Category Archives: Senior Living

Sig Schmalhofer is living proof that retirees can have a full life

Sig has published two novels.

by Sheli Ellsworth

Sig Schmalhofer’s quest to fulfill the American Dream began in 1956 as a five-year-old German immigrant. The sum of the family’s possessions were stuffed into two suitcases when they landed at LAX. The first English words he learned became a lifetime mantra, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” His mother had memorized the Benjamin Franklin proverb and recited it often to the family. After graduating from Newbury Park High School in 1969, he married his high school sweetheart, Beverly.

Schmalhofer worked his way through college by working in plumbing shops. After he earned a degree in English from CSUN, he was an elementary teacher in Thousand Oaks. Three years later he capitalized on his knowledge of plumbing industry and made it his career.

In 1993, he was diagnosed with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, a debilitating genetic disease which robs victims of muscular strength. “That’s when the list of tasks I could do by myself got shorter, and things I needed help with, got longer. Thank God for Bev. She’s flawlessly stepped in to help me do things that need to be done.” The couple raised three children and have seven grandchildren.

After they built a successful career in Riverside, Sig and Bev moved back to Ventura County, where it all began. “I’d planned to play golf every day of my retired life,” Sig says. “But when my physical challenges made the game that I love an exercise in ‘Hit the ball, drag Sig’, I turned my attention to other hobbies. The centerpiece of that list is writing.”

Sig has published two novels, Jelly Beans in Life and Jelly Beans in Life 2; a business book, The Reputable Rep; and a memoir: Never Really Normal. Coming soon is the first of a series of mysteries.

The Ventura resident is living proof that retirees should be armed with a manageable list of hobbies beyond asking children and grandchildren questions they really don’t want to answer. His favorite pastime is playing enthralling, winner-take-all, games of Cribbage with Bev. “We’re super competitive. We play two or three games a day and record the results of every game in what we dubbed The Book. The ultimate goal is to win a ‘World Series Championship’ which takes about six months.”

Sig and Bev also post Wordl and Connections scores on a family text, daily, and each of them maintains their own exercise program. Sig has six ‘exercise stations’ in his home where he completes a list of daily routines prescribed by Dr. Selvey, his physiotherapist.

Schmalhofer also rides around the neighborhood in his souped-up wheelchair he calls his Sigmobile. He watches baseball, golf and football but not the news. “Watching news,” he says, “is the ideal way to make yourself act like a grumpy old man.” Because I’ve been blessed to live a life well worth living with friends and family well worth having,” Sig said. “The first words out of my mouth every day are, “Thank God, I’m still alive.”

Loneliness

Art in a class is a wonderful activity to overcome loneliness.

There are things you can do to help protect yourself or a loved one from the negative effects of loneliness and social isolation. First, it’s important to take care of yourself. Try exercising, eating healthy, getting enough sleep (7 to 9 hours), and pursuing activities you enjoy to help manage stress and stay as mentally and physically healthy as possible.

It’s also important to stay active and connect with others. People who engage in meaningful, productive activities they enjoy with others feel a sense of purpose and tend to live longer. For example, helping others through volunteering helps you feel less lonely and allows you to have a sense of mission and purpose in life, which is linked to better health. Studies show activities like these may help boost your mood and improve your well-being and cognitive function.

Find an activity that you enjoy, restart an old hobby, or take a class to learn something new. You might have fun and meet people with similar interests.

Schedule time each day to stay in touch with family, friends, and neighbors in person, by email, social media, voice call, or text. Talk with people you trust and share your feelings. Suggest an activity to help nurture and strengthen existing relationships. Sending letters or cards is another good way to keep up friendships.

Use communication technologies such as video chat, smart speakers, or even companion robots to help keep you engaged and connected.

If you’re not tech-savvy, sign up for an online or in-person class at your local public library or community center to help you learn how to use email or social media.Older adult holding a dog to combat loneliness and social isolation.

Consider adopting a pet if you are able to care for them. Animals can be a source of comfort and may also lower stress and blood pressure.

Stay physically active and include group exercise, such as joining a walking club or working out with a friend. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) of activity a week that makes you breathe hard.

Introduce yourself to your neighbors.

Find a faith-based organization where you can deepen your spirituality and engage with others in activities and events.

Check out resources and programs at your local social service agencies, community and senior centers, and public libraries.

Join a cause and get involved in your community.

If you or a loved one has dementia and lives alone, family members, friends, or other caregivers may be able to help in different ways.

Identify a person you trust, such as a neighbor, who can visit regularly in-person or via a video call and be an emergency contact.

Learn about home- and community-based support and services from social service agencies, local nonprofits, and Area Agencies on Aging.

Stay connected with family and friends through video chats, email, and social media. If you’re not tech savvy, ask for help to learn.

A sudden wealth loss may lead to cognitive decline

Experiencing a negative wealth shock, defined as a sudden loss of 75% or more in total wealth, was linked to cognitive decline among older adults in the United States and China, but not in England or Mexico, according to an NIA-funded study. The results, published in Lancet Healthy Longevity, suggest that factors such as government policies and social safety nets may account for cross-national differences in the adverse health effects of negative wealth shocks.

There is a positive association between household wealth and cognitive health outcomes in later life, with poorer outcomes among people with lower socioeconomic status. However, the link between negative wealth shock and cognitive function in later life had not been examined. To look more closely at a potential relationship, and whether the association varied in countries with different income levels, University of Michigan scientists in this study examined data from four NIA-funded longitudinal studies of aging: the Health and Retirement Study in the United States and international partner studies in China, England, and Mexico.

These study findings suggest negative wealth shocks may be a potential risk factor for cognitive decline. The researchers note some limitations of the study, including possible errors in wealth measurement, and respondents experiencing declines in cognitive function may face problems with money management that could then lead to loss of wealth. The authors also underscore several strengths of the study, including its large, representative sample. Future studies may explore differences in government policies and social safety nets that contribute to variations across countries.

This research was supported in part by NIA grants U01AG009740-35, P30AG012846-26, R01AG069128-04, R01AG070953-04, and K99AG070274-02.

Volunteers needed to enrich the lives of seniors in Ventura County

Is there much training involved in becoming an instructor?

by Carol Leish, MA

How do you get involved in volunteering for the Fall Prevention Classes at the Ventura County Area Agency on Agency? Is there much training involved in becoming an instructor?

“Our volunteer instructors are passionate about helping seniors in the community,” according to, Julianna Eusanio, MSW, Program Coordinator for the Fall Prevention Classes. “No previous experience is needed to become an instructor. We are flexible with our instructors’ hours to fit into their schedules.

“Volunteer trainings to instruct classes varies depending upon the class. For a Walk with Ease class, the training is 2 hours online. For the Matter of Balance class, the training is 2 days. Class members and instructors are very supportive of each other. Volunteers gain a sense of community while helping seniors. Training for volunteers, along with the classes for the community, are free to those who are age 60 and older, along with those with disabilities, who qualify for the classes.

“Carol Vaughn has been teaching Tai Chi with the Area Agency for 7 years, and is a senior advisor and master trainer. Pam Hantgin has been teaching Tai Chi for almost 2 years. Pam first started taking the classes, and enjoyed the classes so much that she decided to become an instructor of the classes.”

Through the classes: 1) Bingocize; 2) A Matter of Balance; 3) Stepping On; 4) Walk with Ease; and, 5) Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance, adults 60 and older are helped in maintaining their independence at home. A good method of preventing falls is by participating in one of these five FREE evidence-based classes. The classes help those who are mildly active and have fallen or who have a fear of falling to help them to improve their balance, mobility, and their confidence.

Bingocize is a 10-week series that meets twice weekly for 1 hour per session Participants play bingo, answer trivia questions, and participate in seated and standing exercises that they can also do at home. In a Matter of Balance, which is an 8-week series that meets once a week for 2 hours per session, that focuses on improving balance, strength, flexibility, and self-confidence.

Stepping On is a 7-week class that meets once weekly for 2 hours per session. Participants complete standing and seated exercises with gradual use of leg weights, both in class and at home. This class also offers access to a physical therapist, and a vision expert, who provides information linking vision issues to falls. A public safety expert discusses how to avoid falls in public. A pharmacist explains how various medicines affect a person’s risk of falling.

Walk with Ease is a 6-week class that meets three times weekly for 1hour per session. This class gives motivational tips on how to exercise with arthritis while still maintaining a walking goal. Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance is a 12-week class that meets twice weekly for 1.5 hours per class. Participants participate in slow and controlled seated and standing movements. Participants also focus on improving their strength, stamina, balance, and body awareness.

Those who are interested in trainings to become a volunteer to support seniors within the community, along with getting exercise for themselves, please call the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging at: 805-477-7354; or, email: [email protected].

Retiree has a Passion for Glass Art 

Her work is inspired by nature.

by Juliette Nasarenko

Pamela Klebaum found a new passion during her retirement years in Ventura. She found a love for glass art and created the art in the heart of her home. Her work is inspired by nature and her latest work deals with climate change and its effect on our earth. She is working on a new piece that references plastics in the ocean.

When Pamela was 55 years old, she was looking through old boxes and came across a diary that belonged to her dad. Her father was in the navy while on a voyage to Greenland and the diary described his journey, the icebergs, and life at sea. This was when she decided to start making art based on the diary. In order to take on this project Pamela attended Ventura College and took an art class each semester to learn life drawing and life painting. She wanted to learn the basic principles of art since she never had any formal instruction when she was young.

Pamela retired in 2010 and after she redid her kitchen she wanted to put glass figurines inside the cabinets. At the stain glass store, she found a new process and started studying all over the country taking workshops. She was invited to do residencies and fell in love with the process. In 2018, she was also invited to attend a professional artists’ residency on the northeastern shore of Scotland. It was only nine artists with two mentors, and she was able to feel at peace with nature as she fell “back in that time”.

According to Pamela, it takes 6 to 8 weeks to make glass art. It takes multiple firings and when it comes out of the kiln it is very rough and must be finished with a chemical polish to bring out the shine. After the Thomas Fire destroyed several homes in her neighborhood, she felt compelled to create Project Phoenix which is a small glass house for each neighbor who needed to rebuild their home. Each glass house was different as well as unique and she wrote in a note to each returning family, “…to hope that the glass house would bring beautiful light into your beautiful new home.” In August of 2023, she finished her final Project Phoenix house which was number 112! Out of all her beautiful art pieces her favorite is called Glaciers Disappearing which shows the ice melting. She says, “You can see through her work what we are doing to the earth.”

Pamela loves to keep herself busy and started playing soccer for the first 3 years of her retirement. She also continues to study the piano since starting retirement. She enjoys walking around her neighborhood and staying active. One piece of wisdom that Pamela always likes to think about is gratitude as it “becomes a way of our life.” She loves to think about smaller graces every day and people spreading kindness to each other. She loves to go to Yosemite every year for her and her husband Nohl’s anniversary. She loves to read and started reading the Pulitzer Award winner The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk. She said it was a very compelling story and similar to her dad’s diary illustrating life on a ship and how intimate it can be. My conversation with Pamela was compelling and fascinating as she has so much ambition and passion for what she does. I loved listening to her story and journey as she has a big heart to help others and make the world a better place.

Editor: If you are a senior (over 70-years), or know of one, who would like to share their retirement, or job, with us please let us know at [email protected].

 

Spring Into Action

Leslie and her students are having fun and getting a great workout!

by Leslie Sokol

The Spring season symbolizes fresh starts. It is the perfect time to try out new and exciting workout ideas that will help you get in shape and feel great. You can also enjoy your indoor workouts outside too. With spring comes warmer weather, longer days and lots of sunshine. Wake up and smell the roses, hear the birds chirping and enjoy the benefits of getting outside. If you have been looking for fun ways to spruce up your workout routine, here are some simple suggestions to help you get started:

  1. Design an exercise plan that works for you.
  2. Find a workout you love.
  3. Stay motivated.
  4. Mix it up, variety is the spice of life.
  5. Give yourself time to rest and recover from your workouts.
  6. Stop pressuring yourself, do positive self-talk.
  7. Be consistent and dedicated – start a workout routine.
  8. Dress the part – wear comfortable athletic clothes and good, supportive shoes, preferably sneakers.
  9. Eat healthy and drink plenty of fluids.

Although humans are creatures of habit and comfort, frequently changing your workout program can help you avoid burnout or boredom. Mix up your workouts by doing a variety of different activities to improve your fitness level, get you in better shape, and utilize different muscle groups. Plan well-balanced activities that work the body from head to toe.

Here are some activities and exercises to put a spring in your step:

1) Dance workouts
2) Golf
3) Hiking
4) Brisk walking
5) Biking
6) Swimming
7) Yoga
8) Playing with your grandkids
9) Low impact sports
10) Pickle Ball
11) Calisthenics, stretches, and/or strength exercises

Spring Into a Heart-Healthy Diet

Another component of living a healthy lifestyle is eating well. Remember the old saying, “You are what you eat.” The 80/20 rule is a smart guide for your everyday diet. If you aim for 80 percent of what you eat being healthy, then the other 20 percent can be treats or snacks. Included in the 80 percent would be fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish along with unsaturated fats. “Your food is your body’s fuel.” You also want to make sure you are drinking plenty of water and other hydrating liquids. Drinking healthy fluids is important, especially if you exercise a lot. Keep in mind that your body is over sixty percent water. I always suggest to my students to drink water before, during and after any exercise routine.

Let’s get this Spring off to a healthy and happy start!

Leslie Sokol is the creator and founder of the adult dance and fitness program For the Young at Heart. You can watch For the Young at Heart by visiting her YouTube Channel or on TVSB. She also teaches in retirement communities throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

For more information contact Leslie at [email protected] 805-312-8089
or visit the website: www.LeslieSokolDance.com

Project Love event for seniors

Children will be seeing the positive impact that they had on seniors.

by Carol Leish, MA

“Since elementary school students last year wrote such heartwarming messages to seniors, we at Assisted Home Health & Hospice decided to continue our Project Love on an annual basis,” according to Natalie Uribe, the HospiceCare Specialist at Assisted Home Health & Hospice. This year, Ventura Elementary Schools, Portola, EP Foster, Will Rogers, Montalvo, Poinsettia, and Elmhurst Elementary Schools have participated again. New schools in Oxnard and Camarillo also participated in the Project Love Event this year.

‘We supplied 4-5 different color sheets, to give the children options of what to color. The cards said things, such as, ‘You are wonderful; and, ‘You are special,’ as well as a spot for their own message The Valentine’s Day Cards were delivered to various senior residential facilities in Ventura: Cypress Place Senior Living; Aegis Living; Cal Vet; The Palms of Buenaventura; Victoria Care Center; Ventura Post Acute; and, Coastal View. Some seniors were moved to tears of joy, after seeing the cards. They reminisced bout when their children were going to elementary school.”

Children will be seeing the positive impact that they had on seniors since Assisted Home Health & Hospice took videos of the kids coloring and of the seniors receiving the heartwarming messages, which they will be sending to the schools in March for teachers to show to the children who participated.

“We look forward to this event growing each year so it can touch more lives,” according to Uribe. “The event has grown by 25% with more schools participating each year. With all that is going on in the world, we need to realize the importance of loving one another. This event has created more caring within children by making them more aware of thinking about others, such as seniors, especially since some of them have grandparents.”

Let us continue to spread love and joy to others throughout the year.

Captivating mural, “Memories of Ojai” at the Artesian of Ojai

Doris Mendel and Clara Dunwoody enjoying the mural.

A captivating mural, “Memories of Ojai”, unfolds with a burst of color, rich and vibrant hues at the Artesian of Ojai, 203 E. El Roblar Dr.,Ojai.

Many thanks and appreciation to Gayel Childress, Member of Ojai Studio Artist as she inspired Artesian residents on this project for 6 months.

This 4 by 8 wooden canvas brought tears to some of the residents as they felt a tremendous pride for their work. Standing before their creation with family and friends, brought a profound sense of accomplishment and fulfillment as they recalled the effort poured into bringing their vision to life on a canvas.

Bingo night for the Parkinson’s Foundation

It’s time to mark your calendars! The Parkinson’s Foundation and the Ventura County Neurofitness Center are hosting a Bingo/Talent Show to support fundraising efforts for the Parkinson’s Foundation. The event will be held Friday, March 15th from 7-9pm at the Ventura Marina Community Clubhouse located at 1215 Anchors Way in Ventura. The event will include 5 regular games of bingo, a talent show, desserts, coffee and water.

Doors open at 6:00pm with regular bingo games starting promptly at 7pm. Entry fee is $10 per person plus $5 buy-in for bingo. Every game has a minimum $100 prize value (Amazon, Wood Ranch gift cards). Talent show starts at 8pm immediately following the bingo games and will feature the many talents of our local community.

This event is open to the public and 100% of the proceeds go directly to support the Parkinson’s Foundation and its mission to improve care and advance research toward a cure.

“We are partnering with the Parkinson’s Foundation to raise money for our relentless pursuit of a cure for Parkinson’s,” said Dr. Vanessa White, owner/founder of the Ventura County Neurofitness Center and Director of the Ventura County Parkinson’s Support Group. Dr. White added that she “would love for you to be a part of this fun-filled night you won’t want to miss,” and, she “hopes to make this an annual event” held in conjunction with the Foundation’s Moving Day event (scheduled for Saturday, April 13th this year from 9-11am at the Ventura County Fairgrounds).

Seats are limited to 200 attendees and this exciting event will fill up fast—please arrive early with your friends and family and the bingo fun will start promptly at 7pm—all for a good time and an even better cause. For those unable to attend this event, but would still like to support the Parkinson’s Foundation, please visit the A-Team page (on the Parkinson’s Foundation website—Ventura County Moving Day—http://www3.parkinson.org/goto/ATeam_2024) to make donations directly through the Parkinson’s Foundation website.

For more information, please visit vcneurofitness.com or contact Dr. Vanessa White (cell: 805.300.7749 or email: [email protected]).