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By Paul Bridgewater

Michigan legislators are

making cuts in mental health at a time when they should be looking at increases to match the population growth of older adults.

By 2030, the number of

older adults in our country is expected to double, reaching 70 million.

This will represent the

most varied group in history in terms of gender balance, ethnic mix, income levels, living arrangements, and qual- ity of physical and mental health.

According to the editors

of Mental Wellness in Aging, this new population of older adults will challenge assump- tions about mental health and chronological age because of its diversity.

“Young-old” baby boomers

will demand the highest qual- ity of life. Before getting sick, they’ll turn to interventions to stay well. They’ll require more effective treatments in medical and health care, in- cluding pharmacology and psychotherapy.

After all, many of them have

already learned to take control of their own destinies, and psychotherapy is an accepted part of taking care of oneself.

I count myself among to-

morrow’s older adults, and I know that we will not be pas- sive patients.

We will bring a different set

of life skills to the process of aging, and we’ll want to part- ner with our health providers in determining our care.

We just have to hope that

sufficient numbers of health care professionals will be skilled in geriatric care to help us.

As a life-long student of ger-

ontology, I’m impressed with the comprehensive approach to mental health issues in Mental Wellness and Aging. The editors, Drs. Judah Ronch and Joseph Goldfield, will be guests on “The Senior Solu-

The Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS) will offer the public a chance to view the film studio process up close with its fundraiser event, “A Stroll Through Time,” on Sat-

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Mental wellness in aging

changing as we witness a shift to health and wellness with a holistic framework.

Already, many senior cen-

ters are becoming wellness centers to better respond to the needs of the total person. Through their holistic ap- proach to services, opportuni- ties are provided to combine and address physical, social, emotional, intellectual, voca- tional, spiritual and financial aspects of an individual’s life.

Normal aging may bring un-

Paul Bridgewater

tion” radio show at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 27 (107.5 FM, WGPR), and I am looking for- ward to my conversation with them.

In compiling their book,

they present approaches for individuals to engage and strengthen their own abilities to promote successful aging. They also challenge health care professionals to build on the existing strengths of their patients.

And since we are all aging

together, Drs. Ronch and Goldfield hope that aging will become a matter of personal interest for the consumer and health professional alike.

We’re learning that 30 per-

cent of longevity can be at- tributed to heredity, and the remainder of a person’s lon- gevity and wellness is a direct result of his or her lifestyle, including diet, exercise, smok- ing habits, and preventive care. If you talk to adults currently in their eighties and nineties, they will let you know that the quality of their years is critical to them – not just the number of years.

A lot of advances in medi-

cal care are allowing individu- als to live longer with many of the physical ailments of aging, but less attention has been focused on the ways in which an individual’s good mental health contributes to quality of life.

Fortunately, this picture is

urday, May 22, at Stage3 Stu- dios in Warren.

Guests will visit the past, present and future of COTS, as they stroll through studio

planned changes, including the loss of loved ones and de- cline in health.

While many older adults

will adapt to these changes, others will not. Similarly, some of us will have greater difficulty in our ensuring well- ness than others.

What we can all do, howev-

er, is make wellness a priority and commit to learning what it takes to remain well.

We can take the time to

learn about what happens to our senses as we age, particu- larly our hearing and vision. We can learn about why diet, movement, rest and sleep are critical to our survival. We can become students of our own bodies and conditions, and we can do our part preventing dis- ease.

Knowledge is power, and

with the right information, we can make decisions for our- selves based on available op- tions.

The magic words in aging

and long-term care are choice and self-determination. The sooner we embrace these con- cepts — particularly those of us who are the “young-old” — the sooner we’ll embrace positive, successful aging.

Tune in to “The Senior Solu-

tion” on WGPR 107.5FM every Saturday morning at 10 a.m., hosted by Paul Bridgewater, resident and CEO, Detroit Area Agency on Aging. The Detroit Area Agency on Aging is located at 1333 Brewery Park Blvd., Suite 200, Detroit, MI 48207; (313) 446-4444;

www.daaa1a.org.

COTS offers studio tour, more

spaces usually reserved for film professionals.

For ticket information, con- tact Robyn Smith at (313) 576- 0223.

March 24-30, 2010

Page C-2

Jones keynote speaker at 15th Annual Women’s History Month Luncheon

Native Detroiter Ingrid

Saunders Jones, senior vice president of Global Communi- ty Connections for The Coca- Cola Company and chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation will be the keynote speaker at the Women’s Informal Network (WIN) 15th Annual Women’s History Month Luncheon on March 27.

The annual program rec-

ognizes the accomplishments and contributions of thirteen African-American

throughout Metro Detroit. The 2010 WIN honorees are

G. Asenath-Andrews, princi- pal, Catherine Ferguson High School; SaTrice Coleman- Betts, director, St. Patrick Senior Center; Paulette Boggs,

Ingrid Saunders Jones

human resources director, Consumers Energy; Durene

women

Brown, ombudsman, City of Detroit; Sharon Brumfield, ed- ucator, Mumford High School; Helen Ford, director of diversi- ty, AAA of Michigan; Monique Baker-McCormick, real estate owner/entrepreneur; Lori Rob- inson, editor, BLAC Detroit magazine; Charlene Mitchell- Rodgers, consultant/entrepre- neur; Dawn Spencer, founder, AugMe Non-profit, national radio sales professional; Deb- orah Virgiles, MacDonald franchise owner; and Equilla Wainwright, vice president, diversity and community re- sponsibility, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

For further information on

the WIN luncheon, contact the Women’s Informal Network at (313) 570-7516.

Campylobacter outbreak in Michigan linked to consumption of raw milk products

The Michigan Department

of Community Health (MDCH) recently issued a public health alert regarding illness from campylobacter

infec-

tions among people who have reported consuming raw milk products obtained from the Family Farms Cooperative in Vandalia, Michigan.

Family Farms Cooperative

operates a cow share program where members own part of a cow and in return receive raw dairy products.

The milk for the Family

Farm Cooperative cow share program comes from a dairy farm in Indiana.

The plastic containers

of raw milk have the follow- ing information on a green and white cap: “Forest Grove Dairy, Middlebury,

Indiana;

raw cow’s milk, warning, not pasteurized, 128 fl oz.”

Cow share programs are not It is never too late to make

improvement in one’s diet, and this applies to all age groups.

Following are a few tips. Drink more water, herbal

teas and juice. Avoid soda. Keep the consumption of

fried foods to a minimum.

inspected or regulated under Michigan law. These prod- ucts are not available at retail stores.

A total of eight confirmed

campylobacter cases have been reported in Macomb, Washtenaw, and Wayne coun- ties. No hospitalizations have been reported to date.

Ages of the ill range from

2 to 51 years and the major- ity are young children under 4 years old with onset of illness beginning in early March.

The outbreak investigation

is ongoing with efforts to de- termine how widely these un- regulated products are being distributed.

“Raw or unpasteurized milk

and dairy products may carry many types of disease-causing germs such as campylobacter, salmonella and E. coli,” said Dr. Gregory Holzman, chief medical executive for MDCH.

“People need to be aware

that raw milk and raw dairy products have not been heat treated or pasteurized to kill germs.”

Campylobacter is a bacterial

illness causing diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and abdominal cramps two to five days after exposure. Illness may persist for one to two weeks.

Some people require treat-

ment. The elderly, infants, and those with weak immune systems are more likely to have a severe or enduring ill- ness.

Persons who are ill with

these symptoms and have consumed raw milk recently should consult with their medical provider and ask about being tested for campy- lobacter infection.

Campylobacter illness is a

reportable communicable dis- ease in Michigan.

Dietary changes for better health

Eat smaller portions (and

it is not always necessary to “clean your plate”).

Use less salt. Lighten up on desserts. Back away from processed

foods, opting for fresh instead. Remember, “Fresh is best. Frozen is second. Canned is non-preferred choice” (Canned

foods are loaded with salt, chemicals, damaging preser- vatives, etc.

Do not eat regularly at fast

food restaurants. Take a high potency vita-

min supplement every day. Eat whole wheat bread. Avoid large meals at late

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