We all
want to live longer and healthier lives. And advances in the health sciences
have made that possible. But those advances are not a product of best guesses
or anecdotal information. They have been based on evidence-based research.
One
institution in Oregon that is highly regarded for its research and expertise in
aging is the Oregon Health Sciences University. It has established the Healthy
Aging Alliance whose mission according to Elizabeth Eckstrom, MD, MPH., director
of geriatrics at OHSU " … is to strategically plan research to meet the
needs of our seniors, find new ways to make sure the results of our research
influence the care of our aging patients, and offer new training opportunities
to help Oregon clinicians prepare for this significant change in their patient
population. "
But
the research needs volunteers. And I’m talking homo sapiens, not mice or the African
turquoise killifish - which my son is studying to better understand the effects
of aging at the molecular level. (And I have told him to hurry up! I can’t wait
too long.)
To better
understand how to recruit volunteers for OHSU’s research on aging, Elizabeth
Eckstrom and her team will be at the Center on Tuesday June 12th at
1:00. They are looking for five to ten individuals who are 75 years or older to
participate in a 30 to 60 minute focus group and share their thoughts and
opinions about their participation in health research or their interest in the
topic. As a thank-you each participant will receive a $25 gift certificate. If
you would like to participate, contact Laura Ferrara at lauraf920@gmail.com
or 541-399-1139.
Susan
Kirk gave an excellent presentation last week on the Telecommunication Devices
Access Program (TDAP): a state government program which loans specialized
communications equipment at no cost and with no income guidelines - but you
must be an Oregon resident and be able to certify your hearing loss by a
hearing specialist. Those who qualify can borrow one of a variety of listening
devices such as a caption telephone. So never buy a listening device before calling
TDAP! There is information at the Center or you can call TDAP at 1-800-848-4442.
The
Center is hosting the Cascadia Mobile Legal Clinic (staffed by attorneys from
Martin & Richards, LLP) on June 25th and 26th from 11
to 4 pm. They can provide a variety of legal services including wills, trusts,
powers of attorney, advance directives, probate estates, elder abuse, and civil
disputes. All clients receive a free 30-minute consultation, and legal services
provided after the consultation, if any, are provided to eligible clients for
free or on a sliding fee scale (depending on income). Call 503-444-3449 for an
appointment. You can find more information at their website www.cascadialawyers.com.
The
AARP Smart Driver course is held at the Center from 8:45 – 12:05 on the third
Monday and the following Tuesday of each month. The next class is on June 18th
and 19th and costs $20 and $15 for AARP members. In Oregon if you
complete the class an insurance discount from your insurance carrier is mandatory.
But beware - the discounts will vary. You may want to check with your insurance
agent. To sign up, call the Center at 541-296-4788.
The
host and star of the American radio and television variety show which ran on
CBS from 1946 until 1958 and featured "talent scouts" who brought
their discoveries onto the program was Arthur Godfrey. (I received only one correct
answer, so Dave Lutgens is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.)
It’s
time to revisit a classic movie which was more famous for what happened off
screen than on. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the
historical drama which was the top grossing film of 1963 and the most expensive
film ever made up to that point, won four Academy Awards and was renowned for
the extramarital affair between its two costars? And for bonus points who were
the costars? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message
at 541-296-4788 or drop it off with a picture from Eddie Fisher’s second
wedding.
Well,
it’s been another week, rushing to answer the phone before nature calls. Until
we meet again, find a song to dance to.
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