8A | WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Tips for living with low vision
Things people should know
about creating wills
Drafting a last will and
testament is an essential
component of estate plan-
ning. Despite the impor-
tance of having a will, a
recent survey from AARP
found that two out of five
Americans over the age of
45 do not have one.
Putting wishes down on
paper helps avoid unneces-
sary work and sometimes
heartache upon the death
of a loved one. Wills allow
heirs to act with the dece-
dent’s wishes in mind, and
can ensure that assets and
possessions will end up in
the right hands.
Estate planning can be tricky, which is
why many people turn to attorneys to get
the job done right. Attorneys who special-
ize in estate planning will no doubt discuss
the following topics with their clients.
• Assets owned: Make a list of known
assets and figure out which assets are cov-
ered by the will and which will have to be
passed on according to other estate laws,
such as through joint tenancy on a deed
or a living trust. For example, life insur-
ance policies or retirement plan proceeds
will be distributed to your named benefi-
ciaries. A will also can cover other assets,
such as photographs, clothing, cars, and
jewelry.
• Guardianship: Parents’ wills should
include a declaration of who they want to
become guardians their underage children
or dependents.
• Pets: Some people prefer to use their
will to also dictate guardianship for their
pets and to leave money or property to
help care for those pets. However, pets do
not have the legal capacity to own proper-
ty, so one shouldn’t gift money directly to
pets in a will.
• Funeral instructions: Settling probate
will not happen until after the funeral.
Therefore, funeral wishes in a will often
go unnoticed, states the legal advisement
resource Find Law.
• Executor: An executor is a trusted per-
son who will carry out the terms of the
will. This person should be willing to serve
and be capable of executing the will.
People who die without a valid will be-
come intestate. This means the estate will
be settled based on the laws of where that
person lived, and a court-appointed ad-
ministrator will serve in the capacity to
transfer property. This administrator will
be bound by laws and may make decisions
that go against the decedent’s wishes. To
avoid this outcome, a will and other estate
planning documents are crucial.
Visual impairment af-
fects people of all ages
and all walks of life. The
American Foundation for
the Blind defines visual
impairment, often referred
to as “low vision,” as any
vision problem that is se-
vere enough to affect an
individual’s ability to carry
out the tasks of everyday
living. Millions of people
have some degree of visual
impairment that requires
corrective lenses, and some
still struggle even while
wearing glasses or contact
lenses.
People with low vision can experience
difficulty performing daily activities, such
as cooking, shopping, reading, watching
television, and more. Some practical solu-
tions can help people address changes in
their vision.
• Use more light. After about age 60,
many people require additional light to
perform most indoor tasks as well as out-
door activities. After age 60, the pupil
no longer opens as widely as it once did,
which affects the amount of light that
reaches the retina, where vision processing
occurs. Brighten areas of the kitchen, ga-
rage, crafting table, and other areas where
fine details are examined.
• Rely on darker contrasts. Contrasting
colors can make it easier to see edges and
lines of demarcation. For example, use a
dark tablecloth and white dishes to see ta-
ble settings and food more clearly.
• Label items. Bold-colored labels or
those of different shapes can help set items
apart when reading containers or boxes
S entinel
C ottage G rove
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of the
Month
Naomi
Baremore
Glen
Bricker
For the month of April, 2019
Cottage-Grove-Sentinel
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What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that occurs
when the body loses too much bone, makes too little
bone, or both. Because people cannot feel their bones
weakening, osteoporosis is often called a “silent dis-
ease,” notes the NOF. Despite its silence, osteoporosis
is a serious threat, increasing a person’s risk for bone
breaks from falls.
What are the risk factors for osteoporosis?
The NOF categorizes risk factors for osteoporosis as un-
controllable and controllable. Uncontrollable risk factors
include age, family history, low body weight (being small
and thin), and a history of broken bones. Gender also is an
uncontrollable risk factor, as women are more likely than
men to suffer from osteoporosis. In fact, the NOF notes
that a woman’s risk of breaking a hip due to osteoporosis
is equal to her risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer.
Controllable risk factors for osteoporosis include not
eating enough fruits and vegetables; consuming too
much protein, sodium and caffeine; a sedentary lifestyle;
smoking; and excessive
consumption of alcohol.
Insufficient calcium and
vitamin D intake is another
controllable risk factor for
osteoporosis. Speak with a
physician about osteopo-
rosis and the role that diet
and exercise can play in
prevention.
Osteoporosis
affects
people across the globe.
Assisted Living and
Memory Care Apartments
Taking steps to reduce your
risk for osteoporosis can
prevent broken bones and
other negative side effects
of this disease.
to our
Employee
of the
Month
Osteoporosis is often seen as a problem for the el-
derly, and the National Osteoporosis Foundation notes
that being over 50 is a major risk factor for osteoporo-
sis. But that doesn’t mean people younger than 50 can’t
develop the disease. The misconception that osteopo-
rosis exclusively afflicts aging men and women only
highlights the need to learn more about the disease.
Is osteoporosis common?
Osteoporosis is common across the globe. According to
the International Osteoporosis Foundation, one in three
women over age 50 and one in five men over age 50 will
experience osteoporotic fractures.
Congratulations!
Resident
The facts about osteoporosis
What happens to bones when a person has osteopo-
rosis?
The NOF notes that, under a microscope, healthy
bones look like a honeycomb. When a person has oste-
oporosis, the holes and spaces in the honeycomb are con-
siderably larger than in healthy bones. Osteoporotic bones
are not as dense as healthy bones, and as they become less
dense, they weaken and are more susceptible to breaks.
becomes challenging.
• Use filters and shields. Certain devices,
such as lens filters and shields, can reduce
glare and improve vision. Individuals also
can invest in shields for their computers or
tablet screens to reduce glare.
• Choose “large print” formats. At local
booksellers, seek books that are available
in large print. This makes it easier to enjoy
reading.
• Switch bulbs at home. The eye care
resource All About Vision suggests swap-
ping fluorescent and incandescent light
bulbs with warm-toned LED bulbs. These
bulbs emit less blue light and can be more
comforting with reduced glare.
• Invest in adaptive devices. Large-but-
ton phones with speed dial, large-print
calendars, watches that speak the time,
and digital home assistant devices also can
help men and women overcome vision
loss.
Low vision impacts daily living, but
there are ways to counter the effects of im-
paired vision.
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