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Dear Friend of MVES,
Season's Greetings! I hope you enjoyed a delicious
turkey dinner in the company of friends and family this
Thanksgiving. Please take a moment from the hustle
and bustle of mailing holiday cards, running out to the
mall for the perfect gift, and writing your wish list to
read our December/January issue of The
Beacon. From all of us at MVES, Happy Holidays!
| Behind The Scenes With MVES' New Board President |
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Christine Falzarano, MVES' newly elected board
president, sits in her office at Eagle Bank surrounded by
pictures, plaques, and... pinstripes? Christine is a proud
New York Yankees fan in Boston, and although we may
not agree with her taste in baseball teams, we are very
confident in her capabilities of representing the agency
exceptionally well. We sat down with Christine to
discuss her new role.
Editor: Christine, how did you first become
involved with MVES?
Falzarano: Because I work in retirement services at
Eagle Bank, I interact with senior citizens all the time.
About seven years ago, Dan O'Leary, executive director
of MVES, approached me to inquire if I was interested
in becoming a member of the board of directors. I knew
MVES was a great organization and I was really excited
to serve as an advocate for elders. In November 1999,
I became a member of the board. I always want to be
involved with places that help people.
Read more... »
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| All I Want For Christmas Is... |
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Does anyone ever really say, "My two front
teeth?" Though the children in your life probably aren't
asking for their "two front teeth," it is the time of year
that many are starting to dream of the perfect items to
put on their wish lists. This 2006 holiday season might
have children hoping for a scooter called a Razor, a
video game called PlayStation 3, or pair of sneakers
with removable wheels called Heely's!
You probably weren't hoping for a Razor Scooter, a
PlayStation, or a pair of Heely's during your youth, but
you likely drafted a few childhood wish lists of your
own. No matter what your age is now, you probably
remember an item or two that you had at the top of
your holiday wish lists.
Read more... »
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| Secrets to a Longer, Healthier Life |
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People who live in good health for 100 years and longer
aren't just lucky. Researchers have found that those
who live an exceptionally long and healthy life often
have company...in their very own families. Scientists
are now aiming to better understand the genes,
lifestyle or other factors that make these people so
unique. Hopefully, we can all benefit from their findings.
Recent studies have revealed that, as a group, people
who lived to be 100 years or more (centenarians) were
healthier at younger ages than their peers. The findings
suggest that unique "protective" factors against
disease and disability may have been at work
throughout their lives, not just at very old ages. If the
factors that lead to exceptional survival begin working
much earlier in life, and if they could be found, they
might point the way toward interventions to lengthen
healthy lives. So what exactly is it that protects these
people and contributes to their extraordinary survival?
Read more... »
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| Tis' The Season For Flu Shots |
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Question: My husband and I are having an
ongoing debate about who should get a flu shot. He
agrees it is a good idea for me since I am still working
and I come into contact with health care professionals
on a regular basis. He is retired and thinks he doesn't
have the same risk factor. Who is right?
Answer: I hate to take sides, but on this one I'm with
you. Just because your husband is no longer employed
doesn't eliminate all risk factors. Perhaps if he would
take inventory of all the places he goes during the
week and the people with whom he interacts, he would
realize his exposure factor is just as great as yours.
Does he run errands during the day, going to the
grocery store, drug store, various retail stores, or gas
stations? Does he stop by to visit friends at their
homes or meet them for lunch at a restaurant? Every
time he has any type of interaction with another
individual, whether it is social or business, he could
potentially be exposed to the influenza virus.
Read more... »
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| Support MVES' Elder Independence Fund |
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As Executive Director of Mystic Valley Elder Services
(MVES), I frequently hear uplifting stories about clients
that we are able to help in truly meaningful ways.
These stories make me feel good about our agency, our
employees, our donors, and our mission to support the
right of elders to remain independent. I wanted to pass
one of these stories on to you in hopes that you will be
inspired to support MVES for the first time. Please
consider making your first gift to MVES by donating to
the Elder Independence Fund. Here is an example of
two people you would be helping if you donate:
Maria suffers from end-stage Alzheimer's disease and
continues to live in the community with the loving care
of her husband and primary caregiver, Steve. Due to a
significant loss of Maria's mobility, it was becoming
increasingly difficult for Steve to help his wife with day-
to-day living tasks like brushing her teeth, getting her
ready for bed, and taking her to appointments. Steve
started to feel overwhelmed by the amount of time and
physical strength that it took him to get Maria ready for
her day. He lay awake many nights worrying about how
he could afford the necessary adaptive equipment to
continue to care for Maria at home on a very limited
income. He knew they needed help.
When Steve called MVES to explain his wife's situation,
Maria's case manager looked to the Elder Independence
Fund. The couple was granted $600 to purchase a lift
chair that would allow Maria to stay at home. When
Steve received word of the grant, he was so thankful
that he called the case manager his "guardian angel."
He said he would be able to sleep at night knowing that
his wife had the equipment that she needed so badly.
Read more...
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