Page 56 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2018

Medicine By Media?
By Date
Aug 2~ Singles Seniors Social - Mix & mingle. Make new friends. FREE; 5-6:30p, Aqus Cafe Foundry Wharf, 189 H Street, Petaluma, 707-778-6060, info@ aquscafe.com
Aug 6,13,20,27~ AARP Tax-Aide Tax Clinic - Help for seniors and others who need to file or amend their tax returns, or have other tax-related issues or questions. By appointment only. FREE, 9:45a, 11a and 12:15a, Franklin Park Clubhouse, 2095 Franklin Ave,, Santa Rosa, 707-327-2401 Aug 7 ~ A day in the life at Oakmont Gardens with Gator Nation Band - $10, RSVP by Aug 3, 5p-7p, Oakmont Gardens, 301 White Oak Dr., Santa Rosa, 707-538-1914, Vikki Bufano, mbkseniorliving.com
Aug 7 ~ Senior Saunters - Stroll along some of the most accessible paved trails, while we explore seasonal signs of wildlife. Coastal Prairie Trail - 2255 Hwy. 1, Bodega Bay Community Center, FREE, $7 Parking, 10-11:30a, parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov
Aug 15~ Legal Consultations for Seniors and Family Members - 30 min. consults with elder law attorney. FREE, Preregister. 10-11:30a, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, 1360 N. Dutton Ave., Suite C, Santa Rosa, 707-303-1530, jfcs.org
Aug 17 ~ Speaking of Death - Talk about perspectives on death, share, and honor our stories, all in a respectful environment. Potluck. $5, FREE for Wisdom Counts members, 3:30-5p, Sebastopol Senior Center, 167 North Hight St., Sebastopol, 707-829-2440, sebastopolseniorcenter.org
Resources
Blood Pressure and Glucose Testing - Every third Thurs. by Empire College medical training program students. $3 Wisdom Counts Member; $4 Associate Members, 3-4p, Sebastopol Area Senior Center, 167 N. High St, Sebastopol, 707-829-2440, Dean Brittingham, sebastopolseniorcenter.org
Need help getting to medical and social service appointments? Call 707-829- 2440, dean@sebastopolseniorcenter.org. $5, FREE for Wisdom Counts members, Sebastopol Senior Center, 167 N. High St., sebastopolseniorcenter.org
Senior Ballroom Dance
Aug 3 ~ Carl Green
Aug 10 ~ Tom Shader Trio - Hawaiian Luau Aug 17 ~ Manny Gutierrez
Aug 24 ~ Carlton Trio
Aug 31 ~ Steve Luther
What fairly new idiocy is raining down on unsuspecting souls who just want to watch a favorite TV show—not have an on-air doctor’s visit? Medical advice thru pharmaceutical advertising, that’s what!
Everything from simplistic solutions to sweeping medical advisories are streaming at us on TV commercial breaks. In pseudo counseling sessions, viewers are encouraged to nag their real medical professionals for remedies recommended by actors and drug “providers” promising miracles.
We’re further advised not to forget to tell your doctor about all your existing conditions, including allergies. (HUH? Doesn’t your doctor know all that?) The claims are amazing, and conclude with a litany of risks and reactions ranging from simple headaches all the way to death! (Indeed! It’s enough to scare you to death.)
The best arrogance is advising us to advise—even scold—our own medicos concerning what they should be prescribing us. Do the vulnerable viewers among us notice that the cart is pushing the horse?
If the ironies were not so shamefully dangerous, it would be amusing. Deliberately and recklessly transposing the average patient as technical medication advisor to their knowledgeable professional is risky business.
I totally support full participation in one’s medical care and solutions! It’s healthy, crucial, and smart to push back for accountability and explanations! However, competing with your medical professional’s credentials might just be a fool’s game!
It’s a blurred line. In my opinion, this phenomenon is in the snake-oil- promotions category. Medicine by media is a lot like relationships by Internet: Just enough detachment to absolve responsibility. No accountability, no foul! (Don’t forget, a lot of this stuff can be purchased elsewhere, behind your Doc’s back!)
Common sense and what was sometimes called “covered wagon medicine,” is something oldsters can relate to. Not only were miracle medicines, drugs, advanced therapies and unbelievable surgeries things of a distant future, communication and transportation was greatly limited. Many times, self-help was all one had available to make do.
Senior Social Clubs Contact Laurel Anderson at 707-525-0143 ext. 103, atlanderson@councilonaging.com
Santa Rosa Senior Social Club at First United Methodist Church, 2150 Giffen, Santa Rosa, Mon., Wed., and Fri. 9:30-2p.
Sonoma Senior Social Club at Vintage House, 264 First St. E., Sonoma - Tues. and Thur. from 9:30-2p.
Healdsburg Senior Social Club at St. Paul’s Church, 209 Matheson St., Healdsburg, Mon., Tues., and Wed., 9:30-2, Contact Roxanne Lemereis at 707-433-6161.
Sebastopol Senior Social Club at Sebastopol Senior Cntr, 167 No. High St., Sebastopol, Mon., Wed. and Fri. 9:30-2p.
I think these TV pharmaceutical promoters think we are a bunch of numbskulls! Obviously, they want us to nag our doctors, but where should the lines be drawn? Romanticizing and promoting highly potent products (involving questionable effects and very serious risks) sure doesn’t speak to integrity in advertising.
I don’t think I’m alone in noticing the irresponsible part of this issue. It takes advantage of what the average person may not know (or know how to interpret) about the chemical dark sides of such products. Rather, they try to gloss it over, promoting hope from behind masked opportunism.
Dining Sites Council on Aging 30 Kawana Springs Road, Santa Rosa, 707-525-0143 Cloverdale ~ Cloverdale Senior Community Center, 311 North Main St., Mon.-Fri., 12p,
We need to think more than twice, and remember that tired old adage: If it seems too good to be true it probably is!
707-894-4826, cloverdaleseniorcenter.com
Bethlehem Tower ~ 801 Tupper, SR, 707-525-0143, M.,W., 12p
First United Methodist Church ~ 2150 Giffen Ave., SR., 707-525-0143, Mon.-Fri., 12p Healdsburg Senior Center ~ 133 Matheson St., 707-525-0143 M.,T.,W., 12p
Rohnert Park Senior Center ~ 6800 Hunter Dr., Ste. A, 707-525-0143 Mon. - Fri., 12p Sebastopol Senior Center ~ 167 High St., 707-525-0143, M.,W., F., 12p
Silvercrest Senior Housing ~ 1050 3rd St., SR, Margaret DeMaria, 707-525-0143, 11a
Zoë Tummillo has been writing about senior wisdom for the Gazette for many years. If you want to read more of her insights, visit SonomaCountyGazette.com for all her archived articles.
Project Nourish Gets Cooking
Russian River Senior Resource Center has been completed! This means we will be able to cook our own meals at the Center for hungry seniors and involve our youth in a culinary job development program. Look for an upcoming episode
westcountyservices.org
Sebastopol Area Senior Center 167 N. High St.Sebastopol, 707-829-2440, sebastopolseniorcenter.org
Aug 2 ~ TED Talks - Lively discussions of big ideas. $5, FREE for members, 2-3:30p
Aug 3 ~ As You Are Show - Focuses on lives of folks in the audience. $5-$8, 3:30-5p
Aug 8 ~ Movie Matinee - Relax with movie and free popcorn. $2-$5, 1p
Aug 9 ~ Examining the 2016 Election and What Lies Ahead - Aftermath affecting our politics today. 707-820-2440 to register, 1-3p
Aug 10 ~ Emergency Recognition Workshop - FREE- $5, 3:30-5p
Aug 20 ~ The story of the Japanese-American Incarceration. FREE-$5, 2:30-4p
Aug 25 ~ LGBTQI Dance - Totally Awesome 80s - To be enjoyed by the entire community. $10, 6:30-10p
56 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 8/18
The commercial kitchen at the
of the WCCS Podcast with more information about this project.