Dementia may not be treated anymore but it can be overcome by the power of care and concern.

Maryland Cop Photographed Helping An 81-Year-Old Find Her Way Home

By Anna Halkidis

It’s easy for someone with dementia to forget important details in their everyday life.
Whether it’s duties that were once second nature to them, or even members of their family, there are certain memories that start to fade away as the disease progresses.
Getting lost is another concern, even if it’s within the very neighborhood in which they live. That was the case for an 81-year-old woman, whose daughter called the Charles County Sheriff’s Office to report her missing. The elderly woman took her usual daily walk up and down the driveway, but never came back into the house.
Officers from the department in La Plata, MD, immediately sprang into action. Officers DeBoe, Caywood, and Morrison, Sgt. Black, and Cpl. Clevenger along with his K9 partner, began looking throughout the wooded area.
Thankfully, the officers found her 40 minutes later. But, it’s the heartwarming gesture of Officer Morrison that’s made this specific moment go viral.
“Officers encounter different situations every day. Some good, some not so good. In this case, a frightening situation for the family ended happily. For that, they were thankful. For us, it’s the rewarding part of policing,” the Charles County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook along with the touching photo.
See the lovely picture below…

Facebook/Charles County Sheriff's Office

“At first, she seemed confused at the sudden appearance of police officers on the tree-lined trail, and she asked if the officers were out taking a walk, too. They quietly replied ‘Yes,’ after all, it was a beautiful day. And then she seemed relieved and told them she had lost her way. ‘No problem,’ said Officer Morrison who then gently took her hand and along with the other officers walked her back to her house. Along the way, the officers made small talk with the woman, to make her feel at ease,” the department explained on Facebook.
“When asked what the key to a long, healthy life was, the woman replied, ‘Eat good and stay active.’”
Please SHARE to encourage everyone to be sensitive to people who may be suffering from dementia!

An article that may no longer be alien to me being 65 years old myself! All we cn expect from persons who still have care and concern in their hearts is do this to us and others who are suffering dementia now.

This elderly is a blogger and a traveler in order to live longer

"Life is what you make it" goes the ordinary saying when one expresses resentment and dissatisfaction about some reality. In a way, yes but in another way, no. After all, there are contributing factors why life is not what you make of it. Take your family who has not been exactly helpful while problems pile up. Then there is your work place which is not exactly your cup of tea but you must retain if food has to be served on the table for everyone. The litany goes on . . .

But life as a whole is what you make of it, come rain or shine. This elderly is trying to live up to this fact. So one decision to be made is to blog and travel and blog. This elderly is a blogger and a traveler in  order to live longer!

"It is hassle when a senior citizen asks for discount!" says the cashier.

Some of the senior citizens I know are in denial. In denial in the sense that they still engage in fun runs and Samba sessions every other day.These senior citizens are already in their 70's and while we can not help but disagree with their decisions it seems the activities really suit them well. 

In situations like this, what exactly is the right way to approach the situation at hand? I would say: to each his/her own. Gone are the days when only one approach is THE BEST. 

The next scenario is something that will drive your sanity away. We went to a mall and on our way home, we stopped by a food chain (specialty is dessert and sweets of various kinds). While waiting for our orders to be served, the cashier was still trying to settle how much our order costs. There were already three sets of so-called receipts she prepared but she kept making another one. On the third try, she asked for additional amount since according to her I, the senior citizen citizen is asking for discount so she did had to re-do the computation. On the fourth try, my daughter was forced to ask what exactly was the matter. The cashier replied: "It is hassle when a senior citizen asks for discount" so she could not yet come up with the final amount. What followed next was like "war of words" which ended with the cashier asking apology profusely. When the words were said, the dilemma still lingers on . . . Is it a hassle to give to the senior citizens what are due them? Imagine we found - later on - the discount was a measly fourteen pesos 14Php!!!

This is definitely an elderly blow for if I had my way I would like to blow the cashier away and let her eat 14Php worth of nothingness :D

To end with a better mood  - let us go back to the denial mode - and look at life's blues.Life is much better than all the discounts establishments can give to any senior citizen. Every senior citizen has already received the best discount only God can give: Life at its prime :D

The Elderly Blogger and her Blues and Blows

Retirement is a nasty word. When we show our Senior citizen Identification Card it is also like a verdict: You are old!

So goes this Elderly Blues and Blows which tries to capture what it is to retire and remain regal and whole and Elderly Blues which refer to the inevitable depression when not overcome because body aches and pains are now persistently on the attack.

1. Be determined to make every day a blessing to behold. Only your faith takes you to whatever you plan for the day. "Seize the day" even at sixty plus.

2. Finalize your plans or begin planning. Gardening is one option or walking ten thousand steps however you can.

3. Do not think too much about your age but think a lot about the legacy you will leave behind. Never did I take seriously my Memorial Plan but now it is good I have one.

 

4. If you have children who are travelers, join them. I am lucky and grateful my children like me around so I travel for free. At least I contribute my being "perky" and jolly all the time so they will not think too much of me as a burden.

5. Lastly, we have to come to terms with mortality and although it weakens me once in a while that I might go anytime, I pray to my God to help me prepare. After all, we know each of us will go that way . . . whether we like it or not.

Retirement after all is not that nasty. It is just what life is . . . tired again? Then retire . . . or no longer charging? Recharge. Life is more than retirement. 

This Elderly Blogger has have her Blues and Blows because life is a continuous struggle to balance the blues and the blows. Be happy friend :D

Red envelopes for senior citizens and retirees during Chinese New Year

Philippines is one country that always treasures respect for the elderly and the senior citizens. Being one of them, I do not find it a problem. However, you only look around you and see that there are many who are elderly and senior citizens who are neglected by their loved ones. It is inspiring to know that Chinee New Year gives attention to expressing their Tender Loving Care to the children and elderly during their celebration of the New Year by giving them Red Envelopes.

The money inside the red envelopes is not the main point of the story. It is the attention that they give to the children who are dependent on their parents and adult siblings to have a good life and the elderly and retirees who are no longer physically fit as before. Also the elderly and the senior citizens have become sentimental in their old days.

Chinese New Year 2016 is on Monday 8 February.
The date of Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, not the Gregorian calendar, but is always somewhere in the period from January 21 to February 20. Read more on Chinese New Year dates from 2016 to 2027.

Our resource material  is China Highlights via Google for us to give data which are accurate. However, it is accurate to say even as a Filipino and an elderly that the elderly is not interested in  the red envelope to mean just to receive money but to be loved and cared by children, relatives and if the spouse is alive, by him/her most particularly :)

Senior citizens help during elections in the United States

International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) is one venue for our young people to visit the United States of America. Some of them go around the country to observe campaigns and election time. A reliable source from the Program shared with me that the senior citizens and the elderly play active roles during the important events. This scenario is unlikely in other countries, including the Philippines.

What do you think is the rationale behind such a very significant role the senior citizens and elderly play during an equally essential activity like elections? The explanation sounds endearing :) The senior citizens and the elderly take their jobs seriously because they believe the succeeding generations must have the right leaders if their future has to be protected and facilitated. What an honor !

It looks like the Philippines will and cannot do this because ironically most of the senior citizens and the elderly are too caught up with their health conditions, election responsibilities  may just aggravate their situations. Just the same it is enlightening to note that to become a senior citizen is not the end of public service.

 

Social Security System must be transparent in their investment portfolio

CHIZ WANTS SSS TO ITEMIZE

INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

   

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero called on the Social Security System (SSS) to make public its investment portfolio and explain to its two million pensioners why President Aquino was correct in his assessment that the pension fund would go bankrupt in 2029 if he did not veto the Congress-ratified P2,000 increase in their pension.

“It is about time that the SSS, with its officials earning millions of pesos in salaries and bonuses, be put under the spotlight and be made to explain in full details why the agency will go belly up if we grant the much-needed P2,000-increase in the monthly pension of its retired members,” said Escudero, the leading vice-presidential candidate.

In his veto message, the President said that enacting the SSS pension hike bill could lead to “substantial negative income for the SSS” and depletion of its Investment Reserve Fund by 2029.

The Chief Executive explained that with the pension increase of P2,000 per retiree, multiplied by the present number of more than 2 million pensioners, would result in a total payout of P56 billion every year.

Compared against the annual investment income of P30 billion to P40 billion, such total payment for pensioners will yield a deficit of P16 billion to P26 billion annually, the President said.

As such, Aquino said the deficit would seriously compromise the current members of about 31 million just to favor the two million pensioners and their dependents.

Escudero said this was the reason why the Filipino people, particularly the pensioners and their dependents, “would want to know where the SSS bigwigs have invested their contributions.”

The veteran lawmaker also recalled a statement the President made during the 55th Founding Anniversary of the SSS on September 3, 2012, during which he emphasized the role of the pension fund in helping its members.

“SSS ensures that its funds are protected made to grow so that it can continue its mission of providing viable, universal and equitable social security protection for now and for more generations to come,” read the speech carried by the official website of the Office of the President.

Escudero said it was ironic that for that anniversary celebration, the SSS chose the theme: “Kabuhayang Pinagsikapan, Seguridad Maaasahan.”

“So where are all the fruits of these contributions by these retirees? The security they were promised?” Escudero asked.

“Surely, these contributions made by SSS members that were also used to pay the millions of pesos in salaries, benefits and bonuses of the agency’s officers should have also been considered investments, investments to make sure that they use SSS funds properly so that these would get the best yield in the investment market,” he added.

Yet now, Escudero said, the pension fund is “using this excuse of poor investment yield as the reason why SSS pensioners cannot get their just increase in pension.”

“If there is anybody that should be made to suffer for the shortfall in investment income, it shouldn’t be the pensioners but those under whose care the billions of pesos in SSS contributions were put so that they could invest them properly,” he said.