Aging Well - Fall 2022

Aging Well

Welcome back to our biannual Aging Well special section, where we speak to local experts and organizations, as well as some medical professionals, on how those in South Orange County can continue to age healthily and with grace. In this fall edition of Aging Well, we ask the state’s health department to give its insights on the latest COVID-19 boosters, this year’s flu shots and what seniors should consider when taking either one as we head into the winter. Also, we highlight ways retirees can stay active in their communities by volunteering with various local nonprofit organizations and applying for seats on their respective city’s commissions and com mittees. With so many senior living communities down here in Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and most notably Rancho Mission Viejo, we take a look at some of the amenities they have to offer and the costs to live there. Lastly, in these pages, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America offers 10 steps to healthy aging— including some that it believes could help reduce the risk of developing a dementia-related illness. Find out more about all of these and other stories as you read your way through the latest Aging Well. Be sure to watch this space in the spring, when we bring you another edition to this ongoing special section.

Nutritional Needs for Older Adults

By Zach Cavanagh

hile a healthy diet and active lifestyle are important for our bodies no mat ter the age, our specific nutritional needs change as we age. Healthy eating can make an important difference in reducing the risk of chronic diseases, maintaining body weight and meeting those nutritional needs.

For adults over 60 years old, the U.S. Department of Agricul ture recommends foods with little to no added sugar, saturated fats and sodium. These, in particular, will help fend off high

blood pressure, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

The USDA also suggests eating enough protein to keep up your muscle mass and focus on nutrients such as potassium, calcium, vitamin D, dietary fiber and vitamin B12. Along with foods, healthier, hydrating drinking options are encouraged, including low or fat-free milk, 100% juice and plenty of water.

Those are the specific needs, but how can those needs be incorporated into your diet?

For proteins, the USDA recommends adding seafood, dairy or soy alternatives into your diet, as well as beans, peas and lentils. These all contribute to keeping up muscle mass, which

can also be helped by keeping active.

Those bits of sugar, saturated fats and sodium to be avoided can often appear in snacks. The USDA suggests incorporating fruits and vegetables into your meals and snacks.

There is also encouragement of making eating a social event to make your meals as an older adult more enjoyable, especially if a potluck can be organized to provide a variety to get those nutrients.

Vitamins and other dietary supplements can be important to meeting those needs, but remember to discuss any supple ments to your diet with your physician or health care provider.

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Offers 10 Steps for Healthy Aging

Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia, is a progressively debilitating disease that often begins with mild memory loss and can lead to more severe symptoms such as the inability to communicate.

Researchers, so far, have been unable to determine a precise cause of Alzheimer’s. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s likely that there are multiple factors at play—all of which can affect each person differently.

Some factors include family history and changes in the brain, with some researchers looking at the impacts that education, diet and the environment can play. Age, however, is most often associated as the primary risk factor.

Naturally, as we get older, the concern of developing dementia-related illnesses grows.

To promote healthy aging among the elderly—especially those concerned about their memory and brain’s well-being—the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) recently compiled a list of ways seniors can “remain vibrant, integral community members for many years to come.”

“Lifestyle choices such as eating a nutritious diet, getting proper sleep, and regularly exercising your body and brain, are all steps individuals can take to promote brain health and wellness and potentially reduce their risk of developing a dementia-related illness,” Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and CEO, said in a press release.

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1Eat Well

Adopt a low-fat diet high on fruits and veggies, such as strawberries, blueberries, and broccoli. Take daily vitamins. Limit intake of red meats, fried and processed foods, salt, and sugar. In general, foods that are “heart-healthy” are also “brain-healthy.”

Stop Smoking and Limit Alcohol

Smoking can increase the risk of other serious illnesses, while too much alcohol can impair judgment and cause accidents, including falls, broken bones, and car crashes.

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2Stay Active

Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain and can also help improve mood and overall well-being. Brisk walking benefits brain health, while aerobics can boost your heart rate, and weight training builds strength and flexibility.

Stay Connected

Social interaction and maintaining an active social life are very important for brain health, cognitive stimulation and mood. Invite friends and family over for a meal, board games, or just to hang out. Engaging in your community and participating in group activities are also beneficial.

Learn New Things

Challenge your brain by starting a new hobby like play ing tennis, learning to speak a foreign language, trying a cooking class, or something you have not done before. Even something as simple as brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand stimulates the brain by forcing it to think outside of its normal routine.

4

Get Enough Sleep

Getting a consistent sleep every night is key; at least seven to nine hours is ideal. Having a good sleep environment is also helpful. Insomnia or sleep apnea can have serious physical effects and negatively affect memory and thinking.

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Mind Your Meds

Medication can affect everyone differently, especially as you age. When getting a new medication or something you have not taken in a while (whether over the counter or prescrip tion), talk to your doctor or local pharmacist.

Know Your Blood Pressure

Blood pressure can impact your cognitive functioning. Visit your physician regularly to check your blood pressure and make sure it is in normal range.

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See Your Doctor

Maintain checkups. Health screenings are key to managing chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, all of which can impact brain health. Speak with your physician about any concerns or questions you have about your health.

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Get a Memory Screening

Our brains need regular checkups, just as other parts of our bodies do. Memory screenings are quick, noninvasive exams for our brains. AFA offers free virtual memory screenings every weekday—visit alzfdn.org or call AFA at 866.232.8484 to learn more about getting a free virtual memory screening.

By Keaton Larson

any seniors at some point stop driv ing, electing instead to use public transportation, ride-share services or accepting the help of loved ones and friends.

In doing so, these seniors may not renew their driver’s license, and as a result, go without a valid government-issued ID.

One of the benefits of a driver’s license, besides the priv ilege of driving, is having a form of identification on hand whenever needed. For decades, we rely on that driver’s license as our identification without thinking twice.

Having a government-issued ID can still be important, though, if you choose not to renew your driver’s license.

The Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit law and policy institute located out of the New York University School of Law, estimates that some 21 million Americans do not have government issued photo-identification.

From traveling to making large purchases to depositing funds in your local bank, a valid government-issued ID is often asked to verify identity. Many banks within the United States require an individual to present a valid form of gov ernment identification to deposit cash or a check.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), an independent agency created by Congress to insure depos its and maintain stability in the nation’s financial system, generally requires U.S. banks to have identity verification procedures in place to combat money laundering and reduce fraud.

Seniors opting not to renew their driver’s license should consider an alternative form of government-issued identi fication, such as the California Department of Motor Vehi cles’ no-fee senior-citizen ID card for those 62 and older.

When applying for the card through the DMV, you will be required to have an acceptable document to verify your identity, such as a birth certificate, a document to verify residence, and your social security number.

Until Dec. 31 of this year, the DMV is allowing seniors 70 and older the option to renew their driver’s license or state identification online. There are certain criteria to qualify for online renewal.

For other services, however, you won’t be able to renew online and must go into the DMV if you’re looking to change your name, address, or gender identity, or want to change from a standard driver’s license or ID to another form of ID, such as a Real ID, a Reduced Fee driver’s license, or a Senior ID, among other options, or if you are not the person named on the renewal notice.

As for a Real ID, many may be wondering whether they need to apply for one.

The answer will depend on how often one flies domesti cally. The Real ID is not needed to apply for or receive feder al benefits, ride Amtrak or public ground transportation, or to visit a hospital or receive life-saving services.

However, the Real ID, or a passport, is needed to fly domestically starting on May 3, 2023.

A valid government-issued ID can still be useful and provide some security for those who choose not to renew their driver’s license. More information regarding state identification can be found at dmv.ca.gov.

AS PART OF ITS MISSION TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS IMPACTED BY ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS, THE ALZHEIMER’S

FOUNDATION OF AMERICA OFFERS THESE 10 STEPS FOR HEALTHY AGING:

Worth a Shot

Medical Insights on Flu and COVID-19 Booster Shots

By Collin Breaux

With fall being a time when people might be more at risk of getting sick, and subsequently getting preventive vaccine shots, the question comes up: Should senior citizens get them? Should they get both flu and COVID-19 vaccines, one of them, or neither? We reached out to the California Department of Public Health for understanding. This is what they had to say:

How do the COVID-19 and flu vaccines help senior citizens?

Senior citizens are at increased risk of severe illness because of COVID-19 and the flu. The COVID-19 and flu vaccines provide important protection against these viruses. All seniors should be up to date on their seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines, especially going into the fall and winter seasons when the spread of respiratory viruses may be at its peak.

Who should get both vaccines?

Everyone 6 months and older should receive both COVID-19 and flu vaccines. For the COVID-19 vaccine, the specific recommendations will vary by age. Senior citizens who have already received the COVID-19 vaccine primary series can now receive an updated (bivalent) booster along with their seasonal flu vaccine.

What do the shots do?

COVID-19 and flu vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the viruses that cause COVID-19 and flu without us having to get the illness.

When should senior citizens get the shots?

Now is a great time for senior citizens to get a flu vaccine and an updated COVID-19 vaccine. This will provide strong protection going into the fall and winter seasons.

The Eyes Have It

By Collin Breaux

s people get older, signs of aging will inevitably pop up on the skin.

That may eventually take the form of eye bags.

While baggy eyes might be considered unsightly, local medical experts are prepared to help patients deal with the issue.

Bobby Awadalla, the medical director for Skincredible Dermatology & Surgery—which has a location in San Clemente—said the first sign of aging around the eyes is wrinkling, which can turn into eye bags.

People may also develop a tear trough or lose the connective tissue that holds every thing in place.

Different treatment options are available, according to Awadalla. One is to use anti-ag ing products such as antioxidants, but those

are probably too late for senior citizens.

“Beyond that, you can do Botox in the area,” he said.

Botox improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Larger resurfacing treat ments are also an option.

Puffiness around the eye can also be treat ed with microneedling, Awadalla said.

Plastic surgery to remove fat pads is also an option, though is recommended only if a case is severe.

“That’s more aggressive and requires a surgical procedure, so we leave that for the last thing people do,” he said.

As for tear troughs, patients can take injec tions called platelet-rich plasma or fibrin.

“It’s your own blood,” Awadalla said. “We can collect it and reinject it in different areas.”

While a lot of people may think they need surgery, they can get a nice aesthetic from platelet-rich injections, he said.

Facial Aesthetic Concepts, which also has

a location in San Clemente, addressed the causes of and treatments for baggy eyes in a March 2022 newsletter.

“Eye bags are a menace and a common area of concern for many patients,” the cosmetic center said. “As we age, we lose fat and bone density in our face. In return, fat changes position, muscles weaken, skin be gins to sag and wrinkle and eye bags form.”

Surgical procedures that can address the issue include:

- A lower blepharoplasty, which restores the contours of the undereye and corrects excess puffiness;

- Lower lid pinch, which uses a med ication to free skin from underlying fat and muscle and then allows a “pinch” and removal of an ellipsis of skin;

- And fat transfer, which takes fat cells from another area, usually the thigh, and transports them to the face.

Injectable fillers are also another option and don’t involve surgery.

“Similar to fat transfer, we inject tear trough filler on the bone to restore volume and replace the structural elements that were once there,” Facial Aesthetic Concepts said. “It’s important to keep in mind that filler isn’t always the best option to get the results you’re seeking.”

A grayish, blue sheen beneath the eye because of being injected too close to the skin’s surface and lumpiness under the eye are possible problems with filler injections.

A Comprehensive Look at South OC Senior Living Options

By C. Jayden Smith

As life goes on, children move out and retirement approaches, seniors commonly find that their current living situation is no longer the best fit for them.

Whether by lacking company in a large home or just needing to find an intimate, warm community that encourages together ness, those aged 55 or older who may want a new place to live have plenty of options around South Orange County.

Beginning in burgeoning Rancho Mission Viejo, the incoming Gavilán community at Rienda will offer seniors the opportunity to experience what the namesake corporation calls “RanchLife,” in terms of parks, pools, clubhouses and retail options.

The Ranch, as RMV is colloquially called, also holds more than 34,000 square feet of community farms, composting areas and farm stands. Soon to come in spring 2023 is a new community amenity with a spa, outdoor dining patio with barbecuing equipment, and more that will be called The Perch.

Gavilán will offer both duplex and sin gle-family-style homes built by Lennar. The homes under the Haven brand will be oneand two-story duplexes that start from the mid $900,000s, and the one- and two-story Pearl homes will start in the low $1 millions, according to RMV.

Another option for seniors in RMV is Reata Glen. This Life Plan or continuing care retire ment community is tailored toward those 60 and up, providing numerous services in addition to the benefits of living in the neigh borhood.

Depending on whether residents choose a one-story home, a townhome, or an apart ment, they pay an entrance fee ranging from $300,000 to more than $1 million upon moving in. Once living at Reata Glen, monthly fees pay for benefits such as community maintenance, restaurant dining, housekeep ing, fitness center membership, and access to wellness options including a health center and assisted living.

Reata Glen encourages prospective residents to research whether an extensive, modified, or fee-for-service contract for longterm care will be best.

For households earning below 60% of Orange County’s Area Median Income, seniors may be interested in the Sendero Bluffs Senior Apartment Homes, where rents are income-restricted in compliance with the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Sendero Bluffs offers one- and two-bed room apartment homes, numerous ameni ties, and immediate access to retail options at

the Sendero Marketplace.

In San Juan Capistrano, the assisted senior living options begin with Atria San Juan, voted the best facility in the city by our readers for 2021.

Overlooking the San Juan Hills Golf Club, Atria prides itself on utilizing a kind and atten tive staff to address all service needs, and a fulfilling Engage Life event program. Pricing starts at $4,495 per month.

Capistrano Senior Living, near Ortega Highway and Interstate 5, shares its campus with the San Juan Hills Healthcare Center and has served seniors for more than 20 years.

The facility offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, short-term respite, and skilled nursing, as well as organized activities that include Friday afternoon socials and weekly outings.

Located across the highway is Ivy Park, which brings a “whole living” approach to providing care, in addition to its bevy of ser vices. Floor plans start with the one-bedroom “Casita,” at 450 square feet.

Other options in the city include Adagio San Juan, Casa de Amma, Serra Sol Memory Care, and the Silverado San Juan Capistrano Memory Care Community.

The San Clemente Villas by the Sea leads off the next slate, providing retirement living and assisted care for seniors in studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments. On-site is a Patient Extended Care Unit designed to care for those with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, Vascular Dementia or other related afflictions.

The Villas also offers activities for everyday life and for keeping minds and bodies strong over time, with Mind Reach mental exercises such as discussions and brain games, as well as Stretch & Strengthen exercises.

Raya’s Paradise San Clemente recently opened in July but is a part of multiple facili ties under one brand with experience in car ing for people aged 55 and older. In addition to yoga classes and gardening activities, the facility is equipped with special lifts and pro active infection-detecting technology to ease as many facets of residents’ lives as possible.

It also boasts a 1-to-3 ratio of direct care givers to residents and pre-placement assess ments of cognitive and physical statuses.

Soon to come to San Clemente in summer 2023 is Everleigh, a 55-and-older, resort-style community that looks to provide elevated living within walking distance of Shorecliffs Golf Club.

Amenities will include classes and activities to boost fitness, spirituality, and environmen tal awareness, as well as a community game room and theater room. Everleigh’s one-bed room apartments will start at $2,600 a month, and its two-bedroom spaces will begin at $3,400.

Cotton’s Point Senior Apartments and Vin tage Shores make up other places for senior living in San Clemente.

In Dana Point, The Fountains at Sea Bluffs retirement community touts a “second to none” location, as it’s just above Del Obispo Street and near the Dana Point Harbor’s fishing and boating opportunities, as well as the town’s beaches.

The Watermark property offers 24-hour concierge and catering among its other services, as well as Watermark University courses that provide unlimited access to enrichment in the form of cooking and Aqua Aerobics. Residents can choose to live in a one-, two-, or three-bedroom condominium.

Aegis Living in Capistrano Beach provides assisted living and memory care in studios and one-bedroom apartments, as well as short-term respite care including medical management in emergency situations.

Knowledge

Ask Serra Sol Local Knowledge

Susie Peterson, Executive Director of Serra Sol Memory Care in San Juan Capistrano, answers real questions from families who are considering memory care for their loved ones.

“My father has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Right now, he’s ok at home with my mom, but I want to explore options and get prepared for the future. I’m just not sure where or how to start – help!”

I’m so sorry to hear about your father’s diagnosis. That’s tough news for any family. What is good is that you’re starting to think about his future now. Looking for memory care can be an overwhelming and exhausting task. Thinking about it early will help you avoid deciding in a time of crisis.

Any memory care community should offer the necessities that anyone with memory loss needs – safety, security, access to medical care, comfortable accommodations, and an experienced staff 24/7. I also suggest looking at three specific things to help you ensure the community you choose is a perfect fit for your dad.

Activity Programs • Look for a variety of activities – such as crafts, entertainment and more. Ideally, there is a variety of group activities along with personal, one-on-one activities that are customized to your loved one’s interests and abilities. Opportunities for engagement should be available each day. Until there are more effective medications, a well-rounded activity program is the most effective way to treat and manage dementia conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

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Support for Families • Good communities should walk with you throughout the decision-making process. They should patiently answer questions, address concerns, give multiple tours, and provide transparent pricing information. After your loved one moves in, at least one family member should be made aware of your loved one’s daily schedule and given frequent updates. Most communities have regular open forums, personal updates, and events for families to meet each other while enjoying time with their loved ones. Many communities offer short-term “respite” stays. This service is meant to help families who need to travel, work, or take a short break from care. It’s also an amazing way to try out the community before a permanent move.

The Community’s Feel • Visiting the communities you are considering, maybe even with your dad, may be the most important. When touring, observe and ask questions. If you see caregivers interacting with residents – playing games, visiting, sharing smiles – these are great indications that the environment is warm and loving. You want to make sure your dad feels comfortable and at-home.

For more advice, visit our website at serrasol.com or call us at 949-485-2022.

31451 Avenida Los Cerritos, San Juan Capistrano, CA, 949.485.2022, SerraSol.com, RCFE: 306005946

Local Knowledge

Say Goodbye to Low Back Pain With These Helpful Tips From a Physical Therapist

Do you suffer from low back pain? If so, you’re not alone. While back pain can be frustrating and debilitating, there are many things you can do to manage the pain and improve your quality of life.

Sometimes, low back pain is short-lived (minor sprains or strains). Others experience lower back pain flare-ups that come and go. And some live with chronic low back pain. One of the best things you can do for low back pain is to stay active. Exercise and stretches are a great way to strengthen the muscles in your back and improve your overall mobility.

There are many reasons you may be experiencing back pain as you get older, chief among them:

Spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal ca nal; Osteoarthritis; Degenerative spondylolisthesis, when a vertebra slips out of place; Degenerative disc disease; Sciatica.

Unfortunately, these conditions are quite prevalent among people over the age of 60, and there are no cures for these issues. Which leaves us to manage or slow the progression. But don’t panic! You can still find relief from your pain!

The goal of physical therapy, in general, is to relieve your pain, restore function, and improve your quality of life. To do this, MOTUS Specialists Physical Therapy concentrates on several key areas:

• Strengthening

• Increasing motion & mobility

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Five To-Dos as We Head into the Holidays

The year 2022 flew by, and with less than three months left to the end of the year, you may already be thinking about the holidays. The stores definitely are leaning in. Before you go full holiday mode, here are a few estate planning and financial tasks you should get done:

If you created a trust plan this year, you were probably tasked with funding your financial assets. With the best in tentions, you may have started but not finished. Or, you were so busy, you never started at all. Funding your trust is one of the most important must-dos to ensure that those assets will pass to your beneficiaries without going through Probate. Have any questions? Call your attorney for assistance.

Along those same lines, let’s make sure to review your beneficiary designations on accounts such as retirement ac counts, life insurance policies, transfer or pay-on-death bank accounts. Keep these up to date so that the right person inherits your assets when the time comes.

You may have been very generous this year, making individual gifts that exceeded $16,000. If so, make sure you have an updated list for your tax professional. Gifts exceeding $16,000 to an individual are a taxable gift. Talk to your tax professional about this to ensure that the proper tax positions are taken.

Friendly reminder that if you turned 72 years old this year, you may need to withdraw required minimum distribu tions (RMDs) from your retirement accounts. Check with your financial advisor to know if your accounts have RMD requirements and how much you need to take before the end of the year.

And, finally, if you are still saying, “I need to get my estate plan done,” but you haven’t pulled the trigger, now’s the time. You still have time to get it done before the end of the year. Estate planning is not just what happens when you pass away; it is also about how your life will proceed if you are incapacitated. Having up-to-date powers of attorney and advance health care directives ensure that someone is there to care for you if you are no longer able to care for yourself. Estate planning is about choice, your choice of how you are cared for, your choice of who does the caring, and your choice of how your legacy is dealt with after you’re no longer here to protect it.

My recommendation is to create a checklist of these to-dos and set a deadline for getting them done. Every day, take one meaningful step toward checking one or more items off that list. Get it done before the holidays so that you can enjoy time with your family without the mental chatter of things left undone.

Law Office of Jan A. Meyer, Dana Point, CA, Phone: (949) 607-9412, Fax: (949) 340-2033, www.danapointwills.com

• Improving balance & function

Strengthening the muscles that support your spine allows you to shift a lot of the burden to tissues that are better suited to handle it. Improving the mobility of your hips and upper back lessens the stress on your low back, which is where most people get their movement. Improving your balance helps with your overall stability, safety, and fall prevention, a common cause of injuries. Restoring function will allow you to move better and do the things you love without pain getting in the way.

To provide you with the best treatment possible, our practice offers one-on-one physical therapy with the best technology available to help you find relief from your back pain for good. If you’re struggling with low back pain, don’t settle with the mentality that this is just how life will be.

Give us a call at MOTUS Specialists Physical Therapy and schedule your appointment at one of our locations in San Clemente or Santa Ana.

Drew Morcos

PT, DPT, SCS, OCS, DNSP, ATC, CSCS, FAAOMPT 949-891-1325

www.motusspt.com

Drew is the founder of MOTUS Specialists, a functional movement approach to clinical rehabilitation for professional athletes to youth athletes to weekend warriors and everyone in between. Prior to opening his practice, he was the Director of Rehabilitation at the University of Southern California. He is a sought-after athletic trainer and physical therapist in the NFL, NBA, D1 Athletics, USA Volleyball, and Professional Surfers.

Community Service Keeps Retirees Active

Local Nonprofits, City Boards Offer

Community

By Breeana Greenberg

Volunteering, either through city boards and commis sions or local nonprofits, is a great way for retirees to give back and stay active in local goings-on.

Throughout the South Orange County cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, there’s a wide variety of local nonprofits such as the Friends of the Library and Pet Project Foundation.

There are also community boards including San Juan Capistrano’s Cultural Heritage Commission and San Clemente Golf Course Committee that offer unique opportunities for volunteers to give back to their towns.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY

The Friends of the Library allows seniors who share a love of reading to volunteer.

The Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library all run book stores out of their respective public libraries, selling gently used books.

Funds from the nonprofits’ bookstores and donations help to support the local libraries’ special events and programming.

The Friends of the Dana Point Library was founded in 1979 to support the local public library. Over the years, the organization has raised funds to replace skylights, furniture and projection systems, as well as provide soundproofing and audio-visual equipment.

In addition to capital improvements, the Friends of the Dana Point Library raises funds for new books, summer programs and events.

Volunteers help run the Friends of the Library Bookstore six days a week adjacent to the public library at 33841 Niguel Road. Visit friendsdanapoint.org for more information on how to get involved.

The Friends of the San Clemente Library was founded in 1968 and began selling books in the San Clemente Library in 1982. The nonprofit opened the Friends of the Library Bookstore, adjacent to the public library on Avenida Del Mar, in 1998.

The bookstore is run by volunteers, open five days a week. Visit sanclementefotl.org for more information on how to get involved.

The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Li brary bookstore opened in June 2014, within the San Juan Capistrano branch. The San Juan

Capistrano Friends of the Library is always looking for friendly volunteers to tend to the cash register, sort books, stock the bookstore and give walking tours.

Visit sjcfol.com for more information on how to get involved.

San Juan Capistrano Cultural Heritage Commission

The San Juan Capistrano Cultural Heritage Commission serves to promote awareness and appreciation for the city’s historical and cultural significance, aiming to preserve certain events and landmarks.

The commission meets on the fourth Tues day of every month in City Council Chambers at 4:30 p.m.

Commission members are appointed by San Juan Capistrano City Council and must be registered voters of San Juan. Current com mission members will serve terms through March 31, 2023.

Visit sanjuancapistrano.org for more infor mation on how to apply.

San Juan Capistrano Parks and Equestrian Commission

The San Juan Capistrano Parks, Equestrian and Community Services Commission serves as an advisory board to the City Council on topics related to the city’s open spaces, parks and recreation plans and park events.

The commission meets every third Monday of the month in City Council Chambers at 5:30 p.m. Commission members are appoint ed by the council and must be registered vot ers of the city. Current commission members will serve terms through March 31, 2023.

Visit sanjuancapistrano.org for more infor mation on how to apply.

San Clemente Golf Course Committee

The San Clemente Golf Course Commit tee serves as an advisory board to the City Council on topics related to the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course, including greens and forestry maintenance.

The committee comprises five residents whom the council appoints. Those interested in serving on the committee can file an appli cation with the City Clerk’s Office. Selections for open positions typically occur in June or when a seat opens.

The committee meets on the first Thursday of February, May, August and November in City Council Chambers at 6 p.m. Visit san-cle mente.org for more information on how to apply.

Pet Project Foundation

The Pet Project Foundation is a fun place for animal lovers to volunteer and spend time

with lost and abandoned animals.

Founded to support the San Clemente-Da na Point Animal Shelter through a unique partnership, the nonprofit offers both finan cial support and volunteering to the shelter to provide the best care for the animals.

No animals are euthanized at this shelter.

Volunteering with the Pet Project Founda tion can take on many forms, from walking shelter dogs, giving shelter cats and bunnies love and attention, answering phones and greeting visitors, as well as fundraising and

working events and fostering animals.

The nonprofit has also expanded its “Pages for Paws” reading program by allowing seniors to read books aloud to the animals. Seniors interested in reading to the dogs, cats and bunnies can contact the Pet Project Foundation to sign up and bring their own reading materials.

For more information on how to get involved with the Pet Project Foundation, visit petprojectfoundation.org or email animalser vices@scdpanimalshelter.org.