by Es Cole

“Fwonsa will see you now.”  Fwonsa is a doxie mix and has ruled our household for five years. Les Cole, my husband, aka Big Dog, is her slave. She barks, and Les opens the back door. She barks, and Les lets her back in. She barks, and Les comes up with treats. Then Manny was added to the household. He gets the same treatment as Fwonsa, but has to wait his turn.

Les is now at Victoria Care Center and misses the dogs like crazy. We brought Fwonsa to see him today, and, I swear, the entire establishment looked healthier when she walked through the front door.  As she strolled into Les’ room, I could feel Les’ blood pressure dropping.

After checking out the kind personnel looking after Les, Fwonsa decided she wanted a second opinion from her colleague Manny.

Manny is a cuddly, curly-haired poodle mix. He marched through the hallways, tried to peek into every room, acknowledged the oohs and aahs and allowed all attractive and gentle nursing people to pet him.

Nursing facilities that allow animal visits are smart and foresighted. They are getting effective, curative nursing procedures at no cost. You don’t even have to buy extra insurance coverage to take advantage of their healing skills.

Both Fwonsa and Manny had waved a happy wagging tail salute to John Gardner, Executive Director of Victoria Care, as they walked past his office.  I know they were thanking him and his entire staff for looking after their favorite ‘Big Dog’ while he was recuperating.

Bring a Brown-Bag lunch to enjoy between classes on the Little House deck set among giant oaks in a park like setting.

10AM-1PM, Dr. Amy Denton will be sharing her expertise with lectures on “The Arctic: Exploration, Exploitation, and Natural History”. Beginning with an overview of our current understanding of the Arctic and the history of polar exploration from Stone Age to the present you will experience arctic science with an emphasis on its unique flora, fauna, and geology; indigenous cultures; the history and current status of resources extraction,

Dr. Denton a professor of Biology at CSU Channel Islands and maintains a keen interest in the history and development of evolutionary thought.

1PM-3PM, Dr. Oliver Boyd-Barrett will explore “Media: Money and Power”. From media ownership and the interest they serve to ask the question has this become something to celebrate, to fear, or both. You will be asked to consider the implications for our informational, entertainment and surveillance environments.

Oliver Boyd-Barrett teaches for the Department of Communications at CSU Channel Islands and has taught and researched for the British Open University and the Center for Mass Communication Research at the University of Leicester (UK).

The cost for each 8-week sessions is $80.00. Classes begin Friday, September 9. For enrollment information, please contact Donna Ingles at 427.2748 or check http://ext.csuci.edu/community-ed/osher/index.htm or simply Google: CSUCI OLLI

by Es Cole

Irene Olson, master of the piano, virtuoso of sight-reading music; young in heart and soul; beautiful in dress and manners, sexy enough to have males drooling after her.

She resides at the Ventura Townhouse where she sings for her breakfast, lunch and supper. She provides promenade music when everyone is walking toward the dining room. Her repertoire is enormous – from classical to pop to golden oldies.

She plays every afternoon where some residents have forgotten much of their personal histories, but remember the words to songs by Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra or Michael Jackson — when Irene leads them in sing-alongs while playing the not-well-tuned piano.

She’s a treasure in a size 10 dress and a lovely white bouffant hair style.

If you’re lucky enough to get invited to lunch at the Townhouse, or take advantage of their exercise rooms, or join their personal history group, you may be lucky enough to catch Irene Olson doing what she loves to do – getting her audiences to tap their feet, sing and dance; feel the warmth running from their toes to their ears by the sweet memories evoked by her music.

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, September 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 6:30-8:00 pm. These groups are open to individuals who have experienced loss and are free of charge. Call 642-0239 for more information or email [email protected].

Newly Bereaved Support Group Thursday, September 8th from 6-7:30.  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.

Tuesday, September 6th from 1-2:30pm diabetes class.  These meetings are held on 1st Tuesday of each month.  General information is provided about Type 2 Diabetes with emphasis on the development of an individualized plan of care that includes diet, medication, exercise and blood sugar monitoring.  Call 642-0239 for more information.

Thursday, September 1st 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, September 12th for both English and Spanish speaking.  English 4:00-5:00 pm and Spanish 5:30-6:30. 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  642-0239 ext. 739.

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

On Friday, September 23,  the Elderly Fall Prevention Coalition (EFPC) of Ventura County, in association with Ventura County Area Agency on Aging (VCAAA) will host a Forum: “Ready, Steady, Balance”.

The format will consist of speakers interspersed with balance enhancement activities and demonstrations. There will be health assessments, including vision, hearing, balance and vaccinations. Dr. Cheryl Lambing, of the Ventura County Health Care Agency, will be the keynote speaker.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center (1375 E. Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks). Registration starts at 8 a.m. Participants will be given time to visit vendors between 8 a.m.- 10 a.m. and also after the program, from 1 – 2 p.m.

The goal is to reduce the following:

•   In 24 months (2014-15), there were over 12,000 recorded falls in Ventura County residents ages 65+

•   99% of fall victims sustained injuries requiring treatment

by Phil Chandler, Owner of Right at Home of Ventura County, a Home Care Agency

The Veteran’s Administration has been working  to improve access to care for Ventura County’s veterans. The VA has been leveraging technology to bring a wide range of services to our vets faster than currently offered. Congresswoman Julia Brownley  held a Field Hearing of the a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health on August 9 at the Camarillo Public Library. The subject was “Technology and Treatment: Telemedicine in the VA Healthcare System”.

She was joined by Congressman Brad Wenstrup, Member. Four witnesses testified: Zachary Walker, a veteran, Dr. Herb Rogove, President of Ojai based C3O Telemedicine, Dr. Kevin Galpin, Acting Executive Director of Telehealth at the VA, and Dr. Scotte Hartronft, Chief of Staff the Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System of the VA. The community showed their interest and support with a standing room only crowd of about 150 people.

What is Telemedicine? In short, Telemedicine is being able to see a doctor while you are in one place (e.g, a clinic or your home) and he/she is somewhere else (e.g., a hospital). The doctor may be a few miles or 1,000 miles away, but the patient will see him/her on a secure video link. There may be specialized cameras that a nurse can use at the doctor’s direction to look at the patient more closely, or digitally connected equipment (like a heart monitor) to measure vital signs. All of this information is available to the doctor at the remote site to aid in diagnosis and treatment. The doctor also has the veterans’ complete medical record available through electronic medical records.

Mr. Walker testified that he had frustrations scheduling appointments with his doctor, suffering numerous cancellations and rescheduling. When offered Telemedicine as an option, he was seen quickly and a treatment plan was started. The doctor had reviewed his medical file before the visit, and even called him a week later with his test results. Although it was a new way for him to see a doctor, he felt it was quick and effective.

Last year, 12 % of all vets, 677,000 people, had 2.4 million encounters using telehealth. Almost half of these encounters were in rural areas. The types of care included ICU, primary care, outpatient kiosks, sleep apnea and behavioral health.

Additional specialties will be offered through telemedicine at the Oxnard VA clinic – teleaudiology (for hearing loss), cardiology, gastroenterology, and physical therapy  will be available by the end of the year.

Telemedicine is in its early stages, and there are several challenges to its implementation.  A national medical license is needed for physicians. Although the VA has a national license, outside of the VA companies have to apply to many states costing time, money, and significant delays. Medicare needs to expand reimbursement for telemedicine into Metropolitan Statistical Areas (cities). It is now focused on providing care into rural areas. Communication needs to be improved between telemedicine providers, primary care providers, and the veteran.

Telemedicine has the promise of improving the response times, reducing cost, and improving care for our nation’s veterans. For more information on veterans benefits, call the Veterans Services Office in Ventura at 477-5155.

Blanche Callaway celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday, July 30^th at The Palms Bonaventure in Ventura.  She was born in Phoenix, Arizona on August 3, 1916.  She grew up in Calexico, California and spent her adulthood living in Los Angeles and Lancaster.

Blanche has 2 daughters, Pauline Roque and Sara Sanchez.  She has 6 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and 8 great-great grandchildren. She has been a resident of the Palms for nearly 3 years.  She enjoys doing many activities with friends and having a great time.

The Palms Bonaventure, 111 N. Wells, 918-4873.