Lc issue senior outlook 07 15 100

Senior Outlook Larchmont Chronicle

JuLY 2015

THE BARITONE AND THE DIVA at home on Lucerne.

A cANCER survivor. 12

marking a milestone. 12

11

BRIDGE anyone?

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July 2015

SECTION One

Larchmont Chronicle

Senior outlook

Local woman shares her story of long-term cancer survival

By Gail Boskovich and Sondi Toll Sepenuk Windsor Square resident Sarane Van Dyke was diagnosed with esophageal cancer 20 years ago. Doctors were not hopeful.

At the time, several prominent oncologists and surgeons told her that her only chance for survival was to perform an esophagectomy (removal of the esophagus), but that she would only live two years at best. The surgery is a diffi-

cult one, so Van Dyke instead chose to go to the USC Norris Cancer Center for treatment and to participate in a clinical trial, which consisted of two types of chemotherapy, followed by radiation.

Now, 20 years on, Van Dyke recently celebrated her rare victory against this type of cancer at Stories to Save Lives, a fundraiser on May 2 at the Hilton Hotel in Universal City. Volunteers rappelled 24 stories down the façade of the

hotel in memory of esophageal cancer patients who have lost their lives to the disease, and to esophageal cancer survivors, who are few and far between.

In honor of Van Dyke, 16-year-old Harvard Westlake High School student Sam Peacock descended down the hotel wall. Peacock lost his own father to esophageal cancer two years ago.

The Esophageal Cancer Action Network, ECAN, sponsored the event. ECAN is the only national organization dedicated to raising awareness about the link between reflux disease and esophageal cancer.

By sharing her story, Van Dyke and her family hope to raise awareness within her own community.

For more information, go to ecan.org.

Movie poster, lobby art auction Bonhams and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) are auctioning movie posters on Mon., July 20 at Bonhams’, 7601 Sunset Blvd.

The auction, titled “Picture Perfect: the Art of Movie Posters,” features more than 200 vintage movie posters, pieces of original poster art and lobby art. Pieces range from the earliest days of cinema, through the Golden Age and to the modern blockbuster.

AT FUNDRAISER. Sarane Van Dyke and her daughter Gall Boskovich shared the success story.

‘Brain Ball’ gives double workout Sharpen your brain and your muscles at the same time.

That’s the goal of “brain ball,” a class taught at the Westside Jewish Community Center on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m.

Patrick LoSasso, leader, incorporates memory retention and low-impact aerobics that students can perform at their own pace.

Part of his class focuses on old-age related falls which he

says are due to the inflexible hip joint and its associated gluteus muscles.

LoSasso teaches training of the hip to stimulate muscular function and to increase flexibility.

He combines memory retention and exercise by having students repeat certain poems or numbers while exercising.

For more information on the class, go to westsidewjcc. org or patricklosasso.com.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes went to Margaret Sowma on her 100th birthday recently. Her relatives, friends and neighbors were on hand to convey wishes to the former Windsor Square resident. Sowma was one of the founders of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, and she was active with the Windsor Square Association.

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Larchmont Chronicle

July 2015

SECTION One

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Senior outlook

Breathe, stretch, move in viniyoga

By Suzan Filipek Think you can’t do yoga? Take a deep breathe, stretch and think again in Fred Miller’s viniyoga classes at Yogaworks Larchmont.

The yoga style—named after a Sanskrit term—is “more challenging for the mind than the body,” explains Miller. “It takes a few weeks to master this… Come along and have fun,” he tells a group of 12 at the beginning of a recent afternoon class in a THE PRACTICE appeals to all ages. sunlit studio overlooking as a metaphor, turn your head Larchmont Blvd.

His students include a mix the other way, releasing years of young and old. There are of built-up stress. recovering hip-replacement The hands-on seasoned patients and an 84-year old re- teacher who has been guidtired dentist who brought his ing students here for 30-plus 82-year-old wife to her first years, stumbled into the practice pretty much against his yoga class last month.

Leon Prochnik, a Holocaust will. survivor, likes Miller's slow An assistant director in teletechnique. "Very few teachers vision, his boss stayed calm concentrate on the small detials like The yoga style—named after a breathing," he says. Sanskrit term—is “more challenging Twenty some- for the mind than the body.” things also gravitate to the slower, more con- under pressure, leading Miller scious form of movement than to figure it was either tai chi the strenuous grit of faster or drugs. Turned out to be the former slow-paced exercise, power-type workouts.

But you do move. “Breathe which Miller took up, followed in for four, hold two, release by aikido, all-the-while avoidfor four,” Miller says as in a ing “do-nothing yoga classes.” sitting pose, you twist your When a friend asked him swine, and using a “corkscrew” to attend a workshop at the

Larchmont yoga studio he agreed to come along to support her.

After surviving some strenuous poses, and standing in a puddle of his own sweat, he started to rethink the whole yoga thing.

The studio director at the time suggested he take the teacher training course. “I don’t want to teach,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter,” said the director, “It will strengthen your practice.”

He took the course, and the rest is ancient history.

Easier yoga options for everyone Fred Miller’s viniyoga classes are on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:45 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. *** Urban Zen is on Mondays at 2:30 p.m. with Amy Rose Stabley, an integrative therapist. The class includes restorative poses, healing oils and meditation.

Michele Rappaport offers a free HIV course on Tuesdays at 11 a.m.

Yogaworks Larchmont, 230 N. Larchmont Blvd.

DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE! When we buy a car, it is an automatic decision to purchase auto insurance to protect ourselves from financial consequences should we have an accident involving property damage or personal injury. That is only smart………correct?

What if you choose NOT to purchase the insurance to help maintain your financial integrity should you suffer an unexpected illness or disability? Your home equity, personal savings and financial investments can be seriously drained!

The Johnsons, a middle-income family, had taken care to insure their mortgage was paid down, there was a comfortable amount of savings and investment monies available to them but one fateful day Ben had a paralyzing stroke. Soon thereafter Helen, his wife of 45 years, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Both Ben and Helen now needed in-home care for their routine custodial services such as mobility, toileting, bathing, dressing, eating etc.

How to finance this unplanned expense? Well ...

Medicare of course since they both had qualified age-wise! They also had supplemental health insurance that would assist with this new household expense … right? WRONG! Neither Medicare nor most health insurance plans will cover long-term care expenses! This is an expense that is currently $50,000+ per year, per person and accelerating annually. The Johnson’s dilemma deepened upon learning that they’d be “out of pocket” for this new expense.

Their existing insurance broker was contacted and they were told that all insurance products must be purchased BEFORE there is a need for them. Long-term care insurance is only good if you have it before you need it!

The Johnsons suffered the “folly of assumption” that most share: “Wait, and get it when you need it, or rely on your Medicare or Medicare supplemental insurance to cover the added expenses.”

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CONSIDERING CREMATION?

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July 2015

SECTION One

Larchmont Chronicle

Senior outlook

Couple share opera, music, laughs some 50-plus years

By Suzan Filipek Irina was a young pianist when she fell in love with opera and a dashing fellow USC student, who, as it so happened, also fell in love with her.

“It was the Puccini opera ‘Manon Lescaut’ where I fell hopelessly in love with the soprano lead…” said Jim Gibbons.

The baritone and his future wife sang the leads to many operas under the direction of Dr. Walter Ducloux, who had been invited to the school by none other than music legend Toscanini.

Wearing a Mickey Mouse tie with a Donald Duck clip one day last month, Jim is not one to take himself too seriously.

Larchmont’s children’s dentist fills his office with toys, talking parrots and trains.

Skeletons and ghosts fill a Pirates of the Carribbean room.

“Kids like him. He knows how to relate to them,” says his partner on stage and in life, Irina.

After Jim sang solos in Handel’s “Messiah” backed by a 200-voice choir at Brigham Young University, he won a full music scholarship to the University of Indiana.

Instead, he chose to follow his dad’s advice: “Get your dental degree and sing as much or as little as you wish.”

And, go to USC, his dad added. It was his alma mater, and, where, “dad prevailed on me, I might be able to get two birds with one stone.”

So, he entered USC dental school at 18, the youngest of his class.

He got his jump start thanks

to his Mormon parents’ twoyear missionary stint in Uruguay. His education there was so exemplary he skipped three years of high school when he returned to the states.

He opened his dental office in 1965 in the Larchmont Medical Building, the year it was built, and later moved to his current site at 411 N. Larchmont. (Drs. Kathleen Siu and Thomas Tanbonliong share the space with him today.) He was the ethics chairman for the L.A. Dental Society and a member of the Southern Calif.

Society of Pediatric Dentists, among other posts in his long career.

Early years were difficult establishing himself, he recalls, yet he brightened smiles of some of the rich and famous’

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AT HOME with their shepherd Ginger.

children’s smiles, including Nat King Cole’s and Muhammad Ali’s.

Irina was also a hard worker.

Born in Tehran of Armenian and Russian immigrants, she fled Iran with her family during the revolution to the U.S., where her father was able to reestablish his physician practice.

She attended USC on a scholarship and also won a Fulbright Scholarship to the Vienna Academy of Music; James performed “Othello” excerpts with her in the Schubert Hall of the Vienna Koncert Haus.

She went on to win first place in national auditions for the San Francisco Opera. A painting of the city’s famously crooked Lombard Street hangs near a grand piano.

The petite, blonde is fluent in Russian and can play Chopin with ease. “I was a piano major the first four years, then my love of opera took over,” she explains of her two degrees.

She also sang arias with opera companies in Rome, Seattle and Ojai, and she was a judge for the Metropolitan and Pavoroti auditions.

“Our lives were completely intertwined from the beginning by music,” Jim says at their S. Lucerne Blvd. home, which is decorated with chandeliers and Persian carpets, and which they share with their rescue German shepherd mix Ginger.

Having seen firsthand the commitment a music career “required to succeed as well as the countless sets of circumstances over which you have absolutely no control,” James father’s sage advice from years earlier resonates more than ever. “I am eternally grateful for his love, wisdom and guidance.”

He’s had a lot of fun along the way judging from a sleigh he holds with Mickey at the reins and Goofy hanging on in the rear. “It’s a marvelous piece. Goofy steals the show,” laughs Jim.

Photos by Bill Devlin.

“You can see why kids like him,” smiles Irina, passing her husband an Armenian pastry.

skin

deep

by Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald

Q: Is there anything new I can try to treat my fine lines?

A: We’ve stumbled upon a powerful duo. The Eclipse Micropen followed by Exilis on the face and neck team up to stimulate collagen and elastin in a big way. Our patients are noticing smoother, firmer skin, and yes fewer lines and wrinkles.

Twelve tiny sterile needles attached to the The Micropen’s tip create controlled minuscule injuries to stimulate that coveted collagen and elastin and in turn treat fine lines, acne scars, and improve skin’s overall texture and tone. The tiny channels also allow your topical gels, creams, and serums to absorb more effectively.

In the same appointment we’ll follow up with Exilis.

The skin-tightening device uses radio frequency waves to stimulate collagen production so effectively that we are seeing very real results after a single treatment.

We’ve created a treatment package of three sessions for $2300 (a savings of $2300). As always, we are incredibly excited to offer you yet another nonsurgical option with such immediate, visible results.

Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald is a Board Certified Dermatologist located in Larchmont Village with a special focus on anti-aging technology. She is a member of the Botox Cosmetic National Education Faculty and is an international Training Physician for Dermik, the makers of the injectable Sculptra. She is also among a select group of physicians chosen to teach proper injection techniques for Radiesse, the volumizing filler, around the world. Dr. Fitzgerald is an assistant clinical professor at UCLA. Visit online at www.RebeccaFitzgeraldMD. com or call (323) 464-8046 to schedule Adv. an appointment.

Larchmont Chronicle

July 2015

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SECTION One

Senior outlook

Services bring groceries, hot meals to your door

Ask Dr. Dr. Richard H. Katz. DDS

Dear Dr. Katz, I have had a problem with my teeth FOREVER . My parents could not afford braces when I was younger and now I see the effects. My teeth are crooked and overlapping . Not only does it look horrific in photos but my gums are starting to bleed. I am not going to have braces at 45. I’ve heard of Invisalign .Does it work ? How long does it take ? Is it expensive ? I am sooo embarrassed .

Signed Horrified and Embarrassed in La Puente Dear H.E.L.P. Yes, there is help. Invisalign was invented by a group of orthodontists a few years ago and the results are AMAZING. The reason why your gums are bleeding is the difficulty to floss and clean the overlapping and crowded teeth. Our Invisalign specialist, Dr Gabe Rosenthal, who is listed as a Premier Invisalign specialist, will answer all of your questions with a complimentary Invisalign consultation. $1000 off for all Larchmont readers!!

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DESSERT courtesy of FLUC online service. for the sick or elderly. It removes the hazards of carrying groceries, and provides a hot meal when they otherwise couldn’t cook,” Olivier says.

Who to call?

In the past few years, the market for grocery/hot food delivery has become crowded with everyone from Amazon to Uber testing services nationwide. With so many options, finding a local service can feel overwhelming, so we asked Olivier to give us her favorites.

Amazon Fresh delivers grocery and household products from local shops and restaurants. If you place a grocery order by 10 a.m., Amazon will have it to you by dinner. Service requires Amazon Prime membership. More information at fresh.amazon.com.

Blue Apron aims to make a chef out of everyone. The concept is simple: after subscrib-

ing to the service, you can pick several weekly recipes, and indicate how many people you’ll be cooking for. The Blue Apron team will provide all the ingredients and a step-by-step recipe card. The service runs $9.99 a person. More information at blueapron.com.

FLUC (Food Lovers United Corps) uses technology to make ordering easier than ever. Enter your zip code and select a restaurant, after you place your order, a delivery

person from FLUC will head to the restaurant and pick up your order. The company aims to get food to you in under 45 minutes, and you can track your driver in real-time. More information at fluc.com.

Grub Hub is an online platform that connects users with local takeout restaurants.

Using your zip code, the site will list those places that deliver to the neighborhood.

You can order online or by phone for free. More informa-

tion at grubhub.com.

Yummy.com delivers groceries, deli sandwiches, cigarettes, alcohol or even Advil at the touch of a button. Plus, the service has both a catalogue and online platform to order from. The delivery fee is $3.99, free for orders over $100.

Farmbox L.A. cultivates relationships with area farmers. It’s a farmers market straight to your door. Visit farmbox.com.

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By Billy Taylor The list of companies that will deliver food to your door is growing. However, because these services are largely online, they are often unknown to less tech-savvy residents, until now.

We asked longtime Larchmont Village resident, Rachel Olivier, to give us the lowdown on what services are available.

“It can be a great resource

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Larchmont Chronicle

Senior outlook

Exercise brain and body, be social around the neighborhood Claude Pepper Senior Citizens Center 1762 S. La Cienega Blvd.

310-559-9677 laparks.org

Barbecues, field trips to Palm Springs, a Dodgers’ game and Laughlin, social poker and a mature drivers course, are some of the activi-

St. Barnabas Senior Services 675 Carondelet St. 213-388-4444; 323-957-2222 (Hollywood) sbssla.org Photography, strength training, memory class, computer class, acting, card making and art club are some of the courses at St. Barnabas. Other activities include tai chi, X-box Kinect, Zumba, a cyber café, fall prevention and movies. A Facebook class helps seniors stay connected to family and friends safely.

Field trips are also scheduled to destinations such as Dodgers’ games and California Science Center.

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ties at Claude Pepper Senior Center. Others include acting, line dancing, yoga, a computer lab, chair yoga and tai chi.

Call or drop by for a schedule. Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Las Palmas Senior Center 1820 N. Las Palmas Ave. 323-465-7787 lacity.org Brain and body are cultivated at Las Palmas. Free films are screened Wednesdays and Fridays at noon. Once a month there are events such as talent shows, opera discussion groups and field trips.

Weekly classes include watercolor painting, knitting, exercise, yoga, bridge, computer, board games, acting and auditioning, karaoke and bingo. Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Freda Mohr Senior Center 330 N. Fairfax Ave. 323-937-5900 jfsla.org Storytelling for memory loss, a computer lab, gait and balance classes, movies,

chronic pain workshops, knitting, bridge and arthritis exercise sessions are offered.

Knitting group meets on Mondays at 10 a.m. Gait and balance workshops are Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. Arthritis exercise is offered Mondays at 3 p.m. and Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.

Movies are screened Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Silver Sneakers exercise classes are Fridays at 9:30, followed by Energy Explosion at 10:30 a.m. Shabbat parties are every Friday at 1 p.m.

Westside Jewish Community Center 5870 W. Olympic Blvd.

323-556-5201 westsidejcc.org Brain ball, art workshops aerobics and water aerobics are available here.

Senior water aerobics take place Monday through Friday at 9 a.m. Strengthen and stretch classes meet Mondays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

Balance challenge workshops are Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Brain ball classes are Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m.

There are also occasional dances and a discussion group for those with physical or cognitive challenges. Call for dates and times.

Pan Pacific Senior Activity Center 141 S. Gardner St. 323-935-5705 laparks.org Tai chi, strength training, bingo and folk dancing are some of the activities at this center, which also has a gym and computer lab.

Fitness classes are Mondays at 10:30 a.m. Yoga is Tuesdays (Please turn to page 17) Through July 31!!

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A field trip to a Dodgers’ game, poker, chair exercises and Zumba are some of the activities available in our area for the silver set.

Larchmont Chronicle

July 2015

SECTION One

17

Senior outlook A tai chi class meets Fridays at 10 a.m.

L.I.F.E. at Park La Brea 535 S. Curson Ave. 323-936-0859 Living Independently in a Friendly Environment (L.I.F.E.), sponsored by the Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles, offers a wide range of activities and events for older adults in the Park La Brea community.

Clubs and classes include a knitting and crochet club,

a chess club, aqua aerobics, gentle yoga, poolside yoga and gait and balance classes.

Call for updated schedules as they may vary.

Anderson Munger YMCA 4301 W. 3rd St. 213-427-9622 www.ymcala.org Chair exercises, yoga, tai chi, Zumba and water flexibility classes are available at Anderson Munger YMCA among their other offerings.

Chair exercises are Mondays

and Wednesdays at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Water exercises are Monday through Thursday and Saturday mornings, with some lunchtime classes.

Stretch and relax with yoga on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tai chi sessions are Tuesday mornings and Saturday afternoons. Zumba dance classes are Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Contact the main office for more information as the schedules may vary.

CHAIR EXERCISES at St. Barnabas keep seniors active.

EXERCISE BRAIN AND BODY (Continued from page 16) at 11 a.m. Bingo is Wednesdays at 1 p.m. Tai Chi is Thursdays at 9 a.m. followed by folk dancing at 10:15 a.m. Friday is Zumba at 11 a.m. Schedules may vary so call or drop by for a calendar.

Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Hollywood Wilshire YMCA 1553 N. Schrader Blvd.

323-467-4161 ymcala.org/hw Zumba, several different

forms of yoga, chair exercises, stretches, tai chi and water exercises are some of the classes offered at the Hollywood Wilshire YMCA. Water exercise classes are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Chair exercises are Tuesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. Stretch class is Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. Zumba dance is Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.

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Larchmont Chronicle

Senior outlook

Reeves seeks to recruit bridge players to Las Palmas Center What began as a hobby during graduate school at Wesleyan College in Connecticut has become a weekly bridge game for Robert Reeves.

Today, the Wilton Drive resident bemoans the lack of bridge players among younger people.

“Bridge is a great game, no

matter if you are young or old,” said Reeves. He would like to rev up attendance at the Las Palmas Senior Center at 1818 N. Las Palmas Ave.

The HOLLYWOOD YMCA Offers Classes for Active Older Adults

•Volunteer •Learn Yoga •Exercise •Swim •Mentor •Teach •Be healthy •Get involved

•Zumba & Dance

BRIDGE GAMES draws Robert Reeves to senior center.

where he plays bridge once a week. A former teacher of computer sciences at Marlborough School, he currently is a consultant and programmer.

He and his late wife DeeHarmon played party bridge, but, unfortunately, he hasn’t

Weekday opportunities to volunteer for local projects

Exercise can increase range of motion bone density and pain relief.

Local charity Big Sunday has made it easy for residents with free time in the summer months to volunteer on weekdays.

The program is called TM@10, and it’s held each Thursday morning at 10 a.m. (get it?). And Big Sunday says it’s a great way for people to get together to meet new people, and work together while helping someone else.

Each week, Big Sunday picks a special service project for one of its non-profit partners. Their July schedule includes: decorating cookies for Cal Vet West on July 2; assembling alumni gifts for A Place Called Home on July 9; visiting seniors at Beverly Carmel (this is an off-site project with a special 11 a.m. start time); putting together athletic bags for Coach Art on July 23; and building PB&J

Come by for a visit: HOLLYWOOD WILSHIRE YMCA 1553 N Schrader Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90028 or call 323 467 4161

Bluffing lessons at senior center No Minimums

been able to interest their son, R. J., in the game.

The games are on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 10:30 a.m.

All levels of players are welcome. Free parking is available.

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Delivering the best of Hancock Park, Larchmont, and beyond @fluc_la

The Claude Pepper Seniors Poker Group is offering a new five-week class on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. in addition to its regular Friday afternoon sessions of Texas Hold’em and Omaha poker games.

Main focus of the class will be on the art of bluffing and will be taught by local poker expert George Epstein.

The Claude Pepper Sr. Citizens Center is at 1762 So. La Cienega Blvd., phone: 310559-9677.

sandwiches for St. Francis Center on July 30.

All projects are at 6111 Melrose Ave., and there is no charge to participate. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, contact Rob at rob@bigsunday.org.

Like animals, children? Zoo could use a hand Docent slots are available at the L.A. Zoo for people who love animals and children and are looking for a rewarding volunteer opportunity.

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) docent training program information meeting is on Sat., July 18, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Zoo’s Witherbee Auditorium.

Open to ages 18 and up, the program provides comprehensive training, with no previous experience necessary.

“All you need is willingness to learn and commitment to the welfare of our animals,” says Kirin Daugharty, manager of volunteers, adding, “Docents are an essential part of the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, creating a better environment for our animals and our visitors.”

GLAZA’s volunteers, topping 800 people, contributed more than 74,000 hours last year to the Zoo. Applications are accepted online. For more information, call 323-644-4702 or email docents@lazoo.org.

Larchmont Chronicle

July 2015

SECTION One

19

Senior outlook

Healthy aging calls on vision, balance and little help from friends The following excerpt— from Karen Perterson, founder of Move With Balance— details eye-brain-body therapy for seniors. More information is available at movewithbalance.org.

Two major areas connected to overall health that are too frequently overlooked, particularly for those ages 65 and older, are visual capability and social connectedness, says Karen Peterson.

“Physical and mental attributes are intimately connected, and what many do not realize is that balance is 20 percent based in vision. There are multiple ways of testing this, but perhaps the most simple is to stand on one leg, and then try to do so with your eyes closed.

When your eyes are closed, your vestibular system, which controls your body’s balance, begins to work overtime,” says Peterson.

“Seniors of all ages, 55 to 105, need to continually work on improving their balance, coordination, strength, vision and cognitive skills,” says Peterson, who has been teaching vision, brain and kinesiological modalities to children, businesspeople, athletes, classroom teachers and adults of all ages since 1987.

“When they do, they’re less likely to fall and more able to enjoy life.”

In 2005, she expanded her program to focus on elders; specifically, to encourage active and younger seniors

TIME IS ON OUR SIDE. Our bodies’ ability to balance evolved over millennia, according to the author’s website.

to buddy up with frail elder seniors for exercising eyebrain-body connections.

“Some folks reach a milestone age and recognize that they need to get active and, after only a short while, they actually feel younger. It’s these folks who we’ve encouraged to mentor other seniors who haven’t taken that step,” Peterson says.

“Members from different generations have partnered in training, and it’s an interesting learning experience for both parties.”

Peterson says eye-brainbody exercises can help the elderly with healthy aging, and believes studies show they are best done with a buddy.

• Independent study: Performed by Dr. Lorrin Pang, director of the Maui District Health Office, has provided plenty of positive data on

the topic. The objective is to reduce the number of falls in elderly who are institutionalized, many with cognitive deficits. The study was designed to compare the number of falls in the group doing exercises. While the multiyear study is in the peer-review process, data shows a statistically significant reduction in falls in the target group—38 percent.

• The importance of vision exercise: Vision gives the nervous system updated information about the position of body parts in relation to each other and the environment. With that information we judge distances, avoid obstacles and control our balance. Visual information goes directly to the mid-

brain, where it becomes part of the sensory motor pathway.

This information lets us know and control where we are in space. When people get old, they tend to lose their control of this seeing-based system that provides spatial orientation. With one in three seniors experiencing a significant fall this year, visual-spatial exercises are an important measure for prevention.

• One example of a visual integration exercise—the arrow chart: With a partner holding the chart, look at the arrows and call out the direction indicated by each individual symbol. Then, thrust your arms in that direction; in other words, say and do what the arrow indicates. A partner can verify or correct move-

Now on View

File of Life helps elderly prepare for the unexpected The Los Angeles Dept. of Aging is offering residents 60 years or older a free way to keep critical medical information at hand during an emergency.

The File of Life is a red plastic magnetic file folder that attaches to your refrigerator. The file contains important information about you to provide for more accurate medical treatment, including medications that you are taking, allergies, medical problems, blood type, emergency contact persons, physicians’ and hospital names, as well as pet information.

Elderly residents can apply to receive two bright red and white File of Life stickers that may be placed in your front window at home and car to alert emergency personnel of the presence of the File of Life place on the refrigerator, in case of emergency.

Also available is a personal size file, which you can carry in a wallet or purse for life-saving information outside the home.

To request your free File of Life call 800-510-2020 or visit aging.lacity.org.

336 n. larchmont (323) 464-3031 hours: monday-saturday 9-6 closed sunday

Complete SeleCtion of Pet Food & SuPPlieS

• pet tags made while you wait

LOW COST VACCINATIONS NEXT CLINIC, TUESDAY 2/3/15 from 2P.M.-6 P.M.

All vaccinations administered by Larchmont Animal Clinic Veterinarians.

©LC0215

free parking in rear

ments. For an additional challenge, do the opposite of what the arrow indicates.

• Help from your friends: Working with a partner is tremendously beneficial for many of these exercises. Not only does it help with structure, consistency of schedule and morale, many of Peterson’s exercises call for coordinated movements and fast reaction times, including ball tosses. Partners can help cue and coach, and they provide security for seniors afraid to challenge themselves for fear of falling.

Successfully executing these exercises indicates good brain processing ability, which is necessary for cognitive skills and balance, Peterson says. So find a buddy and start moving!

EXHIBITION SPONSORED IN PART BY

MEDIA SPONSOR

Susan and Carl W. Robertson Lora A. and Robert U. Sandroni

4700 Western Heritage Way . Los Angeles, CA 90027—1462 323.667.2000 . TheAutry.org Across from the L.A. Zoo . Free Parking Frémont Planting the American Standard on the Rocky Mountains (New York: Baker & Godwin, circa 1856). Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division