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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 2019)
8A | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL OREGON TRAIL LACEMAKERS Saturday, December 21, 2019 We meet monthly to make lace by hand, especially but not only bobbin laces. Self-paced classes available. Guests are welcome to drop in on Third Saturdays, between 10am-1pm at Willamette Oaks Retirement Living (455 Alexander Loop, north of Valley River Center in Eugene) Contact: 541-484-1180 and facebook.com/groups/ore- gontraillacemakers/. Lessen the Risk of Strokes The risks of experiencing a life-threaten- ing stroke increases with age. In fact, the National Center for Biotech- nology Information estimates that 70% of victims are aged 65 or older. While the risks associated with age are out of your control, there are numerous lifestyle changes you can make to lessen your chances of expe- riencing one. Do you know the signs that you or a loved one is suffering from a stroke? The National Institutes on Aging encourages us to become familiar with these symptoms and call 911 immediately if you are expe- riencing them: • Sudden confusion or inability to speak coherently; • Numbness or weakness to the head, arm or leg - especially on one side of the body; • Problems seeing in one or both eyes; and • Sudden dizziness or a severe headache occurring with no known cause. The speed at which you identify a stroke and receive medical help can greatly im- pact the lasting effects during recovery. Lower the Risks The United States Department of Health and Human Services suggests that keeping your blood pressure in the normal range is one of the most important steps to lower your risk of a stroke. Here are a few more actions they recom- mend. Be physical and eat healthy to maintain a healthy weight. Quit smoking. Regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels and treat condi- tions of heart disease. Proactive Health Care Without regular checkups, it’s impossible to understand your stroke risks. Take control of your health by committing to a proac- tive routine with your primary physician. With a few simple tests, they can discover your likelihood of an episode and offer tips on how to resolve the risks. Harvard Health Publishing says one such screening, a carotid ultrasound, is efficient in identifying a buildup of cho- lesterol-filled plaque in ar- teries in the neck. These are the vessels that deliver blood to the brain and can cause a stroke once blocked. Doc- tors may also determine stroke-inducing heart problems by simply listening with a stethoscope. They will be watching for ir- regular rates or rhythms. Control and Prevention says conditions like heart disease, sickle-cell disease and heredity attributing to unhealthy choices, can all be passed down genetically. Under- standing your risk due to family history Learn Family History can show you the seriousness of your risks While you can change your lifestyle and improve your efforts to make changes to promote healthier living, your genet- to maintain your health. ics may mean you are predisposed to the risks of a stroke. The Centers for Disease Why It’s Getting Harder to Live on Social Security ALZHEIMER’S AND y g SUPPORT p DEMENTIA Questions or concerns, call: Linda LaZar (541) 942-0054 1425 Daugherty Ave • Cottage Grove MEDICARE ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN! Do you need to Review next years choice? Call Paul to help simplify the complicated. 541-517-7362 Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent coverage4oregon@gmail.com It’s now official: Our So- cial Security increase for 2020 will be 1.6%, or $23.40 for the average senior who receives benefits. If our Medicare goes up, that comes out of the increase. We all know the Social Security increases we get are not enough to keep pace with rising prices. The Senior Citizens League did a study a few years ago that determined we had fallen 4% behind actual costs in one year alone. Since 2000 we’ve lost 34% of our buy- es in “A Basket of Goods” to calculate what is being spent and determine the Consumer Price Index. It includes food, but also Just what determines the tracks bedroom furniture, amount of Social Securi- toys, the cost of education ty increases? The number and communication. is called COLA, for cost- of-living adjustment, and For over a year now I’ve the figures are calculated kept a monthly chart of ev- monthly by the Bureau of ery dime I spend. If I come Labor Statistics using the home from the store with a Consumer Price Index for receipt or I pay a utility bill, Urban Wage Earners and the amount gets noted on Clerical Workers. the chart. The BLS uses the pric- in September says that over the past year, overall prices for urban consumers went up 1.7 percent. I know my costs have gone up much more than that. How about you? Here’s some math homework for you for the next year. Make a list of the basic items you buy and the expenses you have. Write down what they cost. A year from now do a comparison and see if they’ve gone up, and if so, how much. The CPI that came out What We Need for Winter There are three things we seniors need to get through a cold winter: flashlights, insulated mittens and space blankets. Check your battery and flashlight supply and stock up on what you need. One of the big-box stores has small flashlights, about 4 Heraej=bbkn`]^haHqtqnu Assisted Living and Memory Care Apartments ing power. For example, if we bought $100 in grocer- ies back then, today we’d get only $66 worth. Our beautiful community is designed for those who need assistance or have memory impairments. You can be assured that you or your loved one will receive the best in care along with compassionate personal attention from our well trained staff. inches long, for $1, and they come with three AAA batteries. (At that price it’s cheaper to buy new flash- lights than the batteries that go in them.) While they won’t light up your whole house (20 lumens), they are small enough to car- ry in a pocket and get you from room to room if the power goes out. Keep a few of them scattered around the house: kitchen counter, S entinel C ottage G rove www.cgsentinel.com Call or stop by for more information and a personal tour! We are available 7 days a week! @ 1500 Village Dr., Cottage Grove, OR 97424 T 541-767-0080 www.MiddlefieldOaks.com dining-room table, night- stand and right inside the front door, just in case. That way you won’t have to feel your way across the room to find a light. Look for insulated mit- tens instead of gloves. Mit- tens have the advantage of keeping your fingers together and holding in warmth. Knitted mittens won’t keep you warm. Be sure they’re not too big and that your wrist is covered. Consider buying one (or more) of those ther- mal foil Mylar emergency space blankets. They look like large sheets of alumi- num foil, folded down to a few inches. When opened, these blankets are said to hold in 90% of body heat. Right now you can get a pack of two for less than $8 on Amazon, or check the sporting goods area of your local big box store. (Be sure to check the size.) Keep one in the glove compartment of your car. In the event you have a hard winter, make calls now to find out where warming stations will be held in your town if there is a long pow- er outage. Be ready! cgsentinel @cgsentinel #cgsentinel Cottage-Grove-Sentinel LTD CONNECTOR For casual travel within Cottage Grove Monday thru Friday MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT IS NOW THRU DEC 7TH FOR 2020 Two great services to fit your needs! Choice Insurance Agency To book a ride call (541) 942-0456 Fred Owre – Agent/Owner Door to Door 541.729.8853 Metro & Local For when time is of the essence Great for trips with appointment times. Email: owre@oip.net
