tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27890463780152451052024-03-08T05:38:56.587-05:00Westminster Cares - Aged in VermontAged in Vermont - Articles for those who know someone who is aging...Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-68309906606932548482013-07-31T08:20:00.000-04:002013-07-31T08:20:39.699-04:00Raising Your Kids'Kids: Support for Foster Kin<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">Parenting
is a life-long endeavor; full of great beauty, intense struggle and plenty of
surprises. There are times when we are not expecting to parent, but life has
other plans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">In
Vermont, 2,400 grandparents report they are responsible for raising their
grandchildren. That<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>number is nearly 2.5
million nationally. This means that over 5,500 children within the state of
Vermont and 5.8 million children nationally are being raised in
grandparent-headed households, also called “Grand Families,” according to AARP.
Generally speaking, this is called kinship or adaptive care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">“Kinship
care is when an adult relative cares for a child under the age of 18, either on
a temporary or permanent basis. The relative is most often a grandparent,” but
can also be another relative or a family friend (</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial-ItalicMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT;">Vermont Resource Guide
for Relatives Caring for Children</span></i><span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">The
situations leading to kinship care are many and may include: substance abuse,
economic hardship, divorce, domestic violence, incarceration, a sudden death in
the family, mental health issues, military service or the parent is unable to
provide safe, appropriate care for his or her children. There are times when
many of these situations overlap, causing great stress and uncertainty within
the family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">While
kinship can be joyous and exceptionally gratifying, it can also be
overwhelming; emotionally, legally and financially. In some situations, “You’re
trying to parent two people; an infant child and adult child,” said Betty
Holton, a grandparent, during an interview on WCAX television.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">Fortunately,
there are resources and peer support for grandparents navigating the
complexities of kinship care, including a local group called “Circle of Support
for Kinship Caregivers.” Below is a list of resources and support tailored for
foster/kinship families.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;"> </span><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRomanPSMT","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"> </span><span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">Vermont 2-1-1. Dial 2-1-1 from your
phone or go to <a href="http://www.vermont211.org/"><span style="color: #0016e6; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.vermont211.org</span></a> to find
resources, support, legal or financial services.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRomanPSMT","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">
</span><span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">Vermont Resources Guide for
Relatives Caring for Children. Resource guide including financial and legal
information as well as a directory of local and state organizations. <a href="http://bit.ly/141gqxw"><span style="color: #0016e6; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://bit.ly/141gqxw</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRomanPSMT","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">
</span><span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">Local support of kinship
caregivers. Circle of Support for Kinship Caregivers. Meets every other
Thursday from 10-11:30 at Parks Place in Bellows Falls. For more information,
contact Deb Witkus at 802.463.9927 ext 212 or <a href="mailto:gfpc4parents@gmail.com"><span style="color: #0016e6; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">gfpc4parents@gmail.com</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRomanPSMT","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">
</span><span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">Statewide education and support
group for relatives raising children. <a href="http://www.vermontkinasparents.org/"><span style="color: #0016e6; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.vermontkinasparents.org</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRomanPSMT","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">
<a href="http://voicesatthetable.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #0016e6; font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://voicesatthetable.wordpress.com/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">. <span style="color: #262626;">This
bi-weekly blog is a forum for kinship, foster, and adoptive families to share
with one another.</span> Created by the <span style="color: #262626;">Child
Welfare Training Partnership. The partnership also offers trainings and
resources for adaptive/kinship families.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRomanPSMT","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">
</span><span style="color: #434343; font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">Promotes public
policy that enhances the lives of children and youth in Vermont.</span><span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;"> <a href="http://www.voicesforvtkids.org/"><span style="color: #0016e6; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.voicesforvtkids.org</span></a></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;">Chad Simmons is the media coordinator
for the Greater Falls Prevention Coalition. <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">It is
the </span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial-BoldMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial-BoldMT;">vision</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;"> of the Greater Falls
Prevention Coalition to build a healthy, nurturing and supportive community.
Our </span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial-BoldMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial-BoldMT;">mission</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "ArialMT","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: ArialMT;"> is to connect the community of Windham Northeast by inspiring
and empowering people through education and collaboration to promote wellness
and prevent the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.</span></i></div>
Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-23889898152384161622013-06-01T22:24:00.000-04:002013-06-11T22:26:37.076-04:00I'll Keep Going as Far as I Can Go: Artie Aiken, Almost 100<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Artie Aiken turns 100 years old June 10, and everybody is
asking him about his longevity. “I don’t really know,” he shrugs. “All I can
lay it to is work, really hard work.”</div>
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He has worked hard, all his life. As a young man, he was
hired on by many of the farmers in town. First by W.H. Bent at the present
Kestrel Farm and later by Charlie Holton, helping him grow potatoes, and
Artie has this story about working for my grandfather, Paul G. Harlow, during
the floods after the 1938 hurricane. Artie was milking cows. “The wind blew the
silo roof off,” Artie says. “It was pitch dark, no light out there; I kept
right on milking by hand until I got them done.”</div>
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Starting in 1946, after he got back from the service, Artie
went to work for the Boston and Maine Railroad for twenty years, at a beginning
wage of 40 cents an hour. He still often did farm work. “I’d get home from the
railroad, and there would always be someone waiting in my yard—‘can you come do
some work for me?’”</div>
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In the 1960s, he joined the crew that built I-91from
Brattleboro to Hartland, and after that, he built houses for Sam Streeter for
ten years. He still works, you could say – he keeps Pete Harrison company on
his Meals on Wheels rounds.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Artie was born on Acton Hill in Townshend and his family
moved to Hartley Hill in Westminster when he was five years old. In 1942, he
moved to School Street, next door to his present house, then sold that and
moved to where he lives now. Artie’s wife, Mary, born a Parda in Westminster,
died in 2007.</div>
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<br /></div>
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This will be the first year that Artie isn’t planting a
garden, he says. “It’s too much for me. Just old age got against me.” Except
maybe he’ll put in a couple of plants so he can pick tomatoes for a fresh
sandwich: untoasted bread, mayo, tomato. No salt, no pepper. “It makes a good
sandwich,” he says. And sure enough, come May 19, Artie was planting a couple
of tomato plants.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Artie is a well-known local dowser, and this is how he
started: He was working on the railroad, watching for trains while a co-worker
welded, down in Dummerston. “We were getting kind of dry, and I said ‘If I only
had a drink.’” His buddy bent each of his welding rods at one end and handed
them to Artie. Artie started walking. He didn’t have to go far before the
moving rods told him where to dig. “I dug down with my hands and water come
right up out of the ground,” he said. “I’ve still got those rods and I’ve found
water everywhere.”</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“To get to 100,” he
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But the days come and go….I’ll keep going as far as I can go.”</div>
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Everyone is invited to celebrate Artie’s 36,500 days, at his
house, 79 School Street, Sunday, June 9, from noon to 4 p.m. Bring a side dish
or dessert, if you can. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And if you haven’t already, wish Dick Morse a Happy Century,
too. He turned 100 this year, along with Louise Morse.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Susan Harlow is a member of the Westminster Cares Board of
Directors.</i></div>
<br />
<br />Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-17962797025620668352013-05-08T00:05:00.003-04:002013-05-08T09:48:22.251-04:00Learn How to Secure and Dispose of Prescription Medications<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Prescription medications have
become an important part of our lives. They help us manage pain or treat a
health condition. But what do we do with them once they have expired or are no
longer needed? How do we make sure they are safe and secure while we are using
them? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You can dispose of them in
prescription-drug drop boxes, now available throughout Windham County. The drop
boxes allow for the safe, anonymous disposal of expired or unwanted
prescription medications that could otherwise be misused or end up in our
environment.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The non-medical use of
prescription drugs such as Oxycodone continues to raise public safety concerns.
Unfortunately, we have to be aware of how our medications are stored and
disposed of in order keep them out of the hands of those who may misuse them.
Seventy percent of users of non-medical prescription pain relievers obtain their
drugs for free from a friend or relative. Most of the time, these medications
are taken without our knowledge or permission. Teens frequently say they were
able to get prescription medications from their parent or grandparent’s
medicine cabinet.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What can you do to safely secure
your medications?</span></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Keep
your medications locked or hidden. </span></li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Keep
count of your medications. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Talk
to your family about the dangers of abusing prescription medications.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Make sure
your children or grandchildren know they are not to be used or shared.</span></li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Properly
dispose of all prescription medications once expired or no longer needed.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How does prescription medication
disposal work?</span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Collect
all expired or unused prescription pills or patches and place in disposable
bag.</span></li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span>Drop
off medications at the most convenient box near you. </span></li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The
process is completely anonymous. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Items
that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cannot</i>
</b>be taken:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Medical
equipment or accessories (needles, syringes, Epi-Pens, inhalers, etc.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Any
liquid materials<span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Bloody,
infectious or business waste</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Locations near you:</span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Bellows
Falls Police Department: 170 Rockingham St., Bellows Falls (open 24/7)</span></li>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Win</span>dham
County Sheriff’s Department: 11 Jail St., Newfane (open 7am-10pm daily)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Brattleboro
Police Department: 230 Main St., Brattleboro (open 24/7)</span></li>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For more information about
prescription drug disposal efforts and other initiatives to prevent the misuse
and abuse of prescription drugs, contact the Greater Falls Prevention Coalition
at <a href="http://www.gfpcandtheline.org/">www.gfpcandtheline.org</a> or
802.463.9927.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Chad Simmons is media coordinator
for the Greater Falls Prevention Coalition, whose mission is to
connect the community of Windham Northeast by inspiring and empowering people
through education and collaboration to promote wellness and prevent the abuse
of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Old
age ain’t no place for sissies,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bette
Davis said. Well, sissies or not, we’re all headed for that place. And the
better we know the geography, the easier it will be to navigate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Aged
in Vermont” is a monthly article on aging issues, organized by Westminster
Cares. We’re asking local professionals and residents with an interest in these
issues to write them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
articles are not just reading material for the “aged.” Young, old and
middle-aged readers<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– anyone with an
elderly parent, relative or friend, or who just wants to learn about these
important issues that affect us all – is invited to take a look. Remember:
“It’s not how <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">old</i> you are; it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> you are old.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We
address such topics as losing a pet, sleeping problems, supplements, advanced
directives and creativity. We explore questions such as should I move to town?
and decision making: whose life is this anyway?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ideas
for future columns? Would you like to write one? We’d like to hear from you.
Email Ronnie Friedman at <a href="mailto:wecares@sover.net">wecares@sover.net</a>.</span></span></div>
Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-44945783315127629102013-04-26T23:23:00.000-04:002013-05-07T23:30:35.334-04:00How to Live Better and Smarter: Exercise Your Brain<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Walking, stretching, jumping jacks – we all know that getting the circulation moving in your body makes you feel better and maybe live longer. But it’s just as important to get the blood moving through your brain, says Vickie Wilk, a psychiatric nurse practitioner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Improving vascularity in the brain can help stall cognitive decline and dementia, and help keep your mind sharp long into old age.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Vickie will speak about "Helping Prevent and Living with Cognitive Decline" on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. at the Westminster Institute. It’s the second in Westminster Cares’ Speaking of Aging series.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />She will explain exercises that can keep your mind nimble, and how and why they work. She’ll discuss recent research into prevention of dementia, and the difference between depression and dementia and how important it is to recognize that difference. She’ll also have tips on how to interact with a family member or significant other who has cognitive decline. Bring your questions about any of these aging issues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Exercise can help slow the potential onset of dementia, research shows. “I don’t expect people to get out there and run a marathon,” Vickie said. “But 20 minutes, three times a week can improve vascularity, even if it means getting on the stationary bike and getting your heart to pound a little. All of it helps.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Mental exercise, good for neurological and physiological growth of the brain, is just as important. So give your brain something new and different to do, Vickie suggests. Learn a new language. Play a number puzzle, like sudoku – especially if you’re used to doing crosswords or other word puzzles—and vice versa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Another area that interests Vickie is the difference between depression and dementia. Depression is often mistaken for dementia, particularly in the elderly, she said. The usual barometers she uses to measure for depression are things like lack of focus and concentration, loss of appetite and poor sleep habits. “But in an older person, those tend to be there anyway. So I’m more apt to look at their mood, their feeling state and level of anxiety.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />It’s crucial to diagnose depression early to help prevent dementia,” she said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Vickie became a nurse because of her godmother, Anna Booniarz, known as “Hanti,” Polish for “Anna.” Hanti was a nurse, who developed Alzheimer’s disease in her seventies. “I used to take her out to lunch, and I began to see signs of decline,” Vickie said. “So I had first-hand experience. And it really stimulated my curiosity.”<br /><br />One of Vickie’s first jobs was on a research unit, studying the neuropsychological underpinnings of depression. Immersion in the professional world of biological psychiatry and her aunt’s decline both led to her current interest “Geriatric psychiatry is the last challenge in my professional life, and I really want to stimulate myself.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Vickie is a married mother of two daughters and two grandchildren, and is in a small private group practice, Otter Creek Associates /Matrix Health System, in Brattleboro. She has worked in psychiatry since the days of state hospitals. She received both her BS and MS degrees from Boston College School of Nursing, and has worked at McLean hospital in Belmont, Mass., along with other hospitals in Massachusetts, and has taught psychopharmacology.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Vickie is also the founding mother of an Indochinese psychiatry clinic in the Boston area, started in the early 1980s, when many Cambodian refugees from the Khmer Rouge regime settled in Boston.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">To thank the community for 25 years of support, Westminster Cares is presenting a series of speakers to explore key issues in aging. Speaking of Aging is sponsored by the Fanny Holt Ames & Edna Louise Holt Fund, Bank of America, N.A.,Trustee.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Two more Speaker Series events are schedule: Dennis McCullough, M.D., on Tuesday, August 6, and Willem Lang, author and VPR commentator, on Tuesday, September 17. Find more at <a href="http://www.westminstercares.org/">www.westminstercares.org</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />“Aged in Vermont” is a monthly article on aging issues, organized by Westminster Cares. Ideas for future columns? Would you like to write one? We’d like to hear from you. Email Ronnie Friedman at <a href="mailto:wecares@sover.net">wecares@sover.net</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-24253604954868731782013-04-21T23:51:00.000-04:002013-05-07T23:52:30.786-04:00A Pet Can Make Your Life Better - Part 2<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In January, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aged in
Vermont</i> looked at how pets can help seniors with the aging process. This
month, we discuss how companion animals may help them deal with some of the
physical and sensory changes that come with aging. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Vision</b>: With
proper correction of visual deficits, seniors can watch fish swim in an
aquarium, or watch wild animals in the yard or birds flying. Important sensory
stimulants like these keep an older person connected to the environment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hearing</b>: Hearing
loss is the third most frequently reported chronic condition of people over 65.
A companion animal can alert its owner to both guests and intruders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in taking a pet for a walk, a senior
often starts conversations with others.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Touch: </b>Sensitivity
to touch, which helps us perceive and express feelings, is reduced with
aging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a time when there is a greater
need for tactile stimulation but there are fewer opportunities to touch or be
touched, pets can fill that need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The
cold wet nose of a faithful canine friend, the velvet feel of a cat’s sleek
coat, the softness of a bunny’s ears, the gentle peck of a budgie can be the
stimulus that connects the older person to reality.” </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Smell and Taste</b>:
Changes in olfactory and gustatory systems are less noticeable but play an
important role in the health and well-being of older persons. The diminished
sense of smell may indirectly affect appetite and be accompanied by a gradual
loss of taste buds so that a senior can’t enjoy the flavor of foods as much.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Good nutrition is
critical to the overall health of older persons. Food intake is also influenced
by the social environment so, for an older person living alone, having to
prepare food for a pet may encourage them to prepare food for themselves.
Often, pets can substitute for other social contact during meals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Also, if a senior is less able to smell smoke from fire or
toxic odors, pets can often alert their owners to those dangerous changes in
the environment.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cardiovascular System</b>:
Companion animals can make an important difference in promoting quality of life
for seniors with cardiovascular disease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Watching or petting a pet can help them relax and lower blood pressure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking a pet or playing catch may be just
the stimulus an older person needs to engage in activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having to walk or care for pets becomes a reason
to get up in the morning.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Musculoskeletal
System</b>: Changes in the musculoskeletal system directly affect how well
older persons can move about in their environment. Disuse impairs many
functions. Companion animals can play a very important role here: Brisk
walking, easily done with a dog, is the simplest form of weight-bearing
exercise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throwing a toy or holding an
object for a cat to paw provides an opportunity to exercise arm and shoulder
joints.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A pet can help an older person, not only with better
physical health, but with dealing with loss, improved social attitudes, mental
health, and happiness. All good reasons to own a pet!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Excerpted from “The Role Animals Play in Enhancing Quality
of Life for the Elderly.”</span></i></div>
Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-71331939905601353022013-03-19T23:39:00.000-04:002013-05-07T23:47:58.923-04:00A Pet Can Make Your Life Better - Part 1<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With the aging of our population, there has been increased
attention placed on health promotion for persons of all ages, especially those
60 and older.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This article underscores
the value of pet ownership in promoting health and enhancing quality of life for
seniors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aging is a dynamic interactive process influenced by a
person’s internal and external environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The external environment can include a living situation, activity
levels, nutrition, and social factors. Having a companion animal impacts ones external
environment and has been shown to have a positive effect on quality of life for
many seniors. Although there is still much to be learned about the effects of
the human-animal companion bond, studies have shown that pet ownership can
increase social interaction, improve mental health, and decrease depression.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Companion animals can play an important role in compensating
for losses and age-related change in older persons. Sensory changes are among
the first age-related changes noted by seniors and can have a profound effect
on quality of life because these changes affect how one receives and responds
to stimuli.</span></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Vision: Proper correction of visual deficits will enable the
older person to watch fish swim in an aquarium, watch wild animals in the yard
or birds flying about outdoors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any one
of these visually stimulating activities keeps the older person “connected” to
his or her environment and serves as an important means of sensory stimulation.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hearing: Hearing loss is the 3<sup>rd</sup> most frequently
reported chronic condition of persons over 65. A companion animal can serve as
an alert system while outdoors but also draw attention to guests and
intruders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, the companion
animal can reinforce the older person’s attempts to communicate verbally especially
when taking the animal outdoors.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Touch: Touch sensitivity is known to be reduced with aging.
While the skin serves many physiologic functions it is also involved in sensory
perception and expression of feelings. Aging typically decreases the older person’s
opportunities to touch or be touched at a time when the need for tactile
stimulation increases with age. Most pets provide an opportunity to fulfill the
need to touch and be touched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The cold
wet nose of a faithful canine friend, the velvet feel of a cat’s sleek coat,
the softness of a bunny’s ears, the gentle peck of a budgie can be the stimulus
that connects the older person to reality.” </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Smell and Taste: Changes in olfactory and gustatory systems
are less noticeable but play an important role in the health and well-being of
older persons. There is a diminished sense of smell which may indirectly affect
appetite; this may be accompanied by a gradual loss of taste buds resulting in
a decreased ability to enjoy the flavor of foods. Food intake is also
influenced by the social environment and the importance of good nutrition to
the overall health of older persons is critical. For an older person living
alone, having to prepare food for a pet may serve as stimulus to prepare food
for one’s self. Often, the presence of pets during meals can be a substitute
for other social contact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reduced
sense of smell may put seniors at risk for injury related to undetected smoke
from fire and as well as toxic odors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pets often alert their owners to undesired or dangerous changes I the
environment.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Cardiovascular System: Cardiovascular disease is common
among persons over 65. Risk factors can be separated into two categories
non-modifiable and modifiable. It is in the area of modifiable risk factors that
companion animals can make an important difference in promoting quality of life
for seniors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Observing and/or petting a
companion animal has been associated with a reduction in blood pressure and an
increase in relaxation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking a pet or
playing catch may be just the stimulus that is needed for the older person to
engage in activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having to walk
and/or care for pets gives the older person a reason the get up in the morning.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Musculoskeletal System: Changes that occur in this system
have a direct effect on the manner and ability of older persons to move about
in their environment. Although disease processes do affect a large number of
seniors, many of the observed impairments in functioning are related to disuse.
It is in the area of musculoskeletal fitness that companion animals take on
particular importance. Brisk walking is the simplest form of weight-bearing
exercise and can easily be done with a dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Throwing a toy or holding an object for a cat to paw at provides an
opportunity to exercise arm and shoulder joints.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Importance of Pets to Seniors: One of the most common issues
for seniors is loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Advancing age
brings with it increased losses in many areas including physical losses such as
mobility, vision, and hearing; psychological losses such as memory and
problem-solving abilities; and social losses such as support,
institutionalization and death of loved ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How one deals with loss may be the single greatest factor affecting the
quality of remaining years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The presence
of a companion animal to whom one is attached may be a moderator in helping
seniors deal with losses.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Studies have shown the therapeutic value of pet ownership
through improved social attitudes, mental health, and happiness. For those
living independently in the community, pet ownership has been shown to enhance
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For persons entering a
residential living situation, pet ownership may lessen the impact of loss of
personal freedom. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Excerpted from, “The Role Animals Play in Enhancing Quality
of Life for the Elderly”.</span></i></div>
Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-76680226099350421502013-02-05T23:16:00.000-05:002013-05-07T23:19:16.486-04:00Meet Trudy Byington, Your Community Nurse<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was a name tag worn by a friend that got Trudy Byington, Westminster’s community nurse, into nursing. Trudy had been working in a factory for thirteen years, and she and her husband had a three-year-old son and a set of twins on the way, when she saw the name tag that read “G.N.” She was curious.<br />It turned out that the friend had earned her licensed practical nurse degree, then attended New Hampshire Technical College for a year to become a registered nurse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />“I said ‘I can’t do four years, but I can do two years,’” said Trudy. So she took two years of evening classes while still working, then, as she says, “we took the plunge and said we’ll suffer through.” She quit her job in 1989 and went to school full-time at New Hampshire Technical College. “My mother [Henriette Swarts, a Westminster resident since 2009] was my biggest support, along with my husband [Rob],” Trudy said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />After graduating in 1991, and getting her R.N. license, Trudy worked at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene and then the Visiting Nurses Association, where she stayed for more than seventeen years. “I got a lot of experience, and met a lot of people in the community,” she said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />When Ronnie Friedman, Westminster Cares’ executive director, was looking for a community nurse in 2010, Trudy was ready to turn to more direct dealing with patients, and took the job. She also works part-time in some of the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union schools.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Trudy was born Trudy Swarts in the Netherlands, and then immigrated to Canada with her family when she was a year old. They moved to the U.S. when Trudy was four, and two years later to Bellows Falls.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />As the community nurse, Trudy is referred by Westminster Cares to elderly and adults with disabilities who may not be eligible for home-based services from other agencies and organizations. Her care is free. She does nonemergency care, such as foot care and wound care, helps with medication, blood pressure checks and lots of assessment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Many of her calls are to people who are unsure what they need. Are they ill enough to call a doctor? What should they do? Their health is starting to fail; what are their options?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />“It’s a lot of education,” Trudy said. “Often it’s reinstruction of things people have already learned, like how to administer insulin. Often they just need somebody to talk to and to tell them what resources are out there. And it’s often connecting people back with their families. A lot of it is reassurance – is what I have normal or not?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />“I still like home care best, especially dealing with the elderly, ” she says.<br />If you think you or a loved one could use Trudy’s services, call Westminster Cares at 722-3607.</span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-57316140877656572582013-02-05T23:14:00.000-05:002013-05-07T23:15:45.692-04:00<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Westminster Cares honored the town’s 90-plus-year-old residents at its annual meeting November 4, 2012 at the Westminster Central Fire Station. There are currently seventeen Westminster people who are 90 or older-- eight of them attended the event, along with many family members and town residents. They enjoyed talking with townspeople, and were served lunch and cake to celebrate their birthdays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Emcee Pete Harrison, Westminster Cares’ treasurer, related some information about each honoree, accompanied by a slideshow of photographs from the lives of many of them created by board member Don Dawson. Some were photos of their early years; many were photos of the houses in Westminster where they lived or live now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Pete had many anecdotes to share. Here’s one, told to him by Artie Aiken: Artie borrowed a block and tackle from a neighbor, who told him, “Just bring it back when you are going by sometime.” Artie said he was very busy working on the railroad in those days and time got away from him. “Next thing I knew,” said Artie, “the local sheriff appeared in my yard and asked me about the tools I had borrowed.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The sheriff at the time was George Woods. “Let me see that block and tackle,” George said. After looking it over, George told Artie: “You can keep it. The person you borrowed it from borrowed it from my father three years ago and never returned it.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The photo of Evelyn Rhoades’ house, on Route 5 on the flats, was shown twice. Why? Evelyn Aubuchont lived there before she sold it to the Rhoadeses in 1976. Coincidentally, the two Evelyns both had maiden names of Evelyn Adams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Here are the 90-plus-year-olds, and their dates of birth. There are two couples in the group: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Jack Keil 12/30/22 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Dennis Payne 12/25/22 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Betty Holton 2/2/22 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Evelyn Aubuchont 11/26/21 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Russell Blodgett 5/30/21 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Barbara Keil 4/19/21 [Jack Keil’s wife] </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Amelia Zezima 3/24/21 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Doc Buck 2/23/21</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Arlene Reed 12/22/20 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Arlene Bates 12/19/19 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Evelyn Rhoades 4/26/19 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Ralph Atkins 10/12/18 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Everett Reed 7/20/16 [Arlene’s husband] </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Margaret DiFredo 1/12/16 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Everett Garland 9/5/14 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Artie Aiken 6/10/13 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Louise Morse 5/20/13 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Dick Morse 3/31/13</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />These honored guests were able to attend: Dennis Payne, Dr. Ralph Buck, Arlene Reed, Arlene Bates, Evelyn Rhoades, Everett Reed, Artie Aiken, and Dick Morse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />When Westminster Cares celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2013, there will be three residents turning 100 years of age. Stay tuned for a big celebration! Meanwhile, the organization is in the midst of its annual appeal, and if it meets its goal of raising $12,000, the Thomas Thompson Trust will give an extra $10,000.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The Thompson Trust gives money to charitable organizations that provide health care and other social services in Windham County, Vermont. Any contribution can be designated as a memorial donation. For more information, you can call the Westminster Cares office at 722-3607 or email wecares@sover.net. For more information about Westminster Cares, visit the website at <a href="http://www.westminstercares.org/">www.westminstercares.org</a>.</span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-33903748075254393912013-02-05T22:58:00.000-05:002013-05-07T23:07:23.937-04:00Six Tips for Keeping Your Brain – and Memory – Youthful<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last month, we wrote about memory as we age. Although the brain’s ability to remember declines as we get older, there are ways to slow that decline.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />This month, we offer a few strategies on how to keep that memory agile. These tips are also taken from a presentation given to the advisory board of the Bellows Falls Senior Center last February by Sue Ann Forcier, elder care outreach coordinator for Senior Solutions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />It’s important to stay mentally active: learn a new pastime, play cards or games, memorize anything new— a line from a song, a rhyme or prayer. Challenge yourself with learning a new route while driving; pay attention to the details and write them down when you get home. It’s just as important to stay mentally active. That helps stimulate executive functioning as you follow the flow of conversation, reading and interpreting the others’ responses. It also helps reduce isolation, one of the factors contributing to dementia.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The task:</i> Go on a guided tour of a museum or another site of interest. Pay careful attention to what the guide says. When you get home, try to reconstruct the tour by writing an outline that includes everything you remember. <br /><i>Why:</i> Research into brain plasticity (the ability of the brain to change at any age) indicates that memory activities that engage all levels of brain operation—receiving, remembering and thinking—help to improve the function and hinder the rate of decline of the brain.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The task:</i> Choose a song with lyrics you enjoy but don't have memorized. Listen to the song as many times as necessary to write down all the lyrics. Then learn to sing along. Once you've mastered one song, move on to another. <br /><i>Why:</i> Developing better habits of careful listening will help you in your understanding, thinking and remembering. Reconstructing the song requires close attention and an active memory. When you focus, you release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a brain chemical that enables plasticity and vivifies memory.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The task:</i> If you've ever thought about learning to play an instrument or take up an old one. <br /><i>Why:</i> Playing an instrument helps you exercise many interrelated dimensions of brain function, including listening, control of refined movements and translation of written notes (sight) to music (movement and sound).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The task:</i> Do a jigsaw puzzle that will be challenging for you—no fewer than 500 pieces. <br /><i>Why:</i> Mundane as they may seem, jigsaw puzzles can provide real help for your brain. Completing one requires fine visual judgments about where pieces belong. It entails mentally rotating the pieces, manipulating them in your hands, and shifting your attention from the small piece to the big picture. To top it off, it's rewarding to find the right pieces.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The Task:</i> Increase your physical activities, no matter how small. <i><br />Why:</i> New research indicates that exercise has positive benefits for the hippocampus, a brain structure that is important for learning and memory. It can even help your brain create new cells.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The Task:</i> Get a good night’s sleep. <br /><i>Why:</i> Scientists believe that our brains consolidate learning and memories during sleep. Studies have shown that people who don't sleep enough have more trouble learning new information, while sleeping well after learning something new helps the brain effectively put that information into long term memory. </span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Westminster Cares offers many opportunities to volunteer. You can deliver Meals on Wheels, take an elderly neighbor to the doctor or shopping, visit someone who lives alone, take a walk with a neighbor or serve on one of our committees. To find out how you can volunteer, call Westminster Cares at 722-3607 or email wecares@sover.net</span></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-74906534044496617972013-02-05T22:48:00.000-05:002013-05-07T22:57:34.787-04:00Taxes Can Be So Taxing<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As hard as it may seem, April is just around the corner, when we’ll all be scurrying to get our taxes ready for April 15.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Taxes are incredibly complex in this day and age, say Patrick Madden and Annette Spaulding of Spaulding & Madden Tax Services in Westminster. The very first Form 1040 in 1913 was only three pages long and now, when your return is complete, you end up with a small encyclopedia. Tax issues and planning for seniors is one of the most important issues tax preparers deal with. There are too many issues to cover but here are a few, according to Spaulding and Madden:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Seniors are often faced with medical issues that can also lead to home improvements or renovations due to medical problems, and that can have tax implications.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For those who are still working and receiving Social Security, you must plan your tax withholding, as up to 85% of your Social Security can be taxable, depending on your earned income.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pensioners after age 70 must have Required Minimum Distributions taken out of their pensions or face penalties.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Seniors with investment income fared well the fast few years, as the capital gain rate was set at 15% or less for 2012. It can even be 0%, depending on circumstances. This affects you if you sell stocks or property other than your primary residence. But who knows what Congress will pass this coming year?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of the most important issues that seniors must deal with is estate planning. It is critical that you consult with a professional to properly plan for your estate. “We cannot stress enough the importance of sitting down with a tax professional and discussing your situation in order to properly plan for your retirement years,” Spaulding and Madden say.</span></li>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Resources for you</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There are resources available to assist you with your tax preparation and the sooner you get started, the easier it will be to submit your taxes in a timely manner. For starters:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">SEVCA (located at 91 Buck Street in Westminster, next to Allen Brothers), in cooperation with the United Way, will provide FREE tax return preparation. This service is provided through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which offers free tax help for taxpayers who have household income up to $50,000. For more information, call SEVCA directly at 802-722-4575.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">H & R Block will provide a free “second-look” service for any of your tax returns over the last three years as well as reviewing this year’s return, prior to submittal. They’ll make sure you’re receiving all the proper credits and deductions you may (or may not) be entitled to. Contact one of the local offices in Bellows Falls (802) 463-4633 or Brattleboro (802) 257-7809.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Additionally, you can dial 2-1-1 to find out more about getting assistance for tax preparation. The Vermont-based website - http://www.vtlawhelp.org/taxes - will also provide you with detailed information on how to get tax preparation. There are some requirements, so be sure to read or to call and ask questions first.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />AARP also provides an online service where you can look for agencies that provide free tax support. Please visit http://www.vtlawhelp.org/node/160 for more information.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Westminster Cares offers many opportunities to volunteer. You can deliver Meals on Wheels, take an elderly neighbor to the doctor or shopping, visit someone who lives alone, take a walk with a neighbor or serve on one of our committees. To find out how you can volunteer, call Westminster Cares at 722-3607 or email wecares@sover.net</span></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-29491970897984633902012-01-23T22:41:00.000-05:002013-05-07T22:48:40.177-04:00A Feast for the Senses<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Twice a month, an eclectic gathering of individuals enter the Westminster Fire Station to participate in the Secrets of Healthy Aging discussion group and potluck, a program of Westminster Cares. This group of seniors, ranging in age from the sixty's to ninety's, gathers to explore the unique issues faced in the aging process, engaging in an infinite variety and depth of topics. We've been meeting since 2002, some of the original members still attending.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />It is my blessing and challenge (depending on the day!) to facilitate this group of outspoken, hilarious, sincere and generous-hearted people. All of us consider our meetings a feast of the senses! Let me offer some examples.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />"The things this table has heard," declares one long time attendee! Sitting around the table, some of the things heard include: raucous laughter, life experiences, opinions that challenge and intrigue, welcoming of new members, and thoughts and stories that inspire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Continuing with the sense of sight, participants gaze upon strangers who have become friends; a diverse group of people happy to be in each others' presence. Joyful shouting greets new arrivals (even the late ones!) while we try not to ogle each other's potluck items. Exercising a different form of sight, that of deep insight, one group member has called our gatherings a place where, "minds are working and souls are shared."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Touch comes into play as the group mascot, my "senior" dog, Minnie, wanders from person to person with her own calm, sweet, greetings. Here and there someone pauses to stroke soft fur and receive cold-nosed nuzzling. When a person new to the group arrives, everyone eagerly jostles to make space - figuratively and literally - at the table, ready to be touched by whatever it is that person may bring to the gathering. Or, as one person said, "touching each other's hearts with our spoken words."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Depending on the seasons of our meetings, the smells wafting through the room are sometimes subtle, and sometimes commanding, but always adding to our sensory participation! New-mown grass, whispering rain, the first snow...and, oh! Warm bread awaiting us - baked by one of the group. Sometimes, our discussion may focus on what sensory awarenesses people are having; it's not unusual for our waiting lunch to play a starring role!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />And last, but certainly not least, is our shared meal; a sumptuous conclusion encompassing a feast of all the senses, especially taste. Over the years participants have found great pleasure in bringing a unique selection of edibles - which of course, is not complete unless chocolate is present! The unknown accompanies us with every discussion and every meal. We never plan what we'll bring to the table, verbally or gustatorily! Somehow it always works. No one is ever required to speak before they're ready, or bring food to share - there's always more than enough of both to warm our hearts, minds and bellies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />And on top of all that, at any given meeting, "we have been known to burst into song!" Come give us a try!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />If you would like more information about this gathering, please call Westminster Cares at 722-3607 or email: <a href="mailto:wecares@sover.net">wecares@sover.net</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Cheryl Richards, MA, CT</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">is an End of Life & Grief</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Counselor & Educator</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-72360829963858089062012-01-23T22:36:00.000-05:002013-05-07T22:40:42.708-04:00Dick Morse: 98 and Still Going Strong<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Westminster hasn't changed much through the eyes of Richard "Dick" Morse, 98. He remembers growing up in North Westminster, learning to swim in the Saxton's River, picking berries, and having fun all around the area. He remembers Interstate 91 coming in and taking all the traffic off Route5. He even thinks of how the floods have gotten better and worse over the years. Yet he says the people of Westminster haven't changed much. He even joked that the only thing that changed are people's last names.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Dick was born in Keene in 1913. He moved to Gageville in 1921 when he was 8. Then he moved to Westminster, on the corner of Henwood Hill and Route 5, in the early 50's. He worked in refrigeration, and still owns birds like he did those many years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Dick went into the bird business because the farm house he bought on Henwood Hill was all set up for raising chickens, so he decided to try it out. He started with several thousand Rhode Island Reds, for their eggs, and after a few tries he got the hang of it. He sold eggs retail to stores and restaurants in the area and from his farm. He has been raising birds ever since, although no longer for egg sales.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Dick has had many jobs through the years. He used to work at the corn canning factory in Westminster Station where Community Feed is now. He remembers unloading bags of sugar that came in by railroad for the factory. Farmers in the area used to supply sweet corn to the plant, he said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />He worked at a wreath factory, located near the present-day carwash, as a wreath inspector in his late teens. Through most of his adult life, he worked in the refrigeration business. He began with household refrigerators, and ice tanks that cooled milk cans on dairy farms. Then, when new bulk tanks came in in the 1950's, he worked on those. Because a bulk tank had to be installed between a farm's twice-daily milkings, he would start early in the morning and keep on working until it was finished, often late at night. He thinks about how many more farms there used to be in Westminster in the past.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Dick to this day still splits his own firewood, and he and his wife Ruth work in the garden together. I see him out there all the time, doing what most people stop doing in their 60’s or 70’s, but Dick has continuously done to this very day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Julia Waldron, 13, is the daughter</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">of Dan Harlow of Westminster. She</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">will be a freshman at Portsmouth</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>High School this fall.</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-51646159347494475702012-01-23T22:28:00.000-05:002013-05-07T22:35:55.991-04:00Feel Better with a Free Workshop<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you're interested in feeling as well as possible, and doing more of the things you love to do, then you should know about the free Healthier Living Workshop. I took it myself, and I heartily recommend this six-week program to anyone with a long-term health challenge. I already knew a lot about healthy living and healthcare, and still this program was amazingly helpful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />In the Healthier Living Workshop we discovered we're all in good company when it comes to most of our challenges, feelings and frustrations. And whether we have arthritis, high blood pressure, asthma, CFS, depression, heart disease, fibromyalgia, COPD, or anything else chronic, there is hope. In the supportive setting of the Healthier Living Workshop, we explored new directions, set our own goals, and solved problems with the help of other participants. It was often fun, at times inspiring, and always gave us power to move forward and improve our daily lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The Healthier Living Workshop encourages self-directed problem-solving in the face of long-term health conditions, with the help of a supportive small group. It’s not an exercise program, but will help you set realistic goals for your physical activity and nutrition. I was very impressed with the quality of the information, the effectiveness of the activities, and the skill of the leaders. Leaders have been through the Workshop because they have a chronic condition or care for someone who does, so they know what they’re talking about!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />We got a lot of good information and practice on reducing stress, changing negative thinking, reducing pain, and many other helpful strategies. We also got a wonderful free book and relaxation CD. There was no bias against alternative or mainstream care. We learned techniques for setting achievable goals, asking for help, communication, and other valuable skills as they relate to our health.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />While this free workshop is valuable for a great many seniors, adults of every age with chronic conditions can do it. Caregivers are welcome too! Based on research by Stanford University, the Healthier Living Workshop has been proven to reduce the need for doctor visits and to improve people's health by several measures. It is being held all over Vermont, throughout the year, and will continue into the foreseeable future. These FREE six-session Workshops are part of Vermont's Blueprint for Health to prevent illness and complications. If it seems difficult to find time to attend, think of it as an investment in your well-being. You deserve it!<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Workshop is routinely held at local hospitals, senior centers, and other public places. Contact a local coordinator to ask questions or sign up. The coordinator for Brattleboro & West River Valley is Jessie Casella at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, jcasella@bmhvt.org 802-257-8357. The coordinator for the greater Bellows Falls area is Nancy Schaefer of Springfield Medical Care Systems, inmotion@vermontel.net 802-869-3053. You may also pick up a flyer at Sojourns Community Health Clinic on Route 5 in Westminster.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Janis Hall</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-69591402406108316842012-01-23T22:24:00.000-05:002013-05-07T22:28:25.150-04:00Going My Way?<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I believe there is an opportunity to make someone’s day a little brighter simply by offering to take them for a ride. I do meals on wheels at least twice a month and I take a local 97 year old with me. We deliver lunches to between 10 and 14 people covering around 30 miles each trip. Artie not only gets to see the sights, but he gets a big wave and a smile from some people he has known for years and would not otherwise come in contact with. I’ll bet if you look around and think about it, there is someone out there who would love to be asked to go for a ride. I don’t mean to just jump in the car and do a scenic tour, I’m talking about having someone go with you when you have a specific errand to do. Going to recycling, doing basic errands, banking, or quick trips to the grocery store are examples. Having a specific task in mind might make the person riding with you feel less of a burden and more like they are keeping you company. I would avoid being in a situation where there is any waiting time for your passenger. That could turn out to be painful. You wouldn’t want your friend to wish they had stayed home. Some of these people may even have a car and be able to drive, but going for a ride alone is not a pleasant thought for them. We all understand the value of having someone to talk with. Just getting out with another person for a short ride would more than likely make that person’s day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Give it a try. You may get more pleasure out of the experience than you had imagined.</span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-12824801065389761612011-10-05T16:58:00.000-04:002013-05-07T16:59:32.480-04:00Choices, Choices, Choices<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Who among us regardless of how many resources we have, wish to spend their final days in a nursing home or a hospital? How many of us would make alternative plans if given a choice? And how many of us have been taught that decisions about long-term care must be made by medical professionals? It is time for people to start questioning for themselves: "What is best for me?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />With the State of Vermont's push to allow more people to remain in the community as they age yet require some assistance, the most important thing to consider is that if you begin to plan early enough all choices may be yours to determine. However, when you are in a crisis there is not much help we can give you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont receives countless calls on our Senior HelpLine when families are already in crisis. Someone took a fall, broke a hip, or else the family home has become a burden that cannot be handled. Often when an elder contacts us for help with long-term care options it is far too late for many good choices. Housing options, caregivers available in one's community, perhaps an adult day program could have or would have been able to be arranged with more time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />We all want to determine how we live our lives. What is defined as quality by one person may be different for another. Agency staff are willing and able to help elders and their families begin the process of looking at long-term care options and asking the key questions before there is a crisis.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />If you are aware of someone who has not made any long range plans, is becoming more frail and could benefit from a fruitful discussion about options, please let them know there is help. Planning ahead could mean the difference between being in total control of your life and being put in the position of having medical professionals and others make those decisions for you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />For more information, please call the Senior HelpLine : 1-800-642-5119.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Joyce A. Lemire, Executive Director<br />Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, Inc</i>.</span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-37329825206737626522011-05-13T21:29:00.000-04:002013-05-07T21:54:18.574-04:00A Care Giver and End of Life Experience<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the last six months of 2010 my husband began a decline in his health and ability to help himself. He was using a cane and walker most of the time but had frequent falls and needed help to get up. I began to depend on family, neighbors, and Westminster Fire and Rescue to help. On several occasions I called on the expertise of the Westminster Cares nurse to help with scrapes and bruises and to tell if we needed to see the doctor. Somehow he never broke a<br />bone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />His decline was slow but progressive over the next six months, and I put to use many of the services I had learned about as a member of the Council on Aging Advisory Council. I wanted to continue working part time but felt that my husband shouldn’t be home alone. We started out with Life Line but he didn’t use it because it was difficult for him to understand and he was rarely alone for more an hour or two. I decided to hire someone to stay with him while I was at work so that I could then have some time to run errands as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The Life Line and caregiver were the first paid expenses. It worked well for both of us and we had a delightful caregiver. I could still help him get in and out of the car and take him to appointments, the store or for a ride. When that became more difficult we bought the kind of walker that had handlebars and a seat so that he could sit down when his knees were giving out. That type of walker was great to use at the table and for getting around in the house as well<br />as walking on the street.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />However, it wasn’t too long before walking was painful and my husband needed a wheelchair. We needed to see the doctor in Brattleboro every week and it became very difficult to transfer him from the car to the wheelchair. My husband was also having difficulty swallowing because of an atrophied epiglottis. The doctor decided it was time to ask a nurse from the Visiting Nurse<br />Association (VNA) to come to the house and check my husband’s vital signs and take blood checks, saving us the trip to town each week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />This was a big change because we couldn’t go out any longer. The VNA nurse came to the house to do assessments and set up a schedule with the occupational, physical and speech therapists. The VNA speech therapist would come to the home and teach my husband specific exercises. The nurses were caring and professional in every way. Medicare covered eighty percent of the VNA expense. The deductibles in our supplemental insurance had not been met<br />at this point.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />I learned how to prepare special foods. A home health aide came every day to help with showering. We found someone to build a ramp to our front door. Before long we were using a wheel chair all of the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />I had information about The Gathering Place Adult Day Center in Brattleboro and after visiting there, decided to sign up my husband to attend twice a week. The Connecticut River Transit picked him up at our house and brought him home. This was a wonderful service to have for about four months. He enjoyed his time there and was painting and participating in group activities. That gave me time to shop, work in the yard or just be alone. I knew my husband was trying his best to help himself and I know he knew that I was tired and he wanted to give me some time alone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />We could still communicate about the day-to-day activities. But we didn’t get much sleep because we got up several times in the night. Finally, we hired help to come for one overnight each week. We paid for these services out of our pocket. (This might not be the case for everyone who wants to attend adult day.) Our daughter, son and son-in-law were also helping in many ways.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Although the services were very helpful and necessary there now were people in and out of our house all the time. Sometimes we would have four or five visits and many phone calls during the day. We were trying to complete the exercises that had been suggested by the speech and physical therapist. Furniture had to be moved so the wheel chair could fit through the house.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Special food needed to be prepared to help prevent choking. We were both anxious when he choked. We knew that if he ingested food into his lungs he would get pneumonia. This was all becoming overwhelming, and everyone was getting more and more tired. I had to do a lot of lifting. It was difficult. We absolutely needed all the help we could get. The nurses were always helpful and kept telling me I was doing a good job. It was our family’s wish to make my<br />husband’s life as normal and pleasant as possible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />We frequently had visits from our clergy and friends for which we were thankful. Our daughter and her husband came over in the evenings to help out and visit. It became apparent that no one person could give this much care, particularly if that person was an elderly spouse or had health issues of their own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />On one visit the nurse called 911 because my husband had become very weak and she suspected that he was dehydrated. This was the case and he was in the hospital for a week with pneumonia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />When it was time to bring him home from the hospital, he needed a hospital bed, a Hoyer lift for transferring in and out of bed and oxygen. How all of these items fit into the bedroom was a puzzle. We had to keep a sense of humor through all of this. Thankfully, my husband was always pleasant and thanked everyone for all they did for him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The hospital discharge planner and the doctor at the hospital talked to us about going on to Hospice Care. This was a very difficult decision because it was admitting that we were heading toward the end of life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />To make the best of it we decorated the room for Christmas and had soft lights and music in the bedroom. It was a very pleasant atmosphere despite the wheelchair, lift, and oxygen tank and hospital bed. The hospice nurses came every day, the hospice doctor talked to us at length about the pain medications that we would be using. Hospice was on call 24/7. I did call several times and the nurse was calming and helpful. A hospice counselor came to talk with the family about end of life wishes and concerns. They were caring and compassionate. On two occasions a hospice volunteer sat with my husband but I was nervous to leave him. I thought he might be frightened to be alone with a stranger with no family around in case of an emergency.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Between myself, our caregiver, daughter, son, and son-in-law we shared the round-the-clock care giving. It was a difficult six months mainly because things just kept changing so quickly, but hospice gave us lots of information so we could help my husband and also know what to expect as his body shut down. We made his end of life the best we could. Hospice came right away when we called. They stayed with us and were there to pronounce his passing. Hospice<br />also sent a counselor to visit with us the next day. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am thankful that he could be at home and would wish that for most people. However it is all consuming, tiring and takes many helping hands. This would be impossible for many families. It would also have depleted most of our savings without Medicare.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />To give you an idea of the cost of all of this I broke it down into the following approximant<br />numbers:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Private care and Adult Day Care $17,000 Private pay<br />Medicare for VNA/Hospice 20,297<br />Medicare – Hospital 8,942<br />Medicare – Ambulance 1,000<br />Medicare - Doctor and Lab work 2,822<br />Equipment <u> 1,700 </u> Private pay<br />Total $51,751</span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-61799127038278997252011-04-07T21:23:00.000-04:002013-05-07T21:27:39.195-04:00How to Best Prepare for an Emergency<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It is always helpful to try to plan for emergencies in advance. The Advisory Council of the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, Inc. has been meeting for quite some time to plan and implement a simple means to prepare for emergencies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The Emergency Readiness for Older Adults and Caregivers Checklist, developed by the Administration on Aging, helps individuals to think about the risks they might face; a list of items they would need to survive in their homes until help arrives and a personal plan.. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />These checklists are available through the Council on Aging.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />In addition, the Advisory Council has created an Emergency Preparedness Self Register. This one page document outlines whether the individual requires oxygen or other equipment using power, has a vehicle or not, and other information that would be helpful for the local Emergency Preparedness Coordinator in each community to have. In case of emergencies, the coordinator<br />would know which residents might be in need of special help. If someone completes personal information for this register, the only person to have access to this would be the Town's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Each town has assigned a person to be the coordinator.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The goal of the Council on Aging is to assist any individual who would like to plan ahead for some type of disaster or emergency. The information collected would not be accessible to staff at the agency but would be turned over to the particular town's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The Advisory Council is made up of representatives from each town in Windham and Windsor county. Some towns recommend the checklist, and others do not. To find out if your town does recommend the checklist, call the Senior Help Line at 1-800-642-5119. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />To receive a copy of the Checklist or the name of the Emergency Preparedness coordinator in your town please call the Senior Help Line at 1-800-642-5119.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Joyce Lemire, Council on Aging<br />for Southeastern Vermont, Inc.</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-44399245340580253682011-04-07T21:07:00.000-04:002013-05-07T21:20:46.945-04:00Peaceable Living<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We had moved our mother into a new assisted living complex in early 2000. It was such a wonderful place. It gave my mother independence, yet we knew she was being watched over in the event of an emergency. My four sisters and two brothers helped with the move; as stressful as it was, it clearly took a toll on our mother as well. This wasn’t what she wanted, yet she knew deep down that this was the best for her welfare. She couldn’t live alone, so far from friends and<br />family, and this was her new home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />It had now been two months since that move, and this was my first visit to her new place. Imagine my shock when we walked into what looked like a complete stranger’s home. All her belongings were gone, replaced with new furnishings. A few familiar pictures adorned the walls, reminders of her life well-lived. The only other remaining items that truly meant something quite powerful to my mom were our old couch and a chime clock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The chime clock hung neatly in the dining room, as it always had but now no longer chimed (I fixed the clock later). The couch had been the centerpiece in our home for many years; lots of holiday gatherings, laughter by the fire, curled up watching Sunday football. But because a few of my family members who live nearest to my Mom didn’t care for the couch (it’s old and falling apart), it was placed on the screened-in porch at the new complex. Want to guess where my<br />mother was spending nearly all of her time?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />My sisters had taken the lead in this effort because we were moving my Mom close by to their homes. However, my sisters did what they would have wanted for their aging years. They set up a Laura Ashley-like home, picture perfect in every way - except that it wasn’t perfect for our mother.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />If I had to do it all over again, I would have spoken to my mother in more detail before the move. I would have spoken to my sisters before they did what they thought was the right thing. Their hearts were in the right place but they never thought about how simply our Mother liked to live. I didn’t want to chastise my sisters for turning my mother’s new place into a showroom, because they did a great job. However, I did ask: “Where did her memories end up?” It wasn’t a pleasant discussion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />As our parents age, let’s remember that there’s a balance between allowing them to live their lives in the way in which they have already lived their many years and how we’d like to see them live out their remaining years. TALK TO THEM NOW! Talk to your siblings. Have a plan. Reacting to circumstances is not a plan but a trap that will cause more anger, arguments and frustration at a time when you need to be compassionate, understanding and consoling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes, health, memory issues and mental capacity play into all of these decisions and can certainly change decisions made previously. But starting a dialogue sooner allows everyone to better understand what to expect further down the road.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Don Dawson, Westminster<br />Cares Board Member</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-12117158776304761922010-10-25T17:13:00.000-04:002013-05-07T21:06:27.623-04:00The New Wonder Vitamin<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The vitamin of the decade has been chosen – Vitamin D. Everyone is taking vitamin D supplements for nearly every health benefit imaginable. It prevents osteoporosis, cancer, aging, flu, colds, heart disease, Parkinson’s Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis. You name it, vitamin D can prevent it. This is suspiciously reminiscent of vitamin C in the Linus Pauling era.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />So, what do we know about vitamin D? In a nutshell: it is produced by human skin when exposed to sunlight with a UV index of more than 3. It is also found naturally in some foods, notably catfish, salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, eggs, beef liver, and for vegans, mushrooms. Other foods such as milk and cereals are fortified with vitamin D. Severe deficiency causes rickets in children and osteomalacia (soft, easily broken bones) in adults. Severe excess results<br />in too much calcium in the blood with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and kidney damage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Too much vitamin D during pregnancy causes mental retardation and facial deformities in the fetus. Vitamin D is used by nearly every cell in our bodies to regulate everything from calcium levels to immunity. Recent research has shown that too low or too high blood levels of vitamin D are associated with an increase in mortality from all causes. Low levels are strongly associated with<br />an increase in deaths from heart disease. As with most things, balance is the key: neither too high nor too low.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />The evidence for vitamin D as a prevention for cancer deaths is impressive for colorectal cancer, less so for breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. It is clearly essential, along with calcium and other nutrients, in the prevention of osteoporosis. Studies of immunity are more theoretical than real; it does seem to provide some protection from colds and flu in the winter months when sun exposure is insufficient to maintain adequate blood levels. The evidence for<br />prevention of MS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s is based on inadequate data. Research is in its earliest stages and the randomized controlled trials that will give more definitive answers have not been done yet. Taking large doses of vitamin D for long periods of time without this data, is like offering oneself up as a Guinea pig in an experiment without anyone overseeing the effects.<br />Do so at your own risk. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That said how much vitamin D3 (not D2) should you take? The consensus seems to be that the RDA of 200-600IU per day is too low and should be closer to 1,000IU, especially in the winter months. There is no way to know how much you should be taking without a blood test to find out where you are now. If your level is low, ask your doctor how much to take and be sure your blood test is repeated in 3-6 months. If you are pregnant do not take vitamin D without your physician’s okay. And keep watching for the research that will someday tell us the truth about vitamin D.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Judith J. Petry, M.D., resident of<br />Westminster, Vermont</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-11735654178220448482010-10-05T17:08:00.000-04:002013-05-07T17:13:31.590-04:00Our End of Life Letters<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Having our life prolonged as long as possible is one thing, but having our death a prolonged event is an altogether different matter. Medical science has the ability to keep our bodies going long after our spirits have departed and our purses are empty. Protection from too much treatment is available to us through what is now called the Advance Directive, previously known as a combination of the Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Let's be clear: Advance Directives should not be thought of as legal instruments. Rather, as forms, they provide us the opportunity to state the kind of treatment we would want in our latter days. In the event we are no longer able to make health care decisions, we can name other(s) who know what we want and can act and decide on our behalf. In effect, they are letters to our family and doctors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />It has been shown that hope near life's end is a vital boost to morale, and this hope derives from having some control over events. This is what Advance Directives offer. We have the chance to choose and to limit, often, the treatments available. We can put a brake on the sheer momentum of treatment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />What is most crucial about Advance Directives is, first, they give us a way of thinking about our latter days, and second, provide us with a vehicle to talk to our family and doctor about our views. It is important not only that we make out these forms, but that we distribute them to all who have any voice or concern about our dying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Then follows the most important element – a conversation with family members who will be involved in those latter days. It is this conversation, the conveyance of our wishes in dialogue form, that enhances the possibility our wishes will be fulfilled at life's end. If those wishes are not being fulfilled in the hospital, families have the ability to call into session the hospital's ethics committee to make clear to all our choices and wishes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Westminster Cares has the necessary forms available for you. It is best and easiest to fill out these forms in conversation with someone. Westminster Cares can contact Ray Walker, M.D., to be available to answer your questions and help you fill out your Advance Directive. You can choose a place convenient for you. There is no charge for the service.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Dr. Ray Walker helps people in</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Windham County write Advance</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Directives. He has been a psychoanalyst</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">in the Jungian tradition and now resides</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">in Guilford, Vt.</span></i><br />
Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-14024276216458738932010-10-05T17:00:00.000-04:002013-05-07T17:07:12.970-04:00The Importance of Hydration<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Water is essential for a lifetime of optimal health. Approximately 60% of a young adult’s weight is water. As we age this decreases to 50%. Staying hydrated helps us stay healthy as we age.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />What else can drinking water or staying hydrated do for us?</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Moisten the tissues in the eyes, nose, and mouth.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Protect the body organs and tissues.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Help prevent constipation and dissolve minerals and other nutrients to make them accessible to the body.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Regulate body temperature, lubricate joints and lessen the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products. Your kidneys do not function properly without adequate water intake.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our bodies need water like a car needs oil. If your car doesn't have oil, what happens to the engine? Just like it is important to put the right kind of oil in an engine, we need to put the right kind of water in our bodies as well. It takes a liter of water to flush out a cup of coffee and it takes a gallon to flush a can of soda.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />How much water do we need? You should drink one-half your body weight in water (ounces). So if you weigh 130 pounds, you need to drink 65 ounces of water a day, or about eight medium glasses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />During the summer months we tend to drink more water than usual because we sweat a lot. We need to drink extra in hot weather because a lot is lost, but we must remember to drink water all winter long to protect our organs and to keep going strong. Drinking water will also increase your energy by boosting your metabolism. It also facilitates weight loss.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Dehydration in the elderly is common and can be life-threatening. Falls are often a result of the dizziness that results from dehydration. The thirst stimulus decreases with age as does the total water content of our bodies. Seniors should make themselves drink water or non-caffeinated beverages throughout the day. Don’t wait to get thirsty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Those taking blood pressure medicines or heart medication should talk to their doctors about how much water they should consume per day. As always, one size, or in this case amount, doesn’t fit all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Sheila Allaire is a wellness coach </i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and Westminster resident. Judith J. Petry, </span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>M.D. is a resident of Westminster.</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-42740606858352628052010-06-12T10:26:00.000-04:002013-05-07T16:50:01.468-04:00Important News about 3SquaresVT!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3SquaresVT (formerly Food Stamps) is Vermont’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- a nutrition program designed to help you stay healthy by allowing you to spend more money on healthy, nutritious food. 3SquaresVT can help you make ends meet, which is especially helpful in this challenging economy! It can help you stretch your food budget and put three square meals a day on your table, at the same time freeing up money for other living expenses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Families: Now you can deduct all of your out-of-pocket child care costs when you apply for 3SquaresVT. And, if you are eligible for 3SquaresVT, your children are eligible for free school lunches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Seniors and People with Disabilities: If you are elderly or disabled, special rules make it easier to qualify. If you are an eligible senior, you can get your benefit directly deposited as cash right into your bank account. And, if you have over $35 a month in medical expenses, you could get a higher food benefit by including your out-of-pocket medical costs on your 3SquaresVT application.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />People who qualify for 3SquaresVT can also get Lifeline (a monthly credit of at least $13 per month to help households maintain phone service) and Link Up (a credit up to $30 to pay half the cost of installing a phone line).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Don’t assume that you earn too much to qualify. There are new rules to qualifying, and you can get 3SquaresVT even if you have a savings account or own your own home. You may be eligible for 3SquaresVT even if you were turned down for Food Stamps in the past.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />You may be automatically eligible. People who receive Vermont Earned Income Tax Credit or SSI are categorically eligible for 3SquaresVT. That means that even if you receive a $0 benefit, you are still ‘eligible’ and therefore are eligible for Lifeline, Link Up, free school meals, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />In addition, 3SquaresVT benefits are all federal dollars, so by applying for the program, you are bringing money into the state. Also, shopping locally or buying local products is a way to support your community and your local farmers. 3SquaresVT makes you eligible to receive coupons to the Farmer’s Market when they become available in mid-June. And now you can use your 3SquaresVT card to buy seeds or plants to grow your own fruits and vegetables.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />For more information about these changes and more, visit <a href="http://www.vermontfoodhelp.com/">www.vermontfoodhelp.com</a>. Beginning in June, individuals may apply online. Or you can call SEVCA at 1-800-464-9951 or the Senior Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 if you are a senior, for help filling out a 3SquaresVT application.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Susan Howes, SEVCA Family Services</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-14940949550489242752010-04-04T10:23:00.000-04:002013-05-07T16:47:27.085-04:00Free "Medicine"<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and depression; improves your immune function and brain performance, makes you feel better, look better and live longer, and is free? WALKING</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />And it doesn’t have bad side effects, interact with medications, or hurt (if you wear decent shoes).<br />Study after study results in the same conclusion, walk several times a week and you will be healthier and happier. That’s the bottom line.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />So why do people NOT walk? No time, too cold out, knee hurts, the excuses are endless. My suggestion? Decide now , this very moment, that you are going to walk three times a week for at least 30 minutes. Find a friend, or a dog, who is willing to walk with you. Set goals: today to the end of your driveway, tomorrow to the end of the road. Start slowly, your body will get used to walking longer and longer distances.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />If you think you’re too old to start walking, AARP has suggestions on their website to inspire you. Get a step-counter and attach it to your waistband when you get dressed each morning, and aim for 10,000 steps per day. If you don’t like the cold, walk in a gym. Here are a few ideas:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Westminster Center School gym is open for walkers weekday mornings from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Putney Central School opens to walkers each Tuesday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But remember walking outdoors improves cognitive function. If you believe you don’t have time, think very carefully about something you do that takes 30 minutes three times a week that you can replace with walking. If you have health issues, make an appointment with your doctor and tell her you want to walk for health and need help with your physical problems so you are able to walk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Get motivated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Walking is the simplest and most accessible thing you can do for your health and well-being, and it is highly unlikely that new research will come out that says, ‘oops, never mind, we found out it’s unhealthy to walk’.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><i>Judi Petry, MD, Westminster Resident</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789046378015245105.post-69034502175019724352010-04-04T10:18:00.000-04:002013-05-07T10:20:27.359-04:00The Fine Line<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />This article is directed toward the adults who have parents or loved ones in their life who have shown signs of giving up on the future.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />There is a fine line between wanting to help someone stay active and positive and allowing them to be comfortable with their position in life. It’s not unusual to hear someone complain because their elderly parents have become uninterested in life. “All they want to do is sit around and watch TV” “They never want to go anywhere” “They won’t leave the house.” “What’s the matter with them?” To the active adults in the family this seems to be intolerable. And the nagging can’t be much fun for the elders. Obviously it is very unhealthy to be idle and to be disconnected socially. Depression sets in. Physical health is impaired. So we try to encourage activity. We try to encourage socializing within or outside the family. And we do it with the best intentions. However, is this in the best interest of “Mom and Dad”? Every family is different. Every situation requires thoughtful consideration. In some cases magic can be performed and the parents can become happier and healthier with the smallest amount of encouragement. In other cases we could be adding to the pain of growing old that many are experiencing. So what is the answer? There isn’t a one size fits all conclusion. But here is a suggestion. Have you noticed how much more improved parenting has become over the years? Today’s parents are masters at disciplining their children while at the same time, considering the child’s self esteem. Try it on the elderly. Give them your best advice. Share with them all you know. Gently remind them how important they are and how valuable their lives are, not only to themselves, but to others. But be careful not to take away any more of their self esteem than the aging process has. Remember, many of their friends are gone, much of their energy has diminished, and the horizon is getting closer and closer. Encourage positive living while maintaining understanding and dignity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Pete Harrison has been a resident of Westminster<br />for approx. 40 years. Pete is President of the<br />Westminster Cares Board and an active<br />community member.</i></span>Westminster Careshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06603720012429886053noreply@blogger.com0Windham, VT, USA43.063817560743516 -72.48620622031251142.878235560743519 -72.8089297203125 43.249399560743512 -72.163482720312516