• Spring into Retirement 2

• Senior Day at Capitol 3

• Veterans View 4-5

• Hospital to Home Transition 6

• Fire Facts 7

• Fall Prevention 8

• Family Caregiver 9-11

• Calendar of Event 12

For Information and Referrals please call us at 503-846-3060

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Jeanene Hammers

Kathy Newkirk

Russ Wells

Kurt Carlsen

Roger Fields, Vice Chair

Charmaine Hardy

John Hartner

Ian Johnson

John Leeper

Patricia Maberry, Past Chair

Anthony Mills

Eric Polson

Betty Pomeroy, Chair

Jose Rivera

Ron Thompson

Glenna Wilder

May/June 2013

Washington County Disability, Aging

and Veteran Services is hosting a free

resource fair for older adults. The event

takes place on Saturday, May 11,

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., at the

Washington County Conference Center,

102 SW Washington Street in Hillsboro.

More than 20 local service providers

will be on hand, including home-care

services, transportation, legal services,

senior meal sites and more. Informa-

tion on volunteer opportunities with

and for older adults will also be

available.

For more information about the

resource fair or Older Americans

Month, call 503-846-3087 or visit

www.co.washington.or.us/HHS/DAVS.

The Advisory

May/June 2013

Spring Into Retirement By Alan Edwards, Social Security Public Affairs

Here are a few important items about Social Security retirement benefits and how to apply for them. When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn “credits” toward Social Security benefits. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits (10 years of work) to qualify for retirement benefits.

We determine the amount of your benefit by both how long you work and how much you earn. The higher your lifetime earnings, the higher your monthly benefits. If there were some years when you did not work or had low earnings, your benefit amount may be lower than if you had worked steadily or earned more.

Your age at the time you start receiving Social Security retirement makes a difference in your benefit amount. The full retirement age (the age at which 100 percent of retirement benefits are payable) has been gradually rising from age 65 to age 67. You can take “early retirement” as early as age 62, but if you start collecting benefits before you reach your full retirement age, your monthly payment will be reduced. You can find out what your full retirement age is by referring to the convenient chart at www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/retirechart.htm

Just as you can choose an early retirement and get a reduced payment, you also can choose to keep working beyond your full retirement age to take advantage of a larger payment. Generally, your benefit will increase automatically by eight percent each year from the time you reach your full retirement age until you start receiving your benefits or until you reach age 70.

The decision of when to retire is personal and depends on a number of factors. To help you weigh the factors, we suggest you read our online fact sheet, When To Start Receiving Retirement Benefits, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10147.html.

You may want to consider your options by using our Retirement Estimator to get instant, personalized estimates of future benefits. You can plug in different retirement ages and scenarios to help you make a more informed retirement decision. Try it out at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

You also can set up an online My Social Security account. You can use your My Social Security account to obtain a copy of your Social Security Statement to check your earnings record and see future estimates of the retirement, disability, and survivor benefits you and your family may receive. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

When you decide to retire, the easiest and most convenient way to do it is right from the comfort of your home or office computer. Go to www.socialsecurity.gov where you can apply for retirement benefits in as little as 15 minutes. In most cases, there are no forms to sign or documents to send; once you submit your electronic application, that’s it! You’re done!

Be sure to have your bank account information handy so you can receive your payments electronically. Electronic payment of federal benefits is now mandatory, with few exceptions.

Spring is a great time to turn a new leaf. Spring into retirement now! Learn more by reading our publication, Retirement Benefits, at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10035.html.

The Advisory

May/June 2013

Hillsboro Senior Center Activities

for Older Americans Month

Swing and Sway (Tai Chi) Friday, May 10 & 24 9:00 - 10:00 am Join us for two FREE trials of a new fall prevention program for older adults. This simple set of rhythmic and functional Tai Chi movement is fun, therapeutic balance training that also assists with building strength and mobility.

Zumba Gold Thursday, May 16 & 30 9:30 - 10:30 am The Hillsboro Community Senior Center is offering two FREE trials of our popular afternoon fitness program, Zumba Gold in the morning during the month of May. This class takes the Zumba formula and modifies the pace and movements to suit the needs of the active older participant. With enough interest the morning Zumba Gold offering may

become a permanent fixture to the Senior Center schedule.

Dia de las Madres Dinner Friday, May 10 6:00 – 8:00 pm $8.00 – Purchase in advance at Senior Center In honor of mothers across the globe, the Hillsboro

Community Senior Center will be hosting a special

dinner on Dia de las Madres, the traditional Latino

holiday celebrating mothers. This fun fiesta will

highlight a number of traditional Latino foods and

feature local Latin-style entertainment. Join us for

great food, music and fellowship to celebrate

everyone’s favorite lady. This event is sponsored by

Columbia City Benefits Group.

The Advisory

May/June 2013

Veterans View

Every day of the year, Americans across the nation remember friends and family members who have served and sacrificed for their country. Memorial Day is a day when we all come together to honor those who have given their lives in the defense of freedom and the principles we hold dear in this country.

May is also National Military Appreciation Month. As we observe Memorial Day and Military Appreciation Month, we would like to let members of our military know how much we value what they do for our nation.

At Social Security, we offer a wide range of services for our service members. Families of fallen military heroes may be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits. Learn more about Social Security survivors benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/survivors.htm.

For service members who return home with injuries, Social Security is here to help. Visit our Wounded Warriors website. You can find it at

www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors. We use an expedited process for military service members who become disabled while on active military service, regardless of where the disability occurs.

The Wounded Warriors website answers a number of commonly asked questions, and shares other useful information about disability benefits, including how veterans can receive expedited processing of disability claims. It is important to note that benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.

If you’ve served in the Armed Forces and you’re planning your retirement, you’ll want to read our publication, Military Service and Social Security at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10017.pdf.

You also may want to visit the Military Service page of our Retirement Planner, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/veterans.htm.

Memorial Day Event

Memorial Day, commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the military. In observance of the holiday, many people visit cemeteries and memorials, and volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries.

Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it was originally called, was first observed May 30, 1868, with the laying of flowers on the graves of union and confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The holiday’s name was later changed to Memorial Day. In 1971, it became a federal holiday to be observed on the last Monday of each May.

Washington County, in collaboration with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Legion will be hosting a Memorial Day event located at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

The event begins at 1:00 p.m., May 27, with a VFW Honor Guard posting the Colors, an American Legion Rifle Guard, singing of the National Anthem, a Prisoner of War/Missing in Action ceremony, remembrance ceremony of World War II veter-ans and remarks by Representative Suzanne Bonamici.

Please join us as we honor our nation’s brave service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. For more information about this ceremony, please call Washington County Disability, Aging & Veteran Services at 503-846-3060.

Social Security Honors All Who Serve By Alan Edwards, Social Security Public Affairs

The Advisory

Honoring Service, Honoring Sacrifice

May/June 2013

The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

The Project collects first-hand accounts of U.S. Veterans from the following wars:

World War I (1914-1920)

World War II (1939-1946)

Korean War (1950-1955)

Vietnam War (1961-1975)

Persian Gulf War (1990-1995)

Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts (2001-present)

In addition, those U.S. citizen civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts (such as war industry

workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc.) are also invited to share their valuable stories.

How did the Veterans History Project start?

The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. AARP is the founding corporate sponsor of

the Veterans History Project. In addition to providing initial major funding for the Project, AARP also spread the word

to its legion of volunteers and almost 37 million members, encouraging them to get involved.

If you would like to submit a story you may contact the Veterans History Project for additional information by calling:

Toll-Free:(888) 371-5848 or link to the following web address: http://www.loc.gov/vets/

Veterans History Project

In Flanders Fields

By John McCrae

“In Flanders fields the poppies

blow Between the crosses, row

on row, That mark our place;

and in the sky The larks, still

bravely singing, fly. Scarce

heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days

ago We lived, felt dawn, saw

sunset glow Loved, and were

loved, and now we lie In Flan-

ders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the

foe: To you from failing hands

we throw The torch; be yours to

hold it high. If ye break faith

with us who die We shall not

sleep, though poppies grow In

Flanders fields.”

This was the poem written by

World War I Colonel John

McCrae, a surgeon with

Canada’s First Brigade Artillery.

The Flower of Remembrance

The Advisory

May/June 2013

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has a warning for people looking for love online. That solider who’s been professing devotion via email may actually be a con artist looking for cash.

Internet scammers posing as romantically minded members of the U.S. military are conning people out of millions of dollars. Complaints to local law enforcement about the soldier scam are increasing in frequency. In one recent case, a Hillsboro woman lost more than $750,000.

Attorney General Rosenblum advises Oregonians to always maintain a healthy skepticism. The anonymity of the Internet means that you cannot be sure of the real name, age, marital status, nationality, or even gender of your new “heart-throb.” The con artists are often from foreign countries using untraceable email ad-dresses. Once these “soldiers” make a connection, they begin asking for money for transportation, medical bills, cell phone and internet charges – even the cost of a wedding.

They route accounts through numerous locations and utilize pay-per-hour Internet cyber cafes, which makes finding the scammer and recovering the money extremely difficult.

To stay safe keep the following tips in mind:

• Do not wire money to someone you have not met in person. Be wary of warp-speed proclamations of love, particularly if they are accompanied by pleas for cash.

• Be suspicious if you never get to actually speak with the person on the phone or are told they will not receive letters in the mail. Legitimate servicemen and women serving overseas will often have an APO or FPO in their mailing address.

• Do not send money or ship property to a third party or company, especially to parties or companies in an African country.

If you think you have been scammed by an individual claiming to be a member of the U.S. military, contact the Oregon Department of Justice online at www.oregonconsumer.gov or call 1-877-877-9392.

Beware: Internet Love Scam

Easing the Transition from Hospital to Home Care Transitions has arrived at local hospitals that serve Washington County residents. The Metro Care Transitions Collaborative is partnering with several hospitals in three counties to offer a free program to Medicare beneficiaries who are going home from the hospital. This program provides participants with tools and information to better manager their health care while they recover.

A specially trained Care Transition Coach will visit the client in the hospital, once after they go home, and then follow-up with a series of phone calls. Involvement in the program usually ends within 30 days of leaving the hospital.

During the time that the client spends with the coach, they will make sure that they understand their

medications and how to take them, have a plan for what to do if their medical condition gets worse, have appointments scheduled with their physicians, and help them to use a personal health care record to share information with their health care provider.

The coach can also help the client find help for things like getting to and from their medical appointments, housekeeping chores, personal care needs like bathing and other resources they may need. All information is kept confidential.

To participate in this program, eligible clients will be referred by their nurse, social worker or care manager to a Transition Coach. For more information contact the ADS helpline at 503-998-3646.

The Advisory

May/June 2013

Fire and smoke can race through your home in seconds! Each year more than 4,000 Americans die and more than 25,000 are injured in fires that could have been prevented. To keep that from happening and know what to do if it does, spend a few moments and review these facts, they may save your life or your family’s.

It’s not a question of luck; it’s a matter of planning ahead.

• Make sure you have a working smoke alarm…it’s the smoke that kills, not the fire!

• Have an escape plan and practice it.

• Consider a residential sprinkler system.

Fire Facts:

• The U.S. has one of the highest fire related fatality rates in the industrialized world. In 1997, the U.S. fire death rate was 15.2 deaths per million population.

• Between 1993 and 1997, an average of 4,500 Americans lost their lives and another 26,500 were in-jured each a year as the result of fire.

• About 100 firefighters are killed each year in duty-related incidents.

• Each year, fires kill more Americans than all natural disasters combined.

• Fire is the third leading cause of accidental death in the home; at least 80 percent of all fire deaths occur in residences.

• Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.5 billion annually.

Residential fires represent 23 percent of all fires and 74 percent of structure fires. Fires in the home most often start in the:

• Kitchen 29%

• Bedroom 13%

• Living Room 7%

• Chimney 5%

• Laundry Area 4%

Causes of Fires and Fire Related Fatalities

• Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. It is also the leading cause of fire injuries. These fires often result from unattended cooking and human error, rather than mechanical failure of stoves or ovens.

• Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire fatalities.

• Heating is the second leading cause of residential fires and ties with arson as the second leading cause of fire deaths.

• Arson is the third leading cause of residential fires and the second leading cause of residential fire deaths.

Who is Most at Risk?

• Senior citizens and children under the age of five have the greatest risk of perishing in a fire.

• The risk among seniors is more than double the average population.

• The risk for children under age 5 is nearly double the risk of the average population.

• Men die or are injured in fires twice as often as women.

What Saves Lives

• A working smoke alarm dramatically increases a person’s chance of surviving a fire.

• Approximately 90 percent of U.S. homes have at least one smoke alarm.

• It is estimated that over 40 percent of residential fires and three-fifths of residential fatalities occur in homes with no working smoke alarms.

• Residential sprinklers have become more cost effective for homes.

Fire Facts in the United States

Be Safe - Quick Tip

While we do lose muscle as we age, exercise can partially

restore strength and flexibility. It’s never too late to start

an exercise program. Even if you’ve been a “couch potato”

your whole life, becoming active now will benefit you in

many ways—including protection from falls.

The Advisory

May/June 2013

Why is fall prevention important?

• Accidental falls are a major cause of injury and death among older adults.

• Almost 1 in 3 seniors falls each year.

• The leading injuries include: hip fractures and brain injuries.

• Falls are the 10th leading cause of death among Oregonians ages 65 and older.

• In 2005, Oregon ranked 11th in the U.S. for fatal falls among older adults.

Risks include:

Balance Problems which can be affected by:

• Change of medical condition

• Using a poorly fitting assistive device

• Some footwear

• Medication

• Dizziness/vertigo

• Dehydration

Mobility Issues – the ability to get from place to place can be affected by:

• Pain

• Stiff or swollen joints

• Lack of mobility devices (cane, walker, wheelchair)

• Ill-fitting mobility devices

Multiple Medications

4 or more?

• If you take 4 or more medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist for any interactions

• Includes over-the-counter

• Multiple medications can affect blood pressure

• Grapefruit juice interacts with many medications

Low Blood Pressure

Can happen when we quickly stand up from lying or sitting. A drop in blood pressure can affect:

• Balance

• Vision

• Coordination

Sensory Deficits

The following deficits can increase your risk for falling:

• Neuropathy – pain & numbness in hands & feet

• Less ability to sense the need to go to the bathroom

• Conditions affecting the ability to grab items effectively

• Painful limbs and joints

Home Hazards

• Throw rugs

• Poor lighting

• Stacks of magazines and clutter

• Items stored out of reach, requiring standing on a chair

In future issues look for what you can do to avoid falling, ideas to make your home safer and what to do if you do fall.

Fall Prevention—Risk Factors for Falls—Part I

May/June 2013

Understanding Difficult and Combative Behavior

Behaviors Caregivers Find Especially Difficult

NOTE:

Don’t forget that what used to bother the person in your care probably still will. While agitation may be a

symptom of the illness, remember that you may have done something to offend the person that would

have been distressing even before he became ill with Alzheimer’s. If you realize you did something that

upset him, apologize.

There are some behaviors that caregivers find especially difficult. Not all people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have

these behaviors. However, it is likely that the person in your care will have one or more of these problems during the

middle stage of AD. It is important to try to understand why the person may be behaving in many ways you find

difficult, and learn how to avoid making them worse.

Agitation

The term “agitation” covers a group of different, but related, behaviors. Very mild

agitation may seem like a personality change in which a person acts in ways that

are uncharacteristic or inappropriate for him or her, such as being very stubborn,

worried, or nervous. More severe agitation can be disruptive or even dangerous.

Agitated behavior can start in the early stage and grows worse in the middle

stage of the illness.

An agitated person may seem uneasy and becomes irritable, anxious, and moody.

The person may be unable to sleep, pace constantly, move around restlessly,

checking on doors, tearing paper, or even cursing or using threatening language.

If a person with dementia has recently become agitated for the first time or acts

unlike her usual self, the first thing to look for is a medical or physical problem.

People with dementia are very sensitive to the environment they live in. They

are less able to handle changes, uncertainty, and other situations that they could

manage when they were well. Being in a strange place may cause agitation. Even

a positive event, such as a wedding, can feel overwhelming to a person with AD and can lead to agitation. If the

person in your care has had a recent hospitalization or other major life change, expect to see some agitation or

other expression of stress. It is important to evaluate the person’s environment to see if it is causing problems that

may be adding to the agitation.

The Family Caregiver Advisory

May/June 2013

Loneliness, Not Being Alone, Linked

to Dementia Risk Feelings of loneliness in the elderly are associated with a big increase in the risk of dementia. A number of factors have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, including advanced age and depression. To determine the role of social isolation, researchers studied participants in the Amsterdam Study of the Elderly for three years. They found that social isolation was not linked to dementia; however, feelings of loneliness were linked to dementia.

People who said they felt lonely were 64% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia three years after initial assessment. The scientists suggest several possible explanations for their findings; for example, feelings of loneliness could be an early warning sign of pre-clinical dementia, or loneliness could itself affect mental processes, including memory.

Source: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry December 10, 2012

Taking Care of Yourself—Coping with Caregiver Stress

Stress occurs as a result of too many pressures that demand too much of you. The stress of caregiving can be

overwhelming when you feel you have too many responsibilities and not enough support. If you feel very

guilty, resentful, sad, frightened or just in over your head all the time, your stress level will be high.

It is natural for caregivers to experience these feelings from time to time. If you develop ways of coping with

the demands of caregiving and are aware of your level of stress, you will know when to seek more help,

information or time off. When you do not pay attention to your level of stress, you may ask more of yourself

than you can give. If this “wear and tear” continues, you may become depressed, ill, isolated and unable to

provide care for the person with dementia or yourself.

Call your local Family Caregiver Support Program for services and programs in Washington County at 1-855-

673-2372.

SAFETY TIPS—Dementia Care—Time to Stop Driving?

Signs that a person is no longer a safe driver include:

• Braking often for no apparent reason

• Missing signs and signals and getting angry easily

• Swerving in and out of lanes and getting lost in familiar places

• Crashes or dents on car

• Not reacting to traffic signs or driving too fast or too slow

• Turning around to talk to the person in the back seat and forgetting that he is driving

If the person with Alzheimer’s is unwilling to stop driving when it is apparent to others that it is necessary,

then someone needs to step in and make the decision for him. It is generally more emotionally difficult for

men to stop driving than for women.

It may be easier for a respected professional, such as the doctor, or family friend to inform the person of the

end of his driving. This may feel more comfortable to the family who will be the receivers of the feelings of

anger, loss, and even betrayal from the person with dementia. If necessary, the family may have to hide the

keys, disable or even sell the car to prevent the person from driving.

The Advisory

May/June 2013

SAVE THE DATE!

2013 WASHINGTON COUNTY

FAMILY CAREGIVER CONFERENCE

Friday, November 22, 2013

Tuality Health Education Center

9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Registration opens September 1st!

Believe in yourself. Protect your health. Reach our for help.

Look for more information in future editions of your Advisory!

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a six-week educational series designed to help unpaid family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for a relative or friend with a chronic illness. Caregivers develop a wealth of self-care tools to reduce personal stress, communicate their needs effectively in challenging situations, deal with diffi-cult emotions, and make tough caregiving decisions. You will benefit from this class whether you are helping a parent, spouse, or friend, someone who lives at home, in a facility, or across the country.

Class size is limited, and registration is required.

(Suggested donation of $25 to help defray cost of the book, but not required in order to attend class.)

UPCOMING CLASSES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY:

Class Location Class Dates and Times Call to Register

Hearthstone @ Murray Hill

10880 SW Davies Rd.

Beaverton, OR 97008

May 22 – June 26, 2013

Wednesdays

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Penny @ Hearthstone

503-521-3006

Tuality Health Education Center

334 SE Eighth Avenue

Hillsboro OR 97123

October 10 – November 14, 2013

Thursdays

1:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Debbie Croft

503-846-3089

The Advisory

The Advisory Rebecca Tabra

To subscribe/unsubscribe to the Advisory call 503-846-3060

View The Advisory and past issues on the Web at:

www.co.washington.or.us/News/Newsletters/theadvisory.cfm

Calendar of Events

Aging and Veteran Services

Advisory Council

Thursday, May 23

9:00am-Noon

Washington County Conference Ctr.

102 SW Washington St., Hillsboro

1st Floor of Parking Structure

Thursday, June 27,

9:00am-Noon

Washington County Conference Ctr.

102 SW Washington St.., Hillsboro

1st Floor of Parking Structure

For more information contact Janet Long

at 503-846-3081 or email at

Janet_Long@co.washington.or.us

Disability Services Advisory

Council

Monday, May 13,

1:00pm-3:00pm

Beaverton SPD Office

4805 SW Griffith Drive,

Beaverton

FREE FAMILY CAREGIVER TRAINING

Sponsored by:

WCDAVS Family Caregiver Support Program

And No Worries Comprehensive In-Home Care

For family members and other unpaid caregivers providing

care in the home

Next Training:

Wednesdays, October 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2013

1:00—4:00 p.m. at

Nimbus Conference Center

9403-B SW Nimbus Ave., Beaverton

Five sessions cover:

Self care & community resources

Basic personal care techniques & assistive equipment

Medication management

Providing care to the cognitively impaired person

Elder law considerations & end-of-life planning

CALL TO REGISTER: 503-846-3089

“This training helped tremendously. There was a wealth of

information, and I met other people who have some of the

same challenges I’m experiencing. I’m grateful I found this

class.” — P.M., family caregiver

Inspiration

Nature tops the list of potent tranquilizers and stress reducers.

The mere sound of moving water has been shown to lower

blood pressure.

-Patch Adams