Community Connection | Fall 2021

City of West Hollywood California 1984

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RECREATION SERVICES DIVISION

Connection A QUARTERLY GUIDE TO THRIVE AT ANY AGE | FALL 2021

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S upport for People Living with Alzheimer’s and Those Who Care...

Backup Battery Program beWell WeHo UCLA Memory Training Finding the Stories Keeping the Memories Craft Corner

Community Connection is published quarterly by the City of West Hollywood's Recreation Services Division for everyone, but especially for people 55 and over in the community to get information about news, programs, and services.

To find our current registration schedule and sign up for recreation activities and classes, visit us at: weho.org/recreation or email: recreation@weho.org

SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM The City of West Hollywood’s Aging in Place/Aging in Community (AIP/AIC) initiative was designed to support healthy aging for all members of the West Hollywood community. One of the ten focal points of the initiative is to create and maintain an age-friendly community where people with dementia and the people who care for them are empowered, supported and included in our community.

November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and there are several local non-profit agencies that partner with City to provide information, resources and support. Below please find information about these agencies and other local, state and national resources available.

CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD RESOURCES: The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Senior Program offers a bi-monthly Alzheimer’s and related dementia caregiver support group for partners, family members, friends and others caring for an LGBT loved one to develop a support system, talk about challenges and learn about resources. To learn more or to join, please call the LGBT Center at 323-860-5830.

Jewish Family Service (JFS) West Hollywood Comprehensive Services Center provides services to people with cognitive impairment and the people caring for them. For more information about case management, home secure housing modification, service coordination, emotional support and referrals for additional services, please call 323-851-8202.

LOCAL RESOURCES: Alzheimer’s Los Angeles provides free care and support in Los Angeles County for those with Alzheimer's or another dementia and their families and caregivers alzheimersla.org. To reach the 24-Hour Helpline, please call 1-844-435-7259.

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REGIONAL AND STATE PARTNER RESOURCES: AARP offers a free caregiving guide, "Prepare to Care: A Caregiving Planning Guide for Families," (item #D20152); there is a guide specifically addressing issues for LGBT community members.

To obtain a copy, go to aarp.org/caregiving/ prepare-to-care-planning-guide or call AARP at 1-877-333-5885 (option 1). AARP has additional resources on its caregiver page: states.aarp.org/ california/caregiver-resources.

NATIONAL RESOURCES: Alzheimers.gov is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ new website that provides the following: information about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and related dementias; tips and resources for caregivers and people living with dementia; clinical trial and studies people can join and general updates.

Did you know, the City shares helpful resources to support you on its WehoCares Facebook page?

Even without a social media account, it’s easy to see the latest posts.

Go to www.weho.org/aging

SCE’S CRITICAL CARE BACKUP BATTERY PROGRAM The City of West Hollywood is getting the word out about SCE’s (Southern California Edison) Critical Care Backup Battery (CCBB) program, which offers eligible customers a free portable backup battery to operate a medical device during a power outage. Be prepared in the event of an unexpected outage. There are eligibility requirements and certain limitations may apply.

For more information, call SCE toll-free at 800-736-4777.

2 | VISIT US ONLINE AT WEHO.ORG/RECREATION

Chef Next Door!

CHICKEN, APPLE, SWEET POTATO, AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS SKILLET Total Servings: 4 | Total Time: 50 min

Ingredients: • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes • 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided • ½ teaspoon black pepper • 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped • 3 cups Brussels sprouts trimmed and quartered (about 3/4 pound) • 1 medium sweet potato peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes (about 8 ounces) • 1 medium onion chopped • 2 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and cut into 3/4 inch cubes • 4 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons) • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth divided

Instructions: Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high, until hot and shimmering. Add the chicken, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper.

Cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate lined with paper towels.

Reduce skillet heat to medium low. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp and brown and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate (I simply laid another paper towel on top of the plate with the chicken, then stacked the bacon on that). Discard all but 1½ tablespoons bacon fat from the pan.

Increase skillet heat back to medium high. Add Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, onion, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and the onions are beginning to look translucent, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the apples, garlic, thyme, and cinnamon.

Cook 30 seconds, then pour in ½ cup of the broth.

Bring to a boil and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved chicken and remaining ½ cup broth. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in reserved bacon and serve warm.

UCLA MEMORY TRAINING Must have smartphone, tablet or computer and internet to access and download Zoom Web Conferencing app.

Once you have registered in the class, you will receive an email with a Zoom link to access your virtual classes.

THE MINDFULNESS SERIES Free workshops for adults.

Must have smartphone, tablet or computer and internet to access and download Zoom Web Conferencing app. Once you have registered in the class, you will receive an email with a Zoom link to access your virtual classes.

Instructor: Maggie Thomas is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has a private therapy practice.

She is also a Reiki Master and Shamanic Practitioner.

THE POWER OF HEALTH 12447 | Wednesday, Sept. 29 | 3:30 pm – 5 pm This workshop will focus on mindfully attending to our bodies to create physical health and, as a result, to benefit from a healthy mind. Participants will learn how to be present within their body, listening to the wisdom within to create a healthy body mindfully.

THE POWER OF MINDFUL SELF-TALK 12448 | Wednesday, Oct. 13 | 3:30 pm – 5 pm This workshop will explore the power of words and their amazing creative nature. Participants will learn to be mindful of how they talk to themselves – and how they design their internal and external world through that self-talk. They will also learn tools to change their self-talk to change their lives for the better.

THE POWER OF THANKSGIVING 12449 | Wednesday, Nov. 17 | 3:30 pm – 5 pm We will discuss in depth how to mindfully and heart-fully look at our cups as half-full rather than half-empty. Participants will learn various techniques to become aware of what each moment offers them to benefit from a more fulfilling life.

For more info, call 323-848-6302, and to register, visit www.weho.org/recreation

New students may not join after the 2nd session.

Instructor: Monica Dunahee has taught the UCLA Memory Training for more than ten years to a wide variety of audiences of all ages. She has also written and taught a variety of computer classes and served on the American Society on Aging's Lifelong Learning Committee.

12453 | Friday, October 1 – 22 | 10 am – 11:30 am Cost: Free (4 weeks) This four-week class will teach strategies and exercises to improve your long-term memory and ability to retain and recall information. Developed by UCLA, this memory class provides practical ways to help you: Keep track of keys, phones, or other items. Retain and recall dates, phone numbers, addresses. Put names with faces.

FINDING THE STORIES KEEPING THE MEMORIES Instructor: Monica Dunahee (Please see her bio above.)

12451 | Wednesday, September 15 – October 20 1 pm – 2:30 pm | Cost: Free (6 weeks) This is a six-week workshop designed to help participants capture their own memories for generations to come. This is not a traditional writing class! Instead, this fun and interactive workshop will help you experiment with a variety of easy methods to identify, save, and share the memories that are important to you – maybe a story about your favorite toy, places you traveled, or how you felt when Dr. Martin Luther King was shot? From the Internet, space travel and TV to our first black President, marriage equality and a pandemic, our world has undergone tremendous change – and YOU have lived through it. Individual memories and stories help future generations understand the past in a way history books never could. You may have thought about documenting your own experiences but wondered how to start – and how to find the time! Your experiences and your stories matter! Don’t let them be lost!

For more info, call 323-848-6302, and to register, visit www.weho.org/recreation CONTACT US AT RECREATION@WEHO.ORG | 3

CRAFT CORNER

CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD RECREATION SERVICES

POM POM BOOKMARK

8300 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90069 (323) 848-6308 weho.org

What you need: n n

Yarn Scissors

What to do: 1-2 To start, hold the end of the yarn in your hand, and begin wrapping the yarn around your fingers – snug but not too tight about 90 times.

City of West Hollywood California 1984

3-4 Cut the yarn after 90 wraps, and carefully slide it off your fingers. Lay it down over the 8-10 inch piece of yarn. Tightly tie a knot around the middle of the 90 loops.

BRAIN TEASER 5 Next, holding the ball on its side, slide your scissors through the yarn loops and start cutting.

6-7 Start snipping! {WARNING: be careful NOT to cut off the bookmark tail! Hold it out of the way while you snip.} With this step, you need to cut the yarn pom pom into the shape of a ball. Continue to turn and snip the yarn, looking at the ball from different angles while doing so. Keep rounding it off until you are pleased with the shape.

4 | VISIT US ONLINE AT WEHO.ORG/RECREATION

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