Branford columnist remembers JFK’s death like it was yesterday

So much has been written, spoken and televised this past week about the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination and death, that I hesitate to attempt to add to the far more profound and able writers on the subject, and yet somehow I cannot allow the event to pass without making my own small observation.


It is only my senior age group that retains a vivid memory of that day. My sons were too small and have vague recollections while my daughter was not yet born.


The memory is as vivid as if it were yesterday; and yet 50 years ago, my life and the life of this country were so vastly different than they are today. We had just returned from living in Japan for an extended period and had barely settled into an apartment in Peter Cooper Village, a large complex in New York City.


I was on my way to pick up my boys from school and bring them home for lunch, and I had stopped first at the laundromat on First Avenue to drop off some small rugs. As I emerged from there, my eye caught a woman standing on the sidewalk, tears streaming down her face, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Concerned, I went over and put my hand on her arm and asked if I could help her.


“Haven’t you heard?” she replied, “The president has been shot.” We hugged, and then I walked the remaining block to the school where they were dismissing all the children, for the day.


We went home to remain glued to the radio and the television and soon learned the unthinkable; our young, charismatic president, so vital, so full of promise, was dead. Returning to one’s country, after a period of living abroad, is always something of a cultural shock in that you see both its faults and strengths in a new light. I could not perceive of how the country had changed so that this horrific event could possibly take place; and in the days that followed with the additional killings of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, I came to realize the change was a permanent one.


Later, we would learn of the cruel set of circumstances that conspired to make history that day: Oswald’s recent job at the Texas School Book Depository, the motorcade taking a route passing directly by and finally, the overcast Texas skies clearing so that a decision was made to remove the bubble over the presidential limo.


Television, still a relatively new medium, brought the sorrowful pageantry of the funeral into our homes. Who can forget the riderless horse, Jackie’s grief-stricken face behind her veil and little John-John’s goodbye salute as the casket went by?


Historians have now revealed many unflattering personal facts about President Kennedy as well as determined that his accomplishments were mediocre. Perhaps, it really doesn’t matter. What is gone for good is a certain innocence we all had at that time; a wonderful, if unrealistic belief in ourselves and our country; the vision of America as a Camelot, died along with President Kennedy.


Certainly, we have made tremendous progress in many areas: women and minorities holding positions of power, unthinkable 50 years ago, and that is much to be admired and commended, but just as small children lose a lovely naivete when they learn that there are no fairies or Santa Claus, so too, did Americans lose a certain vision of ourselves and our country that I fear will never return.


Jean Cherni writes a column for the Sunday Register. Contact her, a certified senior adviser for Senior Living Solutions and Pearce Plus, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 49 Rose St., Apt. 510, Branford, 06405.

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Sitting in on Yale’s Claude D. Pepper Center Symposium on aging

Every year the Yale School of Medicine hosts the Claude D. Pepper Center Symposium which features outstanding speakers who present on a variety of topics related to the latest research on aging.


It is indeed fitting that it is named after Claude Pepper, the former fiery, unabashed liberal senator from Florida who in a 60-year political career was an outspoken champion for the elderly. After a warm welcome from Dr. Thomas Gill, the director of the Pepper Center, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who can match Pepper in her fiery defense of issues affecting seniors, addressed the need for funds to continue the important research in issues affecting the elderly since indeed, it affects the social and economic well being of all of us.


Rosa, recently honored as an inductee into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, is herself a survivor of ovarian cancer, and she gave credit to the continuing research efforts in the cancer field.


All of the five experts who spoke on various subjects were extremely interesting presenters, but I found two of the topics particularly fascinating: “Why Humans Have Friends,” a look at the evolution of lifelong social interactions discussed with a delightful wit by Dr. Nicholas Christakis.


The extensive research on this subject, which included an isolated tribe which has remained unaffected by modern civilization, found that the patterns of forming friendships and the influence those friends exert on us, is the same in every group they studied. Even among animals, the need for social interaction is very strong. We are beginning to fully realize that the way our housing and transportation has developed (away from town centers and natural meeting places) is not at all ideal for an aging population.


Christakis compared our social circles to those of ant colonies and remarked that there is an emotional contagion that definitely occurs; that the, “when a kindness is done for you, pay it forward” theory, really does work. Our friends act as social magnifiers, and we humans need and form, long-term, nonreproductive alliances.


The other topic I found of special interest was Dr. Mary Tinetti’s “Multiple Chronic Conditions in Older Adults” and the need to be sure that the medicines prescribed under those complex circumstances are not causing harm, but are treating what matters most.


Now that we are living longer, more of us will develop multiple conditions, and we need to have a thorough discussion with our primary care physician who is aware of all our medications as to what the best combination of medicines is. Is, for example, our blood pressure medicine increasing the risk of our falling?


Sometimes, it is a trade-off between helping one condition and hurting another. The three important areas of interest to most of the elderly are:


n Remaining as functional as possible


n Being free of symptoms and pain


n Living as long as possible (survival)


Studies found that 42 percent of the participants choose maintaining function as the most important with 32 percent choosing relief from pain and 27 percent, surviving longer. However, since these choices can change with time, it is necessary for doctors and patients to continually talk about these choices.


As an example, I am hoping to find a solution to the hip and ankle pain I am experiencing, but I am not at present, willing to take any medication that might also affect my memory or energy level. All of this relates to an earlier column based on “e-Patient Dave,” who advised us to be fully engaged in our own health care; being a “e patient” meant being empowered, engaged and enabled.


Since the annual cost of Alzheimer’s disease to our country is now almost $215 billion, the next great project for America will be learning the language of the brain. We all need to speak out for additional funding for the National Institute on Aging to be able to continue its invaluable work for all of us.


Contact Jean Cherni, certified senior adviser for Senior Living Solutions and Pearce Plus, a helpful, full-service program for seniors contemplating a move, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 49 Rose St., Apt. 510, Branford, 06405.

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When the wind blows, that old arthritis makes even walking a chore

Fall is, without a doubt, my very favorite season of the year. Since I wilt in hot weather, the crisp fall air fills me with new energy, and the colors here in Connecticut are truly breathtaking. But this year, there’s an additional unwelcome symptom, arthritis pain in the hips and in the left ankle I broke many years ago.

Instead of striding forth and being able to enjoy this invigorating weather, I find I am taking careful, mincing steps, holding onto trees, car fenders, chairs and occasionally, even other people; often to their complete surprise. Cortisone shots and Aleve no longer seem to work, so I am about to try advice from the Mayo Clinic, which I will share with any of my readers also experiencing “Fallthritis.”

The basics
Whatever your condition, you will have an easier time staying ahead of your pain if you talk to your doctor about your symptoms, arthritis related or not. Sometimes, seemingly unrelated problems are, in fact, connected.

Ask your doctor for a clear definition of the type of arthritis you have. Find out if any of your joints are already damaged.

While most medications for arthritis relief are relatively safe, no medication is free of side effects. Talk with your doctor to decide what would work best for you.

Everyday routines
Do some gentle exercise in the evening, and you won’t feel as stiff in the morning. When you are basically doing nothing, be sure to adjust position frequently. Change the position of your hands; bend and stretch your legs.

Take breaks so that you don’t overuse a joint.

Exercise
Gentle movement can decrease the pain, improve your range of motion, strengthen muscles and increase endurance. Low-impact aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling or water exercise. (For a number of years, I have been going to the Branford Y for an early morning water exercise class which I love). Of course, exercise along with diet should result in weight reduction which would alleviate stress on the joints. (On this point, I have had a spectacular lack of success.)

Avoid running, jumping, tennis, repetition of movement or complete inactivity.

Rest
Occasional pain may require nothing more than rest. Try application of heat or cold (whichever works best for you). There are even some sports-type rubs and roll-ons that may give quick, if not lasting, relief.

Depression
It is not surprising that depression is more common in people with arthritis. Pain has a negative effect on mood and if everyday activities are difficult, it is bound to be discouraging. If those feelings are constant and escalate, the doctor may recommend anti-depressants or cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce depression and the arthritis pain.

In summary, nothing earth-shattering in any of the above information, but even a small reduction in pain is encouraging. Hopefully, the drug companies are putting time and money into this major problem that affects so many of us as we age.

Meanwhile, if you spot an 80-something lady maneuvering unsteadily down the street, give her a big smile as you move out of the way; it might be me, out to enjoy this beautiful fall weather ... arthritis be dammed.

Contact Jean Cherni, certified senior adviser for Senior Living Solutions and Pearce Plus, a helpful, full-service program for seniors contemplating a move, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 49 Rose St., Apt. 510, Branford, 06405.

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Late-fall fashion choices, holiday planning and New Haven Restaurant Week

Last week saw an end to some of the idyllic Indian summer weather that is one of the delights of living in Connecticut.

Temperatures dropped sufficiently for me to realize it was time to visit Lock Up Self Storage (no longer having a handy basement) and replace the cotton T-shirts with some long-sleeve acrylics and jackets to toss on for early morning or late-evening appointments. Additionally, the other unwelcome signal that winter is definitely approaching is the end of daylight saving time, today. (Did you remember to turn your clock back 1 hour?)

Another important date to remember is Election Day. I have been attending meetings to hear the views of local candidates, and one of the issues of particular interest is the need to replace the outworn, outdated, Canoe Brook Senior Center in Branford with a facility that can inspire the hardworking staff and the continually increasing number of seniors and their families who partake and benefit from its services.(More about this issue in a future column).

Instead of starting my menu planning for Thanksgiving, this is the first Thanksgiving where I will be a guest rather than the hostess, and I have been struggling to make online reservations, using my airline credits, to join my cousins in South Carolina. The airline sites are like a minefield with all of their hidden extras and stipulations about seat choice and baggage. I may decide to incur the extra charge in order to speak and make reservations with a live representative … hopefully, there are a few still in existence.

The approach of cooler weather has also encouraged me to mark the reviews for a few books that I hope to find time to read this winter, and although, ordinarily, I see very few movies, preferring live theater, I did see two movies this past week. The first, “Captain Phillips” with Tom Hanks, based on the true story of the hijacking of the U.S. container ship by Somali pirates. Tom Hanks gives a powerfully intense performance, and the movie kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. “Gravity,” although praised by many reviewers, was for me, interesting for the first 20 minutes during which I was intrigued by the amazing 3-D effects. After that, I lost interest as it was impossible to relate to the single individual (Sandra Bullock) left alone in space (George Clooney, sadly, leaves for outer space, early in the film) valiantly grunting and groaning her one liners while trying to find the right buttons to push in order to survive.

I guess for me, characterization and plot far outweigh any spectacular effects. I was remembering some simple black and white films on small screens that had kept me spellbound while this extravaganza of special effects was almost boring. I’m sure many people will disagree.

The colder weather seems to also have affected my appetite. I’m no longer content with salads for lunch, but yearn for hearty soups, pasta, hot rolls and yummy deserts … none of which are good for the waistline. And let’s not forget that New Haven Restaurant Week, www.infonewhaven.com/restaurantweek, with all of those special tempting menus begins today. Oh well, as Kirstie Alley said, “There’s a lot more to life than how fat or thin you are.”

Contact Jean Cherni, certified senior adviser for Senior Living Solutions and Pearce Plus, a helpful, full-service program for seniors contemplating a move, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 49 Rose St., Apt. 510, Branford, 06405.

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