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Sell Your Home If you want to sell your home and save the time and expense of making everything just so, please call Joanne today at 510-589-4794 to find out what A.R.M. Homes will pay you for your home in “as-is” condition. Selling your home to A.R.M. Homes will allow you to move on with your life instead of waiting for the whim of this uncertain marketplace to smile down on you.

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Senior Seasons was founded by Kaye Sharbrough to provide the highest quality services to help seniors and their families identify, evaluate, and choose the best senior housing to improve well-being and happiness. Just like many of her clients, she got involved because of her mother's altered housing needs. And because that move was so successful and her Mom is so delighted with her new situation, Kaye has established Senior Seasons in order to help others be just as happy. Senior Seasons

ThirdAge Inc. is an online media and direct marketing company focused exclusively on serving the needs of midlife adults -- generally those in their 40s, 50s and 60s -- and those who want to build a genuine relationship with them. Third Age

Elder Abuse ... What Everyone Should Know Elder Abuse Brochure View online or print a copy free.

The "E-cyclopedia" of housing options and information for retirement, finance, insurance and care. Senior Resources

The information on the following pages has been developed specifically for senior drivers. DMV wants you to maintain your driving independence for as long as you can safely drive. California Senior Driver Information

A leather-clad, silver-haired gentleman stares out from a Florida retirement community marketing mailer. It reads, “Where it’s cool to be in the 70s.” Yes, the face and taste buds of retirement are a-changing. Baby Boomers that shook up the establishment in the 60s and 70s are rattling the traditional retirement profile – changing terms such as old folks’ homes to retirement communities and pushing menu offerings from institutional meals to better quality dining. No longer will the simple fare of yesteryear be offered up in boring menus – the new face of retirement means on demand dining; gourmet coffee choices; and wine tastings. SupermarketGuru.com sees this as an opportunity for both CPG and foodservice companies to focus on global offerings and healthy alternatives in easy-to-prepare food service sizes. Additionally, this trend points toward growth at retail for gourmet-style grab-and-go prepared food selections designed for two-person and single family households. Innovative frozen selections for singles pose another potential growth market for both grocers and manufacturers. Whether it’s Wauwatosa, WI where Harwood Place Retirement Community’s executive chef Justin Johnson began revamping the dining program two years ago to reflect current culinary trends or Seattle, WA where Mirabella’s Food & Beverage director is sourcing local ingredients and upscale brands to appease his audience, the retirement community dining room has changed. Chefs are left to craft new diverse, creative seasonal menus - balanced meals made from scratch with fresh ingredients – to meet the new demands of retiring Boomers. And while there are still the meat-and-potato entrees in demand, the balance is definitely shifting. “We use Seattle’s Best Coffee versus something middle of the road,” Terry Jones said in an interview with Supermarketguru.com. “[Residents] truly want upper-end products.” Jones, Mirabella’s Food & Beverage Director, continued, “The clientele is definitely more challenging [today]. They want more choice and value. They’re also interested in newer items and variety in the selections.” The biggest challenge Jones says they face in Mirabella’s three kitchens is tending to the two diverse generations who now reside in these communities. “We still have one generation that wants the meat and potatoes and those that want healthy, creative choices,” he said. The new culinary scene goes hand-in-hand with how retirement communities are marketing themselves these days. In order to attract Baby Boomers who would never accept placement at an “old folks' home,” these new lifestyle communities promote futures that are “bright, vibrant, and exciting.” Mirabella – which offers everything from penthouse dining to wine tastings – markets itself as “the retirement community of the future, for residents of the future.” Margaret Wylde, president and chief executive of research firm ProMatura Group, told Supermarketguru.com that the changing focus on upscale dining options began in the early 1990s with companies such as Classic Residence by Hyatt. In 2005, the company opened its Palo Alto, Calif. location. Residents here didn’t choose to move because of pushy children or poor health; instead they’re attracted to the gourmet food, attentive service and access to Stanford University programs. Wylde places rough estimates on independent living and assisted living properties across the United States at about 25,000. Active adult communities number around 1,200 with continued growth on luxury communities. She explained that retirees place a high priority on dining options when selecting where to move, concluding that communities, which recognize the importance of good dining experiences, are the most successful.

Your Medical Record Rights Contributed by: Pam Winterbauer A federal law called the HIPAA Privacy Rule gives you the right to see, get a copy of and amend (correct) your medical record by adding information to it.  (HIPAA stands for the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.")   Most states also have laws that give you rights in your medical record.  These consumer guides are intended to help you understand your rights to your medical records under a combination of these laws. Search records in all 50 states.   Your Medical Rights and Privacy

New Type of Medical Coverage for Seniors in 2009 Secure Horizons is offering an all-inclusive medical, hospitalization, and prescription plan in certain areas beginning in 2009.  Seniors can enroll in this plan beginning November 15, 2008.  The new plan is NOT an HMO, which should delight many seniors.  The new plan is called: SecureHorizons MedicareDirect Rx Plan 56 Highlights of the plan • $0 monthly health plan premium. • Freedom to choose any Medicare-eligible doctor, specialist or hospital that accepts the plan’s terms and conditions. • An annual medical out-of-pocket maximum for covered services helps to budget for health care expenses. • Prescription coverage with no deductible and thousands of prescription drugs on the formulary. Plan services  Doctor Choice: Any doctor Specialist Referral Required: No Primary Care Physician Office Visit $ 15.00 per office visit Specialist Office Visit $ 30.00 per office visit There is not a directory for this plan as plan members are allowed to go to any Medicare-approved provider that accepts the terms, conditions, and rates of the plan. Hospital Services: Inpatient Hospital Care: $240.00 days 1 - 17/$0.00 days 18 - 90 maximum  Outpatient Hospital Care: 20% per visit Part D Prescription Drug: Part D Annual Deductible $0.00

Free phones, etc. for the Hard of Hearing  Contributed by Mr. Richard DeBiaso The California Telephone Access Program  (CTAP) distributes telecommunications equipment and services to individuals certified as having difficulty using the telephone. CTAP is a California State mandated program, under governance of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Equipment and some network services are available at no charge to eligible consumers.   Californians who are deaf, hard of hearing, speech disabled, blind, or who have low vision, cognitive impairments, or restricted mobility, are eligible to receive equipment with certification by a medical doctor, a licensed audiologist, a qualified state agency, or a hearing aid dispenser.   CTAP is funded by a small surcharge that appears on all telephone bills in California. The money collected from this surcharge pays for both the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) and the California Relay Service (CRS). This surcharge appears on your phone bill as "CA Relay Service and Communications Devices Fund."

Reverse Mortgages A Reverse Mortgage is for a homeowner who is 62 years and older and who needs to stay in their present home.  However, these loans which are veiled to help seniors really are a way for banks to take advantage of seniors as the interest on reverse mortgages compound monthly, have excessive upfront and monthly fees, require high cost mortgage insurance, and rapidly deplete the equity in one's home to where in just a few years no equity is left..

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~ Seek and Ye Shall Find ~   Mission Peak Bible Church Online, an outreach of Mission Peak Bible Church in Fremont , CA , a non-denominational, evangelical, Christian Church founded in 1980 by Senior Pastor Bob Bruton. Spreading the Gospel and keeping in step with Christian beliefs is what this site is all about, with over 40 years of Sermons and outlines, available from Pastor Bruton. Meet Pastor Bob Bruton. Visit Pastor Bob

Check out the latest issue of "Living Longer and Loving It" from the Alliance for Aging Research and find out about: • The Fight Against Heart Disease Nearly 80 million American adults have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. Although improved treatments have led to lower death rates, an aging and overweight population poses challenges for the U.S. health care system. Find out how medical research can lead to better prevention and treatment of heart disease in Keeping Up The Fight Against Heart Disease. Read more>> • Maintaining Good Nutrition With Age As you age, eating right continues to play a vital role in whether or not you will enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle. Adapting to these changes and adjusting your eating habits are some of the simplest but most important ways you can contribute to your overall health. Learn more about The Secrets of Eating for Your Age. Read more>> • A Labor of Love Recognized as a national leader promoting an intimate, “low tech, high touch” approach to childbirth, nurse-midwife Ruth Lubic, a Living Legend, continues to advocate for women and families. Read more>> • Caregivers at Risk According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, more than 44 million people are involved in caring for a friend or relative. Caring for others can be physically, emotionally and mentally demanding, and can cause the health of caregivers to decline. The Alliance weighs in on Caring for Caregivers. Read more>> • Managing Your Medications Safely Over-the-counter medications can be an effective and relatively inexpensive way to reduce pain, get a good night’s sleep, and be more productive. But because they’re available easily without a prescription, many people mistakenly believe that taking them contains no risk. With many older people taking multiple medications, learn how to, Manage Your Over-the-Counter Medications. Read more>>

Are America's Communities Ready For An Aging Population? A new study, the most comprehensive report ever on the aging-readiness of America, finds that less than half of American cities and counties have plans in place to meet the needs of aging baby boomers. The baby boom generation-born between 1946 and 1964-is rapidly approaching retirement age. The study, called "The Maturing of America: Getting Communities on Track for an Aging Population," was conducted through a partnership with the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the International City/County Management Association, the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities, and Partners for Livable Communities, and funded by MetLife Foundation. The results show that although many communities have some programs to address the needs of older adults, very few have fully assessed what it would take to make their community "elder friendly." Studies indicate that the vast majority of Americans would prefer to remain in the communities where they live as they age, in order to stay close to family and friends. Key findings of the report include the following: • Health Care-In one-third of communities surveyed, older adults do not have access to a range of needed preventive health care services, such as health education, community-based health screenings and counseling on prescription drug programs. • Nutrition-Eighty percent of communities have programs providing home-delivered meals for older adults, though only 25 percent provide nutrition education for seniors. • Exercise-More than one-third of communities do not have fitness programs for older adults, though 86 percent report having biking/walking trails. • Transportation-Many communities are not addressing the mobility needs of an aging population. For example, only 40 percent of communities reported having road signage that meets the needs of older drivers. • Aging/Human Services- Although it is expected that aging baby boomers will demand it, many communities do not offer a comprehensive single point of entry for information and access to all aging services. "The aging of the population will have a dramatic impact on America's cities and counties," said Sibyl Jacobson, President of MetLife Foundation. "This report sheds light on how our towns and cities can prepare to handle the aging boom. By taking action now, communities can avoid problems and improve the quality of life for all citizens, as well as for older adults." By: Stacey Moore Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Safety Tips Thanks to Mr. Sherry Kost 1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do! 2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans.  If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you . . . chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! 3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy.  The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives. 4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. 5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars! C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out.  IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.) 6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!) 7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN!  The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times! ; And even then , it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zigzag pattern! 8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP. It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. 9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door, just call the police to investigate.

Richmond man lives to 112 on junk food  Experts say genes won out over diet of mainly sausage and waffles   By Jeff Wilson, Associated Press Inside Bay Area - 9/02/2006 George Johnson of Richmond, considered California's oldest living person at 112 and the state's last surviving World War I veteran, had experts shaking their heads over his junk food diet. "He had terrible bad habits. He had a diet largely of sausages and waffles," Dr. L. Stephen Coles, founder of the Gerontology Research Group at the University of California, Los Angeles, said Friday.  The 5-foot-7, 140-pound Johnson died of pneumonia Wednesday at his Richmond home.  "A lot of people think or imagine that your good habits and bad habits contribute to your longevity,"Coles said. "But we often find it is in the genes rather than lifestyle."  Johnson, who was blind, lived alone until his 110th birthday when a caregiver began helping him. Johnson built the Richmond house he lived in by hand in 1935. He got around using a walker in recent years.  Johnson was the only living Californian considered a "supercentenarian," a designation for those ages 110 or older, Coles said. His group is now in the process of validating a Los Angeles candidate who claims to be 112 years old.  Coles participated in an autopsy Thursday that was designed to study Johnson's health.  "All of his organs were extremely youthful. They could have been the organs of someone who was 50 or 60, not 112. Clearly his genes had some secrets," Coles said.  "Everything in his body that we looked at was clean as a whistle, except for his lungs with the pneumonia," Coles said. "He had no heart disease, he had no cancer, no diabetes and no Alzheimer's.  "This is a mysterious case that someone could be so healthy from a pathology point of view and that there is no obvious cause of death."  The family was in favor of an autopsy. Relatives said Johnson wanted them to allow it if it would help science.  Born May 1, 1894, Johnson's father managed the Baltimore and Ohio Railway station in Philadelphia.  Johnson was working in 1917 as a mail sorter for the U.S. Post Office when he was drafted into the Army. The war ended a year later, and he never served in combat.  Two years later, he and his wife moved to Central California.  "It was a great adventure in those days. We were young and wanted the experience," Johnson said in a March interview with the Contra Costa Times.  The couple settled in Fresno and remained there until 1935, when they bought property in Richmond. They used lumber salvaged from dismantled buildings to build their house.  During World War II, Johnson worked at the Kaiser shipyard in Richmond and later managed the heating plant at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland.  He remained in good health and continued driving until he was 102, when his vision began to fail.  Johnson's wife died in 1992 at the age of 92. The couple had no children.  For more information on the Gerontology Research Group, visit  http://www.grg.org

Message from Pete Stark... June 11, 2010 - I wanted to let you know about a provision in health care reform that is being implemented. Starting today, seniors who fall into the Medicare Part D "donut hole" will begin receiving $250 rebate checks. If you hit the donut hole this year, you don’t have to do anything to get the $250 check – you will receive it automatically. You don’t need to provide any personal information like your Medicare, Social Security, or bank account numbers to get the rebate check. Don’t give your personal information to anyone who calls about the $250 rebate check, as it is likely a scam. The "donut hole" coverage gap forces seniors with high drug costs to pay 100 percent of their drug costs for part of the year – to the tune of thousands of dollars. This year, an estimated 382,000 Californians will hit the donut hole. As Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, I have worked to close the donut hole since the beginning of the Part D Prescription Drug program. These rebate checks are a first step -- by the end of the decade, seniors who would otherwise hit the donut hole will have full drug coverage year round. Click here for more info

SNAP... Senior Nutrition Activities Programs (SNAP), a healthy and convenient alternative to cooking, offers hot, nutritious meals at nearly 30 Alameda County locations. Our dining sites ease the burden of cooking and provide seniors with the opportunity to enjoy tasty food, meet new people, and participate in a variety of activities. What the Meal Plan Offers meets 1/3 of senior's daily nutritional requirements no extra salt added homemade soups sugar-free dessert substitutes a hearty chef’s salad (with meat or vegetarian) wide variety of menu items Sample Menu Baked Chicken Quarter with Gravy Cornbread Stuffing California Blend Vegetables Pea Salad Apple Turnover 1% milk Senior Dining Locations Meals / Nutrition Info:   Annemarie Parrish (510) 881-0300 ext. 222, aparrish@spectrumcs.org

Over The Fence Newsletter  August 2010 What's Inside Home Safety Tips Lawn and Garden Home Safety Tips August 1-7: Simplify Your Life Week August 23-27: National Safe at Home Week August 9: Eleanor Roosevelt Day—the 2nd Monday in August 3 Ways to Simplify Your Life "Our life is frittered away by detail…Simplify, simplify." — Henry David Thoreau Recipe: CHICKEN TORTELLINI SALAD August 2010 View online or print a copy Prior Issues: June 2010 July 2010  May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

Calling all Castro Valley and Hayward Seniors The Hayward Area Senior Center is located at 22325 North Third Street, and the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior & Community Center is located at 17800 Redwood Road in Castro Valley. Both Centers offer social services, special events, bingo, delicious lunches, classes, pool tables, activities, day trips and tours, computer laboratories with Internet access and libraries. The Hayward Area Senior Center has a full service woodshop.  Hayward Senior Center

Sirtuins, Famine, and the Fountain of Youth  There has been a lot of buzz lately about a "red wine drug that could be a fountain of youth" combating the effects of aging and age-related disease. The drug, along with other promising breakthroughs, is being developed by Sirtris Pharmaceuticals  company recently purchased by drug giant GlaxoSmithKline. The drug is based on resveratrol, a chemical found in red wine that activates important sirtuin genes and has extended healthy life in animal studies.

Pharmaceutical Companies Offer Free Medications to Those in Need For the 47 million Americans without health insurance, each day is a struggle to find a way to pay for prescription drugs. Older adults, who are often prescribed several medications at a time, can find it even more difficult to pay medical bills. Despite the start of Medicare Part D in 2006, the elderly still spend thousands of dollars a year on prescription drug costs. What many people don't know is that they may be eligible to receive their medications for free.

Investing in the Longevity Dividend Life expectancy has reached an all-time high, and with that comes an increased risk of chronic diseases and other health conditions. Chronic diseases account for nearly three-fourths of the more than $2 trillion the U.S. annually spends on health care. If those numbers sound daunting, consider that costs will skyrocket in January 2011 when 78 million Americans begin to enroll in Medicare. The new president may choose to revamp health care when he takes office, but without breakthroughs in research, costs will continue to rise as our nation ages.

Bob Hope's Observations on Aging ON TURNING 70 "You still chase women, but only downhill". ON TURNING 80  "That's the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs pressing." ON TURNING 90  "You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake." ON TURNING 100  "I don't feel old. In fact I don't feel anything until noon Then it's time for my nap."

Visit Radio Lovers Hundreds of vintage radio shows to listen to online in mp3 format, all for free.

Len Tillem has been a practicing attorney since being admitted to the State Bar of California in 1972. The Len Tillem Program is heard on KGO AM-810, Sundays from 4-7pm and now Len Tillem is on KGO radio daily from 12:05 to 1:00 p.m. Len answers general legal questions, provides legal advice, and solves legal problems, live and on the air.  Len Tillem's law practice, Len Tillem and Associates, concentrates on Elder Law. Elder Law is a specialized field of law focusing on the unique needs of the elderly.  Len Tillem & Associates  of Sonoma, California, is a law firm practicing in the fields of Estate Planning, Elder Law and Medi-Cal Planning, Trust Administration and Probate, and Personal Injury.

"It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot

You tell 'em! A college student challenged a senior citizen, saying it was impossible for their generation to understand his.   "You grew up in a different world," the student said.  "Today we have television, jet planes, space travel, nuclear energy, computers . . ." Taking advantage of a pause in the student's litany, the geezer said, "You're right.  We didn't have those things when we were young; so we invented them!  What are you doing for the next generation?" (I love senior citizens!)

"Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul." -- Samuel Allman

Death -- A wonderful way to explain it. Contributed by: Mr. Jim Knudsen A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side." Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know." "You don't know?" the man asked. "You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?" The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing ... I know my Master is there and that is enough."

Preventing Alzheimers Thanks to Mr. Richard DeBiaso for contributing this article The latest news on the Alzheimers disease comes from a Johns Hopkins University study that found that the more varied the activities you engage in, the better off your mind will be in the long run. Researchers followed 3,375 men and women over the age of 65 from 1992 to 2000. During the study, they asked the participants how often they engaged in 15 different types of activities and how much time they spent doing each. Included were walking, household chores, lawn mowing, raking, gardening, hiking, jogging, biking, exercise cycling, dancing, aerobics, bowling, golfing, general exercise, and swimming. All told, 480 of the study participants developed some form of dementia. Those who engaged in only one type of activity or none at all accounted for 130 of the cases while those who did four or more of the activities accounted for only 84 cases. The study was published in the April 1, 2005 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. Source: American Journal of Epidemiology, April 1, 2005