Page 7 - Reedley Exponent 12-6-18 E-edition

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The Reedley Exponent A37 Thursday, December 6, 2018
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I recently heard a story of a person going to the De- partment of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to get an Identi ca- tion Card and found out it was not a simple thing. Just how important is it to have
an Identi cation Card once you no longer need a driver’s license? I found that it is extremely important if you have to prove who you are. In order to get a California ID you have to have several pieces of original documentation. It is best to work on acquiring
a California ID before your driver’s license expires.
Too often at Sierra View Homes Retirement Commu- nity, I hear phrases like “I am
By Ro Linscheid
security card and her identi- cation card. Replacing these items became a nightmare. She wanted to get a new birth certi cate, but was turned away because she did not
have any o cial identi cation paperwork to prove who she was. e same thing happened when she wanted to replace her Identi cation Card.
is woman, being elderly, homeless and poor could not acquire the needed services and thus became a lost person. Numerous people are in this predicament.
It is easy to get into this situation as a senior who is just giving up driving. As many of us enter our senior
years it is advisable to make sure you have an o cial copy of your birth certi cate, know where your marriage license is, and keep your passport up-to- date even if you do not plan
to travel. All those documents con rm that you are who
you are and makes it easier to maintain your identity and get an identi cation card.
We are hearing in the news that we Californians should get a driver’s license
or identi cation card that is a REAL ID. Several states have already moved to that process. is is not a matter of just renewing your driver’s license. You will need a couple of o cial documents that prove
you are who you say you are. You can go online to see the list of approved documents. In addition, you need proof of your address by showing a bill with your name and address on it and proof of your Social Security Number.
e need to address having o cial identi cation documentation, no matter what age you are, is becoming more and more important. We live in a time where trusting
a person is not the norm. is is a situation where you need to be proactive to be able to have the necessary up-to-date identi cation any time you need it.
Maintaining one’s Identity
just going to let my driver’s license run out and I will not renew it.” at is ne to do and I admire the folks who make that decision, but when the license becomes inactive, that form of identi cation is gone. e two most e ective forms of identi cation are a driver’s license or California ID card and a passport. Too many seniors let their pass- ports expire since they are not
Now What?
traveling very much.
ere are many stories of people who have become the “lost people.” ey do not have the o cial documents that establish their existence. One example is a woman who was forcefully evicted from her apartment. e property owner removed her belong- ings and as a result, she lost her birth certi cate, social
RETIRED...
How to address frequent feelings of coldness
As people age, many report feel- ing chilly even when the tempera- ture outside is warm. Studies have shown that older people are more likely to have slightly colder body temperatures than their younger counterparts. Feeling cold can be the result of the natural aging pro- cess, or it may be symptomatic of a medical condition. Understanding the reasons behind chilliness can help people take proper action.
Aging adults can feel cold for various reasons. As people age, their metabolisms slow down, leading to decreased energy. Dur- ing times of low energy output, one can feel cold. e American Geriatric Society Foundation for Health suggests that individuals with slower metabolisms may not produce enough heat from their own bodies to stay warm.
Circulation issues also may be a concern. As people age, the walls of their blood vessels may lose
their elasticity, negatively a ecting circulation as a result. Vasorecep- tors also may no longer be as quick to direct blood vessels in order to constrict to keep body tempera- ture up.
Inadequate fat storage may also be a contributor. Older people generally have less subcutaneous fat stores and muscle mass, both of which can insulate their bodies from cold weather. As a result, they may have trouble regulating body temperature. Exercise and healthy eating may help remedy this situation.
Certain medical conditions or medications may be to blame, too. SUNY Upstate Medical Univer- sity o ers that some drugs, like beta blockers, can decrease heart rate, which can reduce circulation to the extremities. High choles- terol levels can impair blood ow. Hypothyroidism, or an underper- forming thyroid, also can a ect a
person’s ability to regulate body temperature. It’s imperative that people speak with their doctors to rule out any medical conditions or medication issues that may be contributing to their feelings of being cold.
e following are some addi-
tional steps aging men and women can take to stay warm.
• Make sure you are at a healthy weight for your gender and age.
• Get the cardiovascular system pumping by exercising more.
• Layer clothing until you feel comfortable so that you are
not adjusting the thermostat as frequently.
• Wear a vest to keep your chest warm to prevent heat being drawn from the extremities. Often the body will sacri ce heat in the hands and feet to keep its core warm.
• Invest in wool socks and blan- kets, as wool will help wick away moisture from the body.
Feeling cold is usually nothing out of the ordinary when a person gets older. Fortunately, there are ways that older men and women can stay warm.
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