It’s officially spring! As the weather warms up and the latest COVID-19 surge continues to slow, many people are looking forward to meeting up with family and friends. At the start of this new season, the American Red Cross encourages the community to play an important role in helping save lives by making blood donation part of their spring plans.
The Red Cross is grateful to the hundreds of thousands of individuals who have rolled up a sleeve to give in early 2022. It’s important to remember donated blood has a limited shelf life, so supplies must be constantly replenished. In the days and weeks ahead, it’s critically important to maintain a readily available blood supply. Donors can make an appointment by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Ventura 4/12/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 36 S. Figueroa St.
Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
The staff and board of Rubicon Theatre in Ventura are thrilled to open the company’s doors once again for the 2022-2023 “Welcome Home” Season. The first production in the recently renovated space will be a pre-season production on March 26, featuring acclaimed stars of screen and television, JoBeth Williams and Joe Spano, in The Gin Game by D.L. Coburn, helmed by Jenny Sullivan. Rubicon is the first stop on a national tour of this Pulitzer Prize winning dramedy.
The “Welcome Home” season officially begins with an extraordinary event opening on the 30th anniversary of the L.A. riots, April 29, 1992. Chris Butler stars in Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith and directed by Butler and Jenny Sullivan. The Rubicon production is the only professional production of the play happening anywhere in the world during this historic anniversary of one what is arguably the largest social explosion of the American 20th century.
In June, Fats Waller is “tickling the ivories” as Rubicon presents one of the great musical revues of all time, Ain’t Misbehavin’.
The season continues with an updated version of the deliciously witty, beloved romantic comedy Almost, Maine, written by John Cariani and directed by Stephanie A. Coltrin (for which Cariani is expected to be in residence).
Lin Manuel-Miranda’s sensational In the Heights, directed and choreographed by Luis Salgado takes place in early fall.
Audiences can celebrate the holidays with a world premiere concert event, A Lonesome Traveler Christmas, directed by James O’Neil with Musical Direction by Scott Anthony and George Grove and featuring the Folk Legacy Trio.
The “Welcome Home” season concludes with the Southern California premiere of The Realistic Joneses by Will Eno, a co-production with Gare St Lazare, Ireland. Directed by Judy Hegarty-Lovett, the production wil feature Joe Spano, Faline England and Conor Lovett. (more)
To purchase season tickets for the company’s 2022-2023 Season, call the Rubicon Box Office at (805) 667-2900 or visit www.rubicontheatre.org.
In addition to the special savings and gift card incentives, subscriber benefits include discounts for tickets purchased for friends, guaranteed seating, ticket insurance, free exchanges (with 72 hours’ notice), and advance notice of special events. Flex passes are also available at a savings.
To order, call the Rubicon Box Office at (805) 667-2900 or visit in person at 1006 E. Main Street (Laurel entrance), from Noon to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Single tickets for each of the shows are also on sale and available via the box office or the company’s website: www.rubicontheatre.org.
Rubicon Theatre Company has been described as “the rising star of the Southern California cultural constellation.” A not-for-profit professional regional theatre which has reached more than 450,000 attendees,
Evan is the quiet and masterful media wizard working behind-the-scenes.
One of the most respected and valued members of the CAPS Media staff is leaving after two decades of service to the community. Evan Carpenter has been the Chief Engineer at the CAPS Media Center since the start nearly 20 years ago. In fact, Evan built or supervised the building of every component of the CAPS Media Center, the studio, production truck, radio station, remote facilities and much, much more. In honor of his valued contributions the board of directors voted unanimously to name the television studio the Evan Carpenter Studio.
Evan is the quiet and masterful media wizard working behind-the-scenes, keeping all the technical and electronic plates spinning at CAPS, all the while creatively collaborating and supporting staff members (who have changed over the years), and training and mentoring hundreds of CAPS members. To say that Evan will be missed is a tremendous understatement. No one knows the ins and outs of the media equipment and facilities as well as Evan.
Evan is returning home to Canada, to embark on the next stage of his extensive career among friends and family. Every staff member, board of director, and all the CAPS members who have had the pleasure of working with Evan over the past two decades thank him for his dedication, guidance and friendship. We all wish him good fortune and success on his next adventure.
Rest assured, somehow the good ship CAPS will cruise along. Collectively the CAPS staff is up to speed and skilled in operating all the equipment, systems and gear. As a result, CAPS Media will continue providing quality service to the public and public agencies 24×7 on television at CAPS Media Channel 6 and 15, radio on KPPQ FM 104.1and streaming at capsmedia.org.
Evan’s final farewell event was on Saturday, March 12th when the CAPS team covered the return of Ventura’s favorite spring event: The Ventura County St. Patrick’s Day Parade. After a two-year COVID induced hiatus the parade returned in all its glory with nearly 100 entries cruising down Main Street on a beautiful Ventura day. This year the CAPS professional staff was fortunate to have outstanding support from a dozen El Camino High School students who are learning media production and communication in the VUSD/CAPS/ECTV CTE program.
Saturday’s parade was an ideal opportunity for the zealous students to be mentored by the CAPS pros and work hands-on, side-by-side to take on the myriad of tasks needed to record a nonstop, live event. The combined CAPS/ECTV crew worked seamlessly to record the parade and turn it around in a few hours to air on CAPS Media Channel 6 the same afternoon. The parade continued to air on CAPS Channel 6 at various times throughout the following week.
Thanks to everyone’s diligence it appears that the COVID crisis is slowly fading. At this time, the CAPS Media Center remains closed to the public. We continue to serve the community and fulfill the CAPS mission: To create an engaged and informed community through participation in electronic media. For information go to capsmedia.org.
A new therapy could reverse the aging process by turning back the clock on cells to make them young again, according to a new study.
Scientists from the Salk Institute say the safe and effective technique works by partially resetting cells that impact skin, eyesight, muscles, and the brain. The breakthrough may be able to extend life and help people gain the ability to become more resistant to stress, injury, and disease.
While it may appear to be the Holy Grail of anti-aging research, promising eternal youth, the team cautions that they’ve only successfully tested the treatment on mice so far. Animals at the late stage of their lives treated with cellular rejuvenation therapy started to show signs of getting younger after just seven months.
New tests are now underway to determine whether the treatment only “pauses” or actually reverses aging. In the study, the researchers note that all cells carry a molecular clock that records the passage of time. By adding a mixture of four reprogramming molecules, known as the Yamanaka factors, the cells reset the clock to their original patterns.
The scientists tested three groups of mice at varying ages equivalent to humans being 35, 50, and 80 years-old (12 months, 15 months, and 25 months in mice). There were no blood cell alterations or neurological changes in the mice that received the treatment. The team also found no cancers in any of the groups.
Researchers found after seven or 10 months, the mice resembled younger animals in both appearance and ability. When injured, the youthful skin had a greater ability to heal and was less likely to form permanent scars. Metabolism remained stable, showing no form of age.
“At the end of the day, we want to bring resilience and function back to older cells so that they are more resistant to stress, injury and disease,” says co-first author Dr. Pradeep Reddy of the Salk Institute in a university release. “This study shows that, at least in mice, there’s a path forward to achieving that.”
“We are elated that we can use this approach across the life span to slow down aging in normal animals. The technique is both safe and effective in mice,” adds Professor Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte.
“In addition to tackling age-related diseases, this approach may provide the biomedical community with a new tool to restore tissue and organismal health by improving cell function and resilience in different disease situations, such as neurodegenerative diseases.”
The study is published in the journal Nature Aging.
Advance directives for financial planning are important.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, it may be difficult to think beyond the day to day. However, taking steps now can help prepare for a smoother tomorrow.
Over time, the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and related dementias will make it difficult to think clearly. Planning as early as possible enables you to make decisions and communicate those decisions to the right people.
Below are important legal documents to consider, and resources and tips that can help with planning ahead for health care, financial, long-term care, and end-of-life decisions.
Advance directives are legal documents that outline your preferences and apply only if you are unable to make decisions. For health care planning, they communicate a person’s wishes ahead of time. Doctors and other providers follow these directives for your medical treatment. There are two main documents that are part of an advance directive:
A living will lets doctors know how you want to be treated if you are dying or permanently unconscious and cannot make your own decisions about emergency treatment.
A durable power of attorney for health care names someone as a “proxy” to make medical decisions for you when you are not able.
If advance directives are not in place and a patient can no longer speak for him or herself, someone else will need to make medical decisions on their behalf. Talk to your family, friends, and health care providers about what types of care you would want. It can also be helpful to talk with your doctor about common problems associated with your condition.
For example, in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, people may have trouble swallowing, which can bring food or liquid into the lungs and cause pneumonia. Doctors may recommend a feeding tube connected from the nose to the stomach for nutrition, a ventilator to help with breathing, and antibiotics to fight the lung infection to help with recovery. However, some people may want to focus on comfort rather than recovery if the illness occurs near the end of life.
Other types of medical orders, which inform health care professionals about your preferences for life-sustaining and life-supporting treatment measures during a medical emergency. These have various names but are commonly called POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) or MOLST (Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) forms.
Organ and tissue donation, which allows healthy organs or other body parts from a person who has died to be transplanted into people who need them.
Brain donation for scientific research, which helps researchers better understand how Alzheimer’s and related dementias affect the brain and how they might be better treated and prevented.
Advance directives for financial planning are documents that communicate the financial wishes of a person. These must be created while the person still has the legal capacity to make decisions.
A durable power of attorney for finances names someone who will make financial decisions for you when you are not able.
A living trust names and instructs someone, called the trustee, to hold and distribute property and funds on your behalf when you are no longer able to manage your affairs.
Lawyers can help prepare these documents with you and your family members. A listing of lawyers in your area can be found on the internet, at your local library, through a local bar association, or by contacting the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
People with dementia experience a range of symptoms related to changes in thinking, remembering, reasoning, and behavior. Living with dementia presents unique challenges, but there are steps you can take to help now and in the future.
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.
Short-term goals will help you make physical activity a regular part of your daily life. For these goals, think about the things you’ll need to get or do in order to be physically active. For example, you may need to buy walking shoes or fill out an Activity Log so you can figure out how to fit physical activity into your busy day. Make sure your short-term goals will really help you be active. Here are a few examples of short-term goals:
Today, I will decide to be more active.
Tomorrow, I will find out about exercise classes in my area.
By the end of this week, I will talk with my friend about exercising with me a couple of times a week.
In the next 2 weeks, I will make sure I have the shoes and comfortable clothes I need to start walking for exercise.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Exercise
Are you considering adding exercise to your daily routine or significantly increasing your level of activity? Talk to your doctor about the exercises and physical activities that are best for you. During your appointment, you can ask:
Are there any exercises or activities I should avoid? Your doctor can make recommendations based on your health history, keeping in mind any recent surgeries or ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease. This would be a great time to check with your doctor about any unexplained symptoms you’ve been experiencing, such as chest pain or pressure, joint pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Your doctor may recommend postponing exercise until the problem is diagnosed and treated.
Is my preventive care up to date? Your doctor can tell you if there are any tests you might need. For example, women over age 65 should be checked regularly for osteoporosis.
How does my health condition affect my ability to exercise? Some health conditions can affect your exercise routine. For example, people with arthritis may need to avoid some types of activity, especially when joints are swollen or inflamed. Those with diabetes may need to adjust their daily schedule, meal plan, or medications when planning their activities. Your doctor can talk to you about any adjustments you need to make to ensure that you get the most out of your new exercise routine.
Advance understanding of changes that occur as we grow older are being researched.
Yih Woei Fridell Health Scientist Administrator , Division of Aging Biology (DAB).
Over the past few decades, scientists have made breakthroughs identifying molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging. Researchers have grouped these mechanisms into nine categories considered to be “hallmarks of aging” and, as a result, have created a useful framework to further advance our understanding of the diverse changes that occur as we grow older.
Importantly, these hallmarks also provide scientists with access points that can be manipulated and studied to inform further research about how we might change the ways we age, perhaps through the development of therapies to increase older adults’ health and well-being. In principle, the hallmark mechanisms could be altered to increase or decrease features of aging. NIA-supported research has also indicated that the hallmarks interact with each other in layered and nuanced ways. Our next step is to better understand how the hallmarks interact and whether they should be targeted for interventions individually or in groups.
Three new FOAs to connect the dots
To encourage innovative research on the interactions between hallmarks of aging, NIA has issued three interconnected Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs), all with the due date of Oct. 11, 2022:
RFA-AG-23-012 Inter-Organelle Communication as a Platform to Interrogate the Interactions of Hallmarks of Aging (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Contact sites where the membranes of cell organelles come together are critical hubs for the transfer of ions, metabolites, lipids, and proteins that have important roles in cellular aging. This FOA aims to deepen our mechanistic understanding of organelle communication and how it shapes the interactions of the hallmarks of aging.
RFA-AG-23-013 Mapping Interconnectivity Among Hallmarks of Aging Under Lifespan Modifications (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This FOA is designed to discover whether there are hierarchies among the hallmarks that underlie different changes with age, or if there is a threshold beyond which the hallmarks and/or their interactions with one another become “tipping points” that beyond which the aging process cannot be reversed.
RFA-AG-23-015 Studies of Cytosolic DNAs in the Interactions of Aging Hallmarks (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The accumulation of DNA in the cytosol (the fluid portion of a cell’s cytoplasm) has important associations with aging, cellular senescence, and decline of cellular and physiological functions. The goal of this FOA is to explore cytosolic DNAs as integrators of hallmark interactions and instigators of downstream events leading to age-related cellular and tissue deterioration.
Building an innovative aging hallmarks research consortium
While each FOA emphasizes a unique challenge, releasing the trio of opportunities together should increase collaboration and the exchange of data, technical resources, and expertise. We hope the collective impact can lead to a clearer and more comprehensive view of the complex picture of the aging hallmarks and their mechanisms.
We are also optimistic that these three FOAs will spark additional scientific collaboration and data sharing to broadly advance the field of aging biology. We plan to help in this process by organizing regular scientific meetings and virtual conferences to build an innovative network of investigators and labs studying new approaches to understanding the hallmarks of aging. This network will serve as a platform to report updates, share technical advances and resources, and tackle research hurdles.
If you are interested in helping advance our understanding of aging hallmarks, we encourage you to apply by Oct. 11! If you have questions, please contact the NIA Division of Aging Biology.
•SPAN Thrift Store is now open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use.
SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.Two upcoming clinics are: Tuesday, April 5th at the Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036, and a second one on Tuesday, April 12th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015.
Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.
∙ The French Bulldog took Los Angeles’ top spot once again in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC®) 2021 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S.
While the French Bulldog and Bulldog remain a constant favorite in the City of Angels, the Golden Retriever and Poodle have gained favor this past year, each jumping up one spot to land at #4 and #5, respectively. The German Shepherd Dog fell two spots to #6.
“Los Angeles seems to be following the national trend of the Golden Retriever and Poodle gaining popularity,” said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. “Both breeds make wonderful companions for a variety of people.”
Los Angeles’ top 5 breeds for 2021:
1. French Bulldog
2. Bulldog
3. Labrador Retriever
4. Golden Retriever
5. Poodle
The Labrador Retriever was the most popular breed of 2021.
The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at a virtual press conference at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. No one can keep the Lab down! The ever-popular Labrador Retriever is the nation’s favorite dog for the 31st consecutive year.
While the loveable Lab remains a constant at the top of the charts, the Poodle has pawed its way back into the top five after 24 years, bumping the perennial favorite Bulldog out for the first time in almost a decade. The Bulldog has been a fixture among the top five most popular breeds since 2012.
Most Popular Breeds of 2021
1. Labrador Retriever
2. French Bulldog
3. Golden Retriever
4. German Shepherd Dog
5. Poodle
∙ Do’s and Don’ts for Communicating with Your Cat
From body language to training tips, here’s how to build better bonds with feline pals.
By Brittany Edelmann
Do: Ask for Consent When Petting
“Pet the cat a couple of times and then stop,” says Melissa Bain, a clinical professor of animal behavior service at University of California Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. “If the cat appears to want more attention, it should approach you.” If not? “Respect that and stop petting,” Bain says. This can lead to the cat wanting more attention because it realizes it “can signal to the owner to stop petting whenever,” she notes. Lilly also recommends “offering a hand” and seeing if the cat rubs against it.
Do: Try Diffusing Tension
If you want your cat to be with you in a certain room, you can try using a plug-in diffuser called “Feliway,” says Christine Fellacher, a veterinarian in Florida. Cats normally leave behind a chemical called a facial pheromone when they rub their face against something. These are seen as “happy messages” and a positive indicator of well-being. Feliway is a synthetic version of the feline facial pheromone. Fellacher recommends this diffuser for cats that are aggressive or stressed, as it can help reduce feline anxiety and have a calming effect. “Some cats will seek out that relaxation,” Fellacher says. “They’ll want to stay in that room because they know that they’re a little more chilled.”
∙ While more than 25% of U.S. households have a cat, cat owners are slacking when it comes to scheduling regular vet visits.
Cats are taken to the vet when their sick or in desperate need of care, but not for regular visits. Dr. Liz Stelow, Veterinary Behavior Specialist at the University of California, Davis said that there are several things that cat owners can do to help their visits to the vet run more smoothly.
“What typically happens to set off the vet visit on the wrong foot is that the owner brings the carrier in from the garage, and the cat panics,” Stelow said. “This is because the cat is not accustomed to being in the carrier, and the carrier is a frightening thing.”
There are plenty of informative videos to help cat owners to get their cats used to riding in carriers. Once that happens, cat rides can be seen as a positive.
“This doesn’t mean that clients have to load their cats up into carriers and take them for daily rides,” Stelow said. “But maybe occasionally they can have a few treats in their carrier and go for a quick ride in the car.”
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∙ Spending just 10 minutes with a therapy dog reduced pain, anxiety and depression in emergency department patients, according to a new study.
After visits from the animals, patients reported significant positive changes to how they were feeling.
Almost half of the patients (48%) who were visited by the therapy dogs and their teams saw a reduction in anxiety, while 43% reported a drop in their pain, 48% in anxiety, 46% in depression, and 41% reported improved wellbeing.
The findings of this study contribute important knowledge towards the potential value of emergency department therapy dogs to affect patients’ experience of pain, and related measures of anxiety, depression and well-being
Dr Colleen Dell, of the University of Saskatchewan, Canada – who led the study, said: “The findings of this study contribute important knowledge towards the potential value of emergency department therapy dogs to affect patients’ experience of pain, and related measures of anxiety, depression and well-being.
Dr James Stempien, provincial head emergency medicine, said: “The emergency room is a hectic place, and as an ER doctor myself, I know that anything we can do to improve the patient experience is welcomed.”
The research, published in PLoS One, suggests that although it is not known what is behind how interactions with therapy dogs, and more specifically therapy dog teams, affect human emotions like anxiety, the findings are relevant to the broader conversation on the bond between humans and animals.
St John Ambulance therapy dog teams were introduced for 10-minute visits to 97 patients at the Royal University Hospital (RUH) emergency department in Saskatoon, and their responses were compared to 101 patients who did not interact with the dogs.
Briggs is a sweet Labradoodle. He is energetic and happy and loves cats. He is particularly fond of chasing squirrels. Briggs is two and a half and enjoys hanging out on the couch in the evenings. He is gentle and particularly likes playing with other dogs at the dog parks in Ventura.
