THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2015
FEATURES
Tomorrow’s horoscope
Brother taking advantage of mom
Dear Annie: After my dad died,
my mom went to live out of state
with my brother and his wife. My
brother took control of everything.
He convinced her that she was in-
capable of making her own deci-
sions and had her open joint bank
accounts that he has full access to.
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she has no idea why she can never
get over a certain amount of sav-
ings in her account. She knows she
should have more money put away,
but fully trusts my brother and
will not confront him about it. My
brother has also pushed me out of
my mom’s life. He will not let me
visit her or allow her to come to my
home. I am lucky if I get to speak
with her once a day on the phone.
My children miss their grand-
mother and can’t understand why
there is such a drastic change in
her behavior. Family is just not
family anymore and the holidays
seem sad. I don’t know what to
do. My brother and his wife want
nothing to do with their niece and
nephew. Please help. — Missing
Mom
Dear Missing: While it’s pos-
sible that your mother simply
doesn’t remember what money is
being put into her account, it is
more likely that your brother is
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy Mitchell
and
Marcy Sugar
taking advantage of her — espe-
cially if he will not permit you to
visit. This is very worrisome. If
you believe your brother is being
abusive toward Mom, either by
stealing her money or prevent-
ing others from checking on her,
please contact Adult Protective
Services in the city where she lives
or get information on local state
resources through the National
Center on Elder Abuse at www.
ncea.aoa.gov.
Dear Annie: I read the letter
from “Lonely Not Lusting,” the
80-year-old woman who went on a
date with a man who seemed nice,
but who grabbed her breast when
saying goodnight. It reminded me
of the comments that my doctors
always make after my exams.
I am in my 80s and single. Both
doctors always ask if I’m sexually
active. Then they warn me to make
sure that my partner has been to his
doctor and been tested for STDs.
This is the age of Viagra and a
large percentage of their practice
is devoted to men with STDs, es-
pecially those living in assisted
living and senior residences where
the women greatly outnumber the
men. The men I have been with
lately think we women are all just
waiting for them to ravish us. How
stupid can they be? Please consid-
er educating people on this sub-
ject. — N.
Dear N.: According to the
CDC, the incidence of syphilis
among seniors is up by 52 percent,
and the number of chlamydia cas-
es has risen 32 percent since 2007,
many of these cases in retirement
communities. The increase is at-
tributed to living longer, healthier
lives, along with the accessibili-
ty of erectile dysfunction drugs.
Many seniors seem to believe that
if pregnancy is not an issue, con-
dom use is unimportant. But as
we get older, our immune systems
weaken, making seniors much
more susceptible to being infected.
We commend your doctors for
discussing STDs with you. Medi-
care offers free STD screenings for
seniors, and low-cost treatment for
those who need it.
5A
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). The ones
you’re around will make up the games, but
they have no idea the warrior-competitor
you are. Whoops! Major whoops. At best,
the result will be laughs.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’re doing
something. People notice. People respond.
Sometimes it’s favorable, but not always.
When it’s not favorable, take refuge in the
earlier fact. You’re doing something! Many
aren’t.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’re not
typically drawn to the fire, but doing some-
thing a little bit dangerous will exhilarate
your mood today and favorably affect those
around you as well.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). People are
expecting you to deliver a product, service
or presentation. Something new is going
on inside you — you’re not even nervous.
It feels like all your life has prepared you for
this.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Savor the day.
The best things will happen as you move
slowly through, always inching forward, nev-
er standing still. Your allies will be Sagittari-
us and Aquarius.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Sleep has
reset your subconscious mind. What didn’t
make sense yesterday is now so clear. You’ll
act on the information and make good. Take
a picture; this is one for the album.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Once upon a
time you gave up too quickly, only to find
out that if you had hung on for a short while
longer your would have succeeded. Now
you have the determination that only expe-
rience can teach and the tenacity to see it
through.
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Should
you settle an old score, or write it off? The
sure part is that you have to do something
because this problem is taking up way too
much mental space. A truthful and brief
conversation will put the issue to rest.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). For
every echo there is an origin. You are the
origin. Be careful what you say. Even your
utterances will have resonance. It’s a power
not to take lightly.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Sure,
you would prefer to be in charge, steering
a project to its glory. Since that’s not always
possible, especially considering the politics
at play in your current situation, you’ll try
hard to be adaptable.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll com-
municate in an open and effective manner
and this will relay more than you would have
thought. In fact, you’ll probably have to re-
wind to figure out what exactly you said.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Kindness is
an under-rated glory these days. Luckily, in
the case of this cause, you’re a leader. Rate
it high and the others will do the same. You’ll
start a wave, and who knows whom it will
affect?
THURSDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 24).
You’ll be inspired by a fire sign (Aries, Leo,
or Sagittarius) this year. Who do you give
your heart to? That’s the question that will
haunt the early months of 2016. You’ll make
a decision and be ready for the February
adventure. June is your chance to make a
difference in the world, probably done in a
small gesture. Gemini and Cancer adore
you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 8, 2, 19 and
7.