Category Archives: Senior Living

Fatigue in older adults

Try to avoid long naps late in the day.

Everyone feels tired now and then. But, after a good night’s sleep, most people feel refreshed and ready to face a new day. If you continue to feel tired for weeks, it’s time to see your doctor. He or she may be able to help you find out what’s causing your fatigue. In fact, your doctor may even suggest you become more active, as exercise may reduce fatigue and improve quality of life.

Sometimes, fatigue can be the first sign that something is wrong in your body. For example, people with rheumatoid arthritis, a painful condition that affects the joints, often complain of fatigue. People with cancer may feel fatigued from the disease, treatments, or both.

Many medical problems and treatments can add to fatigue. These include:

Taking certain medications, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, and medicines for nausea and pain
Having medical treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, or recovering from major surgery
Infections
Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Untreated pain and diseases like fibromyalgia
Anemia
Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders
Managing a health problem may make the fatigue go away. Your doctor can help.

Can emotions cause fatigue?
Are you fearful about the future? Do you worry about your health and who will take care of you? Are you afraid you are no longer needed? Emotional stresses like these can take a toll on your energy.

Not getting enough sleep can also contribute to fatigue. Regular physical activity can improve your sleep. It may also help reduce feelings of depression and stress while improving your mood and overall well-being. Yoga, meditation, or cognitive behavioral therapy could also help you get more rest. Talk with your doctor if your mental well-being is affecting your sleep or making you tired.

Some lifestyle habits can make you feel tired. Here are some things that may be draining your energy:

Staying up too late. A good night’s sleep is important to feeling refreshed and energetic. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
Having too much caffeine. Drinking caffeinated drinks like soda, tea, or coffee late in the day can keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. Limit the amount of caffeine you have during the day and avoid it in the evening.
Drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol changes the way you think and act. It may also interact with your medicines.

Being bored can make you feel tired. That may sound strange, but it’s true. If you were very busy during your working years, you may feel lost about how to spend your time when you retire. When you wake up in the morning, you may see long days stretching before you with nothing planned. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Engaging in social and productive activities that you enjoy, like volunteering in your community, may help maintain your well-being. Think about what interests you and what skills or knowledge you have to offer and look for places to volunteer.

Try to avoid long naps (over 30 minutes) late in the day. Long naps can leave you feeling groggy and may make it harder to fall asleep at night.

Avoiding/Stopping more types of senior fraud

“Oh, my goodness my grandson was in a car accident.”

by Carol Leish MA

Debbie Deem, a retired ‘Victim’s Specialist’ for the FBI, discussed various types of fraud in order for others to be aware of how to cope/stop them from happening.

Deem said that, “Regarding Government and business imposter fraud, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has an important warning about it. The FTC says that these, remote criminals contact you, usually via phone or text, saying that they are with the government, such as the IRS claiming that you owe back taxes. Or, that they are with Social Security insisting that your Social Security number has been ‘suspended’ or ‘stolen.’ Or, they may claim to be a Medicare representative who is asking for your Medicare number or offering to sell you equipment or tests, or perhaps another health care agency (especially regarding a COVID-19 related issue).

“They may also be impersonating utility companies, package deliveries jury duty or a bank that ‘threatens’ to close your account unless you take action. These calls sound legitimate and may threaten you with bad consequences unless you make a payment immediately or provide certain financial information. The payment is usually demanded immediately often with gift cards or increasingly crypto currency. If you get a call like this, hang up. Government and other legitimate businesses will not call you, email or text you to demand money or personal information.

For more information link to: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonator-scam.”

“In terms of family (and friend) emergency fraud, Deem said that, “the Federal Trade Commission has several warnings about criminals using the phone, texting or emailing while pretending to be a relative or friend in an emergency (often a grandchild). The person calling may say that there has been a car accident, and that your loved one has been hospitalized, or has been taken to jail. Impersonators pretend to be doctors, lawyers, consulate staff and even pretend to be the family member themselves.

“The criminal imposter insists that you send money (sometimes repeatedly), quickly and secretly. They may even keep you on a cell phone until you have completed a transaction wiring money, sending gift card information, or sending funds via virtual currency. If you receive a call or text like this-hang up and don’t pay. For more information go to: https//www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/07/scammers-create-fake-emergencies-get-your-money.”
Deem said that, “The US Postal Inspection Services has information useful in learning about money mules, which is defined as a person who receives, and transfers money obtained from victims of fraud. Criminals may enlist victims to be money mules (or money movers) in work at home fraud schemes such as reshipping packages. It may also originate in lottery/sweepstake fraud or romance crimes.

“Victims may believe that they need to forward money or open a bank account and forward it to someone in hopes of receiving lottery money or to help in getting a romance imposter out of a difficult situation. However, transferring money/valuables on behalf of others only benefits criminals and may lead to serious consequences for the ‘mule.’ Being involved as a money mule is money laundering, even if you do not know that is the result of your innocent actions, is illegal.”

“For information concerning money mules,” Deem says to,” look at: https://www.uspis.gov/news/scam-article/mmoney-mule.”

With more knowledge of the above types of fraud and about money mules/money movers, you will be better able to avoid/stop fraud and to protect yourselves.

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias sleep patterns

Getting adequate sleep is very important for your health.

From NIH Research Matters by Erin Bryant

Changes in sleep patterns are common in people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

They may wake up often during the night and find it hard to get back to sleep. These sleep problems are thought to result from brain changes caused by the disease that affect the sleep-wake cycle.

Studies have suggested that sleep patterns earlier in life may contribute to later dementia risk. Both insufficient sleep and sleeping longer than average have been linked to a greater likelihood of developing dementia. However, it has been hard to determine whether these sleep changes contribute to the disease or simply reflect early symptoms.

Many of the studies on sleep and dementia risk have followed participants for less than a decade and focused on people over the age of 65. A study led by Dr. Séverine Sabia of Inserm and University College London examined how sleep patterns earlier in life may affect the onset of dementia decades later.

The study was supported in part by NIH’s National Institute on Aging (NIA). Findings appeared in Nature Communications on April 20, 2021.

The researchers examined data from nearly 8,000 people in Britain starting at age 50. Participants were assessed on a wide variety of measures, including being asked on six occasions between 1985 and 2016 how many hours they slept a night. To assess the accuracy of this self-reporting, some of the participants wore accelerometers to objectively measure sleep time. Over the course of the study, 521 participants were diagnosed with dementia, at an average age of 77.

Analysis of the data showed that people in their 50s and 60s getting six hours of sleep or less were at greater risk of developing dementia later. Compared to those getting normal sleep (defined as 7 hours), people getting less rest each night were 30% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

The researchers adjusted their model to account for other factors known to influence sleep patterns or dementia risk, including smoking, physical activity, body mass index, and medical conditions like diabetes and heart disease. They also separated out people with mental illnesses like depression, which are strongly linked to sleep disturbances.

The findings suggest that short sleep duration during midlife could increase the risk of developing dementia later in life. More research is needed to confirm this connection and understand the underlying reasons.

“While we cannot confirm that not sleeping enough actually increases the risk of dementia, there are plenty of reasons why a good night’s sleep might be good for brain health,” Sabia says.

Quality sleep is known to play an important role in concentration and learning, as well as mood and overall health.

This research was supported in part by NIA grants R01AG056477 and RF1AG062553.

Tips for everyday tasks for people living with dementia

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias get worse over time. Even simple everyday activities can become difficult to complete. To help cope with changes in memory and thinking, consider strategies that can make daily tasks easier. Try to adopt them early on so you will have more time to adjust. You can:

Write down to-do lists, appointments, and events in a notebook or calendar.

Set up automated bill payments and consider asking someone you trust to help manage your finances.

Have your groceries delivered.

Manage your medications with a weekly pillbox, a pillbox with reminders (like an alarm), or a medication dispenser.

Ask your doctor to provide a care plan and write down care directions (or have a family member or friend take notes during the visit).

Sleep Tips for People Living With Dementia

Dementia often changes a person’s sleeping habits. You may sleep a lot, or not enough, and wake up many times during the night. Poor sleep quality can make dementia symptoms worse.

Tips for better and safer sleep:

Follow a regular schedule by going to sleep and getting up at the same time each day, even on weekends or when traveling.

Develop a relaxing bedtime routine with lowered lights, cool temperature, and no electronic screens.

Avoid caffeine and naps late in the day.

Have a lamp that’s easy to reach and turn on, a nightlight in the hallway or bathroom, and a flashlight nearby.

Keep a telephone with emergency numbers by your bed.

Talk to your doctor if you have problems sleeping.

Healthy and Active Lifestyle Tips for People Living With Dementia

Participating in activities you enjoy and getting exercise may help you feel better, stay social, maintain a healthy weight, and have regular sleep habits.

Try these tips for a healthy and active lifestyle:

Try to be physically active for at least 30 minutes on most or all days of the week. But be realistic about how much activity you can do at one time. Several short “mini-workouts” may be best.

Aim for a mix of exercise types — endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. For example, you could do a mix of walking or dancing, lifting weights, standing on one foot, and stretching. Even everyday activities like household chores and gardening help you stay active.

Your diet may need to change as dementia progresses to maintain a healthy weight. Talk with your doctor about the best diet for you, and choose nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean sources of protein and dairy products. Avoid added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.

Stay social by talking on the phone with family and friends, joining an online support group, or going for a walk in your neighborhood.

Finding Care and Support: Tips for People Living With Dementia

Many people may be able to help in different ways. These people might include family members, friends, professional caregivers, community organizations, and others with dementia. For example, you can:

Ask friends or family to help with needs like cooking, paying bills, transportation, or shopping.

If you live alone, find people you trust who can visit often.

Consider letting trusted neighbors know of your diagnosis so they can help if needed.

Use social service agencies, local nonprofits, and Area Agencies on Aging to connect with in-home help, transportation, meals, and other services.

Learn more about support and services.

Four tips for older adults to stay motivated to exercise

“Are you sure this counts as exercise?”

Physical activity is a great way for older adults to gain substantial health benefits and maintain independence. Try to make exercise a priority. Remember that being active is one of the most important things you can do each day to maintain and improve health. Try these tips to help you stay motivated to exercise.

Some people like to walk on a treadmill at the gym. Others find that kind of activity boring. The key to sticking with exercise is to make it interesting and enjoyable. Be creative. Do things you enjoy but pick up the pace. Do all four types of exercise—endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. The variety helps keep things interesting! Try some new activities to keep your interest alive.

You are more likely to exercise if it’s a convenient part of your day. Try exercising first thing in the morning. Combine physical activity with a task that’s already part of your day, such as walking the dog or doing household chores. If you don’t have 30 minutes to be active, look for three 10-minute periods. As you progress, add more 10-minute sessions until you hit your goal!

There are many ways to fit physical activity into your regular schedule, even while you are at work! Look for easy ways to add physical activity to your regular schedule:

Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Take a walk with co-workers during your lunch break. An exercise buddy can help you stick with your plan to be more active!

Walk down the hall and talk with a co-worker instead of sending an e-mail, .

Park a little farther away from your office and enjoy the walk.

Join your company’s fitness center if there is one.

Search for Move Your Way: Tips for Busy Days on YouTube for more tips on fitting more activity into your day.

Many people agree that an “exercise buddy” keeps them going.

Take a walk during lunch with coworkers.

Try a dance class—salsa, tango, square dancing—it’s up to you.

Use family gatherings as a time to play team sports or do outdoor activities.Women exercising together

The best way to stay motivated is to measure and celebrate your successes:

Make an exercise and physical activity plan that works for you.

Track your daily physical activity.

Find new ways to increase your physical activity.

Keep track of your monthly progress to see improvement.

Update your exercise plan as you progress.

Quick Tip: Rewards for Being Active

Don’t forget to build rewards into your plan. Write down something you will do for yourself when goals are achieved. Treat yourself to something special: a movie, a trip to the museum, a new audiobook, or a massage. Celebrate your successes!

Avoiding/Stopping various types of Senior Fraud

by Carol Leish

By being aware of different types of fraud/crimes occurring, you will become more aware of how to stop them/avoid them from happening. With knowledge, you will gain the power of ways to better cope and stop the fraud/crimes from happening to you and/or to your friends/loved ones.

According to, Debbie Deem, a retired victim’s specialist for the FBI, there are different types of fraud/crimes to be aware of in order to be able to stop/avoid them from happening.

Deem said that, “According to the FBI, romance imposter crimes occur when a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The remote criminal than uses the illusion of a romantic or other close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. These criminals’ frequent social media sites, dating and word game sites, among others. Often the images sent to a victim are taken from an innocent victim who may not know their image is being used to defraud victims and break their hearts.”

“The FBI has information, helpful tips, and videos that describe these crimes in more detail,” according to Deem. “Go to: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/romance-scams.”

“Lottery and sweepstakes fraud,” according to Deem, “have been around for many years. According to AARP, the initial contact is usually a phone call, but may also be a social media post, an email, text or even direct mail offering congratulations for winning a prize or contest. But, before you can obtain your winnings (and usually a Mercedes car in addition to the prize money), there will be various fees, taxes, courier fees, insurance and custom duties to pay before you can obtain your prize winnings. These frauds may ask for cash, to send counterfeit checks, or to demand payments in gift cards or increasingly virtual currencies using special ‘ATM’s’ specifically for cryptocurrency payments.

“It’s important to know that, according to federal law, you never have to pay taxes or fees in advance of winning a prize or money. It is also illegal to participate in a foreign lottery or sweepstake. Beware of calling or taking calls from an unknown person using the Caribbean area codes of 876, 809 or 284 that suggest you have won money. If you get a call like this, just hang up.

“For more information on lottery and sweepstakes fraud, link to: https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/sweepstakes.html.”

“The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),” according to Deem, “says that Tech support or computer repair fraud/crimes can involve one of the following things. 1) You may get a pop up on your computer screen that looks like an error message or warning that urges you to contact a ‘toll free’ number immediately because a virus or suspicious activity was found on your computer. 2) You may also be getting a phone call from someone claiming to be a computer technician from a company such as Apple or Microsoft, saying there is a problem with your computer, asking for remote computer access to run a diagnostic test. In each of these cases, you are asked to fix a problem that doesn’t exist for a fee. Or, it may result in them putting a virus or accessing personal financial information, such as your banking information.

“The FTC has very useful information on what to do to both avoid tech support fraud, as well as what to do if you are a victim. Remember that legitimate companies won’t be contacting you by phone, email, text or via a popup message. Get more information at: https://ww.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-tech-support-scams.”

Thus, by being aware of the above types of senior fraud/crimes, you now have the tools to be able to stop/avoid it from happening.

Support group where people can share their own personal experiences and feelings

This Parkinson’s support group brings together people going through—or who have gone through—similar experiences with Parkinson’s. We provide opportunities for people to share their own personal experiences and feelings, coping strategies, or firsthand information about the disease and/or treatments. Additionally, attendees are encouraged to offer each other support and encouragement—especially for those newly diagnosed who are experiencing this new “life transition” for the first time.

Once a month, we team up together to provide support and information—and even some entertainment as a supplemental “activity” to what participants may already be doing in their established health programs.

Providing attendees with self-help strategies and raising awareness with all facets surrounding Parkinson’s are what we strive to accomplish at each meeting. Brief informative presentations, followed by interactive participation, allow attendees to benefit from both a professional and personal perspective of the meeting’s topic.

Though we provide relevant information and relatable personal experiences, our main goal is to instill better understanding of Parkinson’s not only for its effect on a diagnosed person but also on caregivers. We want to empower all parties to engage in their own advocacy. Most importantly, at every meeting we listen to—and accept—experiences and viewpoints of others while providing caring understanding of everyone in the group/community.

For more information regarding this unique support group, please visit vcneurofitness.com. Or contact Dr. Vanessa White, owner/director: [email protected], cell 805.300.7749.

Ventura County Parkinson’s Support Group meets the third Tuesday of every month at Crosspointe Church, 5415 Ralston St., Ventura.

10:00-11:15am . Next meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 21

Try to keep up with this senior tennis player

Breeze publisher Sheldon (on the right) enjoys playing with John at the court at Portside Ventura Harbor. He hopes to beat him some day.

When not on the tennis courts, John B. Bennett has had a long career in motion picture and television production, and it’s still active in the profession.

He began his tennis career early, at just 10-years-old. He competed on his high school team and played in college for UCLA. John started playing senior tournaments in the 35 division a long time ago. John Bennett played, and won, plenty of tournaments. This is just a few of his most memorable wins and achievements.

2001: Number one ranking in Southern California.

2015: National grass and hardcourt third place in singles and doubles.

Has held a national ranking of number 2 in singles and number 3 in doubles.

Has held an SCTA ranking of number one in singles and number 2 in doubles.

Bennett has whipped juniors into shape in the SCTA Youth vs. Experience matches at the LA Tennis Club. He has also been a strong supporter of local tournament competition, and has been a participant in nearly every Senior Grand Prix championship over the past 33 years.

Gaining more knowledge to deal with senior fraud

There are many resources to call to prevent fraud.

by Carol Leish

There are many resources to deal with senior fraud. You can contact various websites for information. You can also call various phone numbers for assistance. Thus, by using various tools, you’ll be better able to protect yourselves.

According to Carey Aldava, Manager of Ventura County Adult Protective Services Program, “Unfortunately, according to AARP, a MetLife study determined that 55% of financial abuse in the United States is committed by family members, caregivers, and friends. Often, undue influence is used as a means of exploiting the elder or dependent adult financially. In a brief issued by the National Center on Law and Elder Rights in June 2017, undue influence is defined as: ‘Someone using their role and power to exploit the trust, dependency, and fear of others. They use the power to deceptively gain control over the decision-making of the other person.’”

Aldava emphasized by saying, “If you suspect elder or dependent adult abuse, call the Adult Protective Services 24-Hour Abuse Reporting Hotline at: 805-654-3200. To request information, visit vchsa.org/aps or call Adult Protective Services at: 805-658-4453.”

Debbie Deem, a retired victim’s specialist for the FBI, discussed where to report fraud and how to seek help. “If you are a victim of a computer, phone or other fraud crime, please report it to: www.ic3.gov if it is a computer/cyber related fraud; or, to: www.reportfraud.ftc.gov if it is a fraud involving the phone or mail.

“In Ventura County, it should also be reported to your local law enforcement and Adult Protective Services (if older or dependent adults) are involved.

“For those age 60 and over, the US Dept. Justice has a helpline-at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-372-8311 that can help provide referrals, support and even help in filing the above reports. Services are available for those in almost every language.”

“There are some common ways to avoid being defrauded,” according to Deem. She elaborated upon this by saying: “1) Learn to screen your calls from unknown numbers and use voice mail to decide before calling anyone back that you do not know. This provides you with time to further investigate if the person calling you is real. 2) Keep your computer updated with proper antivirus and other applications updated. 3) Don’t use the same password for email and other websites. 4) Use a password manager to help to remember a different password for each computer application. 5) Use privacy setting on social media accounts like Facebook. 6) Keep your settings to private, and don’t ‘friend’ strangers, even if they appear to be friends with someone who you know. 7) Use multifactor authentication protecting your accounts on line with something you know (password) and something you have (such as your cell phone). The website: https://stopthinkconnect.org/ has additional computer help.”

By becoming aware of what steps of avoidance to take; who to contact if necessary; and, various websites to gain knowledge, you’ll be able to better able to cope with/avoid the possibilities of senior fraud.

“There are some common ways to avoid being defrauded,” according to, Deem. “These include: 1) Learn to screen your calls from unknown numbers and use voice mail to decide before calling anyone back that you do not know.; 2) Keep your computer updated with proper antivirus and other applications updated.; 3) Don’t use the same password for email and other websites.; 4) Use a password manager to help remember a different password for each computer application.; 5) Use privacy settings on social media account life Facebook.; 6) Keep your settings to private.; 7) Don’t ‘friend’ strangers, even if they appear to be friends with someone that you know.; and, 8) Use multifactor authentication protecting your accounts on line with something you know (password) and something you have (such as your cell phone). https://stopthinkconnect.org/has additional computer help.”

Osher LifeLong Learning Program

The music tradition of Cuba; understanding Russia today; how oceans shape our planet; and California in American popular culture are all part of CSU Channel Islands Osher LifeLong Learning Program (OLLI). Our fall semester consists of 10 Zoom and 5 in-person courses that will enable adults aged 50 or over to sample OLLI’s university level courses taught by faculty and experts from many different walks of life. Classes, which last for either four weeks or 8 weeks.  Registration starts mid August.  Classes start on September 13th. See the list of courses and register by visiting go.csuci.edu/OLLI.