The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging will offer 15-minute memory screenings to all Ventura County residents beginning October 26. 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 an 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.

Whoever said there aren’t any nice, friendly clowns out there any more didn’t attend “Under The Big Top” at Cypress Place Senior Living in Ventura.  On Saturday October 8, 2016 the senior community hosted the fundraising extravaganza to benefit The Young And Brave Foundation, a local non-profit dedicated to helping young people in their fight against cancer.

The family friendly event featured clowns, a strolling magician, carnival games, photo booth, an animal petting area, a Dixieland band, and wonderful food prepared by the chefs at Cypress Place.  The theme for the event was ‘clowning around for a good cause’, and the residents and staff at Cypress Place worked hard to do just that.

Not only did the residents create decorations and fun and festive hats for the event, they also volunteered during the event itself, manning the carnival games and selling game tickets for the fundraiser.

“It was a fabulous day,” said Marion Doane, a Cypress Place Independent Living resident.  “We loved working with the kids.  It was just an amazing day for everyone,” she enthused.

Raffle prizes were generously donated by Duke’s restaurant in Malibu and The Oaks at Ojai health spa.  Free shuttle parking was available at Unitarian Universalist Church in Ventura.   Seventeen hundred dollars was raised during the two hour event, with one hundred percent of the event proceeds going directly to The Young And Brave Foundation.

“Making sure not one family fights cancer alone is our ultimate goal, and we can’t thank the wonderful staff and incredible residents at Cypress Place for hosting this amazing fundraiser to help us in our efforts,” said Matt Coulter, co-founder, and executive director of The Young and Brave Foundation.  “We actually connected with a family at this event that we are now going to be assisting in their battle with cancer.  This is exactly what it is all about,” he said.

Serious work indeed.  But for a few hours, everyone had a great time clowning around and enjoying the wonderful fun, all for a very special cause.

The Young and Brave Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping today’s youth beat cancer.  To learn more about the The Young and Brave Foundation, visit their web site at www.theyoungandbrave.com/.

Cypress Place Senior Living is a premiere senior community in Ventura County.  To learn more about Cypress Place Senior Living of Ventura, visit their web site at www.cypressplaceseniorliving.com.

In past generations, older adults looked to retire with three sources of income: savings, pensions, and Social Security. But no longer. With the decline of company pensions and financial markets taking a hit during the economic downturn, many seniors face less income than anticipated in retirement.

Here are money management tips to boost your income and savings.

Did you know that by delaying the age you start to receive Social Security benefits, you can increase your benefit amount? While today’s retirement age is 66, if you wait until age 70 or later to take Social Security, you could see a significant increase in your monthly payment.

Even if you’ve already stopped working and started getting Social Security, a part- or full-time job can help offset extra expenses. JobSource is a tool from National Council On Aging (NCOA) that helps older adults assess their interests and skills, find training, and search for employment.

Mature workers aged 55+ with very limited or no income might also consider the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). SCSEP provides training and part-time community service work that for most people leads to full-time jobs.

Depending on your income, you might be eligible for help from public and private programs that can help pay for your health care, prescriptions, food, utilities, and more. Use NCOA’s free screening tool BenefitsCheckUp® to see if you may qualify for any of these programs.

If you own your home, you may want to consider freeing up income by tapping into your home equity. There are several ways to do this, including taking out a USAA home equity loan, a home equity line of credit (HELOC), or a reverse mortgage.

A reverse mortgage is a type of home loan that allows seniors to convert the equity in their home to cash to meet a wide range of financial needs. With a reverse mortgage, the lender pays you. The homeowner makes no payments, and all interest is added to the loan. A reverse mortgage must be repaid when you move or sell the property or the last borrower does, or by your heirs upon your death.

Of course, there are other types of secured loans out there involving property too. Therefore, it is crucial that you do as much research as possible before committing to any particular financial courses of action.

To get unbiased information about reverse mortgages, read Use Your Home to Stay at Home©, the official booklet approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

If you need cash to pay for medical bills or caregiver expenses, asking your family for support might be a good way to preserve this asset. Adult children need to be careful that these extra costs do not disrupt their financial plans and their ability to save for their own retirement. It is often difficult but important for families to discuss finances and options realistically.

The government has made it less costly for families to pay medical bills or elder care if the taxpayer can claim an elderly relative as a dependent. This can make it easier to support older relatives who want to stay at home.

Interested in getting recommendations about many different options that can help increase your income? Get an EconomicCheckUp® to receive a personalized report and recommendations just for you. It’s free, confidential, and from a trusted source-NCOA. https://www.ncoa.org/.

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, November 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 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, November 10th from 6-7:30 pm.  This monthly group is designed for adults who have recently experienced the loss of a loved one and is free. Call 642-0239 for more information or email [email protected].  These groups meet every 2nd Thursday of each month.

Diabetes -Tuesday, November 1st from 1-2:30pm.  These meetings are held on 1st Tuesday of each month.  General information is provided about Type 2 Diabetes including prediabetes, with emphasis on meal planning, medication, exercise, blood sugar monitoring, and new developments in diabetes.

Joint Replacement Classes- Thursday, November 3rd 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, November 14th 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.

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association office, 1996 Eastman Ave., Suite 109

Call 642-0239 for more information.

104 year old Niva Harrison was born in Halifax County, Va.  and grew up in South Boston, VA.  She had two brothers and four sisters, all  who have preceded her in death.  One of her favorite memories is when her family first started to bring her to the beach, when she was only 92 and putting her feet in the water and letting the ocean wash over her feet.   When it was time to go she would say ” just a little while longer” and then when it was a little while longer she would say ” couldn’t we stay just a little bit  longer”.

She loves being in Ventura and especially loves celebrating her birthday each year at the “Aloha Steakhouse” in Ventura.  She always says that she feels so very, very blessed and that “this is the best birthday she has ever had …and can’t wait until next year”

Financial exploitation robs millions of older people of their money and property every year. To prevent and respond to the crisis of elder financial exploitation, people are working together in hundreds of communities across our nation.

These networks of people bring together, among others, community volunteers, local law enforcement, social workers, health care and legal professionals, banks and credit unions, government agencies, and accountants. Networks combat financial exploitation through different activities. Many are educating their community, training professionals, coordinating efforts between agencies, and reviewing cases of financial exploitation.

Here are four ways you can help to protect older people in your community from financial exploitation:

Find a local network and attend their meetings and activities. Many networks conduct meetings to raise awareness about safety and common frauds and scams. Find out if there is a network in your community and when it meets by contacting your local sheriff, police department, or local Area Agency on Aging.

Share what you learn with others.  You can help your networks’ educational and prevention work by sharing the information  with your family, friends, and neighbors. Check out this resource that others are passing on.

Lend a hand.  Many networks depend on volunteers to carry out their activities. Retired lawyers, bankers, teachers, police officers, and others serve as leaders and train others to detect, prevent, and respond to financial exploitation. Many volunteers also support their network’s educational work by reaching out to community and faith-based groups.  Many are serving as trainers for educational programs, such as Money Smart for Older Adults . Ask your local network if they need an extra hand.

Build a network. If you live in one of the nearly 2,300 counties without a network, create a network in your community. Learn more about existing networks and get some tips on how to start a network in your community.

Together we can build communities that support the safety and independence of older people by protecting them from financial predators.

The Ventura Council for Seniors (VCS) is designed to provide a forum to discuss issues and initiatives and  to develop recommendations for City Council consideration. The VCS is designated by the Ventura City  Council as the representative organization of all seniors in the City of Ventura. The group meets at the  Ventura Avenue Adult Center (550 N. Ventura Ave. 648-3035) on the third Wednesday of every month from 9:30-11am.

The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging (477-7300), 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.

by Cate Kortzeborn

As a person with Medicare, you have important rights. One of them is the right to appeal.

An appeal is the action you can take if you disagree with a coverage or payment decision by Medicare or your Medicare health plan. For example, you can appeal if Medicare or your plan denies:

■ A request for a health care service, supply, item, or prescription drug that you think you should get.

■ A request for payment of a health care service, supply, item, or prescription drug you already got.

■ A request to reduce the amount you must pay for a health care service, supply, item, or prescription drug.

You can also appeal if Medicare or your Medicare Advantage plan stops providing or paying for all or part of a health care service, supply, item, or prescription drug you think you still need.

If you decide to file an appeal, you can ask your doctor, supplier, or other health care provider for any information that may help your case. Keep a copy of everything you send to Medicare or your health plan as part of your appeal!

How you file an appeal depends on the type of Medicare coverage you have.

You must file the appeal within 120 days of the date you get the MSN in the mail. You’ll generally get a decision from the Medicare Administrative Contractor within 60 days after they receive your request. If Medicare will cover the item(s) or service(s), they’ll be listed on your next MSN.

If you have a Medicare Advantage or other health plan, read the materials your plan sends you, call your plan, or visit www.Medicare.gov/appeals. In some cases, you can file an expedited, or fast appeal.

If you have a Medicare prescription drug plan, even before you pay for a given drug, you have the right to:

■ Get a written explanation (called a “coverage determination”) from your Medicare drug plan. A coverage determination is the initial decision made by your Medicare drug plan (not the pharmacy) about your benefits, including whether a certain drug is covered, whether you’ve met the requirements to get a requested drug, how much you pay for a drug, and whether to make an exception to a plan rule when you request it.

■ Ask for an exception if you or your prescriber (your doctor or other health care provider who’s legally allowed to write prescriptions) believe you need a drug that isn’t on your plan’s formulary.

■ Ask for an exception if you or your prescriber believe that a coverage rule (like prior authorization) should be waived.

■ Ask for an exception if you think you should pay less for a higher tier (more expensive) drug because you or your prescriber believe you can’t take any of the lower tier (less expensive) drugs for the same condition.

For more information on exceptions and your other Medicare rights, read the “Medicare & You 2016” handbook, at https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/10050.pdf.

Cate Kortzeborn is Medicare’s acting regional administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Barbara Leonard, 91 of Ventura and her best buddy Nugget (she has 5 best buddy dachshunds) enjoying an afternoon nap.

Brain Gym is a program of physical movements that enhance learning and performance by developing the brain’s neural pathways. Brain Gym will increase the ability to remember and be organized, increase physical coordination, reduce stress and improve memory. The SCAN Health & Wellness Center is hosting weekly Brain Gym classes starting Tuesday, October 25. Seniors aged 55 and older are invited to register for Brain Gym, set for October 25 – November 15, every Tuesday from 10 – 11:30 a.m. The cost is $20.00 for four classes (including materials). To register please call 658-0365 as space is limited.

Join a free session on the latest innovations in breast cancer treatment from Dr. Melody Benjamin, on Thursday, October 27 from 10 a.m. – 12 noon at the SCAN Health & Wellness Center. Dr. Benjamin, who specializes in Hematology & Oncology for UCLA Health, is a firm believer in exploring the biology of cancer to find new approaches to care. She will share her insights on cancer prevention, inclusive of reducing risk of recurrence. To register please call 658-0365 as space is limited.