Happy New Year!
There were probably many, many times last year when I may have…………………………..Disturbed You, Troubled You, Pestered You, Irritated You, Bugged You, or got on your Nerves!! So today, I just wanted to tell you:Suck it up, folks! There ain’t going to be any changes in 2012! (This was easily my favorite card of the year, so I stole it from Ken, a very senior senior and “send” it to you.)
Physician Compare
Last year about this time Stuff announced the existence of a new Physician Directory provided by Medicare and Medicaid services, called Physician Compare.
It has recently just been significantly improved. Required by the Affordable Care Act, Physician Compare is a tool that begins to fill an important gap by paving the way for consumers to have information about their physicians similar to that available for nursing homes, home health agencies, and drug plans.
The newly improved site can be found at www.miedicare.gov/find-a-doctor. Included is information on all physicians enrolled in the Medicare program, as well as other health professionals who routinely care for Medicare beneficiaries. You owe yourself a trip to the web site.
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West Volusia Senior Expo
The annual Senior Expo is coming February 1. Held at the County Fair & Expo Center, the event promises to be a valuable opportunity for area seniors. The Expo will run from 10-2 pm. We’ll see you
there!
From the Senior Journal
From time to time I summarize a few key findings reported on in the very best journal available to seniors, Senior Journal. This is one of those times. To further examine any of the studies cited here—or the many more recorded each month—go to: http://seniorjournal.com/
Socially Active Seniors
Have Slower Rates of Mental, Physical Decline—Staying connected to other people through a wide variety of social activities yields important health consequences as you age. (We know that, don’t we?) Just Relax, Women, and Watch the Weight Go Down—A recent study showed that women who experienced the greatest reduction in stress tended to have the most loss of weight. (Just sit back and relax and watch the pounds go into the ether.)
Being Quick Isn’t What It’s Cracked Up to Be
—While seniors have slower response times when we have to make quick decisions, research is showing that much of that slower response is a conscious choice to emphasize accuracy over speed. (Our brains aren’t slowing down—we’re focusing on the truth.)
Diuretic for Hypertension Extends Life
—Thalitone helps seniors avoid cardiovascular death by adding one day of life for every month of treatment, according to recent research. (Gives “one day at a time” a whole new meaning, doesn’t it.
Alzheimer’s Drug from Salk Institute
May be First to Prevent AD Progression—The drug, J147, is the first to enhance memory and protect brain from devastating cognitive decline. (This is a MAJOR piece of research!) Some Seniors with Chronic ConditionsWill Get Most Medicare Services at Home—Up to 10,000 Medicare patients with chronic conditions will now be able to get most of the care they need at home under a demonstration project announced today by the Centers of Medicare & Medical Services.
The new project is one of a series of CMS initiatives to build a Medicare program that offers beneficiaries better care and better health at an affordable cost. It will be supported by the CMS Innovation Center, which was created by the Affordable Care Act to develop and test new models of health care delivery and payment, and disperse best practices throughout the health care system.
If successful, it should lower costs and improve quality of care for seniors. (Unless, of course, our Supreme Court rules the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional)
Get Organized, People!
If you’re like the overwhelming number of seniors who normally have nine piles of stuff and what you’re looking for is not located in any of them, there is help for you. Professional organizer Ingrid Timbs will help you “Get inspired, get organized” at a free workshop from 10:30 to noon Wednesday (Jan. 4) at the DeLand Library. Stuck in “the realm of overwhelm”? Get in gear, folks! Get organized!
Cruisin’ Downtown DeLand Car Show
Event Happens: Jan 21, 2012 (04-8 PM)
Fridays in Artisan Alley & DeLand Art Walk
Event Happens: Jan 27, 2012 (06-9 PM)
Taste of DeLand January 21, 1-4pm W. Indiana Ave. Downtown DeLand Tickets $15 Advance $20 at the Door Available at MainStreet DeLand W. Volusia Beacon or Online (Sample delicacies from at least 25 area restaurants—a beautiful event, indeed!)
Your own Service Manual
By Inez Bracy
I was talking with a friend the other night and she was
whining about having to get up EARLY to take her
car for service. It got me thinking about how we often
take better care of our cars than ourselves. You would
never miss a Service appointment, no matter how
inconvenient. Seniors carefully follow the manual.
You have regular oil changes, service maintenance;
check the battery and the air in the tires. Many seniors
even have their car detailed! You could NEVER be
seen in a dirty car.
What would be different in your life if you came with
a Service Manual? Would you follow the manual to
have better spiritual, physical, emotional health and
longevity? Or would you whine about it being
inconvenient and let months and years go by without
getting serviced?
This year, make a promise to take better care of you.
Create your own Service Manual! You choose how to
best take care of you for maximum spiritual, physical,
emotional health and longevity. In your Service
Manual, you can have as many massages, body wraps,
exercises, retreats, time for self, entertainment, ball
games, as you desire and the list is endless. Put into
your Service Manual whatever causes you to laugh,
lifts your spirits and brings you joy.
As you are reading this, are you saying to yourself “I
could never do that because it is too selfish?” If this is
what you’re thinking, you really deserve your own
Service Manual. Remember, this manual is created by
you, for you. You can make it as extensive or as basic
as you desire. The most important thing is to get
started!
You’ll be glad you did!
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year!
Inez Bracy
Life Coach, Author, Speaker, International Radio Talk
Show Host
Inez@InezBracy.com
http://InezBracy.com
AT The Athens
Neil Simon’s Classic— Comedy January 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 28, 29 at 7:30 pm January 15, 22, 30 at 2:30 pmhttp://www.athenstheatre.org/
Call Pat: 736-5016 or e-mail her at: volunteers@deland.org It’s good to help others and it’s good for your health. What kind of combination is that? Make a New Year’s resolution to volunteer!
Regular Events at the Sanborn
M-Canasta-11, Shuffleboard-1:30, SHINE-2, Monday Dance-2, Square Dance-6, Euchre 6:30
T-Wii Bowling-9:30, Shuffleboard-1:30, Zumba-5:30, Pinochle-6:30, Ballroom Dance Lessons-6:30
W-Tai-Chi-8:30, It’s All About Art-9:45, Bridge-12, Chess-12:30, Mexican Train-12:30, Line Dancing-4, Pinochle-6:30
T-Quilters-8:30, Croquet-9:30, Hand & Foot-1, Beg. Ballroom Dance Lessons-2:30, Zumba-5:30
F-Tai Chi-8:30,West Volusia Artists-9, Sax and Ice Cream (1st Friday, only)-1, Shuffleboard-1:30
Sun-Pinochle every Sunday! 6-30
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Music at Stetson
Jan. 20, 22, 24, & 28—Faculty Recitals
Jan. 27—CMENC Broadway Review Events held in Lee Chapel, Elizabeth Hall
Art at Stetson
Jan. 27—Opening Reception for Oscar Bluemner’s, Concentrated Color: Watercolors and Judith Page’s, The Politics of the Personal, 6 pm, Hand Art Center.
Basketball at Stetson
Men—Jan. 7, 9, 21, 26, & 28 (all conference games)
Women—Jan. 7, 9, 21, 26, & 28 (Have you seen Victoria play?)
Call Pat: 736-5016 or e-mail her at: volunteers@deland.org
It’s good to help others and it’s good for your health. What kind of combination is that? Make a New Year’s resolution to volunteer!
The City of DeLand Senior Council is responsible for creating this Stuff on a monthly basis. Council members include: Deborah Tolan, Chair Virginia Comella Vivien Powis, Vice Chair Bob Goodwil,l Jack Allen, George Sherman, Ron Burgher, Editor Jennifer Wilder
ex officio members: Nan Smith, on-line magazine and blog, Robin Carter, Recording Secretary and Michael Pleus
If you have some stuff you think belongs in Stuff, send your stuff to delandseniorstuff@yahoo.com and the odds are a little bit better than the Republicans agreeing on who their nominee is going to be immediately after the January 3rd Iowa Caucus, that your stuff will appear in a subsequent issue of Stuff. (Or call Burgher, the editor –at 736-8364, unless I am watching a ballgame, visiting my new-found aunt, at the track, making an on-line wager, watching a play, arguing over just about anything, being optimistic, or doing some other fun stuff that seniors do.)
