The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging’s award-winning Fall Prevention Program is offering several classes that focus on increased mobility and balance. New classes are currently scheduled to begin in January in Ventura, Ojai, and Simi Valley. All classes are free and open to the public.

Classes currently being offered include Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance, Walk with Ease, and A Matter of Balance. Each class emphasizes practical strategies to manage and prevent falls. Participants will learn methods to enhance and increase activity levels and mobility, making the changes necessary to reduce fall risks.

Individuals concerned about falls or those who have recently experienced a fall, as well as those who are interested in improving balance, flexibility, and strength, are encouraged to participate.

Nationally recognized research shows that one in four adults over the age of 65, and half of the population over the age of 75, fall each year. Of those individuals, half will die within a year from complications and injuries sustained from the fall.

Current class locations include the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, Ventura Adult & Continuing Education, E.P. Foster Library, HELP of Ojai, and the Simi Valley Senior Center. To learn more about the Fall Prevention Program or classes offered, or to register for a class, please contact the VCAAA at (805) 477-7300 and select option 6. More information can also be found by visiting www.vcaaa.org.

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, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities, 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.

Talking with your doctor

A basic plan can help you make the most of your appointment whether you are starting with a new doctor or continuing with the doctor you’ve seen for years. The following tips will make it easier for you and your doctor to cover everything you need to talk about.

Make a list of what you want to discuss. For example, do you have a new symptom you want to ask the doctor about? Do you want to get a flu shot? Are you concerned about how a treatment is affecting your daily life? If you have more than a few items to discuss, put them in order and ask about the most important ones first. Don’t put off the things that are really on your mind until the end of your appointment—bring them up right away!

Sometimes it is helpful to bring a family member or close friend with you. Let your family member or friend know in advance what you want from your visit. Your companion can remind you what you planned to discuss with the doctor if you forget. She or he can take notes for you and can help you remember what the doctor said.

Share your medical history. Tell the doctor about your illnesses, operations, medical conditions, and other doctors you see. You may want to ask the doctor to send you a copy of the medical history form before your visit so you can fill it out at home, where you have the time and information you need to complete it. If you have problems understanding how to fill out any of the forms, ask for help. Some community organizations provide this kind of help.

Share former doctors’ names. Give the new doctor all of your former doctors’ names and addresses, especially if they are in a different city. This is to help your new doctor get copies of your medical records. Your doctor will ask you to sign a medical release form giving him or her permission to request your records.

Many older people use glasses or need aids for hearing. Remember to take your eyeglasses to the doctor’s visit. If you have a hearing aid, make sure that it is working well and wear it. Let the doctor and staff know if you have a hard time seeing or hearing. For example, you may want to say: “My hearing makes it hard to understand everything you’re saying. It helps a lot when you speak slowly.”

Let your doctor know what has happened in your life since your last visit. If you have been treated in the emergency room or by a specialist, tell the doctor right away. Mention any changes you have noticed in your appetite, weight, sleep, or energy level. Also tell the doctor about any recent changes in any medications you take or the effects they have had on you. Discussing Changes in Your Health: Worksheet and Tracking Your Medications: Worksheet can help you get organized.

For More Information About Getting Ready to Visit the Doctor
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
1-800-633-4227 (toll-free)
1-877-486-2048 (TTY/toll-free)
www.medicare.gov

by the National Institute on Aging

The flu is very contagious. It spreads from person to person, often just through the air. Regular hand washing and avoiding sick people can help, and so can the flu shot. Flu season is upon us, but it’s not too late to get the shot!

There are special flu shots designed specifically for people age 65 and older. Medicare will pay for the shot, and so will many private health insurance plans. You can get a flu shot at your doctor’s office or from your local health department. Many grocery or drug stores also offer flu shots. The vaccine is the same wherever you receive it.

A flu shot won’t keep everyone healthy. But, getting the flu shot every year can mean that if you do get the flu, you might have only a mild case.

Each winter, millions of people suffer from seasonal flu. Flu—the short name for influenza—is caused by viruses. Viruses are very small germs. Some viruses can spread easily from one person to another. They cause illnesses or infections like the flu.older woman with the flu blowing her nose

Flu is a mild illness for some people. For older people, especially those who have health problems like diabetes or heart disease, the flu can be very serious, even life-threatening.

Most people who get the flu feel much better in a week or two. But, some people can get very sick. For example, because your body is busy fighting off the flu, you might pick up a second infection. Older people are at great risk of these secondary infections, such as pneumonia.

Getting a flu shot every year can help you stay healthy. A flu shot contains the flu vaccine, which could keep you from getting the flu. There are special flu shots designed specifically for people age 65 and older. Medicare will pay for the shot, and so will many private health insurance plans. You can get a flu shot at your doctor’s office or from your local health department. Sometimes grocery or drug stores offer flu shots.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), part of the Federal Government, says that people age 50 and older should get a flu shot every year. Anyone who lives with or takes care of people age 50 and older should also have a flu shot every year.

If you get the flu, there are things you can do to feel better.

If you are sick, try to rest in bed and drink plenty of fluids, like juice and water but not alcohol. Medicine such as acetaminophen can bring down your fever, which might help with the aches and pains. It is important not to smoke if you are sick with the flu. It is a respiratory illness that can infect your lungs, as well as your nasal passages. These same areas are also bothered by smoking. Take it easy as much as you can until you are well.

Ventura offered an opportunity for residents to give back to senior’s this holiday season by becoming a “Santa to a Senior”.

City Officials set up a Christmas tree display covered in paper ornaments outside of room 226 in city hall. On each ornament is a different gift idea for a senior. Those participated chose one of the gift ideas, bought the gift and return it to City Hall.

All of the gifts received will be given to the seniors that participate in the Ventura Avenue Adult Center Senior Nutrition Program this Christmas.

In my opinion by Stacy Washington

The Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act would stall future drug development and deprive Americans of lifesaving cures — all without reducing patients’ out-of-pocket costs.

The bill would alter Medicare Part D, the federal prescription drug benefit for seniors and people with disabilities. Today, 45 million Americans receive drug coverage from Part D.

Part D is a free market success story. Instead of administering the benefit directly, Uncle Sam subsidizes private insurers who sell plans to beneficiaries. Since these insurers compete for customers, they have every incentive to keep costs low. Part D cost nearly $350 billion less over its first 10 years than originally estimated.

Unfortunately, the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act would upend this tried and true structure.

The bill’s most egregious penalty might be the 20 percent tax it would impose on manufacturers for some drugs sold in Part D. The package would cost biopharmaceutical firms $55 billion over the next 10 years.

This massive tax would save the government money, but it wouldn’t do much for patients — 98 percent of Medicare beneficiaries won’t see a reduction in their pharmacy bills. Some could even face increased out-of-pocket costs.

Over time, this bill would harm patients by making it harder to fund drug research.

It takes $2.6 billion on average for researchers to bring one new treatment to market. Scientists rely on the revenue from successful drugs to fund future research projects.

The myriad taxes in the bill would impede manufacturers’ ability to earn back development costs. That would make it difficult for firms to attract the investment they need to research new treatments. Without that funding, scientists would have to abandon the roughly 4,500 drugs currently being developed for cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases in the United States.

The package wouldn’t just hurt patients. The pharmaceutical sector supports close to 5 million jobs and contributes more than $1 trillion in economic output each year. Nearly half of drug firms said that reductions in R&D could lead to layoffs and facility closures.

The Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act would cripple the life sciences sector and do nothing to help patients afford their medicines. Talk about a lose-lose.

Stacy Washington is a decorated Air Force Veteran, an Emmy nominated TV personality, and the host of the nationally syndicated radio program “Stacy on the Right.”

The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging is the recipient of two National Mature Media Awards for video production. The videos, titled Remembering Ventura County’s Veterans and Ventura County Elder Abuse Call to Action, were recognized as being among the nation’s best marketing, communications, educational materials, and programs produced for older adults.

Remembering Ventura County’s Veterans, which won a bronze award, was produced in partnership with the Ventura County Veterans Services Offices to recognize the region’s military veterans and to bring attention to the services offered to that population through the County of Ventura. Click here to view the video.

Ventura County Elder Abuse Call to Action received a merit award and was produced to draw attention to elder abuse and local resources available to victims of elder abuse. County of Ventura CEO Mike Powers, Ventura County Supervisor, John C. Zaragoza, and Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten are among those featured in the video. Click here to view the video.

“The VCAAA is honored to receive this recognition and is proud of the impact our videos have made on the community,” said Victoria Jump, Director of the VCAAA. “We believe the videos produced by the VCAAA set a new standard for how we communicate with our clients. We are dedicated to communicating our services, as well as the services of partnering agencies, and to honoring the lives of the clients we serve.”

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, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities 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.

GreenPlay, LLC, the consultant hired to develop a Senior Strategic Plan for the City of Ventura, will be hosting community meetings in early December.

At the meetings the consultant will b sharing the draft findings from the senior needs assessment survey and community meetings held in October. And facilitating a visioning session and gathering additional community input.

Community Meeting #1

Monday, December 9, 2019

City Hall, Community Meeting Room

5:00pm – 6:00pm

Community Meeting #2

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Ventura Avenue Adult Center

12:30pm – 2:00pm

We hope to see you at one of the meetings!

The Parks, Recreation & Community Partnerships Department offers a variety of adult and senior classes, programs, and excursions.

Ventura Avenue Adult Center

The Ventura Avenue Adult Center (VAAC) offers classes, drop-in activities, the Westside Cafe Senior Nutrition Program, facility rentals, and a variety of free and affordable programs and services.

Location: 550 N. Ventura Avenue

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9 am-3 pm

Front Desk: 805-648-3035

The City of Ventura Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) is made possible by a financial partnership between the City of Ventura, the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging (VCAAA), and the California Department of Aging (CDA).

The Senior Nutrition Program is comprised of the Westside Cafe and the Home Delivered Meal Program (HDM).

Westside Cafe

Join us Monday through Friday from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm at the Westside Cafe for a nutritious hot entrée, salad, fresh fruit, and vegetables. The suggested donation is $3 per meal for individuals 60 years and older and the fixed price is $6.75 for individuals 59 years and younger.

Location: Ventura Avenue Adult Center, 550 N. Ventura Avenue

Menu: Call 805-648-3035 for details

Home Delivered Meal Program (HDM)

The Home Delivered Meal Program (HDM) is designed for home-bound individuals 60 years and older who live in Ventura. For information on the HDM program, please contact the Senior Nutrition Specialist at the Ventura Avenue Adult Center at 805-648-3035.

Ventura Avenue Adult Center 2016-03
Facility Rental Information

The Ventura Avenue Adult Center is available for business and non-profit meetings as well as private events. The facility includes small, medium, and large meeting rooms in addition to a large banquet hall and patio. The maximum capacity is 150 guests.

For rental inquiries, please contact:
Cheryl Bucklin
Senior Services Coordinator
805-654-7557
Ventura Council for Seniors (VCS)
Senior Strategic Plan

Question, please contact:
Emily Fox
Community Partnerships Manager
City of Ventura
[email protected]
805-658-4793
Visit our website

The Lexington Assisted Living  Executive Director, Eric Terrill, and the staff of the landmark assisted living community at 5440 Ralston St. in Ventura, are excited to present the artwork of prolific artist and Lexington resident Tom Foxmarnick in the Lexington’s Bijou Theater. A meet the artist and exhibit opening is set for Friday, December 6, from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. The public is invited to the opening as well as to the exhibit and sale which will continue through Saturday and Sunday, December 7, 8, from 1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Admission is free and 20% of all proceeds will be donated to the Parkinson’s Foundation California non-profit organization. Original artwork signed by Foxmarnick will range from $20 prints to large format drawings of museum quality.

Tom Foxmarnick was hired by Disney Studios in the early 1980s as a production artist and worked on notable made-for-TV animated features such as The Little Mermaid, Scooby-Doo, Tom & Jerry, and others. Often juggling several free-lance jobs on TV shows and for consumer publications, Foxmarnick ultimately played an instrumental role in 37 TV shows and a number of humor and horror comics. He honed his craft and parlayed his ideas into a forty-year career eventually also working with Warner Bros. Studios, Sony Studios, and Nickelodeon. Initially paid solely for his storyline ideas, during the nineteen-nineties Foxmarnick developed many of the comic magazine CARtoon storylines and drew nearly entire issues single-handedly. It is his art from this time that Foxmarnick will be showing.  A few of Foxmarnick’s original hand-drawn pieces and one-of-a-kind tour-de-force creations that he is so well known for in the industry have been computer colorized.

Foxmarnick will show a wide variety from his catalog of drawings with select works being offered for sale. Foxmarnick’s fantastical creations will generally be organized into superheroes, CARtoons Magazine, and a variety of outrageous animal drawings that are all suitable for framing and will become the focal point of any art collection. All guests for this event are asked to sign-in at the front reception desk upon arrival. For more information or driving directions please telephone The Lexington at (805) 644-6710.  Children must be accompanied by adults at all times. Free parking is available in the parking lots on the sides of The Lexington.           www.LexingtonLiving.net

by Rick Beavin, California Market President Humana

If you are a military veteran who is approaching Medicare eligibility, you may have questions about how Medicare and Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits differ. It’s important that you understand how the plans complement each other so you can choose the best plan for you and ensure you maximize health benefits available.

Here are a few common health plan questions, answered:

Can Medicare Advantage and VA benefits work together? Absolutely! Many Medicare Advantage plans complement existing VA benefits and could be an excellent fit if you would like to enhance current benefits and coverage. Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan may provide access to additional services and benefits, like urgent care and dental coverage, which do not interfere with VA benefits for prescription drugs and primary care. Each time you receive care you will need to choose whether to use your VA benefits or your Medicare Advantage plan.

Are there any specific Medicare Advantage plans for veterans? While Medicare Advantage plans are available to anyone eligible for Medicare, be sure to speak with a licensed insurance agent about plan options that will not interfere with any VA benefits you may already have. For example, the new Humana Honor Medicare Advantage plan, which is open to anyone with Medicare, works to complement VA coverage. The plan provides beneficiaries with extensive coverage, such as robust dental care, at a $0 plan premium. This plan also offers access to a broad network including access to urgent care and non-VA facilities, which can be advantageous for veterans if they need to travel far to receive care at a VA facility or experience long wait times.

How could a Medicare Advantage plan work with my VA prescription drug coverage? Typically, VA prescription drug benefits will serve as your primary prescription drug coverage when you add a Medicare Advantage plan that does not include prescription drug coverage. These Medicare Advantage plans cover certain injectable drugs and infusions at in-network, non-VA facilities, which may be beneficial based on your health needs. Additionally, some Medicare Advantage plans also include Part D prescription drug coverage, which may help cover medications from non-VA doctors. You can also fill these prescriptions at your local pharmacy instead of through the VA mail-order service.

Where can I go for more information? A great resource is www.Medicare.gov or calling 1-800-MEDICARE or TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also visit www.Humana.com/Medicare to learn more about Humana plans or call toll-free 1-800-457-4708 (TTY: 711). Licensed sales agents are available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, seven days a week.

The Medicare Annual Election Period – when people can make changes to their Medicare plans – is open now through Dec. 7, 2019. If you’ve been thinking about adding Medicare Advantage benefits to your health coverage, now is the time to take action.