Palliative care is comprehensive treatment of the discomfort, symptoms, and stress of serious illness, whatever the diagnosis. It works with a patient’s main treatment and can be given along with all other medical care. The main goal of palliative care is to improve quality of life. It focuses not just on a patient’s physical and medical needs, but also his or her emotional, social, and spiritual concerns. It also provides support to the patient’s family.

Palliative care is not just for people who might die soon. It is a resource for anyone with a long-term chronic disease such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, HIV/AIDS, and Parkinson’s disease. Palliative care can be provided in any setting, including hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient palliative care clinics, other specialized clinics, or at home. All Veterans Health Administration hospitals now have a palliative care program.

The organized services available through palliative care can also be helpful to any older person having a lot of general discomfort and disability late in life. Palliative care can also help patients, family members, and health care providers talk through treatment and care decisions.

Hospice care provides comprehensive comfort care to the dying person as well as support to his or her family. Attempts to cure the person’s illness are stopped. Candidates for hospice care are people with a serious illness who a health care provider thinks has less than 6 months to live. The goal of hospice is to relieve symptoms and make a dying person as comfortable as possible, maintaining that person’s quality of life and dignity.

Hospice care does not provide 24-hour, around-the-clock nursing care, so many patients are cared for by family members, hired caregivers, or nursing home staff in between visits from hospice care providers. Hospice care can be provided in the home, at an assisted living facility or nursing home, or in a hospital.

Some people think a health care provider’s suggestion to consider hospice means death is very near, but that is not always the case. Sometimes people do not start hospice care soon enough to take full advantage of the help it offers.

The Ventura Parkinson’s Support Group will meet Wednesday, Feb. 8 for a “Round Table” discussion at 1PM at the Lexington in Ventura. They welcome their newest members and hope others who battle with Parkinson’s Disease will attend.

Everyone is welcome to come and share a little about themselves and their history with Parkinson’s Disease. Get to know and support each other better by sharing common problems, knowledge, experience and coping solutions to the daily challenges of Parkinson’s Disease.

They have great speakers lined up for the new year and welcome group input on upcoming meetings in 2017. Meetings are every second Wednesday of each month from 1PM to 3PM on the 3rd floor at the Lexington Assisted Living, 5440 Ralston Street in Ventura.

Extra parking is graciously available across the street from the Lexington in the Baptist Church parking lot. Call Patty at 766-6070 for further information. Reservations are not required.

Financial scams targeting seniors have become so prevalent that they’re now considered “the crime of the 21st century.” Why? Because seniors are thought to have a significant amount of money sitting in their accounts.

Far too many older adults fall prey to scammers who are looking to make a quick buck. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) offers Straight Talk for Seniors® about what to look for, and how to combat fraud and abuse.

While there is not one single collection agency for fraud reports, the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network (CSN) reports more than 1.5 million fraud complaints in 2014, with losses totaling more than $1.7 billion. More than 28% of the complaints were from consumers aged 60 and over. Scams and abuse range from Medicare fraud to financial abuse by a loved one. Find a list of the top 10 scams targeting seniors here.

Scams are always changing, but here are eight tested ways seniors can protect themselves:

• Be aware you are at risk from strangers – and those closest to you.
• Don’t isolate yourself – stay involved.
• Always tell solicitors: “I never buy from (or give to) anyone who calls or visits me announced. Send me something in writing.”
• Shred all receipts with your credit card number.
• Sign up for the “Do Not Call” list and take yourself off multiple mailing lists.
• Use direct deposit for benefit checks to prevent checks from being stolen from the mailbox.
• Never give your credit card, banking, Social Security, Medicare, or other personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call.
• Be skeptical of all unsolicited offers and thoroughly do your research.
• Warning Signs for Caregivers

There are signs caregivers and loved ones should watch for that can indicate an older adult may be a victim of fraud or abuse, including:

Unusual recent changes in the person’s financial accounts, including atypical withdrawals, new person(s) added, or sudden use of a senior’s ATM or credit card.

The senior suddenly appears confused, unkempt, and/or afraid.

Utility, rent, mortgage, medical, or other essential bills are unpaid despite adequate income.

A caregiver will not allow others access to the senior.

There are piled up sweepstakes mailings, magazine subscriptions, or “free gifts,” which means they may be on “sucker lists.”

Many seniors don’t report financial fraud and abuse because they are afraid or embarrassed to talk about it, but not taking action could only make repercussions worse. Immediately:

Additionally, there are several government agencies that can help.

The state Adult Protective Service (APS) program can help. Find a local office on the Eldercare Locator, or call them toll-free at 1-800-677-1116.

File a complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission Complaint Assistant at: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Call the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s complaint line at: 1-855-411-CFPB (2372)

Contact your State Attorney General.

More Information

NCOA’s EconomicCheckUp® website has useful tips and tools to help older adults avoid scams, manage a limited budget, save money, and more.

NCOA’s Savvy Saving Seniors® education program includes a class on Steps to Avoiding Scams. Test your knowledge about scams and get more tips for recognizing scams.

NCOA’s Economic Security Initiative is helping older adults find benefits and protect their finances so they can live a healthy, confident life. Find out more here.

Feb. 14 (2nd Tues. of each month), 3 – 5:30 p.m., at SCAN Health and Wellness Center, 6633 Telephone Rd., Ste., 100. Led by Marty Capsuto. Center is for those 55+ and guests, so Marty will guest sponsor all Songmakers under 55. Located three blocks east of Ventura County Gov’t Center, corner of Partridge & Telephone. Plenty of parking behind building. For more information contact Marty at  658-0365 or [email protected].

Feb.24 (4th Friday of each month), 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. Like to play acoustic music? Songmakers.org welcomes all lovers of acoustic music—instrumentalists, singers, and singer/songwriters of all levels—to join in a free song circle at the Bell Arts Factory Community Room, 432 N. Ventura Ave. Listeners welcome! Information Mike Wittlin 750-8281.

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

Throughout the month of February, we honor African Americans by celebrating Black History Month. Created in 1926, this event coincides with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and Frederick Douglass on February 14. African American communities have celebrated these birthdays together for over a century.

Honoring our shared history and reflecting on the past is one way we can remember that in America, we believe in freedom and democracy for all. Another shared belief is that we all deserve a comfortable retirement, free of economic hardship. This is part of securing today and tomorrow.

Social Security has the tools to help you plan for your retirement and to apply for benefits online. We also provide disability benefits to individuals with medical conditions that prevent them from working. If the disabled individual has dependent family members, they can also receive payments.

If you or anyone you know is disabled, they may qualify for disability benefits. Studies show that a 20-year-old worker has a 1-in-4 chance of becoming disabled before reaching full retirement age. You can see if you meet our strict definition of disabled and apply for disability benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityssi/apply.html.

Widows, widowers, and their dependent children may be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits. Social Security helps by providing income for the families of workers who die. In fact, 98 of every 100 children could get benefits if a working parent dies. And Social Security pays more benefits to children than any other federal program. You can learn more about Social Security survivors benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/survivors.

Honoring each other begins with fair and equal treatment. Social Security guarantees that, if you pay into the system, you will have the same benefits as everyone else according to your earnings record. This Black History Month, we want to make sure our diverse nation is covered and that no one is left out of the benefits they deserve. We are with you through life’s journey.  Get to know your Social Security. Visit us at https://www.ssa.gov/people/africanamericans/.

Volunteers are needed for a new senior Tai Chi program which is starting in the four west county cities served by the Oxnard RSVP. No experience is needed and volunteer instructor training will be provided in mid-February.

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 research was carried out after researchers saw tai chi increase in popularity with more and more people learning tai chi online or in 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. Much as they do in RSVP’s popular Bone Builders classes, it is expected participants will form friendships, providing a fun, social atmosphere around the classes.

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. A two-day training with the Master Trainer is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11, in Ventura. Several follow-up practices with other trained volunteers will be scheduled before volunteers lead a class. Attendance at quarterly in-services will also be required. No experience is necessary, but a six-month commitment to teach three hours per week is requested.

Volunteers team teach to allow for vacation and sick time. All RSVP volunteers must be age 55 or better. For more information on the instructor training or to register to be trained as an instructor, please call 385-8023.

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. Tai Chi is used all over there world, for example in Italy some establishments hold courses for participants – see Tai chi versilia

Those interested in taking the 12-week class 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 600 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.