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Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) is pleased to announce a grant received from the USAging/ Administration for Community Living (ACL), to help facilitate LIFTT’s participation in a new multi-organization collaborative to provide greater person-centered access to vaccines such as COVID-19 and flu to the aging and disabled community. “The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the fact that people with disabilities face a myriad of barriers in accessing the health care resources they desire to utilize including vaccines. We hope thr...
(BPT) - As you age, it's perfectly normal to notice changes in your body. You may not be able to move as fast or hear as well. Age also increases your risk of developing wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in seniors. February is AMD Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to learn more about ways you can protect your vision and keep your eyes healthy. Read on for the five facts you need to know about AMD. 1. AMD is the #1 cause of vision loss in seniors...
(BPT) - Stop for a moment and think about your top 5 New Year's resolutions. If you said them out loud right now, how many would be about your health? Did they include: * exercising more * eating more healthily * stopping smoking * meditating * getting more quality sleep Is getting vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia on your health list? Some people are at increased risk for pneumococcal pneumonia - a potentially serious bacterial lung disease - like those 19 or older with certain...
(BPT) - Heavier jackets are out. Noses are running. Germs are thriving. During this time of year, it's important to arm yourself with information on how you can help protect yourself from the flu. This may be especially important this winter, with COVID-19 variants still prevalent in some communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a decline in flu hospitalizations and deaths last season, citing masking and social distancing as likely contributions. However, reduce...
This year, to benefit Adopt a Senior's second year running in Sidney, Kayla Fox Wellness is offering classes in Sidney and Fairview as a fundraiser throughout November. Kayla Fox has worked with the senior community in Sidney for six years. Fox stated, "Seniors aren't able to get out much in the winter months and it affects their emotional state but they do enjoy connecting with people so this program creates companionship and friendly interactions. She started the program by herself. It was...
Thy Neighbor is a private-duty home care business started by Richard Garcia and Martha Nugent in December 2021. Both Nugent and Garcia were shocked at the lack of understanding for Alzheimer's and dementia sufferers in the area. They came from Texas where, if an elderly man or woman starts to have trouble in their home because of illness, injury, or natural decline there are multiple businesses and services available to them to allow them to "Age in Place". The idea of Aging in Place is not...
Sidney, MT - Sidney Health Center Extended Care offers a transitional rehabilitation program for individuals in the community who are released from the hospital but need additional care before returning home. Mary Jeane Johnson recently took advantage of this program at Extended Care with great success after undergoing surgery and battling pneumonia, stating, "The short stay rehab program provided me with an extensive, well-planned program that allowed me to work hard and regain the strength I...
(BPT) - When you're active and young at heart, it's easy to forget that you may be losing some strength, flexibility and balance as you age. Because these changes happen gradually, you may be unaware of the added risks of falling. That risk can sneak up on you as you're busy enjoying life. But the facts don't lie: Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans, and over one-fourth of older adults falls each year. Fall injuries can include hip fractures,...
Recently, the Richland County Commission on Aging has made many of changes to the local Meals on Wheels program. The program has served the elderly in the community well for many years but with changes in the supporting entities these past few years it has been difficult to keep it running smoothly. According to the Meals on Wheels website, www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org, the first known U.S. delivery by a small group of Philadelphia citizens with the same goal as Meals on Wheels was in 1954. In 1...
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) wants to honor Montana centenarians during the 53rd annual Governor’s Conference on Aging Oct. 4-5. The hybrid event will take place at the Copper King Convention Center, Butte, with a virtual attendance option. Centenarians will be honored at a luncheon that will begin at noon on Oct. 4. DPHHS is asking Montanans who will turn age 100 as of Dec.31, 2022, or those who are already over the age of 100 to submit their name and a brief profile. “Honoring Montana centenarians is such an imp...
(BPT) - With the arrival of summer, we can start to think about what makes the season special: time at the beach or by the water, enjoying the warmth with friends and family and - above all - being able to spend a lot of time outside. And, as we all have our own health priorities, we also need to think about preventative measures tailored to our individual needs. In addition to sunblock, wearing a sun hat, staying hydrated and seeking shade, another proactive step you can take is getting...
(BPT) - When you think about exercise, you likely think about the physical health benefits of working out. Many people exercise regularly to lose or maintain weight, improve muscle tone and strength or increase flexibility. For seniors, physical activity can help them stay mobile and, as a result, stay independent for longer. However, the benefits of exercise go beyond the physical and can potentially enrich your social life and mental state. Staying social as you age Loneliness is a common prob...
Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Adam Meier has announced today the agency is conducting a Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults to help learn the priorities of Montanans related to services provided by the state. DPHHS, in partnership with the 10 Area Agencies on Aging, is conducting the survey of older adults to learn how best to accommodate their needs. “I encourage all Montanans 55 and older to participate in the survey,” Meier said. “We’d really like to hear from as many people as possible so that we can bet...
May Is Older American’s Month and the Richland County Commission on Aging is celebrating our seniors. On May 20, the COA will host an event intended to keep seniors focused on staying healthy and active which will promote and ability to continue aging independently for as long as possible. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Aging Services and Transit Building, 2190 W. Holly St., Sidney. Seniors and their guests will be provided lunch along with the number of activities for all activity levels. From simple health s...
(BPT) - Three years ago, Alex Lamb, an active retiree just shy of 80 years old, was happily preparing for a big move to be closer to his son. Then he received a prostate cancer diagnosis. "It was a total shock to me. I found out by going in for a regular check-up," said Alex, who didn't experience any symptoms. "I was lucky because otherwise, I may not have found out until my cancer progressed. The news was hard to hear at first, but I didn't let it get me down. I believed there would be a way...
When one hears of a 75th High School Reunion one thinks of invitations, balloons, music, and the high school gym rented out for a few alumni to catch up and reminisce. No one thinks of the extended care unit of their local hospital, yet, for four residents at Sidney's Extended Care Unit, that is how theirs came to be. Gilda Buxbaum, Ruth Pederson, Peggy Zadow, and Elsa Banyai all graduated from Sidney High School in 1947, 75 years ago, and ended up back where they took that step out of...
We have a habit of blaming Monday when we experience one of those bad, rotten, forgettable, terrible days, those days when nothing seems to go as planned or expected. About the only good comment a person can make about such a day is that he or she made it through to the bitter end. Poor Monday, always getting blamed for these sorts of days. “This is my Monday,” a colleague will declare when nothing goes right, regardless of what day of the week it may actually happen to be. If such days always occurred on Mondays, we could just take that day...
It is amazing how the same word, with its simple meaning, can have totally different suggestions and implications to us as we age and continue onward in our lifetime journey. I’m thinking here of the word ‘senior’. This word of course means ‘higher in rank’, ‘holding a high or authoritative position’, ‘longer in service’, ‘more experienced’, and of course ‘older.’ We elders unfortunately recognize that in our individual cases, senior means older. But think about it for a moment. Remember being a senior in high school? We were ecstatic to be ca...
Holiday dinners at my house have certainly changed throughout the course of my life. When I was a youngster, holiday meals were true extravaganzas. Three generations of family sat down at the same table, which itself was overburdened and groaning under the weight of a huge turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, a variety of salads, candied sweets, stuffed dates and olives, and several cranberry dishes, just to name a few items on that table. We stuffed ourselves until we could barely move, and then the pumpkin and mincemeat pies made their...
Research suggests that one way to a happier, more peaceful life is to count our blessings every day, to realize just how fortunate we are, and to appreciate the many small joys and pleasures we experience on a daily basis. I know how lucky I am. I may fail to remind myself on a daily basis of all the goodness I enjoy, but I know that I have so much to be grateful for. I’m healthy and always have been; I have been able to make my own way with honest work, I have received the gift of fabulous friends and neighbors throughout my life journey t...
People differ in their work habits. Some of us like to roll up our sleeves and get the job done as soon as possible. Perhaps we make lists to assist and remind us of what all we must accomplish, how quickly these tasks need to be completed, and we then plan accordingly. We make sure we allow plenty of time to finish up whatever chores or projects lie ahead of us, and then we breathe a sigh of satisfaction whenever these jobs, be they large or small, are finished, particularly when they are done in a timely manner, without rushing or stressing...
We have experienced an odd summer. The temperature turned torrid too early and stayed August hot for weeks. Gardens balked at the idea of growing and producing tasty veggies. As I write this, I have had five tomatoes that ripened so we could enjoy them. The plants grew like weeds, but the fruit hung green on the vine for weeks, refusing to turn red and luscious. Other garden plants took the hint from the tomatoes and bolted in the heat, grew slowly or not at all, and in general produced one of...
Sometimes, after watching some feat of daredevil antic performed by a youngster with more muscles than brains, we older folks fall into the trap of believing that as we age, we no longer excel at anything. We aren’t as strong, we can’t climb as high or as fast, and it often takes us somewhat longer to accomplish tasks now than it did in our younger years. Too many abilities diminish as the years stack up. The list of lessening aptitudes seems to increase on a weekly basis. Fear not, however. I have discovered that certainly there are act...
I detest using a weed whacker. I call these monstrosities instruments of the devil, and have always waged a losing battle with them when trying to encourage them to perform, as they ought to perform. I resent the way they do not run properly for me, the frustration they cause, and the job they often do not do very well. I think these evil creations feel the same way about me; they seem to work efficiently when others handle them, but I place my hands on them and they rebel. These contrivances behave erratically, they quit for no reason...
People who read my column know how much I delight in all aspects regarding outhouses. My husband built me a double decker outhouse last fall, and I have a huge collection of outhouse items in my house. Over the winter, my neighbor friend gave me a small booklet written in 1929 by Charles (Chic) Sales entitled “The Specialist.” It turns out the specialist was a skilled hand at building privies in all shapes and sizes, and since he excelled at every aspect of building such structures, he had advice for people on every step of the con...
