by Lori Harasta

As Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association celebrates “70 Years of Caring”, let’s explore the man behind the name.

Livingston’s namesake, Dr. William Reinhardt Livingston, was the son of well-known Nebraska plains buffalo hunter and early California pioneer, Robert G. Livingston.

Robert came west to California at age 15 in 1854. He first settled in Placerville, then known as ‘Hangtown”, and moved to Ventura County in 1869.

William was born in Wynema (Port Hueneme), California on December 1^st, 1870. His grandfather was Robert R. Livingston, who helped draft the Declaration of Independence, and as chancellor of New York, administered the presidential oath of office to George Washington.

Dr. Livingston earned his medical degree in 1893 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago. He interned in Chicago before moving to Tampico, Mexico where he was in charge of the Mexican Railroad Hospital from 1895-96.

He and his family settled back in Oxnard shortly thereafter, and by 1908, he had a growing medical practice. He opened a hospital on B Street with Drs. A.A. Maulhardt and R.D. Potts.

It is estimated that Dr. Livingston brought more babies into the world in the Oxnard area than any other doctor. In many instances, he delivered three generations of babies within the same family.

Dr. Livingston was a leader in the Ventura County medical community serving as the Chief of Staff of St. John’s Hospital. The following is an excerpt from the archives of St. John’s Hospital:

“We all feel that the name of Dr. W.R. Livingston, one of the chief benefactors of our hospital, should be written in golden characters in the Annals, instead of in these few lines. We realize that without the support of this loyal friend and head surgeon, St. John’s Hospital would soon cease to exist.”

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association was founded in 1947 by a group of civic-minded business and professional people who saw a need for the provision of home care services as an alternative to institutionalizing the frail, elderly, sick and disabled.

Founding Nurse Olivia Hathaway (Mrs. Julien Hathaway) made her first house call on July 21, 1947. By 1955, the agency’s three nurses were visiting nearly 300 patients a year—and one third were indigent residents who could not pay.

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association supports the total well-being of our community. As part of their services, they host free monthly education classes throughout the county which include the following in Ventura:

Adult Bereavement Support Group Wednesdays, July 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 6:30-8:00 pm. These groups are open to individuals who have experienced loss and are free of charge

Newly Bereaved Support Group Thursday, July 13th from 6-7:30. This monthly group is designed for adults who have recently experienced the loss of a loved one and is free. These groups meet every 2nd Thursday of each month.

Joint Replacement Classes Thursday, July 6th from 1:00-2:00pm. You will learn what to expect before, during and after knee or hip replacement surgery and how to be an active participant in your care. These meetings are 1st Thursday of each month.

For information or to RSVP call Dinah Davis at 642-0239 ext. 739.

Monday, July 10th for both English and Spanish speaking. English 4:00-5:00 pm and Spanish 5:30-6:30 pm. You will learn what to expect before, during and after knee or hip replacement surgery and how to be an active participant in your care. For information or to RSVP call Dinah Davis at (805) 642-0239 ext. 739.

All classes at Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association office, 1996 Eastman Ave., Suite 109. . Call 642-0239 for more information or email [email protected].

by Jayson Cohen, American Legacy Solutions

We commonly hear different things from different people about facts and figures. In today’s world we are never quite sure what is opinion and what is accurate fact, In the following article I will be addressing some of the common myths that we hear surrounding Long Term Care. Hopefully this will help with some clarity and answer some questions for you.

Myth: Long Term Care insurance only covers Care in a nursing facility

Fact: Long term care insurance can provide benefits for your care in the following setting: your own home, adult day care, hospice care, residential care facility or a nursing benefit.

Myth: There is a government program that will take care of me.

Fact: Medi-Cal (Medicaid) is a government program that will pay for certain long term care services. However, eligibility for Medi-Cal requires you meet state-specific poverty guidelines. Medicare is a senior health insurance plan that covers skilled care designed to improve and individuals’ health condition. It does not cover custodial care.

Myth: Long Term care is only for old people or end of life care.

Fact: Accidents and chronic illness can happen at any age and can include the need for extended custodial care. The availability and cost of long term care insurance are based on your health and age at time of application. Planning ahead can pay off.

Myth: I do not need Long Term Care Insurance. I have health insurance.

Fact: Long Term Care is the assistance, care of services a person needs when they are unable to perform basic activities of daily living – such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring, or continence. Most long term care is due to a chronic illness and is progressive in nature with the need for care often growing overtime. This type of care is not covered by health insurance plans, which are designed to cover skilled or acute care needed to return someone to good health.

Some of these myths may apply to you and your family. As you explore this type of protect for yourself, a friend or a family member make sure you talk to a licensed individual. Some individuals will only represent one company (captive agents) and some will represent many (Brokers). Whichever route you choose make sure that you discuss your options with a trusted family member while making sure that option is right for you and your family.

Betty Jane Mason, 92 – posed as Rosie the Riveter for a unique 2018 calendar featuring residents of The Patrician, a senior retirement home park. Betty actually did work as a riveter in the 1940s. John Sepulveda, 79, also a resident, began this project with the fun vision to have 12 different residents from the park pose as different characters. Everyone had a great time with the photo shoot and now they have calendars for 2018 to show their friends and family for years to come.

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

Summer is here and millions of vacationers are packing their bags to visit a new locale and soak up some sunshine. You might be traveling quite a ways. You’re used to staying connected to important information like your bank accounts and social networks, especially on the go. Social Security is there in the same way — easily accessible when you’re away from your home or office.

When you’re going on vacation and want to be sure your Social Security benefits arrive, use my Social Security. When you open a personal and secure my Social Security account, you can access it on your terms. We put you in control of your financial future.

Other things available to you on your account:

Get a benefit verification letter stating that:

You receive retirement, disability, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Medicare benefits; or

You never received Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicare;

You received benefits in the past, but do not currently receive them. (The letter will include the date your benefits stopped and how much you received that year.); or

You applied for benefits but haven’t received an answer yet.

There’s also more you can do with your my Social Security account. We’re always adding new features and resources to make your life easier and give you greater control over your benefits. Placing the “Application Status” feature behind the my Social Security portal provides a secure service delivery channel that allows us to provide detailed status information about your claim without requiring a confirmation number.

With the new Application Status, you can see:

the Re-entry number for in-progress online applications;

detailed information about the current status of the application or appeal;

the location where your claim is being processed; and

scheduled hearing information for appeals.

Whether you’re vacationing or on a staycation, Social Security’s online services are at your fingertips. With an easy-to-access my Social Security account, you can use our multiple online services while barefoot on the beach. How convenient is that? You don’t even have to put your lemonade down at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

Victoria Care Center has received their first Ensign Flag! The word “ensign” means a standard, banner or flag which represents the heart of the founders and all employees – that of dignifying long term care and bringing care and compassion to all of our residents and employees. They had a very impressive ceremony on June 9th, with beautifully displayed hors d’oeuvres, beverages and other refreshments all made in house. They have been providing skilled nursing and rehabilitation services to Ventura County residents for over 20 years. During the course of any one year, they will help over 1,000 residents return to their preferred living environment.

Each year, Ensign Group awards to a very limited number of its operations The Ensign Flag – this year less than 20 operations qualified for this very stringent and much sought-after award. The award criteria includes nine different categories where awardees much show excellent performance / outcomes all at the same time. Criteria includes clinical excellence, outstanding financial performance, highest ethical compliance, great employee satisfaction and culture, outstanding customer satisfaction and a commitment to be creative and innovative in addressing the ever-changing needs of the community and healthcare industry.

John Gardner, the Administrator at Victoria Care Center, said at their celebration, “This award is for and about our employees. I want to thank all the residents, past and present, and their families for the privilege of serving them and helping many thousands of people over the years.”

VCC is one of 250 different health care operations of the Ensign Group headquartered in Mission Viejo, CA. Christopher Christensen, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ensign Group along with a handful of other dedicated healthcare leaders started the company almost 20 years ago with just a few facilities. The different operations include skilled nursing and rehab centers, assisted living centers, home health and hospice, mobile diagnostics and other health related services to include the Lexington Assisted Living as part of the VCC campus. Ensign has grown to over 33,000 employees in 14 states.

June 13 (2nd Tues. of each month), 1:30 – 4 p.m., June 22 (4th Tues. of each month), at SCAN Health and Wellness Center, 6633 Telephone Rd. led by Marty Capsuto. Center is for those 55+ and guests, so Marty will guest sponsor all Songmakers under 55. Plenty of parking behind building. For more information contact Marty at (805) 658-0365 or [email protected]

June 23 (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.

The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging is continuing to offer 15-minute memory screenings to all Ventura County residents. Screenings are offered on the fourth Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the VCAAA’s Ventura office located at 646 County Square Drive. The service is free and confidential.

In conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, which initiated a National Memory Screening Program in 2015 to promote optimal care throughout the United States, the VCAAA is dedicating resources to provide assistance in early detection of dementia and/or Alzheimer’s Disease.

Individuals who should be screened include those whose family and friends have noticed changes in memory, mood, or behavior; those who believe they are at risk of Alzheimer’s Disease due to family history; those who wish to establish a ”starting point” for comparison of memory function in the future; and any individual concerned about dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.

The memory screening is not used to diagnose any particular illness and does not replace consultation with a qualified physician or other healthcare professional. Screenings are by appointment only. For more information, or to make any appointment, please contact the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging at  477-7300.

The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, an agency of the County of Ventura, is the principal agency in Ventura County charged with the responsibility to promote the development and implementation of a comprehensive coordinated system of care that enables older individuals and their caregivers to live in a community-based setting and to advocate for the needs of those 60 years of age and older in the county, providing leadership and promoting citizen involvement in the planning process as well as in the delivery of services.