Organizing your parent(s) home
By Connie De La Rosa

Making that visit to your parent(s) home can be a little overwhelming and appear as though the home is now their storage area with items that should not be in home or placed in a area out of their way to prevent accidents from happening.

Here are a few problems found in the homes of some of the elderly:

• Kitchen cabinet messes
• Refrigerator disorder
• Unreachable items on top shelves
• Food or toys spread out in pet areas
• Difficult-to-reach storage in laundry rooms
• Home office clutter on the desk and disorganized files
• A jam-packed bathroom vanity or medicine cabinet
• Dangerously stacked bookshelves
• Fall risks in hallways or on the stair such as rugs curling upward

• Magazines and mail stacked in the living room

Taking time to stop and keep in mind that you should respect what they feel is important to leave and just discuss a safer place to store if there is room without hoarding which is another topic.  If you were to rethink about the organization in the home when you were growing up and remembered that favorite magazines were stored and older ones sold in a garage sale, donated etc. you may ask your parent if reaching or lifting is difficult.  This may reveal overall issues they are having and the reasons why their magazines are on the floor stacked up and not stored safely.  For more information on services available for assistance in organization call 200-7756.

Scam: Seniors used as drug mules
By Matilda Charles

Seniors have long been the victims of scams: identity theft, lotteries, fake computer tech support, IRS impersonation, fake charities, home repair, utility sign-ups and more. Now there’s one that’s beyond comprehension — seniors are being conned into being drug mules in foreign countries.

These drug-mule scams usually start online with seniors being enticed by romantic relationships. Once trust is built up, the senior is asked to travel internationally, with the scammers making the arrangements that go through multiple countries. On one leg of the journey, the senior is asked to carry a package or extra piece of luggage.

One such senior, age 77, is a former pastor who never even had a traffic ticket. He’d been involved in an online romance, which was a scam. For years he’d been sending the woman money, to the detriment of his own financial situation. Eventually he was convinced to transport “real estate documents” from South America to London for his online friend. Unbeknownst to him, the weighty packages contained cocaine. He was arrested and sits in a European prison.

According to testimony at a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, 145 seniors have been arrested by foreign governments for trying to smuggle drugs, and 44 of them are still in prison.

If you’re a senior or care for one, especially someone who is cognitively impaired, go online to www.aging.senate.gov/hearings and search for “Do You Know What Is in Your Suitcase?” Read the testimony from senators, the director of Immigrations and Customs, and the son of one senior who is still in prison in a foreign country. If you or a loved one have been the victim of fraud, please contact the anti-fraud hotline at 855-303-9470.

(c) 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

Adults of any age can have problems with alcohol. In general, older adults don’t drink as much as younger people, but they can still have trouble with drinking. As people get older, their bodies change. They can develop health problems or chronic diseases. They may take more medications than they used to. All of these changes can make alcohol use a problem for older adults.

Alcohol, also known as ethanol, is a chemical found in beverages like beer, wine, and distilled spirits such as whiskey, vodka, and rum. Through a process called fermentation, yeast converts the sugars naturally found in grains and grapes into the alcohol that is in beer and wine. Another process, called distillation, concentrates alcohol in the drink making it stronger, producing what are known as distilled spirits.

Limited research suggests that sensitivity to alcohol’s health effects may increase with age. As people age, there is a decrease in the amount of water in the body, so when older adults drink, there is less water in their bodies to dilute the alcohol that is consumed. This causes older adults to have a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) than younger people after consuming an equal amount of alcohol.

This means that older adults may experience the effects of alcohol, such as slurred speech and lack of coordination, more readily than when they were younger. An older person can develop problems with alcohol even though his or her drinking habits have not changed.

Drinking too much alcohol can cause health problems. Heavy drinking over time can damage the liver, the heart, and the brain. It can increase the risk of developing certain cancers and immune system disorders as well as damage muscles and bones.

Drinking too much alcohol can make some health conditions worse. These conditions include diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, liver problems, and memory problems. Other health issues include mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Adults with major depression are more likely than adults without major depression to have alcohol problems.

Many older adults take medicines, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter (non-prescription) drugs, and herbal remedies. Drinking alcohol can cause certain medicines not to work properly and other medicines to become more dangerous or even deadly. Mixing alcohol and some medicines, particularly sedative-hypnotics, can cause sleepiness, confusion, or lack of coordination, which may lead to accidents and injuries. Mixing medicines also may cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, and other more serious health problems.

Medications stay in the body for at least several hours. So, you can still experience a problem if you drink alcohol hours after taking a pill. Read the labels on all medications and follow the directions. Some medication labels warn people not to drink alcohol when taking the medicine. Ask a doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider whether it’s okay to drink alcohol while taking a certain medicine.

“Coping with guilt and your aging loved one”
By Connie De La Rosa

As a primary caregiver for my mother, coming to terms that my mother was aging along with many medical problems was not easy especially when I had a husband, baby and worked full-time.  I realized that  my anger  triggered  feelings of guilt and worried that I may not be an adequate caregiver or just a selfish daughter.  This a life changing experience that our family never discussed because “aging” just was not part of our conversation.  As a matter of  fact, usually always a joke somewhere,  my nephew(at age 6) asked his grandmother that when she passed , if he could inherit her motorized scooter and we would all laugh and put a sticker with his name on it as grandma drove around so all knew it was his and it made him feel good.  After caring for my mother for many years and conducting home visits with those who care for their aging loved ones as a Social Worker, I was grateful for the experience because  I was able to see the families objectively and have a good understanding of  the caregivers needs as well as the aging loved one.

Useful tips in managing difficult feelings:

Self-care. It is necessary to put yourself first sometimes. Proper rest, healthy food and exercise are basic needs for every person. If caring for a parent is causing you to burn the candle at both ends, it might be time to ask for help and to accept support.

Be realistic. If your parent is seriously impaired by an illness and cannot safely care for themselves, you might not be qualified to care for them either. Placing them in a care home or hiring a professional aide might be the most responsible thing you can do.

Don’t expect praise or thanks from your parent. They might feel incredibly grateful, but the illness or their own feelings of guilt and inadequacy might make it too difficult to express their feelings. Take pride in knowing you’re doing the best you can for your mom or dad.

Watching parents age with illnesses is a difficult process, but you’re not alone. Everyone who has cared for an elderly parent has experienced similar feelings and challenges but know there are professionals you can turn to for guidance. Questions? Resources?  Call  805-200-7756  for free information

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 I Ventura:

Adult Bereavement Support Group Wednesdays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 from 6:30-8:00 pm at.  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, March 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.  These groups meet every 2nd Thursday of each month.

Diabetes Classes: Tuesday, March 1st from 1-2:30pm.  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.

Joint Replacement Classes

Thursday, March 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.

Monday, March 14th for both English and Spanish speaking.  English 4:00-5:00pm and Spanish 5:30-6:30pm. 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. Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association office, 1996 Eastman Ave., Suite 109.

SMART (Senior Marketing Alliance Round Table) is a small group of professional vendors that serve the Senior Market. SMART is sponsoring the 24th Annual Caregivers Golf Tourney Monday, March 14th, 9am at the Buenaventura Golf Course, followed by an Irish Feast with prizes at The Wedgewood Center. Sponsorships, golfers, and raffle items are still needed.

SMART meets once a month to create, discuss and share senior issues in a round table format, has speakers available for groups, and provides innovative products and services to the senior markets. Members visit, host or participate in senior events, and use collective experience to help seniors in the community. There are no annual dues.

Different members host the monthly meeting for SMART Vendors who market to seniors in Ventura County, every 4th Tuesday of the month, from 9:00 am – 10:30am at Nicoll Insurance & Financial, 5550 Telegraph Rd, upstairs Suite B3.

For info and to sponsor CareGivers, call Tammy at 658-8530

For SMART info, Jim Nicoll at  642-1775 or [email protected].

Drugs in the Body

Medicines can enter the body in many different ways, including through an inhaler, a skin patch, a pill or a hypodermic needle. Most of the time, when people take drugs, they have a clear idea about what they’re taking, however on other occasions, you may be taking a completely unknown drug, which could prove to be harmful. The best way to understand exactly what you’re taking is to have a look at something like this Marquis test kit to see how this can be established. Having a clearer idea about the drugs that you’re consuming, will ensure that you know of any risks or side effects before doing so. As drugs make their way through the body, many steps happen along the way. Understanding how medicines work in your body can help you learn why it is important to use medicines safely and effectively. In this section on taking medicines, we’ll focus on medicines you take by mouth, since those are the most common.

Entering and Circulating in the Body

When you take medicines by mouth, they move through the digestive tract and are taken up by internal organs like the stomach and small intestine. Often, they are then sent to the liver, where they might be chemically altered. Finally, they are released into the bloodstream.

As the bloodstream carries medicines throughout the body, the drugs can interact with many tissues and organs. Side effects can occur if a drug has unintended effects anywhere in the body.

Drug Metabolism

Just as it does with food, the body tries to chemically break down medicines as soon as they enter the body. Most drugs taken by mouth enter the stomach or small intestine and then are sent to the liver.

The liver contains protein molecules called enzymes that chemically modify drugs and other non-food substances. The chemical alteration of a medicine by the body is called drug metabolism.

Often, when a drug is metabolized by the body, it is converted into products called metabolites. These metabolites are not usually as strong as the original drug, but sometimes they can have effects that are stronger than the original drug. For example, codeine in the prescription pain killer Tylenol#3 becomes fully active only after the medicine is metabolized in the liver.

Because most drugs and other “foreign” substances are broken down in the liver, scientists refer to the liver as a “detoxifying” organ. As such, the liver can be prone to damage caused by too much medicine in the body.

Drug metabolites often return to the liver and are chemically altered once again before they exit the body.

Exiting the Body

After a drug’s metabolites have circulated in the bloodstream, where they work as medicine, the body eliminates them the same way it eliminates other wastes-in the urine or feces. Age-related changes in kidney function can have significant effects on how fast a drug is eliminated from the body.

In collaboration with New Hope Senior Services, please join Cypress Place Senior Living for a Dementia 101 Seminar – “What To Expect From A Dementia Diagnosis: Now What?”    Guest speaker for the seminar will be Norma Featherston, R.N., M.S., Gerontology.  Featherston is a geriatric care consultant with New Hope Senior Services.

A variety of important topics regarding Dementia will be covered including: who can get it, how they get it, and what to expect.  Join for this important presentation by a specialist and learn vital information for loved ones and those you care for.

The free seminar takes place from 10a.m. to 11:30a.m. on Saturday March 12, and is open to the public.  Light refreshments will be served.

Cypress Place Senior Living is a premiere senior community in Ventura County.   The beautiful senior living campus features an Active Senior Living community and adjacent Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care community connected by a lushly landscaped courtyard.

Cypress Place Senior Living is located at 1200 Cypress Point Lane in Ventura.  Seating is limited so please call to reserve a seat.  For more information or to RSVP, please call 650-8000.

To learn more about Cypress Place Senior Living of Ventura, visit their web site at www.cypressplaceseniorliving.com.

The Ventura Parkinson’s Support Group is delighted to host Marc Broberg, PT, Director of the Neuro Division of Two Trees Physical Therapy and Wellness in Ventura at their  meeting on Wednesday, March 9, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at The Lexington Assisted Living at 5440 Ralston St, Ventura.

Marc is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurological Physical Therapy and he will discuss and illustrate the most current evidence-based guidelines for therapy and exercise for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.  An opportunity to participate in a clinical research study at a major university will also be discussed (Research is on “How Lifestyle and Quality of Life affect Parkinson’s Disease”).

Please check in at the front desk for directions and sign-in. Extra parking is graciously available across the street from the Lexington in the Baptist Church parking lot. Call 766-6070 for further information. Reservations are not required.