Burbank police are warning residents to beware of anyone attempting to enter their homes under the false pretense of repairing a roof leak.
A 64-year-old woman was home alone at her house on 1500 block of North Niagara Street when a man knocked on her door.
The unshaven man, who she described as between the ages of 40 and 45 with “dirty teeth,” attempted to con his way into her home to fix a roof leak.
According to the police report, the 5 feet 6 inch tall man told the resident that her leak was spilling onto the neighbor’s property. When she refused to let him into her home, he walked away from her property.
The resident further described the suspect as Caucasian , with a thin build and short, dirty hair. He was wearing a blue shirt.
A similar scam occurred on Feb. 18 a little more than a mile away on 2200 block of North Valley Street.
In February, a Caucasian man intimidated an 84-year-old victim into letting him into his home under the ruse of wanting money for roof work.
The man alleges that after he let the suspect into his home, he gave him money and was then ordered to sit on the couch. A woman entered the home soon after to watch the victim while the man rummaged through his home.
After allegedly sifting through the man’s dresser, cabinets and closets, both suspects left through the front door of the home and fled in what the victim described as a newer white vehicle. The victim told police the vehicle was a sporty-looking 2-door hatchback with a chrome roof rack.
The male suspect n this case between 30 and 40 years old, 6 feet tall, and approximately 220 pounds. He had short black hair and was balding with a beard, mustache and dark brown eyes. He was wearing a black and white striped sweatshirt with jeans.
The woman was also Caucasian, approximately 30 years old, 5 feet 1 inch tall and 120 pounds. She had collar length dirty blonde hair and blues and was wearing a white V-neck shirt and jeans.
Residents are asked to call the Burbank Police Department at (818) 238-3200 if they are not sure as to a person’s visit.
In 2008, the Meals On Wheels Association of America released the results of a groundbreaking research report entitled "The Causes, Consequences and Future of Senior Hunger in America" that our Foundation had commissioned. The findings of the co-principal investigators, Dr. James Ziliak of the University of Kentucky and Dr. Craig Gundersen then of the University of Iowa, were shocking and unacceptable. In 2001, the research showed, five million seniors in the United States, or one in nine, were facing the threat of hunger. The next year, we asked the same researcher examine several more years of date and update the report. By 2007, the number of seniors facing the threat of hunger was six million. Any reader who can do the math knows that is a 20 percent increase in just six years. But without context, the average reader might not be able to grasp the magnitude of the number. Let me give some context. There are 33 states in this country that each have total state populations of less than 6 million.
Is America failing our nation's seniors? And if we are moving in the clearly wrong direction where senior hunger is concerned today, what of the future?
The baby boomers (and I am one of them) are now entering the ranks of older persons, and it is safe to assume that we will be a demanding lot, constantly in search of more and different kinds of services. We will not likely want to live in assisted living or the even less desirous nursing home environment as generations before us have. Rather, we will want to live independently in community settings. Yet that raises a critical question: Can community-based organizations and the concomitant services needed keep up with the demand? Or will America, having failed to turn the tide on senior hunger with the current generation continue down the path of failure with the next-- and much larger-- generation of our nation's seniors?
It is easy to focus on the short term view of the past, the last couple of decades that have seen a faltering economy that went from great highs to unparalleled, sustained lows and a burgeoning population of older adults, and to lay the blame here. But we have seen depression in the place of deep recession in the more distant past. And we have seen population surges like that of the last century, not driven by birth rates, but by immigrants who came to these shores seeking a better life. Many of those numbers of older persons, like my own grandparents who came into his vast, wonderful land of ours, this great melting pot, seeking the American dream. Even with its own troubles, America did not fail them.
But it is different for millions of older Americans today. At least 6 million in 2007; and while we do not have more current research to account for the impact of the economy of the past several years on seniors, one researcher has suggested that the real number of those facing hunger's real, ominous and daily threat might be 30 percent higher.
All the while, when the national attention, or should I say national debate, turns to seniors and senior issues, the discussion seems confined primarily to Social Security and Medicare - "their programs," those entitlements to which individuals who have paid into the system look for help to sustain them in their elder years. They regard their payments to the trust funds as investments, and they expect to reap some advantages from those investments. Fair enough. But because these programs are entitlements -- which means both that they guarantee some benefit and that they are costly to the budget to maintain (particularly as there are fewer and fewer young people paying into the system than in years past) -- they have become the rallying cry for those who say "look at what we do for seniors. What more do they want?"
Well, sometimes it's not about what they want, but what they need. Feeding the hungry is not a response to an optional want. It's a moral obligation... and food is certainly something to which every man, woman and child is entitled. Plainly put, it's not good enough any longer for Meals On Wheels to be viewed as a feel-good, do-good social service program. Surely local Meals On Wheels programs are that, and they are integral parts of the fabric of every community. That is why the data show us that 99 percent of the American public views these programs positively. But that's not enough. Our elected officials love these programs, and we are grateful for that. At least once a year they are pleased to do a photo-op delivering a meal. But is once a year enough?
When budget issues arise in Congress and the two parties are duking it out on the floor of the Congress, Meals On Wheels generally comes up. But is it good enough to use the story of cutting off meals to seniors and then fail to make adequate funds available to meet the need, so that in the end, after the partisan sparring is over, Meals On Wheels programs in fact have to reduce the number of meals or the number of seniors they serve?
So, I ask the question again. Is America failing our nation's seniors? And, what do we do about it? We, at Meals On Wheels programs throughout the United States, continue to deliver the best services and meals that we can. We are asked to perform two separate tasks. First is simply to feed those seniors who would otherwise go hungry. Second -- and this sets Meals On Wheels and our services apart -- is to ensure that those being fed receive food that is nutritious; that meets government guidelines for nutritional composition; that is maintained at proper temperatures, even if they are being transported forty or more miles along with other meal deliveries being made to other seniors waiting for their food; that is medically, ethnically, and religiously appropriate; and that tastes good too.
Is America failing our nation's seniors? The statistics would say the answer is yes. But are we failing our nation's seniors? No. We are Meals On Wheels, and Meals On Wheels programs are not failing our nation's seniors. Our programs are a lifeline and an anchor for the hundreds of thousands of seniors who need a helping hand. Yes, we can and we will end senior hunger and provide nutritious meals at the same time. We have the courage of our convictions and we will stand up against those who would seek to shut us out and shut us down. There simply is no other option.
Stand with us. In this the richest nation on Earth no one should go hungry. We must not fail our nation's seniors. Stand with us in this fight.
California residents can unknowingly hire private caregivers who have criminal backgrounds,
according to a report by the state Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes, California Watch
reports (Harris, California Watch, 4/22).
California and five other states do not regulate private in-home caregivers. Although the state screens workers providing care for enrollees in the In-Home Supportive Services program, the state lacks similar screening procedures for private providers (Van Oot, Sacramento Bee, 4/22).
Key Findings
For the report, investigators culled Craigslist ads for in-home care providers and found ads posted by individuals with felony convictions for methamphetamine trafficking and major theft.
According to the report, some of the agencies approved employees known to have criminal convictions. Among 64 recent criminal cases involving caregivers, 27% previously had been convicted of crimes, according to the report.
The report also found that there has been confusion over how to implement a 2008 state law (SB 692) that allows seniors and their families to conduct their own screenings through the Department of Justice (California Watch, 4/22).
The law specified that public officials who recruit and screen IHSS caregivers could provide assistance to private employers. However, the oversight office contacted 26 such agencies requesting help with background checks, and all 26 declined, according to the report (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 4/21).
Recommendations
Authors of the report offered several recommendations, including:
Creating a registry to let clients find independent caregivers who were voluntarily screened (California Watch, 4/22);
Passing a law that would let consumer agencies disclose caregiver convictions older than seven years; and
Educating consumers on how to obtain and read a Department of Justice background check (Sacramento Business Journal, 4/21).
HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE IS THE CHOICE FOR YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES
Home Instead Senior Care is a network of independently owned and operated senior care franchises that stretches across North America and around the world. Each of these local offices employs professional staff members and caregivers who are responsive to your needs and engaged in your community. Each caregiver is bonded and insured, covered under worker's compensation, and cleared through and extensive, multi-year, multi-state background check.
Skin that's seen a lot of years needs special care to keep it clean, healthy and protected.
Skin can be beautiful at any age.
As we age, skin becomes thinner and less elastic, becoming more prone to injury and reducing its ability to heal. By understanding the reasons behind these changes in aging skin, we can address the effects of poor health and take extra steps to combat its effects. Aging Process
As a body ages, skin can become rough and dry, and loss of elastin causes it to become slack. Thinning of the epidermis, or surface layer of the skin, can give skin a transparent look, while a flattening of areas below this layer causes skin to become fragile. Skin can bruise, tear and take longer to heal. Loss of fat below the skin causes a skeletal or puckered appearance.
Health Conditions
There are certain illnesses common among the elderly that can contribute to skin problems. Congestive heart failure can affect the skin’s ability to heal, as the heart can’t expel sufficient blood to keep pace with the body’s metabolic demands. Other conditions that can have a negative effect on the skin are diabetes, incontinence, eczema and psoriasis.
Nutrition & Supplementation
If you are a caregiver, its critical to make sure your loved one eats a healthy diet and takes supplements where needed. Consult with a dietitian, who will work with you to improve health through nutrition — the foundation of healthy skin. For those who don’t get enough nutrition through food alone — common among the elderly, who may have trouble eating — supplements are available in puddings, powders and juices, for easy swallowing and digestion.
Skin Care
Skin care is critically important. Damaged skin can lead to infection, which can be serious among the elderly. Be sure to use professional-grade skin care products formulated especially for fragile skin, especially if your loved one is managing incontinence.
Remember to cleanse and protect skin daily, especially if skin has been exposed to urine or stool. Look for a gentle foam cleanser formulated to remove residue. After skin has been cleaned and patted dry with a clean towel, use a skin protectant to keep skin healthy and moisturized. Look for lanolin-based products that also contain medicinal ingredients that protect and soothe.
When to See a Doctor
If you notice signs of a yeast infection, severe irritation, infection, or rash or redness that won’t go away, consult your health care provider. If your loved one is diabetic or recently has undergone surgery or radiation treatment, special care may be needed to keep skin healthy.
Seniors who engage in shopping every day, or almost every day, stay healthier longer than those who don't get out of their homes as frequently, according to a new study.
In a study recently published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Taiwanese researchers found that frequent shopping among seniors is associated with low-impact physical activity and helps them feel involved in their communities, HealthDay News reported. Researchers said this finding fits into the “active aging” concept — the idea that staying active via physical, social and economic activity results in healthier aging. Many long-term care providers in this country regularly transport residents to retail venues — in part, to encourage activity.
Researchers analyzed data from 1,850 participants and found that about half never or rarely went shopping, while 22% said they shopped two to four times per week. While the shoppers tended to be younger, the once-a-day shoppers were 27% less likely to die than those who never shopped, even after adjusting for physical and mental impairment. The investigators wrote that shopping is an excellent way to experience leisure time and physical activity, though experts cautioned not to overreach.
“I would not conclude that shopping itself increases longevity. The characteristics of individuals that enable them to shop are associated with greater longevity," S. Jay Olshansky, professor of public health at the University of Illinois, told HealthDay. "Shopping requires that you physically move from one place to another, be able to handle money, make decisions, etc. All of those characteristics ... are linked to health."
Elderly adults who consume about two alcoholic beverages per day are at a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia than non-drinkers, according to new research from Germany.
Researchers said that study subjects who consumed a moderate amount of alcohol were 30% less likely to develop dementia, and 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, than the non-drinking participants.
The study, from the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, sampled 3,200 German seniors aged 75 and older. At the start of the study, none of the participants had dementia. Over the course of three years, participants were occasionally interviewed about their drinking habits and evaluated for signs of dementia. During that time, 217 participants were diagnosed with some for of dementia.
Drinking-and-health researcher Dr. Erik Skovenborg noted that the study results could be explained, in part, by the fact that older men and women who drink alcohol sensibly in old age also have a healthier lifestyle in terms of physical, dietary, and mental perspectives. The study was published in the most recent online edition of the journal Age and Aging
When caring for aging parents, many times there is conflict among siblings. On Monday Debbie Teofilo talked to us about her program "The 50-50 Rule," which is a guide designed to help adult siblings and their aging parents deal with situations that arise among brothers and sisters as their parents age and need assistance.
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