Category: Disability

Today’s Reality

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Today’s Reality 

Today’s Reality

Note: This is my first article to appear on the Calamity News and Politics website. In fact, its my first article to appear anywhere. Thanks, Calamity.

 

By Poleeta Wallace

 

Assistive Devices

I’m going to be 74 years old next month. My biggest problem is mobility. After an injury last year I need a walker, actually the device my doc provided me is called a Rollator. You’ve probably seen them. They have a seat for the user. Under the seat there is always a storage compartment, great for a book, paperwork, or a purse. The rollator is definitely a better appliance than the original aluminum walker. The aluminum walkers are commonly given out post lower extremity injury or surgery. They are nothing more than basic support, the introductory model you might say. The  two back legs frequently have been outfitted with tennis balls so they slide easier across uncarpeted surfaces.

My Younger Guy

My husband, Dan, a younger guy of 66 years of age, requires a wheelchair if there is any chance he may be required to traverse more than about 10 feet. Thank God, Dan is still able to use a rollator inside our house. If  you haven’t seen one of those electric wheelchairs, let me tell you they are ‘effing HUGE. At least his is, but he’s also a big guy. We would need to have a carpenter enlarge at least one outside doorway if he has to bring that damn thing inside the house. Then what; widen the hallways even more and the doorways. Honestly, I’m feeling the pressure, because the chance of Dan becoming permanently wheelchair bound is a fast approaching reality and the lurking prognosis of dementia has raised its ugly head.

Oh, NO, Me Too

I rarely need a wheelchair, except for functions or appointments that are long both in length of time and distance required to participate in the activity. Because of my irregular wheelchair use I have a manual wheelchair,  “the Big Mo” my friend calls it. Definitely, its a pain-in-the-ass loading Big Mo into the back of the car and then unloading the bitch. Last year, right after my back injury I had to use “Big Mo”  24/7 for nearly six weeks. There are still scrapes on the walls of the hallway where the wheelchair wheels  scratched off the paint. The manual chairs are a real challenge and are difficult to maneuver-thus the deep scars on the plaster walls.

Many Years Ago

Dan and I built our 1,930 square foot, 3 bedroom, two and a 1/2 bath, single level, ranch style, “forever” house on 12 incredible acres with its own beautifully flowing creek and a lovely pond, just north of Vancouver, WA in 1993. That was nearly thirty five years ago. We’ve done numerous updates over the years. A beautiful new guest bath in 2008. A mammoth new deck with fishing pier in 2010, a new kitchen in 2012 the year before I retired, then last year with our disabilities we went all out on a glammed up newly enlarged walk in shower for the master bath. New paint and flooring about every 10 years. Our plan, before reality intervened, was to live in this house until we died. Since my recent disability I am questioning that forever thinking.

Wonder Woman

In 1990 Dan was in management at UPS and I was an RN working at Kaiser Hospital in North Portland. I was in my mid-forties and felt as strong and fit as Wonder Woman. Dan, in his mid-thirties was strong and vigorous. At the time, we owned a fabulous 1920’s craftsman in Portland’s tree lined Ladd’s Addition neighborhood. After a lot of discussion we decided to look for a 5-10 acre piece of property and build a more modern house with a serious eye on retirement and our golden years. A friend of Dan’s who was an architect spent many hours talking with us over Chardonnay about what we wanted, and thought we’d need as we aged. As a nurse I saw the realities of aging up close and realized I needed to spend a bit of time in the Physical Therapy Department and talk to staff about what adaptations we should be making during construction instead of trying to Gerry rig changes later.

Eating Right and Exercising

With only one child it was easy to ski in the winter, hike, bike, and swim the rest of the year. We watched our weight and ate for good health.  We wanted to ‘live long and prosper’ and we were willing to put a lot of effort into staying healthy. Dan’s from strong German stock, straight from the old country with family members living well into their nineties. I was more of a mutt, having English, Irish and Dutch forefathers but at that time my Aunt Lizzie was an amazing 106 years old and I had numerous older relatives several in their late 80’s and early 90’s. These people weren’t in nursing homes or assisted living; they were on their own and enjoying it.  The point being, with a little work and preparation we hoped for the same.

2026 Reality

Planning is a good thing, I highly recommend it. However it is not always a predictor of what will really happen in your life. My point in concluding this piece is that no matter how hard you try to plan for your golden years it’s a crap shoot. You can plan for wider hallways, eliminate stairs, create extra storage for durable medical devices, you can save every extra nickle and dime for that extended retirement, but sometimes the reality of growing disabilities and how those disabilities shrink our world complicate everything. Loss of mobility and mental capacities is more than planning for wide open rooms and walk-in showers. In my case at least, all that planning has turned out to have been more a hope and a prayer than reality.

 

 

 

Street View, NO Kings Protest

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Street View, NO Kings Protest

Street View, NO Kings Protest

By David L. Shadrick

Darlene, John, Vajra, and I arrived at the NO Kings protest at 9:55 for the 10 o’clock start. There was already a huge crowd of loud and noisy citizens. John was pushing my wheelchair, while Darlene, Vajra, and I, carried our signs, musical instruments and water.

The Josephine County Courthouse, just happens to be directly across 6th Street from the Republican Party headquarters. During the three previous protests, the Trumpers could only marshal 3 or 4 pro Trumpers to yell insults in our direction. Today, however, the Trump supporters, numbered as many as a dozen, carrying American flags and Trump Won Signs.

There wasn’t an inch of sidewalk space to be had on either side of the street due to NO Kings protesters crowding even the area in front of the Republican Headquarters. As we thought through  our options Darlene noticed a shady spot with an unoccupied bench a block down 6th Street on the Republican side of the street, not exactly in the middle of the action but the location made us a visible commodity, quite visible in fact.

I grabbed my trusty 8647 sign, my goat horn, and then rolled out onto the sidewalk where my sign could be easily seen by the slow moving and horn honking traffic. I could hear John and Vajra drumming while  Darlene rang her cow bell. We were basically a block down the street from the biggest part of the crowd when a dour looking Trumper made his way through the densest part of the crowd, heading in my direction. When he got close he said with a sneer, “Your sign is disgusting.”

I replied, “What’s disgusting are cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and Veteran’s benefits.”

After several minutes of harassing a disabled veteran  in a wheelchair he bent down close to my face and repeated, “your sign is still disgusting,” before retreating south toward the Wunder Bar.

The next Trumpers came in a gang of three, walking through the same crowd of protesters, without saying a word, making a bee line straight for me, apparently my 8647 sign really ticked them off. The first man, suggested quite irritably, that I “should go back to (my) pathetic life.” Before I could answer, I was interrupted by the second Trumper in the group, who was seemingly a decent person. He asked me why I was protesting and I told him that the cuts to all the safety net programs were going to force me to sleep in the street or on his couch. “Ok, well, I can understand that might be a problem,” he said, before he walked on. The third person in the group was a nicely dressed woman who suggested she liked “ice in (her) soda,” to Darlene who was waving a sign that said, “I.C.E. is best C-R-U-S-H-E-D.  After their interaction with us, the three simply got in a car and drove away.

While I was eagerly blowing my goat horn, another Trumper ran up in front of me and whipped out a megaphone from behind his back, and began chanting, “GO TRUMP, GO TRUMP, GO TRUMP” to which I yelled, “and you go with him.” From behind me I heard a chorus of voices, led by Darlene, chanting, “8647, 8647, 8647.” The volume of the chant grew and the increasing furor sent the megaphone master retreating back to the safety of the six remaining Trumpers securing the Republican headquarters.

An old white guy, in a battered pickup slowed down to yell “fuck you,” as he passed.

“Is that the only word you know?” I demanded at the top of my lungs.

He again repeated the “fuck you” insult.

And I repeated, “is that the only word you know?”

The third time he said, “fuck you,” I again repeated my question, “is that the only word you know?”

The frustrated old fart, gunned his truck engine, and headed down the street, after tossing, “asshole,” in my direction; at last proving, even Trumpers know more than two words.

Another Trump friendly driver, waved his two middle fingers in my direction before causing his rig to belch a huge cloud of black diesel smoke, leading protestors close by to cough, sputter, and spit. I ignored him.

The middle finger salutes, the cursing, the belching trucks, the negativity, the insults, all came from the MAGA crowd. Not one person on the No Kings protestors side was rude or insulting to anyone, certainly not to the first wheelchair bound person they could find.

 

NO KINGS PROTEST

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NO KINGS PROTEST

NO KINGS Protest

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

                                                                                                                              Steve Jobs

OPINION: The Myth of Elon Musk

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OPINION: The Myth of Elon Musk

OPINION: The Myth of Elon Musk

Editor: A version of this post came off the internet from “Lillian” who posted a version of this condemnation of Elon Musk on the social media platform X. Bravo, sister, let’s slap this SOB right in his criminal face. I personally support the  revocation of Musk’s U.S, citizenship and a fast flight back to South Africa for him. This guy is no American, in spirit or action. It is only because of the Supreme Court’s flawed and disastrous Citizens United decision that Musk was able to donate over $250,000,000 (!)  to re-elect Donald J. Trump. It is only now that we are getting a glimpse of what Musk’s money was buying. 

D.S. Mitchell

A Rich Cat

The myth of Elon Musk is fast collapsing. He is not a genius. He is not a visionary. He is not a creator, or a builder. He is just another rich cat playing us. His persona has been hyped for the last decade plus as the brilliant businessman, changing the world for the better with electric cars and cutting edge technology. Space exploration. The colonization of the moon and even Mars. As with many things that glitter, Musk is neither gold nor diamonds. Elon Musk is a fake and a phony. He has been given, or taken, credit for the work of others while burning through U.S. taxpayers money like a California wildfire.

Behind the Curtain

Musk didn’t create Tesla. He bought it. He didn’t invent SpaceX, engineers did. He didn’t create PayPal, in fact, the company fired his arrogant narcissist ass. Obviously, the reason he was fired was because he couldn’t work or play with the other billionaire narcissists at the company. He wasn’t out of work for long, however. Suddenly, he manifests as a contractor for the U.S. government, thank you SpaceX and Tesla. U.S. taxpayer’s have propped Musk up for at least the last decade and a half. OMG, our tax dollars are supporting his CHINESE car company.

South African Roots

Apartheid, was the name given to the social system of racial segregation created by the white-ruled country of South Africa. The system was harsh and deeply institutionalized and legally enforced. Musk grew up in apartheid South Africa. Musk, a rich, white kid, born into the era of apartheid, has a distorted view of human skin color. Clearly, Musk is unable to separate himself from his roots. Multiple lawsuits against his companies alleging discrimination and untenable working conditions by persons of color is concerning.  Is this really a man we want making decisions about Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and who those biases might effect? This guy and his family benefitted off the near slave labor of black miners at the South African emerald mines they owned.

Marketing Slut

Musk is not a brilliant scientist/environmentalist, he is instead a marketing slut doing anything to keep his face in front of the public, a certifiable attention addict; anything to get us to look his way, a man desperate for adulation. Every day Musk is tweeting far right conspiracy theories, picking cyber fights, and embarrassing himself and his adopted country. While true leaders lift up those in need, Musk, like Trump, pushes them face down into the dirt. While leaders innovate, Musk destroys. His sociopathic quest for attention and front page media coverage, will I’m sure lead to his eventual collapse. In the entertainment industry it’s called overexposure. The continuous media spotlight  on Musk has resulted in more than eye rolls; it has resulted in growing disfavor and rejection of the man and what he represents. There comes a point when merely a picture of the celebrity causes us to turn away. I have turned my back on Elon Musk.

Backlash From  the Street

Musk thinks he is above the law and public reprisal.  It’s apparent he thinks there will be no backlash for his destruction of the agencies that serve millions of people in this country. I’m done with secret billionaire clicks and their Supreme Court flunkies. Speaking as an American I don’t like what I’m seeing coming from Musk/Trump. The American public wants solutions, not hucksters and tricksters. Unfortunately, what we have is an unelected “surrogate”- “a sometimes U.S. President” arm-in-arm with the fat, old, tired, and psychopathic Donald Trump who can’t find the toilet paper hanging on the wall next to him.

On the Street

Tesla owners are being confronted on the street and educated about Tesla and Musk, often in less than glorious language. Crowds carrying signs and shouting insults are showing up at Tesla dealerships around the world; not just in the United States.  I feel it-people are emerging from the mind numbing shock of Trump’s election, asking desperately, “what can I do?” to stop the billionaire assault on the very structure of our government.

A Growing Out Cry

A new Resistance is forming. The dazed and shell-shocked opponents of Trump and his gang of modern day robber barons are finding their voices and stepping up their defiance. The crowds are growing in size by the day; turning out to protest the unprecedented intrusion into the very heart of our government. DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) led by Musk’s gang of youthful cyber hackers, all under 25, are looking at millions of sensitive records at the Social Security department, the VA, the Defense Department, the IRS,  Medicare, and Medicaid, with what intent?

No Good Intent

It’s clear that multiple agencies designed to help millions of disadvantaged American, going back to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration of the 1930’s-1940’s are under intense attack. Why have all the Inspector General’s been canned? These are the very folks that weed out fraud, corruption, and abuse. If this DOGE stunt was really about fraud, corruption and abuse, Musk should be working with the IG’s, not firing them. However, this should be no surprise, Musk was worried that several of the fired IG’s were investigating him and his companies. I don’t like seeing rich guys, like Musk, and our felonious co-president, Donald Trump, flaunt the law just because of they have fat  bank accounts.

Oligarchs and Kleptocrats

In a kleptocracy, corrupt politicians secretly, or not so secretly, enrich themselves outside the rule of law, through kickbacks, bribes, and special favors, or by simply redirecting government funds to themselves and their friends and associates via contracts and special concessions. This is the world of the Oligarch. We can’t  let their money and power intimidate us and those who will stand with us. What is emerging is a world wide struggle between the rich and the hordes of the poor. I can’t imagine anything that polls worse in America than the richest man in the world coming after Public education, your Social Security check, your VA healthcare, your Meals on Wheels, or your neighborhood Head Start.

What Can I Do?

I know you’re tired and I understand that you don’t think you can do another 4 years of protests. I want to assure you, we are all tired; exhausted in fact, but our democracy is quite literally in the crosshairs of the dictators. We can sleep later, what we need now is activism. Indivisible, MoveOn, 5Calls.org, democracydoccket.com, are all organizations that can help you direct your anger and focus on the goal to clean out the billionaires from our government and their Republican allies in the House and the Senate. I’m ready to start marching, hollering my head off, and raising my middle finger in response to Musk’s Nazi salute. Just remember that there are a hell of a lot more of us than them.

 

No Other “President” In History

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No Other “President” In History

Trump established many new firsts most of them bad, destructive and downright reprehensible

No Other “President” In History

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel & Wes Hessel

 

First Failure

I vowed when Trump took office to never call him “president”. For the sake of this article, I will loosely refer to him as such. “The Donald” is the first world leader to do many things but none of them are positive. Read on about Trump’s dubious “firsts”, and then vote blue:

No Other “President” In History

  1. First U.S. president to promise to be a dictator. America is a democracy, a republic technically, but still – our forefathers are spinning in their graves at this conduct.
  2. He is the first to want a military parade – not to honor our veterans but to seal the fact he wants to be a dictator.
  3. Refused to attend the inauguration of the newly elected President Biden – first president to not attend his successor’s inaugural ceremony in 152 years.
  4. Claimed the election was stolen from him because he lost, when in fact President Biden received 81,283,098,  a record number of popular votes.
  5. Trump was the first president to claim his predecessor (Obama) was not born in the United States and as such was disqualified from even running for the office.
  6. Has never released any tax returns – the first president in 45 years to have kept them secret.
  7. Lost party control of the House, Senate, and then his own office – first time in 89 years.
  8. Trump was the first president that failed to achieve at least a 50% approval rating at any time during his 4 years in office.
  9. Trump is the first president to openly support ”Christian Nationalism” – a.k.a. “white supremacy”.
  10. The first president ever indicted for crimes; paying off a porn star, mishandling classified documents, election law violations, etc., trying to hide behind an invented presidential immunity claim. At last count Trump had at least 88 felony charges against him, and in the words of Curly in “City Slickers”, “Day ain’t over yet…”
  11. First president to cause a foreign nation to issue a warrant for his arrest.
  12. Invited an insurrection – obviously first (and hopefully only) president to incite violent action against our government.
  13. Promises a national “bloodbath” if he loses the 2024 election.
  14. First former president to run for election after already losing his bid for a second term – first president in 28 years.
  15. Trump is the first former president to hawk bibles and gold painted high top sneakers to a weary late night television crowd.
  16. A Godless man using the faith of other to get votes, selling expensive Bibles to fleece far right wing supporters. Holding a Bible (upside down) he does not read, outside a church he does not attend, to get votes.
  17. Brought the first centerfold “first lady” into the White House.
  18. Insisted on visiting Pittsburgh after the synagogue shooting in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood. Trump disregarded the Jewish mourning process to sit shiva for the deceased, showing disrespect for the Jewish community.
  19. When Trump entered office he dissolved the Infectious Disease Task Force which was put in place by the Obama-Biden administration, to quickly address communicable disease issues. That action crippled the response to the COVID-19 pandemic leading to the death of 1,200,000 (or 120,000 depending again, on your source) in the U.S. He was the first president in a 120 years to preside over a crippling nationwide pandemic.
  20. Trump took credit for vaccines that President Biden was actually responsible for.
  21. Claimed in letters to Americans that he personally was responsible for the  first stimulus checks, when in fact it was the House of Representatives led by Nancy Pelosi that was responsible for the checks.
  22. First president to deliver fumbling, bumbling remarks about Easter, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War with such iron pyrite nuggets such as, “Gettysburg, what an unbelievable battle that was. The Battle of Gettysburg, what an unbelievable-I mean, it was so much and so interesting, and so vicious and horrible, and so beautiful in so many different ways.”
  23. Another first when the former bragged about, “Grabbing  ’em by the p____” .
  24. A serial adulterer during each of his multiple marriages while claiming to be a Christian man.
  25. The first to  brag about overturning established legal precedent. Roe v. Wade was 50 years of established law when Donald’s Supreme Court overturned it. We now have chaos and confusion. leading to dangerous  pregnancy complications going untreated.
  26. Trump wants to see programs for children eliminated. He supports childhood poverty unless they’re white males.
  27. Encourages the repugnant practice of trophy hunting.
  28. Trump is Putin’s puppet – the first president believed to have won election  aided by a foreign power.
  29. Wants to destroy Social Security for seniors and disabled Americans.
  30. The first to mock and make fun of a disabled journalist
  31. Trump appointed Postal Service hater Louis DeJoy to head the USPS. With DeJoy in office, our mail arrives late in the day, if at all. The plan was to line his and wealthy supporter’s pockets with service outsource contracts by privatizing the Postal Service.
  32. The first candidate to advocate for the elimination of Obama Care, Medicare, and Medicaid, effectively making healthcare only for the rich, and the white.
  33. The first candidate who’s election speeches are more like a bad comedy act, threatening retribution and poking vicious “fun,” at the deep state, yet not once giving legitimate reasons to vote for him.
  34. Trump is supporting turning back time on women’s, LGBTQ, children’s, and minorities’ rights.
  35. The first to refuse to allow White House cleaning staff to clean specific areas of the WH, leading to a rodent infestation – of course, Trump is the biggest rat of all.
  36. Claimed victory for an election he didn’t win before all votes were counted – the first president to not concede their loss.
  37. Trump called soldiers “suckers” and “losers”, refusing to go to honor their ultimate sacrifice in WWII.
  38. His policies added nearly 8 trillion dollars to our national debt, the most by far of any president.
  39. Trump was impeached twice, the only president to be so distinguished.
  40. Also, the only president whose own party member voted for his impeachment conviction.
  41. Of all the presidents, he is the first to not sleep in the same bedroom as his wife.

(Thanks to Dan Kunz at the Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls Press for his article highlighting many of these inauspicious firsts.)

Be True Blue

It is imperative we vote blue – we need reelection for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris; the alternative is unthinkable. Racism, sexism, and anti-Semitism are out of control in our nation. Once the orange haired monster got a taste of power, the floodgates of hate and insanity were opened wide, and it’s very difficult but not impossible to stop the storm. Should “The Donald” be elected for another term, things will be even worse than his first horrific term. Trump is out of control and we just need to send him a clear message that he will never enter the Oval Office (or any other part of the White House) again.

Hasn’t Got a Prayer

Franklin Graham (no stranger to scandal) is demanding we pray for Donald Trump, but he has no right demanding anything. This is the typical arrogant, lemming-like behavior of Trump’s supporters. I pray that the orange monster is convicted of the crimes that he committed and goes to prison. I pray our nation will be finally be rid of him, once and for all. Here are some ways to get involved and ride the blue wave:

  1. Offer to make election calls for Democrats.
  2. Donate what you can to the Democratic election efforts – if you can’t financially support campaigns, give of your time.
  3. Bumper stickers, yard signs, t-shirts, etc. – we can display these things for Democrats with far more dignity and class than MAGA’s in their red hats and gold metallic gym shoes.
  4. Offer your home for Democratic events such as meetings, watch parties, envelope stuffing, postcard writing, and so on.
  5. Don’t engage with MAGA’s – ignore the insanity they spew; it would be a battle of wits with an unarmed person. Let’s concentrate on a Democratic victory in November.
  6. Offer to transport people to the polls.
  7. Volunteer to register folks in your community to vote.
  8. Post on social media positive things that Democrats are doing, and the negative things Republicans are up to.
  9. VOTE!
  10. Do pray that President Biden and Vice President Harris are reelected, and the orange haired monster is convicted of his crimes.

We can do this, together and united we stand for democracy…

Resources: www.democrats.org, www.lincolnproject.us, www.facebook.com/p/Mary-L-Trump-100076207187060/, www.taylorswift.com.

 

Grandma, Unhoused in America

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Grandma, Unhoused in America

Grandma, Unhoused in America

By D.S. Mitchell

Face of the New Homeless

The lack of housing for low-income people or those on fixed incomes is a big problem and experts are working on it but there is no one size fits all solution to alleviating homelessness; certainly, more affordable housing units and additional housing vouchers are needed, but many of the homeless need specialized housing. Housing that offers wheelchair ramps, roll in showers, grab bars, single level units and other accommodating features to assist the many older and disabled individuals now facing homelessness.

55 and Over

As baby boomers age into senior citizens, a series of recessions and the lack of a strong social safety net have pushed more and more elderly people into homelessness — a number that’s only expected to rise. Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council of Homelessness tells us that “Seniors over the age of 55 are the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness and for many of them, it is first-time homelessness.”

Why is this Happening?

Like with most things there is no simple explanation; the reasons are complex. Most obviously, the U.S. has an aging population. With aging, people are more at risk of poverty, more subject to traumatic events, such as the death of a parent or a spouse, and more likely to suffer with chronic illness, such as diabetes and heart disease,  and at increased risk for falls and other physical injury.

Stagnant Income

While their income is limited, rent costs have skyrocketed across the country. Housing protection and assistance available during the COVID-19 pandemic have expired, leaving many people on the street. In addition, many of these folks with stagnant incomes are of retirement age, but are still working part-time, at low pay hourly jobs with no chance of a raise, just to supplement their Social Security check.

​Federal Action

On December 19, 2023, President Biden, alarmed at the unprecedented number of people with no place to live, across all age groups, released an ambitious federal plan to strategically reduce homelessness by 25% by 2025. The plan will address the lack of affordable housing, aid people in crisis, and prevent people from losing their homes to foreclosure in the first place. Focus of the action are those most seriously effected: people of color, veterans, the disabled, and the elderly.

Statistics On the Growing Problem

From 2009 to 2017, HUD statistics indicate the number of unhoused individuals aged 51-61 grew from 14% of the total homeless population nationally to nearly 18%. The percentage of people 62 years or older living on the street has nearly doubled. Predictions indicate that by 2030 the number of unhoused individuals over the age of 65 will triple compared with 2017.

From the 1990s                                                

The younger half of the boomer generation have long been the dominant group among unhoused adults. In 1990, on average those folks were 30 years old; today their average age is 62. But it isn’t just the long time homeless, many are newly unhoused; people tossed out of houses and apartments for the first time. These people often experiencing a total shattering of their lives.

Nothing New

The shortage of affordable housing in the United States goes back at least 40 years; Ronald Reagan’s war on “welfare queens” did incredible damage to the social safety net and it has never been repaired. This long-time problem has been exacerbated by a number of factors. Large corporations are buying up apartments and single-family homes and charging whatever the market will bear. In fact, rent and home prices have skyrocketed, while the country has recently experienced exceptionally high inflation on basics like food and gasoline. However, economics are only part of the explanation for the dire straits many elders find themselves in.

Growing Numbers

In 2023, homelessness shot up by more than 12%, with an estimated 653,104 unhoused individuals living on American streets and in her parks. I personally have a hard time accepting these numbers, because of the large number of displaced persons I see everywhere in my small southern Oregon town. All that aside, these numbers represent the sharpest increase ever in homelessness, leading to the largest unhoused population ever recorded in the United States.

Graying of the Unhoused

Recent HUD data shows that nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States (that’s ‘effin 20% of the population) have no permanent place to live and a good share of those people are 55 years or older. Some are calling the spike in unhoused older citizens the “graying of America’s homeless.”

 Intervention and Prevention

Advocates for the homeless preach intervention and prevention. For example, it might be better to pay for a seniors medication or arrange for meals than allow them to become homeless because they have had to choose between the landlord and the pharmacy.

Bigger Than the Finances

As already suggested, the issues are often more than just financial. Recent studies indicate that older unhoused people have problems performing daily activities and have greater difficulty with walking, seeing, and hearing. Furthermore, they are subject to falling, and their overall health is significantly worse than those of the same age in the general population. Importantly many of the identified individuals also have significant cognitive impairment.

In San Francisco

The problem is so significant that in San Francisco they are planning for at least one shelter set up specifically for older adults and those with disabilities. Similar shelters are being planned for New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Boston.

Self-Medicating                                           

Exposure to the elements, poor diet, lack of sleep or fitful sleep, failure to take prescribed medication, shunning of professional services with doctors or dentists are commonplace among the homeless. Their physical circumstances trigger anxiety and depression, leading some to self-medicate with drugs and or alcohol. Such problems create a need for low barrier shelters, and housing, which are few and far between.

New Approach                                                  

Many experts are suggesting several types of shared housing situations that might be good solutions for the graying homeless population.  A homeowner takes in a tenant, cohousing (where there is a cluster of private mini homes with communal spaces or a large central building with separate bedrooms and shared kitchen and living room) or the immensely popular backyard Accessory Dwelling Units. ADU’s are springing up in neighborhoods across the country where zoning laws allow them. ADU’s are usually built on the lot of a single-family residence.

Conclusion

I wish I could conclude with a happy ending, but I see no happy ending here. As baby boomers age into senior citizens, a series of recessions and the lack of a strong social safety net have pushed more and more elderly people into homelessness — a number that’s only expected to rise over the next few years before common sense tells us it will drop off, probably after 2030, as the boomers die.

3 Gremlins Facing Health Care In The U.S.

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3 Gremlins Facing Health Care In The U.S.

Americans are taking too many prescription meds

3 Gremlins Facing Health Care In The U.S.

By D. S. Mitchell

On The Front Line

Writing for www.CalamityPolitics.com allows me a grass root platform to discuss health care, and every other area of our political spectrum, for that matter. It does not give me the right to say anything I want about the issues. With that said, I have ground level experience in health care. Because of that experience and exposure to trench warfare in hospital health care I have strong opinions. Client care and results need to be discussed and evaluated for effectiveness. I have a passionate interest in health care, and in this area, I believe my street level experience gives me the right to discuss the issues. Bringing common sense thinking to health care should always be welcomed. I am an RN, and have worked for 38 years in hospitals in Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada.

The Sickest

My two primary areas of specialty are Crisis Psychiatry and Cardiac Intensive Care. Whether the issues are mental, behavioral, or cardiac emergency, many of the issues facing the caregiver, and the client are the same. Despite the obvious differences in the front line needs of the clients, both of these populations are often the sickest in the hospital. One thing I know, is that the health of the American citizen should not be decided by a politician in Washington, D.C. Sadly, that’s where this battle always shows its ugly underbelly.

Gremlin 1: Big Pharma

Suitcases Of Medications

For the first twenty-five years of my career, when I admitted a patient that came to the unit with a suitcase of medications, I believed it was because they were incredibly ill. Like physicians I had been trained to believe in  pharmaceuticals.  Once I was an old nurse, my thinking transformed into, the patient is sick because they are taking so many prescribed medications. I can hear the protests from the audience now. Don’t believe me, just read the labels. These are chemicals and they are toxic and poisonous.

Side Effects

Truthfully, every pill has the potential to cause side effects, some known and some unknown.   When a person complains to his doctor that he is uncomfortable due to the side effects of the medication he is taking, his doctor writes him another prescription to help deal with the side effects.  The patient has pain so his doctor writes him a prescription for an analgesic. When he complains that the pain medication makes him constipated, he is given a prescription.  You can see where this is headed, right?

Advertising Medications

In America, television is the best friend of the pharmaceutical industry.  Constant television marketing has convinced viewers that there is a pill that will fix anything and everything. Unfortunately, many Americans now believe that there is a pill that will make everything in their life better.  Health care policy makers need to take this issue very seriously. I realize drug manufacturers want to make a profit, but I also believe constant repetition creates a need that previously did not exist.

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Mindfulness For Better Health

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Editor: While I was researching this article I came upon a site that recommended mindfulness practice for children. I don’t know why I was surprised that mindfulness was as good for kids as it is for adults. Focusing on the present moment, and ignoring distractions is good for us all. Mindfulness promotes happiness and patience by lowering social anxiety and stress, teaching practitioners to stay calm in the face of life’s stressful times, like school shootings. Furthermore it improves attentiveness which is sure to improve the grade point average. And then of course the biggie; impulse control. It supports good habits for the future, and so much more. Look for The Mindfulness Minutes series to learn more about mindfulness and children.

 

Mindfulness for Better Health

Mindfulness can provide relief from modern day stress.

Mindfulness For Better Health

 

By D. S. Mitchell

It Came From the East

Mindfulness is a form of eastern spiritual meditation. Today’s mindfulness has expanded to include various practices that bring the individual back into their body and personal awareness. Practicing mindfulness techniques offer a broad spectrum of therapeutic benefits.

Ancient Techniques

Mindfulness is the ability to tune in to what’s going on inside of you and around you. It’s the act of being intentionally present in the moment and accepting things as they really are. Mindfulness is an old idea with lots of modern scientific backup. The practice may not turn you into a Jedi master, but it can help you develop the strength and resiliency to meet life’s challenges.

Lots of Case Studies

After reviewing more than 200 studies on mindfulness based techniques the American Psychological Association concluded that there appears to be real benefit for people experiencing a variety of psychological challenges, particularly, those experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, self-judgement, and brain fog. It has even been shown to promote and enhance compassionate feelings.  Furthermore, mindfulness based techniques have shown positive results in treating major depressive disorders, chronic pain, and improved immune function.

Present Moment Awareness

What does ‘mindfulness’ mean and how can it help? Basically, mindfulness is staying in the moment instead of revisiting past experiences, rehearsing for bad events, and any other variety of things that distract us from what is happening right now. ‘Present moment awareness’ helps us tolerate unpleasant emotions rather than trying to battle them endlessly. It allows us to place past experiences in perspective, to reduce the impact of PTSD flashbacks or phobic reactions. Mindfulness involves acknowledging the thoughts that detrimentally effect and frequently overwhelm us. Mindfulness allows us to gain new perspective on destructive patterns of thought, feelings, and behaviors.

Stress and the Disabled

Stress affects nearly every system in the body, including your musculoskeletal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. If you are a person with disabilities you experience stress significantly more deeply than those without disabilities. When left untreated stress can develop into a chronic condition that negatively impacts an individual’s physical and mental health. Once acknowledged a person can then work toward healing. If you have had a stressful day consider implementing a handful of mindfulness techniques that will minimize the impact of stress on your health and well-being.

Engaged in the Present Moment

Although theoretically we all have access to the present moment, not everyone participates in it. So often people are distracted by normal things; their to-do lists, repeated negative thoughts, bad memories, and self-criticism. It is here that the intentional aspect of mindfulness comes into play. You can’t be consumed by your busy mind and your stressors, if you intentionally accept the time and place you are in. It takes practice.

Five Techniques 

Experience natural stress relief by following these 5 techniques:

1.) Body Scanning

Body scanning is the process by which a person tunes in to the sensations in their body.  Your busy mind slows down, while increasing body awareness. The common result is an increase in your energy level and more focus. The length of time spent on this exercise is optional.

Find a comfortable spot, lying or sitting; then close your eyes. Next, focus your attention on the expansion and contraction  of your chest and the movement of oxygen into and out of your lungs. As you begin to feel settled, visualize a specific body part. Start with your toes. What do you feel? Do you feel clothing, pain, warmth, cold? Acknowledge those feelings, spend a few moments absorbing the sensations before moving on to another body part. Repeat the action, until you have spanned your entire body.

Now, imagine calm energy spreading throughout your body. Visualize calm. Let it form a picture in your mind; visualize it as a glowing light, as a warm liquid, or whatever you imagine calmness to look like. As the calmness flows through your body you can slowly bring yourself out of the meditation. You will be extremely relaxed. Good job.

2. Recorded Sessions

Body scanning is one type of meditation, but there are many more. If you are curious, go online. there are a wide variety of free meditations, using a variety of techniques, including breathwork, awareness, imagining, and relaxing to natural sounds. There is something for everyone. You can chose between meditations that lasts for 5 minutes, or several hours. Guided meditations involve a narrator who quietly suggests different ways to focus your attention, breath, and thoughts. The results are a relaxed state of mind, and noticeably reduced stress level.

3.) Engage the Senses

If you are feeling the physical symptoms of stress, such as rapid heart rate, elevated blood press, gastric issues, and sleeplessness take five and unwind. During these five minutes, focus on your five senses.  Take one minute and direct your mind to your hearing. Notice all that you can, make no judgement or criticism. Next take another minute and focus on smell. Then the next minute on sight, the next on taste, and finally touch. It is human nature to let the mind wander. If you notice this happening, gently redirect yourself back to the sensations you are feeling.

This practice disconnects you from stressful thought patterns by linking you to the present moment. If you have a sensory disability you can still do this exercise within your ability.

4.) Write a Gratitude List

Cortisol is a hormone produced when we become stressed. It is basic for human survival. It is the body’s biological response to a life-or-death situation. Most of our daily activities are not a fight or flight situation. However, sometimes our amped up body doesn’t seem to understand the difference between life and death, and 21st century drama-trauma. At such times the body manufactures a fresh batch of cortisol and dumps it into the bloodstream leading to high levels of stress hormones which then speed up your heart, stun your immune system, and shut down your digestive track. None of which are a good thing for healthy living. One great suggestion to combat day-to-day stress is to write a gratitude list.

Researchers have shown that expressing gratitude can reduce stress hormones by nearly 25%, while elevating ‘feel good’ transmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Get out pen and paper and jot down all the fab things in your life. It can be big things or small things. I’m damn glad I have food in the fridge and a roof over my head, but I also have long time friends, good health, and a sound mind. The idea is to find as many things as possible to be grateful for, regardless of how big or small the thing is. You can be grateful for your family, a rainbow, or a flowering rose bush, just express thankfulness.

5.) Change Your Environment

If you are experiencing stress, try to change your environment. It could be a simple jog in the park, getting out and playing 9 holes. It could mean taking a trip, going into nature, or simply sitting outside on the back deck in the sun. Studies have proven that getting outside can reduce psychological stress. Apparently, you don’t even have to be doing anything; simply being outside has therapeutic benefits.  Just make sure you silence your cell phone..

Keep in mind, not all stress in within your control. If you’re experiencing unfair working conditions, look for a new job. Sometimes it is the situation that is causing the stress and pain. Be honest, if you are in a bad relationship daily mindfulness practices won’t fix the problem.. Once you identify the source of your stress look for support to change your environment. This means changing the people you socialize with, perhaps even a person you think you love. Whatever that stressful situation find someone to talk to, a friend, a teacher, a parent, but talk to someone. Each of us deserves as little stress as possible, it is all about our health and wellbeing.

 

Cannabis: A Safe Exit From Addiction

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OPINION:

Cannabis: A Safe Exit From AddictionIf you are experiencing side effects with your pharmaceuticals you might give cannabis a try

OPINION:

Cannabis: A Safe Exit From Addiction

Editor: Cannabis and its usage by humans dates back at least 8,000 years. For millennia, the plant has been valued as fiber and rope, as food and medicine, and also for its psychoactive properties for religious and recreational use. Some have gone so far to declare it a ‘miracle’ plant.

 

By D. S. Mitchell

 

The Controlled Substance Act

In 1969, Richard Nixon, announced that Attorney General, John Mitchell was  preparing a comprehensive new measure to more effectively meet the narcotic and dangerous drug problems challenging the country. At the federal level, Mitchell devised the Controlled Substance Act. The Act combined all existing federal laws and expanded their scope into a single new statute. More importantly, the CSA changed the nature of federal drug law policies and expanded federal law enforcement authority over controlled substances.

Fear Of Success

The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, established the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse. Raymond Shafer, one of the bill’s sponsor’s fearing it’s restrictive nature, made this statement to Congress, “The criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use. It implies an overwhelming indictment of the behavior which we believe is not appropriate. The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior.”

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Looking At Elder Care

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Looking At Elder Care

Caring for an elder family member requires strength, patience, and support.

Looking At Elder Care

The Build Back Better legislation stuck in the Senate would provide relief for many American family members struggling to keep a family member living at home vs being placed in a nursing home.

By D. S. Mitchell

Caregiver Risks

Most of the people called on to help an ill or disabled family member have no training in being a caregiver. Not only that, but many spouses, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters have their own health problems and physical limitations. The risks of being a family caregiver is premature aging, sickness, death, depression, anger, resentment and potential financial loss. Aside from that, it can be rewarding and more worthwhile than anything you will ever do.

Financial Resources Make the Difference

Receiving affordable or free home care may be what makes the difference between a family member being able to stay in their home or being moved into an assisted living or nursing home. One in five Americans provide unpaid care to family members so they can continue to live in their home, according to a recent AARP report.

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