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October 2008

Recently I was blessed to spend several days with my mother, who is 92 years old.  The time spent was so sweet and precious.  I found myself reflecting back 50+ years ago, when her challenges were centered around the home, the meals, my schedule (school, church, social) and ensuring that I grew up to be a good citizen.  Today’s challenges deal with the loss of her spouse, loss of all her siblings, her failing eyesight and memory, her hearing loss, and loss of independence (she really misses her car!).  I’ve reached the conclusion that you have to be very brave and courageous to grow older!  It is not for the faint of heart!

There are many resources available to help prepare you, empower you and bolster your courage for the challenges of your middle and late years.  Here are some helpful topics from your public library, and the librarians will be delighted to guide you in finding additional topics of interest and concern:

Heart Disease:

• 641.56311 DIAB - Diabetes & heart:  healthy cookbook

• 616.120082 KAST - From the heart:  a woman’s guide to living well with heart disease

• 616.120082 SERU - Take it to heart:  the real deal on women and heart disease

• 616.12 KATZ - Living with heart disease

• 616.12305 ESSE - Prevent and reverse heart disease

Stroke:

• 649.8 MEYE - The comfort of home.  Stroke edition:  a guide for stroke caregivers

• 616.81 STEI - Life after stroke

• 362.19681 STEI  - Stroke and the family:  a new guide

Alzheimer’s Disease DVD’s:

• 616.831 FAMI - The family guide to Alzheimer’s disease

Vol. 1:  Understanding Alzheimer’s
Vol. 2:  Behavior Issues
Vol. 3:  Daily Life
Vol. 4:  Family Caregiving
Vol. 5:  Transitions

• 616.831 FORG - The forgetting:  a portrait of Alzheimer’s           
  

We would also encourage you to come and visit the wonderful library at the Garrison Institute on Aging, 6630 S. Quaker Ave., Suite E.  Here, you will find many books, pamphlets, booklets, DVD’s and VHS tapes to provide you with information and guidance toward healthy aging.
 
Volunteer Opportunities:

RSVP is so pleased to be partnered with Friends of the Library.  Volunteers provide invaluable assistance at Lubbock’s public libraries.

Friends of the Library is having its book sale October 17 – 19, 2008.  The book sale is located in the Mahon Library basement, 1306 9th Street.  The Members Only sale is on Friday, October 17 from 9am to 5pm (membership is $10 at the door, student membership is $5, business membership is $100).  The general public can participate in the sale Saturday, October 18 from 9am to 5pm, and Sunday, October 19 from 1pm to 4pm.

If you would be interested in becoming a volunteer with Friends of the Library, please contact the RSVP office at 743-7787. 
 
To volunteer, or for more information about these or other volunteer positions, please call the RSVP office at 743-7787.

HOW do I join RSVP?

Becoming a member of RSVP is simple as long as you are at least 55 and have some time to volunteer. Just call the office at 743-7787 and chat with Karon McDowell about your interests. If you are not certain what you would like to do, we can mention several current volunteer opportunities and send you a list of the sort of jobs which RSVP members are presently doing to whet your appetite. If you have a special skill or talent that you would like to utilize, we will search to find just the right job for you. Just mail in the enrollment form (requires Adobe Reader) and we will call you!