BRAIN AND AGING STUDY GROUP MEETINGS By Kathleen Traci The PLVC Wellness Committee’s Brain and the Aging Study Group is meeting on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at the Bay Club from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Meetings are devoted to viewing and discussing the lectures from a Great Courses DVD about how to keep the brain active. Learn about age-related changes in how the brain functions. Members are encouraged to share journal articles about healthy activities for the brain with fellow members. There are no fees for group membership and the Bay Club’s non-member use fee is waived. Attendees should sign in at the Bay Club reception desk and select the PLVC Committee’s Brain and Aging event. Currently members are meeting in the Bay Club’s Conference Room. If you are interested in attending these Brain and Aging Study Group meetings, please contact Kathy Traci, 360-301-5378, or 437-7874 or tracipkt@aol.com. Source: The Voice, May 2012, p. 10 & Voice, June 2012

Recent Support Group News & Initiatives Caregiver Support "We Are Loosing It" (WALI): Weightloss Support Groups "Living with Chronic Conditions" [inquire about next Workshop]. Other Support Groups PLHealth Calendar: Past & Present Health - Educational Events for Port Ludlow Residents Readings & References Contact: Kathy Traci, Support Group Coordinatior, 360-437-7874 or tracipkt(at)aol(dot)com

----- Original Message ----- From: Jessica Wagner-Smith Sent: Monday, February 27, 2012 12:34 PM Subject: Free Online Workshops: Living With, Through, & Beyond Cancer Good Afternoon. Please see the below information for free online workshops from the National Cancer Institute, LIVESTRONG, American Cancer Society, Intercultural Cancer Council, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, and CancerCare. You can register for these informative podcasts at the following link: www.cancercare.org/connect Warmly, Jessica The Tenth Annual Cancer Survivorship Series: Living With, Through & Beyond Cancer Annette Gardner, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CancerCare, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute: Office of Cancer Survivorship and Office of Communications and Education, LIVESTRONG, American Cancer Society, Intercultural Cancer Council, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, is pleased to invite you to participate in a free, four-part workshop series. The series will take place on Tuesdays, from 1:30-2:30 pm Eastern Time - April 24, May 15, June 19 and July 17. You can listen to these workshops on the telephone or via live streaming through the internet. This free series is made possible by support from the National Cancer Institute and LIVESTRONG and offers cancer survivors, their families, friends and health care professionals practical information to help them cope with concerns that arise after treatment ends. Part I, Using Mind/Body Techniques to Cope with the Stress of Survivorship, will be presented on April 24th. The faculty for this program includes: * Richard Dickens, MSW, Survivor Perspective, Clinical Supervisor, Mind/Body Project Coordinator, CancerCare * Lorenzo Cohen, PhD, Professor and Director, Integrative Medicine Program, Departments of General Oncology and Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center * David Spiegel, MD, Jack, Lulu and Sam Willson Professor in the School of Medicine, Associate Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine Subsequent workshops in the series are: * Part II, Recapturing Joy and Finding Meaning -- May 15th * Part III, Changing Roles and Responsibilities for Caregivers -- June 19th * Part IV, Managing Post-Treatment Neuropathy -- July 17th These workshops are free - no phone charges apply. However, pre-registration is required. To register, and for more information, simply go to the CancerCare website, www.cancercare.org/connect. We are very excited to offer this telephone workshop series to you. We hope that you will join us and that you will share this information with your patients and colleagues. Thank you, Jessica Jessica Wagner-Smith, MS, ACSM Coordinator Oncology Support/ Patient Navigator 360.744.4625 (tele) 360.744.6606 (fax) Harrison Medical Center 2520 Cherry Avenue Bremerton, WA 98310

BRAIN AND AGING STUDY GROUP FORMING By Kathleen Traci (Jan 24, 2012) The PLVC Wellness Committee is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the Port Ludlow Community by supporting research about these topics. If there is enough interest, two Port Ludlow residents have volunteered to lead a study group about the brain and the aging process. Members will meet monthly to discuss articles, videos and fiction/non-fiction books that give insight into the working of the brain during the human aging process. There will be no fees for membership and club non-member use fees will be waived. If you are interested, please contact Kathy Traci, 360-301-5378, tracipkt@aol.com.

NEW CANCER SUPPORT GROUP FORMING By Kathleen Traci (Jan 24, 2012) The PLVC Wellness Committee is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the Port Ludlow Community. If there is enough interest, a new cancer support group will be formed. The emphasis will be on sharing information and providing support for one another. One Port Ludlow cancer support group has been meeting for the past several years. Since there are no openings for new members in that cancer support group, two founding members of the original group have volunteered to get a new group off to a successful start. There will be no fees for membership and club non-member use fees will be waived. If you are interested, please contact Kathy Traci, 360-301-5378, tracipkt@aol.com.

WEIGHT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP HAS OPENINGS By Kathleen Traci (Jan 24, 2012) There are now three PLVC Wellness Committee We Are Losing It (WALI) support groups up and running. There are several openings for new members in the following groups: WALI 2 – Bay Club: First and third Mondays of the Month with Weigh-in from 9:50 a.m. to 10 a.m. and meeting from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. WALI 3 - Bay Club: First and third Mondays of the Month with Weigh-in from 4 p.m to 4:10 p.m and meeting from 4:10 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is an nnual prorated fee of $24 for membership ($2 per month) The emphasis of the support groups is on sharing information about healthy eating and exercise options. Nothing tastes as good as being slimmer and healthier feels! For more information, contact Kathy Traci, 360-301-5378, tracipkt@aol.com.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT CAREGIVERS: After speaking with several caregivers, it was decided that due to their home/job schedules, meeting on a regular basis might not be the best way to meet their current needs for support. Instead they would like to be made aware of special forums and area events that would give them needed information to facilitate their work as caregivers. The following is a great opportunity to connect with other caregivers while meeting these information needs. (Report, September 9th, 2011) (By Kathleen Traci)

PASSAGES IN CARE GIVING
Report from Dec. 8th Conference in Bremerton
also in: VOICE, January 2012, scroll to pp. 6-7.
By Kathleen Traci,
PLVC Support Group Coordinator

At a recent Care Giver’s Support Group Conference, the keynote address was delivered by “Passages” author Gail Sheehy. Sheehy has written a new book entitled “Passages in Caregiving” that it is based on her own experience caring for her husband through 4 battles with cancer. Sheehy wrote this book because she is concerned that adults caught in the sandwich generation, between ailing parents and still needy children, are not taking care of their health due to their care giving responsibilities. She advocates that families form a “circle of care” to share care giving responsibilities. This group should be formed before there is a crisis. Family reunions and holiday gatherings are a good time to talk and plan for the future. Older family members should be encouraged to share their wishes for their future care and passing. For instance, who do they want in the room with them in their final hours? Do they want music playing? If yes, what kind of music? Gail compares the world of the caregiver to that of the Labyrinth. It is not a maze, but a circular path with a true path to the center, but you, the caregiver, don’t know where you are going, nor do you know how long it will take to reach the center. Turning 1 of this passage is “Shock and Mobilization”. If you have already formed a care plan based on the wishes of your loved one and you have found a doctor who can act as a trusted quarterback to guide your care team to implement the plan, your mobilization is facilitated. If the doctor does not value the primary caregiver as an important member of the team, it is necessary to find another doctor. Turning 2 is the “New Normal”. This means there will be some changes in the caregiver’s life and a new living pattern will emerge based on the care plan. The cycle of hyper-vigilance keeps the stress hormones cycling in the caregiver’s system. The care giver must find a way to delegate and share responsibilities with other members of the care circle. Caregivers need to have a “happy hour” in which they do something pleasurable, just for themselves – take a walk, debrief over coffee with another caregiver, or watch a humorous comedy. Sheehy calls Turning 3 the “Boomerang” when new health challenges surface. During this stage it is important that the caregiver encourages the loved one to continue to pursue activities that re-generate them. After a cancer hiatus, Sheehy encouraged her husband to nurture young writers even though it meant picking up and moving from New York to Berkeley, CA. With this positive mind/body approach, her husband had 10 good years teaching at the University of CA before a cancer re-occurrence.

Turning 4 Sheehy entitles “Playing God”. Treatment backfires or something goes wrong, leading to caregiver guilt. Sheehy recommends being a fearless caregiver who continues to advocate for their loved one. Viewing care giving as an opportunity and a privilege sustains the caregiver in this endeavor. Sheehy recommends that caregivers end each day by writing down three things that went well that day and what they did to make them go well. Sheehy calls the Fifth Turning the “I Can’t Do This Anymore” stage. That’s when the caregiver needs to call the Area Agency on Aging to receive counseling. By calling together the care circle members and a facilitator, difficult decisions can be made that will relieve the burden on the primary caregiver. Turning 6 is the “Coming Back” stage when the caregiver has reached the center of the Labyrinth, frees themselves from guilt and begins to return to his/her own life - reconnecting with friends and pursuing their own life dreams. This stage is followed by Turning 7, “The In-between stage” and Turning 8, “The Long Goodbye”. Sheehy recommends strategies for coping with each stage. Sheehy reminded the attendees of the Caregivers conference that they are not alone. 61 million other Americans are performing in this compassionate role. The unpaid contribution to the economy has increased by $85 billion from 2007 to 2009 when it was $450 billion. In discussing the Seventh Turning, Sheehy was very passionate about the need for palliative care when the loved one enters the cycle of slow dying. This type of care focuses on giving the patient and the caregiver the best quality of life. Hospice care is only covered by Medicare during the last six months of life. Sheehy recommends that during Palliative Care, 911 should not be called and a sign should be up in the home - DO NOT CALL 911. This is because going to the hospital just makes the patient sicker. During Palliative Care, the patient can be on antibiotics. These are not given to the patient in Hospice Care. Later the patient might need to go to Hospice with home health aides and 24/7 care. During the Q and A session, Sheehy shared that praying helped her a lot and allowed her to turn over her burden each night to God, allowing her to sleep. She also advised caregivers to, “Hold on to this present moment as the best thing you have”.

Announcement from the PLVC Wellness Committee Support Groups: Local, Regional & Online Weight Loss Support Group at Bay Club: "Right now, we have eight members for the new "We Are Losing it Too (WALI 2)" support group at the Bay Club. Our first meeting is 10/17/11 at 10:20 AM." A new Cancer Support Group is under consideration (see above). A new Women's Discussion Group on issues related to "Aging and the Mind" is under consideration. Other Support Groups: Local, Regional & Online (Click!) CaringBridge ["Free, personal and private websites that connect people experiencing a health challenge with family and friends."] Support for cancer or any serious health event:. A free, personalized patient website helps you or a relative keep your loved ones and friends updated thereby saving you time and emotional energy when communicating with others about a significant health challenge. This easy-to-use service also allows everyone to express his or her feelings and offer support. Wikipedia "CaringBridge is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering free personalized websites to people facing a serious medical condition or hospitalization, undergoing medical treatment and/or recovering from a significant accident, illness, injury or procedure[1]. Its functionality is similar to a blog.... CaringBridge sites make it easier for patients, caregivers, families and friends to exchange information about a patient's medical condition or disease on an ongoing basis..." The Caregiver Support Conference will be held on Dec. 8, 2011 from 8 AM to 4 PM at the Kitsap Conference Center 100 Washington Ave., Bremerton. This conference is presented by the Kitsap County Division of Aging and Long Term Care. Call 360-337-5700 to register. The keynote speaker is Gail Sheehy, journalist, lecturer and nationally recognized author. Her talk is entitled: “Passages in Caregiving: The Most Memorable Passage in Your Life”. Additional presenters include, Margarita Suarez, RN, MA: “Six Steps for Effective Communication” and “Keep the Dream in the Face of Reality” and Shelly Zylstra, PhD: “Medication Management for Older Adults: Pitfalls, Perils, and Proper Practices”. Kitsap caregivers will be honored by Charlotte Gariddo, PhD, Kitsap County Commissioner. The Jefferson County Caregiver Coalition is presenting a free caregiver conference entitled “A Time For You” on October 1st, 2011 at 8:45 AM – 3:30 PM at the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship located at 2333 San Juan Avenue in Port Townsend. The keynote speaker will be Liz Taylor, founder and principal of Aging Well Consortium. She is also an award winning journalist, speaker, consumer educator and pioneer of a host of aging issues. Her focus will be: “Caring for the Caregiver is Job #1”. This event is sponsored by Jefferson Healthcare Home and Community Services and the Olympic Area Agency on Aging Information and Assistance. Morning beverages with snacks and lunch will be provided. For more information or to pre-register call 360-385-2552 or e-mail gregghm@dshs.wa.gov. Seating is limited. If anyone is interested in carpooling to this event from Port Ludlow, please contact, Kathy Traci (360-437-7874) or tracipkt@aol.com. Resources For Caregivers: Caregiver & Home Care Resources (PLHealth.org)