Archive for September 2022
Giving for Christmas Means More Than Toys
The Star of Bethlehem has been eclipsed by Santa’s sled burgeoning with expensive toys for all ages. The Three Wise Men have been shunted aside by Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
The Christmas spirit of giving has given way to “gimme.”
This is not a rail about how things were better “back then.” But it is an opportunity to discuss blending sound financial decisions with the true spirit of giving.
Grandparents do their grandchildren no favors by tumbling mountains of gifts and gadgets on them year after year. To truly give a gift that’s worthwhile, divert the amount of money spent on all that loot into long-term bonds that mature as the youngsters head for college, or in government savings bonds that can be cashed as needed, or into trust funds to help them get over the financial humps that coincide with raising a young family of their own.
Think about it. You just spent hundreds of dollars on the latest hi-tech gadget or on a set of wheels – skateboard, inline skates, bicycle or auto – or on several humongous wooly monsters. Much of all that won’t be around in a couple or three years. And the kid probably won’t even remember what you contributed to the pile of goodies he comes to expect annually.
However, if you funnel that money into a bank account or investment that is the child’s, you not only help secure his or her future, you build a separate memory all for yourself.
It also gives you an opportunity to help teach the youngster about the importance of investing as both of you watch the money grow over the years. And it fits into the traditional spirit of Christmas that calls for loving the present (not presents), looking forward to the future, and preserving the past.
VERENA’S VOICE sez:
Non illegitimus sunt and get your blood pressure checked at 10 a.m. in the lobby by BAYADA Home Care.
We hear Beltone will be reviewing your hearing as well as your hearing aids at 2 o’clock in the multi-purpose room.
And a Happy Birthday to Norm Bubenheim.
This Is a Start …
Mary Brown writes:
Great idea Cecil – count me in.
| Mary Ellen Hayes writes: |
Just some suggestions for your newsletter
Coming Soon column – let us know what is going to be happening. I just heard we are
expanding water aerobics to 3 times per week. If we can put out what will be coming that will show up on the next month’s calendar. I don’t get downstairs a lot to watch the tv so it would get out to a lot more residents.
On-going activities – have someone from the activity tell what is happening in their activity – maybe explain what that activity is so we can decide if it is something we are interested in. Currently you only see the name of the activity on the calendar and really don’t know what it is – might help with getting more people deciding to join in. Maybe highlight one activity at a time.
I have always said we lack communication. If an activity has changed or cancelled it helps to know ahead of time. Also, things happening in the building like elevator not working, power or tv outage, repairs like carpet replacement. Maybe you can get Mary to update you or add information to your online news.
Thank you for all you are doing for our community – you add a lot to our lives. These are just suggestions.
Good suggestions, all we need is for the folks behind those activities to drop a line. And when someone sees the elevator isn’t working, let us know.
So Many Folks . . .
. . . keep reminding us
that we can’t really live without love.
But, think about it,
oxygen is a lot more important.
A Disease That Sneaks Up On You
By Tom Morrow
(The author is a long-time friend and colleague of this blogger.)
A 19th century malady that is becoming more prevalent in today’s society is Parkinson’s Disease.
PD is thought to occur primarily with the elderly. There are no easy explanations and it can hit the young. Males are more often affected than females at a ratio of around 3 to 2.
When young people like actor Michael J. Fox and boxer Muhammed Ali are afflicted, the age factor sort of goes out the window. Fox was 27 when he was diagnosed. Ali was 38. Older victims such as well-known actor Alan Alda are more commonplace. Singer Linda Ronstadt was 67.
I was 75 when I was diagnosed.
PD is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor nerves. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms become more common. The most obvious early symptoms are tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty with walking and keeping balanced.
By 2015, it was estimated PD affected more than 6 million people and resulted in about 117,400 deaths globally. The average life expectancy following diagnosis is between seven and 15 years.
The cause of PD is unknown but both inherited and environmental factors are believed to play a role. Those with a family member affected by PD are at an increased risk of getting the disease, with certain genes known to be inheritable risk factors. Other risk factors are those who have been exposed to certain pesticides and those who have had head injuries. Cognitive and behavioral problems also may occur with many victims suffering from depression, anxiety and apathy. Dementia can become commonplace in the advanced stages of PD.
Boxers, such as Ali, and sports figures who have sustained a number of blows to head often develop PD. A lot of football players are victims.
Those suffering with Parkinson’s also can have problems with their sleep and sensory systems. The motor symptoms of the disease result from the dead cells in the mid-brain leading to a dopamine deficit. The cause of this cell death is not very well understood. Diagnosis of typical PD cases is usually based on symptoms when motor skills difficulties are the patient’s chief complaint.
The bad news is that there still is no known cure for PD.
For those of us with PD, treatment can reduce the effects of the symptoms. Initial treatment is done typically with medications such as levodopa or dopamine agonists. As the disease progresses, experience has shown these medications become less effective.
Actor Fox has greatly increased the public awareness of the disease. After diagnosis, Fox embraced his Parkinson’s in television roles, sometimes acting without medication to further illustrate the effects of the condition. He has appeared before Congress without medication to illustrate the effects of the disease. The Michael J. Fox Foundation aims to develop a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
Professional cyclist and Olympic medalist Davis Phinney, who was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s at age 40, started the Davis Phinney Foundation in 2004 to support PD research, focusing on quality of life for people with the disease.
While boxer Ali showed signs of PD when he was 38, it was not diagnosed until he was 42. He has been called the “world’s most famous Parkinson’s patient.”
A physician initially assesses PD with a careful medical and neurological history. Focus is put on confirming motor symptoms and supporting tests with clinical diagnostic criteria being discussed by a physician and PD specialist.
Multiple causes often mimic PD, making it look similar to the disease. Stroke, certain medications, and toxins can cause “secondary parkinsonism” and need to be thoroughly and properly assessed. Parkinson-plus syndromes, such as progressive palsy and multiple system atrophy, should be considered and ruled out appropriately due to different treatment and disease progression.
For PD victims losing their motor skills, such as walking and difficulties in keeping balance, swallow your pride and use a walker both indoors and out. The results of a bad fall can be worse than any disease.
Booze . . .
. . . may not be
the answer to a lot of
life’s problems.
But I’m still willing
to give it a shot.
Mature Life Features 