A Lesson Taken From The Movies. . .

by Steven Mattingly

This past weekend I engaged in one of my favorite guilty pleasures, watching an oldie moldy movie.  This Sunday in between watching the 2012 London Olympics, I watched one of my favorite oldie moldy movies, “Now Voyager”, starring Bette Davis, Paul Henreid and Claude Raines.  I remember this movie from my childhood.  As an adolescent I think I spent many Sunday afternoons during winter watching outdated movies on “Sunday Afternoon at the Movies” on the television with my mother.  To this day there are movies that bring flashbacks of the avocado green Naugahyde covered couch, the orange Naugahyde covered chair, and multiple bowls of popcorn watching the black and white television.  I can also reminisce about the oversized ashtrays and the matching antiqued end tables with matching lamps, but I’ll save that for another time.

There are a fair number of familiar Bette Davis quotations:  “If you want a thing well done, get a couple of old broads to do It.”; “Hollywood always wanted me to be pretty, but I fought for realism.”  But my favorite remains: “Old age is no place for sissies.” 

These are great and very true words about the aging process.  Residents of our communities encounter the things that we’ll call bullies each and every day.  Arthritis, stroke recovery, cancer, congestive heart failure, congestive obstructive pulmonary disorder, diminished vision, diminished hearing, family members who don’t have time to listen, family members who don’t want to listen, and a healthcare system that systematically fails to treat them as adults and far too many more to name.   A few of our residents have only one demon to look in the eye each day but for most, a whole gang of bullies sizes them up each day ready to pummel them with as much hurt and force as they can manage. 

With age there sometimes comes a unique grace and certain degree of suave in managing the bullies that are found on life’s path.  I am amazed each and every day at the aplomb and fortitude shown by residents as they stare down, beat back, and conquer their individual bullies.  Every now and then I’ll hear residents comparing their list of bullies and it sounds almost like a game of one-up-man-ship.  There is a strange reverence reserved for those who defeat the biggest number of bullies routinely. It reminds me of the game “King of the Hill”.   Remember that the next time your family member or loved one starts reciting the list of their various ailments.  It not that they are complaining, perhaps they are just getting ready for their next game of “King of the Hill”.

The title of the movie “Now Voyager” is taken from a poem titled “The Untold Want” by Walt Whitman.  In a pivotal scene for the character played by Bette Davis she is handed a piece of paper with the following lines; The Untold Want By Life and Land Ne'er Granted Now, Voyager Sail Thou Forth to Seek and Find Life isn’t the movies and no one gets handed a piece of paper telling them to sail forth and seek and find.  But a good swift punch will beat back the bullies each and every time. Steven Mattingly is the Executive Director of Pacifica Senior Living in San Leandro, CA.

Why Watching the British Open Made Me Cry

Remembering My Father  

By Steven Mattingly

For those of you who are not golf fans, I’ll begin with a bit of recent golf history. A 40 year old recently won the prestigious British Golf Open something that as of late has been left to the younger generation of golfing giants. Being of that certain age myself (50+) it was great to see the old guy make good one more time. But it also reminded me of a time when my father was the “old guy” trying to win one more time. 

My father for the last 20 years of his working life was the golf course superintendent for a small golf course where I grew up in Kentucky. He often referred to himself as a high class dirt farmer. He had grown up the oldest of 11 children on a poor scrap of a farm with a father who was both mean and mean spirited towards his children. The ragtag assemblage of the family and their circumstances can at best be described as dirt poor. I think my father enjoyed a secret laugh each time he made the high class dirt farmer reference since he not only escaped the hard scrabble of being a farmer, he had done it with style. 

My father was also quite the competitive and successful sportsman as a teenage and young man, playing baseball on a couple of semi-pro teams until his knees and back gave out and he couldn’t jump up quickly enough from his catcher’s position. At the ripe age of 34 he took up golf and that in turn in a very roundabout way led to his becoming a golf course superintendent. For anyone who has played golf you know the frustration of the game and also know that practice does indeed make perfect in the game. My father rarely had time to practice between a 16 hour work day in the warm weather and still being a father to four children. So it was somewhat surprising the August that I was 12 that I noticed my father was carving out 15 minutes here and 20 minutes there to hit golf balls and work on his game. He had always been a good golfer by never a great one. Being a youngster I couldn’t figure out the angle until it was the week before Labor Day weekend when I realized my father had with quiet determination set about qualifying to play in a well respected and highly competitive match play golf tournament held over the three day weekend at the golf course where he was the superintendent.

Somewhat surprising to many who knew him, he qualified to play in the championship division. My father over that three day weekend got up at 4am and got me up as well since I was his helper and mowed, raked, trimmed and otherwise manicured the golf course to the pristine order for which it had become known under his tenure. He then came home 6 hours later, cleaned up and went back to the course to play his matches. To his great credit he won matches his first and second day and made it to the elite group of four for the final day. On that final day he again was up at 4am did a day’s work, and went back out to face what he knew as did I his toughest opponent, a strapping and strong 18 year old with a slamming swing that just sent the ball soaring into space. The match was fascinating to the crowd that traditionally watch this part of the tournament and to me who served as my father’s caddy throughout the tournament. 

There was never more than a difference of 1up throughout the match and it ended up even after 18 holes of play going into sudden death right at 12noon. And that’s when it happened, the responsibility of being the golf course superintendent and the desire to prove something clashed. If you know anything about Kentucky weather know that in late August it is ungodly hot and humid, two things that spelled disaster for my father’s carefully manicured greens, often referred to by many as the finest in all of Kentucky. He didn’t want to forfeit so he did what he had to do. He played the first hole of sudden death and at the end of putting pulled out the hoses (no automatic sprinkler here) and hand sprinkled the green for the time it took for his opponent to walk to the next tee, he then sprinted from the previous green to the next tee and continued the match. This continued for four holes of sudden death until my very tired father missed a very makeable four foot putt and lost the match. I thought of my father as I watch the British Open and saw the “old man” win and just cried for I knew he could have made that last putt.

Steven Mattingly is the Executive Director of Pacifica Senior Living in San Leandro, CA.

It Takes A Village

by Patricia Conlon

How many times have we heard that phrase? Usually, we attribute it to raising children. But if we stop for a moment to think, why should we limit our sense of responsibility to children? Aren’t we also, in some way, responsible for our neighbors?

When we see the older neighbor who until recently has always dressed impeccably and now appears disheveled, or the one with the recent dents in the car, or perhaps the one who struggles suddenly to remember our name after we’ve been friends for years, what course of action can we take without seeming like a buttinsky? (My apologies if “Buttinsky” is your last name; I do not mean to offend)

If you’re fortunate enough to have lived in a building long enough, you may have your neighbor’s emergency contact number. (That is something I suggest we all do – more on that another column). If so, and in the kindest manner, let them know that you’re concerned. Don’t offer to put yourself “in charge” unless you’re comfortable doing so. Give the contact person your observations, and hope they will take measures. If the neighbor’s loved ones live out of town, it’s your opportunity to educate them on the resources available in the area: Independent Senior Communities, Assisted Living Facilities, Home Health agencies, Senior Centers or advocacy groups such as the Alzheimer’s Association, Alliance for the Aging and The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County.

At Pacifica Senior Living Palm Beach , we are committed to our seniors and to serving our residents and the surrounding community. We can help, so call today if you, a loved one or your neighbor need more information. 

Sleep peacefully knowing that you’ve treated your neighbor as you would want to be treated.

Visit us on the web at www.PacificaSeniorLiving.com or call us at 561-434-0434

Patricia Conlon

Marketing Director, Pacifica Senior Living Palm Beach

Credit Score Tips for Seniors

According to a new study published in the CSA Journal (Society of Certified Senior Advisors) seniors build up greater amounts of debt and have more credit report problems than younger people. While 1 in 3 people of all ages find mistakes on their credit reports, an even larger number, 36 percent of seniors found errors. In one of four cases the errors where significant enough to have a negative effect on their credit scores.

The study also concluded that young people watch their credit score more closely, while only 1 in 4 seniors did so. The Society of Certified Senior Advisors urges seniors to regularly check their credit reports. Free consumer credit reports are available at AnnualCreditReport.com.

These are some tips to make sure your credit report is accurate:

Run an annual Credit Report: A free annual credit report is available at AnnualCreditReport.com. To get the actual credit score you’ll have to pay. But the report alone will allow you to check for errors and mistakes.

Fix Errors: By law, credit bureaus are required to correct any errors. If you spot a mistake, contact them either via website or phone or send a letter and explain what’s wrong.

Keep Copies: Make and keep copies of everything you send to the credit bureaus and request a delivery confirmation at the post office to make sure they received your mail.

Beware of Scams: A flood of companies offer to improve your credit score for a fee, but easiest and cheapest method involves a pretty basic technique: Pay your bills on time, stay well under your credit limits and keep your accounts in good standing over many years

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Pay your bills: The best way to boost a credit score is to pay bills on time and keep accounts in good standing over many years. Avoiding credit altogether can do more harm than good, since lenders want to see that consumers have experience managing credit accounts.

Don’t Co-sign for Anyone: Even spouses can harm each other’s credit by co-signing for a credit card. Once your name is on account, you’re responsible for it, even if you break up. So limit your exposure to that risk by avoiding co-signing accounts whenever possible.

Despite rumors to the contrary, having a good job does nothing to boost a credit score. In fact, income has no effect whatsoever on a score. The only thing that matters is your credit history—whether you pay your bills on time.

If you do run into financial trouble and have to resort to filing for bankruptcy, your credit score can begin to rebound after one year of making on-time, regular payments. Then, after seven to 10 years, it can fully recover.

Bottom Line: Use AnnualCreditReport.com once a year to check for any errors on your report and pay bills on time. Consider helping any older relatives to do the same.

Source: Money.USNews.com

Tai Chi Might Help Prevent Dementia

Tai Chi, the gentle ancient Chinese mind-body workout derived from martial arts, might have yet another unaccounted benefit: Increasing the size of the brain – possibly even preventing dementia.  

Chinese seniors who practiced Tai Chi three times a week, increased their brain size and improving their test scores on memory tests according to a study by the University of Florida and Fudan University in Shanghai published this week in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

“The Tai-Chi group in the study displayed brain growth of 1 percent over the period of eight months measured through MRIs” said the lead researcher James Mortimer, a USF Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “How exactly that growth occurred and whether genetics or other factors played a role requires further research” he added.

Tai chi has been investigated for its positive impact on cognitive function, but this new report is the first to look at brain volume, he said.

Healthy Eating Tips For Seniors

Remember the old saying, you are what you eat? Try to make it your motto. When you eat a variety of colorful fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins you’ll feel vibrant and healthy, inside and out.

For seniors, the benefits of a healthy eating habit include mental alertness, resistance to illness, increased energy levels and faster recuperation times. As we get older, eating healthy can also be the key to a positive attitude and keeping emotionally balanced. But healthy eating doesn’t have to be dieting and sacrificing. Eating well is all about fresh, colorful food and creativity in the kitchen:

Choose to eat whole fruits over fruit juices as they contain more fiber and vitamins. The darker the greens, the more antioxidants they contain. Greens such as kale, spinach and broccoli are excellent sources. Orange vegetables such as carrots, squash and yams are also very vitamin-rich. Try to eat 2 cups of veggies every day.

Calcium is imperative for maintaining healthy bones and warding off osteoporosis and bone fractures. Seniors need around 1200mg per day. Milk and dairy products such as yogurt and cheese are excellent sources. You can also get your daily calcium fix through non-dairy sources such as broccoli, almonds, kale and tofu.

When it comes to carbs, choose whole grains over processed white flour products for more fiber and nutrients. Try to add whole grain breads and pasta products to your diet.

Protein is very important for maintaining muscle mass. The human body starts to gradually lose muscle mass starting at the age of 30. Seniors need about 0.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. Simply divide your bodyweight in half to know how many grams you need.  Fish, beans, peas, nuts, eggs, milk, cheese, and seeds are all excellent sources of protein.

As we know, the human body is mainly composed of water. Seniors are prone to dehydration because our sense of thirst dulls as we age.  Add little sticky-notes to your apartment reminding you to sip on your water every hour to avoid chronic dehydration.  Drinking sufficient water is also important to avoid constipation and maintaining a healthy digestion.

Try to avoid hidden sugars. Many canned and processed products contain hidden sugars. Make yourself familiar and check the labels for different terms for sugar such as corn syrup, molasses, brown rice syrup, cane juice, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, or maltose.

Avoid too much salt: Often taste and smell diminishes as we age. Seniors tend to lose the ability to taste salty flavors and therefore tend to add too much salt to compensate. Try to use other spices, herbs and healthy oils such as olive oil to season your food.

Cook smart: The best way to prepare veggies is by steaming or sautéing in olive oil to preserve its nutrients.

Caffeine Increases Muscle Strength in Elderly

A new study presented at the Society for Experimental Biology meeting on June 30, 2012 showed that caffeine boosts the muscle strength of elderly, suggesting a reduction of falls and injuries. 

For adults in their prime, caffeine helps muscles to produce more force.  As we age, our muscles naturally change and become weaker. Sports scientists at Coventry University looked for the first time at whether these age-related changes in muscle would alter the effect of caffeine. They found that caffeine continued to enhance muscle performance in two different muscles from mice, although it was less effective in older muscles. 

Jason Tallis, the study's primary author, said: "Despite a reduced effect in the elderly, caffeine may still provide performance-enhancing benefits. With the importance of maintaining a physically active lifestyle to preserve health and functional capacity, the performance-enhancing benefit of caffeine could prove beneficial in the aging population."