Northeast Florida, Summer 2023
Northeast Florida Summer 2023 Edition – OurSeniors.net Magazine
Did I hear that correctly that OurSeniors.net Magazine Northeast Florida Summer 2023 Edition is out? Yes check it out at www.ourseniors.net/editions
Contents
Summer 2023 | Volume 7 / Issue 3
In the News
4. New, Free Program Improves Aging in Place Safely
5. OurSeniors Team Helps A Son In Need
23. OurSeniors.org Is A Nonprofit Assisting Hundreds Of Seniors In Florida
Community
15. Lunch & Learn
Entertainment
14. Crossword Puzzle
17. OurSeniors Comedy/ Word Search
Finance & Retirement
7. Scams Still Plague Florida’s Seniors
10. Planning Ahead with Dignity Memorial
Health & Wellness
6. Should You Enter A Clinical Trial?
16. What In The World Is Moringa?
Inspirational
9. Spirit, Soul and Body
12. Dr. Susan Stafford, Amazing Senior
Legal
8. In-Laws and Out-Laws: Planning with a Blended Family
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Disclaimer: The information published in this magazine and our website is intended for residents of the USA. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this magazine and on this web site do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of OurSeniors.net Magazine or official policies of OurSeniors.net Magazine, OurSeniors Radio, OurSeniors Discounts, OurSeniors.org, Inc. and or its related entities. It may contain general information about medical conditions, public and private health service organizations and other third-party information including but not limited to testimonials. The information is not advice (legal, medical or otherwise) and should not be treated as such. Consult your licensed Professional such as Attorney and or Doctor etc. for further advice. No claim is made as to the accuracy, authenticity or completeness of any information and, is often provided in a generalized or summarized format for brevity. OurSeniors.net Magazine, LLC and or its subsidiaries, does not accept any liability for the information (nor for the use of any information) provided by this magazine and or website. The information presented by this magazine and website is provided on the basis that all viewers undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of the data related to their circumstances. Thank you for reading our magazine and visiting www.OurSeniors.net and please contact us if we can be of further assistance. All real estate advertised in OurSeniors.net is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act. This federal law makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitation, or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which violates the law. All persons are hereby informed that all real estate advertised in OurSeniors.net is available on an equal opportunity basis. Information contained herein has been furnished by community owners, managers and agents. OurSeniors.net and or OurSeniors.online, OurSeniorsDiscounts.net and or OurSeniors.org, Inc. and OurSeniors.net Magazine, LLC do not make any representations as to opinions and facts. All terms and conditions of rentals are subject to change. OurSeniors.net reserves the right to refuse advertising space to anyone deemed unsuitable for placement in this publication. OurSeniors.net, OurSeniors.online, OurSeniorsDiscounts.net and or OurSeniors.org, Inc., and OurSeniors.net Magazine, LLC retains all rights reserved by copyright 2023 OurSeniors.net, and or OurSeniors.net Magazine, LLC. This publication or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. For further Disclaimer information please visit https://ourseniors.net/ and click Disclaimer on the footer of the website. Please note that websites and links are referenced in the magazine and you may have complete access to our online version by visiting. https://ourseniors.net/editions/.
To All OurSeniors Readers, Subscribers, Vendors, and Donors,
As we head full force into this upcoming Florida Summer, we want to invite you to take an active role in our magazine and our mission. Interact with us on our social channels and share with us your favorite summer memories, travel experiences, or tips for enjoying the season safely. Let us know about the events, activities, and places you’d like us to explore and feature. Your involvement as readers is what drives us to do everything that we can for Florida seniors.
Being part of the OurSeniors community goes beyond the pages that we print. It’s about creating connections, fostering friendships, and supporting one another. We encourage you to engage with fellow readers, follow our digital content, and attend local events that we coordinate. Why do we want this? We want this so that you can see that you have a seniors advocate, a reliable resource of interesting and useful information, and something to run to when you need a sense of community.
The Benefits of Feeling Like You’re Part of Something
OurSeniors is more than just a resource. We’re a community and that doesn’t just include our staff but our readers and avid supporters as well. As we age, it becomes increasingly important to have a sense of belonging and connection with others. That’s the truth for just about anyone, regardless of age. Feeling like you’re part of something can have a variety of benefits for both your physical and mental well-being and that’s something that we enjoy being able to give our subscribers.
Research has shown that this type of inclusion and the sense of connectivity you get often shows a greater sense of empowerment and even offers a source of emotional support. Having a reliable support system can help to alleviate stress and promote a positive outlook on life. When we feel connected to others, we have a network of individuals who understand and empathize with our experiences, making us feel valued and supported. Our mission was to provide exactly this through our magazine and the content and resources that we fill it with. We want to offer social support and opportunities, contribute to emotional and mental well-being, and keep the seniors in our community engaged with us and feeling heard.
With that, we enjoy being able to offer a wide range of activities and opportunities for seniors to participate in and we want to encourage you to embrace the power of the community we’re creating with you and to interact with us in any way that you can because – it’s all a team effort.
What Seniors Mean to The Community
Let’s not forget that seniors are the pillars of our community. They have had a direct hand in shaping the societies that we know and that is why advocating for seniors is our primary mission. Older adults bring a unique perspective to more than we could guess, and this is what we value and is the message that we want to extend to all Floridians.
They serve as role models and inspirations for people of all ages and this is something worth sharing with everyone that we can reach.
– OurSeniors Team
The National Council on Aging has noted 65% of falls happen inside the home. The Housing Authority of the City of Daytona Beach was awarded an Older Adult Home Modification Program Grant through the Office of Housing and Urban Development to assist Senior homeowners in the Daytona Beach Area with implementing solutions to reduce home hazards. Through our client-centered approach, our occupational therapist meets with homeowners to analyze the challenges they face for safely aging in place.
Program participants may experience challenges including balance issues, vision impairments and mobility loss. We have successfully implemented simple solutions with dramatic results for our clients. Modifications completed thus far have included the following:
Installation of grab bars has been a key solution for those homeowners who are experiencing balance and motion issues. These bars are secured to a wall allowing for increased confidence when navigating wet areas.
Tub cuts, or removal and capping of part of the front wall of the bathtub, create a lower entry threshold for easier access.
Nonslip self-adhesive waterproof strips have been easily installed to reduce the risks of slips and falls.
Round doorknobs and faucet handles have been replaced with lever-style handles which allow for easier operation.
Existing shower heads have been replaced with handheld ones to allow for greater accessibility.
We have implemented a variety of lighting solutions to decrease the effects of visual impairments.
One of the simpler solutions has been replacing existing light bulbs with brighter, energy-efficient LED bulbs.
Battery-operated task lighting with remote controls or sensors have been installed in high-hazard areas, like kitchens, to reduce the risk of injury.
In cases where clients have found it easier to cook while seated, we have provided kitchen task chairs and replaced existing stoves with front-control models to reduce the risk of burns.
Several homes have single steps in between rooms where we installed handrails to help safely transition between areas.
Bed rails and couch canes have been successfully used to help clients with safe transitions.
The Housing Authority of the City of Daytona Beach is pleased to continue our efforts to assist older adult homeowners in our community with reducing home hazards, allowing them to continue to live safely in their homes for years to come.
To begin the application process for home modifications through the Older Adult Home Modification Program, contact Delia Gonzalez at 386-235-6080 or email oahmp@dbhafl.org for more information.
Dad is dead! Mom has Parkinson’s, stage 5. She is, unfortunately, unable to talk or walk but she can cry and scream all day long even though it’s as though she’s trapped in her body. Some may understand this pain better than others. When I got word through the assisted living facility that my mom and dad had been living at for several years, it wasn’t until significantly after that they told me about dad’s death.
The reason being? The bills weren’t being paid. Just looking to have the bills paid because they were not getting what was due is what led them to break the news to me! This opening statement of the bills were not being paid is very relevant to this letter of praise. It shows how much gratitude was shown to me, given that they have done nothing but take advantage of the situation and combine it with sad news.
I hope you will continue to read even though it may seem a bit long, there’s information that you may find helpful as it could offer guidance and comfort toward your current situation or those that you may face in the future.
As the oldest, I had to begin understanding the laws, especially since there was no guardian listed in her will, no surrogate for medical purposes, and no financial guardian. Thankfully, my mother’s lawyer was someone I knew. He is no longer practicing so couldn’t help with all of the requirements associated with a responsibility like this one, but he did provide me with a referral that would change not only my mother’s life, but that would restore the hope I had in the system meant to protect my parent’s well-being.
This godsent referral connected me with an organization called OurSeniors, which helped me and my mom in so many ways. I had no idea they were going to be such a blessing until it happened but now that I think about all the good things this group has done for us, it’s hard not to thank them or at least try.
First, the OurSeniors Team put me in contact with a law firm called Chiumento, Dwyer, Hertel, and Grant to prepare documents and help get emergency guardianship for my mother.
They later assigned an attorney who could assist us when we needed it most!
Next, I looked into how mom was doing. Her treatment and medical well-being were all that mattered to me but not at all to the facility she lived in. This should have been a huge red flag for me and it should for you as well, as it could indicate there might be an issue with your parents, a significant other, or sibling, etc.
It’s important to know what your loved ones are going through because in my case, I discovered things were going very badly. Mom only wanted to go into this specific assisted living facility because my grandparents were already there and being near family was important to her. I, unfortunately, later found out that the place has changed ownership and therefore no longer fits its description as “Not For Profit.”
The OurSeniors Team went with me and I was extremely glad they did. The visit to my parents’ home made me emotional about what we saw, but it would have been a much more difficult experience without their supportive guidance through this process.
When I discovered my mother was not getting the care she needed and deserved, it was only a matter of time before I knew I needed to move her. I didn’t live in the area so I had no idea where to start so my mother wouldn’t have to endure these issues again. The OurSeniors Team knew exactly what to do. They helped me take the first step and started to research different facilities that would be able to properly care for my mom. Keep in mind, she can’t walk, talk or lift a finger at all. Simply putting it, she needs help with everything.
All I wanted was to find a place that would take care of my mother and not just drug her and consider that as proper care. The OurSeniors Team located several places that could be a match for her needs. We screened them and they were able to find the perfect one for mom; out in the country, quiet and peaceful nurses who knew how to treat a patient like her.
The OurSeniors team is the best! The team was so kind, helpful, and had a genuine interest in what my mother needed. They even brought me out to review the facility myself, and after they accepted mom I knew she was in good hands.
Mom is now in the right place and I truly owe that to OurSeniors, and a man by the name of Julian Cantillo. He honestly should be nominated for sainthood; but if I cannot do that, I can at least let anyone who needs help or guidance for their loved ones know that Julian and the OurSeniors team are the experts that will make a difference for you and your family.
Recently, Ms. Carol went to be with Our Lord. Love you, Mom.
Are you a senior who suffers from an untreatable or poorly treated medical condition? Have you ever considered entering a drug trial? One of these carefully controlled studies may be the key to finding a life-saving treatment or relief from some medical problem that has resisted available therapy. Millions of seniors suffer from illnesses that are not managed satisfactorily by existing treatments. These may range from life-changing conditions like Parkinson’s disease to irritating problems like seasonal allergies.
Clinical trials investigate new ways to treat or prevent disease. The goal is to determine if a new treatment is effective and safe. These trials may also look at new ways to improve the quality of life for people with chronic diseases. Seniors may have a variety of reasons for taking part in a given trial. Healthy people may want to simply help advance medical knowledge, but seniors who have an existing illness often do so for personal reasons. These trials offer a way to obtain the newest treatment and get additional care at no cost.
These studies are quite common. The website, Clinical Trials.gov features a map showing the number of trials underway worldwide. There are now 161,493 active trials going on in the United States and 128,882 in Europe. Clicking on Florida, you will find that there are thousands of studies in this state. As you would expect, many of these trials are seeking new treatments for conditions like diabetes, Parkinsonism, or COPD common to seniors.
Using the search function at ClinicalTrials.gov, seniors can look for trials near them. The OurSeniors.net staff searched the database for Alzheimer’s disease studies recruiting participants. This database lists 49 studies within 100 miles of Orlando, Florida looking for participants. Some of these studies are conducted by private research groups, while others are based at medical centers, including the University of Florida (Gainesville), UCF (Orlando), and USF (Tampa).
These trials offer the hope of discovering new, safe, and effective treatments for conditions that have resisted medical treatments in the past. Very often, the physicians involved in these studies are among the best qualified in the field of study. Participating in a clinical trial may provide a senior with levels of care that are not available in the open market. However, you should consider several things before applying to enter a clinical trial.
Have you exhausted your local, community-based resources? Your GP, internist or specialist may have tried all the currently available therapies and none of them have worked well. Joining a clinical trial will not involve personal expense, but it will require some of your time and effort. It may involve repeated visits to physicians, labs, or diagnostic facilities. For those reasons, you should consider carefully how much you want to try this new treatment.
Do you understand the benefits, risks and safety concerns involved? Why should you allow doctors to treat you with a drug if they are not sure it will work? The safety of these studies is closely monitored by the government and researchers are required to follow a strict set of rules. Before beginning a study, participants are told what to expect during the study and the things that might happen. This process Is called “Informed Consent,” and it gives participants a chance to fully understand the procedure.
You will be told all the information that is known about the treatment. For example, the new drug may offer no better results than already available drugs, it may cause side effects, and there might be some inconveniences. You might need to travel some or stay in a hospital. Trial participants are often divided into two groups, one that gets the active drug and another that receives a placebo. This enables researchers to compare results and determine if the test therapy offers any benefit. However, it also presents the possibility that you will not get the active drug.
On the plus side, you may get effective treatment for a disease before it is available to everyone else. As mentioned, these researchers are often top-notch practitioners in their field and can provide expert diagnosis and evaluation as part of your participation. You will play a more active role in your own healthcare and get information about resources and support groups. Even those trials that fail to find new therapies add to the knowledge base that researchers need.
If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, use the resources above to check out the opportunities available near you. At OurSeniors.Net, we love to bring news you can use and helpful information. We are a senior living resource magazine, so please follow us for senior housing news, living in Florida articles, senior living resources and all-things-senior topics. Thanks for reading our blog and have a great day!
How much money have you lost to “scammers”? Good for you if you can answer “none.” Unfortunately, many seniors can’t say that. We have long known that seniors are a prime target for scammers, and they sometimes succeed in cheating us out of big money. Local news media often report cases like that of a Volusia County resident who paid $18,500 for pool construction that was never done. The company simply announced that it was going out of business on its website while the company’s owner avoided contact. There are multiple other victims with similar stories. A witness told Port Orange police that there was “some sort of understood plan” about the company going out of business, implying that the owner had planned to take the money, never do the work, and go out of business. The media in Florida is full of these stories, often involving seniors who were cheated.
Scams, especially those aimed at seniors, are a big business in Florida. This is an old story, one that we revisit only because the problem continues to grow. Scammers “love” seniors, partly because they know that seniors are likely to have cash assets accumulated over a lifetime of hard work. They also think that seniors may be more naive and less likely to report the crime.
The Florida Attorney General’s Office has recognized this problem, forming an intra-agency group of experts working together to fight senior fraud. This team focuses on protecting Florida seniors against scams of all types. If you have been scammed, you may file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office by clicking this link- Citizens Contact Form.
The variety of scams aimed at seniors is so large that we cannot mention them all in a blog article. Instead, let’s mention a few of the scams that commonly victimize Florida seniors and the good sense rules that will stop them.
Contractor/Home Repair Scams – This is a big concern in Florida. Many of our state’s new residents are seniors who move here to retire. They are likely to have purchased existing homes and need repairs or upgrades. Scam contractors prey on this situation, knowing that the victim has little knowledge of building needs or legal requirements. Be aware that the law in Florida requires that if a consumer pays a contractor more than 10 percent of the price for a home improvement, the contractor must get a permit within 30 days and work must begin within 90 days. If this requirement is not met, take action by reporting it to the county licensing board.
Before hiring any contractor, check to see that this person is qualified and licensed to do the type of work involved. Do not blindly hire a person based on internet advertising. You can check license information by using one of the links at this website- Florida Contractor License Search. Beyond this, do a search using sources like the local Better Business Bureau.
Cryptocurrency scams – Yes, seniors have become targets for cryptocurrency fraud. Using mailing lists obtained from legitimate sources or email addresses that have been hacked, scammers send out thousands of communications offering ways to invest in cryptocurrency schemes. They know that seniors are less likely to be familiar with this type of investment but have heard stories of great profits. There are legitimate crypto investment exchanges like Fidelity Investment’s “Fidelity Crypto.” However, you should be extremely skeptical of any unsolicited offer to buy crypto assets. You can check out the legitimacy of any unknown trader by using web resources like Trust Score.
Reverse mortgage scams – Scammers know that seniors are likely to have equity built up in their homes. Reverse mortgages are a way to access that equity. Scammers target seniors with ads in print, the internet, and even TV. Sometimes scammers will come to a home and offer “consultations” to pay for needed (or unneeded) repairs. They persuade elderly homeowners to take out a reverse mortgage and pay for repairs or improvements.
Again, there are legitimate reverse mortgage companies; if you are considering a reverse mortgage, check out the provider using a site like the BBB Reverse Mortgage info page. Beware of anyone using high-pressure sales tactics to sell a reverse mortgage scheme, contractors who suggest a reverse mortgage to pay for repairs, or anyone who claims that they need power of attorney to finalize a reverse mortgage.
If you suspect that you or a loved one is being scammed, you can report it through one of these sites- My Florida CFO or the Florida Senior Protection Team. Thanks for reading our blog. At OurSeniors.Net, we love to bring news you can use and helpful information. We are a senior living resource magazine, so please follow us for senior housing news, living in Florida articles, senior living resources and all-things-senior topics.
For many families, estate planning is a straightforward matter; each spouse leaves everything to the other and then it all goes to the children at the survivor’s death. For some families, however, it isn’t quite so simple, especially when one or both of the spouses have children from a prior relationship.
In blended families, there are three main approaches to developing an estate plan. The first is to treat the families as separate, and each spouse provides only for his or her own children at death. The second is to disregard the blended aspect and treat everyone as one big family. The third is to take a hybrid approach between the first two, providing benefits for the surviving spouse while preserving the estate for the deceased spouse’s children.
Keeping the spouses’ estates separate, or the “what’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is yours” approach, works well when both spouses have children and the wealth levels are relatively equal. When there aren’t children on both sides, or if one spouse has most of the money, then this approach may lead to resentment down the road. Any plan that takes this path, however, must have a properly prepared and signed pre- or postnuptial agreement in which each spouse waives all rights to the other spouse’s estate. Without that document there is no means to enforce the separation of the estates, and yes, that means getting lawyers involved. A verbal agreement will not suffice.
Treating everyone as part of the same family has its benefits. It keeps the plan simple and no one feels like they were treated unfairly. However, it also has its risks. While the stepparent may get along well with the spouse’s children while both spouses are alive, that can change when the children’s parent dies. If everything goes outright to the surviving spouse, the stepparent, there’s a very real risk that the children may be left out of the estate if the stepparent decides to change the estate plan. This happens sometimes when there is an argument between the stepparent and the stepchildren, or sometimes just when the stepparent feels unappreciated because the stepchildren don’t visit enough.
The hybrid approach has the advantage of leaving the estate largely to the surviving spouse but ensuring that the deceased spouse’s children will ultimately inherit the estate. The typical structure to achieve this result is to leave everything to the spouse in trust. The trust can pay income to the surviving spouse and it can use principal as necessary for the spouse’s health, maintenance and support. The spouse can be the trustee alone or co-trustee with one or more of the stepchildren, or a neutral third party can be the trustee. At the surviving spouse’s death, the trust distributes the remaining trust property to the children.
Of course, there may be additional factors that make the above hybrid approach undesirable, such as the children and stepparent being around the same age. Leaving everything in trust for the spouse’s life could feel like disinheriting the children who may not live long enough to see any benefit. In that case, it may make more sense to give the children a share of the estate at the parent spouse’s death.
Every family is different, and no one approach to an estate plan is going to work for everyone. No matter the situation, an experienced estate planning attorney can help you create an estate plan that meets your and your family’s needs.
What exactly changed when you were born again? You might see the same reflection in the mirror, act the same, or yield to the same old temptations. You might even wonder if you really changed at all. The good news is—you did.
I remember when I really struggled to understand this. But the number one thing that revolutionized my life was this revelation, which I titled Spirit, Soul & Body.
Did you know that every born-again believer has undergone a complete inner transformation? Read this:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17–18
It doesn’t say that all things are becoming new or have the potential of becoming new—they are new the moment we are born again.
What part of us did God make new? It’s obviously not our bodies; we are still shaped the same as before. It’s obviously not our minds; we still think the same and have the same emotions. It’s our spirits. Some people don’t realize this, but we are all made up of three parts, just as God is three parts—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—and we are made in His image.
First Thessalonians 5:23 makes it clear:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Once I understood that the new part of me wasn’t my body or my soul (mind, will, emotions, conscience), I knew it had to be my spirit. God’s Word confirms this again in 1 Corinthians 6:17, which states that “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” The experience of being born again creates a spiritual union, and our spirits become one with God’s. While the new birth is complete in the spirit, it can take time to manifest in the body and soul through the process of renewal (Rom. 12:2). That’s why we must relate to God through our spirits, not our bodies or souls.
Spiritual reality isn’t felt. God’s Word declares that you have the same power living inside of you that raised Jesus from the dead (Eph. 1:19–20)! If you think truth can only be discerned through your natural senses, you’ll be baffled when the Bible says you’re a brand-new creature who can do the same works that Jesus did—and even more (2 Cor. 5:17 and John 14:12).
God’s Word reveals spiritual reality. If you want to know what your spirit is like, you must find out from the Word rather than rely on emotions. God’s Word is spirit and life. It set me free when I realized God had already given me everything I needed, and it’s all contained in my spirit. All I needed to do was release it. That simple understanding changes everything.
The Christian life is a process of renewing your mind and learning to release what you’ve already received. Unless you understand that you have already received in your renewed spirit all that you will ever need, there will always be doubt. You may know it’s possible or promised in the Word, but you’ll always be trying to perceive it in the mental, emotional, or physical realm. That’s a recipe for failure. That misconception can also result in a performance-based relationship with God—wondering if you’re good enough, if you read the Bible enough, if you give enough—to motivate God into giving you what you need.
It’s wrong to think that you have to make yourself worthy to receive God’s gifts. You’re already worthy because of Jesus’ sacrifice! In fact, you’ve already been given all that you need; it just requires an understanding of the relationship between the spirit, soul, and body. This understanding is the key to unlocking God’s grace and is the basis of comprehending the rest of Scripture.
If this teaching blessed you, visit my website at awmi.net, where you’ll find additional free teachings and resources. If you need prayer, I encourage you to call my Helpline at 719-635-1111, where one of my trained prayer ministers would love to agree with you in prayer.
We love you,
Andrew and Jamie
Did you know that at least 47% of people go out of their way to avoid talking about death with a parent? This isn’t hard to believe because it’s not necessarily a topic that anyone wants to discuss to great length or in-depth. No one wants to talk about the inevitable but simply having the conversation is something that will save your family members and friends from having to deal with more on their plate during a difficult time.
This is a conversation that everyone will need to have at some point and it’s nothing that we can escape because we’re all human, but it is something that we can make easier. Dignity Memorial, a full-service funeral home, crematorium and cemetery, is a good place to start when thinking about planning ahead. The thing is, while a topic like this can seem scary, it’s also a topic that you can have once to save your family the heartache and trouble of having to do it on your behalf if it’s ever needed.
The point is in planning. Planning for yourself so that no one else has to and planning to give yourself and your family peace of mind.
Why Is Planning Ahead and Being Proactive Important?
Have you thought about the difference that being proactive makes in a time of need? Nothing is ever set in stone for anyone and because this is hard for most to navigate alone, Dignity Memorial gives you the support that you would need. Additionally, though, there are a lot more benefits to being proactive when it comes to planning for the things we don’t necessarily want to think about.
Ensuring Personal Wishes Are Respected:
One of the primary reasons to plan ahead for end-of-life services, unexpected situations, and ensuring that all of your affairs are in order with the planning portion of things is to ensure that our wishes and preferences are respected. By engaging in conversations about our desires for medical treatments, funeral arrangements (or expressing the choice to opt out of a funeral), and other aspects related to this topic, we can communicate our choices clearly to our loved ones, caretakers, and healthcare providers. This way we maintain control over our own lives at all stages.
Relieving the Emotional Burden On Loved Ones:
This might be the biggest benefit of them all because when individuals fail to plan for end-of-life services, their loved ones are often left grappling with difficult decisions during a highly emotional and challenging time. By discussing and documenting our preferences in advance, we alleviate the burden on our loved ones, enabling them to focus on emotional support and cherishing our remaining time together. It brings peace of mind to know that our loved ones are not left guessing about our wishes.
Financial Considerations and Financial Security:
End-of-life services, including medical expenses, funeral costs, and estate planning, can be financially burdensome for families. Planning ahead allows individuals to make informed decisions regarding financial arrangements, such as purchasing life insurance, setting up a trust, or saving for end-of-life expenses.
Dignity Memorial has professionals prepared to work with you and walk you through a lot of the service-based process, memorial planning, etc. By addressing financial considerations in advance, we protect our loved ones from potential financial hardships, ensuring they are not burdened by unforeseen expenses.
Facilitating Open Communication and Shared Decision-Making:
Engaging in conversations about end-of-life services open up opportunities for honest and open communication within families. It allows for the exploration of personal values, beliefs, and expectations surrounding death and dying. Not to mention, we often learn something more about ourselves along the way. By having these discussions, families can make informed decisions together, fostering a better sense of unity and shared responsibility.
Such open dialogue can also promote healing and create stronger connections among family members during an emotionally challenging time. These are the reasons that working with a staple in the community that specializes in this type of focus is so important.
The Difference That Dignity Memorial Makes
Planning ahead ensures that everything you prefer is already in place and while this isn’t something people talk about every day, it’s something that can be planned once and there as a safeguard for you and your family. Dignity Memorial combines comfort with meaning and meaning with memory.
This is one of the many reasons that they are considered to be an invaluable resource for those going through difficult times and for those that want to make a difficult time slightly easier for those closest to them.
Chaplain Susan Stafford, Ph.D., has had more careers than most people could manage in three lifetimes. Her biographers have described her as a beauty contest winner, model, actress, newspaper columnist, game show hostess, media executive, counselor, clinical psychologist, and chaplain. Susan grew up in Missouri, one of 7 in an Irish, Italian family.
Her acting career began in Los Angeles. Many of you will remember the iconic director, John Ford. He took Susan under his wing and suggested the stage name, Stafford to tie in with his name. Her acting career included co-starring roles in shows like “Marcus Welby, M.D.” (with Robert Young), “Ironside” (with Raymond Burr), “Police Story” (with Steve Lawrence), and “Love American Style” (with Bill Bixby). She also co-hosted “The Regis Philbin Show,” “High Adventure,” “CBS Noontime,” and “The 700 Club.” Susan had her own column in the Los Angeles Times. On her syndicated radio broadcast, “The Susan Stafford Show”, she interviewed celebrities like Jon Voight, Diahann Carroll, Johnny Mathis, Richard Chamberlain, Henry Mancini, Sugar Ray Robinson, Glen Campbell, and Howard Cosell.
OurSeniors.Net readers remember Susan as the original hostess of Merv Griffin’s “Wheel of Fortune”. While on the show, Susan married Dick Ebersol, co-creator of “Saturday Night Live.” Managing a marriage between Hollywood and New York did not work well. You can read more about this in Susan’s book, “Stop The Wheel, I Want To Get Off!”
Susan co-hosted the show with Chuck Woolery for 7 years and Pat Sajak for 7 months before leaving in 1982. No matter how great the money was, as Susan told Oprah, she simply had to do more with her life than turn letters! Susan worked at the top cancer hospital in Houston across from M.D. Anderson for the first year as a Chaplain Intern. Next, she flew to Third World countries as an overseas correspondent for American Leprosy Missions. Susan teamed up onscreen with former Surgeon General Koop in their successful effort to find a cure for leprosy. Returning to the States, she encountered America’s leprosy – A.I.D.S. Unfortunately, her dear friend, Rock Hudson put a face on that new disease. The fear was great, but after dealing with leprosy, Susan was in the right place at the right time to help care for Rock.
Finding herself In Hollywood again, Susan became the V.P. of Barry & Enright Productions, collaborating on many television projects with Dan Enright. As they worked together, Susan found him to be the kindest of men and as time went on, the love of her life. Looking back, Susan said that young girl in Kansas City could never have expected all the turns her life has taken. She completed a 1-year internship at Chabad while getting both an M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Throughout her life, Susan has had a caring heart for people going through difficult times. In addition to working alongside Mother Teresa’s nuns in India, she became a chaplain and served on a crisis team with Media Fellowship International. Her first two trips were to Columbine and Virginia Tech, following the school shootings.
Susan remembers with affection the well-known people who helped her along the way in the world of entertainment. Gordon McLendon and Clint Eastwood hosted a birthday party for her at the Coconut Grove. Susan enjoyed friendships with Pat and Shirley Boone, Lucille Ball and Rhonda Fleming. And after 2 weeks with John Wayne on The Wild Goose, Susan watched “The Duke” feed the hungry in remote areas of Canada. One of her best interviews was with Dr. Charles Stanley, who was respected by so many. Dr. Stanley said God shapes human character by using tools like difficulty and trials. Susan knows about that firsthand and has learned the importance of listening to God’s voice above any other.
Susan Stafford is truly one of our most Amazing Seniors. She is a role model for people everywhere, an inspiration for women who wish to achieve, a comfort to those who face adversity, and a leader in promoting peace and understanding among all people. She demonstrates that seniors can remain active in a life of giving, serving, and comforting. Susan states she’s never been older before so this is new territory. She noticed Frank Lloyd Wright completed one-third of his life’s work between the ages of 80 and 92! It’s never too late to see your dreams take flight.
Susan says as you get older, realities set in. You recall wonderful highlights but also the struggles that made you who you are today. GETTING OLD ISN’T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART! Susan said. Losing her mother was the most difficult thing she had to deal with, then Dan Enright, the love of her life, her dad, two sisters, and a brother. We are survivors, but sometimes feel guilty that we’re still here and wonder . . . Why?
Susan’s ministry continues to unfold with the Nevada Chaplaincy and Metro Police in Las Vegas. Wanting to help those burned out from living at the speed of life, Susan formed the non-profit, Wheel of Grace Unlimited. During Covid-19, she began a podcast called “Out of The Box with Susan Stafford” with high-profile guests like Pat Boone (also an Amazing Senior) and Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. OurSeniors readers can view or listen to these shows on YouTube, Vimeo, iTunes, and Spotify.
Susan’s focus today is on how we can all handle the challenges of life. Contact Mr. Milton Suchin to schedule her for a speaking engagement at starmaker@gmail.com. You can order an autographed copy of Susan’s book via her personal asst., Tammy or request a private counseling session by phone or face-to-face at Believers2000@aol.com. In the meantime, Susan encourages us all to Enjoy the Journey. It’s going fast!
Moringa. What is it? And why am I only hearing about it now?
Moringa is a type of plant originating in the Asian and African tropic and subtropical regions. It is largely used as a health supplement popular in many herbal practices. Those who have used Moringa in the past may have heard it called ben oil tree, drumstick tree, horseradish tree or miracle tree and recognize it for its many health benefits. Despite its use across several centuries, it’s still largely unknown to Westerners but can usually be found in many health food stores that specialize in supplements.
What are Moringa’s essential compounds people are familiar with?
• Vitamin A
• Ascorbic Acid
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Niacin
• Phosphorus
• Riboflavin
• Thiamine
Moringa is also low in fat and does not contain any harmful cholesterol. The combination of essential compounds makes the supplement a great resource more people of all ages are finding to be beneficial to their diets.
What are some of Moringa’s most helpful health benefits?
Treating asthma – Some of the molecules in Moringa have been linked with managing and preventing asthma, airway inflammation, and other types of bronchial constrictions. Studies are still inconclusive in humans, but a lot of people taking a Moringa extract greatly improved their breathing throughout long periods.
Treating edema – Edema is a medical condition that occurs when fluid builds up in body tissues. It can be caused by numerous health conditions and can affect various parts of the body. It is usually treated by taking prescription strength “water pills” or other diuretics. When applied as a topical (seed oil), anti-inflammatory properties of this plant can reduce skin inflammation.
Treating cancer – A key property of Moringa is niazimicin may help prevent certain types of cancers such as breast, colorectal and liver by killing cancers before and after early detection. Seniors are at higher risk of developing these types of cancers and further research is needed to confirm the effect that extracts from Moringa leaves, bark, and other parts of the plant have in treating certain types of the disease.
Treating diabetes – Early studies have shown that Moringa leaf extract may help people with diabetes by assisting with managing blood sugar and insulin levels, as well as protecting against damage to vital organs associated with persons with diabetes. Some studies suggest that the plant can slow the progression of the disease and prevent future complications.
Protecting the liver – It’s also believed that Moringa might help protect the liver in non-alcoholic related fatty liver disease. One study shows that people who consumed higher concentrations of the leaves experienced lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as less inflammation in the liver.
Reducing high blood pressure – High blood pressure is a serious concern and problem for seniors. A study shows that people who ate at least 120 grams of cooked Moringa leaves for seven days had lower blood pressure just two hours after consuming the leaves compared to a control group that did not consume the leaves.
Preventing rheumatoid arthritis – Seniors are at higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis as they age, making it difficult and painful to partake in various physical activities. According to recent studies, Moringa has anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent the development of rheumatoid arthritis as well as help those who already suffer from the disease.
Protecting the cardiovascular system – In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, Moringa also has a wide range of antioxidants that help promote cardiovascular health in older adults. The plant can lower cholesterol and prevent inflammation, both conditions that have been linked to the development of heart disease in seniors.
Preventing kidney stones – Some of the properties in Moringa extract can deter minerals that cause kidney stones from building up. There is more research to be done in this area, but considering all its health benefits, Moringa might play an important role in flushing out harmful minerals.
Improving eye health – Finally, the beta carotene in Moringa is a strong antioxidant that has been proven to maintain eye health and prevent various types of eye diseases such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma among others.
How are people most commonly taking Moringa?
Taking Moringa as an oral supplement in pill form is a great way to get a daily dose without having to prepare any drinks or foods. However, many people like to use the powder form to mix in juices, smoothies, dips, dressings, bread & baked goods, and desserts. Because it is so versatile many people have even started having Moringa with their morning coffee and tea. Simple mixtures can easily be stirred and combined with foods and drinks of choice without the benefits being lost.
OurSeniors.org cares tremendously about the health and welfare of the senior and retiree communities living in Florida. We have become one of the most trusted resources for these groups and reached a subscriber base of 130,000 serving the six major regions in the state. Our senior online and print magazine covers a wide range of topics and looks forward to continuing to serve these underrepresented communities so they can live healthy and fulfilling lives for years to come.
From time to time, we like to introduce and educate those who look toward natural alternatives that enhance healthy senior living. But with all supplements and vitamins, we encourage our readers to consult with their physicians before starting a new alternative medicinal regimen. If you liked our post, feel free to share it with others and consider subscribing in the long term. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think.
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