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Let’s Get Acquainted with Susan Moore

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Fresno, CA is the birthplace of Susan in May of 1960.  She says nothing spectacular happened when she arrived.

She had an older brother that has passed and a younger brother that lives in Shady Cove.

Susan and her husband, Ed have been married for 42 years.  A friend of theirs introduced them.  Susan was a city girl and Ed was a country boy.  She says it should have been the other way around because she loved horses so much.  She is 11 months older and Ed, being a gentleman, doesn’t rub it in.  Doctors told her that she wouldn’t be able to have children, so she has two miracles, a son and then three years later their daughter arrived.

Susan worked for the school district for many years and drove a school bus for five years.  Then she worked in retail in other places.

When I asked her about her most interesting thing, she recalled standing in line at Disneyland behind THE Michael Jackson.  He seemed so small to her.  At Universal Studios Neil Sedaka sang a song to her up close and sat down between her and her husband when he finished the song.

Asked what her biggest obstacle was, she thought about it for a moment and then said “raising kids”.  That’s a full time job.

Words of wisdom from Susan are “live one day at a time – nothing can change the past and don’t fret over the future”.

She is looking forward to real retirement.  She would like to travel through the United States and maybe someday a trip to see Ireland.  Her Granddaughter’s name is Ireland.

Mondays you may see her with her Mom, Fern, and Aunt Doris playing Bingo.

Before this happens, you’ll see Susan at our meetings as she has accepted the challenge of being Secretary.  Welcome Susan…..

How Seniors Can Face and Overcome Aging-Related Stress

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Photo Credit: Pexels

Stress has an unkind way of sapping the joy from what could otherwise be wonderful parts of life. This is perhaps most evident during big life changes – as we enter a new stage, we fret about what hardships we might face. This robs us of our ability to focus on the new positives and the changes we’ll actually enjoy.

One such life stage is retirement and entering the golden years. Seniors face challenges, yes, but unnecessary stress shouldn’t have to be one of them.

Why Manage Stress?

Apart from the fact that stress is, well, stressful, unmanaged anxiety can have a serious negative impact on all aspects of wellness. When your mind is constantly running through different worst-case scenarios, it doesn’t have time to continue to learn and grow. This can lead to memory issues and depression.

Moreover, stress does a number on your physical well-being by producing excess cortisol. In the right amounts and at the right times, cortisol is a valuable hormone. It gives our brains important messages like “don’t touch that fire” or “run away from that lion.” When we’re not up against fires and lions, however, cortisol production can cause our systems to flood with adrenaline, leading to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal issues, among others. Chronic stress has been linked with heart disease, diabetes, and even some cancers.

Here’s a look at a few of the stressors seniors face, and how they can manage them.

Home Safety

As people get older, they often find themselves facing physical challenges at home. For example, joint issues can make it harder to get in and out of the shower safely. Frequent anxiety about how to navigate one’s space can take a toll with time.

Fortunately, there are plenty of home modifications seniors can make to ensure their own safety. From easy-to-use door handles to stair lifts, safety upgrades can resolve many of the issues seniors face in the home.

In fact, home upgrades can go a long way toward reducing anxiety beyond improving accessibility. For example, seniors could turn a spare room in their home into a meditation space. A comfortable chair, soft lighting and soothing tea can create the perfect environment to focus on mindfulness and relieving stress.

Seniors should also focus on exercises that improve their strength, mobility, and balance. For instance, resistance training and step exercises can boost your strength, while seated chair exercises can improve stability and balance.

Health Anxiety

It’s normal to develop health issues with age. However, many seniors are excessively worried about their health. As mentioned above, this kind of anxiety is bound to backfire. By getting stuck in the fear and stress about worsening symptoms, seniors may actually be making their health worse in the long run.

Instead, use a proactive approach to your health to combat anxiety. Though it’s counterintuitive, health fears often cause people to be avoidant about their health. This leads to skipped doctor appointments or questions left unasked for fear of getting back a worrying answer. However, by learning more about your health and using your medical provider as a trusted guide, you can catch small problems before they become big ones.

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety affects people of all ages, but it can take a real toll on those who are in retirement. The workplace is a major source of socialization. When you retire, that source goes away, and many seniors are left unsure as to how to fulfill their need for interaction. Even if they know of resources available to them, such as senior centers or social groups, they may fear putting themselves into new and unfamiliar social situations.

A great way for seniors to combat this problem is to join a group related to a new hobby. Sewing, music, art: Any hobby can work as a sort of social shortcut, making new situations less intimidating. Not only does this give you the opportunity to socialize and meet new people, but learning new things also encourages brain health and improves cognitive ability. With time, you’ll have a new set of friends, a blossoming hobby, and the motivation to nurture both.

Some stress is unavoidable, but seniors shouldn’t have to be plagued by anxiety. By managing stress and facing worries head on, seniors can enjoy their golden years to the fullest.

Let’s Get Acquainted with David Mayer

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David was born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky in July of 1961.  Being in a military family he lived in many places.  He has one younger brother who is the Sheriff of Oceanside, CA.

Marriage brought him 2 children, a son, and a daughter.  At age 12 his daughter was diagnosed with kidney disease.  One did not work and the other at only 73%.  She had to wait for 13 ½ years to get a new kidney.  Finally, she is healthy.  His son is a loan manager at Rogue Credit Union.

David joined the Navy right out of high school and stayed for eight years.

Their family enjoyed going to sporting events all over the country.

His wife fell mysteriously ill.  Doctors from all over the country could not give them a diagnosis.  It was finally found that she had a rare disease called CJD – no known reason and no known cure.  This is a disease from Germany.  How she contracted it is a mystery to all the doctors.  62 days after they gave the tragic news, his wife passed away.

PTSD has been David’s biggest obstacle.  Counseling has taught him how to deal with it.

His biggest accomplishment was collecting bottles and cans that people donated when they learned about his daughter’s fight for life.  Trips to Portland, motels, and medical expenses were very high.  Checks even came in to help.

“Trust your God” is the motto that David lives by.

He strives to make other lives better than they were before.  His goal is to bring others to Christ.

You will find David helping at Food & Friends with Larry whenever he is needed.

Let’s Get Acquainted with Lila Steffensmier

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Lila tells us she was born in North Bend in June of 1947.  She has a brother,  two half- brothers, and one half- sister.  Her brother worked for the Secret Service and couldn’t tell much of what his work entailed, but told her that he guarded John F. Kennedy when he was in New York. She is the youngest of the children.  Her Mom was a waitress and at six years old she would stand on a stool and wash dishes where Mom worked and she also sold newspapers.

After 30 years of marriage Lila became a widow.  She married her best friend and states they had a good marriage for those years.  When she met her future husband they got into an argument.  They must have worked that one out…..

She is proud of her two sons, ages 52 and 50.  They are very good men.

Being a Certified Pharmacy Technician for 30 years, Lila stated that she worked with some very nice people during those years.  A highlight of her job was that she mixed chemo therapy drugs for IV’s.  She owned a restaurant in Chinook from 1999 to 2003 and this gave her the experience took to run a Senior Center in Chinook.  She now helps Larry once a week and may volunteer more hours after she settles into her home.

Lila has learned to trust God to take care of you.  He is in control – for your good in the long run.

Asking what Lila looked forward to, she didn’t hesitate – going to heaven to see her husband.

Welcome to Eagle Point Lila, we’re glad you chose to join us.

Let’s Get Acquainted with Kenny & Ruthie Clifton

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Ruthie was born a tiny preemie at 4# 3 oz in April of 1969 in Redwood City, CA. She spent the first month of her life in the hospital. She has one older brother.

Kenny was born in March of 1968 in Martinez, CA. He has one older brother and one younger.

Ruthie’s Dad was in law enforcement for 15 years and then went to school at California Culinary Academy to become a Master Chef. Later he taught at the Academy and was pictured in their cookbook. Her Mom was a teacher.

Kenny was raised by his grandparents. He barely passed high school. Went into the Army in ’88 thru ’92. Went back to school after the service.

Ruthie was married and had 2 sons. Widowed, she raised the boys by herself. Kenny was married and had 2 sons of his own.

Kenny worked in the Sheriff’s Department in Contra Costa 1992 – 1999, and lots of odd jobs after that. Ruthie worked at Costco demonstrating products and then spent the next 23 years as Direct Support Professional at Living Opps.

When I asked Ruthie what the most interesting thing that has happened to her, she smiled and said reconnecting with Kenny after 25 years.

They met on a blind date when she was 17 and he 18. They dated for about a year and then he dumped her for another girl. After her boys were grown she started thinking about her first love and began her quest to find him. She did, and they started talking and one thing led to another and he moved to Eagle Point from California and they got married and have been living “happily ever after” since then.

Kenny recalls his serving in Desert Storm as his most interesting event.

Raising a disabled child by herself was her biggest obstacle and Kenny’s is overcoming health issues.

Ruthie is very proud of raising 2 sons that are both contributing to society, and Kenny’s is the fact he earned his BA in Criminal Psychology (law enforcement).

Both of them say that people should be polite and respectful. Live by the Golden Rule.

Both are looking forward to retirement so they can travel. Ruthie wants to go back to Europe, and Kenny would like to revisit the places he saw while in the military.