by Mike Macke, Senior Director of Sales & Marketing, Cypress Place Senior Living.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association website, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and by 2050 this number could reach as high as 16 million. These numbers are staggering, but according to one local expert, these numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Alzheimer’s affects one person at a time. But the consequences ripple out and affect family members, members of the surrounding community, and ultimately our society as a whole according to Norma Featherston, R.N., M.S., Gerontology. Featherston is a geriatric care consultant, and guest speaker for the seminar titled, Dementia 101 – “What You Need To Know”.

“My husband was diagnosed at age twenty eight with primary progressive Multiple Sclerosis, in which the end result is dementia,” said Featherston. “The problem was this was not documented until much later, so I received little help from doctors at the time,” she said.

She finally acknowledged her husband’s signs of dementia – personality changes, poor driving habits, lack of judgment, opting for unsafe offers to make money, spending money and running up credit cards – when she discovered he had not paid income taxes for several years.

It was a long and difficult journey, in which Featherston became depressed, worn out, and desperate for doing something to help. She finally hired a caregiver and went back to school in 2006, and graduated in 2009 with a Master’s Degree in Gerontology.

“I worked at the Alzheimer’s Association for eight years where I counseled caregivers, taught classes, spoke to civic and other groups, and ran several support groups, “ said Featherston. “I was able to give my knowledge of caregiving to those who were caregiving for someone with dementia related diseases.”

The free Dementia 101 seminar takes place from 10a.m. to 11:30a.m. on Saturday March 10, at Cypress Place Senior Living in Ventura and is open to the public. A variety of important topics regarding dementia will be covered including: what is it, what to expect, practical tips and strategies for everyday use, and information on exciting breakthrough research and what it means for you.

Join us for this important presentation by a specialist and learn vital information for loved ones and those you care for. Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited so please call to reserve a seat. To RSVP, please call 650-8000.

Cypress Place Senior Living is located at 1200 Cypress Point Lane in Ventura. To learn more about Cypress Place Senior Living of Ventura, visit their web site at www.cypressplaceseniorliving.com.

by Jennifer Tipton

When I first started to research this, I came across one source that listed a senior as anyone over 50 and I thought – what??? Be aware that different sources will have different age specifications when it comes to what qualifies you for a senior discount and many don’t offer it, you must ask.

Here are some discounts seniors can get in 2018, but only if they know to ask for them.

Cruise Deals – Cruise lines offer a variety of discounts for those over age 55, many are all inclusive with food, drink and entertainment included in the price. Destinations range from the Caribbean to Alaska and there are also “mini” cruises but check with the specific cruise company as not all have the discounts.

Dining Out – Many restaurants offer senior discounts, but again, you’ll need to ask because most won’t tell you. The list is quite long from burgers to steaks and some of these deals are for “early bird” dining – who decided that just because you’re getting older, you like to eat at 4:00?

Groceries – As a matter of fact, there are even discounts available when dining IN. From what I can see, these deals are limited to just a few markets, but it never hurts to ask!

Prescriptions – As we age, many need to take some type of medication and the cost of prescriptions can really add up! There are discounts at the pharmacy section of many retail stores and in addition, some pharmaceutical companies will send a discount card to those that ask.

Shopping – I was surprised to learn how many clothing stores offer senior discounts! One place (that sounds like something you might slice on top of your cereal) offers anyone over 50 a 10% discount any day of the week, just for the asking and another offers those over 60 a 15% discount on Wednesdays, there are also online shopping discounts.

Hotels – This one also had quite a list of participating businesses and discounts varied from 10% off to 50% off starting as low as age 56.

Movie Theaters – There’s nothing like a movie on the big screen and some theaters offer up to a 30% discount for those over 60 and others offer discounts at the snack bar because let’s face it, sometimes the popcorn costs more than the movie…

Amusement Parks – Although the rollercoaster may not be on your list for adventure these days, there is much to see and do at amusement parks and many offer discounts on one day tickets as well as season passes.

National Parks – Seniors can use their age advantage to score a serious discount at America’s National Parks, some offer an annual pass for $20 or a lifetime pass for $80 giving you access to about 2,000 recreation sites including National Forests and grasslands.

In addition, there are discounts for Airfare and Dental Care. But you must remember to say, “Do you offer a senior discount?”

On the flip side of all this, I recently turned 60 and as I questioned the price of an item at a fast food joint (I don’t eat fast food often – honest!), the guy offered me a senior discount, I didn’t even have to ask for it! I’m still not sure how I feel about that …

And even beyond this I hear that places like Deals4Boomers offer some fantastic further discounts that could aid you in saving even more money! A friend of mine made use of this service and told me that the discount coupons they got helped them save a bunch. Good luck money savers!

A new clinical study led by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, will follow 500 people over five years to learn more about the natural history of early age-related macular degeneration (AMD). By using the latest technologies to visualize structures within the eye and measure their function, researchers hope to identify biomarkers of disease progression, well before it advances to late-stage disease and causes vision loss. AMD is the leading cause of vision impairment and blindness among people age 50 and older in the United States.

People with early AMD typically do not have daylight vision loss. As it progresses, AMD causes cells to die in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Much of the damage occurs in the macula, an area of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision.

Only about 10 to 20 percent of people with early AMD progress to late-stage disease within five years. It is difficult to predict who will progress because AMD is a complex, multifactorial disease influenced by a combination of age, family history, genetic and health behavioral factors. A diet rich in green leafy vegetables and fish, for example, may reduce the risk, while smoking cigarettes increases it.

The AMD Ryan Initiative Study (ARIS) will track the eye health of 200 people who have bilateral early AMD, defined by the presence of medium-size drusen, yellowish deposits that accumulate under the retina. In addition, ARIS will include 200 people with early, reticular pseudodrusen, a type of lesion that causes the retina to have a giraffe-like macular pattern.

All participants will undergo routine spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), a type of imaging that shows high-resolution, cross-sectional views of the retina. SD-OCT is sensitive enough to detect even small changes in the volume of drusen over time.

Researchers at each of the 20 ARIS study sites will track drusen volume changes as well as other findings on SD-OCT to see if they correspond to functional changes in visual acuity and dark adaptation.

Ideally, the investigators would like to complement their studies by analyzing the participants’ DNA to look for correlations between genes and AMD progression. In total, scientists have so far identified 52 independent genetic variants associated with AMD. Further research is needed to determine if and how these variants influence the development and progression of the disease.

The study is named after the late Stephen J. Ryan, M.D., a widely recognized expert in retinal disease and president of the Doheny Eye Institute, an independent non-profit institution supporting ophthalmic research, training and clinical care. The Stephen J. Ryan Initiative for Macular Research is an interdisciplinary program at the Doheny Eye Institute that supports the ARIS investigation.

For more information or to enroll in ARIS, visit clinicaltrials.gov and search for NCT03092492.

Senior News Line
by Matilda Charles

The most fun I’ve had this winter is studying digital photography as I stay home avoiding the cold weather, and the flu and crowds. Setting up indoor studios, experimenting with lighting on vintage glassware and corralling the pets for a photo shoot — it’s been a great way to develop a new hobby.

Why photography? It can strengthen our memory as we need to remember settings and pay attention to composition. It can give us pleasure and raise self-esteem as we (and others) appreciate our results. Photography is art, and it awakens our creativity. Best of all, for now, it can be done indoors.

If you want to step up from snapping pics with a cellphone, try taking a free online photography course to get ideas about what kind of camera you might want. Explore one of the free online classes through Harvard Extension School, or check YouTube. Focus on those that produce pictures that are most attractive to you. Call your local camera store and ask for recommendations about classes and cameras.

Go online and look for “Digital Photography for Seniors for Dummies,” by Mark Justice Hinton, or other photography books for seniors. You’ll learn how to select photo equipment in your price range, set up shots, handle light and more. You could even get into drone photography by checking out a website such as https://www.drdrone.ca/. It may seem daunting at first but there are lots of amazing training courses to help you learn. After all, practice makes perfect!

If you need to buy a camera, do you want a big camera or a small one? You can find excellent compact point-and-shoot cameras that will fit in your pocket for a few hundred dollars. If you want a bigger Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera, learn what different lens can do.

Explore stock photography websites to get ideas for indoor photography you can do now. By the time warm weather returns, you’ll be ready to go outdoors with your new skills.

(c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

Senior News Line
by Matilda Charles

The guy who showed up today came to the wrong door: mine. I pegged him for a scammer before he even said a word. And I was right. The only thing I didn’t know was what kind of scam it was.

Turned out it was utilities. The guy claimed he was at the door at the request of my electric company to update my records. Then he said he only needed to scan my previous utility bill.

Wrong. I’d read about these guys.

First, I knew that my electric company didn’t send him. Second, if I’d showed him my bill, he would have had my name and account number and would know what rate I pay.

The scam works like this: With all that information, they would offer me a ridiculously low rate. If I signed up, before I knew it, my electric bill would have gone up 400 percent. I’d be locked into a contract and would have to pay a lot of money to get out of it. If I didn’t pay, they would send the bill to a collection agency, and it would show up on my credit report. So I shut the door in his face.

This particular scammer has a long history in other states, and there are class- action suits and investigations. They’ve targeted seniors, saying the local utility company had changed names and new information is needed, falsified signatures to sign up, come to the door again and again, misrepresented who they worked for, lied about rates and much, much more.

If someone shows up at your door with a clipboard and a photo ID hanging from their neck, it’s probably a scammer. If they ask for any information, it’s probably a scammer. Just shut the door.

by Essie Landry Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Sierra West Area

March is Women’s History Month. This is a time to focus not just on women’s achievements, but on the challenges women continue to face. In the 21st century, more women work, pay Social Security taxes, and earn credit toward monthly retirement income than at any other time in our nation’s history. Knowing this, you can take control of your own rich and independent history, with knowledge you can get from Social Security.

Social Security has served a vital role in the lives of women for over 80 years. With longer life expectancies than men, women tend to live more years in retirement and have a greater chance of exhausting other sources of income. With the national average life expectancy for women in the United States rising, many women may have decades to enjoy retirement. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a female born today can expect to live more than 80 years. As a result, experts generally agree that if women want to ensure that their retirement years are comfortable, they need to plan early and wisely.

A great place to start is with Social Security’s Retirement Estimator. It gives you a personalized estimate of your retirement benefits. Plug in different retirement ages and projected earnings to get an idea of how such things might change your future benefit amounts. You can use this valuable tool at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

You should also visit Social Security’s financial planning website at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/planners. It provides detailed information about how marriage, widowhood, divorce, self-employment, government service, and other life or career events can affect your Social Security.

Your benefits are based on your earnings, so you should create your personal my Social Security account to verify that your earnings were reported correctly. Your account also can provide estimates of your future retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. You can access my Social Security at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

If you want more information about how Social Security supports women through life’s journey, Social Security has a booklet that you may find useful. It’s called Social Security: What Every Woman Should Know. You can find it online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10127.html.

by Robert Stewart, Facilitator

The words “Anti-Aging” are falling out of favor and being replaced with celebrating and embracing “Growing Older”.

A pro-aging movement is taking hold in Ventura. In 2014 a small group of men gathered together to share with each other, in a confidential environment, what they are experiencing as we age. Women are good at gathering and sharing their life’s experiences. Men on the other hand are more willing to get together for common interest such as sports, work related projects, or just BS-ing. Now that we are ageing, we are slowing down and spending time evaluating our life experiences. There seems to be more interest in discovering who we really are as we travel down this narrowing road of life. As we grow older there is more emphasis on “what is the meaning of life?”

Through the years the men’s group has grown to 17 members, age ranges from 65 to 89 and continues to attract new members. In 2017 we adopted a name for our group: YOG which means “Young Old Guys”. We meet two times a month over lunch and discuss various topics such as relationship changes, loneliness, regrets, health issues, how to create more happiness and joy in our life.

As Winston Churchill said “Life can either be accepted or changed, if it is not accepted, it must be changed, if it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted”.

For more information 644 5598 or email [email protected].

Senior News Line
by Matilda Charles

The guy who showed up today came to the wrong door: mine. I pegged him for a scammer before he even said a word. And I was right. The only thing I didn’t know was what kind of scam it was.

Turned out it was utilities. The guy claimed he was at the door at the request of my electric company to update my records. Then he said he only needed to scan my previous utility bill.

Wrong. I’d read about these guys.

First, I knew that my electric company didn’t send him. Second, if I’d showed him my bill, he would have had my name and account number and would know what rate I pay.

The scam works like this: With all that information, they would offer me a ridiculously low rate. If I signed up, before I knew it, my electric bill would have gone up 400 percent. I’d be locked into a contract and would have to pay a lot of money to get out of it. If I didn’t pay, they would send the bill to a collection agency, and it would show up on my credit report. So I shut the door in his face.

This particular scammer has a long history in other states, and there are class- action suits and investigations. They’ve targeted seniors, saying the local utility company had changed names and new information is needed, falsified signatures to sign up, come to the door again and again, misrepresented who they worked for, lied about rates and much, much more.

If someone shows up at your door with a clipboard and a photo ID hanging from their neck, it’s probably a scammer. If they ask for any information, it’s probably a scammer. Just shut the door. Instead, if you’re looking for a better utility deal but not from the scammer outside your door, you could search for light companies with no deposit and a cheaper monthly rate than your current provider, always make sure to do some extensive research to avoid being scammed.

Improve Balance, Increase Strength, Help Others

RSVP will offer volunteer instructor training in February for a senior Tai Chi program, providing active retirees a way to serve their community through teaching classes while also improving their own balance and staying fit.

The two-day training with the Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance Master Trainer is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, February 16 and 17, in Ventura. Several follow-up practices with other trained volunteers will be scheduled before volunteers lead a class. Most volunteers will practice over 30 hours before being certified to teach. Attendance at quarterly in-services will also be required. No experience is necessary, but volunteers must be age 55 or older and make a six-month commitment to teach three hours per week.

For more information on the instructor training or to register to be trained as an instructor, please call 385-8023. The free classes will be held in the four west county cities served by the Oxnard RSVP.

A federal grant received by the City of Oxnard and its RSVP program funds the free exercise classes, which are being offered in partnership with the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging.

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 reduced incidence of falls among seniors who participated in the classes.

The 12-week evidence-based program consists 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 currently recruiting volunteers to lead the classes in Oxnard, Ventura, Camarillo and Port Hueneme; bilingual volunteers are particularly needed. Volunteers team teach to allow for vacation and sick time. All RSVP volunteers must be age 55 or better.

One in three Americans over the age of 65 fall every year and falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults. Falls threaten seniors’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs, according to the National Council on Aging.

Falling, however, is not an inevitable result of aging. Through practical lifestyle adjustments, participation in evidence-based falls prevention programs, such as Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance, and other interventions, the number of falls among seniors can be substantially reduced.

Those interested in taking the 12-week class, but not being an instructor, should call the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging’s fall prevention program at 477-7347 to have their name put on the waiting list.

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 almost 575 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 Jennifer Tipton

Donald Gay Wright born November 11, 1913 in South Sutton New Hampshire resides at Cypress Place Senior Living in Ventura. I first met Don at Cypress when I did a wellness clinic there and he and many of his neighbors would line up to get their blood pressure checked. Don was 102 at that time and always looked so put together with his hair neatly combed and sporting a rather dashing bolo tie.

Catching up with the now 104 years young gentleman was quite a delight! When I asked for this interview, Don told me, “oh I like to talk!”.

Don grew up in a family of show business, “my folks did vaudeville; my mother sang and played the piano, there were marionettes, dogs, doves and Punch & Judy”. He still has one of the ventriloquist puppets named “Billy” that he promised his father he’d care for sitting in the corner of his apartment and wearing one of his father’s hats from show biz days.

Don’s middle name “Gay” is a family name. “John Gay came to America by ship in 1630”, he told me. The Gay brothers had a factory that made Melton fabric, the heavy wool fabric that was used for United States Army uniforms.

Don himself was a Captain in the U.S. Army. “I was in the army for 25 years and was a high school dropout throughout my army career”, he laughs. “I’ve worked all kinds of jobs – Forestry Department, Highway Department and once for the County with zoning reinforcement, I knew a lot of judges”. He said he liked his position with military government the best and the most exciting thing he’s done was to help set up the government in (South) Korea. “I’d love to straighten out North Korea”, he added.

I asked him what activities he enjoys, and he said, “I’m a camera bug, I have about twenty cameras; in the older days we developed our own film and it was a big thing when it wasn’t black and white anymore!”. Lately he’s become quite the artist, Don’s apartment is filled with his work including a Mona Lisa sketch that won him a ribbon.

And the age-old question (pardon the pun) – “To what do you attribute to your longevity?” (I didn’t tell him I’d read in a previous interview he gave all the credit to shredded wheat) … and he responded, “shredded wheat!”. I did tell him that I read he performed a drum solo at his 104th birthday party and Don said, “I’ve been playing the drums for ninety years! I played with the Big Bands”.

With the next issue of the Breeze coming out on Valentine’s Day … I asked, “are there any secret crushes we should know about?”

And Don replied, “a while ago, a lady named Cookie came to my door and said, “what happened to our relationship?”, I was 103 and didn’t think I had any relationship! But we really did fall in love; she was a great lady. I couldn’t imagine that at 103 I’d have a girlfriend!”. Don said, “I asked the Lord for a friend, and then Cookie showed up, and then He took her away, and He hasn’t sent a replacement yet!”

Donald G. Wright has 4 children, 10 grandchildren, 20 plus great grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren.

Don sums it up, “I enjoy the time I have on earth!”