The speaker for the scheduled presentation on the CTAP Telephone Access Program canceled an hour before the program was to begin. Many of those who showed up went home after learning that there would be no program .
About a dozen people stayed for an impromptu round-table discussion over coffee and cookies. It turned out to be comfortable and valuable, and participants suggested that we might want to replicate the experience at a later point.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' Monday, February 24 library program, titled “California Telephone Access Program (CTAP).”
The speaker will be Andie Squires, CTAP Outreach Specialist. Ms. Squires will demonstrate CTAP’s range of free specialized telephones, including amplified, captioned, speech assist, and picture dial, and provide information on CTAP’s SmartPhone trainings. She will also briefly cover the California Relay Service and Caption Service.
California Telephone Access Program, also known as California Phones, distributes free telecommunications equipment and training to individuals certified as having difficulty using the telephone. These phones enable people who have difficulty hearing, seeing, moving, speaking, or remembering to more easily make and receive calls. There is no cost for the phone. The equipment connects a to a home’s regular phone lines, and regular phone service charges continue but the device itself is free.
Californians who are deaf, hard of hearing, speech disabled, blind, or who have low vision, cognitive impairments, or restricted mobility, are eligible to receive equipment with certification by a medical doctor, a licensed audiologist, a qualified state agency, or a hearing aid dispenser. There is no age or income requirement for eligibility. CTAP is a California State mandated program, under governance of the California Public Utilities Commission.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors.
A panel of three speakers previewed the new digital voting system set to make its debut in the March 3 presidential primary. Julia Keh from the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's Office disability advocates Terri Lantz and Gabriel Taylor. They brought one of the new machines with them for people to practice on. Many in the audience voiced concerns and questions about the devices and about the changes in voting center locations.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' Monday, February 10 library program, titled "Introducing L.A. County's New Voting Experience.”
There will be three speakers. Julia Keh from the LA County Register-Recorder County Clerk's (RRCC) office will be joined by disability advocates Gabriel Taylor and Terri Lantz, both of whom served on the advisory committee that provided input in the development of the new voting system.
Their presentation will introduce the new voting model premiering this year, dubbed ‘Voting Solutions for All People.’ The focus is on making voting in 2020 easier and more accessible for all L.A. County eligible voters. The speakers will provide information and answer questions about all elements of the new voting system: early voting, new Vote Centers, new Ballot Marking Device, vote by mail option and new drop boxes. Ms. Keh will bring with her two of the new ballot marking devices / booths.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors.
Tressa Thompson, senior ombudsman at the DMV paid Palisades Alliance for Seniors a return visit to go over DMV information pertinent to seniors, as well as general information on the new federal Real ID program.
She distributed an informative handbook for seniors, along with information on the REAL ID program.
Ms. Thompson encouraged seniors with specific DMV concerns to call her at (310) 615-3552.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' Monday, January 27 library program, titled "Seniors and Safe Driving.”
Our speaker will be Tressa Thompson, Senior Driver Ombudsman at the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
The DMV’s Senior Driver Ombudsman Program was established to help all drivers maintain their driving independence for as long as they can do so safely. The Senior Driver Ombudsman Program strives to address specific concerns of senior drivers, including education and training, and to assist as a liaison to ensure that senior drivers are treated fairly and consistently when faced with changes in physical, visual and/or mental abilities.
The free presentation will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Attendees are invited to stay afterward and socialize. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
The room was full as Palisadians came out to listed to Aileen Harper from the Center for Health Care Rights.
Ms. Harper has given permission for us to post her presentation. Click link to Download Who Pays for LTC presentation revised 1-9-20.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' December 16 🎈🎶Holiday Party 🎶🎈at the library, featuring a sing-along, bingo, and lunch, all free of charge.
The sing-along will be led by Los Angeles singer/songwriter/guitarist Peach Reasoner, accompanied by her daughter Gina Segall. Peach was a folk singer in the 60’s, a jazz singer in the 70’s, and is currently performing in the blues/rock/roots trio Mandeville with Gina.
The gathering will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to approximately 1:30 p.m.
Many attended Pam Nye's December 2 presentation on caregiving. Following is our trusty notetaker's report on the program:
Seniors mostly want to remain at home. They cherish their independence. However, many will eventually need help with minor or essential tasks and need a caregiver. Some will need help with household chores, others with cooking, shopping, paying bills. Some will need more intimate help.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' December 2 program, titled "When Help Is Needed: Managing Caregiving.”
Our speaker will be Pamela Nye, Assistant Professor at the UCLA School of Nursing.
When our loved ones encounter medical difficulties, we enter unfamiliar territory. How will you know when it’s time to provide caregiving? What if the loved one disagrees with your assessment? Who will the caregiver be? How can you prepare?
Today’s program is the first in a projected series that will continue periodically in 2020, and is intended to support family caregivers. Subsequent programs will address such topics as anger and belligerence, physical care, memory loss and forgetfulness, and how to manage the loved one’s difficult behaviors both in public and in private. The sessions will be stand-alone, with no requirement to attend all; however, those who attend regularly are more likely to find connection with others in similar circumstances.
Pamela Nye works with patients who suffer neurological and neurosurgical conditions and surgeries. She is a widely sought after speaker locally, regionally and nationally. She recently retired from a position as Neuroscience Clinical Nurse Specialist at UCLA and Stroke Coordinator at Santa Monica Hospital, and restarted her private consulting business where she works with local hospitals, colleges, clinics, and community centers.
Ms. Nye previously spoke to Palisades Alliance for Seniors in 2017 on the topic of “What Makes People Happy,” and in 2016 on the topic, "When Stroke Presents as Cognitive Decline."
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors.
Dr. Daniel Su spoke to an attentive group concerned about retina and vitreous issues.
Following is our trusted notetaker's report:
Dr Su, a retina specialist, started his presentation by giving us a brief description of the eye anatomy.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' November 18 program, titled "Retina and Vitreous Disorders.”
Our speaker will be Daniel Su, M.D. Dr. Su is a physician with Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group in Los Angeles.
The retina is a thin layer of tissue on the inside back wall of your eye that’s responsible for vision. Dr. Su will review a few diseases that can affect the retina, including macular degeneration, macular holes, retinal tears and detachment. He will discuss warning signs for retinal disease, and what vision changes indicate the need for immediate medical attention.
Dr. Su received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and his medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. Following an internship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, he completed his residency training in ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. He went on to complete a two-year vitreoretinal surgical fellowship at the renowned Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.
He has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and textbook chapters on vitreoretinal diseases and has been an invited speaker to present scientific papers and abstracts at various national ophthalmic and retina subspecialty meetings. He has been recognized with awards for both research and surgery.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
This program was added at the last minute in response to the Palisades and Getty fires that threatened residents over the past two weeks. The program originally planned for November 4, on Social Security, will be rescheduled.
We are grateful to Palisadian Marvin Kaphan, a psychotherapist with deep experience in working with groups, for guiding the impromptu session. Mr. Kaphan, an LCSW and MFT, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work and a Certified Group Psychotherapist. He has engaged in the full-time private practice of psychotherapy since 1960. For almost all that time he has been an enthusiastic advocate of group psychotherapy, and has maintained six ongoing groups in addition to a full schedule of individual sessions.
Mr. Kaphan has studied at CCNY, NYU, Princeton University, Rutgers University, and Columbia University. He has taught at several local colleges and has served as a field teacher for the University of Southern California School of Social Work. His experience has included residential treatment, child guidance, play therapy, and supervision in various settings. Mr. Kaphan was the first full- time professional employee of the Los Angeles Suicide prevention Center at its inception. He was chief Psychiatric Social Worker when he left.
Mr. Kaphan has done many demonstrations and lectures in Los Angeles and in other parts of the United States and Canada. On two occasions he has addressed the American Psychiatric Association. In 2006, he was awarded the prestigious VIDA (Vision, Innovation, Dedication, Achievement) award by the Group Psychotherapy Association of Southern California. In 2010, he was named a Life Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. He was President of the Group Psychotherapy Association of Southern California for two successive terms.
Our erstwhile notetaker attended the program and filed this report:
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' November 4 program. The topic will NOT be Social Security.
Instead, in light of the recent fires, this meeting will be a session where attendees can, if they wish, share their feelings and experiences. The program will be led by Marvin Kaphan, a psychotherapist experienced in facilitating groups.
The Social Security speaker will be rescheduled for a later date.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors.
This was a most timely program.
Following is our intrepid note-taker's report:
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' October 21 program, titled "Resilient Neighborhoods: How coming together before a disaster ensures care for all.” Our speakers will be K.C. Soll, who helms the Palisades Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and Stephanie Benjamin, who is a public safety expert.
The speakers will discuss what you can do to prepare for emergencies, what supplies you should have on hand in your home, and how you can get involved in the CERT program.
In case of a disaster or emergency, it is important to know how to protect yourself, your family, your neighbors, and your neighborhood. The LA Fire Department set up the CERT program to ensure that the population has the best possible chance of surviving a disaster and thriving afterward.
A key tenet of the CERT program is giving people the knowledge to be able to help themselves and their neighbors in the event of an emergency until public safety personnel are available. (If there is a significant earthquake, phones and other communications channels may be interrupted, and Fire Department personnel and first responders may be delayed for days or weeks on end.) Under the guidance of local government, CERT members will be able to organize and assist in the emergency. Jobs can vary; in a disaster there will be a need to fill positions in everything from filling out paperwork, to child care, to search and rescue. If you are willing to volunteer, CERT will do its best to find a place for you.
K.C. Soll is part of a team of four people, all CERT and ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) ham radio volunteers, who have been organizing preparedness lectures and training in the Palisades for years.
Stephanie Benjamin has worked in emergency management, response, education and preparedness for more than twenty years, utilizing her skills to respond to disasters and educate communities. She operates an emergency preparedness business and has an M.S. in emergency management. She has taught CERT for 15 years and been an EMT for 21 years.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
There was a large audience for Dr. Cathy Alessi's presentation. Our regular notetaker is deferring to Sue Pascoe, editor of the Circling the News blog, who published this report.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' October 7 program, titled "Healthy Sleep.” Our speaker will be Cathy Alessi, MD, a Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where she is Associate Director of the Multicampus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology.
Dr. Alessi will discuss the purposes and processes of sleep, and suggest approaches toward attaining better sleep.
Dr. Alessi is a Past Chair of the Health Sciences Section of the Gerontological Society of America, and a Past President and a Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Geriatrics Society, and is currently the Chair of the Research Committee of the Sleep Research Society. Her research focuses on descriptive and interventional research to improve sleep problems in older adults.
A native of Illinois, Dr. Alessi obtained her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign, and her medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. She completed Internal Medicine residency at Michael Reese Hospital Medical Center in Chicago, and Geriatric Medicine clinical and research fellowships at the University of Chicago.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
This was an extremely informative presentation about foot and ankle issues. Dr. Hassid kindly agreed to let us post his slide show as well as the handout.
Click following link to Download Dr. Hassid's slide show on common foot and ankle problems.
Click link to Download Dr. Hassid's handout on fall prevention.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' September 23 program, titled "Foot and Ankle Ailments.” Our speaker will be Arash Hassid, D.P.M., FACFAS, director of the SoCal Foot and Ankle Center.
As we age, the likelihood increases that we will encounter foot issues such as nail disorders, corns and calluses, hammertoes, bunions, plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus, neuropathy, edema, and heel and arch pain. Foot problems and pain can inhibit daily activities, leading to a decrease in mobility that can exacerbate other age-related conditions. Dr. Hassid will answer your questions about these problems and discuss approaches and interventions that can alleviate pain and improve function.
Dr. Hassid is a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon who has been in practice for fourteen years. He is a member of the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons, and is board certified in foot surgery with the American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery. He has practices in Cedars Sinai Medical Towers and Santa Monica Medical Plaza.
Dr. Hassid completed a three-year comprehensive foot and ankle surgical residency at the Veterans Administration Program in West LA and at UCLA's Olive View Medical Center. He received his D.P.M. degree from the California School of Podiatric Medicine, Samuel Merritt College, and his B.S. degree in Psychobiology from UCLA.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
LAPL Genealogy librarian Julie Huffman delivered an extremely informative presentation on how to approach researching one's roots, and the impressive set of resources available from the Los Angeles Public Library.
The meeting was followed by a lovely luncheon on the library patio, underwritten by a generous grant from the Palisades Woman's Club, and coordinated by wonderful volunteers Therese Funk, Donna Sheridan, Jackie Dubin, Ginnie Navon, Ron Segall, and Anne Kupfer..
Ms. Huffman is letting us post her Powerpoint presentation here. Click link to Download Julie Huffman LAPL genealogy presentation 9-9-2019 .
Following is our loyal scribe's report on the program from the audience perspective:
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' September 9 program, titled "Genealogy: How to Find Your Family Roots (with some help from the Los Angeles Public Library).” Our speaker will be Julie Huffman, Genealogy Librarian at the Central Library.
Ms. Huffman will discuss the basics of researching your family’s history. Learn how to get started searching census records, military records, newspapers and more. Participants will also discover the many genealogy resources available at the Los Angeles Public Library.
Julie Huffman has been the genealogy librarian at the Central Library downtown for five years, and—over the course of 18 years at LAPL—a young adult, children’s, and adult reference librarian. Her MLIS is from UCLA and she has a Bachelor’s of Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Julie's heritage is Swedish, English, Scottish, German, Swiss, and Canadian, but she is always striving to learn about all genealogical interests!
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Attendees are invited to stay and socialize after the program over a light lunch on the library patio, offered courtesy of a grant from the Palisades Woman’s Club.
The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors.
Our speaker, Kainoa Kanter, provided a high-level tour of Android devices' capabilities, and assisted audience members in setting up their apps for more effective usage. Our scribe was too busy following along to take further notes!
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' August 12 program, titled "Getting Comfortable With Your Android Smartphone or Tablet."
The speaker will be Kainoa Kanter, a rising junior at Palisades Charter High School. Seniors who previously participated in the technology tutoring sessions that Palisades Alliance for Seniors ran in conjunction with the high school will remember Kainoa as the expert to whom other students turned when even they were stumped by a problem.
As technology is evolving with society, it can be hard to keep up. The objective of the program is to help seniors learn how to better use their technology, from the basics to proficiency. At the beginning, using a smartphone can seem daunting, but it does not take long to become intuitive. The idea is to get you over that hump.
Attendees are encouraged to bring to the meetings the device(s) that they want to learn how to use.
The program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors. The programs are open to all, and free of charge.
Our program speaker, Karen Stigler, opened the presentation by emphasizing three cardinal rules for attendees to remember:
She noted that the phone is a hand-held computer that can do everything, kind of a Swiss Army Knife. It’s a phone and a camera. It’s also a flashlight, a web browser with keyboard, an alarm clock, a timer, a magnifying glass, a GPS, a phone book, a calendar, and a way to video chat with friends or family.
After a tour of key features, concepts and vocabulary, the speaker covered settings, phone calls and voicemail, camera and photos, and navigating the home screen and apps.
She encouraged attendees who run into problems to look for the answers online, either by googling the question, or by making an appointment (via Apple Support app -- download in App Store) with Apple to get support either by phone or in person at the Apple Store.
For those who want to learn more, there are many free online video tutorials available (google "free online iPhone class). Another good option is Apple's free classes in Santa Monica (register online through the Apple Store app).
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' August programs, titled "Getting Comfortable With Your Smartphone or Tablet." The August 5 program will focus on Apple devices, i.e. using the iOS operating system. The August 12 will focus on devices using the Android operating system.
As technology is evolving with society, it can be hard to keep up. The objective of the program is to help seniors learn how to better use their technology, from the basics to proficiency. At the beginning, using a smartphone can seem daunting, but it does not take long to become intuitive. The idea is to get you over that hump.
Attendees are encouraged to bring to the meetings the device(s) that they want to learn how to use better.
The programs will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors. The programs are open to all, and free of charge.
A full house of Palisadians turned out to enjoy this entertaining and educational program. We are grateful to the Stop Senior Scams Acting Program, who put up with a frustrating bus ride to join us.
Following is our loyal scribe's report. Scroll down for photographs.
Advice:DNA testing is NOT covered by social security!
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' July 22 program, featuring a performance by the Stop Senior Scams ℠ Acting Program of Los Angeles. Come learn to protect yourself and your loved ones from scams that target older adults.
Stop Senior Scams ℠ Acting Program uses theater to dramatize senior scams and educate older adults about the dangers of fraud and how to prevent it. The performers, aged 60 to 97 years old, use skits to demonstrate their experiences to teach you how to identify and stop elder abuse.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors.
There was a full house for this useful program, presented by attorney Dani Kaiserman of the Bet Tzedek public interest law firm. Many stayed afterward for a lovely lunch on the library patio, offered courtesy of a generous grant from the Pacific Palisades Woman's Club.
Ms. Kaiserman has allowed us to reproduce her slide presentation. Click link to Download Bet Tzedek Presentation on Estate Planning Basics 7.8.2019.
Our faithful correspondent, who hastens to note that she is not an attorney, also filed the following report based on her notes from the program:
- A first responder (i.e., ambulances) will not pay attention to your Advanced Directive, but to your POLST form if you have one. Have one displayed prominently.
Advanced Health Care Directive - (a/k/a Living Will)
- allows decisions to be made by another. Only comes into effect when you become unable to do it. Allows the appointment of an agent. The Primary Care physician will be the one to say when the 'agent' needs to step in. Normally 'agents' are family members or friends, someone the patient t rusts and whom you have made aware of your wishes. This document needs to be signed by two witnesses. It may indicate what kind of funeral you wish. Some states do not recognize this document; be aware that you may need to make another one if you move to a different state.
- Durable Power of Attorney for financial matters. Make sure to give copies of it to your family and/or responsible friends.
If one of your agents is unwell and unable to continue helping, appoint another 'in succession'/ Also, a previously appointed agent may decide not to continue, you need to have a backup. If you do not have an agent when the need arises, guesses would have to be made as to how to proceed.
- The ER Doctor - should have a copy of your POLST form.
- In Hospitals - important to have a copy of your documents available there. In Catholic hospitals, the default decision would be to save lives... making sure that your DNR is respected may be m ore difficult; check with them when possible
- Conservators -
If one is needed because of mental health problems (dementia... strokes) , more than one doctor needs to be involved; this is not easy to accomplish. One has to go thru the courts to obtain a conservatorship.
conservatorship is more extreme than immediate power of attorney as one is suddenly made unable to handle one's financial affairs.
- Power of attorney for finances
gives someone the authority to manage one's finances, such as real estate, bank account, taxes, benefits, litigation... This is a very broad coverage and can be abused. Be very careful whom you chose. Your house could be sold under you! In California you can authorize one or all of the powers. Elder abuse can take place. Only give the amount of power you absolutely need to give.- there are two kinds of these powers of attorney for finances, a durable one and a non durable one. One can also put a limit as to the duration of this document: immediate or limited. 'springing', i.e. not now, just conditional.
You want to avoid being kicked out of your house while you are still alive!!!!
Most Trusts include a power of attorney; usually this power is given to the successor Trustee.
(Durable power of attorney) -
- technically, the patient can still somehow act on his/her own. Conservatorship is clearer, more absolute.
meanwhile, if you still have mental capacity but need help, you might want to consider a financial advisor.
WILLS AND TRUSTS
both handle the distribution of property after one dies. A handwritten will, signed and and dated, is valid in California.
Wills are only about property.
(Bet Tzedek does not write wills that disinherit someone...)
Trusts - are a good idea, rather than Wills, if you own your residence, for instance.
- some 'non probate' items do not go into Wills or Trusts.
- 'joint tenancy' items will go to the named individuals.
some terminology: Settlor = the person who creates the Trust.
Trustee = the person who manages the Trust.
Successor Trustee - manages the Trust when the Trustee is unable to, because of illness or death.
BE CAREFUL in your choice of Trustee as a poor choice could abuse his/her power and/or have ulterior motives.
EVERYTHING goes into your Trust.
TODD = Transfer On Death Deed - an alternative to a Trust; indicates 'after death'..
- IRAs, retirement plans, etc. are treated separately.
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
answers to some questions by the audience:
- yes, there is a difference between a successor trustee and an executor; the first one is when one has a Trust, the second applies to a Will.
- yes, the State of California recognizes Trusts from other states.
- do you have a small estate? a Trust will still avoid probate.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' July 8 program, titled "Estate Planning Basics." Our speaker will be Dani Kaiserman, Staff Attorney, Elder Justice Unit, Bet Tzedek Legal Services.
Ms. Kaiserman will present a brief overview of advance planning, including health directives, financial power of attorney, wills, non-probate transfers, trusts, and transfer-on-death deeds.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Attendees are invited to stay and socialize after the program over a light lunch on the library patio, offered courtesy of a grant from the Palisades Woman’s Club.
This was a very informative program. Our speaker, Dr. Singer, is letting us post his presentation here. Click link to Download Bone Health Presentation 6.24.19.
Following is our steadfast correspondent's takeaway from the program:
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' June 24 program, titled "Bone Health in Older Adults." Our speaker, Frederick R. Singer, M.D., will discuss the nutritional needs, exercise and possible medications needed to maintain bone health.
Dr. Singer is Director of the Endocrine/Bone Disease Program at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica, California and is Clinical Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
He received his MD degree from the University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco in 1963. He completed his postgraduate training in internal medicine at the University of California Affiliated Hospitals, Los Angeles, followed by research fellowships in endocrinology at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London and the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. He has served on many national public health committees, and on the editorial boards of multiple journals.
Dr. Singer's research interests are skeletal complications of malignancy, Paget’s disease of bone, primary hyperparathyroidism, osteoporosis and the effect of vitamin D on breast cancer and malignant melanoma.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Palisades Alliance, in conjunction with the Palisades Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, offers programs of particular interest to seniors.
This presentation by Jeannie Meyer, UCLA's clinical nurse specialist for palliative care, was very well received.
Ms. Meyer kindly agreed to share her Powerpoint slides. Click link to Download Palliative Care and Hospice Presentation 6.10.19.
Our faithful correspondent attended the program and filed the following report:
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' June 10 program, titled "Palliative Care and Hospice: Help and Guidance on a Difficult Journey." Our speaker will be Jeannie Meyer, the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care at UCLA Healthsystem.
For patients with chronic, irreversible and often terminal illness, life can become a challenging journey filled with uncontrolled symptoms, confusing therapies and difficult decisions. Palliative care can offer a helping hand throughout this journey by providing management of complex symptoms, assistance with advance care planning, and support for the patient and loved ones.
When the journey approaches the end, hospice offers additional support to allow the patient to maintain their greatest level of comfort and function. Throughout the challenging journey, both services focus on quality of life and individualized care.
This presentation outlines the services offered by both palliative care and hospice; additionally Ms. Meyer will discuss advance care planning, including Advance Directives and POLST forms (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) and when each document is appropriate.
Ms. Meyer obtained her BSN and MSN from University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and has been a Clinical Nurse Specialist since 2000, with national certifications in Critical Care, Progressive Care and Palliative Care.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' May 20 program, titled "Dementia Friends." Our speaker will be Dick Williams from the Alzheimer's Greater Los Angeles Speakers Bureau.
Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. Developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, the Dementia Friends initiative is underway in California and across the United States. By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects families, each of us can make a difference for people touched by the disease.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library’s Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon
For those who were not able to attend this outstanding presentation, Dr. Cadish has kindly agreed to let us make her slides and handout available here.
Click link to Download Cadish pelvic floor disorder handout.
Click link to Download Cadish Pelvic Floor Disorder presentation .
Below are notes taken by our faithful scribe. (The scribe entreats readers to note that she is not a medical specialist and so cannot be certain that her transcription is faithful to the speaker's words.)
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Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' May 6 library program, titled "A Problem 'Down There': Pelvic Floor Disorders Demystified." Our speaker will be Lauren A. Cadish, M.D., FACOG.
Dr. Cadish is a urogynecologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. She is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as in the subspecialty of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, after which she pursued residency at Beth Israel Deaconess / Harvard Medical School and fellowship at UC Irvine Medical Center. Her research has been presented at national and international meetings and published in multiple highly regarded medical journals. She has never been a consultant for any device or pharmaceutical company.
Pelvic floor disorders have been referred to as a hidden epidemic affecting a large proportion of women, the prevalence increasing with age. Symptoms can be embarrassing and frustrating. Dr. Cadish will discuss both pelvic organ prolapse (the falling of pelvic organs into the vagina) and urinary incontinence and explain diagnosis and treatment options.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
This was an extremely valuable program, presented by Captain John Ignatczyk, the LAFD's disaster preparedness officer. Unfortunately, our erstwhile notetaker was not available to take notes. However, there is considerable disaster readiness information available here on the Community Council's website.
Also, those who were not able to attend may be interested in attending the upcoming Community Fire Safety Meeting taking place in the the Paul Revere Middle School auditorium next Tuesday, April 30 from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Here's the Community Council's write-up about it:
This informative meeting -- organized by LAFD, LAPD and Brentwood residents -- will include a Power Point presentation on fire preparedness and safety by LAFD WLA Deputy Chief Armando Hogan, along with a panel discussion featuring experts from LAPD, LADWP, LADOT, Emergency Management (communications), My Safe LA (protection/evacuation of aged & disabled persons), Animal Services and Recreation & Parks. Councilmember Bonin will be there to answer questions, and representatives from Assemblymember Bloom's office will also provide information about fire insurance. Palisadians are encouraged to attend.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' April 22 library program, titled "Fire Safety and Disaster Preparedness: Know What to Do." Our speaker will be LAFD Captain II John Ignatczyk, Disaster Preparedness Officer.
Preparation and organization can make a big difference when dealing with fires and other catastrophes. Captain Ignatczyk will discuss how to stay safe by protecting, preparing, and planning.
The free program will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Attendees are invited to stay afterward and socialize. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Click here for a list of the mindfulness books recommended by our April 1 speaker, Rosemary Alden.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' Monday, April 1 library program, titled "HEY! WHERE'D THE TIME GO? Living with Peace, Joy, and Satisfaction for the Rest of Your Life." Our speaker will be Rosemary Alden, M.A., M.F.T.
The senior years come as quite a surprise! Are you ready, or not? How can we enjoy these well-earned ‘sunset years’ when the past seems unfinished or we’re worried about the future? Capturing life’s joy is about living fully in the present moment. As we age, the challenge is to learn how to translate our fears, concerns and experiences with insight and newfound perspectives that can lead us skillfully forward.
Rosemary Alden's ability to guide others through this process is based on the knowledge that the only constant in life is change. Change often means dis-ease. But suffering is not inevitable. This yet-to-be-discovered path can be filled with ease, optimism, understanding, compassion and gratitude.
Rosemary is a mindfulness teacher and psychotherapist in private practice. Her goal is to inspire others to reflect on their lives as they navigate life’s transitions. She works with individuals, families and groups drawing from studies in Western psychology, Eastern and Native wisdom, meditation practices, and a great deal of life experience. She is a mother of five and grandmother of eight.
The program format will consist of a conversation-style discussion with the audience. During the program Rosemary expects to respond to individuals' questions and concerns that have been submitted in advance and/or shared at the gathering. In this way one may gain direct help or learn while listening to another’s experience.
To invite Rosemary’s response to your personal issue, please write several sentences about it and submit by March 30 to Palisades Alliance, via snail mail at P.O. Box 1082, PP 90272, or via email to palisadesalliance@gmail.com. If you wish to be in public conversation please do make sure to give your name. (Note: Because of time limits Rosemary may not be able to address all questions.)
The free presentation will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Attendees are invited to stay afterward and socialize. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
The crowded room was spellbound as L.A. County Hoarding Task Force leader Christina Nairn returned to help us understand the staging and psychological underpinnings of hoarding disorder.
Ms. Nairn agreed to let us post her slide show here. Click link to Download March 11 hoarding disorder presentation.
Following is a report from our erstwhile correspondent:
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' Monday, March 11 library program, titled "Buried in Treasures: Understanding Hoarding Behavior."
Our speaker will be Christina Nairn, LCSW, Chair of the Los Angeles County Hoarding Task Force and Supervising Social Worker for the L.A. County Department of Mental Health GENESIS Program.
Hoarding is the excessive collection and retention of things or animals until they interfere with day-to-day functions such as home, health, family, work, and social life. Severe hoarding causes safety and health hazards. It is estimated that older adults represent a significant number of people who hoard.
Ms. Nairn will discuss the causes and types of hoarding, what behaviors are and are not considered hoarding behavior, and current interventions that support the person, family, and community.
This was a fascinating presentation by Dr. Eileen F. Gallo and Bruce S. Ross, Esq., on balancing the considerations involved in passing wealth on to one's family members, in particular siblings who are caught up in the three "C's" of competition, cooperation, and comparison.
Seventy-one people attended the program, and many stayed afterward for a light lunch courtesy of a grant from the Palisades Woman's Club.
With the speakers' permission, we are making their handout available here. Click link to Download Gallo and Ross handout.
Additionally, our steadfast scribe once again took notes on the program; they are provided below:
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' Monday, February 25 library program, titled "Mom and Dad Loved You Best: Navigating Fairness and Equality, Real and Perceived.”
Our speakers will be Eileen F. Gallo, Ph.D. and Bruce S. Ross, Esq. Dr. Gallo is a licensed psychotherapist who works with individuals, families, and financial advisors concerned about the psychological and emotional issues of family wealth. Mr. Ross is a mediator and arbitrator who has decades of experience as a trial lawyer specializing in trust, estate, and financial elder abuse litigation.
You can pick your friends but you can’t pick your family. Siblings are stuck with each other whether they like it or not. Parents generally want to treat their children equally and do not want them to squabble over the family inheritance. The speakers will use real life examples from their practices to explore methods of successfully resolving intra-family conflicts relating to the transfer of wealth.
The free presentation will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
For those inspired to take action after Leon Willis Watts III's presentation, Mr. Watts suggests consulting USC Home Modifications Website's Resources page, which has a wealth of useful information on products to consider, links to informational websites, and more.
Mr. Watts followed up with this generous letter directed to audience members:
“Age friendly home modifications” is a good title, but home mods is not an easy notion for most people to wrap one’s mind around or act upon, without help.
But statistically, most people want to age in place, and most homes are not totally ready to offer a totally safe environment without some modifications.
I wanted your audience to make themselves open to being mentally and emotionally prepared to tackle getting their homes in the safest and best condition possible to age in place. After they do what they can to de-clutter, then use these suggestions to start.
My suggestions for approaching the task are as follows.
(NOTE: For the next 30 days, for people who were at the meeting and make their list, I will make myself available by email at leonwatts3@gmail.com for questions and answers to help them start acting on accomplishing their goals.)
First, click link to Download Home Fall Prevention Checklist.
Then:
1. Homeowners should walk around their house and make a list of concerns and questions about their home, products and services they want.
2. Get a friend or family member they trust to look at their list and help them with their search for products and services online. As I mentioned at my presentation, this would make a great group exercise. This will help give you an idea of cost. This can make your list a real plan to act upon.
3. Find a contractor or handy-person in their area who has training or experience in modifications for older adults’ homes.
Remember you can email me for help over the next month.
Congratulations for taking on this project to make your homes the best they can be for aging in place !
Leon
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' Monday, February 11 library program, titled "Home Modification.” Our speaker will be Leon Willis Watts III.
Mr. Watts will discuss why home modifications are important, and how to accomplish what is needed to age safely in one’s home for as long as possible.
In 1979, Mr. Watts opened his home repair and major modifications management company, Guardian Home Services. Most of his clients at the time were in their forties and fifties. As time passed and his clients aged, they began to ask him to help them manage their personal business and help them to successfully age in their own homes. These requests led Mr. Watts to return to USC at age 62 to get his masters degree in Gerontology, to learn how he could better serve his clients.
Mr. Watts is now a Learning and Development Specialist with USC’s Davis School of Gerontology, where he teaches an online course called “The Ethics of Home Modifications.” Alongside his work at USC, he continues to manage clients that are over 80, to help them remain as independent as possible in their homes. He is also working to develop a cadre of various types of professionals who can help aging adults and their families with life tools, reliable information, and assistance.
The free presentation will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Attendees are invited to stay afterward and socialize. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
The DMV's Senior Ombudsman Tressa Thompson returned for a second year to answer 55 attendees' questions, primarily about the new RealID card and about the DMV's license renewal requirements for senior drivers.
All of the information that Ms. Thompson provided is available online at the DMV website's Senior Driver Portal.
You can click the following link if you just want to Download DMV Senior Guide for Safe Driving. View that Guide online here.
Ms. Thompson's direct phone number is (310) 615-3552.
Please come to Palisades Alliance for Seniors' Monday, January 28 library program, titled "Seniors and Safe Driving.”
Our speaker will be Tressa Thompson, Senior Driver Ombudsman at the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
The DMV’s Senior Driver Ombudsman Program was established to help all drivers maintain their driving independence for as long as they can do so safely. The Senior Driver Ombudsman Program strives to address specific concerns of senior drivers, including education and training, and to assist as a liaison to ensure that senior drivers are treated fairly and consistently when faced with changes in physical, visual and/or mental abilities.
The free presentation will take place in the Palisades Branch Library's Community Room, and run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Attendees are invited to stay afterward and socialize. The library is located at 861 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.