Adrienne Stephens brings a strong background in fundraising, marketing and public relations to the job.

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy (VHC) recently added two new employees to its staff.  They will assist the membership-based nonprofit with its work of permanently preserving and providing access to the open space resources in the Ventura region.

Adrienne Stephens joined the VHC in August as their development coordinator. Adrienne, a UCSB graduate and 25-year Ventura resident, oversees member and business relations, fundraising activities, special event planning and community, press and social media outreach.

Flemming Bertelsen joined VHC as their new preserve manager in September. Flemming, who recently returned to the area from Southern Utah, has extensive experience in land management, conservation, wildland fire management, and law enforcement. He graduated from Humboldt State University with a B.A. in Recreation Management, and has worked protecting and restoring public lands in many locations.

“We are very pleased to have Adrienne and Flemming join the VHC team,” said David Comden, president of the VHC Board of Trustees.

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy has a full agenda moving into 2016 including Ventura hillside land negotiations, tree planting initiatives along the Ventura River Parkway and its popular annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival. For more information about VHC, visit www.venturahillsides.org.

Mom’s Reflections
By Jan

My beauty days have dwindled fast
While Nature will outshine, outlast
Since furtive glances at age 18
Unearned attention was routine

I peer ahead with vague visions
Pondering possible health decisions
My gait now stable but next a hobble
Robust touch a clumsy wobble

Must I embrace a decline so slow
I’ve watched two generations do so
All didn’t have our Grandmother’s patience
Some did find her same “compensations

Maybe that “good night” is a bounty
After dwindling verve and beauty
A predicted path I now face
Ancestors, see my effort with grace

On Thursday, October 8 the next Senior Network meeting will be held at the VCAAA office, 646 County Square Drive in Ventura.  Networking will begin at 9:15am. The meeting will begin at 10am, and usually goes to 11:30am.  Networking may continue after the meeting until 12:30pm.

The VCAAA Senior Network is an informal group of local community-based organizations (non-profit, for-profit, faith-based and government agencies) who serve older adults and persons with disabilities in Ventura County and/or their caregivers. The purpose of the network is to provide a friendly environment for networking and creating collaborations, a forum for shared problem solving, an opportunity for sharing information and best practices, and information on current issues that may impact their organization and/or their clients.

Attendees get groovy at the Cypress Place Senior Living 70’s Party & Classic Car Show on September 16.  The event kicked off “Suitcases For Kids”.  New or used suitcases may be dropped off to Cypress Place until October 16.
Photos by Michael Gordon

In collaboration with New Hope Senior Services, please join Cypress Place Senior Living for an Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregivers Support Group.  Facilitator for the support group will be Norma Featherston, R.N., M.S., Gerontology.  Featherston is a geriatric care consultant with New Hope Senior Services.

Join them for these informative meetings and gain support from others in a caring and understanding environment.  Ask questions and get straight answers from people who have been there.  Learn creative and caring problem solving techniques and caregiving ideas, and discover that you are not all alone in the way you feel.

Respite care is available for your loved one while attending the support group meetings.  This is a complimentary service, but an RSVP one week in advance is required to participate in respite care.

Support group meetings will be held from 9:30a.m. to 11a.m. the first and third Wednesday of every month, beginning in October.  The support group is free and open to the public.

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.

If  you are looking to downsize  this type of living may be for you.

“Living in a mobile home community”
By Connie De La Rosa

There are many reasons for choosing to live in a mobile home community. “ If  you are looking to downsize,  continue being active,  or just want to lay back  and relax,  this type of living may be for you”  states  Barbara  Bier retired  registered nurse.   Mrs. Bier has lived at the Ventura Marina Mobile Home Community for the past 15 years and enjoys every minute of it.  Mobile home park living gives her the feeling of community and has made many friends through her involvement with planning events and staying active. “I would not trade my mobile home way of living for any other way” states Barbara.

The first annual   Health Information Fair is set for   Oct. 10^TH from 10 a.m. to noon.   This will be  an exciting event  to bring first hand information from the many vendors  to the mobile home community  and public  such as Home Health Agencies, Insurance Companies,  Assisted  Living  Companies , Skin  Care, Exercise, Hand/Arm massaging and more  to the residents  who can meet the faces behind the many brochures  which are left at the mobile home  community for advertisement. The public is more than welcome to attend this wonderful free event!

“There is something for everyone at a mobile home community whether you are retired or like some  of our neighbors, still working ” states  Barbara  Bier.

Ventura Marina Mobile Home Community is located at 1215 Anchors Way.

On Sept. 24 Aegis Living presented a Fire & Emergency Safety Presentation to its residents. Ventura firefighters  Captain Jason Kay, Paramedic Jarret LaShure  and  Engineer Mark Nelson explained fire safety to about twenty Aegis residents and answered their questions. Aegis is located at 4964 Telegraph, 290-1953.

Photo by Bernie Goldstein

​Did you know that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the nation?  COPD is an umbrella term that includes chronic lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and, in some cases, asthma.  In Ventura County, there are 28,000 people that suffer from COPDbut the number may actually be higher since 50% of people with compromised lung function are not even aware of it.  Identifying and treating COPD in its early stages can drastically change/slow the progression of the disease.  A simple test called a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) can be performed to determine if someone has COPD.

The COPD Access to Community Health (CATCH) Program is funded by a Health Care Innovations Award (HCIA) grant from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS).  Ventura County is honored to be one of 39 HCIA grant recipients nationwide.  With the HCIA grant funding, the Ventura County Health Care Agency (HCA) is implementing new treatment guidelines for preventing, diagnosing and treating COPD throughout our health care system.  To date, CATCH has purchased spirometers for our Ambulatory Care Medical Offices and the Respiratory Department at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC).  Additionally, providers have been trained to diagnose and stage patients using the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines in order to improve patient care.

CATCH grant staff will be working with Ambulatory Care Medical Offices, VCMC and Santa Paula hospitals to develop a new approach to managing COPD in Ventura County.

The CATCH team can travel county-wide and includes a Project Director, two Registered Nurses, two Respiratory Therapists, a two Community Health Workers, a Medical Office Assistant and contracts with numerous specialists throughout the community.  CATCH can be reached at  677-5162 or [email protected].

The County of Ventura Area Agency on Aging’s Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) will be giving a series of Medicare presentations in October.

A few of the topics and One Stop Shops are:

Tuesday, October 6,  at Ventura Avenue Adult Center, 550 North Ventura Ave., 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm.
Presentation Topic: “What are the 2016 Medicare Changes  & What the Changes Mean to You?”

Wednesday, October 7, at Oxnard Wilson Senior Center, 350 North C St. 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Presentation Topic: “What are the 2016 Medicare Changes & What the Changes Mean to You?”

Thursday, October 8,  at Moorpark Active Adult Center, 799 Moorpark Ave., 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm,
Presentation Topic: “What are the 2016 Medicare Changes & What the Changes Mean to You?”

Friday, October 16, 2015, Camarillo Health Care District 3639 E. Las Posas Rd. 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm,
Presentation Topic: “What are the 2016 Medicare Changes & What the Changes Mean to You?”

Friday, October 16,  Ventura HICAP, One Stop Shop, 646 County Square Dr. Ventura, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm,
Open Enrollment:  One on One counseling appointments, walk-ins and appointments available.

Monday, October 19, 2015, South Oxnard Senior Center, 200 East Bard Rd., Oxnard, Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm,
Open Enrollment:  One on One counseling appointments, walk-ins and appointments available.

For further information and locations contact May Lee Berry, HICAP Outreach Coordinator 477-7320  or  www.venturacounty.org/vcaaa

As part of National Women’s Health & Fitness Day on September 30, the SCAN Health & Wellness Center in Ventura is offering free 45-minute demonstration exercise classes for seniors 55 years and older and their caregivers. Classes include Tai Chi for Rehab (9 a.m.)/Sun Style (10 a.m.), Senior Yoga (11 a.m.), Focus on Balance (12 p.m.), Strong Bones (1 p.m.), QiGong (2 p.m.) and Zumba Gold (3 p.m.). Women’s Health & Fitness Day, now in its 14th year, is a national program bringing attention to the importance of regular physical activity and health awareness for women. Organized by SCAN and the Health Information Resource Center, the program is free to seniors 55 and older and their caregivers. The SCAN Health &Wellness Center is located at 6633 Telephone Rd. Class spots are limited to those new to classes. Call 658-0365 for more information and to register.