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Assistance and benefits for veterans,local Veterans Day eventsAssistance and benefi ts for veterans, Assistance and benefi ts for veterans, Recognizing those who serveNovember 2014 • Vol. 12, Issue 4 • A monthly publication of the Bryan-College Station Eagle

Inside...

Physical therapyDealing with balance issues

Pg. 8

A guide to good living in the Brazos Valley

MemoryHow to be a super ager

Pg. 5

2 | November 4 , 20 14 50PLUS THE BRYAN-COLLEGE STAT ION EAGLE

Financial: Do big rocks ensure long marriages? 4Memory:How to be a super ager 5Feature: Benefits, assistance for veterans 6Physical therapy: Balance issues 8

CONTENTS

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THE BRYAN-COLLEGE STAT ION EAGLE 50PLUS November 4, 2014 | 3

You’ve probably seen, “This isNational Such-and-Such Month,”or something similar numeroustimes. I always wonder who decidessuch things. There’s a day, week ormonth for just about everything:job appreciation, cause awarenessand even foods. In case you werewondering, July was National IceCreamMonth. June 4 was NationalHug Your Cat Day. May 13 was NationalLeprechaun Day. WishI had known, especiallyabout the ice cream.

To be serious,November is NationalHospice Month, andI believe hospice is atopic that honestlydeserves attention anddiscussion (not that icecream, cat hugging andleprechauns don’t). How we live thelast months of our lives is important.It’s a critical time for the one dying andtheir family and friends.

The word “hospice” frightens mostof us. That’s natural. It’s associatedwith death, and who wants to go there?

However, in my yearsas a hospice chaplain,I’ve come to understandthat hospice isn’t so muchabout death - it’s aboutlife. Here’s what I mean:

• Hospice isn’t abouthastening death. We’refocused on giving eachpatient peace of mindwith the greatest qualityof life.

• Hospice isn’t about,“He only has a few days.”If someone is terminallyill and, in the opinion of aphysician, has six monthsor less to live, they canqualify for hospice.Statistics show the soonera person gets on hospice,the more comfortablethey are and the greaterquality of life they have.

• Hospice isn’t justabout the patient. We’refocused on supportingthe family as well. We

want you free to focus on your lovedone, while we take the burden ofthe clinical, emotional and spiritualsupport. We often say to familymembers, “You’re our patients, too.”

• Hospice isn’t a job. It’s a callingand an honor. We feel privileged towalk with others through this deep,often murky valley.

• Hospice isn’t merely aboutmedical care. Our diverse team ofcompassionate, specially trainedphysicians, nurses, aides, socialworkers, chaplains, volunteers and ahost of support personnel are in thiswith you. We’re your private platoon,committed to fighting this battlealongside you. You’re far from alone.

• Hospice isn’t some acceptable formof assisted suicide. Hospice is aboutpersonal dignity, comfort and allowingthe body to take its natural course. Weaggressively treat certain infectionsand conditions related to our patients’comfort. Our goal is the greatestquality of life for as long as possible.

Here it is from the lips of somefamily members of our patients:

“What a relief ! Your team hasbeen incredible. You took the worryand wondering out of it, and thatallowed me to just be a wife again. He’scomfortable now, and I can’t thank youenough for that.”

“I wish we had gotten you on boardsooner. Our fear held us back. We hadno idea what we were missing. You’vemade this terribly difficult time as easyas it could have been. I can’t imaginegoing through this without you.”

“When she passed, I felt so lost.I turned around and you guys werethere. You checked on me. The supportgroups were a lifeline. You let me knowI wasn’t alone and I wasn’t crazy. Thatmade all the difference.”

These statements may sound likeI’m tooting our horn. Maybe I am.We’re here to serve. We’re here to help.We’re here to support, encourage andcomfort. We’re with you through your

loved one’s death and beyond - wefollow our families for at least a yearafterwards. We’re committed to helpingindividuals and families grieve well,heal, and adjust to their new normal.

Hospice is about hearts. Your heartand the heart of your loved one. Andour hearts, too.

We’re on a mission of compassion-- to give the best quality of life to asmany people for as long as possible.For me and many others, hospice isn’tabout death – it’s about life.

So from our heart to yours, thankyou for allowing us to serve you. It isindeed an honor and a privilege.

Gary Roe is an author, speakerand chaplain with Hospice BrazosValley. Visit him at www.garyroe.com,or contact him at 821-2266 or [email protected].

November is National HospiceMonth. How is that important?

Gary roeHospice

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Note to brides: Even a perfectwedding day can’t guarantee a perfectmarriage.

A new study shows that marriageduration is inversely associated withspending on the engagement ring andwedding ceremony. Andrew Francisand Hugo Mialon, two economicsprofessors at Emory University inAtlanta, publisheda research paperin September titled“A Diamond IsForever and OtherFairy Tales: TheRelationship betweenWedding Expensesand MarriageDuration.” The studywas based on thewedding budgets andmarriage track records of more than3,000 U.S. adults.

This doesn’t mean that extravagantweddings cause divorce. But financialstrain can cause marital stress. Moneytroubles are at the top of the list ofcauses of divorce. This is just one

reason why I have a busy practiceadvising couples on the financial issuesof splitting up.

According to “Cinderella dreams:the allure of the lavish wedding”(University of California Press), in1959, Bride’s magazine recommendedthat couples allocate two months toprepare for their big day with a 22-task checklist. In the 1990s, Bride’srecommended allowing 12 monthsto prepare, along with a 44-taskchecklist. Messrs. Francis and Mialoncite that “prior to World War II, inWestern countries, only 10 percentof engagement rings contained adiamond. By the end of the century,about 80 percent did.” To tie thediamond engagement ring to thepromise of a long marriage, in the1980s the diamond company De Beersintroduced a marketing campaign,“Isn’t two months’ salary a smallprice to pay for something that lastsforever?”

Based on respondents, Messrs.Francis and Mialon note that:

• Men say that spending between

$2,000 and $4,000 on an engagementring is associated with 1.3 timesgreater hazard of divorce compared tospending between $500 and $2,000.

• Men and women both say thatspending $1,000 or less on the weddingis associated with a significantdecrease in the hazard of divorce.

• Ladies say that spending $20,000 ormore on the wedding is associated with1.6 times greater hazard of divorce.

• Evidence suggests that weddingsthat are relatively inexpensive but arehigh in attendance are associated witha lower likelihood of divorce.

It is fairly easy to figure out how tospend less on a ring and a ceremony,but how do you have high weddingattendance and avoid high weddingcosts? According to CostOfWedding.com, in Brazos County a single guestcould add between $147 and $180to the overall cost of a wedding. Aquick search of online commentsfrom across the country showed methat a wedding can be both large andlower cost when held in a public park(including the cost of renting a tent

to hedge against the weather). Thiswebsite tells you the average weddingcost based on geographic location. Theaverage wedding in Brazos Countycosts $16,085, while 45 percent oflocal weddings cost less than $10,000.Fourteen percent of local weddingscost more than $30,000. You can find allkinds of details on this site about theaverage cost of wedding items, fromguest books to venues to catering.

When I help clients budget, someof them ask me for percentageguidelines such as the percent of foodcosts relative to their entire spending.This, of course, is highly individual.Wedding costs are also unique tothe families. With that in mind, hereis a list of relative costs based onnationwide information from newlymarried couples.

• 45 - 55 percent - Reception(including venue, food, cake andbeverages)

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Do big rocks ensure long marriages?

See Financial literacypage 9

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Will you be immune to mentalaging? Most seniors are not. But somepeople in their 80s, on the order of10 percent, seem to havehaveha full mentalcapacity. We know this from commonobservation, but one publishedresearch report confirmed thisobservation and demonstrated what isdifferdifferdif ent in the brains of super agers.

A research group at NorthwesternUniveUniveUni rsity recruited volunteers in twoage groups, 50 - 60 andover 80, and gavegavega them abattery of memory tests.Most of the 80 and overgroup had lower memoryscores, but about 10percent scored as wellas those in the youngergroup. Brain MRIscans revealed that thecerebral cortex of thesesuper agers had not shrunk, as wasthe case for the others in their group.Moreover, the super agers actually hadone part of the cortex, the anteriorcingulate cortex, that was enlargedmore than that in the younger group.

The anterior cingulate cortex is onthe brain’s midline, lying along theboundary where the two hemispherescome together. The cingulate hasimportant connections with otherareas of the cortex and with severalsub-cortical structures that mediateemotion. Thus, it is strategicallypositioned for both top-down andbottom-up mental operations. Perhapsmost relevant to memory,memory,memory the anteriorcingulate normally functions to resolvemental conflicts and distractions, aproblem which grows in most of us aswe age. Perhaps super agers are bornwith a larger cingulate cortex or theyhavehaveha generated a large one throughyears of focused mental activityactivityacti .

Maybe mental aging is not pre-ordained. The possibility that peoplecan generate longer-lasting memorycapability and a larger anteriorcingulate cortex is supported by theobservation that super agers often havehavehalifestyle differdifferdif ences from most otherpeople.

Good diets, reduced stress, exerciseand suffisuffisuf cient sleep slow the mental

aging process. A lifetime of vigorousmental activityactivityacti has been reported toreduce mental decline as one ages.A college education, for example,reportedly slows brain aging by up to adecade. Elsewhere I havehaveha listed famouspeople who were high achievers intheir old age. Other examples includestand-up comedians who can rattle offoffofa string of jokes for an hour or more.Many of these comedians havehaveha unusuallife spans (like Bob Hope and GeorgeBurns still perforperforperf ming when over 100).

EarlyEarlyEar -life mental activityactivityacti definitelyseems to influence how we turn outin old age. The most famous studyproviding documentation was thefamous “nun study” where nuns whowere more mentally capable whenthey entered the conveconvecon nt were lesslikely to exhibit mental decline thantheir sisters when old age arriveriveri d.Similar results were found in anotherlongitudinal study that controlledfor sex, education and even brainabnormalities. Reading, writing andother mentally stimulating activitiesactivitiesactiat every age reduced memory declinewith age. The inveinvein stigators tracked

294 elderlyelderlyelder people with memory andthinking tests over an average of sixyears. Questionnaires were used todocument the level of their mentalactivityactivityacti at various stages of their life.After the subjects died, their brainswere examined for deterioration andAlzheimer lesions. The more mentallyactiveactiveacti people had less brain damageand better mental function. People withthe lowest level of mental stimulationin their later years had a 48 percentfaster decline compared to the average.

Take special encouragement ifyou are not yet elderlyelderlyelder . One studyexamined 84 cognitivegnitivegniti ly normal peoplewho were tested for memory abilityevery seven years from 52 to 87. BrainMRI scans revealed that those whohad memory improvements in middleage (43 - 63) had a larger hippocampusduring their elderlyelderlyelder years (66 - 87) thaneverybody else. The hippocampusis the brain structure that conveconvecon rtsdeclarativetiveti memories from temporary

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By STACSTACST YACYAC CANTUSpecial to The EaglEaglEa e

Veterans havehaveha earned their right to be cared for, and there are severalorganizations in the Brazos Valley area that offerofferof services and benefits forthem.

“It’s important to provide benefits to veterans because they gavegavega indefense of our country,”country,”country said Johnny Yeppez, Brazos County VeteranServices officerofficerof . “Without them there would be no United States. Askingsomeone to put their life on hold for 20 years to defend our constitution, weowe it to them. They went in our defense.”

The mission of the Brazos County Veterans Service OfficeOfficeOf is to ensurethat Brazos County veterans and their families receiveceivecei all the rights andentitlements provided for veterans by federal and state law, according tothe office’soffice’sof website. It is the advoadvoad cate for veterans, their families and theirsurvivosurvivosurvi rs.

Services offerofferof ed through the officeofficeof include death benefits, such as burial

allowance and memorial plots; disabled benefits, such as a clothing allowanceand blind aid and services; educational benefits, such as a special trainingprogram for vets and a special program for unemployable vets; healthcare,such as alcohol and drug treatment and hospitalization; and survivosurvivosurvi rs’benefits, such as compensation.

For more inforinforinf mation on the Brazos County Veterans Service OfficeOfficeOf , visitwww.brazoscountytx.gov or call 979-361-4360.

The Brazos Valley Veterans Association also offersoffersof services for area vets.“I strongly recommend that veterans join the Veterans Association,”

Yeppez said. “Through the association, veterans participate in functions andbuild a real camaraderie with other veterans.”

The Veterans Association website states that the association offersoffersof peersupport, camaraderie, resources and outreach for veterans. The site also listsupcoming events and activitiesactivitiesacti that will keep vets invoinvoin lved in the communitythroughout the year. For more inforinforinf mation on the association, visit www.brazosvalleyveterans.com.

Veterans Services at Texas A&M UniveUniveUni rsity has two officesofficesof so that it cansupport student veterans and military dependents -- the Veteran ServicesOfficeOfficeOf and the Veteran Resource and Support Center.

Nick Kilmer,Kilmer,Kilmer assistant director of Veterans Services at Texas A&MUniveUniveUni rsity,rsity,rsity said, “The Veteran Services OfficeOfficeOf is a part of the OfficeOfficeOf ofScholarships and Financial Aid and is responsible for processing andadvisingadvisingad students in regards to veterans’ educational benefits, as well asmaximizing college funding for military affiliaaffiliaaf ted students. The VeteranResource and Support Center is a part of the DivisionDivisionDi of Student AffaAffaAf irsand is responsible for connecting military affiliaaffiliaaf ted students to campus andcommunity resources, as well as coordinating campus programming forcurrent and transitioning military affiliaaffiliaaf ted students.”

The Veteran Services OfficeOfficeOf awards dozens of scholarships to militaryaffiliaaffiliaaf ted students each year; has streamlined benefit processing to allowstudents to apply for benefits online and has automated processing to allowbenefits to be processed within five to seven business days; and processesfederal and state veterans’ educational benefits for over 2,600 militaryaffiliaaffiliaaf ted students each semester,semester,semester Kilmer said.

The Veteran Resource and Support Center advisesadvisesad veteran focusedstudent organizations; collaborates with the univeuniveuni rsity to provide a veteranonly history course that givegivegi s student veterans the opportunity to meet oneanother and learn together in a military-focusedmilitary-focusedmilitary-f class setting; and partnerswith the Texas A&M UniveUniveUni rsity Career Center,Center,Center to meet with potentialemployers who are activeactiveacti ly seeking veterans, and with the Texas VeteranCommission Employment OfficesOfficesOf , to provide additional resources for studentveteran employment, Kilmer said.

The two officesofficesof collaborate to provide services to military affiliaaffiliaaf tedstudents, such as a New Student Conference Orientation for veterans andactiveactiveacti duty military; Vet Camp, which is offerofferof ed to all new student veteransand their spouses, where representativetiveti s from across campus and thecommunity inforinforinf m new student veterans of the resources, services, studentgroups and community organizations that are in place to support them; andThe Veteran Graduation Cord Ceremony, where veterans and activeactiveacti dutymilitary are givegivegi n their red, white and blue veteran graduation cords to wearat graduation, Kilmer said.

Veterans at Texas A&M UniveUniveUni rsity and their dependents can receiveceiveceieither federal (VA)(VA)(V or state veterans’ educational benefits.

“The primary federal benefit our students take advaadvaad ntage of is the Post9/11 GI Bill, and the primary state benefit which they take advaadvaad ntage ofis the Hazlewood Exemption,” Kilmer said. “The Hazlewood Exemptionallows recipients to be exempted from paying for all tuition and requiredfees charged for up to 150 credit hours of enrollment. Over 1,700 militaryaffiliaaffiliaaf ted students, 240 of which are student veterans, havehaveha been awarded theHazlewood Exemption this fall at Texas A&M.”

For more inforinforinf mation on Veterans Services at Texas A&M UniveUniveUni rsity,rsity,rsityvisit http://veterans.tamu.edu or call 979 845-8075.

For veterans needing healthcare services, the Bryan-College StationCommunity Based Outpatient Clinic, part of the Central Texas VeteransHealth Care System, offersoffersof primary care services for veterans in the BrazosValley area. Other services of the clinic include behavioralbehavioralbeha health services,including individualindividualindi group and family counseling and programs such astobacco cessation. The clinic also offersoffersof blood drawing services and is able toprovide routine prescriptions.

In addition to these services, the clinic is able to bus patients to medicalfacilities in Temple and Waco, facilities that are also part of the CentralTexas Veterans Health Care System, if they need further care. To book abus ride to one of these centers, patients need to visit the clinic at 1651 RockPrairie Road, Suite 100 in College Station, or call the clinic directly at 979-680-0361.

In addition to local benefits, Brazos County veterans can take advaadvaad ntageof benefits offerofferof ed by the state. The state of Texas provides several veteranbenefits, including housing benefits, financial assistance benefits, educationbenefits and employment benefits, among other state-sponsored benefits,such as no-cost medical records and free parkparkpar admission for disabled vets.For more inforinforinf mation on benefits offerofferof ed through the state, visit www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits/texas-state-veterans-benefits.html.

Benefits and assistance available to Brazos Valley veteransRecognizing those who serve

Veterans Park:

• Bryan Rotary Field of Valor – Nov. 9 – 16 atVeterans Park and Athletic Complex in CollegeStation. The park will feature a display of 1,000American flags, providing a public tributeto veterans, active duty soldiers and firstresponders.

• Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial VeteransDay Program – 4:40 p.m., Nov. 11 at Louis L.Adam Memorial Plaza of Veterans Park andAthletic Complex, 3101 Harvey Road in CollegeStation. During the program 133 names ofmilitary service members recently added tothe park’s Memorial’s Wall of Honor will berecognized.

Bryan ISD:

• Nov. 6, 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. - JohnsonElementary fifth grade Veterans Day MusicProgram. All Veterans in the community areinvited.

• Nov. 9, 2 p.m. - Bryan High School Bandwill perform at Brazos Valley VietnamVeterans Memorial unveiling at Clara MounceLibrary in Downtown Bryan.

Nov. 11:

• 9 a.m. - Jane Long Middle School AdvancedOrchestra will perform at Veterans DayAssembly.

• 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. - MitchellElementary Veterans Day Program “Salutingour Veterans: Uncle Sam is Who I Am.”

• 1:30 p.m. - Kemp-Carver Elementary Schoolwill participate in the Suddenlink Veterans Dayprogram in the cafeteria. All third through fifthgraders will attend. Fourth graders will put ona musical performance of patriotic songs, andthere will be a guest speaker. Refreshmentswill be available for attending veterans.

• 6 p.m. - Sam Houston fourth gradeVeterans Day Concert.

• 5:30 p.m. - Henderson Elementary ParentNight, and 6:30 p.m. – fourth-grade VeteransDay Musical.

• 6:30 p.m. - Bowen Elementary fifth grade’sVeterans Day Program.

Nov. 13:

• 6 p.m. - Crockett Elementary second andthird grades will perform “Songs of America”and honor local veterans.

College Station ISD:

Nov. 11:

• 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. - Creek ViewElementary music students will sing selectionsto honor military personnel and veterans inattendance. Open to the public.

• 10 – 11 a.m. - College Station MiddleSchool’s program will include performances bythe band, choir and orchestra programs, alongwith a guest speaker. Light refreshments forveterans served in the Lecture Hall from 9:15 to10 a.m. Open to the public.

• 2:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. - Southwood ValleyElementary third graders will present aprogram of patriotic music. Open to the public.

Texas A&M University:

• Nov. 11 – A&M is planning a Veterans’Lunch on campus. The campus will alsoparticipate in the National Roll Call. For moreinformation, visit http://aggieveterans.tamu.edu.

• Nov. 15 – A&Mwill participate in theMilitary Appreciation Game against Universityof Missouri. A&M will be formally recognizedas a “Purple Heart University” by the MilitaryOrder of the Purple Heart. Combat MarineOutdoors will also be visiting during the game,with 10 wounded warriors from San Antonio;they will be joined by seven or eight currentA&M students who are also Purple Heartrecipients. For more information, visit http://aggieveterans.tamu.edu.

VETERANSDAY EVENTS


I’ve noticed that I am moremoremor anxiousabout falling these daysdaysda . I have no ideawhy!why!wh I am 75 and in good shape. I dolose my balance occasionallyllyll whengetting up too fast or when turning,ning,ning butI haven’t fallen. I’m afraidafraidafr my fear isgoing to make me fall. Can you suggesuggesug stsomething that might help? -- J.W.,College Station

You are not alone. Not only dopeople fear falling, there truly is anincrease in falls as we age. Accordingto the CDC, more than one-third ofadults 65 and olderfall each year and30 percent of thosewho fall suffersuffersufmoderate to severeinjuries. Physicaltherapists can helpin risk reductionand prevention offalls.

First let’s talkabout the riskfactors that makesomeone more prone to falling andthen discuss what someone can do tominimize the risks, and finally what to

do if you do fall.

Risk factors (source: AmericanPhysical Therapy Association):

• 80 years or older• Muscle weakness• Balance problems or walking

problems• Vision problems (cataracts,

macular degeneration, bifocals)bifocals)bif• Medical conditions that limit

mobility (Parkinson’sarkinson’sar , stroke)• Conditions that cause confusion

(dementia)• Depression• Taking multiple medications• Using a cane or assistiveassistiveassisti device• Hazards at home and outside

(throw rugs, pets)• Low blood pressure• A history of falls• Arthritis

Dealing with balance issues

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• 10 percent - Attire (gown, tux orsuit and accessories)

• 8 – 12 percent - Photography andvideography

• 5 – 10 percent - Entertainment• 2 – 5 percent - Wedding rings• 2 – 4 percent - Gifts and favors• 2 – 4 percent - Invitations and other

cards• 2 percent - Ceremony (venue,

officiant and marriage license)• 2 percent - Transportation• 5 – 8 percent - Taxes and gratuities• 10 percent - Miscellaneous

(insurance, overtime, etc.)

Another factor that predicts maritalstrife is in the process of planning thewedding. Family therapist Faith Wilsonhas advised countless couples onpreserving their marital relationship.“Brides who want their grooms tohelp make every decision of thewedding preparations are presentinga complication. Her groom is not incharge of the budget but is being askedto help make financial decisions. She isalso asking him to help with decisionsin areas in which he has little or noworking knowledge. This is a stickysituation, and that is what makes it sovaluable to their relationship. In thisfirst major collaborative project, hisbehavior is an indicator to her as tohow he will communicate in regardto other important decisions in theirmarriage.” The same goes for thebride’s behavior as to how she is likely

to handle stress during their marriage.Ms. Wilson summarizes groom

participation into three main types:• Groom #1 does not participate or

grudgingly participates.• Groom #2 tries to control

decisions.• Groom #3 participates, but will

readily admit when he does not haveexperience in an area. “I don’t knowabout china but I think what you havechosen is beautiful.”

Ms. Wilson advises brides to takenote of their partner’s charactertraits during the wedding planningstage. These behaviors will appearlater in their relationship. This is fineas long as the bride sees these traitsand recognizes what she’ll be dealingwith during the coming years. Ms.

Wilson realizes that most brides arestarry eyed, but she still urges themto understand that character traits(whether his or hers) will continueto develop. “We always think peoplewill change for us. ‘If he loves me, hewill change.’ But when it is a basiccharacter trait, people usually choosenot to make those changes.”

Weddings are wonderful and joyfulevents. They are opportunities toexperience the value of budgeting andstarting a lifetime of sound financialdecisions. They are rehearsals formaking compromises in relationshipsand increasing chances of a lifelongand loving marriage.

Contact Tracy B. Stewart, CPA, PFS,CFF, CDFA, CFP® through her blog atwww.TexasDivorceFinance.com.

Financial literacyfrom page 4

to permanent memories. What thissuggests to me is that it might payoff for mid-life people to developtheir memory skills. You may nothave thought much about memoryat this age because you don’t have

much of a memory problem. Thinkof memory training as a form ofpreventive maintenance. I have writtenextensively in my columns, blog postsand books on the things one can do toimprove memory capability.

Sources:Borhesani, P. R. et al. (2012). Midlife

memory improvement predictspreservation of hippocampal volume

in old age. Neurobiology of Aging. 33:1148-1155.

Klemm, W. R. (2012). What happensto aging brain. Nov. 14. http://thankyoubrain.blogspot.com

Klemm, W. R. (2013) Does humormake you live longer? July 25. http://thankyoubrain.blogspot.com

Wilson, R. S. et al. (2013).

Life-span cognitive activity,neuropathological burden, andcognitive aging. Neurology. 10.1212/WNL.0b01313e31929c5e8a

Dr. Bill’s latest book is “MentalBiology, The New Science of HowBrain and Mind Relate.” See hiswebsite, WRKlemm.com and blogs,thankyoubrain.blogspot.com.

MemoryMedicfrom page 4

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• Cardiovascular deficits• Wearing inappropriate footwear or

none at all

What can you do to minimize therisk?

Obviously, as you age more of thesewill apply, but keeping active so yourmuscles, balance and gait (way youwalk) stay stable and strong is veryimportant. Many of the problems withaging can be minimized with regularexercise (i.e., walking) and properhydration and nutrition. Other waysto mitigate the risks are to make sureyou remove hazards from your home.Remove the loose rugs; they may bebeautiful, but it isn’t worth the riskof a fall. Make sure that if you aredizzy or light headed, you check withyour doctor or pharmacist to see ifyour medications or combination ofmedications could be the problem.Make sure you stay on top of yourblood pressure readings and medicine.Check it periodically and make sureto take your medication daily asinstructed. If you have vision problems,take care of them now; don’t wait. Ifyou use a cane or walking device, makesure it is the right height and in goodcondition. Make sure to wear properfootwear. If you don’t feel steady, if theheels catch, if the heels are too thinor tall, if shoelaces are too long and/

or if the shoe is worn, replace them.In addition to these suggestions, aphysical therapist is trained to identifyand help you remove these risks. Ifyou have any doubts, check with yourphysician or call our office at 979-776-2225 for a free consultation where wecan take a look for you.

What a physical therapist can doto help

If you are worried about fallingor have recently fallen, make anappointment with a physical therapistfor a screening. Prevention is soimportant, so don’t wait. We recentlyhad a falls prevention screening clinicin honor of Physical Therapy Monthand were able to identify several peoplewho were at risk for falls and wouldbenefit from assistance. We were alsoable to eliminate the fears of a fewpeople by sending them home withsome suggestions for maintainingtheir status. You might also join a gymor a one-on-one exercise assistanceprogram like our E-4 Life program. Aphysical therapist has several tests thatcan be performed that show whethera person is at risk for falls. If the testsreveal there is a problem, the physicaltherapist can do a more thoroughevaluation to determine the causes anddesign a program to improve balance,strength and confidence. The programmight include:

1. Balance training2. Walking and movement

improvement

3. Strength training4. Aerobic training5. Education.If it turns out the problem is related

more to disorders of the inner ear, aphysical therapist can also help in thefollowing ways:

1. Canalith repositioning maneuvers(reposition dislodged crystals in theinner ear)

2. Vestibularrehabilitation therapy(exercise program tohelp nervous systemcompensate for inner earissues)

3. Therapeuticexercise (customizedmuscle strengtheningprogram)

4. Balance and gaittraining (improvebalance and promotesafe and correct gaittechniques).

The bottom line is youdon’t want to continue tofear falling. Fear is a redflag that you should comein for a balance or fallsscreening. Screeningsare an evaluation toolthat can get you theassistance you need ifnecessary and minimizeyour fears and concerns.Since you are 75 yearsof age and the risk of

falling increases after 80, it is a goodidea to stay active and if ever in doubt,come in for a screening. (Please see ourwebsite for several pamphlets on fallprevention, BVphysicaltherapy.com).

Leon Bradway is a doctor of physicaltherapy and director of the Sports, Backand Pain Management Clinic. See www.bvphysicaltherapy.com.

Physical therapyfrom page 8

CALENDAROngoing

Sit and Fit Chair Exercises - Get a workoutwhile sitting in a chair. Seniors meet at SouthwoodCommunity Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Roadin College Station, every Monday, Tuesdayand Thursday, from noon to 1 p.m. For moredetails, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 [email protected].

Line Dancing - Southwood CommunityCenter, 1520RockPrairieRoad inCollegeStation,holds line dancing for seniors on Tuesdays from1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 10:30 to11:30 a.m. For more information, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 or [email protected].

Bluegrass Jam Session – BluegrassJam Session is held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. onTuesdays at Southwood Community Center,1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. All

levels welcome. Bring string instruments and afriend. For more details, contact 979-764-6351,979-764-6371 or [email protected].

Friday Bridge - Southwood CommunityCenter, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in CollegeStation, offers bridge for seniors every Fridayfrom 9 to 11:30 a.m. For more, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 or [email protected].

Learn how to play 42 dominoes - Learn thepopular game of 42 every Wednesday from 9:30to 11:30 a.m. at Southwood Community Center,1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station.Contact Southwood Community Center at 979-764-6351 or email [email protected] for moreinformation.

42 dominoes - Seniors meet every Thursdayto play 42 at Southwood Community Center, 1520Rock Prairie Road in College Station, from 9:30to 11:30 a.m. New players welcome. For more

details, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 [email protected].

Bible study – Bible study is held for seniorsat 9:15 a.m. every Thursday at Lincoln Center,1000 Eleanor St. in College Station. ContactAnnie Williams at 979-764-3779 or [email protected] for more information.

Nov. 5ComputerClub for Seniors: “What’sNew in

Computer Retail” - The Computer Club is opento all seniors interested in learning more about thecomputer world. Come and learn what is new inthe market of technology and gadgets. Held at theWaste Water Facility Training Room, 2200 NorthForest Parkway in College Station from 9 to 10:30a.m. Free and no pre-registration needed. Formore information contact College Station Parksand Recreation Department, Senior Services at

979-764-6371 or [email protected].

Nov. 6Free Senior Fitness class - “Yangsaeng”,

a Korean senior exercise program, has becomea common health practice among older adults inKorea. This exercise class is being offered free toseniors every Thursday in November from 9 to 10a.m. at Southwood Community Center. Registerby calling 979-764-6351 or emailing [email protected].

Nov. 10Beginning Computer Class for seniors -

This class is designed for seniors who would like

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to learn how to use the Internet and email. Classmeets for two weeks on Monday and Wednesdayfrom 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Southwood CommunityCenter. Cost of the class is $45. To register onlinevisit rectrac.cstx.gov, or call for more information979-764-3486.

Intermediate Computer Class for seniors

- Basic computer skills required. Move to thenext level and learn more tips on creating andstoring documents. Class meets on Mondayand Wednesday for two weeks from 10:45 a.m.to 12:15 p.m. at Southwood Community Center.Cost of the class is $4. Register at rectrac.cstx.gov or call College Station Parks and RecreationDepartment at 979-764-3486.

Nov. 19

Exploring History Luncheon - The CollegeStation Historic Preservation Committee and theCollege Station Parks andRecreation Departmentpresent monthly lectures with lunch on the historyof the community. Steve Beachy will present“Veteran’“Veteran’“V s Memorial Long Range Statue Project”at Aldersgate Church, at 2201 Earl Rudder Fwy S.in College Station. A reservation is necessary forlunch by the Friday before; the cost is $5. Lunchis served at 11:30 a.m. The speaker will begin atnoon. Reserve by contacting 979-764-6351 or

[email protected].

Nov. 20Movie and Popcorn - “The Monuments

Men” - Seniors are invited to enjoy a free movieand popcorn at Southwood Community Center.Movie starts at 1 p.m. Contact SouthwoodCommunity Center at 979-764-6351 or [email protected] for more details.

By CECIL SCAGLIONESCAGLIONESCAMatureMatureMatur LifeLifeLif Featuresaturesatur

Instead of shopping around forcomforcomforcomf table shoes, you might be betteroffoffof walking barefoot.efoot.ef

It could savesavesa you from developingtinea pedia, better known to most of usas athlete’s foot.

Some experts are concerned withwhat they believe is an ominous spreadof this fungal infection of the foot thatstrikes some three-quarters of thepopulation at some time in their liveliveli s.

If not treated correctly, it can leadto possible amputation among its more-serious at-risk victims – seniors and

diabetics.While the condition has been

around for centuries, the first casereported in the United States was inthe 1920s. It’s been surmised that WorldWar I troops brought it back from thetrenches of Europe.

Also called ringworm of the foot,its symptoms include cracked, crusty,usty,ustypeeling and blistered skin of the feet,especially between the toes, that canlead to itching, burning and swelling.It’s often accompanied by a bacterialinfection of the toe nails.

Public showers, bathhouses,swimming pools and locker rooms areatop the list of breeding grounds for

the fungus. It flourishes in enclosedshoes that keep your feet hot andhumid.

The infection can spread to otherparts of your body, such as the groinand under arms, usually transmittedfrom scratching yourself afterexamining your feet or from infectedclothing, bedding and towels.

The foot and toe-nail conditions“are especially prevalent in the seniorpopulation,” said Dr. Bret Ribotsky, apodiatric surgeon and past presidentof the American College of Foot andAnkle Orthopodics and Medicine.

He and his colleagues urge anybodyspotting any of these symptoms to

check with their doctor or a podiatristimmediately.

Ribotsky said he believes the footand toe-nail infections are under-treated significantly. He said heschedules follow-up officeofficeof visits everytwo weeks for patients he’s activeactiveacti lytreating for acute tinea pedia tomanage the progress of his patients.

The medical community agreesthat wearing airy shoes and walkingbarefoot,efoot,ef except in public areas whereyou might consider sandals or showershoes to avoid infected areas, are goodways to avoid athlete’s food. Using footpowder in your shoes and changingsocks daily are also recommended.

Calendarfrom pagepagepa 10

Untreated athlete’s foot leads to serious issues

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