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HEALTHY LIVING

NEWSLETTER

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 2014. 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. . . . . . .

1. 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.

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 561-684-5885 X59237 or email HealthyLiving@youradrc.org.

Information compiled from The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.,

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

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

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 561-685-5885 X 59237 or email HealthyLiving@youradrc.org.

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.

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 561-684-5585 X59237 or email to HealthyLiving@youradrc.org.

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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/

“Tips on Communicating with someone with Alzheimer’s disease“

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 561-684-5885 X59237 or email 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 (1813—1887)

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

Jim Rohn

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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 email address listed below.

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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 ques-

tion 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 dis-ease, 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 wom-en 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 rela-tives 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. www.floridabreastcancer.org/palm-beach-and-martin-counties

Article compiled from The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., Healthfinder.gov, and The American Cancer Society

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

33407

(561) 684-5885

Visit us on the web at:

http://www.youradrc.org

“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: __________________________________________________

E-mail: __________________________________________________

Please send completed form to:

Healthy Living Center of Excellence

A: 4400 N Congress Ave West Palm Beach, FL 33407

E: HealthyLiving@YourADRC.org

F: 561-214-8678

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