There is a topic I feel it is necessary to discuss here, however because this is a family newspaper, I will do so without saying what I mean. I value openness and one of my missions is to “make the covert overt” but this topic is still a bit delicate. There seems to be some denial in society about where the baby boom came from. If you look at it straight on, it’s pretty obvious that the silent generation was being quiet so they wouldn’t get caught. Now that they are in their seventies and older, we somehow maintain the illusion that because we never saw them being intimate, they weren’t then and aren’t now. The AARP survey done on intimate behavior was done almost ten years ago. They found that older adults think about it quite often, and those who have an opportunity do it quite often. I’m sure that widowed women and men, and those who may have been out of circulation for a long time are as shy, awkward and unsure as any teenager or middle-aged divorcee trying to date without practice. But the one thing we know for sure about humans is that despite whatever obstacles they find, they find a way to get close.
If you are a family member or caregiver to an older adult, keep in mind they need privacy and atmosphere too, and remember my constant advice- take the oldest older adults to community events, how else are they going to hook up?
Now about the issue of concern. Just because you can’t … be with child…doesn’t make you immune to infection. There are some bad bugs out there! Virus that destroy your immune system, the classic STDs are still going around, and evolving into drug resistant strains. Use appropriate barriers to protect yourself and your partner. Get tested. Be safe. For gosh sakes! You’re a role model!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Suicide Statistics
v The Elderly make up 12.3% of the population, They account for almost 17 % of all suicides.
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
v The rate of suicide for older adults for 2002
was 15.6 per 100,000
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
v There was one older adult suicide every 95 minutes.
v There were about 15 older adult suicides each day,
v resulting in 5,548 suicides in 2002 among those 65 and older.
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
v Older white males were at the highest risk with a rate of approximately 35 per 100,000 each year.
v White men > 85 Years old were greatest risk of all age-gender-race groups with rate of 51.1 per 100,000.
v That is 4.6 times the current rate for all age groups 11.0 per 100,000.
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
v 85% of older adult suicides were male, the number of male suicides in late life was 5.5 times greater than for female suicides.
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
Suicide Intervention
v Ask the “S” word
v Listen for details…
– Is there a plan?
– Is there history?
– What are their resources?
First aid for suicidality…
v Make a plan for safety based on the details.
v Stay with the person at risk until there is a safe disposition.
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
v The rate of suicide for older adults for 2002
was 15.6 per 100,000
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
v There was one older adult suicide every 95 minutes.
v There were about 15 older adult suicides each day,
v resulting in 5,548 suicides in 2002 among those 65 and older.
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
v Older white males were at the highest risk with a rate of approximately 35 per 100,000 each year.
v White men > 85 Years old were greatest risk of all age-gender-race groups with rate of 51.1 per 100,000.
v That is 4.6 times the current rate for all age groups 11.0 per 100,000.
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
v 85% of older adult suicides were male, the number of male suicides in late life was 5.5 times greater than for female suicides.
v Suicidology.org Elderly Suicide Fact Sheet
Suicide Intervention
v Ask the “S” word
v Listen for details…
– Is there a plan?
– Is there history?
– What are their resources?
First aid for suicidality…
v Make a plan for safety based on the details.
v Stay with the person at risk until there is a safe disposition.
It’s always being advised that older adults learn new skills and have ongoing goals to maintain both physical health and prevent mood and memory problems. There are always challenges we meant to pursue when we have the time to devote to a new hobby. They’re talking about a study that was provoked by a new age record for climbing Mount Everest. The new record is a 71 year-old Japanese man. The old record was a 70 year-old Japanese man.
The Professor who did the study was looking at what he called the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar effect. This refers to the phenomenon of a more experienced player using his smarts to compete at the same level as younger, stronger players. Getting smarter with experience gives an advantage! We all compensate for decline in physical prowess with better judgment, improved strategy and more accurate tactics. And there is constant evidence to refute the adage about old dogs and new tricks. It takes longer for an older learner to process words spoken to him than for a younger learner, but having decades of adapting to change makes it more likely an elder has rehearsed a change that a younger person might struggle with as a novice.
Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to apply on the mountain. The common wisdom is that an older climber is more cautious and can afford better equipment. The science shows that less than half as many climbers over 60 complete the climb and more than three times as many older climbers die on the mountain.
Now the reader may take this as a caution against mountain climbing over 60. I will paraphrase a park ranger I heard speak at the Grand Canyon awhile back. Would you rather your grandchild tells her friends “My Grandma died in that old folks home” or “My grandma died climbing the world’s highest mountain?”
The Professor who did the study was looking at what he called the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar effect. This refers to the phenomenon of a more experienced player using his smarts to compete at the same level as younger, stronger players. Getting smarter with experience gives an advantage! We all compensate for decline in physical prowess with better judgment, improved strategy and more accurate tactics. And there is constant evidence to refute the adage about old dogs and new tricks. It takes longer for an older learner to process words spoken to him than for a younger learner, but having decades of adapting to change makes it more likely an elder has rehearsed a change that a younger person might struggle with as a novice.
Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to apply on the mountain. The common wisdom is that an older climber is more cautious and can afford better equipment. The science shows that less than half as many climbers over 60 complete the climb and more than three times as many older climbers die on the mountain.
Now the reader may take this as a caution against mountain climbing over 60. I will paraphrase a park ranger I heard speak at the Grand Canyon awhile back. Would you rather your grandchild tells her friends “My Grandma died in that old folks home” or “My grandma died climbing the world’s highest mountain?”
Marijuana pt 2
On August 1 a study was published in England that shows an increase for Psychosis among older adults who have smoked marijuana at any age. And it seems that the more you smoked, the greater the risk. They were very careful to eliminate “confounding factors” that would otherwise explain the differences. It comes Well it’s very early in my column’s life span to start retracting my statements but I feel like this is worth mentioning. I was on the fence about the biology of marijuana use in my previous writing, more worried about the legal consequences. I have spent too many hours on the phone trying to find a rehab program for an eighty-year-old man who has court ordered treatment but won’t be able to handle the rigors of a program designed for thirty year olds.
down to this… if you smoke grass you are more vulnerable later in life to getting thought disorders, delusions and hallucinations. You might know someone who has a fixed belief in something that doesn’t fit in the culture and no one else can make sense of. Jealous ideas, people stealing unimportant items and returning them, being monitored by neighbors for unknown reasons or because one is secretly very special, these are delusions. If someone sees, hears or feels something that isn’t there, it’s an hallucination.
The treatments available for psychosis are still a little rough. The older medications will sometimes produce symptoms that look like Parkinson’s Disease, the newer ones often cause weight gain and metabolic syndrome leading to diabetes. These side effects are nearly always preferred to suffering with the symptoms, but they are still unpleasant. My opinion on medical marijuana is shifting. I think the science would suggest using marijuana for a serious, potentially life threatening condition like appetite disturbance and chemotherapy would be worth the risk. The chance it might prevent Alzheimer’s Disease is not worth the risk. Getting high to watch cartoons is definitely not worth the risk. The bottom line would still be the same as my previous writing. It’s a bad idea to drive to bingo with 200 pounds of smoke in the trunk of your car.
down to this… if you smoke grass you are more vulnerable later in life to getting thought disorders, delusions and hallucinations. You might know someone who has a fixed belief in something that doesn’t fit in the culture and no one else can make sense of. Jealous ideas, people stealing unimportant items and returning them, being monitored by neighbors for unknown reasons or because one is secretly very special, these are delusions. If someone sees, hears or feels something that isn’t there, it’s an hallucination.
The treatments available for psychosis are still a little rough. The older medications will sometimes produce symptoms that look like Parkinson’s Disease, the newer ones often cause weight gain and metabolic syndrome leading to diabetes. These side effects are nearly always preferred to suffering with the symptoms, but they are still unpleasant. My opinion on medical marijuana is shifting. I think the science would suggest using marijuana for a serious, potentially life threatening condition like appetite disturbance and chemotherapy would be worth the risk. The chance it might prevent Alzheimer’s Disease is not worth the risk. Getting high to watch cartoons is definitely not worth the risk. The bottom line would still be the same as my previous writing. It’s a bad idea to drive to bingo with 200 pounds of smoke in the trunk of your car.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
I read the other day about the benefits of weight training for older adults. The study suggested that doing resistance training can be good for you at any age, even after a heart attack or other health challenge. Meeting goals of being able to lift a grandchild or do the gardening are the reasons cited. High intensity walking is touted as a preventive for high blood pressure and to tone the thigh muscles. Another article talked about an 84 year old woman who made her first parachute jump.
Having a goal to work towards is important for any age. When the usual milestones of ambition have been passed, it might be hard to identify those goals. I saw George Burns when he was 99 years old. He had a goal of working in Vegas on his 100th birthday. He lived to 100 but wasn’t able to work, and passed shortly after. I met a man a few years ago who had quit smoking at 105 years old, I suppose not wanting to shorten his life. There are annual stories of yet another group of elderly ladies posing for a nude calendar to raise funds for charity. There are always new things to achieve, but if “survival” is the only goal, it is the one thing we all ultimately fail to do. A concrete, measurable, reasonable goal is most likely to keep you motivated and progressing.
In that theme, I will repeat two more headlines published on the same day. You decide if they are related. “JAVELINS KEPT AWAY FROM TRACK FOR SENIOR CITIZEN EVENT” & “ WHEN TO LET GO? MEDICINE’S TOP DILEMMA.”
Having a goal to work towards is important for any age. When the usual milestones of ambition have been passed, it might be hard to identify those goals. I saw George Burns when he was 99 years old. He had a goal of working in Vegas on his 100th birthday. He lived to 100 but wasn’t able to work, and passed shortly after. I met a man a few years ago who had quit smoking at 105 years old, I suppose not wanting to shorten his life. There are annual stories of yet another group of elderly ladies posing for a nude calendar to raise funds for charity. There are always new things to achieve, but if “survival” is the only goal, it is the one thing we all ultimately fail to do. A concrete, measurable, reasonable goal is most likely to keep you motivated and progressing.
In that theme, I will repeat two more headlines published on the same day. You decide if they are related. “JAVELINS KEPT AWAY FROM TRACK FOR SENIOR CITIZEN EVENT” & “ WHEN TO LET GO? MEDICINE’S TOP DILEMMA.”
I see a lot of information from my clipping service on keeping memory sharp by working puzzles and learning new things. The advice seems to be related to doing sudoku and other recreational activity. I would like to propose a different strategy for stimulating the minds of the older adults who read this. I often see a widow or widower who gets into some financial difficulty because their mate was the house bookkeeper. They may have gone thirty or forty years without using the checkbook. Now they have to try to rediscover the system at the worst possible time. It might be a good idea to switch jobs every few years so everyone in the house knows all the tasks.
I know how territorial people can be about these things. There’s the story of the accountant who retires then finds his wife has rounded off the checking account for thirty years and now that he has the time, he goes through the entire account history to rectify the account. After weeks of calculations he announces proudly that he has finished the job and discovered her balance was off by sixty-two cents!
Working the dishwasher and other appliances may have become (or always been) a mystery to your spouse, where is the air conditioner filter? What is that brush for next to the toilet? Who takes care of the tire rotation, oil changes and wiper blades? The risk you take by not knowing is the potential dependency on a paid money manager or family member to write your checks every month to keep the cable on.
Some folks just learn to golf, and that’s a fine way to keep yourself alert and oriented. It would also be a good idea to prepare for a time when you might have to do for yourself, because your wife is playing in the Master’s Tournament.
I know how territorial people can be about these things. There’s the story of the accountant who retires then finds his wife has rounded off the checking account for thirty years and now that he has the time, he goes through the entire account history to rectify the account. After weeks of calculations he announces proudly that he has finished the job and discovered her balance was off by sixty-two cents!
Working the dishwasher and other appliances may have become (or always been) a mystery to your spouse, where is the air conditioner filter? What is that brush for next to the toilet? Who takes care of the tire rotation, oil changes and wiper blades? The risk you take by not knowing is the potential dependency on a paid money manager or family member to write your checks every month to keep the cable on.
Some folks just learn to golf, and that’s a fine way to keep yourself alert and oriented. It would also be a good idea to prepare for a time when you might have to do for yourself, because your wife is playing in the Master’s Tournament.
I’ve had two occasions this week to be reminded that for perhaps the first time in history, there are four generations occupying the workplace. An article in NurseWeek magazine and a workshop at the LA County Multicultural Conference in Pasadena.
The newest workers are often referred to as Millennials, or “Generation Y.” They were born after 1980 and before 2000. The Y would be to point out they follow Generation X. Gen X was born from 1965 to 1980. The generation we hear so much about these days is the Baby Boomers, born after 1945 up until 1964. The oldest workers are from “The Silent Generation” or “The Veterans.”
The commonality of the veterans and Millennials in family orientation catches my attention- both had challenges in their upbringing that brought them to marry carefully, avoid divorce and unplanned births. Both have higher difficulty in getting college education than those between. Availability of opportunity was the barrier for one; incredible expense is the barrier for the other.
The thing that in many ways defines the veteran generation is their experiences in the world wars. In being called on to do a hard thing that was clearly the right thing in the minds of nearly everyone, and being acknowledged for doing so. We baby boomers may have had significant war experiences but my peer's Vietnam was different from my fathers’ Korea. The honest, obedient, steadfast, durable stereotype holds true more often than not.
On Saturday, May 26, County Supervisor Antonovich will be hosting a Veterans Celebration at Arcadia Park. It gives us a chance to learn about the veterans who have survived, and to memorialize those that died in service to our country. I hope someone remembers my words from a few weeks ago and takes an elder to the park, to see the skydivers, to get a free haircut, to wave a flag the way many of us baby boomers might find a bit embarrassing.
The newest workers are often referred to as Millennials, or “Generation Y.” They were born after 1980 and before 2000. The Y would be to point out they follow Generation X. Gen X was born from 1965 to 1980. The generation we hear so much about these days is the Baby Boomers, born after 1945 up until 1964. The oldest workers are from “The Silent Generation” or “The Veterans.”
The commonality of the veterans and Millennials in family orientation catches my attention- both had challenges in their upbringing that brought them to marry carefully, avoid divorce and unplanned births. Both have higher difficulty in getting college education than those between. Availability of opportunity was the barrier for one; incredible expense is the barrier for the other.
The thing that in many ways defines the veteran generation is their experiences in the world wars. In being called on to do a hard thing that was clearly the right thing in the minds of nearly everyone, and being acknowledged for doing so. We baby boomers may have had significant war experiences but my peer's Vietnam was different from my fathers’ Korea. The honest, obedient, steadfast, durable stereotype holds true more often than not.
On Saturday, May 26, County Supervisor Antonovich will be hosting a Veterans Celebration at Arcadia Park. It gives us a chance to learn about the veterans who have survived, and to memorialize those that died in service to our country. I hope someone remembers my words from a few weeks ago and takes an elder to the park, to see the skydivers, to get a free haircut, to wave a flag the way many of us baby boomers might find a bit embarrassing.
I’ve had a few words on medical issues in the past weeks and thought I ought to be mindful of the most common and dangerous health challenge older adults may face. Heart attacks occur in about 1.1 million adults every year and 45 % of those are fatal. Most of the fatalities occur in the first hour, and before reaching treatment. It’s in everyone’s best interest if the person having a heart attack goes to the ER right away. The early symptoms are Chest Pain and discomfort, the pain or discomfort may spread to other areas like the arms, shoulder, back, jaw or stomach. Sweating, nausea and dizziness are frequent. One factor that confuses things is the difference in women’s symptoms. The pain may be different, there are more often the other signs with women. If these last more than just a few minutes, call the EMS (911). Your family will do much better if you get early intervention. Waiting may allow cardiac arrest to occur.
It’s a good idea to hang around people who know CPR and if you aren’t confident in the folks around you, know that any CPR is better than none. If you have a chance to learn how to use those new defibrillators (AED) it’s a good idea to do so. You know what to do to prevent a heart attack, first- choose the right parents. Next – don’t start smoking. If you didn’t already do these things, it’s never too late to improve you cardiovascular status. Especially if you still smoke, it costs too much, smells too bad and people like me nag you too much. Your cells start to recover on day one so every time you make an effort, it helps, and you get better at it each time so soon you’ll quit for good. I did it so I know you can too.
It’s a good idea to hang around people who know CPR and if you aren’t confident in the folks around you, know that any CPR is better than none. If you have a chance to learn how to use those new defibrillators (AED) it’s a good idea to do so. You know what to do to prevent a heart attack, first- choose the right parents. Next – don’t start smoking. If you didn’t already do these things, it’s never too late to improve you cardiovascular status. Especially if you still smoke, it costs too much, smells too bad and people like me nag you too much. Your cells start to recover on day one so every time you make an effort, it helps, and you get better at it each time so soon you’ll quit for good. I did it so I know you can too.
I wrote awhile back about a Leticia Garcia in Arizona and her bingo bust. She was running marijuana to finance her gambling and so she gets a recurrent role in my column for having so many issues (law, drug, betting.) I wrote about the legal and drug issues already. Let’s see what we know about the gambling problem.
There is an American Society on Aging training that includes the following facts:
An estimated 65% of the $3.7 billion profit by Atlantic City casinos in 1997 came from the pockets of people over 60 (New Jersey Helpline).
Older problem gambling has devastating results on lives, including loss of a lifetime of saved income, and suicide.
Americans gamble more each year than they spend on groceries ($600B+ annually) (US Bureau of the Census, 1997).
Older adults now form the largest group of annual visitors to Las Vegas (The Las Vegas Convention and Visitor's Authority).
Between 1999 & 2003, calls to California problem gambling hotlines from older adults increased 25% (California Council on Problem Gambling).
Between 1975 and 1998, the over 65 age group experienced the greatest increase in gambling, both for lifetime (from 35% to 80%) and for past-year (from 23% to 50%) (Gambling Impact and Behavior Study, 1999).
Older adults are healthier, wealthier and expect more entertainment than previous generations, maybe because they are less likely to live with family members, maybe because they have the same response to advertising pressure as anyone else with a TV. Availability is the biggest factor in gambling becoming a problem. If a casino opens nearby, if your state has lottery, racetrack or card rooms, all make it more likely the locals will spend their money on supporting “the house.” There is a reason the casinos in the desert send buses to pick up seniors in LA. It’s not because they want to show you a good time. They want all your money!
Lotteries and larceny is at the heart of a second huge problem for older adults. There are crooks out there calling, writing and emailing large numbers of older adults to find just a few who will send the supposed tax payment or some other deposit to receive a huge payoff on the Irish, Canadian, or some other non-existent prize. There are no international lotteries that you entered without knowing it. There are laws against selling them to you if they did exist. It’s a trick.
The challenge is to complete the quote I started earlier. Healthier, wealthier and…
There is an American Society on Aging training that includes the following facts:
An estimated 65% of the $3.7 billion profit by Atlantic City casinos in 1997 came from the pockets of people over 60 (New Jersey Helpline).
Older problem gambling has devastating results on lives, including loss of a lifetime of saved income, and suicide.
Americans gamble more each year than they spend on groceries ($600B+ annually) (US Bureau of the Census, 1997).
Older adults now form the largest group of annual visitors to Las Vegas (The Las Vegas Convention and Visitor's Authority).
Between 1999 & 2003, calls to California problem gambling hotlines from older adults increased 25% (California Council on Problem Gambling).
Between 1975 and 1998, the over 65 age group experienced the greatest increase in gambling, both for lifetime (from 35% to 80%) and for past-year (from 23% to 50%) (Gambling Impact and Behavior Study, 1999).
Older adults are healthier, wealthier and expect more entertainment than previous generations, maybe because they are less likely to live with family members, maybe because they have the same response to advertising pressure as anyone else with a TV. Availability is the biggest factor in gambling becoming a problem. If a casino opens nearby, if your state has lottery, racetrack or card rooms, all make it more likely the locals will spend their money on supporting “the house.” There is a reason the casinos in the desert send buses to pick up seniors in LA. It’s not because they want to show you a good time. They want all your money!
Lotteries and larceny is at the heart of a second huge problem for older adults. There are crooks out there calling, writing and emailing large numbers of older adults to find just a few who will send the supposed tax payment or some other deposit to receive a huge payoff on the Irish, Canadian, or some other non-existent prize. There are no international lotteries that you entered without knowing it. There are laws against selling them to you if they did exist. It’s a trick.
The challenge is to complete the quote I started earlier. Healthier, wealthier and…
A problem that concerns older adults more than the rest of the population is falls. Some of the reasons that falling is riskier for an older person are changes in both soft tissue like the organs, and hard tissue like bone. My Girl Scout troop is tired of me harping on the issue but I tell them frequently that they only have till age twenty-five to build their bone bank. After that they start to withdraw calcium and lose bone strength. For an earlier generation that may have avoided whole milk for weight control, had a cultural avoidance of high impact athletics for girls, and have other risk factors for osteoporosis, a fall can mean broken bones that require joint replacement or extended healing time. Another complication is the loss of water in soft tissue causes the organs, including the brain to lose volume. I don’t mean your intelligence shrinks, but the brain doesn’t fit as tightly in the skull anymore. If you bounce the skull, the brain has more room to bounce around in. There may be slow bleeding, sometimes related to medication to prevent strokes and heart attacks. I’ve known of older adults with a head injury to get symptoms weeks after a fall because it took that long for the bleeding to cause problems. Early medical treatment is the best way to prevent long term problems.
There are some steps you can take to avoid falls. The Academy of Family Physicians recommends removing hazards like cords and rugs and keeping things lit at night. Elder friendly design like low shelves and hand rails help too. An often-overlooked risk is new eyeglasses, especially bifocals that can confuse the depth perception on stairs and uneven surfaces.
If you know an older adult try to offer to change light bulbs, air conditioner filters and do other chores that require climbing and reaching to prevent this kind of problem. If you are an older adult and have been told to use a cane or other assistive device, it’s a good idea to follow the advice. And a nice walking stick can be a very dapper accessory.
There are some steps you can take to avoid falls. The Academy of Family Physicians recommends removing hazards like cords and rugs and keeping things lit at night. Elder friendly design like low shelves and hand rails help too. An often-overlooked risk is new eyeglasses, especially bifocals that can confuse the depth perception on stairs and uneven surfaces.
If you know an older adult try to offer to change light bulbs, air conditioner filters and do other chores that require climbing and reaching to prevent this kind of problem. If you are an older adult and have been told to use a cane or other assistive device, it’s a good idea to follow the advice. And a nice walking stick can be a very dapper accessory.
I do a lot of research for my job and this column on the internet. One day in November this news popped up from Healthday, “Seniors Need Exercise.”
No kidding! The computer makes the obvious almost seem scientific!
The real science confirms it. A study at the University of Florida, Gainesville compared seniors who were taught about healthy lifestyles and seniors who had an exercise program. Folks who actually got out of their chairs and worked out had more independence a year later. It isn’t just better wind either. University of Wisconsin studied 4000 older adults for exercise and found those who did the equivalent of climbing six flights of stairs every day had a much lower incidence of macular degeneration- a major cause of vision loss in late life. Exercise is known to be both preventative and reparative for depression too.
Walking, even slowly, seems to be the best general exercise, especially for obese people according to a University of Colorado Boulder study. Even Johns Hopkins has published a study on older adults and walking. Dog owners who walk their dogs are more likely to get the recommended amount of exercise- 150 minutes per week according to the U.S. Surgeon General. It’s the walking, not the dog.
At the University of British Columbia they made another amazing discovery. Older adults prefer to exercise alone, with instruction, instead of in a group or class like younger adults. Who would believe people in their 60s and 70s don’t want to be surrounded by spandex wrapped 20 year-olds when they work out? A big difference is the body building culture. DHEA and testosterone, supplements and hormones are used to enhance athletic performance. But they don’t work on what the Mayo Clinic doctors called “elderly people.” They don’t improve strength, or physical performance on any measure for older athletes. There are other differences in sensation and tolerance as we age. The important things to remember are to get and stay hydrated. Older athletes don’t manage water balance as well as younger people. And if you hurt, if you feel faint or dizzy or short of breath… STOP. Rest. If you don’t recover quickly- call for help. But do find an activity that suits you, and just do it!
No kidding! The computer makes the obvious almost seem scientific!
The real science confirms it. A study at the University of Florida, Gainesville compared seniors who were taught about healthy lifestyles and seniors who had an exercise program. Folks who actually got out of their chairs and worked out had more independence a year later. It isn’t just better wind either. University of Wisconsin studied 4000 older adults for exercise and found those who did the equivalent of climbing six flights of stairs every day had a much lower incidence of macular degeneration- a major cause of vision loss in late life. Exercise is known to be both preventative and reparative for depression too.
Walking, even slowly, seems to be the best general exercise, especially for obese people according to a University of Colorado Boulder study. Even Johns Hopkins has published a study on older adults and walking. Dog owners who walk their dogs are more likely to get the recommended amount of exercise- 150 minutes per week according to the U.S. Surgeon General. It’s the walking, not the dog.
At the University of British Columbia they made another amazing discovery. Older adults prefer to exercise alone, with instruction, instead of in a group or class like younger adults. Who would believe people in their 60s and 70s don’t want to be surrounded by spandex wrapped 20 year-olds when they work out? A big difference is the body building culture. DHEA and testosterone, supplements and hormones are used to enhance athletic performance. But they don’t work on what the Mayo Clinic doctors called “elderly people.” They don’t improve strength, or physical performance on any measure for older athletes. There are other differences in sensation and tolerance as we age. The important things to remember are to get and stay hydrated. Older athletes don’t manage water balance as well as younger people. And if you hurt, if you feel faint or dizzy or short of breath… STOP. Rest. If you don’t recover quickly- call for help. But do find an activity that suits you, and just do it!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
How are you? It’s a question we all ask but we usually don’t wait around to listen for the answer. If you are a vulnerable senior citizen and someone is abusing you, how can you get someone to listen? In the recent violence at Virginia Tech, discussion about prevention revealed that if teachers take a few minutes each day to chat with students, they hear about the problems that lead to violence and prevent these events by the dozens!
When we teach a class for first responders- firemen, paramedics and police- on how to recognize an older adult that needs help from non-emergency services, one question that needs asking is “Has anyone hurt you?” The answer might be non-verbal but you usually get a clear answer. Most reports to APS are for self-neglect but when someone is abusing an elder, it is most often a family member or caretaker. It may be hard to imagine but it should be easy to recognize if you ask the right question.
Health care workers and anyone whose job is to provide care or services to older people are mandated to report suspected abuse, but anyone can make a report. If the older adult lives in a skilled care facility or convalescent hospital, the Ombudsman should be called. If they live in the community, as most do, APS is the proper agency to get the report. Law enforcement agencies will cross report elder abuse as well.
We know that the problems of youth respond to this intervention, to asking, “How are you?” Kids are in school, older adults are everywhere. A civilized society cares for it’s elders and we can all spread civility by asking, and by listening to the answer to the question “ how are you?”
RESOURCES
Los Angeles County Department of Community and Senior Services
(877) 477-3646(877) -4 -R –SENIORS
When we teach a class for first responders- firemen, paramedics and police- on how to recognize an older adult that needs help from non-emergency services, one question that needs asking is “Has anyone hurt you?” The answer might be non-verbal but you usually get a clear answer. Most reports to APS are for self-neglect but when someone is abusing an elder, it is most often a family member or caretaker. It may be hard to imagine but it should be easy to recognize if you ask the right question.
Health care workers and anyone whose job is to provide care or services to older people are mandated to report suspected abuse, but anyone can make a report. If the older adult lives in a skilled care facility or convalescent hospital, the Ombudsman should be called. If they live in the community, as most do, APS is the proper agency to get the report. Law enforcement agencies will cross report elder abuse as well.
We know that the problems of youth respond to this intervention, to asking, “How are you?” Kids are in school, older adults are everywhere. A civilized society cares for it’s elders and we can all spread civility by asking, and by listening to the answer to the question “ how are you?”
RESOURCES
Los Angeles County Department of Community and Senior Services
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Night out
This week is the 24th National Night Out, when across the country citizens make a point of showing criminals that we will not live in fear, will not surrender the streets to the bad guys. It is somewhat concerning that on the street where the event is to be held, there have been two violent crimes against African American youths in the past months. The protest is in the very heart of need here in Temple City. I meet with the District Attorney’s office a couple of times a month and the Deputy DAs I talk to work in the Elder Abuse Crimes Section. The older folks that seem to become victims of crime are not walking late at night and getting caught up in inter-racial violence, they are often sitting home when someone comes to offer repairs and ends up working a confidence scheme. I absolutely encourage the Older Adults in the community to attend on Tuesday night and take a stand against crime. I encourage younger folks to offer to take an elderly neighbor to the park for a hot dog and movie. Leave your porch lights on as a sign of solidarity. But keep in mind; the battle is in guarding against someone new wanting to do too much, asking for your checkbook, talking about power of attorney. Becoming like a son or daughter too quickly. A healthy older adult learns to shift attachment often because the longer you live, the more times you have to make new friends. A healthy older adult also knows that protecting your estate and property is a job for professionals, not the guy who mows the lawn.
t-con cerns
What is a conservator? Who can be placed in a conservatorship? These questions are on many senior’s minds but it may be hard to find the right person to ask.
A conservatorship is a legal relationship in which a Judge make a second person responsible for the Estate or the Person of another. There are a lot of different powers the Judge can grant the conservatorship in a probate court. The conservator may have the legal authority to sign medical consents or contact on behalf of the conservatee. If the conservator ship is granted in mental health court, there are some big differences. A LPS conservatorship must be renewed in court every year or it lapses. A Probate conservatorship is permanent unless revoked in court. The person has to be found to lack capacity to make decisions for himself. Sometimes because of an accident or illness, sometimes because of specific changes from a dementing illness. Someone has to request the court to grant the powers to another person and the person has a lawyer appointed for him called a PVP attorney. Both parties fees can be charges to the estate of the conservatee so it becomes a bit costly. If the person is vulnerable to undue influence or unable to keep their household running, it may be a life saving intervention. The conservator doesn’t get to do whatever he wants with the estate- hecan only use oit to take care of the person, with fees charged that are reviewed by the court. If “dementia powers” are granted, the conservator can give consent for psychiatric medication and may place the person in a higher level of care if needed.
A conservatorship is a legal relationship in which a Judge make a second person responsible for the Estate or the Person of another. There are a lot of different powers the Judge can grant the conservatorship in a probate court. The conservator may have the legal authority to sign medical consents or contact on behalf of the conservatee. If the conservator ship is granted in mental health court, there are some big differences. A LPS conservatorship must be renewed in court every year or it lapses. A Probate conservatorship is permanent unless revoked in court. The person has to be found to lack capacity to make decisions for himself. Sometimes because of an accident or illness, sometimes because of specific changes from a dementing illness. Someone has to request the court to grant the powers to another person and the person has a lawyer appointed for him called a PVP attorney. Both parties fees can be charges to the estate of the conservatee so it becomes a bit costly. If the person is vulnerable to undue influence or unable to keep their household running, it may be a life saving intervention. The conservator doesn’t get to do whatever he wants with the estate- hecan only use oit to take care of the person, with fees charged that are reviewed by the court. If “dementia powers” are granted, the conservator can give consent for psychiatric medication and may place the person in a higher level of care if needed.
Grandpa Sam
In Fresno I have a granddaughter who has another set of grandparents, Sam & Nina. Grandpa Sam is pushing 90. He is a retired cop and although generous and civil, he’s never been a really warm guy. Nina called me a few weeks ago to ask what she should do about Sam, as he seemed to be getting confused. They had made an appointment with a neurologist to have him evaluated. I saw Sam at a recent visit and noticed he was friendlier than in past years. He was warm. He asked a lot of questions about our drive, about the kids, about the drive, and about the drive. Nina said he had started to get lost just after that and he was having periods of disorientation and forgetting.
Since Sam had a quick decline in function rather than a long, step-wise change, I told Nina a Geriatrician might better diagnose him than a Neurologist. If it’s not a specialty you’re familiar with, think Pediatrician-Geriatrician, a Gerontologist studies in the field of sociology, not medicine. I told her to be sure they did a Chemistry Panel, Blood Count, B12 and Folate levels, Urinalysis and chest X-ray. Urinary tract infection or pneumonia are the most common causes of rapid change in mental status for older adults.
Nina called back after a few weeks to let me know after the work-up a little sub-lingual vitamin B12 had fixed Sam right up! He didn’t have Alzheimer’s, or a stroke or any of the things everyone was expecting. Absorption changes in the gut with age and injections of vitamins aren’t always the remedy. See your doctor if you think you may be having changes in mental ability and expect some silly requests like drawing a clock. Those are some of the most important screening tools used. If there is an immediate change in mental orientation in an older person you know, ask the older adult to repeat a simple sentence, smile and raise both hands. If they suddenly can’t do those things, call 911. The first hour of a brain attack is the most important for full recovery.
I hope Sam’s still warm when we go back next visit.
Since Sam had a quick decline in function rather than a long, step-wise change, I told Nina a Geriatrician might better diagnose him than a Neurologist. If it’s not a specialty you’re familiar with, think Pediatrician-Geriatrician, a Gerontologist studies in the field of sociology, not medicine. I told her to be sure they did a Chemistry Panel, Blood Count, B12 and Folate levels, Urinalysis and chest X-ray. Urinary tract infection or pneumonia are the most common causes of rapid change in mental status for older adults.
Nina called back after a few weeks to let me know after the work-up a little sub-lingual vitamin B12 had fixed Sam right up! He didn’t have Alzheimer’s, or a stroke or any of the things everyone was expecting. Absorption changes in the gut with age and injections of vitamins aren’t always the remedy. See your doctor if you think you may be having changes in mental ability and expect some silly requests like drawing a clock. Those are some of the most important screening tools used. If there is an immediate change in mental orientation in an older person you know, ask the older adult to repeat a simple sentence, smile and raise both hands. If they suddenly can’t do those things, call 911. The first hour of a brain attack is the most important for full recovery.
I hope Sam’s still warm when we go back next visit.
but baby it's hot outside!
As the weather gets warmer I thought it would be a good idea to review some heat related problems. As we all know at some level, when the body ages we store less water and more fat in our tissue. When we exert ourselves, the body sweats to cool itself. Since it’s June I should say that brides glow, they never sweat.
It takes a loss of only 2% of our body’s water to make us dehydrated and insatiably thirsty. Unfortunately for the older adult, that 2% loss is more likely to be reached than for a younger person, because of the water: fat ratio. Some strategies for managing bathroom visits whether at night or when traveling can increase the risk of dehydration as well. Medications for blood pressure can change our water balance and other medication can make it harder for the body to manage temperature changes. Ask your pharmacist if you aren’t sure about your meds.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can occur with exertion, heat and dehydration. The skin might get red, sweating may stop, nausea and vomiting can occur. Headaches, dizziness fainting are all signs of heat related illness. The victim can also become disoriented and confused. First aid is to cool off the body, rest and take fluids (/2 glass, no alcohol or caffeine,) if the body temperature is high, or the person isn’t responding to directions, activate the emergency medical system (911). Taking salt tablets is generally not a great way to avoid this condition, only do so with medical supervision. It is much better to dress for the heat- light colored clothes that increase evaporation, take frequent rest breaks and do heavy work in the coolest part of the day. And if you must go out for a mid-day stroll, wear a hat or use your parasol!
It takes a loss of only 2% of our body’s water to make us dehydrated and insatiably thirsty. Unfortunately for the older adult, that 2% loss is more likely to be reached than for a younger person, because of the water: fat ratio. Some strategies for managing bathroom visits whether at night or when traveling can increase the risk of dehydration as well. Medications for blood pressure can change our water balance and other medication can make it harder for the body to manage temperature changes. Ask your pharmacist if you aren’t sure about your meds.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can occur with exertion, heat and dehydration. The skin might get red, sweating may stop, nausea and vomiting can occur. Headaches, dizziness fainting are all signs of heat related illness. The victim can also become disoriented and confused. First aid is to cool off the body, rest and take fluids (/2 glass, no alcohol or caffeine,) if the body temperature is high, or the person isn’t responding to directions, activate the emergency medical system (911). Taking salt tablets is generally not a great way to avoid this condition, only do so with medical supervision. It is much better to dress for the heat- light colored clothes that increase evaporation, take frequent rest breaks and do heavy work in the coolest part of the day. And if you must go out for a mid-day stroll, wear a hat or use your parasol!
Relax
One of the more alarming things I run into with older adults who are aging in place and living alone is the prevalence of anti-anxiety medication in their medicine boxes. About 6% of older adults have a bona fide anxiety disorder, many more than that use these powerful medications to keep from crawling out of their skin from fear, nerves and worry.
Is there some way to be more comfortable without taking more medicine? Can I learn to lower my blood pressure with practice? It may not be covered by your HMO, but the answer is probably “yes!” Most of us have read about chemicals that occur in the brain called endorphins. We may know that they can reduce pain and relieve tension naturally. It may be difficult for some older people to engage in the activities that are often connected with these chemical events like aerobic exercise and meditation. You may believe that deep states of concentration are needed to trigger a relaxation response but it really isn’t that hard.
One thing we all learned to try to control our feelings was counting to ten. We usually counted the wrong direction. Instead of counting up to ten, try counting down to zero. If you close your eyes, try to visualize the numerals in your head and lower the tone of your voice as you count “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.” If you can see the numbers, next try to shift the color form red to orange, then to yellow, green blue, indigo and then violet and black. Let the energy of your tension and pain dissipate in the darkness of the zero. Then count upwards to come back to alertness without the discomfort. It may take a few tries to get comfortable with this, go slow, but do go!
Dr Herbert Benson at Harvard Medical School has taught many of his patients to use techniques like this to get control of their own bodies and reduce their dependence on medication. If you are in chronic, severe pain, special training and equipment might be necessary but for most of us with normal aches and nerves, it just takes a little trial and error to use your mind to help and heal your body. Dr. Benson has written a number of General Interest books on the topic, starting with The Relaxation Response.
Is there some way to be more comfortable without taking more medicine? Can I learn to lower my blood pressure with practice? It may not be covered by your HMO, but the answer is probably “yes!” Most of us have read about chemicals that occur in the brain called endorphins. We may know that they can reduce pain and relieve tension naturally. It may be difficult for some older people to engage in the activities that are often connected with these chemical events like aerobic exercise and meditation. You may believe that deep states of concentration are needed to trigger a relaxation response but it really isn’t that hard.
One thing we all learned to try to control our feelings was counting to ten. We usually counted the wrong direction. Instead of counting up to ten, try counting down to zero. If you close your eyes, try to visualize the numerals in your head and lower the tone of your voice as you count “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.” If you can see the numbers, next try to shift the color form red to orange, then to yellow, green blue, indigo and then violet and black. Let the energy of your tension and pain dissipate in the darkness of the zero. Then count upwards to come back to alertness without the discomfort. It may take a few tries to get comfortable with this, go slow, but do go!
Dr Herbert Benson at Harvard Medical School has taught many of his patients to use techniques like this to get control of their own bodies and reduce their dependence on medication. If you are in chronic, severe pain, special training and equipment might be necessary but for most of us with normal aches and nerves, it just takes a little trial and error to use your mind to help and heal your body. Dr. Benson has written a number of General Interest books on the topic, starting with The Relaxation Response.
Driving Safety
A few years ago 86-year-old George Weller drove through a crowd in Santa Monica killing ten people and injuring dozens more. It started a national debate on older drivers. This is an update of material I used in a presentation at the LA County Law Enforcement -Mental Health conference given in 2005. The information came from the AAA and AARP websites.One worrisome fact from the Institute on Highway Safety is that driver’s ages 65 and older have higher crash death rates per mile driven than all but teen drivers. But then a study of crashes involving older drivers in Wisconsin found that drivers ages 65 to 74 did not pose a greater risk of serious injury or death for others than did younger drivers. The danger from older drivers is only to the driver- not to others on the road. Frailty would seem to put an older person at greater risk in an accident than someone younger and heartier.Although older adults represent 14 percent of all licensed drivers, they are involved in only 8 percent of police-reported crashes and 11 percent of fatal crashes. This can be compared to drivers age 16 to 24, who are involved in 26 percent of police-reported crashes and 26 percent of fatal crashes, but represent only 14 percent of licensed drivers. So older drivers are kind of under represented in the more dangerous outcomes.Research shows that individuals who must stop driving experience "lower life satisfaction, poorer adjustment, loneliness, and lower activity levels...." so in looking at the issue of protecting the older driver- stopping him does more harm than good to the driver, and he isn’t that dangerous to the public.In California- At age 70, mail renewal is prohibited. This is one of the few age discrimination laws that we allow to stand. Formerly only a doctor could report to the DMV and his report would almost automatically cause the driver to lose his privileges. Now anyone can send in a form that will trigger the DMV to consider examining the driver for ability to drive. It isn’t automatic. It’s a mark of independence in Southern California to have a car, and drive it yourself. It may not be the highest good our culture promotes. In many other areas most adults use public transportation most of the time. It’s good for traffic, good for the environment and getting relatively cheaper as gas prices skyrocket. Dial-a-ride, Goldline, ride a bike! If you stop driving- buck the trend get out, get busy, have fun. If you are a younger adult, find out who the older folks are in your neighborhood and take them to events, ballgames, plays, and ceremonies. The oldest of the old should be included in every event in your community because that is the most basic gesture of respect we can give them
Marijuana
A few weeks ago I mentioned a lady in Arizona. A grandma who was convicted of drug running to support her Bingo habit. I will bring her up again when I write about problem gambling but today I think we should consider the other aspect of her story. The marijuana she had 214 pounds of in her car trunk.
Some recent studies suggest the active ingredient usually targeted in marijuana- THC – interferes with the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. That’s what drugs like Aricept do to treat Alzheimer’s type dementia. Heroin seems to cause the kind of tangled cell structures that are another characteristic of Alzheimer’s.
Marijuana advocates claim medicinal pot has beneficial effects on appetite, pain, nausea and other symptoms and side effects. Medical expert respond that there are approved medications that are more effective for those symptoms. There isn’t a good body of research to prove either point conclusively.
I’ve met and treated a few old pot smokers. They seem to have the same problems and strengths as other older adults. The issue that concerns me is the contact with the underground and sometimes criminal element that supplies the pot to them. Last winter Associated Press carried a story of a 92 year-old woman in Atlanta who had a search warrant served at her home. The police kicked down her door to try to find drugs they had good cause to believe were there. Kathryn Johnston shot three police officers before they returned fire and she was killed. She certainly didn’t die from pot smoking, but drugs were a factor- whether they found them or not. In On the Road, Jack Kerouac records the popularity of marijuana in the 1930s and 1940s. It’s not new. My caution to you Dear Reader, is this- as long as there is a war on drugs, stay as far away as you can from the war zone. If you know an older adult who is struggling with a drug problem, let them know they are not alone, they can get treatment and they can get their life back. If you or someone you know uses an herb, supplement or over-the-counter medicine, it’s important to let your doctor know. It makes a difference in what treatment they can safely give you. And don’t buy anything out of someone’s trunk at a bingo game.
Some recent studies suggest the active ingredient usually targeted in marijuana- THC – interferes with the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. That’s what drugs like Aricept do to treat Alzheimer’s type dementia. Heroin seems to cause the kind of tangled cell structures that are another characteristic of Alzheimer’s.
Marijuana advocates claim medicinal pot has beneficial effects on appetite, pain, nausea and other symptoms and side effects. Medical expert respond that there are approved medications that are more effective for those symptoms. There isn’t a good body of research to prove either point conclusively.
I’ve met and treated a few old pot smokers. They seem to have the same problems and strengths as other older adults. The issue that concerns me is the contact with the underground and sometimes criminal element that supplies the pot to them. Last winter Associated Press carried a story of a 92 year-old woman in Atlanta who had a search warrant served at her home. The police kicked down her door to try to find drugs they had good cause to believe were there. Kathryn Johnston shot three police officers before they returned fire and she was killed. She certainly didn’t die from pot smoking, but drugs were a factor- whether they found them or not. In On the Road, Jack Kerouac records the popularity of marijuana in the 1930s and 1940s. It’s not new. My caution to you Dear Reader, is this- as long as there is a war on drugs, stay as far away as you can from the war zone. If you know an older adult who is struggling with a drug problem, let them know they are not alone, they can get treatment and they can get their life back. If you or someone you know uses an herb, supplement or over-the-counter medicine, it’s important to let your doctor know. It makes a difference in what treatment they can safely give you. And don’t buy anything out of someone’s trunk at a bingo game.
First considerations
Although I’ve been working with older adults as a nurse and counselor for quite a few years, in starting to think about this column I decided to go through my files to see what folks in the 60 and over age group are up to these days.
Last October I found a story from Omaha about a 68 year-old man who fought off two teenage robbers, one of whom had a gun. As impressive as he was, a year before that I read about a 73 year old grandfather in Kenya who killed an attacking leopard – barehanded! They might have been a good match with R. E. Johnson, a 76 year-old retirement home resident in Davenport Iowa who was arrested for fighting in the smoking area of the home – with an 81 year old woman.
I wonder if Johnson might have been represented by Allen Stewart. Stewart graduated last fall from law school in Australia, after his 91st birthday. Mr. Stewart finished the 6 year program in only 4 ½ years stating “time is of the essence.” He might have seemed precocious to Nola Ochs in Kansa. She took a break from studying for her final exams to celebrate her 95th birthday n 2006.
The serious side of the legal issue came up in the summer of ’06 for Lena Driskol in Georgia. The 79 year-old defendant couldn’t get a jury of her peers while on trial for killing her boyfriend. The exemption age is 70 in her home state and the panel ended up with an average age of 30. Feeling comfortable with sitting in judgement on an elder was one of the barriers in selecting the jury.
The trial of Leticia Garcia in Arizona this January didn’t present that challenge. Mrs. Garcia was arrested on her way to Bingo in Tucson for having 214 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of her car. I will refer to Mrs. Garcia in a future column on gambling since that was her motivation for running drugs. Remind me to leave James Wilson out of that one- he won $254 million on Powerball this year. He’s 84 but his wife is only 79. I guess that’s a happy couple.
Speaking of married couples, there’s Nobel Prize winner Chen Ning Yang in China. He’s 82 but engaged to a student who might be reflection of himself- she’s 28! They don’t hold a candle to Muhammed Mesa in Malasia and his wife. He’s 33 and she’s only 104! You might suspect someones being taken advantage of though, it’s his first marriage but she’s had twenty husbands before Muhammed.
And we saw Elsie McLean on TV in April- at 102 the lady golfer hit her first hole-in-one. George Blevins in Richmond Indiana bowls rather than golfing. He’s been practicing… for 93 years. At 100 years old he has a 151 average. That might not impress Esther Meley in Centralia who rolled a 244 game at 94 years old, but then Esther is legally blind!
So I undertake the task of writing about my elders, without assuming they are elderly. With respect, affection and perhaps a drop of fear.
Last October I found a story from Omaha about a 68 year-old man who fought off two teenage robbers, one of whom had a gun. As impressive as he was, a year before that I read about a 73 year old grandfather in Kenya who killed an attacking leopard – barehanded! They might have been a good match with R. E. Johnson, a 76 year-old retirement home resident in Davenport Iowa who was arrested for fighting in the smoking area of the home – with an 81 year old woman.
I wonder if Johnson might have been represented by Allen Stewart. Stewart graduated last fall from law school in Australia, after his 91st birthday. Mr. Stewart finished the 6 year program in only 4 ½ years stating “time is of the essence.” He might have seemed precocious to Nola Ochs in Kansa. She took a break from studying for her final exams to celebrate her 95th birthday n 2006.
The serious side of the legal issue came up in the summer of ’06 for Lena Driskol in Georgia. The 79 year-old defendant couldn’t get a jury of her peers while on trial for killing her boyfriend. The exemption age is 70 in her home state and the panel ended up with an average age of 30. Feeling comfortable with sitting in judgement on an elder was one of the barriers in selecting the jury.
The trial of Leticia Garcia in Arizona this January didn’t present that challenge. Mrs. Garcia was arrested on her way to Bingo in Tucson for having 214 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of her car. I will refer to Mrs. Garcia in a future column on gambling since that was her motivation for running drugs. Remind me to leave James Wilson out of that one- he won $254 million on Powerball this year. He’s 84 but his wife is only 79. I guess that’s a happy couple.
Speaking of married couples, there’s Nobel Prize winner Chen Ning Yang in China. He’s 82 but engaged to a student who might be reflection of himself- she’s 28! They don’t hold a candle to Muhammed Mesa in Malasia and his wife. He’s 33 and she’s only 104! You might suspect someones being taken advantage of though, it’s his first marriage but she’s had twenty husbands before Muhammed.
And we saw Elsie McLean on TV in April- at 102 the lady golfer hit her first hole-in-one. George Blevins in Richmond Indiana bowls rather than golfing. He’s been practicing… for 93 years. At 100 years old he has a 151 average. That might not impress Esther Meley in Centralia who rolled a 244 game at 94 years old, but then Esther is legally blind!
So I undertake the task of writing about my elders, without assuming they are elderly. With respect, affection and perhaps a drop of fear.
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