Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) is a nonprofit agency dedicated to serving Philadelphia’s older adults and adults with disabilities. PCA pub
lishes Milestones and offers:
• Care in the home
• Home-delivered meals
• Home repairs and modifications
• Protective services
• Senior centers
• Caregiver support
• Employment and volunteer programs
• Legal services
• Transportation
• Ombudsman services
• Health education
• Information and referral
For more information, call the PCA Helpline at 215-765-9040 or visit pca Cares.org.
Our city is a melting pot of people from varied cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities, creating a rich tapestry of people. It is this mixture of diversity that creates the foundation for our cul tural heritage.
Older adults take charge as the lead ers, caregivers, historians and decision makers for their families. Many family or cultural traditions were passed down from their elders, and older adults work to keep these beloved traditions alive for future generations. In this month’s diversity-themed issue of Milestones, you can learn about family-friendly cultur al activities taking place in Philadelphia (pages 4, 8 and 9) and the Christmas tra ditions of immigrants (page 10), as well as the unique bonds of the LGBTQ+ older adult community (page 7).
Until this change is realized, people with limited-English proficiency will need to advocate for themselves and utilize all available language resources to connect with community resources.
PCA Board of Directors 2022-23
Satya B. Verma, O.D., Chair
Glenn D. Bryan, Vice Chair
Angela Foreshaw-Rouse, Secretary
Louis A. Bove, Esq.
Nora Dowd Eisenhower, Esq.
Lynn Fields Harris
Katherine E. Galluzzi, D.O., FACOFP
Sandra McNally
Paul Nathanson
John Whitman
Eloise N. Young
Jacqueline S. Zinn, Ph.D.
Emeritus: Arthur E. Helfand, D.P.M.
Call 24/7 to report suspected elder abuse.
PCA Helpline: 215-765-9040
Outside Philadelphia toll-free: 888-215-765-9041 (TDD) pcaCares.org
Milestones is published monthly and distributed at more than 1,100 locations throughout Phila delphia, Lower Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties.
Check us out online: pcaCares.org/Milestones
Editor: Alicia M. Colombo 215-765-9000, ext. 5081 PCA, 642 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19130
Email: MilestonesNews@pcaCares.org
Advertising: Teresa Heavens 215-765-9000, ext. 5053
Email: Teresa.Heavens@pcaCares.org
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The views expressed in Milestones are not necessarily those of Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA). Milestones will not knowingly accept or publish fraudulent or misleading advertising. Milestones reserves the right to edit, revise or reject ads. Milestones assumes no responsibility for errors, misprints, omissions or misinformation; for failure to publish an ad; or for any damages of any kind. Neither the publisher nor any other party is rendering expert advice in this publication. No part of this newspaper may be repro duced without the permission of PCA.
©2022 Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. All rights reserved.
Diversity adds depth to our city, but there are also unique challenges for eth nic minorities. Racially diverse communi ties often have difficulty accessing social, health and wellness programs. Language and literacy barriers make it difficult for limited- or non-English speakers to ef fectively communicate with health care professionals and community-based or ganizations. Additionally, the American health care system can be especially chal lenging to navigate for people from differ ent cultures. (For more information, read the article about wellness in diverse older adult communities on page 11.)
Stronger collaboration is needed be tween community, social and human service agencies, medical providers and insurance/payers to address racial and ethnic health care disparities. This is overdue. It is time for significant change, systemwide. We need to make com mon-sense goals and work together for serious change.
The City of Philadelphia is committed to ensuring that all people have access to City services and information in their native language. For general information about City government services, dial 311 and request an interpreter. For emergen cies, dial 911 and request an interpreter. Tell the operator your location and the language you need. Do not hang up while waiting for an interpreter.
If you or someone you know is having difficulty accessing social or health care services for older adults or people living with disabilities due to language, cultur al or other barriers, you can call the PCA Helpline at 215-765-9040, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The PCA Helpline uses an on-call language interpretation service to communicate with callers in any lan guage.
PCA wishes all Milestones readers a joyous holiday season and happy new year!
Whether its museums, music or mammals that tickle your fancy, Philadelphia is a host to of cultural gems that are always a pleasure to visit—and many have holiday events that are fun for all ages.
The Philadelphia Zoo, America’s first zoo, is home to more than 1,700 rare and endangered animals. Throughout December, as the animals at the Zoo go to sleep in their indoor exhibits, the Zoo transforms into a dazzling winter wonderland, filled with lights, sounds, and surprises with more than a million twinkling lights across 14 illuminated zones. Information about LumiNature can be found at philadelphiazoo.org/luminature or by calling 215-243-1100.
For the musically inclined, students at the Curtis Institute of Music perform more than 100 free recitals each semester, held on most Mondays at 7 p.m. as well as Wednesday and Friday evenings at 8 p.m. To attend, register at Curtis’ calendar, curtis. edu/curtis-performances/calendar/ or call 215-893-5252. Registration is limited to four tickets per request.
On December 25, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History has its annual program, “Being ____ at Christmas”,
on Christmas Day. This longrunning community event that began decades ago as “Being Jewish at Christmas” evolved within the last decade to “Being ___ at Christmas,” an all-ages family fun day. The open-ended name underscores the fact that the museum is open to all, particularly on a day when people of diverse faiths and backgrounds and blended heritages may be looking for fun, education, and community. Crafts, music, and more will take place throughout the entire 100,000 square foot building and the galleries are open for general visitation. The Museum offers free admission on Fridays through Sundays. There is a fee for the program. For more information visit theweitzman.org or call 215-923-3811.
The African American Museum (AAMP) in Philadelphia is the first institution built by a major United States city to house and interpret the life and work of African Americans. Currently on view at the AAMP are “Vision & Spirit: African American Art | Works from the Bank of America Collection” a collection of nearly 100 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, and mixed media works by 48 renowned
African American artists born in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and “Black Healthcare Studies” which explores the adverse history and barriers faced by Black students pursuing careers in healthcare. Information about the AAMP can be found at ampmuseum.org or by calling 215-574-0380.
Taller Puertorriqueño, Inc. is a community-based organization whose primary purpose is to preserve, develop and promote Puerto Rican arts and culture. An annual holiday tradition for Taller Puertorriqueño is its toy drive for Three Kings Day, during which families come to receive gifts from Three Kings. Families can receive one gift per child. The event, held on Friday, Jan. 6 is free and open to the public but advanced registration is required.
For many Christians in Spain and Latin America, the holiday season officially ends on Jan. 6, which is the 12th day of Christmas and known as the Feast of the Epiphany, or Three Kings’ Day. The holiday celebrates the biblical tale in which the Three Kings, or Three Wise Men, visit baby Jesus after his birth. For anyone willing to donate a new toy, there are
We welcome your story ideas, feedback and suggestions. (Story-specific com ments or questions will be forwarded to the writer.) Submissions of letters or articles for publication must be signed and dated and include your address and phone number. Submission constitutes permission to edit and publish in any form or medium.
PCA
collection boxes in the lobby at Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 N 5th Street, and in the lobby of the Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St. Families can register at tallerpr.org/about or call 215-426-3311.
The Asian Arts Initiative (AAI) is a community-based cultural arts center in Chinatown North at 1219 Vine St. AAI serves underrepresented artists and creates community with exhibitions, openmic nights, film screenings and performances. The center features a gallery, meeting space and blackbox-style theater. “Radio AAI,” a free interactive storefront highlighting Asian experiments with radio, is on view through Feb. 23, 2023. For more information, call 215-557-0455 or go to AsianArtsInitiative.org.
Additional holiday happenings can be found on the Visit Philadelphia website at www.visitphilly.com.
General information about the city’s museums, attractions, cultural institutions and historic sites can be found on the Independence Visitor Center website at phlvisitorcenter. com/ThingsToDo or by calling 1-800-537-7676.
Send ideas, comments & submissions to:
Attn: Milestones Editor PCA, 642 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19130 Email: milestonesnews@pcaCares.org
December is National Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month, which coincides with one of the biggest online exchanges of personal information each year - the holiday shopping season. During the holidays, it is especially important to remain vigilant while shopping online and to be aware of the new cybersecurity risks.
Identity theft is when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission. This might include your name and address, credit card or bank account numbers, Social Security number, or medical insurance account numbers. The Federal Trade Commission strongly recommends protecting your
personal information to prevent identity theft. Individuals would also be wise to avoid logging into bank accounts while using public Wi-Fi and improving antivirus software on their personal computers and tablets as soon as updates are available.
In 1987, the Older Adult Protective Services Act designated resources to protect older adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The following year, Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) created its Older Adult Protective Services (OAPS) unit to investigate reports of elder abuse in Philadelphia which commonly include cases of identity theft.
“Cases of identity theft can have a destructive impact not on only the individual but on the victims’
families and community as well,” said Tamikia Morris, director of older adult protective services at PCA. “These cases present complex problems and require those who care for the older adult to be on the lookout for warning signs.”
Signs of identity theft can appear in an individual’s physical appearance, personal behavior, or financial transactions. Increased isolation from friends and family, signs of trauma, and withdrawal from usual activities should be treated with caution. Fraudulent signatures, bills and unusual spending are leading indicators of one’s personal information being compromised.
Recently, Philadelphia Corporation
for Aging (PCA) took action to address this issue by joining a new collaboration of Philadelphia government agencies and nonprofits formed to prevent and address elder abuse and financial exploitation of older adults which includes reported cases of identity theft.
Through a $375,000 grant over three years from the Department of Justice, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office has assembled the Elder Abuse Multidisciplinary Team: a network of agencies each with its own specialty when it comes to assisting older people. The group includes the Penn Memory Center, the SeniorLAW Center, the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of Elders (CARIE), and PCA.
“This new investigative unit is incredibly important because PCA has seen an increase in elder abuse, including financial exploitation cases enhanced by the harmful effects of identity theft, over the course of the past few years. Any initiatives from the state to support Area Agencies on Aging’s efforts to protect older adults from harm in the communities we serve is one that PCA wholeheartedly supports,” said Najja R. Orr, PCA’s President & CEO.
Reports of identity theft can be made 24/7 to the PCA Helpline at 215-765-9040. Anyone can make a report of identity theft against an older Philadelphian.All reports are confidential.
To report identity theft, contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338 or IdentityTheft. gov.
Bill Conallen is the public relations specialist at Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.
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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) older adults face many unique challenges. Many have faced discrimination, and have responded to such adversity by build ing movements to advocate for equal rights, developing their own support systems and communities. Some of the challenges that LGBT+ older adults have been confronted with include homophobia; ageism; the absence of an informal caregiver system; and social isolation. This leaves these older adults without the access to the services and programs they need to stay safe, healthy and engaged.
To address these multiple concerns, the Elder Initiative at the William Way Community Center provides services, education, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ older adults. Elder centric programs in clude managing access to housing and health care, facilitating support groups, cross-generational mentorship pro gramming, and diversity and inclusion training.
“The issues facing LGBTQ+ older adults are often the same as those fac ing the general population, just some times magnified. Housing is a huge issue. We know there is a shortage of affordable elder housing, and an even greater shortage of LGBTQ-friendly af
fordable senior housing,” said William Way’s LGBT Elder Initiative Director of Programs & Outreach David Griffith. “Generations of discrimination have limited the opportunities for building families, meaning there are less often spouses and adult children provid ing social support and caregiving for LGBTQ+ adults. Programs offered through community centers are espe cially important.”
The Elder Initiative’s programming focuses on community education, so cial support, resource navigation, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ older adults in Greater Philadelphia. The center hosts monthly health workshops in collabo ration with Jefferson Health as part of a series called “The Doctor Is In” and works with Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) to deliver the chronic disease self-management curriculum to the LGBTQ+ community. William Way also hosts a monthly peer discus sion group, “Thrivers,” for long-term survivors of HIV and a men’s social group, “Mornings Out,” that meets ev ery Tuesday morning.
Locally, the center has established partnerships with aging services and healthcare organizations that help to get vital information and resources out while also advancing the cultur
al sensitivity of these partner agencies through diversity and inclusion train ing. This includes a strong emphasis on advocacy at the state level in Pennsyl vania to develop an inclusive approach to the delivery of aging services in the Commonwealth, with staff serving on several committees and workgroups to adopt policies and procedures to bet ter meet the needs of LGBTQ+ older Pennsylvanians.
“Representation matters. Organiza tions should make an effort to include LGBTQ+ people on their boards, ad visory committees, volunteer groups, etc. This helps to ensure that LGBTQ+ people have a seat at the table when or ganizational decisions are made,” said Griffith. “Our hope is to ensure that every staff person, volunteer, and per son utilizing services is fully aware of our LGBTQ-inclusive policies and our commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ employees and clients.”
The past few years have posed chal lenges due to the pandemic’s impact on the center’s ability to bring members of the community together and provide resources. According to Griffith, isola tion is an issue that significantly affects older members of the LGBTQ+ com munity. Programs run through the El der Initiative are attempting to address
this issue and connect older adults with the resources and connections they need to thrive.
“Part of person-centered care is really taking a complete look at all the iden tities and needs that a person has - and then supporting and validating them by providing services in a competent and efficient manner, taking a compre hensive approach that focuses on com munity,” said Griffith.
For more information on the Elder Initiative at the William Way LGBT Community Center call 215-720-9415.
Learn how to protect yourself from fraud: 1-877-438-4338 | identitytheft. gov
Supports an understanding of disability issues & mobilizes support for the dignity, rights & well-being of people living with disabilities. idpwd.org
Send your calendar items to MilestonesNews@pcaCares.org by the 25th of the month (for publication in month after next) Questions? 215-765-9000, ext. 5081
Prizes include holiday baskets filled with goodies. Raffle tickets on sale: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Journey’s Way. 215-487-1750, ext. 1101 | Tickets: $2 each or 3/$5.
Make handcrafted jewelry using different mediums, including beads, wire, cold ceramic & paper. 12:45-2:45 p.m. Journey’s Way. 215-487-1750, ext. 1101 | $2
A haven for bibliophiles, featuring a broad range of books from 20+ exhibitors. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Trinity Memorial Church. 215-732-2515 | Free
Improve functional movement & joint motion, gain a greater awareness of your body & how it moves as a complete unit. 12:30 p.m. KleinLife. 215-698-7300, ext. 193 |Free
Celebrate 231 years of the Bill of Rights. View a copy of the historic Bill of Rights & learn about the first 10 amendments. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. National Constitution Center. 215- 409-6600 | Free
Have fun creating your own designs in this instructor-led class. 11 a.m. Star Harbor Senior Center. 215-727-0100 | Free
Celebrate with Phil the Reindeer. Children can sing, dance & perform other talents on stage. 5-7 p.m. Love Park. 215-683-3600 | Free
Holiday classics performed by a live band. 5-7 p.m. Oak Street Health –Cobbs Creek. 267-225-3448 | Free
Make your own candles to use during the winter season or to give as gifts. 1-3 p.m. Pennypack Environmental Center. 215-685-0470 | $10 per family (up to 6 people); $2 for each additional wick.
Enjoy a live performance of songs celebrating the season. 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Journey’s Way. 215-487-1750, ext. 1101 | Free
HANUKKAH PARTY
Cantor sings festive music & other songs in Yiddish & Hebrew. 12:30 p.m. KleinLife. 215-698-7300, ext. 193 | free
HOLIDAY PARTY
Annual celebration with food & refreshments. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Juniata Park Older Adult Center. 215-685-1490 | Free
OLD CITY MENORAH LIGHTING
The Old City Jewish Arts Center & Betsy Ross House will host a community menorah lighting. 4:30 p.m. Betsy Ross House. 215-629-4026 | Free
Enjoy live holiday classics with family & friends. 5-7 p.m. Oak Street Health –Parkside. 267-225-3448 | Free
BROADWAY MATINEE
Classic to recent Broadway tunes from varied shows & composers. 10 a.m. KleinLife. 215-698-7300, ext. 193 | free
Celebrate the new year with live entertainment in the morning & a DJ in the afternoon. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. Edmond Senior Community Center. 215-790-9530 | $1
FIREWORKS ON THE WATERFRONT
Philadelphia ends every year with a bang! Two fireworks displays at 6 p.m. & 12 a.m. Blue Cross River Rink. 215925-7465 | Free
pasteles easier and faster.
First, the pork is cut into small pieces and cooked. Then, for the pasteles mixture, the pumpkin, yau tia and green bananas are blended with pork broth until the mixture is smooth. Then the pork is marinated in the mixture with a Puerto Rican special seasoning.
Once cooked, the delicacy is placed on banana leaves and tied togeth er with special pasteles paper. The complete celebratory Puerto Rican Christmas dinner has potato salad, macaroni salad, pork and rice with pigeon peas.
the tradition,” Abarca said.
Food is also a large part of the Christmas tradition for Azumi Odunuga, 71, who taught food and nu trition to high school students in her native Nigeria before join ing her daughter in West Philadelphia in 2017.
and mixed with vegetables, onions and salt and pepper.
Sandra Abarca, 59, moved to Phil adelphia from Puerto Rico in 1983. Her mother Iris Arroyo, 80, fol lowed a year later. Their holiday traditions came with them.
The family, siblings, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren al ways decorate the Christmas tree the night before Thanksgiving. The decorations include Puerto Ri can flags, maracas, straw hats, the Puerto Rican percussion instru ment, the guiro, and the cuatro, the lute-and-guitar-like national instru ment of the territory.
Then the hard work, or fun, begins, depending on how you look at it. Abarca and Arroyo begin prepara tions for making pasteles, which is a very long process, and sometimes can take up to eight hours. Abarca said her family prepares stations to make the process of preparing the
“Now, let’s make a drink,” Abarca said. That means a coquito, or “Lit tle Coconut,” the traditional Christ mas drink that originated in Puerto Rico.
Then comes the music. Parrandas are both the songs that are sung during the Christmas sea son and the names of the parties themselves, which can go all night. The parrandas are sometimes im provised but the same beginnings are always used:
Saludos, Saludos, Te vengo a saludar
…
“Hello, hello, I come to say hi …” Esta es la parranda que yo te decía, salimos de noche y llega mos de día …”
“This is the party Of which I gave you the warning We start at night and finish back in the morning.”
“If you go to the houses of the Puer to Rican people living in the United States that’s what you’re going to see everywhere you look. We never stop
“It reminds us of what we do at home,” she said. “It takes us back down memory lane. How we have been celebrating it from youth un til the years when we grow older. The parents used to celebrate it for us. Now we celebrate it for our own children and for our parents again.
“It doesn’t allow us to lose our memory of home. It keeps remind ing us that we belong somewhere.”
One stalwart holiday dish is pounded yam, which she first peels and then boils and pounds with a mortar and pestle.
Odunuga gets some of her vegeta bles at grocery stores but goes to Af rican specialty stores for her native foods. These include egusi, small protein-rich seeds; ogbono, which are also seeds; palm oil; iru, beans processed as condiments; and veg etables, ugu, oha, ukazi and bitter and jute leaves. These ingredients are used in a holiday soup.
Other African specialties served on holidays and different special occasions are jollof rice and a spe cial snack, kuli, brownies made with peanuts grounded into a powder
All these delicacies are washed down with hibiscus and gin ger drinks, made “to soothe our throats,” Odunuga said.
Back home in Nigeria, Odunuga said, during Christmas time, when there is a full moon, the children play in the town square by the moonlight. They sing and dance and beat native drums until they come home and go to bed around 9:30 p.m.
It’s different for Odunuga in Amer ica, when it is often too cold to be outside at Christmas.
Instead, Odunuga invites families from the local African community to visit her home for a traditional meal on Christmas. That includes her Muslim neighbors, who invite her to their homes to celebrate Eidal-Fitr.
"Come spend Christmas with us," Odunuga says to her fellow immi grants. "Come have lunch with us on Christmas day." And the people come.
Nachman is a freelance writer in Philadelphia who tells stories for a variety of clients.
By Mary Anna Rodabaugh
Philadelphia is home to many dif ferent ethnically and racially diverse communities. Each of these com munities faces its own set of unique health and wellness challenges. “Often, language access is just the start – as individuals struggle to find interpreters or doctors who speak their preferred language,” says Antionette Kraus, executive director, Pennsylvania Health Ac cess Network. “Some may have limited or no literacy which comes with stigmas so they may hesitate to share vision and hearing problems that come with age. This can add to those barriers to communicate with providers effectively.”
Kraus says that there are also cul tural barriers to understanding pay ments and the insurance system as well. Thankfully, there are commu nity-based organizations through out Philadelphia that work togeth er to support the wellness needs of ethically and racially diverse older adult communities. To meet those needs, it is important to understand some of the unique issues these communities may face.
While there are far too many unique wellness challenges impact ing racially diverse communities in Philadelphia, there are some promi nent issues to note.
“Chinese older adults often face linguistic and cultural barriers in Philadelphia,” says Dr. Esther HioTong Castillo, founder and program director of Chinese Immigrant
Families Wellness Initiative. “More specifically, culturally sensitive screening and health services re main inadequate, leading to a high er risk of chronic health conditions and early death.”
Since traditional cultural values often prevent Chinese older adults from disclosing potential abuse to maintain family harmony, elder abuse, both physical and psycholog ical, and intimate partner violence are likely to go unreported.
The National Council on Aging states older Asian Americans have some of the lowest recorded rates of mental health issues compared to other racial groups, yet older Asian American women have one of the highest rates of suicides.
Hispanic older adults are at a high er risk for obesity and high blood pressure, among other conditions. Philadelphia’s Community Health Needs Assessment findings show older Latinos struggling to afford and manage their medications, pay copayments, and lack access to healthy food. There are older adults who participate in food access pro grams, but the food they receive may not be culturally appropriate, or may not include fresh and nutri tious produce.
The Stanford School of Medicine determined Asian Indians are a high risk for insulin resistance leading to Type 2 diabetes. Ethnic predisposi tion, diet, and exercise are to blame. Also, immigrant Asian Indian men have a high prevalence of coronary heart disease.
According to research by the Pop ulation Reference Bureau (PRB), risk of diabetes, heart disease, and
stroke increase among aging Afri can American adults. This is due to poor blood pressure control and di abetes prevention. In fact, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death among African Americans aged 65 and older.
PRB promotes and supports evi
dence-based policies, practices de cision making to improve the help and well being of people through out the world.
The publication stated African American older adults experience a rapid decline in the body’s abili ty to repair and recover from stress
or damage. This may be due to lifestyle and health care factors as well as chronic stress, financial hardship, and poor management of chronic conditions.
The Penn Asian Senior Services (PASSI), Esperanza Health Center serving the Hispanic community, and the Black Women’s Health Alliance, are just three health care providers or community-based organizations who offer social support and wellness resources.
Support for diverse communities goes beyond the city-level. “The Pennsylvania Department of Health Office of Health Equity has a mission to reduce health disparities for vulnerable communities across the state,” says David Saunders, director of the office of health eq uity. “We consider racial and ethnic minorities vulner able due to historic impediments rooted in racist ideol ogies. As vulnerable populations intersect, those who are over 65 and part of a racial or ethnic minority group require targeted initiatives that are cognizant of their specific needs.”
Older adults, caregivers and health care practitioners must work together in the future to learn more about the unique, individual health needs, and use a compre hensive approach to provide support.
Penn-Asian Senior Services 215-572-1234
https://passi.us
Esperanza Health Center 215-302-3600
https://esperanzahealth.com
Black Women’s Health Alliance 215-225-0394 www.pbwha.org
PA Department of Health Office of Health Equity 717-547-3315
https://www.healthpa.gov/topics/Health-Equity
With news of a possible winter surge in COVID-19 infections, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) shares the following information to help keep you and any higher-risk family or friends safer during the holidays.
The most common symptoms from the Omicron variant have been sore throat, congestion (runny nose), coughing, fatigue, headaches and muscle pain. Loss of taste and smell is less common than it was in the early stages of the pandemic. If you develop these symptoms, take a COVID-19 test.
Stay
If you test positive, or don’t test but have symptoms of COVID-19, you should isolate at home for at least five days to avoid getting anyone else sick.
There’s still time before the holidays to get the updated booster shot that can help to ward off infection and contain the impacts of the Omicron B variants. The booster reduces your chances of getting COVID-19, and, if you do, it can greatly reduce the number of days you’ll be sick.
Test before you celebrate
Taking a COVID-19 test the day of a gathering can help keep everyone healthy. If you have a stockpile of tests, test 48 hours prior to any gathering, in addition to the day of the event.
Take a pre-holiday buffer to help protect yourself and those you love. For five days before any gathering, stay at home and wear a mask if you must go out. An alternative is to wear a mask in public for three or four days prior to a gathering.
Keep a high-quality (K95 or KN95), well-fitted mask on when traveling on public transit or in ride share vehicles. You can also choose to wear a mask for part of the gathering. If you will be outdoors when you eat, but indoors for part of the holiday, put your mask on until dinner time. Masks also help to keep the RSV and flu viruses under control.
For more information about COVID-19, including locations where free at-home test kits are distributed, 215-685-5488 or phila.gov/covid.
Masala (spiced) chai is a traditional Indian tea made with whole spices, ginger and milk. It is made by simmering black tea with spices and cooking down the milk with it a for a rich, creamy and complex taste. Chai tea, which is common in America, is made with steamed milk and uses a concentrate or powder, giving it a more watered down, sharp flavor. Masala chai is typically not manually frothed, while a chai tea latte is distinctly frothy.
Ingredients:
Strong black tea bags (Assam or Darjeeling)
Cinnamon sticks (Cassia or Ceylon)
Cloves
Green cardamom pods
Black peppercorns
Milk (or non-dairy alternative)
Optional: Fennel seeds, mint leaves, sugar
Directions: Place a saucepan over high heat and add water. Add the whole spices and ginger while the water is coming to a boil.
When water begins to boil, add tea bags and reduce the heat to a simmer so the tea and spices have time to infuse the water. Stop and smell the aroma of the spices.
Add the milk and sugar, if desired. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and allow it to simmer for another five minutes or so.
Raise the heat to high and allow it to come to a rolling boil for a minute or so, depending on how “cooked” you like the milk. There is no right or wrong, it simply boils down to your preference.
Pour into cups through a fine mesh strainer and discard tea bags and spices.
one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated. Social isolation can lead to health risks including depression, dementia, and even heart failure. For older adults who may not be grieving but feel isolated from friends and family, the holidays can usher in feelings of loneliness. Along the same lines of grief, in dividuals are encouraged to give themselves permission to feel what ever emotions arise.
When “the most wonderful time of the year,” doesn’t feel so wonder ful, there are many resources older adults can use to combat grief, loss, and loneliness.
By Mary Anna RodabaughThe holidays can be a time filled with festivity and family, but for some the season can also usher in feelings of grief, loss, and loneli ness. This is especially true for those who have lost their partners, their friends, or have family who reside across the country or abroad.
Coping with grief
Grieving a loved one’s passing can be very difficult around the holi days. From seasonal marketing to holiday traditions and memories, painful reminders of loved ones lost can be inescapable. One of the most important things to remember is that it is okay to not feel jolly this season.
“Grief is unpredictable,” says Naila Francis, grief coach & death mid wife of This Hallowed Wilderness. “While we may plan to honor this season in a way that also honors our losses, know that sometimes grief’s erratic nature will sabotage the best of intentions.”
Francis also notes that “grief doesn’t run on a timeline.” Loss from many
years ago can still have a significant impact on grieving each holiday season. Instead of trying to fight feelings of grief and loss, there are several steps you can take to ease and honor uncomfortable feelings:
• Light a candle in honor of your lost loved ones.
• Enjoy a meal with a picture of your lost loved ones nearby.
• Join a grief counseling group to connect with others going through similar experiences. Visit healthymindsphilly.org for a list of grief and loss resources, access to Grief Healing Discus sion Groups, and virtual grief and loss support groups.
• Set boundaries with others. If a certain holiday event triggers anxiety or feels like too much, simply lean into self-care and do what is best for you. Don’t let feelings of guilt cloud your brave decision to put yourself first during times of grief.
According to the National Acade mies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), more than
“It can be helpful to schedule reg ular activities including exploring new hobbies and areas of interest such as crafting, writing and puz zles,” says Tracey Holder, LCSW, psychotherapist, integrated behav ioral health, Main Line Health. “Re maining connected to communities of faith or other social groups and organizations as well as telephone communication can also help with remaining socially connected.”
“Typical symptoms of depres sion may include sadness, fatigue, changes in appetite and/or sleep, hopelessness, feelings of guilt, trou ble concentrating and other cogni tive changes,” says Holder. “Some older adults may not present with the traditional symptoms but may have apathy or sense of not caring about anything, lack of interest in their usual activities, slower speech or movement, persistent digestive problems or physical pains that do not get better with treatment.”
If you notice these possible chang es in yourself or your loved one, speak with a primary care physician or mental health professional.
PCA’s Senior Companion Program is a person-to-person service pro gram for older adults. Through the program, companions age 55 and over are paired with homebound older adults who need some assis tance to remain in their homes. Call 215-765-9040 to learn more.
Philadelphia is home to 28 senior community centers that are brim ming with robust programming. Each center provides opportunities for members to make new friends and foster meaningful connections with peers who enjoy similar activ ities such as fitness, arts, music, and games. There are many opportuni ties for social connection. To learn more, call the PCA Helpline at 215765-9040.
Sometimes giving back can ease feelings of loneliness or loss. Car ing for Friends provides food and friendship to seniors, kids, and adults in Greater Philadelphia re gion. Volunteer opportunities are also available. Visit caringfor friends.org or call 215-464-2224.
If there are concerns regard ing safety or risk for self-harm, call or text 988 (suicide and crisis lifeline), chat online by going to https://988lifeline.org/ [988lifeline. org], call the National Suicide Pre vention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or text HOME to 741741.
Mary Anna Rodabaugh is a writer, editor and writing coach.
Recent research reveals that older adults are more susceptible to severe eye disorders. If you are a minority over 40, you may be even more vulner able to multiple types of glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.
Glaucoma is more common with in creasing age, although children are not exempt. If you are first-degree rela tives (parents, siblings) of patients with glaucoma your risk may be up to tentimes higher.
It’s only recently that more informa tion on risk of glaucoma-related vision loss, as far as disease frequency and severity, has been collected on United States Hispanic/Latinos.
Studies suggest open-angle glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among Hispanics, and that older Hispanic Americans are at increased risk for de velopment of glaucoma.
Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma and af fects over three million Americans. Open-angle means the drainage angle formed by the iris and cornea remains open as it should, but other parts of the drainage system of the eye do not drain properly. This may lead to a slow, gradual increase in eye pressure, which if left untreated can lead to permanent vision loss.
In fact, in some of the early estimates of visual impairment and eye disease in Hispanics/Latinos, researchers found
Latinos have higher rates of develop ing visual impairment, blindness, di abetic eye disease and cataracts than non-Hispanic whites. This higher fre quency also includes the development of diabetic retinopathy, particularly for those over 40 years old. The longer study participants suffered from diabe tes, the more likely they would develop retinopathy.
Retinopathy is a complication of dia betes that affects the eyes. It is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the tissue at the back of the eye, also known as the retina. Poorly controlled blood sugar is a risk factor.
Asian populations, including Asian Americans over 40 but mainly 60-70 years old, are particularly prone to another form of glaucoma, known as acute angle-closure glaucoma. With this type of glaucoma, people experi ence a sudden onset of severe unilateral eye pain or a headache associated with blurred vision, rainbow-colored halos around bright lights, nausea and vom iting.
If you have any of these symptoms please check-in with your eye doctor or general practitioner.
Wills Eye Hospital | 840 Walnut St., Phila delphia, PA 19107 | 215-928-3000
Scheie Eye Institute Perelman, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine | West Pavilion, 3rd Floor, 3400 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104 | 800-789-7366
Sources: Wills Eye Hospital, Glaucoma Research Foundation,Mayo Clinic, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Web MD
