Never too old

Kudos to another inspiring Michigan senior citizen who has been filling her golden years with fruitful activity. 83-year old Ruth Stoeffler will be the oldest graduate this year from Western Michigan University, bringing to a close 13 years of study and walking away with a degree in social science studies, magna cum laude. Mrs. Stoeffler said she decided to pursue the degree once her husband passed away. Read the story here.

Staying active and continuing to learn in one’s later years is an excellent way to ward off loneliness and mental decline, and Mrs. Stoeffler provides us with a wonderful example of both the importance and the feasibility of remaining vital. When the French philosopher Descartes pondered so many hundreds of years ago about his own existence and concluded that he knew he must be alive, must exist, because he was thinking, he may not have had in mind octogenarians in cap and gown. But his conclusion does perhaps point to the fact that mental vitality does indeed help a person to know that she is very much alive.

Brava, Mrs. Stoeffler!

Volunteer work: Seniors receive while they give

I was amazed by this story in the Petosky News-Review about a 97-year-old citizen who still contributes her time and talents to helping others! How many of us really act on those frequent thoughts of wanting to visit the lonely neighbor down the street, or get involved more in our church’s service efforts, or reach out to those who need help, whether food, clothing, companionship, advice or help with daily activities? I know that I so often have ideas of ways to help others and yet too often they remain ideas — unconsummated, unfruitful, unfulfilled. If you have found yourself in the same position I have, you may be inspired by the work of Mrs. Doris Fedus, 97-year-old volunteer in northern Michigan who has worked with the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP) to make a difference in the world while also making her golden years fruitful and fulfilling.

The point of the news article seems to be two-fold, beyond highlighting a very special senior volunteer. First, it is important for seniors to know that they can still very much make a difference in the world. They can touch hearts, help organizations function and make truly meaningful contributions to something larger. This time in a senior’s life, when duties of children and work are behind one, offer an opportunity to become involved and give something back — not merely to enjoy easy living, but to make one’s time fruitful. How important this is! Second, the article highlights the personal benefits, growth and friendship that come with volunteering. This is no less true for senior citizens than for any other age group, and in fact could well be more important for seniors because they often do not have the same connections in the world that once provided them with friendships, contact, and learning experiences. They no longer gather around the water cooler. They no longer chat with other parents at their child’s school. They may not go to their usual vacation spot any longer where they once knew other travelers and old friends.

The golden years can be deeply fulfilling and meaningful, or they can be very lonely if we do not reach out. Volunteering one’s time — whether in a hospital, school, church, library or other community setting — can benefit others and be deeply rewarding to the aging person. How old is too old to volunteer? Well, Mrs. Fedus is 97, and the program director of RSVP, Sally Pickering, says that the majoring of her volunteers are in their 80′s. What inspiration! Seniors getting involved and volunteering is a true win-win. More than 8,000 Michigan seniors are already involved in RSVP to make the most of their retirement years. What a wonderful way to enrich your life while giving something back.

Learn more here about opportunities in Michigan.

Senior Day at the Detroit Zoo

Michigan seniors citizens should take advantage of a wonderful offering available to them:  Senior Day at the Detroit Zoo on April 30th from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Senior Day includes FREE admission, parking and more for senior citizens.  What a great way to spend the day!  Take your grandchildren or just enjoy the peaceful grounds and interesting animals.  The weather at this time of year is often wonderful and the Detroit Zoo is one of the most enjoyable destinations in the Metro Detroit area, so be sure to put this free event on your calendar!

Visit the zoo’s website here.  Hope to see you there!

Dog therapy

Although not everyone is a dog person, it is likely that the majority of people have had at least one dog at some point in their lives. Folks in nursing homes have long enjoyed periodic visits from pets, who connect with the elderly and allow them some tactile, affectionate interaction. Now researchers in New Zealand are demonstrating how pets — and particularly dogs — are helping Alzheimer’s patients recall aspects of their lives through the sensory stimulus of interacting with a dog.

The dogs’ visits provided a sensory experience for patients and helped them recall memories, especially if they had owned pets themselves.

“People are drawn to the dog a bit like a magnet,” Haslam said.

For King-Turner, a visit from the golden retriever sparked memories of her childhood dog, Stroke, which lived to 25 on her family’s farm.

Read the full story here.

Our own family includes an extremely gentle Golden Retriever, Murphy (left), and it’s easy to see how the aging and those with dementia could connect with such a calm, loving creature. This demonstrates, quite importantly, how Alzheimer’s patients retain a tremendous capacity for emotional connection and meaningful interaction even when other aspects of memory and logical, linear thought begin to break down. This is a great lesson for the rest of us.

Happily ever after

We all know that the quality of a marriage or the daily ups and downs of interaction with a spouse can impact us, leaving us feeling high or low. But did you ever think about the effect of a spouse after death? One University of Michigan study of couples in the Detroit area has shown that the quality of a marriage impacts the quality of life as a widow or widower.

Four years after a spouse’s death, widowed men and women who enjoyed good marriages are less likely to experience depression than people whose marriages were bad, according to researchers at the University of Michigan.

“A good marriage seems to have a protective impact on surviving spouses, while a bad marriage just keeps on making the widowed feel bad even after their spouses are gone,” said U-M graduate student Nina Rhee in a news release.

Read more about it here. One more reason to try hard for a happy marriage!

City of Warren encouraging seniors to save money on Canadian prescriptions

Officials in the City of Warren, MI, are encouraging local seniors to take advantage of less expensive drugs across the border. The city is sponsoring trips for its seniors to Canada to purchase less expensive prescriptions drugs. Read the story here.

Just a reminder that Wal-Mart and now Kroger and others are offering $4 generic prescriptions for several drugs, in case the Canadian in you hasn’t emerged yet, eh?

ECHO: Unique Senior Housing

Here’s an interesting housing option for seniors. For some families this alternative may provide the means to keep mom or dad close to help with care, while allowing them to maintain their independence. A win-win!

What is ECHO?
An ECHO senior housing unit is a temporary, manufactured home, usually a small studio or one-bedroom, which seniors can add as a separate structure on the same property as a single-family home belonging to an adult child or another relative.

The idea for this senior housing option is to make it possible for seniors to live near their families, but not with them.

Seniors get the support they need without the expense of private care or the loss of their independence, and everyone in the extended family has privacy when they want it.

ECHO Senior Housing Benefits
ECHO is an ideal senior housing answer for many aging adults who:

• Value self-reliance
• Seek to reduce their living expenses
• Want to feel more secure about getting the help they need as they age
• Prefer to stay close to their children and grandchildren

Because ECHO senior housing offers proximity and daily contact, grandparents and grandchildren are more likely to develop and maintain close relationships than often happens when they live in different citie–or even across town.

Aging parents and adult children also become closer in many cases, and the two households often develop a strong spirit of shared responsibility and mutual support.

Other Benefits of ECHO Senior Housing
ECHO senior housing offers many other benefits for seniors and their families. For example:

• Cost-effective. ECHO senior housing units cost far less to purchase or lease than traditional homes, and many financing options are available.
• Uses existing equity. For seniors who own their homes, it may be possible to use existing equity to finance the ECHO senior housing unit.At the same time, seniors can rent their existing homes, charging enough enough to cover the lower ECHO costs, which enables them to earn additional income while they continue to build equity in the existing home.
• Temporary. Once an ECHO senior housing cottage is no longer needed, it can be removed and reused elsewhere.
• Low-stress. Because the two households are side-by-side on the same property, seniors know they can call for assistance from people they love and trust, and their family members can respond quickly and easily with no need to travel.

Read the whole article here to learn more.

Alzheimer’s Discussion

Here is a wonderful discussion from Penn State Public Broadcasting with four experts in Alzheimer’s research, care and therapy looking at 100 years of the Alzheimer’s label in our society. This talk is filled with deep insights into reaching those with dementia, and what we should hope for and expect from our interaction with our loved ones with this cognitive impairment or memory loss. Find a block of time and pull up a chair to enjoy this important and engaging discussion.

Hat tip: Alzheimer’s Notes.

Alzheimer’s care so important

This sad story from northern Michigan today highlights the challenges of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s at home.

An 87-year-old Leland man with Alzheimer’s disease fell victim to Sunday morning’s frigid temperatures.

Jesse M. Lumkowski of 204 Cedar St., was found dead, huddled against a residential garage Sunday, less than two hours after his wife called for help. Volunteer firefighters found the man about five blocks away from his home wearing only his pajamas and slippers.

It’s critical to work with professionals such as a geriatric care manager, doctor, nurse or social worker to talk through when a loved one needs the next level of care. Michigan has some excellent facilities dedicated to meeting the needs of Alzheimer’s patients. Find one here and talk to those you trust and who know your situation about when it is time to ensure the safety of your loved one.

Valentine’s Day

Today is Valentine’s Day, another great opportunity to take advantage of local senior activities like this interesting one in Birmingham. And if you really want to take the holiday to the next level, try the high-tech matchmaking of Dating for Seniors.

Of course Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to be about romance. Try to go out of your way today to say a few extra kind words, call an old friend, or do something nice for someone that is simple and likely to be appreciated.

And if you feel up to reading the somewhat vague history of St. Valentine himself, try here and here.