HEALTHY LIVING NEWSLETTER 4th Quarter 2015

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1 HEALTHY LIVING NEWSLETTER 4th Quarter 2015 DATES TO REMEMBER: Fall Prevention Week is September 23-29, 2015 October is National Breast Cancer Month November is the month for Heart Health and American Diabetes December 1st is World AIDS Day December 3rd is International Day of People with Disabilities December 5th is International Volunteer Day FALL PREVENTION AWARENESS WEEK SEPTEMBER 23 29, 2015 The 2015 theme is Take a Stand to Prevent Falls! It seeks to unite professionals, older adults, caregivers, and family members to play a part in raising awareness and preventing falls in the older adult population. The 8th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day (FPAD) will be observed on September 23, 2015 the first day of fall. Since Falls Prevention Awareness Day was first observed in 2008, we have grown participation in the event from 11 states to 48 states and the District of Columbia in This year, we hope to expand our reach even further: 6 Steps to Prevent a Fall Every 13 seconds an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall-related injury. Many falls are preventable. Stay safe with these tips Embark on a balance and exercise program. Look to build balance, strength, and flexibility. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging for more information. Consider inviting a friend or neighbor to join you. 2. Talk to your health care provider. Ask for an assessment of your risk of falling. Share your history of recent falls. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Healthy Living 2 Accomplishments Alzheimer's Info 3 Powerful Tools 3 for Caregivers Diabetes Self Management 4 Breast Cancer 5 Volunteers Wanted! 6 3. Regularly review your medications with your doctor or pharmacist. Make sure side effects aren t increasing your risk of falling. Take Medications only as prescribed. 4. Get your vision and hearing checked annually. Be sure your eyeglass prescription is up to date. Your eyes and ears are key to keeping you on your feet. 5. Keep your home safe. Remove tripping hazards, increase lighting, make stairs safe, and install grab bars in key areas. 6. Talk to your family members. Enlist their support in taking simple steps to stay safe. Falls are not just a senior issue. For information on A Matter of Balance and the Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance classes, contact Liliana Herrera at X59237 or HealthyLiving@youradrc.org. Information compiled from The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., 1

2 Coach/Lay Leader graduates of the Sept. 3/4, 2015 Matter of Balance Training 14 people representing Palm Beach County, The Treasure Coast, and Tallahassee, Florida were certified as coaches in A Matter of Balance Training at the Area Agency on Aging in West Palm Beach. The 2-day training was delivered by Liliana Herrera, Project Director of Health Living and Karen Roberts, Director, Human Resources/Healthy Living. Community Health Workers a Big Success HLCOE hosted its first FREE webcast training Friday, August 14, 2015 In conjunction with Florida Health Networks The live broadcast training was entitled Building Community Health Workers (CHW s) Skills Training The attendees at this webcast learned how to improve their skills to navigate the health care system and to empower community members on disease self-management. This training provided knowledge on the 3 topics listed below: Motivational Interviewing was addressed by Leslie Hazel-Fernandez, PhD, MPH of Comprehensive Health Insights Martha Pelaez, PhD and VP of Network Development for Florida Health Networks discussed Chronic Care Self-Management Education Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) was explained by Brenda Rodriguez, MA, and Co-Chair, Florida CHW Coalition 13 of our Healthy Living COE coaches/leaders received a 6 hour certification to be applied to their Community Health Workers certification. If you are interested in finding out additional information on becoming a Community Health Worker, contact Liliana Herrera at X or HealthyLiving@youradrc.org. The Healthy Living Center of Excellence will be holding a Community Health Worker Certification Training (see above) for persons interested in becoming a certified community health worker. For more information on this training, contact Liliana Herrera at X59237 or to HealthyLiving@youradrc.org. 2

3 Tips on Communicating with someone with Alzheimer s disease Alzheimer's Disease Frequently Asked Questions If you become forgetful as you get older, does that mean you will get Alzheimer s disease? Not all memory problems are caused by Alzheimer s disease. Mild forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. Sometimes memory problems are related to health issues that are treatable. For example, these conditions may cause memory loss or possibly dementia. medication side effects vitamin B12 deficiency chronic alcoholism tumors or infections in the brain Thyroid, liver or kidney disorders also can lead to memory loss. Emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, can also make a person more forgetful and may be mistaken for dementia. The confusion and forgetfulness caused by emotions usually are temporary and go away when the feelings fade. If you or someone in your family thinks your forgetfulness is getting in the way of your normal routine, it s time to see your doctor. He or she can find out what s causing these problems. From NIHSeniorHealth.gov/ As caregivers, communicating with someone with Alzheimer's disease can be a challenge because the patients will develop two different kinds of problems with language and communication. First they'll have difficulty finding the word they want to say to you and so their speech may seem empty and vague. They may say, "I need the thing for..." and not be able to describe it to you. The second kind of communication problem that they develop is difficulty in understanding what you're saying to them. Therefore, we need to do a couple of things in terms of maximizing our communication. As a caregiver, you need to: use simple sentences and speak slowly; repeat yourself several times; it may take some time for the person to really understand what you're saying. Try to augment your communication by showing people. So for example, you might say, "Do you want this sweater or do you want that one?" not, "Do you want a sweater or a blouse?" Try to ask "yes" or "no" questions rather than complicated questions requiring complex answers. It will only frustrate you and the person you're trying to communicate with. Information complied from Cynthia D. Steele, RN, MPH Johns Hopkins University Alzheimer's Disease Center Interested in learning more? Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an Evidence-Based Program that will provide you with the tools and strategies to better handle the unique challenges of caregiving. This 6 week course will help you with: Taking Care of You Managing Your Emotions Learning from Your Emotions Reducing Personal Stress Your Mental Health Communicating Effectively Hiring In-Home Help Loss, Grief and End-of-Life For more information contact: Liliana Herrera at X59237 or HealthyLiving@youradrc.org. Healthy Living Quotes The body is like a piano, and happiness is like music. It is needful to have the Instrument in good order. Henry Ward Beecher ( ) Take care of your body. It s the only place you have to live. Jim Rohn 3

4 The Healthy Living Center of Excellence is now offering diabetes workshops in English and Spanish. Contact us for additional information, locations, and times at the phone number or address listed below. 4

5 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women. Statistics tell us that about 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. The good news is that many women can survive breast cancer if it s found and treated early. A mammogram the screening test for breast cancer can help find breast cancer early when it s easier to treat. Pro-active steps you can take to find and treat breast cancer early! Women between the ages 40 to 49 should talk with their doctors about when to start getting mammograms. It is suggested that women from age 50 to 74 get mammograms every 2 years unless directed otherwise by your care provider. Evidence is growing that physical activity in the form of exercise reduces breast cancer risk. The main question is how much exercise is needed. In one study from the Women's Health Initiative, as little as 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman's risk by 18%. Walking 10 hours a week reduced the risk a little more. What are the risk factors for breast cancer? A risk factor is anything (the environment, smoking, drinking, and diet) that affects your chance of getting a disease, such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, like a person's age or race, can't be changed. But risk factors don't tell us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean that you will get the disease. These are the most common risk factors not related to personal choice Gender - Simply being a woman is the main risk factor for developing breast cancer. Men can develop breast cancer, but this disease is about 100 times more common among women than men. Aging - Your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older. About 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancers are found in women younger than 45, while about 2 of 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 or older. Genetic risk factors - About 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary, meaning that they result directly from gene defects (called mutations) inherited from a parent. Race and ethnicity - Overall, white women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than are African-American women, but African-American women are more likely to die of this cancer. However, in women under 45 years of age, breast cancer is more common in African- American women. Asian, Hispanic, and Native-American women have a lower risk of developing and dying from breast cancer. Family history of breast cancer - Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have this disease. Dense breasts/no Children Women who have dense breasts and/or have never had children. As each person is a unique individual, be sure to speak to your doctor about other factors that may impact you. If you are looking for pre-screening breast cancer services or other potentially live-saving information, please click on the following link. Article compiled from The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., Healthfinder.gov, and The American Cancer Society 5

6 Volunteers Wanted!! Want to make a difference in our community? Volunteering is a great way to start! The Healthy Living Center of Excellence at Your Aging & Disability Resource Center is looking for enthusiastic, motivated and passionate volunteers to join our family. We have a variety of options for those wanting to volunteer; see below to fill out our check list for areas you would like to get involved with! Contact Us Area Agency on Aging 4400 N Congress Ave West Palm Beach, FL (561) Visit us on the web at: Connecting you with the help you need, helping you make informed decisions. Possible ways to serve as a volunteer: Become a Matter of Balance Coach (Training will be provided) Become a Powerful Tools for Caregivers Facilitator (Training will be provided) Become a Tai Chi Instructor (Training will be provided) Become a Community Health worker Become a part of a brainstorming group Sharing resources and present programs in the Community List your interests, expertise, talents, skills, and experiences: _(Attach your resume if appropriate) Name: Phone: Please send completed form to: Healthy Living Center of Excellence A: 4400 N Congress Ave West Palm Beach, FL E: HealthyLiving@YourADRC.org F: