneful and romantic music, Coppélia stands alongside such classics as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker as the best-loved and most enduring ballets of all time.

Based on a story by E.T.A. Hoffman, Coppélia introduced automatons, dolls and marionettes to ballet productions. Because of its success with audiences, ballets like The Nutcracker followed suit with dolls and toys that come to life. Coincidentally, The Nutcracker is also based on a story by E.T.A. Hoffman.

A delightful performance of ballet fun for families and children of all ages, The New York Times calls Coppélia “one of the happiest ballets in existence.”

Footworks Youth Ballet is a nonprofit ballet company located in Ventura, California, whose purpose is to provide educational opportunities to young people and the community through the art of ballet. Oakley Ballet Center is the official school of Footworks Youth Ballet.

Ventura College Performing Arts Center – Coppélia
June 1st: 2 pm and 7 pm
June 2nd: 2 pm
Tickets: $22
For info/tickets:  www.footworksyouthballet.org