NEWS AND POSSIBILITES FOR SENIORS A Publication of PHILADELPHIA CORPORATION FOR AGING September 2018 • Free [ National Senior Center Month | September ] IN THIS ISSUE Life Choices LIFE CHOICES An empowered death: Taking control Grandma’s Recipe Box: try our family favorites........6 of the end of life By Constance Garcia-Barrio Death, like superb wine, claims a starring role at some dinners these days. Death dinners, where peo- ple meet over fabulous food to talk about dying, help guests ditch the taboo around discussing life’s final transition. More than 100,000 such dinners have taken place in 30 countries, according to deathoverdinner. org, a website that points out the benefits of having the sometimes-tough conversation. Death dinners can ease our fears and nudge us to- Paola Nogueras ward the positive outlook of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Reader submission: From left, Curtis King, Keith Singleton, Qussie Murphy and Jean Carney lift weights during an exercise class at West Philadelphia Senior Community Center. “I’ve told my children that when I die to release bal- finding the right home.....10 loons in the sky to celebrate that I graduated,” the late psychiatrist and author of “Death and Dying” wrote. Today’s senior community centers “For me, death is a graduation.” Fate and our genes may leave us vulnerable, but we students await the weekly class with anticipa- By Marcia Z. Siegal can make choices that allow us to have a positive and tion. empowered experience of death. Philadelphians have With sophisticated fitness centers and well- “Get ready for a lot of laughs,” said student access to many resources and possibilities that let us ness programs, computer and Zumba classes, Teresa Shank. “We always have fun here.” The shape the end of life into what we want it to be. intergenerational collaborations, and a focus 59-year-old has learned to use email, do in- • continued on page 20 on active living, today’s senior community ternet searches, play computer games, share centers are a far cry from the centers previous photos electronically, and create a Facebook generations were accustomed to. account to share posts with family and friends. National Senior Center Month, observed Boateng begins by warning his students in September, provides an opportunity to about spam, or unsolicited email that may celebrate the vibrant programming featured contain dangerous links. “When you go in Health Brief.........................2 at senior centers supported by Philadelphia your email, make sure you clean up your in- Calendar............................12 Corporation for Aging (PCA), which is engag- box,” he said to his students. “We all know Don’s Column....................23 ing members ranging from baby boomers to what spam is. It’s not meat that comes in a Crossword.........................23 centenarians. blue can. I’m talking about bad email. Delete it. Don’t open it.” Computer savvy – and safe Next, students learn how to use the calen- NEXT MONTH: Computer class teacher Kwaku Boateng dar application to create, edit and delete ap- Health Care strides into the back room at Lutheran Settle- pointments and events. In subsequent lessons, ment House (LSH) Senior Center, 1340 Frank- Boateng promised, they would learn how to ford Ave. in North Central Philadelphia, where • continued on page 14 iStock Milestones 2 September 2018 Health Brief WHO IS PCA? Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) is a nonprofit agency dedicated to serving Philadelphia seniors. In addi- tion to bringing you Milestones newspaper, PCA offers: • Care in the home • Home-delivered meals iStock • Home repairs and modifications Socialization benefits seniors’ health • Protective services The negative effects of loneliness and so- A similar study in the American Journal • Ombudsman services • Senior centers cial isolation have been widely reported in re- of Public Health showed that older women • Health education • Caregiver support cent years. Loneliness is on par with obesity, who maintained large social networks re- • Employment and • Information and referral lack of exercise and smoking as a risk factor duced their risk of dementia and delayed volunteer programs For more information, call the PCA for illness and early death, according to the or prevented cognitive impairment. In fact, • Legal services Helpline at 215-765-9040 or visit journal Heart. On the other hand, research- women with large social networks were 26 • Transportation pcaCares.org. ers are increasingly finding that socialization percent less likely to develop dementia than may have positive impacts on health. those with smaller social networks. In the While the two terms are sometimes used study, women who had daily contact with Call 24/7 to report suspected elder abuse. interchangeably, it is important to note a dis- friends and family cut their risk of dementia PCA Helpline: 215-765-9040 tinction between isolation and loneliness. by nearly 50 percent. Outside Philadelphia toll-free: 888-215-765-9041 (TDD) Social isolation is an objective state that oc- While researchers are not entirely sure Published by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging www.pcaCares.org curs when a person does not have regular of the science behind socialization and im- contact with a large group of people. Lone- proved brain health, many hypothesize that Holly Lange, President and CEO Milestones is published monthly and distrib- liness, meanwhile, is a subjective experience social interactions, like mental exercises, uted at more than 1,100 locations throughout Board of Directors of distress or discomfort about not having limit the amount of time that brains remain Philadelphia, lower Bucks and eastern Mont- enough social interaction. A person can be unfocused, leading to a reduction in cogni- Katherine E. Galluzzi, D.O., gomery counties. F.A.C.O.F.P., Chair socially isolated and not feel lonely. Alter- tive impairment. Check us out online: pcaMilestones.org. Judee M. Bavaria, Vice Chair nately, an individual with a large social net- Social networks often foster other healthy Sheri C. Gifford, LCSW, Secretary Editor: Alicia M. Colombo work may experience loneliness. behaviors, including exercise. Walking groups Barbara Waynant Murphy, Treasurer 215-765-9000, ext. 5081 Older adults are more likely to be socially and dance classes are examples of healthy so- Louis A. Bove PCA, 642 N. Broad St. isolated than the general population. Social cial networks that can also improve physical Glenn D. Bryan Philadelphia, PA 19130 networks naturally get smaller later in life as health. Email: [email protected] Angela Foreshaw-Rouse friends and family grow apart, move away or There are resources available for seniors Lydia Hernandez-Velez Advertising: Joan Zaremba pass on. With this increase in social isolation who are socially isolated and seeking a more Frederick Lewis 215-765-9000, ext. 5051 comes an increase in loneliness, and the neg- active social life. More than two dozen PCA- Fran Miller Email: [email protected] Victor M. Negrón, Jr. ative effects that come with it. More than 40 funded senior community centers through- Subscriptions & Distribution: Satya B. Verma, O.D., F.A.A.O. percent of seniors experience loneliness on a out Philadelphia offer activities including Home delivery: $12/year Lenore Wasserman Scola regular basis, according to a study from the classes and shared meals to encourage social- To subscribe or find a distributor: John Whitman University of California, San Francisco. ization among older adults. You can find a Emily Porcelli, 215-765-9000, ext. 5050 Eloise N. Young Email: [email protected] Loneliness can raise the level of stress hor- senior center in your community by visiting Emeritus: Arthur E. Helfand, D.P.M. mones in the body, increase inflammation PCAcares.org/senior-centers. For those who The views expressed in Milestones are not necessarily those of Philadelphia Corporation for Ag- and lead to a decrease in brain function. A re- have trouble leaving home, communicating ing (PCA). Milestones will not knowingly accept or publish fraudulent or misleading advertising. cent study published in The Journal of Neurol- over the phone or online can be very helpful Milestones reserves the right to edit, revise or reject ads. Milestones assumes no responsibility for ogy, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry found that in combatting loneliness. AARP offers online errors, misprints, omissions or misinformation; for failure to publish an ad; or for any damages of tutorials on using computers, smartphones any kind. Neither the publisher nor any other party is rendering expert advice in this publication. participants who reported feeling lonely were No part of this newspaper may be reproduced without the permission of PCA. more likely to develop dementia than those and social media to connect with others. Visit ©2018 Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. All rights reserved. who lived alone but were not lonely. aarptek.aarp.org/social-media for details. Funded by PCA OurOur Community. Community.Our Community. OurOur Health. Health. Our Health. Our Community. Our Health. 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