SWW

Seniors • August 2011

SeniorsSouthwest Washington

By Victoria StewartFor The Chronicle

It’s dance, it’s exercise and it’s fun ... we’re talking Zumba, and seniors in Lewis County have a chance to check it out by signing up for the new class taught at Toledo Senior Center on Tuesday and Thursday nights, from 6 to 7 p.m. “It’s an exercise class that is done to Latin American music,” said Diana Haug, site manager at Toledo Senior Center. “You are moving a lot and it’s an exercise class.” While Zumba is one of the newest classes being offered at Toledo Senior Center, all of the senior centers in Lewis County offer a wide range of interesting and fun classes and activities that are not necessarily limited to just senior citizens. The five centers are located in Chehalis, Winlock, Toledo, Morton and Packwood, in addition to a senior nutrition lunch served weekly in Pe Ell at a local church. Seniors are generally considered to be people who are 55 or older, but people of all ages are welcome to sign up and enjoy any of the fun classes at any of the senior centers. “All of the centers do different stuff,” Haug said. “We have five actual facilities and some do quilting, we do woodcarving and oil painting, exercise and dancing. We have Tai Chi class in Morton.”

Teachers for the new Zumba class are Karen McNew of Kelso and Allison Lance of Vader. McNew noted the Zumba class helps the body on a multitude of levels. “Any kind of movement you can do strengthens your muscles, improves your heart rate and lung capacity, and gets you out and having fun — that’s a huge thing when you have something to look forward to.” The class, she said, is not complicated. “Basically, you do dance. You do some samba and Latin dances — that’s what it’s based around. It’s fun! It’s something most people have never done but frankly, you get your body and your booty into shape with a big group of people, no partners needed. Once you get here, (the Zumba class) really does become a community where you meet

ZUMBA -Keeping Fit the Latin Way

Fit Seniors

Holly Pederson / For The Chronicle

Above: Allison Lance, Vader, leads her first Zumba class last Tuesday evening at the Toledo Senior Center. Top: Zumba teacher Karen McNew, Kelso, leads a Zumba workout class last week at the Toledo Senior Center.

Take a Zumba Class

By The Chronicle Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance fitness program and is easy to learn. Classes will take place Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 7 p.m. The class cycle just started and there is still time to sign up. Cost is $35. All that is needed are the clothes and shoes you will wear. Wear comfortable clothes you can move around in and good, supportive tennis shoes. Bring a water bottle. Classes are taught at Toledo Senior Center, located at 150 Coal Street in Toledo and are open for participants of all ages. Call 864-2112 for more information.

new friends and have a great time together.” Haug herself has also signed up for the Zumba class. “Even though I run all day, that is just not the right kind of exercise and to get into this is going to be nice. It seems really upbeat and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” she said. Judy Hunter, 69, is another student who has signed up for the class. The Chehalis resident said she has been steadily taking a variety of classes at the local senior centers, including exercise classes. “Right now, I’m in a low impact (exercise) class and I’ve taken “Better Bones and Balance,” she said. “I think (Zumba) will do me some good.” Hunter noted her previous exercise classes have helped her

tremendously. “My balance is better and I have way more agility.” Signing up and enjoying classes through the centers, especially exercise classes, Hunter said with a laugh, “Is a no-brainer. The more you sit the less you have.” In addition to the new Zumba, Hunter keeps busy with a variety of other classes at the centers. “I come out to Toledo mainly because I do the woodcarving classes and I paint. I didn’t know anybody when I (first) walked through the door. Now I volunteer and help cook and serve meals.”

••• Victoria Stewart is a freelance

journalist and photographer living in Chehalis. You may reach her at

creative01writer@yahoo.com.

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Continued

Holly Pederson / For The Chronicle

Diana Haug, Toledo, works out with fellow Zumba participants to rhythmic music during the twice weekly Latin workout class offered at the Toledo Senior Center.

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Julie: taking care of a loved one can be overwhelming, and there’s often guilt associated with wanting to take some time for yourself. But as a caregiver, your health and well-being is essential to your ability to take care of your loved one. If you’re sick and exhausted, or worse, bitter and resentful, it can be detrimental to everyone involved. Organize your priorities, and be realistic about what you can and cannot do when it comes to caregiving. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others in your family or in your community. Hire help if you need to. Above all, make time for yourself. And remember: you are not alone. There are millions of people across the country facing this same challenge. In fact, I’ve just launched a contest for caregivers everywhere to share their stories, to help inspire, comfort, and support others just like them. The “Get Back Your Life Contest,” run in partnership with non-profit 3in4 Need More (www.3in4NeedMore.com) and generously sponsored by One Reverse Mortgage (www.onereversemortgage.com), will provide one lucky winner with an ultimate caregiver makeover worth over $50,000, including a week’s worth of pampering, an in-home safety assessment, one-on-one coaching, and high-tech solutions for a range of caregiving needs. Share your story at www.3in4Contest.com.

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4 • SWW Seniors • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash. Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011

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MUNROE FALLS, Ohio _ It's no secret that as people get older, their hearing often fades. That's one of the reasons a group of residents at Mulberry Gardens Assisted Living is preparing for the day they might no longer be able to use their ears to understand what others are saying.

"It's good to know how to talk another way," resident Emma Holmes explained.

According to Medicinenet.com, about a third of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing problems, as do half of those 85 and older. So the Mulberry Gardens group, thirsty for knowledge, attends class each week to learn sign language, taught by volunteer Linda Hammer of Akron, Ohio.

"We just offered the class and have had far more response than we expected," Hammer said. "It's such a rewarding experience."

Besides wanting to learn another form of communication for themselves, the participants long to be able to talk with those who live among them who are deaf, like friend Minnie Hawk.

Hawk, who lost her hearing to complications of scarlet fever when she was a child, often attends the classes.

She giggles or wrinkles her nose when Hammer shows the group a sign with which she disagrees.

When the teacher displayed the sign for "fox," Hawk, who is devoid of the wrinkles found on most 81-year-olds, let out a squeal.

"Minnie says it's _ like poop, but not that," Hammer said, with a chuckle. "Most people like to learn the dirty words."

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"I can understand her," Hawk signed, nodding at Eckert. "She's good at (signing)."

"Well, sorta," Eckert signed, jokingly.

In the complete silence, the two used their hands to tease each other.

"This is very enjoyable," Hawk said about the sessions. "They make me laugh."

Seniors take new language into own handsBy Kim Hone-McMahanAkron Beacon Journal

Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT

Minnie Hawk watches closely as instructor Linda Hammer teaches sign language at the Mulberry

Gardens Assisted Living facility on Thursday, July 21, 2011, in Munroe Falls, Ohio.

Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT

Instructor Linda Hammer teaches sign language at the Mulberry Gardens Assisted Living facility on Thursday, July 21, 2011, in Munroe Falls, Ohio.

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Seniors are too often victimized by telemarketing fraud. Studies from the American Association of Retired Persons have shown that many elderly fraud victims simply don't suspect the person soliciting money on the phone could be a criminal.

The FBI reports that there are as many as 14,000 illegal telemarketing operations going on at any given time. These illegal operations generate as much as $40 billion a year. Relatives of seniors are understandably concerned, particularly if those seniors live alone and no one is around to monitor how many calls they're receiving from telemarketers. Concerned relatives can share the following information with seniors to reduce their loved ones' risks of being victimized by telemarketing fraud.

* Legitimate marketers are not in a rush to sell products or secure donations. A legitimate marketer or charity will not try to pressure prospective buyers into making a purchase over the phone or prospective donors into making immediate contributions. Explain to seniors that a legitimate marketer will accept a person's desire for written information about the products or charity and will gladly send such information to a prospective buyer or donor's home.

* Payments are typically not picked up by a courier service. Telemarketing fraudsters often employ couriers to pick up payments. This is not the action of a reputable charity or business, and

seniors should never agree to buy a product or donate money to any telemarketer who offers to send a courier to their home to pick up payment.

* Sweepstakes cannot legally require payment to win a prize. It is not legal for contests or sweepstakes to require "winners" pay a fee before they can enter a contest or claim a prize. Seniors should be made aware that this is the law and that any contest or sweepstakes demanding payment is bogus.

* Be especially wary of companies offering to recover money paid to fraudulent telemarketers in the past. Companies offering to recover past money lost to fraud are often fraudulent themselves. These companies will offer their fraudulent services for a fee.

* Money lost to a fraudulent telemarketer is likely lost forever. Men and women concerned about elderly friends or relatives being victimized by telemarketing fraud should explain to their loved ones that money lost in a telemarketing scam is not likely to be recovered. This should help highlight the importance of receiving official documentation from any telemarketers before buying a product or making a donation. If seniors are aware their money isn't likely to be recovered should it be going to a criminal, they are much less likely to make hasty decisions over the phone.

To learn more about fraud, visit the National Consumer League's Fraud Center at www.fraud.org.

Help Seniors Fight Fraud

According to United States Census Bureau (USCB) date from 2000 to 2008, more and more seniors are choosing to cohabitate instead of remarry. Between 2000 and 2008, the number of seniors choosing to cohabitate nearly doubled from 1.2 million to 2.2 million. That makes for a significant finding, as USCB results also indicated that seniors were the fastest growing group in the United States. That figure also holds up across the globe. According to the Administration on Aging (AOA), in 2000 there were approximately 605 million people over the age of 60 across the globe. However, the AOA predicts that figure to reach 2 billion, a significant prediction as, if it holds true, it will mark the first time in history people over the age of 60 outnumber the amount of children under the age of 14.

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6 • SWW Seniors • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash. Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011

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CHICAGO _ Anyone in the pet rescue or animal welfare communities has sad stories to tell. Adelle Taylor is no different.

She is the founder of Seniors’ Pet Assistance Network, an all-volunteer nonprofit that helps low-income seniors in the Dallas area hang onto their pets.

“We find they have often outlived all their family or all their friends, or they’re estranged from their families,” Taylor says. “(Their pets) are their family.”

SPAN’s goal is to keep the human-pet bond intact by working with veterinarians or donating food. In 2009, it added a pet food pantry.

“We’re not a rescue, we don’t find homes for pets, we don’t offer spay and neuter,” Taylor says. “We help with basic veterinary care. Shots, flea and heartworm meds, and clients can apply for the food delivery route.”

That tightly focused mission is the rule rather than the exception. Small groups such as SPAN (seniorspets.org) carry much of the load around the country.

“There’s not a lot of (national) stuff,” points out Dianne McGill, executive director and CEO of Banfield Charitable Trust, a Portland, Ore., nonprofit that helps keep vulnerable populations

united with their pets. “There are localized, smaller efforts, but on a national basis I know a couple or three. The (small) ones on the ground around the country, they’re very engaged. We as an organization fund grants for other pet charities that focus on programs that keep seniors and pets together.”

Two Banfield initiatives are national in scope: Pet Peace of Mind and Meals on Wheels Pet Food Distribution programs. Pet Peace of Mind enables hospice patients to keep pets home in their last days.

“We are hearing amazing stories of having the value of having people with their pets at the end of life,” McGill says. “So many hospice patients hang on until they are absolutely certain there’s a place for their pet to go to.”

The Meals on Wheels program deals with the primary cost of pet ownership: food. McGill says that what usually happens is that rather than surrendering the pets, seniors will go without the things they need so they can keep their pets.

“The tragedy is no one gets what they need,” she says. “Seniors go without food or other necessities to pay for the care of their pets. It’s not

so much surrendering the pets that’s a problem, it’s seniors going without that’s the larger problem.”

Banfield partners with the Meals on Wheels Association of America to provide food and/or funding so seniors don’t have to share their meals with their pets.

McGill says Banfield (banfieldcharitabletrust.org) is always looking for shelters

to help and can be a source of information for those in need.

“Our mission is to fund programs that keep people and their pets together,” she says. “If we don’t have a program, we will work to facilitate solutions for families. We can’t always find the right program, but we will always give it a try.”

Finding ways to help elderly keep their pets at homeBy William HagemanChicago Tribune (MCT)

KEEPING PETS AT HOMESeniors and their pets can be kept together. Sometimes it takes

a little digging, though.Check with your local senior center. It may have a pet food

distribution program or it may recommend vets that it works with to hold down pet care costs.

Contact local shelters. Many offer low-cost pet care programs (routine shots, heartworm medicine, etc.) or can connect you with organizations that can help.

Will your vet negotiate? It’s worth asking, says Adelle Taylor of Seniors’ Pet Assistance Network. “I have one vet here (who gives) AARP members a 10 percent discount. And I’d be real direct with my clinic: ‘I want to take care of my dog but I can’t do every test. What can I do to take care of Buster’s basic needs?’”

The charity 2nd Chance 4 Pets (2ndchance4pets.org) instructs people how to provide for their pet’s care after they are gone.

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