June 15 is Elder Abuse Awareness Day and most of the local events planned to bring awareness to this issue have been cancelled.
Ageism, defined as the stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups based on their age, plays a major role in elder abuse.
You can’t even throw a rock these days without hitting an article about the terrible impacts of social isolation as we age. Toss a second with your non-dominant hand and you’ll hit an article about the benefits of volunteerism. A1AA is just a stone’s throw away and ready to help you and your friends ward off social isolation and reap the benefits of volunteering. All rock throwing aside, I am quite serious.
The impacts of the “Outage” varied from none whatsoever by those who live mostly off the grid anyway to extreme lines at gas stations. This was a test run for what someday will be a bigger problem. I am not going to go into the pros and cons of the decision to “flip the switch,” except to say that those of us who don’t understand the complexity of our electric grid probably aren’t qualified to judge. I venture it isn’t like going to your fuse box to address a tripped fuse.
A few lessons learned.
Hoarding is not a new phenomenon, but was only recently classified as a distinct mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V, 2013).
As of June 1, 2019, seniors in California who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/State Supplemental Payment (SSP) benefits have been able to apply for CalFresh food benefits. California had been the only state in the nation to exclude SSI/SSP recipients from receiving SNAP (formerly food stamps). This new law, passed last June and signed into law by Governor Brown, will help reduce hunger and poverty among California’s seniors.
There are people out there who may know nothing about RSVP. There are those dedicated to its mission who see the ending of the program as a great loss.
by Maureen McGarry
by Maureen McGarry
The small towns of Hydesville and Loleta are prime examples of rural living in Humboldt County. Located just to the north and the south of Fortuna, these agricultural areas have also become bedroom communities for those who work in Fortuna and Eureka.
by Maggie Kraft, MSW
My mother turned 82 in December. Up until about two years ago when she needed a hip replacement, she wasn’t taking any medications and remained active. Sure she has arthritis, and after the surgery they figured out she had low thyroid, but considering everything, she is still doing pretty well.
