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Greetings,
We kicked off the unofficial start to Summer 2007 with
a beautiful Memorial Day weekend. Maybe you
socialized at a cookout, watched a parade in your
community, or spent some quiet time at home.
Whatever you did, I hope you enjoyed the holiday.
In this issue of The Beacon, we've got your
ABC(D)s covered! Read about Art, a
Bilingual Case Manager, Cancer
Concerns, and Doctor/Patient Relationships!
| From Work To Art Work |
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When you retired, were you shocked at how much
time you had on your hands? Hours you once spent
commuting to and from the office, working that 9 to 5
schedule while raising your family, are now free. But
what do you do with your newly acquired free time?
Whether you retired yesterday and you're looking for
ways to fill your days, or you've been out of work for
years, get creative! Grab your paint brush, palette,
sketch book, or Cray-pas and try your hand at art!
Creating art is a great way to express oneself at any
age. In addition to making art, sharing your creations
can allow for an opportunity to connect with others in
your community.
Read more... »
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| Speak Up |
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Many people go to the doctor ready to just listen and
let the doctor take the lead. But the best patient-doctor
relationships are partnerships. You and your doctor
can work together as a team that includes nurses,
physician assistants, pharmacists and other health
care providers to address your medical problems and
keep you healthy.
Your first step is to find a main doctor (your primary
doctor or primary care doctor) that you feel comfortable
talking to. Your doctor needs to understand your
health concerns and problems.
Read more... »
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| Behind The Scenes With A Bilingual Case Manager |
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When Aleftina Freydin moved to the United States from
Russia in 1991, she didn't speak English. After 16
years in the states and almost 10 years at MVES,
Aleftina has learned our language and adapted to our
culture. As an MVES bilingual case manager, she
uses her ability to speak two languages to help both
English- and Russian-speaking area elders.
Editor: Can you tell me about your move from
Russia to the United States?
Freydin: I came to the United States on October 22,
1991 with 11 members of my family, including my two
children who were 20 and 14-years-old at the time.
When I lived in Russia it was a very difficult time,
especially for Jewish people.
Read more... »
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| Friend's Cancer Causes Concern |
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Quetion: I have an elderly friend who is terminally
ill with cancer. She is still able to get around and keep
up with her daily routine in spite of her illness. Apart
from her illness, the main problem she is dealing with
is that one of her sons refuses to acknowledge what
his mother is going through. My friend is very hurt and
states she has failed as a mother if her son could do
this to her when she needs him the most. I am
tempted to call her son, whom I've known since he
was a small child, but don't know if I should get
involved. What would you suggest?
Answer: You are obviously a very concerned,
compassionate individual and a loyal friend. Realize,
however, that you are probably walking a very fine line--
being supportive is an admirable characteristic but
don't let it lead to interference.
Read more... »
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| A Guide For Caregivers |
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I'm not sure about you, but I'm inundated by junk mail,
flyers, and brochures. The sheer quantity of paper that
I sift through is one of the reasons why we choose to
send our newsletter electronically--to save you from
having to go through more mail!
However, now and again, I find a printed resource that
is worth reading... and even saving. Recently, The
Family Caregiver Handbook came across my desk
and it's still there. Why? In short, it's a well-written,
informative guide that offers current resources to the
dedicated individuals who care for family members.
The Family Caregiver Handbook was written by the
MIT Workplace Center. I am proud to say that Mystic
Valley Elder Services (MVES) provided some
information to the Center during the writing of the
book. Many other organizations also contributed to the
effort. And, what a successful effort it was! Although
15,000 were printed in January, the book is already
out of print. It's a bit like the hit movie at Blockbuster
on Friday night--the good ones go quickly.
The good news is that the MIT Workplace Center has
created a web site that serves as a companion to the
publication. Major sections of the handbook are
available
online.
One advantage of the online version of the handbook
is that visitors can quickly find current information
about listed resources by clicking through to the
resources' web sites.
Read more...
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