Focus on
Community
Winter 2010
www.mptvfund.org
Interdisciplinary Care
Promotes Safety
3
Activities Bring
Retirees Together
5
To Volunteer, or
Not to Volunteer?
From the Executive Director
Aging in Place, 60-Year-Old Kids, and
the Intergenerational Conversation
A
major focus of the MPTF Center on Aging is
the development of services to support retirees
who want to “age in place” in their own homes
with independence, health, safety, and a good
quality of life. These programs currently include
transportation, social services, home renovation,
volunteers, and technology.
The How vs. the Where. Although these services
focus on the how of aging in place, the logically
prior decision is the where. For many older families, the choice is your current home, but other
choices might be better. Thus, the most critical
piece of the planning is that the where of aging
in place should be the result of discussion and
choice—not the hurried reaction to a crisis. You
might prefer to have an apartment with fewer
maintenance costs and responsibilities. Or you
might want to move closer to your children, or
“back East” where you grew up, or to a rural area
far from the Ventura Freeway.
Whatever the choices, the best planning is based
on family conversations, especially when the decision involves health, wealth, and quality of life.
While we usually think of longevity in terms of the
men and women who are living longer, longevity
also has profound implications for middle-agers.
Compared to the 20th century, nowadays Boomer
middle-agers are likely to be the “60-year-old kids” of elderly parents. In turn, this alters the very nature of the intergenerational conversation.
The Senior Sandwich Generation. When the
concept of the “sandwich generation” was introduced
in the early 1980s, it referred to mothers in their
40s taking care of parents and little children. With
increasing longevity, the parents are much older and
so is the generation in the middle. For example, in
1900 only 7 percent of 60-year-olds had at least one
parent alive. By 1940 this increased to 13 percent,
and to more than 50 percent by 2000 (including my
95-year-old mother and me).
2 Focus on Community WINTER 2010
So how do middle-aged
kids and our parent(s) decide
where to age in place? Let me offer four basic
ideas that can help shape your intergenerational
conversation.
1. First, it should begin early, discussing rather
than deciding, well in advance of a health, family,
or financial crisis that could severely limit choices.
2. Begin by listing lots of residential preferences—
geography, lifestyle, family, religion, climate, travel.
Do not start with finances! Rank your preferences,
knowing that they will probably change. 3. Discuss
intergenerational family roles and responsibilities:
who organizes, who takes care of whom, who takes
care of the everyday tasks. 4. Now bring finances
into the picture. How might finances alter the
parents’ preferences? How might money affect the
family obligations and division of responsibilities?
Start the conversation early, but know that you
are not alone in this complex and emotionally
charged process. The resources of the MPTF Elder
Connection program are available to assist you in
making the best decision for you and your family.
All MPTF programs and their telephone numbers
are on the back page.
And, as ever, please don’t hesitate to contact me personally with your questions, comments, and rebuttals. My best regards to you and your
intergenerational family for the holidays.
Neal
Neal E. Cutler, PhD
Executive Director
MPTF Center on Aging
818-876-1744, centeronaging@mptvfund.org
This publication was made possible through a grant from
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.
MPTF Activities Bring Retirees Together
I
n a conversation about
Elder Connection and
Community Care outreach, social worker Jessica
Caughey mentioned a cluster
of MPTF retirees who resided
at a community facility.
She briefly focused on one,
Ronald Dawson, a retired
1
special effects craftsperson
who had worked in both film
and television for nearly 30 years.
Activities Supervisor Elizabeth “Lizz” Samuel
immediately thought of a volunteer to match with
Dawson. She went out to the facility and met with
him to find out what his needs were. In short order,
MPTF volunteer Renata Shatz began weekly visits
with Dawson. Their burgeoning friendship is based
on their mutual love of reading. He’s an avid fan of
mysteries and westerns, and Shatz makes sure he’s
well supplied with both.
Samuel also met with the other MPTF residents
at the same facility to learn if she could add a bit
of sparkle to their days, too. Everyone in the group
wanted more field trips and activities beyond their
home. Through the process of the Community Care
Teams serving MPTF clients—some who had transferred from the LTC community and other clients
who never resided on The Wasserman Campus—
MPTF veterans who were not yet “clients” were discovered. The teams found a way to engage retirees and enrich their social lives by introducing
them to MPTF activities.
It was decided that one of the best ways to connect with some of the off-campus seniors would
be to include them in on-campus activities. With
the assistance of the members’ social workers and
MPTF bus drivers, who are familiar to them, a
growing group of seniors who live out in the community are now visiting The Wasserman Campus
several times a month.
The activities department has put together a
number of successful events and lunches. Dawson’s
fellow MPTF members—Angela Morelli and Rose
Miele—particularly enjoy the musical programs.
3
2
1. Angela Morelli arrives at MPTF with Lizz Samuel for
the party. 2. Ronald Dawson decked out in the 60s
gear given to the party attendees. 3. Sid Sirelson and
his CompletePT therapist, Jeff Calso, in the pool.
They’ve recently cut a rug at a 1960s-themed party.
The women appreciate the ease with which they
are brought to campus and get a tremendous boost
from being able to socialize with old and new
friends in a bright, fun setting.
Sid Sirelson is another industry retiree who
makes his way to MPTF for physical therapy in the
pool with CompletePT. Sirelson worked as a sign
painter in the industry and was a champion chess
and bridge player in his early days. “Whatever you
do, do it well,” he says. “I always did well at everything I worked on.” He likes the pool and loves his social worker, Renee Gates. “She has been a
wonderful help through some tough situations.”
The goal of the activities staff is to create more events and functions that bring groups of community-based seniors to campus. It’s an ambitious undertaking and the staff is looking for a few good volunteers to assist with community residents.
If you or someone you know would
be interested in volunteer opportunities at
The Wasserman Campus, please contact
Lizz Samuel at 818-876-1048.
MPTF WINTER 2010
3
Interdisciplinary Care
Keeps Retirees Safe at Home
A
lbina Fleishman, a vocalist and costume
designer, was looking for reading material as she waited for Dr. Saeed Humayan in the Age
Well office. Dr. Humayan was seeing her mother,
Marietta Bocchicchio, for an appointment. Lately,
Fleishman had been worried about her mother’s
safety at home. It must have been kismet that she
picked up a copy of Focus on Community and
turned to a story about Home Safe Home.
Fleishman called the number listed in the
article and spoke with Kym Hall (pictured on the
cover, far right). Hall told her what she thought
Fleishman’s mother needed, and she came out to
evaluate the house. “Kym was delightful,” says
Fleishman. “She made the whole process effortless.”
Hall is certified in Falls Prevention and, after
evaluating Bocchicchio’s home, gathered a team
together to do the modifications. For the cost of
hardware and materials, Bocchicchio’s bathroom
was outfitted with grab bars, and anti-skid strips
were installed on her front stairs, as well as under the rugs in her house. Industry volunteers completed
the installation for free.
“There’s nothing like MPTF’s health care programs. It’s remarkable, one-of-a-kind service,” says
Fleishman. “My mom is fully vested and is eligible
for health care and the Home Safe Home program
because of my dad.” Bocchicchio’s husband and
Fleishman’s father was Alfeo “Al” Bocchicchio,
whose career as an art director and production
designer spanned nearly 40 years. Fleishman
continues, “It’s a lovely coincidence that Theresa
[L’Heureux], the nurse who did such a wonderful
job caring for him at the end of his life, is now Dr. Humayan’s nurse and helps care for my mother.”
Home Safe Home offers free home safety
evaluations for industry members and their
parents and can provide installation of
free or low-cost improvements. If you or
someone you know might benefit from
the service, or want to volunteer, please
call 323-634-3860.
(l to r) Dr. Saeed Humayan and Theresa L’Heureux provide a continuum of care for Marietta Bocchicchio and
peace of mind for her daughter Albina Fleishman.
4 Focus on Community WINTER 2010
To Volunteer, or Not to Volunteer?
For George Manet, the Answer Is ‘Yes.’
A
bout a year-and-a-half ago, George
Manet received a questionnaire in
the mail. The mailer had two parts: The
first asked the recipient if he or she was
in need of any of the Elder Connection
services the Fund had to offer, and the
second asked if the recipient was interested
in volunteering to assist other seniors
through outreach services. While George
was not in need of the Fund’s assistance,
he was interested in volunteering.
With a rich and varied career in the
motion picture and television industry,
George had been a SAG member since
the 1950s and worked behind the scenes
at Ziv, Columbia/Screen Gems, and
Metromedia studios. Under another professional name, he produced such
iconic programming as Gidget, The Flying Volunteer George Manet enjoys talking to his Phone Buddy.
Nun, and Here Come the Brides. In the
1970s he left the industry to reinvent himGeorge also visits writer/producer Leonard
self completely and live in London, and then Neubauer usually once a week, although Leonard,
on a farm. Now residing in Los Angeles and an active 93-year-old, occasionally has other plans.
turning another page in his life, he was ready They discuss Leonard’s ongoing work, the shifting
to do something else.
tides of the entertainment industry, and much more.
After mailing the form, George got the call to
When asked why he chooses to volunteer come in for an orientation. For the past year, he
has juggled three volunteer commitments that were his time, George says, “I have time and there are people who need things, and I’m happy to
very recently pared down to two. He now works
accommodate. I thought it would be nice to meet
as both a Phone Buddy and a Friendly Visitor and
other people in the industry and communicate. also logged nearly a year as a Shopping Buddy.
I’m also a good listener, which is a big part of
At least once a week, George gives Marjorie
being a Buddy.” He adds, “Someday I may need
Wahl, the retired head of the costume department
MPTF services and, when I do, I hope someone
at 20th Century Fox, a call. They chat about food
else will help me stay in my house.”
and their favorite recipes. Marjorie reminisces
about the old days at the studio and talks about
For Community Volunteer
the current news of the day. “It’s always a pleasant
opportu­nities or to stay connected with
call to make,” says George. “We get along well.”
others, please call 323-634-3860.
MPTF WINTER 2010
5
Life Is a Journey… Especially If You’re Driving
I
f you were to pick a theme song for Paul Statman’s
life, it might very well be On the Road Again.
The Birmingham U.K. native, musician, and SAG
member, who now resides in Los Angeles, has had
a most adventurous life, and much of it’s been
tied into volunteering as a driver in one form or
another since he was a teenager.
When Paul was young, he attended a synagogue
that was located in a home for the Jewish aged. He
noticed that the home didn’t have any volunteers
helping out and that the residents didn’t appear to
go anywhere. Shortly after that, he heard about a
local program that was looking for volunteer drivers to assist the elderly. He soon found himself back
Volunteer driver Paul Statman behind the wheel.
at the nursing home, happily ferrying residents to the hair salon, bingo, doctor appointments, and a community center. He also began driving
severely disabled children to and from a full day of play for an organization that gave their parents
and caregivers a day off.
Before he was out of his teens, he moved to
Israel, where he lived for nine years. He worked
as a dairyman and, not surprisingly, wound up as
a tractor driver and mechanic on a kibbutz. The
theme continued when he joined the Israeli army
6 Focus on Community WINTER 2010
and spent three years driving tanks. He switched
gears a bit after the military and found work as
a professional mandolin player and actor before
moving on again.
After stints playing the mandolin in bluegrass
bands in the U.S., Israel, and Europe, he brought
wheels back into the equation again as a motorbike
aficionado and motorcycle messenger. Eventually,
he made his way to Southern California.
Between playing gigs with his band, The Statmen,
and going on auditions for acting parts, Paul was
looking for a new ways to volunteer. “I used a
computer search engine to help find some local
volunteer opportunities to which I could relate,” he says. “Since I love helping the elderly,” he continues, “the MPTF’s ITN program was a good fit.”
Paul currently drives three ITNGreaterLA members to the gym, work, appointments, and a variety
of other activities. He drives one to two times a
week and sometimes more.
“Serving is good for one’s well-being,” he says,
“as well as assisting those whom one serves. I’m
pretty sure it’s good karma, too!”
Need help getting to appointments or the
grocery store, or running errands? Or do you
have the time to volunteer to drive other
industry retirees to their destinations? If so,
join the Motion Picture & Television Fund and
ITNGreaterLA. This service provides industry
retirees with dignified, reliable transportation
by volunteers who work around your schedule. In addition to being able to book your
rides, in advance, for any purpose within the
designated service area, MPTF-affiliated
retirees will receive a 15 percent discount
on membership. This service is available in
certain geographic areas and is expanding.
For more information, call
323-634-3867 or ITNGreaterLA
at 310-451-1343.
Aquatic Therapy Produces Results
By Jennifer Fletcher, D.P.T., M.O.T.
H
ave you ever had low back
pain (LBP)? You are not
alone. Nearly everyone has back
pain at some point in their lives.
LBP can make many daily activities difficult to do. But what if
there was an exercise program
you could learn to help ease the
pain and return to your daily
activities?
Jeff Rafner, producer of Grey’s
Anatomy, came to CompletePT
in January 2009 with that thought
in mind. He was diagnosed
with lumbar spine degenerative
disc disease with radiculopathy.
And what is that? Let’s break it
down, and then we’ll get back to
Rafner’s amazing story.
Over time, wear and tear may
cause degenerative changes in the
spine. The gradual deterioration
of the discs between the vertebrae is referred to as degenerative disc disease. Degeneration of the disc may be painful. When
it occurs, the nerves may become
irritated, known as radiculopathy. It often causes symptoms
recognized as sciatica pain. It
may be accompanied by numbness and tingling, as well as
muscle weakness. The symptoms
may vary from mild to severe
and may be very debilitating.
In Rafner’s case, the common symptoms were there. He had
LBP, muscle weakness, and
pain in his legs. Rafner came to
CompletePT hoping we could
help. His goals were to lose
weight, along with his symptoms.
Jeff Rafner and physical therapist Jennifer Fletcher share a laugh
during a session.
We designed an aquatic
cardiovascular workout for him.
The emphasis of the program
was on core strengthening.
Now, we’ve all heard the buzz
about the core—it’s made up of
more than just the abdominal
muscles. It consists of the muscle
groups that stabilize the spine
and pelvis. Basically, the stronger
the core, the more the spine is
supported.
That’s what Rafner needed.
After a month of hard work and
guidance from CompletePT’s
therapists, Rafner no longer
had LBP, the pain in his legs
diminished, and he had gained
strength. Over a two-month
period, we continued to challenge him and increase his workout, while emphasizing
proper form so that, at the end
of his therapy, Rafner could
continue to come to the Saban
Center pool three times a week
on his own. “The workout I
learned at CompletePT changed
my life,” he declared.
The amazing part is that he
has lost 50 pounds since he
has been doing his pool workout, and his doctor was able
to decrease his blood pressure
medication because he had a
normal reading.
For more information
on CompletePT services
at the Saban Center for
Health and Wellness,
call 818-876-4177.
MPTF WINTER 2010
7
®
Nonprofit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
®
Motion Picture and
Television Fund
®
Motion Picture and Television Fund
23388 Mulholland Dr. #294
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
©2009 Articles in this newsletter are written by professional journalists or physicians who strive to present reliable, up-to-date health information. Our
articles are reviewed by medical professionals for accuracy and appropriateness. No publication, however, can replace the care and advice of medical professionals, and readers are cautioned to seek such help for personal problems. All models used for illustrative purposes only. 10051M
Calendar of Events
Classes being held at OASIS (Westside Pavilion)
in partnership with MPTF
Classes to be offered (dates to be determined) are Introduction to the Internet; Healthy Living Online; Computer
Maintenance (troubleshooting when you are having problems with your computer); and Introduction to Computers
MPTF Center on Aging
Contact Numbers
Center on Aging 818-876-1744
Elder Connection 323-634-3866
Rebuilding Together/
Home Safe Home323-634-3860
Community Volunteer
Opportunities 323-634-3860
Saban Center for Health
and Wellness 818-876-1777
MPTF Age Well Program 818-876-4055
Residential Community 818-876-1552
This publication was made possible
through a grant from The Ralph M.
Parsons Foundation.
(one class for PC users, one class for Apple/Mac users), which
is partially underwritten by MPTF.
American Songwriters: George Gershwin
Andy Rawn, Professional Vocalist
Tuesday, February 9, 2010, 7–8 p.m., $6.00
Andy Rawn, host of a new six-episode PBS series, America
Sings, comes to OASIS to discuss the songs and sing the
works of George Gershwin. Perhaps best known for his
Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin also produced some of the
most loved songs of stage and screen, including songs for
such classics as Funny Face and Porgy and Bess.
Walk for Rides
Sunday, April 25, 2010, at 20th Century Fox Studios
“Walk for Rides” is an event to raise awareness of ITNGreaterLA,
an affordable, reliable transportation resource for older adults
on the Westside. MPTF has partnered with ITNGreaterLA to
expand its outreach to entertainment retirees and their families.
If you are interested in attending any of these programs or
classes, or if you have any questions, please contact Nicole
Kaplan at 323-634-3867. An announcement and registration
form will be mailed to all of the Westside retirees.