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Greetings,
As kids prepare to go back to school in September,
they won't be alone. In this issue of The Beacon
see which MVES volunteers are heading back into the
classroom.
Did you know that one-third of people with diabetes
aren't aware that they have it? Learn more in the
second article. Meet MVES' Money Management
Coordinator and don't skip out on our Q & A (or on
sunscreen)! In our featured article, see how "just
enough" can make a big difference.
| Back To School For Students...And Volunteers! |
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Deb Cicero, a Reading Partners volunteer, had to fight
for her first library card. "No, no, no. She's too young
to have her own," the librarian told a youthful Cicero
and her mother. To prove her wrong, 4-year-old Cicero
picked up a book and started reading aloud. Impressed
by the child's reading ability, the librarian disregarded
Cicero's young age and gave her a library card after all.
Cicero held a passion for reading at age four and it
remains today. Another one of her passions? Helping
children. When she read a newspaper notice about an
opportunity that involved both of these passions,
Cicero responded.
Read more... »
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| Diabetes Widespread In Adults |
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In a new analysis of national survey data, researchers
found that the prevalence of diabetes in U.S. adults is
continuing to rise. And despite efforts to raise
awareness of the problem, about a third of adults with
diabetes still don't know they have it.
Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of
glucose in the blood. Persistent high levels can lead to
blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart disease
and stroke.
Read more... »
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| Behind The Scenes With Money Management |
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Moola, Dough, Cash-ola. Whatever we call it and
whether we've got a lot or a little, money needs to be
managed. Unfortunately but understandably, some
elders have trouble managing their own finances and
don't know where to turn for help. Enter Larry Poirier,
MVES Money Management Coordinator. We recently
spoke with Larry, who filled us in about the Money
Management Program.
Editor: Can you give an overview of the Money
Management Program?
Poirier: The Money Management Program is a basic
financial program for low-income seniors. Sometimes
elders can become overwhelmed with accumulating mail
and as a result they might let their bills slip. We pair
these elders with trained and insured volunteers who
visit the elders monthly to provide help with things like
balancing their checkbook, paying bills, managing debt,
and working out a budget.
The volunteers help the elders to organize statements
and bills, but the elders maintain control of their
finances. There's such a huge need for a no-cost
service like this for elders.
Read more... »
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| Don't Forget The Sunscreen |
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Question: My mother is a very active and
healthy 72-year-old living in Florida. She enjoys retired
life and is either on the golf course or out in the ocean
fishing with my father. I know it sounds like an ideal
situation but I am concerned about the amount of time
they spend in the sun. My mother refuses to wear a
hat and rarely bothers to put on any sunscreen.
Because she has a dark tan she doesn't think she is at
any risk of skin cancer. What can I say to convince her
she should be more careful?
Answer: Those of us who are true sun worshippers put
ourselves at risk long before there was much talk about
the connection between sun exposure and skin cancer.
Much of the damage to our skin was done before we
were out of our teens. Thirty and forty years ago we
used creams to treat painful sunburn, but we never
thought about preventing it in the first place. Of
course, the catch 22 is that so many of us actually feel
and look better when we have spent time outdoors and
have a nice tan. Unfortunately, those glorious days in
the sun can cause serious illness in the future.
Read more... »
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| Just Enough |
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The ability to age in one's home is an appealing
concept to most of us. The comfort of familiar
surroundings and longtime friends and family make living
at home attractive. Thankfully, state legislation over
the last several years has made it possible for more
people to stay at home by increasing the amount of
home care services available. Programs like Community
Choices help put home care on equal footing with
nursing homes, offering clients a range of complex
services right in their homes.
MVES wants to offer clients as many services in their
home as possible. After all, our mission is to help people
remain living safely in their homes with dignity. But,
what about those people in the community who don't
need the bevy of services that can be offered in
programs like Community Choices? What if they need
just a little assistance to remain in their homes?
Fortunately, MVES has the ability to help these people
as well.
An example might best illustrate how a little help can
allow elders to remain living in their homes.
Recently, a 78-year-old man contacted MVES. Severe
arthritis caused him difficulty with dressing and
preparing meals. Because most, but not all, of our
funding comes from the federal or state governments,
our Care Options Consultants asked the man his
income. The man received Social Security and fell
within the state's income guidelines. MVES was able to
provide a personal care attendant several days a week
to help the man dress. The man also began receiving
home-delivered meals each day. The help was just
enough to allow the man to stay in his home.
Read more...
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