50 Plus

A guide to good living in the Brazos Valley

Inside...

Mental health

What to do when someone no longer remembers

Pg. 4

Travel

Tips for staying healthy while traveling Pg. 11

July 2014 • Vol. 11, Issue 4 • A monthly publication of the Bryan-College Station Eagle

Brazos Valley July 4 events PAGE 6

Are expired medications still safe?

PAGE 9

How to interview a financial advisor Recently this column has discussed wa to calculate and monitor whether ways you will have ha enough money for your retirement years. If you want to be accurate and safe, the calculations you will use are complex. You will need a financial ad advisor to help you.

If you choose to consider hiring a financial advisor advisor, visor, use the following questions in your TraCy STewar ewarT ewar arT initial appointment. iTer FiNaNcial liTeracy What is your employment history? If the advisor ad has moved firms often, ask for clear explanations. If none are give gi n, skip this person. If you are still interested, check out this advisor ad with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority at www. finra.org/Inve nra.org/In stors/ToolsCalculators/ nra.org/Inve BrokerCheck. Even better, better inve in stigate potential financial advisors ad bef e your befor first meeting with them.

What are your qualifications?

Ask about his or her licenses and certifications. Befor Bef e hiring this advisor, advisor visor, learn about the quality of the certifications on the Finra website. Go to

the web address: http://apps.finra.org/ DataDirectory/1/prodesignations.aspx to learn about those certifications that adorn the business card. Certifications that take years to attain are better quality than those with a quickie course and open-book test.

How are you paid? A financial ad advisor should be able to hand you a written description of how you will pay pa him or her. Methods of compensation can include an hourly hour rate, a flat rate, a percentage of your inve in stments, a commission from products he/she sells you, or a combination of commission and hourly hour fees.

What are your other clients like? You are looking for two pieces of infor inf mation. One is how much the ad advisor tells you about his or her clients.

Is there a breach of confidentiality?

If so, assume that your priva pri te inf mation will also be made public. infor The second is to find out whether this ad advisor is a good fit for you. When the other clients are similar to you in their attitude toward risk, wealth level, age

See Good fit pa 8 page

50 Plus is a monthly publication of Bryan-College Station Communications Inc. 1729 Briarcrest Drive Bryan, Texas PUBLISHER Crystal DuPre

DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING

SPECIAL PROJECT PR S EDITOR/ PUBLICA PUBLICATION DESIGNER Shauna Lewis shauna.lewis@theeagle.com

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DISPL ADVER DISPLAY ADVERTISING VERTISING MANA MANAGER Linda Brinkman

SP SPECIAL PROJECTS/ PROJECT OJECTS/ MARKETING COORDINATO ORDINA R ORDINATO Erika Liesman

CONTENTS

Mental: When one no longer remembers Physical therapy: Vertigo and dizziness Feature: Brazos Valley July 4 events Travel: Travel and still stay healthy

4 5 6 11

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Memory athlete gimmicks Tip 3: SVO

“Moon Walking with Einstein” is the title of a recent memory improvement book written by Joshua Foer, er a reporter of memory er, championships. Foer became so entranced by watching astonishing memory feats in the contests that he decided to learn the secrets. After talking to memory athletes, he started practicing the techniques, and within a few years became a memory champion himself. You could do that, too!

Memory athletes are those seeming freaks of nature who enter contests to see how fast they can memorize the sequence of four shuffl shuf ed decks of cards or how long a string of digits they can memorize. But dr. BILL KLeMM memory athletes are THe MeMory MeDic not freaks. They are ordinary people like Foer, er you and me, who have er, ha learned some gimmicks that make possible the seemingly impossible.

Here, I will describe the simplest and easiest gimmick to use. I call it

SVO, which stands for SUBJECT (or actor or agent), VERB and OBJECT. This is the intuitive intuiti way we think with our language. Usually the subject is a person, which is why others call this technique POA (for (f person, object, action). But animals or inanimate things can do things, too. The trick is to visualize, using lots of imagination, an actor doing something relating to an object … as in moon walking with Einstein. Memorization is made easy because the images are so bizarre and vi vivid.

I will illustrate the principles with Foer’s method for memorizing the sequence of a deck of cards. He didn’t explain his method completely, deliberately I think, because he probably did not want to be “drummed out” of the elite memory athlete club to which he had been initiated. Not knowing his particular scheme, I will conjure an illustration of how all cards can be visualized. For example, the suits might be as follows: • Spades: Batman (black, darkness) dar • Clubs: Tiger Woods (re: golf clubs)

• Diamonds: Diamond Jim Brady (diamond tie stud) or Za Za Gabor (who famously said, “Daaahling, always wear your diamonds, even to the grocery store. You never know who you will run into”).

• Hearts: Somebody you love Then, to associate the card number with the suit, you could use the number code, which is another tip that I will explain later. But as an illustration, the number four is coded as “rye,” which can be a picture of a field of grain or a bottle of rye whisky, whichever you prefer. Thus, for example, the four of clubs would be visualized as Tiger Woods (SUBJECT) teeing off of (VERB) on a bottle or rye whisky (OBJECT), instead of a golf ball. What does one do with the face cards? They can be con rted to numbers, too: Jack = 11, conve Queen = 12, King = 13, Ace = 1 (Or 14; the number code for one is “tie” and you don’t want to get confused if you are using Diamond Jim Brady as your code for diamonds).

Finally, Foer did mention that he clusters three sequential cards into one

Senior Circle is out to expand your horizons with an exciting calendar of events scheduled around town and around the world. If you’re 50 or better, better want to meet new people, learn more about your health, travel and just have fun, then Senior Circle is for you. Dues are just $15 a year. To join or for more information, call Mandy Williams at 979-764-5107 or visit CSMedCenter.com. Become part of the Circle.

image, so that he only has to memorize 17 items, with one item left over, er er, instead of 52.

Well, most of us aren’t going to enter memory contests or card-count in Vegas (they catch on to you pretty quick). So, how do we apply this to everyday life? You could use this SOV approach to play a better game of bridge. But many events in daily life are better remembered this way.

First, a simple illustration: • Capital of Arkansas Ar (Little Rock): most people know Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas Ar . Visualize Clinton (SUBJECT) throwing (VERB) a little rock (OBJECT) at Noah’s ark ar (… ansas) Now, here is a more complex example where you can string together multiple items to be remembered: • Harvey’s discovery of the circulatory system: Everybody knows that the heart is key, because it pumps

See Memory mor mory pa 9 page

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When someone no longer remembers

My memory isn’t what it was.

The minute I turned 50, something happened. It’s as if small holes began to develop in my brain, and little bits of infor inf mation started to disappear.

In fact, I sometimes refer to myself as “Swiss Cheese Brain,” and the holes seem to grow in number and size as the days go by.

The loss of bits of infor inf mation can eventually become the loss of memories. When this begins to happen, we lose pieces of our past and our relationships. If memory loss continues, it can seem like the walls are closing in and that our live li s are shrinking.

Some memory issues can become serious indeed. Many have ha faced the following scenario.

First, you realize they’re a little forgetful.

Then something Gary roe happens and you Hospice discover it’s more than that. As time goes on, you come to the realization they’ll

remember less next month than they do today.

Finally, you’re hit with the boulder of truth: they no longer remember.

They no longer remember because they can’t. This is the valley of Dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Perhaps because I’m a chaplain, my mind goes to Psalm 23, and the star statement, “Even though I walk stark through the valley of the shadow of death ...”

The original Hebrew of this phrase means to journey slowly and carefully through a deep, dark dar place we’ve never been befor bef e. It’s very differ dif ent from the green pastures and still waters that came befor bef e. This valley is nothing like the life we’ve known up to this point.

For our purposes here, we’ll call it “The Valley of No Longer Remembering.” For those who have ha to walk this valley with someone close to them, there are three important facts to keep in mind.

Fact #1: You aren’t alone on this

journey.

In the Valley-of-No-LongerRemembering, there are plenty of other people here. They, ey too, are ey, scared, wondering and troubled.

Together, ther we can not only get through ther, this, but make a huge differ dif ence in the li s of those we love. live Dementia and Alzheimer’s are terrible diseases. After interacting with dozens of patients and their families, the picture that comes to my mind is of a jigsaw puzzle with thousands of pieces. This puzzle represents the person’s life - their experiences, relationships and memories.

At one time all the pieces were there and intact, showing to the world a full, beautiful life. Then one day, a piece disappears. The person looks for it, but can’t find it. It’s just gone.

Then another piece disappears. Then another.

Over time more pieces disappear, ppear ppear, revealing gaps in the picture of their life. Finally there are more gaps than puzzle pieces left.

“It’s like I’m losing him in pieces,” Samantha said of her husband Stan.

“He’s slowly slipping away. I’ve been losing him for years.”

Losing a person one piece at a time.

This is awful. Excruciating.

How do you handle this? This brings us to the second important fact.

Fact #2: They may no longer remember, but you do.

You can choose to remember them as they once were. Hang on to the good and wonderful times. Tell the stories.

This can give gi you the courage and strength to face who they’re becoming.

You’re not alone. Ever. They can no longer remember, member but you can. member, When dementia and Alzheimer’s in de, they change the rules of life. inva You inherit a double load. You didn’t ask for or want it. You had no say in it at all.

See Not remembering in ing pa 8 page

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How to address vertigo and dizziness problems

vision disturbances, hearing changes, I recently centl have been experiencing a cently cognitive gniti and psychological changes gnitive “spinning” sensation and feel the need and other symptoms (e.g. nausea, to hold on to something when I get up headaches, pain and pressure). If it is or walk. This started suddenly suddenl and is determined that you have ha a vestibular getting worse. wor My friend had something disorder, der a variety of treatments may der, similar and said physical therap therapy apy be used depending on your symptoms, resolved it. I’m skeptical. How can you medical history, history general health, help me? -- E.B., Brya Br n physical examination and test results.

Great question; Some likely treatments include: not many people Vestibular Rehabilitation know that physical Therapy (VRT): an exercise-based therapists can help program that helps the nervous system with dizziness and compensate for inner ear deficits. This vertigo problems. has been proven to be very effecti effective fective for Because these can many of the most common vestibular also be symptoms problems, including BVVP. VP Even people VP. of more serious who have ha had unresolved inner ear problems, it is Leon Bradway dw dway problems for a while, have ha tried other important to see a medical treatments with little success, medical practitioner Herapy pHysical THerap or have ha had surgery for vestibular sooner than later. problems can benefit from VRT. What That being said, the symptoms of is VRT? When the vestibular organs dizziness and lightheadedness can are damaged, accurate infor inf mation be caused by a vestibular disorder, der in der, about balance and motion is not which case, there are many effecti effective, fective, available to the brain -- resulting in nonin sive noninva si treatments that can help. dizziness and vertigo. In many cases, Most vestibular problems are caused the brain adjusts and the symptoms by disease or injury. However, er your er, go away on their own in a week or en onment, genetics and the aging envir two. However, er if the brain does not er, process can also cause vestibular adjust, the person may compensate issues. The most commonly diagnosed with new patterns of movement to vestibular disorders include benign eliminate symptoms, and these can paroxysmal positional vertigo (BVVP), cause additional problems, including vestibular neuritis, Meniere’s disease and secondary endolymphatic hydrops. headaches, muscle tension and fatigue.

It is important to seek medical assistance from someone with experience in vestibular disorders to ensure you get the correct diagnosis, initially. You can go directly to an experienced physical therapist for an evaluation, someone BUPPY’S FAMOUS BBQ AND OTHER DAILY IL ENTREES PLUS SIDES ILY with vestibular disorder SALAD BAR • ASSORTED DESSERTS ALWAYS WA WAYS INCLUDES DRINK & TAX training and you can go to TUES- THURS • ADULTS ADUL $10 & KIDS $6 UNDER 3 EAT EA FREE your family physician. I would recommend seeing FRIDA • ADULTS FRIDAY ADUL $11 & KIDS $6 UNDER 3 EAT EA FREE your physician first, but if medical treatments don’t resolve the problem, ask for a referral to an experienced physical therapist. In my practice, One Price Includes Everything! we work closely with the KIDS(4-10) physicians to ensure the patient recovers quickly.

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Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers (i.e., The Epley Maneuver) – a treatment used to move the small crystals of calcium carbonate dislodged by injury, injury age or illness (BVVP).

Moving these crystals will stop false signals and the debilitating symptoms.

It is important that this treatment be perfor perf med by a qualified physical therapist with experience using this procedure to safeguard against neck or back injury. This maneuver is effecti effective fective and recurrence of symptoms is low.

Home-based exercises, medication, surgery – Home-based exercise programs are perfor perf med in the clinic and at home. The more consistent you are in perfor perf ming these at home, the sooner you will see results. Make sure these are prescribed by a qualified physical therapist and that you understand how to perfor perf m them properly oper to operly avoid additional injury, injury pain and muscle strain. Medication may be prescribed depending on the phase of your disorder. When other medical treatments are not effecti effective, fective, surgery may be necessary. Whether you have ha surgery or not, you will likely still see

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a physical therapist befor bef e and after surgery.

Please keep in mind that the exercises and activities acti in lved in invo your treatment can at first increase the symptoms as your body and brain attempt to sort through the new movements. It is important to stick with the program and not give gi up.

There is a very high success rate for those who stick with the program. It is important to note that things such as a bad cold or flu, minor surgery or things that disrupt your normal daily activity acti (f a few days) can (for result in “decompensation” or the brain forgetting what it learned, and the symptoms reoccur temporarily.

However, er if you immediately return to er, your home-based program, you should quickly recover from symptoms. If the symptoms persist, it is important to seek a diagnosis and medical treatment in the event additional vestibular damage has occurred.

Leon Brad Br way is a doctor of phys ph ical therap erapy erap apy and director of the Sports Back and Pain Manage na ment Clinic. See www. nage www bvphys bvph physicaltherap erapy. erap apy.com.

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Brazos Valley Independence Day events

By STACY HENRY Special to The Eagle

The Brazos Valley will be celebrating the Fourth of July with several firework shows and events throughout the area.

Old-Fashioned 4th of July event The Brazos Heritage Society’s 28th annual OldFashioned 4th of July event will be held in Heritage Park at the intersection of 30th and Hutchins streets in Bryan.

The event will run from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

“Our event is intended as a community-wide celebration of America’s Independence and its history,” said Randy Hilliard, events chair. “The event is free and offers a flag raising and tribute by the Sojourners, patriotic and popular music by Proud Country, a children’s parade and games, refreshments (hot dogs, popcorn, lemonade and iced tea) at old-fashioned prices, and free watermelon.”

Exhibit tables will be set up by local non-profits.

Some exhibits will include those by A&M Garden Club, American Red Cross, Brazos Spinners and Weavers Guild, Daughters of the American Revolution, Museum of the American GI, the Brazos Bluebonnet Quilt Guild and the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History.

In addition to the exhibitors, a silent auction will be held, featuring items donated by local merchants, including Benjamin Knox, Brazos Glassworks, Brazos Valley Bombers, Jim.n.i, Lady Camo, Southern Grace and Texas Rose Boutique, Hilliard said. Additional donations from Texas sports teams (Dallas Stars, FC Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys) and Disneyland Anaheim will also be included in the silent auction.

“We feel this event is unique in that our focus is not only patriotism and celebrating the Fourth of July, as important as those are, but also on community as a whole and our local heritage,” Hilliard said. “Heritage Park is nestled in the Eastside Historic District of Bryan among beautiful homes built in the early days of Bryan by many of her founding families. We offer a nice mix of children’s and adult activities to provide an enjoyable experience for the whole family within this historic setting.

Additionally, we bring community attention to some of the wonderful nonprofit organizations that, like the Brazos Heritage Society, serve various needs within the community.”

For more information on this event visit http://brazosheritage.org.

Top left photo: A man pulls children in a wagon during Brazos Heritage Society’s annual Old-Fashioned 4th of July event last year. Bottom left: People serve watermelon at last year’s Old-Fashioned 4th of July event. Center photo: The George Bush Library and Museum puts on its fireworks display during last year’s annual “I Love America” Celebration.

6 | July 1, 2014

charge for activities.

“Fireworks on the Brazos is a unique opportunity for our guests and patrons to spend this important holiday at one of the state’s premier historic sites, enjoying historic programming, 1850s games and toys, museum exhibits, live music by the Josh Ward Band, Bluebell ice cream, H-E-B sodas, great retail opportunities and cap the day with an outstanding fireworks display,” said Catherine G. Nolte, event coordinator.

Various park venues open at differing times, with tours of Independence Hall beginning at 10 a.m., the Star of the Republic Museum opening at 10 a.m., and Barrington Farm opening at noon. The gift shop is also open for extended hours, until 9 p.m.

A concert by Josh Ward will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the park’s amphitheater, and a fireworks display will follow the concert beginning at 9:30 p.m. Buses will run from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the park, to shuttle guests to different areas of the park at no charge.

“This event is held in respect and admiration for our National Independence, and it is fitting that this takes place ‘where Texas became Texas,’ Nolte said. “The Washington-on-The-Brazos Park Association makes the event possible and provides free shuttle buses to move visitors to all areas of the park. We recommend folks come early and plan to stay late, bringing chairs, flashlights and a festive attitude.”

For more information on this event, call 936-878-2214 ext. 221 or email Washington.Brazos@tpwd.texas.gov.

Chappell Hill Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July Parade The 38th annual Chappell Hill Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July parade will begin at 10 a.m. and will pass through downtown Chappell Hill along Main Street.

Fireworks on the Brazos Fireworks on the Brazos, presented by H-E-B, will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

This event will be held at Washingtonon-The-Brazos State Historic Site, and admission is free; however, there is a

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Following the parade, Cool Rods in Chappell Hill will take place. This event will feature unique and antique automobiles, as well as other motorized vehicles. Those attending the event will have an opportunity to get a close look at many rare and interesting automobiles and to meet their owners. The automobile display area is on the Poplar Street Lot, just off of Main Street, where the parade entries/vehicles line up.

In addition to the Cool Rods display, guests will enjoy live music by Haley Cole, a train giving free children’s rides, face painting, snow cones, ice cream, barbecue, hamburgers, hot dogs, farm fresh foods, funnel cakes, cookies, desserts, wine tasting, old fashioned soda, beer, and other food and refreshments. The Cool Rods event starts at 10 a.m. and continues until 1:30 p.m.

“This is the best small town July 4th event in Texas,” Roger Ranch, event coordinator, said. “It’s a unique blend country and patriotism in the heart of Texas.”

For more information on this event visit https:// chappellhilltx.com.

“I Love America” Celebration The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station will host the College Station Noon Lions Club’s Fourth of July “I Love America” Celebration.

The museum will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. with free admission for everyone all day. Live entertainment, concessions and games for children begin at 5 p.m. The evening will culminate with a spectacular fireworks display and concert by the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, presented by H-E-B, Wells Fargo and Union Pacific.

Free parking is available to the public at Reed Arena and the West Campus Parking Garage on the Texas A&M University campus. Shuttles will begin running at 4:30 p.m. from the garage to the museum.

For more information, call 979 691-4014 or email reservations.bush@nara.gov. For a full schedule of events, visit http://bushlibrary. tamu.edu/museum/events/2014/661/.

Fourth of July Parade and Celebration The Fourth of July Parade and Celebration in Round Top will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a parade that will circle Round Top Square.

The Round Top community has celebrated the Fourth of July every year since 1851, and this celebration is known as the longest running Fourth of July celebration west of the Mississippi, according to the Round Top Rifle Association’s website.

After the parade a barbecue will be held at the historic Round Top Rifle Hall. The celebration will continue with music, a raffle and games for the kids until 4 p.m. when the local band sets up for the afternoon’s dance.

For more information on this event visit www.roundtoprifle.com.

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Upper right photo: Visitors observe Independence Day during George Bush Library and Museum’s annual “I Love America” Celebration last year. Lower right: A boy gets his faced painted during the 2013 “I Love America” Celebration.

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Good fit

from page pa 2 and financial goals, the fit might be good.

What services do you offer? of Know what your needs are and verify that this ad advisor’s specialty meets those needs with his or her other clients. Check for consistency between the services and products offer of ed and the credentials on the business card.

Who else will be working on my account? Financial planning often in lves others in the office invo of or the assistance of outside professionals.

Don’t hesitate to meet the others working with you; gather infor inf mation about their qualifications and in lvement in your inve invo in stments. If any outside professionals are used, such as an attorney, ney insurance agent or tax ney, specialist, get a list of their names and check on their backgrounds.

Not remembering from page pa 4

You may feel angry or trapped.

That’s OK. Many feel more anxious, and even depressed. That’s also natural.

Then on top of everything, there’s the unwanted boatload of worry that comes sailing into your port, represented by questions like: “What’s going to happen?”

“How can I keep this up?”

“What if I get sick or something happens to me?”

“Why is this happening? What’s the purpose in this?”

You think, “They don’t deserve this.

The family doesn’t deserve this. I don’t deserve this!”

There are no easy answers. One thing is certain: your life has changed forever.

You didn’t want this, but now that it’s here, what do you do?

This is an opportunity for truly selfless service. You are serving someone who can give gi nothing in return. There will come a time when they can’t say thank you or show any appreciation. And they won’t remember what you did later.

This kind of deep service counts.

This is part of love, and love always matters. You may not see the differ dif ence you’re making, but this doesn’t diminish love’s power in any way.

8 | July 1, 2014

How much time will you spend with me? Advisors Ad usually contact their clients quarterly ter . This can terly range from a statement of inve in stment perf mance to a face-to-face perfor ce-to-f ce-to-face meeting.

Find out how accessible this advisor ad will be for you by phone, email and appointments.

Is this firm a SIPC member? SIPC is the Securities Inve In stor Protection Corporation. Congress mandates that it maintain a special reserve to protect customers of insolvent brokerage firms. Not all inve in stments are protected

by SIPC, and SIPC is not the FDIC. Some ineligible inve in stments are future contracts, limited partnerships and fixed annuities. Some firms are actually a group of firms. Be sure your money will be inve in sted with the firm that is a member of SIPC. May I have ha your ADV AD form? If the firm does not have ha an ADV AD form, get up and leave lea the office of . This form is required of inve in stment advisors ad to register with both the SEC and the state

securities board. The form comes in two parts. Part 1 includes infor inf mation about the business, ownership, clients, employees and disciplinary actions.

Part 2 is a narrative ti written in plain tive English about the kinds of services of ed, the fee schedule, disciplinary offer inf mation, conflicts of interest and infor backgrounds.

What kinds of inve in stments do you recommend? Do you get an answer you can understand? Don’t inve in st in anything that you do not understand.

It is crucial that you know where your money is inve in sted and that your advisor ad chooses inve in stments in your best interests and to meet your needs, not his or her needs.

If you leave lea this firm, can I follow you or will I be assigned a replacement broker? Know what your options are if your broker leave lea s. Find out if there would be any fees associated with following your broker to another firm. Know whom to call if you receive cei ceive notice that your broker is gone.

And in caring for your loved one, you become one of the examples our world so desperately needs. You become a hero. Without trying to be so, and perhaps feeling you’re at the end of your rope, you become an inspiration to those around you.

I believe there are very special blessings that come with this kind of serving-those-who-can’t-give ho-can’t-gi -backho-can’t-give and-won’t-remember-later caregiving.

These are blessings you may not be aware of until years later. True service and selfless love have ha immeasurable impact. The ripple effects ef go on forever.

Even in the midst of dementia and Alzheimer’s, love can win. Love will triumph. It may not be with a trumpet blast, a parade or a host of wonderful feelings. It may win quietly, in the depths of your own heart, in ways that you’re not aware of. Love wins because you dared to endure in the face of losing-your-loved-one-by-pieces.

You walked the valley-of-no-longerremembering with them.

That’s courageous, loving and heroic.

good care of yourself.

And finally, on behalf of those who can no longer tell you, let me say it: “Thank you for being with me. I can’t do this alone, but I can with you. You’re my hero. I love you.”

Fact #3: Dementia and Alzheimer’s will not win. You can love them, and yourself, through this.

Your presence and your touch matters. Keep reaching out to them.

Learn to appreciate the power of still, quiet moments, just the two of you.

Surround them with talk about special objects full of meaning. Enlist the help of others to make sure you’re taking

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Arm yourself with infor inf mation. If something doesn’t check out or make sense in the first meeting, skip that ad advisor and move to the next one. Plan and prepare carefully and thoroughly bef e making a commitment. Measure befor twice and cut once.

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T H E B R YA N - C O L L E G E S TAT I O N E A G L E

Are expired medications still safe?

most likely suffer no ill effects.

It is 2 a.m. and that cough and stuffy nose you have been battling is still keeping you up. You reach for the nighttime cold relief medicine only to find it expired a few months ago. If you take a dose to ease your symptoms, will you be putting yourself at risk?

According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, the expiration date on a medicine is not the dates when a drug becomes hazardous. Rather, it marks the period of time after which a drug company can no longer guarantee the efficacy of the medication. Since 1979, drug manufacturers selling medications in the United States have been required by the Food and Drug Administration to stamp an expiration date on their products. This is the date until which the manufacturer can still guarantee full potency of the drug.

This situation is a relatively common occurrence. Many medicine cabinets are stocked with over-thecounter drugs as well as prescription medications that may be past their expiration dates. It is a good idea to routinely discard expired medicines, but if you happen to take a drug that has passed its expiration date, you will

Expiration dates also may be a marketing ploy. Francis Flaherty, a retired FDA pharmacist, has said drug manufacturers put expiration dates on products for marketing purposes rather than scientific reasons. It doesn’t make financial sense to a company to have products on the shelves for years. Therefore, most drug

Metro Creative Connection

Memory

from page pa 3

do any other sense.

Another way to make the point is with the age-old phenomenon of fairy tales. Fairy tales often carry a moral that we want our children to remember. A few fairy tales are even for adults, with the political protest embedded as a metaphor. In any case, a fairy tale is easy to remember because it is visually vivid, vi with people acting

blood. See the heart (SUBJECT) as pumping (VERB) blood (OBJECT) out on to the main traffic traf artery, tery like a tery, freeway. Imagine you as an image of Harvey (like Harvey the rabbit in the movie) riding in a boat in the blood ri r. See the boat slow down and start rive to back up as it leave lea s on the off of ramp. Maybe you want to think of the boat going through a hole (“ole” for arteriole) to get to the off of ramp.

Comfort Keepers provides the Then see the boat stop kind of non-medical in-home care at the stop light (covered services that help people maintain with baseball caps … full and independent lives, liv all in the capillary). Then, the comfort and familiar surroundings green boat goes back of their own ow home. We would be up on the access road happy to arrange a free in-home (because Harvey had visit to help you learn more. gotten off of too soon, in vain (vein). This schema • Light Housekeeping also helps as a metaphor Errands, Shopping for associating function at • Incidental Transportation the various locations.

• Laundry While all this seems • Recreation, Crafts bizarre, it works with • Grooming, Dressing great power. Facts and • Personal Personal Care Care Services Serv Se rvices ices concepts memorized this way are robustly encoded and readily consolidated into lasting memory because humans are visual animals. We ha far more brain area have devoted to vision than we T H E B RYA N - C O L L E G E S TAT I O N E A G L E

manufacturers will not do long-term testing on products to confirm if they will be effective 10 to 15 years after manufacture.

The U.S. military has conducted their own studies with the help of the FDA. FDA researchers tested more than 100 over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Around 90 percent were proven to still be effective long past the expiration date — some for more than 10 years. Drugs that are stored in cool, dark places have a better chance of lasting because the fillers used in the product will not separate or start to break down as they might in a warm, humid environment.

Storing medicines in the refrigerator can prolong their shelf life.

Although a pharmacist cannot legally advise consumers to use medication past an expiration date, most over-the-counter pain relievers and drugs in pill form should still be fine. Certain liquid antibiotics and on or with things.

SVO is perhaps the most flexible memory device. Use it for simple memory tasks or for truly demanding memory challenges.

drugs made up of organic materials can expire faster than others. For those who still want to err on the safe side, routinely clean out medications from cabinets once they expire. However, if an expired medication is taken by mistake, there’s little need to worry about potentially adverse effects.

Bill Klemm is author of two books on improving impr in memory, ing ry Memory ry, ry Power 101 andd Better Grad Gr es, es Less Effor Effort.. His blog is at thankyo thank ubrain.b ubr logspot.com.

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July 1, 2014 | 9

CALENDAR Ongoing

Sit and Fit Chair Exercises - Get a workout while sitting in a chair. Seniors meet at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from noon to 1 p.m. For more details, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Line Dancing - Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, holds line dancing for seniors on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact 979764-6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Bluegrass Jam Session – Bluegrass Jam Session is held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. All levels welcome. Bring string instruments and a friend. For more details, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Friday Bridge - Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, offers of bridge for seniors every Friday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. For more, contact 979-764-

10 | July 1, 2014

6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

42 dominoes - Seniors meet every Thursday to play 42 at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. New players welcome. For more details, contact 979764-6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Bible study – Bible study is held for seniors at 9:15 a.m. every Thursday at Lincoln Center, 1000 Eleanor St. in College Station. Contact Annie Williams at 979-764-3779 or awilliams@ cstx.gov for more information.

July 2

Computer Club for Seniors: “Social Media” - The Computer Club is open to all seniors interested in learning more about the computer world. Meetings are held at the Carter Creek Training Room, 2200 North Forest Parkway in College Station, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Free and no pre-registration needed. For more information contact College Station Parks and Recreation Department, Senior Services at 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

July 3

Master of Memory Class with Texas

AgriLife - This six-lesson class series will help you understand how your memory works and what may affect af your memory. “Master of Memory” will also help you identify and use strategies to improve your memory function. Class offered of at Lincoln Center starting at 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact Annie Williams at Lincoln Center at 979-764-3779 or awilliams@cstx.gov.

class gives a solid foundation in the basics of drawing. Held at Southwood Community Center on Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Drawing supplies needed. Cost of the class is $45. Register online at rectrac.cstx.gov or visit Stephen C. Beachy Central Park office, 1000 Krenek Tap Road. Call 979-764-3486 for more information.

July 7

July 15

Yoga Class - Yoga Class offered of at Southwood Community Center on Mondays or Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m. Class fee is $35 for Monday class or $35 for Wednesday class.

Register at rectrac.cstx.gov or visit Stephen C. Beachy Central Park office, 1000 Krenek Tap Road. Call 979-764-3486 for more information.

Nutrition Education at Lincoln Center Texas AgriLife presents nutrition education and will demonstrate healthy cooking and recipes at Lincoln Center, 1000 Eleanor in College Station starting at 10 a.m. Contact Annie Williams at Lincoln Center at 979-764-3779 or awilliams@ cstx.gov for more information.

July 14

July 16

Free Computer Class for Beginners – Teaches the basics of how to search the Internet and use email. Class size is limited. To register contact College Station Parks and Recreation Department, Senior Services at 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Beginning Drawing Class – Six-week

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Exploring History Histor Luncheon - The College StationHistoricPreservationCommitteeandParks and Recreation Department present monthly lectures with lunch. Dr. Walter Kamphoefner

See Calendar pa 12 page

T H E B R YA N - C O L L E G E S TAT I O N E A G L E

Travel and stay healthy at the same time Though they may need to put in some extra effort, travelers can stay true to their diet and exercise routines even when they are on the road.

Metro Creati Cr ve Connection

Healthy habits are often put aside when men and women trave tra l.

Whether trave tra ling for professional or personal reasons, even the most ardent proponents of healthy lifestyles may find themselves making less than healthy choices when they’re away from home.

Though part of the joy of trave tra l is experiencing other cultures and cuisines, such experiences should not come at the expense of your overall health. Fortunately, there are many ways men and women can trave tra l and still protect their personal health.

Be sure to get enough sleep.

Lack of sleep can lead to a host of consequences, none of which are very good for your overall health. While it might be fun to burn the candle at both ends on a business trip or vacation, such an approach will almost certainly weaken your immune system and leave you susceptible to a host of ailments.

Business travelers should keep in mind studies that have shown lack of

sleep impairs alertness, concentration and reasoning, which can make it hard to make a good impression on professional colleagues. Lack of sleep also makes it difficult to maintain adequate energy levels, making it difficult for vacationers to make the most of their time away from the office.

When traveling, try to get as much sleep as you would if you were home.

Adults typically need between seven and eight hours of sleep per night to operate at full capacity, and that rule should not be forgotten just because you’re away from home.

Book a room with a kitchen. Business travelers may find it difficult to enjoy healthy meals on the road. In lieu of dining out each night, travelers can book a room with a kitchen so they can prepare their own meals, which gives them more control over what they’re putting in their bodies. Without a kitchen in your room, you’re at the mercy of restaurants near your hotel, which may or many not have readily accessible and healthy restaurants

nearby.

Don’t abandon your exercise routine. Whether traveling on vacation or for business, you can still exercise even when you are away from home. When booking a hotel, look for one with its own exercise facilities, which you should be eligible to use the moment you check in. If you are traveling for work and your room has already been booked, then you might have to improvise if the hotel has inadequate exercise facilities or no facilities at all. Pack some jogging outfits and bathing suits so you can squeeze in a run or swim some laps while on your trip. Both exercises make for great workouts that can act as your fallback plan should you find yourself in a hotel with no exercise facilities.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Just

because you’re on the road does not mean you should relax all of your rules regarding diet and exercise. If your current diet and exercise routine is producing great results, try to stick to that routine as much as possible while you’re traveling. Many people struggle to find a successful balance of diet and exercise, so if you have managed to find that balance, don’t be quick to abandon it just because you’re on a business trip or enjoying a vacation.

When vacationing, afford yourself some dietary spoils, but keep up your good habits as well, being sure to eat your nightly helping of vegetables or your morning fruit with breakfast.

Such an approach will make it easier

See Energy erg ergy pa 12 page

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Energy

from page pa 11 to maintain your diet when you return home, and might give you the energy you need to have a more enjoyable

Calendar

from page pa 10 will present: “The Many Languages of Texas Immigration History.” Held at Aldersgate Church, 2201 Earl Rudder Freeway S. A reservation is necessary for lunch; the cost is $5. Lunch is sponsored by H.E.B and served at 11:30 a.m.

Reserve by the Friday before at 979-764-6351 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Texercise for seniors – Texercise, a free program, aims to help individuals find a path to a healthier lifestyle by sharing nutrition, health and exercise through a 12-week program. Class meets on Wednesdays and Fridays, July 16 through Sept. 26, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Southwood Community Center. Participants each receive a T-shirt, a pedometer and more. To register, contact mrodgers@cstx.gov or call 979-764-6371.

C

July 17

Bring the grandchildren and enjoy

vacation. The same goes for business travelers who should not abandon healthy eating habits just because they’re dining out or ordering room service. The more you can maintain your healthy habits away from home, the more likely you are to embrace

those habits when you are back home and away from the temptation of the road.

Employ the buddy system. The buddy system, in which you and a friend, coworker or family member, resolve to exercise and/or diet

together, can be just as effective when traveling as it is at home. Having someone there with you to sweat and make healthy dietary choices when out on the town can make it much easier to adhere to a healthy lifestyle when away from home.

the movie “Frozen” - Seniors are invited to enjoy a free movie with their grandchildren at Southwood Community Center. Movie starts at 1 p.m. Snowcones and popcorn served. Contact Southwood Community Center at 979-764-6351 or mrodgers@cstx.gov for more information.

To register contact College Station Parks and Recreation Department at 979-764-3486 or visit rectrac.cstx.gov.

are invited to a birthday celebration with cake and Bingo. Held at 1 p.m. at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road. Contact Southwood Community Center at 979-764-6351 or mrodgers@cstx.gov for more details.

July 21

Beginning Computer Class - Learn the basics of how to use Internet, e-mail and how to create a document using Microsoft Word. Class is limited in size and is offered of for two weeks on Monday and Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Southwood Community Center. Cost is $45. To register call 979-764-3486 or go to rectrac.cstx. gov.

Intermediate Computer Class - Basic computer skills required. Learn helpful tips and learn additional tool bar functions, formatting documents, use of picture tools, printers and more. Class offered of on Monday and Wednesday for two weeks from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Southwood Community Center. Cost is $45.

July 22

Seminar on legal issues for seniors – Seniors are invited to attend this free seminar and learn valuable tips on protecting yourself, family and investments. Light refreshments served.

Register by calling 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@ cstx.gov.

July 23

Family History Writers present a program on “Early Texas Ancestors” - Hear stories from local genealogists on how, when and why their ancestors came to Texas. Program begins at 9:30 a.m. at Southwood Community Center. Register at 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

July 25

Bingo and Birthday Celebration - Seniors

July 28

Senior Advisory Committee Meeting Meets on the last Monday of each month at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road starting at 10 a.m. Visitors welcome.

For more information call 979-764-6371 or email mrodgers@cstx.gov.

July 30

Watermelon with College Station Police Department - Seniors are invited to learn safety tips from the College Station Community Enhancement officers while eating cold watermelon at Southwood Community Center.

Starts at 2 p.m. Register at 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

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T H E B R YA N - C O L L E G E S TAT I O N E A G L E