Want to help your community while also helping yourself? Then consider becoming one of RSVP’s trained, certified Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance instructors.

Training for new volunteer instructors is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 27 and 28. The program provides active retirees a way to serve their community by teaching the free classes while also improving their own balance and staying fit.

The two-day training, led by the Master Trainer, will be held in Camarillo, but volunteers can teach in any of Oxnard RSVP’s 12-week classes in the four west county cities served (Oxnard, Camarillo, Ventura and Pt. Hueneme). There are currently 13 classes.

After training, volunteers must practice at least 30 hours before being certified to teach; often those trained attend classes and practice together for support. Attendance at scheduled follow-up workshops will be required of volunteers.

No experience is necessary, but volunteers must be age 55 or older and make a commitment to teach at least two 12-week sessions. Since instructors work as teams, time away for illness or short vacations is possible.

For more information on the instructor training or to make an appointment to be interviewed for the volunteer position, please call 805-385-8023.

Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance follows curriculum developed at the Oregon Research Institute (in Oregon) where studies showed improved strength and balance, increased mobility and a 55% reduced incidence of falls among seniors who participated.

Classes consist of a core eight-form routine of Yang-style Tai Chi with built-in exercise variations. It teaches participants balance skills and good body alignment by using coordinated and flowing movements. The classes are intended for adults age 60 and older who can walk easily with or without assistive devices.

RSVP is a volunteer recruitment and placement program, helping people 55 and older find volunteer positions that match their interests, talent and available time.  The Oxnard RSVP has over 500 members and is sponsored by the City of Oxnard.  To learn more about being an RSVP member or to discuss other volunteer opportunities, call 385-8023.

by Patty Jenkins

The Ventura Parkinson’s Disease Support Group is pleased to invite our members, supportive friends and associates along with the public to attend our meeting on Friday March 20th from 12:30PM to 2:30PM at Ventura City Hall’s Community Meeting Room #202 to join us in welcoming Echo Tan MD, a Movement Disorder Specialist in the Department of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

A movement disorder specialist is a neurologist with additional training in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and other movement disorders. This type of doctor typically has extensive knowledge of Parkinson’s therapies and ongoing research. A movement disorder specialist focuses primarily on PD and movement disorders, such as dystonia and tremors. (reference Michael J Fox Foundation)

Dr. Tan specializes in diagnosing and treating movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, tremor, dystonia, chorea, and tics. She is experienced in programming deep brain stimulation, and injecting botulinum toxin for dystonia and spasticity. Dr. Tan has lectured nationally on various movement disorder topics including new wearable technologies for diagnosis and management of Parkinson’s disease as well as deep brain stimulation, spasticity, dystonia and its treatments. She has co-authored articles with Dr. Michele Tagliati and presented research at both national and international conferences such as the Movement Disorders Society annual meeting.

Dr. Tan earned her medical degree from New York Medical College and completed her internship in internal medicine at the University of California, Irvine. She went on to complete a residency in clinical neurology at the University of Southern California and a clinical movement disorder fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Join us with Dr. Tan for an informative and educational presentation about Parkinson’s Disease and Deep Brain Stimulation sponsored by Boston Scientific. We will have the opportunity to ask Dr. Tan questions about Parkinson’s Disease, the many choices we have for treatments including medications and other options available to us to help cope with the challenges of Parkinson’s Disease and improve the quality of our lives.

The Ventura Parkinson’s Disease Support Group welcomes the public along with those who find themselves navigating the challenges of Parkinson’s Disease and other neurological conditions. Hand-out resources available at every meeting. We are an independent and volunteer-organized group not affiliated with any other organization or group. For more information and detailed directions to our meetings, please call Patty at 805-766-6070.

You may need to make some changes in your food and beverage choices to achieve a healthy eating pattern. It’s easier than you think!

A healthy eating pattern is not a rigid prescription. Rather, it is a framework that lets you enjoy food that meets your personal preferences and fits your budget. To encourage healthy eating patterns, the Dietary Guidelines suggests that you:

Follow a healthy eating pattern across the lifespan. All food and beverage choices matter. Choose a healthy eating pattern at an appropriate calorie level to help achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, meet nutrient needs, and lessen the risk for chronic disease.

Focus on variety, nutrient density, and amount. To meet nutrient needs within calorie limits, choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods across and within all food groups in recommended amounts.

Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats, and reduce sodium intake. Cut back on foods and beverages that are high in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium. Aim for amounts that fit within healthy eating patterns.

Shift to healthier food and beverage choices. Choose nutrient-dense foods and beverages across and within all food groups in place of less healthy choices. Choose foods you like to make these shifts easier to maintain.

Support healthy eating patterns for all. Everyone has a role in helping to create and support healthy eating patterns, at home, school, and work and in communities.

Here’s a tip:

Writing down what and how much you eat each day will help you keep track of your total daily calories and also help you see if you are making healthy choices. Try to choose mostly nutrient-dense foods. These foods give you lots of nutrients without a lot of extra calories.

Crock

The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee

Senior News Line
by Matilda Charles

I’ll be worse off financially this year, despite the Social Security increase we just received. I won’t be the only one.

For the average recipient who receives $1,460 per month, that 1.6% equates to a gain of $23.36 per month. Medicare went up $9.10 to $144.60, so that drops the extra cash to $14.26.

Except my Medicare supplement went up $42 and the drug plan went up as well. Rent went up $20 per month, justified by management with the “big increase” in Social Security we all got.

With so many of us in the same situation, we need to think of ways to save money:

If you take a daily newspaper and pay for it by the month, calculate whether you’ll save money if you pay for it by the year. If you have a tablet, ask if they offer a digital subscription at a lower rate. Making yearly payments might also work for your car or homeowner insurance.

Call the local food bank about getting free food. Don’t worry about running into someone you know. Just make the call. Whatever you get from them you won’t have to buy at the store.

Check into “senior helper” groups in your area. These are people who volunteer to take care of home repairs for free, instead of paying a plumber $150 per hour.

If you have a credit card, make payments on time. Check AARP’s member discounts. Buy at Goodwill.

Ask for lower prices. Buy generic groceries. Get serious about clipping coupons. Ask about senior discount day.

Have you ever tried to remember all the words to a song from your childhood or teenage years, or something you heard your parents sing? If you can remember one or two lines of a verse or the title, you can find the whole song on the Internet.

Here’s an example. I put one line of a song in Google, and there it was! Not only did all the lyrics pop up but there were links to videos of groups singing the song. There were links, too, to more information. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the song was written in 1911.

World War II was full of good music, and chances are you remember at least parts of some of the songs. Search online for World War II songs or any other era you’re interested in. Wikipedia even has categories such as “Songs of 1950s.” Or search Wikipedia by singer and click on their discography for all the songs they released.

Remember “Any Bonds Today?”, the 1941 song written for a war bond drive and presented in a Bugs Bunny cartoon? Or for younger seniors, how about “Blowin’ in the Wind,” Bob Dylan’s 1962 song. How many verses do you remember?

When the weather warms up, you might consider haunting garage sales and antique marts for old sheet music. If you no longer have a keyboard, look on Amazon for compact 54-key electronic keyboards for less than $100.

And what do you do once you’ve collected all the music from your youth? Consider sharing it. If you play well enough, ask about visiting a retirement facility and playing for the residents. Make copies of the lyrics and hand them out for a sing-along. For Alzheimer’s patients, hearing or singing music can animate silent patients, reduce stress and strengthen memory.

(c) 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

Senior News Line
by Matilda Charles

I’ll be worse off financially this year, despite the Social Security increase we just received. I won’t be the only one.

For the average recipient who receives $1,460 per month, that 1.6% equates to a gain of $23.36 per month. Medicare went up $9.10 to $144.60, so that drops the extra cash to $14.26.

Except my Medicare supplement went up $42 and the drug plan went up as well. Rent went up $20 per month, justified by management with the “big increase” in Social Security we all got.

With so many of us in the same situation, we need to think of ways to save money:

If you take a daily newspaper and pay for it by the month, calculate whether you’ll save money if you pay for it by the year. If you have a tablet, ask if they offer a digital subscription at a lower rate. Making yearly payments might also work for your car or homeowner insurance.

Call the local food bank about getting free food. Don’t worry about running into someone you know. Just make the call. Whatever you get from them you won’t have to buy at the store.

Check into “senior helper” groups in your area. These are people who volunteer to take care of home repairs for free, instead of paying a plumber $150 per hour.

If you have a credit card, make payments on time. Check AARP’s member discounts. Buy at Goodwill.

Ask for lower prices. Buy generic groceries. Get serious about clipping coupons. Ask about senior discount day.

Have you ever tried to remember all the words to a song from your childhood or teenage years, or something you heard your parents sing? If you can remember one or two lines of a verse or the title, you can find the whole song on the Internet.

Here’s an example. I put one line of a song in Google, and there it was! Not only did all the lyrics pop up but there were links to videos of groups singing the song. There were links, too, to more information. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the song was written in 1911.

World War II was full of good music, and chances are you remember at least parts of some of the songs. Search online for World War II songs or any other era you’re interested in. Wikipedia even has categories such as “Songs of 1950s.” Or search Wikipedia by singer and click on their discography for all the songs they released.

Remember “Any Bonds Today?”, the 1941 song written for a war bond drive and presented in a Bugs Bunny cartoon? Or for younger seniors, how about “Blowin’ in the Wind,” Bob Dylan’s 1962 song. How many verses do you remember?

When the weather warms up, you might consider haunting garage sales and antique marts for old sheet music. If you no longer have a keyboard, look on Amazon for compact 54-key electronic keyboards for less than $100.

And what do you do once you’ve collected all the music from your youth? Consider sharing it. If you play well enough, ask about visiting a retirement facility and playing for the residents. Make copies of the lyrics and hand them out for a sing-along. For Alzheimer’s patients, hearing or singing music can animate silent patients, reduce stress and strengthen memory.

(c) 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

AARP

April 1, 2020 is Census Day — the due date for Americans to take part in the decennial national headcount. Until then, and possibly beyond, you’ll probably hear a lot about, and a lot from, the U.S. Census Bureau. But census activity isn’t limited to years ending in 0, and neither is census fraud.

Census scammers contact you by phone, email, regular mail or home visit, or direct you to phony websites, seeking personal and financial information. Like other government impostors, they adopt the mantle of officialdom in hopes of winning your trust — and they have the added advantage of pretending to represent an agency specifically tasked with asking questions. Along with its once-a-decade population count, the Census Bureau conducts more than 130 surveys each year.

The biggest, the American Community Survey (ACS), is sent annually to more than 3.5 million randomly selected homes to gather population, economic, housing and other data that helps determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in state and federal money is distributed. With its detailed questions about things like income, assets, job status, household amenities, even your commute, the ACS does set off scam suspicions — it’s a frequent subject of calls to AARP’s Fraud Watch Network Helpline — but it is legitimate, and relatively easy to verify (see below).

There are some things no genuine census survey or agent will ask — for example, for your Social Security, credit card or bank account number. They won’t ask for money. They won’t threaten jail time if you don’t answer their questions. Any of these is a sure sign that a supposed census taker is phishing for ways to steal your identity, money or possessions.

Warning Signs

You get an unsolicited email purporting to be from the Census Bureau. For household surveys and the decennial Census, the agency almost always makes contact by mail.

A supposed census agent asks you for money or financial data, such as the number of and amount in your bank account.

A supposed census taker threatens you with arrest. Taking part in the Census is required by law, and you can be fined for not doing so, but you can’t be imprisoned.

Do verify that a census taker who comes to your home is legitimate. They should have a Census Bureau photo ID badge (with a Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date) and a copy of the letter the bureau sent you. You can also search for an agent’s name in the Census Bureau’s online staff directory.

Do confirm that a questionnaire you’ve received is on the Census Bureau’s official list of household or business surveys.

Do contact the bureau’s National Processing Center or the regional office for your state to verify that an American Community Survey or other census communication is genuine.

Do check that a census mailing has a return address of Jeffersonville, Ind., the site of the National Processing Center. If it’s from somewhere else, it’s not from the Census Bureau.

Do check the URL of any supposed Census website. Make sure it has a census.gov domain and is encrypted — look for https:// or a lock symbol in the

Don’t give your Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, or bank or credit card numbers to someone claiming to be from the Census Bureau. Genuine Census representatives will not ask for this information.

Don’t reply, click links or open attachments in a suspicious census email. Forward the message to [email protected].

Don’t trust caller ID — scammers can use “spoofing” tools to make it appear they’re calling from a real Census Bureau number. Call the National Processing Center at 800-523-3205, 800-642-0469 or 800-877-8339 (TDD/TTY) to verify that a phone survey is legitimate.

More Resources

The Census Bureau website includes a page on fraud with more information on spotting census scams by mail, phone, email and home visit.

You can report suspected scams to the regional Census Bureau office serving your state and to the Federal Trade Commission (online or at 877-382-4357).

Dementia is the leading cause of disability for more than 5 million people aged 65 and older in this country. By 2050, that number is predicted to quadruple. Dementia can cause memory, language and decision-making problems, mood changes, increased irritability, depression, and anxiety.

Dementia also can cause poor coordination as well as balance problems and falls. These difficulties can affect quality of life, reduce caregiver well-being, and increase healthcare costs.

Researchers designed a study to learn more about whether physical therapy (PT) rehabilitation services could improve dementia-associated declines. They published their findings in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The researchers noted that we understand that physical activity and exercise programs provided by physical therapists can improve balance and reduce fall risk. However, we don’t know whether providing PT in the home could benefit people with dementia. The researchers wanted to learn whether home health PT could help older adults with dementia improve their ability to perform daily functions. These functions include activities like grooming, dressing, bathing, being able to get to and from the toilet (and being able to clean yourself properly after using the bathroom), getting from bed to a chair, walking, eating, being able to plan and prepare light meals, and being able to use the telephone. The researchers also wanted to learn what amount of home-based PT services resulted in the most improvement with these essential tasks.

The researchers examined information provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers the Medicare program (the federal insurance program for older Americans). The people included in the study were older than 65, had been diagnosed with dementia, and received home health services.

Of the people included in the study, 62 percent received at least one home PT visit. Most people received four visits. Patients who received PT had a higher level of disability and were more likely to:

Have started home health after hospitalization or rehabilitation care stays

Have severe pain that interfered with movement on a daily basis

Have a fall risk

They also were less likely to exhibit symptoms of disruptive behavior.

The researchers said that people who received PT were more likely to experience improvement in their daily functioning. They also said that the more PT people received, the more improvement they experienced, up to about 14 visits.

The researchers suggested that these results highlight the importance of receiving an evaluation by a physical therapist if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with dementia.

This summary is from “The Impact of Home Health Physical Therapy on Medicare Beneficiaries with a Primary Diagnosis of Dementia: A secondary analysis of Medicare data.” It appears online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Cherie V. LeDoux, PT, DPT; Richard C. Lindrooth, PhD; Katie J. Seidler, PT, DPT, MSCI; Jason R. Falvey, PT, DPT, PhD; and Jennifer E. Stevens-Lapsley, MPT, PhD.

The flu season is in full swing. As of now all 50 states have widespread levels of flu. And at this point far too many people still haven’t gotten their flu shot.

The senior version of the shot (for those over age 65) has four times the amount of vaccine of three of the four types … two A and one B. While this isn’t ideal (it’s still missing one B), it’s what we have. The high-dose vaccine was created to give our bodies a high immune response. Because of our age, we’re in the high-risk group for complications, even if we don’t have any medical concerns. Seniors had more hospitalizations from flu than any other age group.

There have been more than 6,000 deaths from the flu. How many of these could have been avoided by getting the flu shot?

One big concern is that it’s possible to be contagious and pass the flu to others days before someone starts to feel sick. Going to the grocery store, attending church, reading to kids at the elementary school … there are too many opportunities to give the flu to others (or have them give it to you) before anyone even suspects they have it.

But it’s not too late to get the shot. Even if it doesn’t keep you from getting the flu, it will keep you from getting as sick as you might have.

A delay can arise in areas where they’ve temporarily run out of the flu vaccine. Don’t let that stop you. To get your flu shot, call your doctor’s office, call the local pharmacies and call the closest senior center. You’ll find the vaccine somewhere.

No matter what, wash your hands frequently and keep them away from your face.

From In Health

Changes in hearing are a common part of aging. Almost half of adults over the age of 75 will have some degree of hearing loss. Changes in hearing can occur due to damage, illnesses, or even genetics.

Although many people will experience hearing loss in their lifetime, there are ways to protect your hearing. Taking care of your ears and preventing hearing loss can be as easy as following these four tips.

Protect Your Ears

Loud noises can damage hearing whether the noise exposure is brief or prolonged. Protect your hearing by wearing ear plugs or earmuffs when you are going to be around loud noises. Limit your exposure to loud sounds by moving away from the source and keeping volumes low in your home.

Spencer Eaton, executive director of Pinnacle Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, works with older individuals and has seen how common hearing loss is. “Exposure to loud noises is a common and preventable cause of hearing loss,” he says. “Use ear protection whenever possible around loud sounds.”

Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary for most people to clean their ears frequently. Earwax is a natural production of the ears, and the ears are designed to clear the earwax out on their own. However, some people may find that their ears do not clean themselves as well as they should as they age. Hearing aids, extra ear hair, and the aging process may contribute to additional wax buildup that can obstruct hearing. If earwax does build up more than normal, over-the-counter cleaning products can help clear it out. A doctor can also use special tools to clean out the ears. Regardless of the amount of waxy buildup, foreign objects like cotton swabs should never be put into the ear canal.

Upper respiratory illnesses can contribute to hearing loss if they are not treated appropriately. Get treatment promptly for illnesses of the ears, nose, and throat in order to reduce the risk of an ear infection. Some illnesses or medications can cause hearing changes, so be sure to consult your doctor if any sudden changes in hearing occur.

Hearing aids do not restore hearing loss, but they can vastly improve quality of life and even help prevent other impairments. Hearing loss can be difficult for people who find themselves unable to participate in conversations and daily activities. It can also be dangerous if a person is unable to hear a fire alarm or a honking horn. Recent research even suggests hearing loss can speed up cognitive decline in older adults. If you have suffered some hearing loss, talk to your doctor about whether hearing aids can help.

When you are young, protecting your hearing may be low on your list of priorities. However, your ears may feel the effect of those concerts and motorcycle rides. Take the time to protect your ears, whether from sound or illness, and you may prevent some hearing loss. If you do suffer from hearing loss, be sure to seek medical help. Hearing aids may not reverse the damage, but they can dramatically improve a person’s life.