October 2007 Vol. 26. No. 10

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Day of Caring
Grand Jurors still needed
October is Mobility Month
InfoCenter moves to new Wellness Center
Two programs help pin down health issues
AniMeals
Walkathon

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Walkathon
Why you should walk with us Oct. 20
by Maggie Kraft

Saturday, Oct. 20, will be the 18th annual Soroptimist Walk to support our Alzheimer’s Resource Center. Soroptimist of Humboldt Bay has already donated more than $50,000 to the center through these annual walks. This year, we are encouraging our supporters to invite three friends to join them at the walk and have those three friends invite three more. If each member of your “team” of 13 collected only $100 in donations, each team could easily bring in $1,300.

So, why should you join us on this walk? Because what is good for our hearts is good for our brains. We don’t have to run a marathon to get the benefits of exercise — 30 minutes a day of brisk walking can bring huge benefits.

Recent research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight, exercising and controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol may help prevent Alzheimer’s. Avoiding the development of diabetes or making sure diabetes is kept under control, is also important because studies suggest that poorly controlled diabetes is another serious risk factor. A low-fat diet and foods rich in omega-3s might also be helpful.

Life-long mental exercise and learning have also been linked with delaying the onset of dementia. Some studies have suggested that remaining mentally active throughout your life, especially in your later years, reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The walk on Oct. 20 is two miles from the Adorni Center through Old Town to our Adult Day Health Services building at 1901 California St. At the center, you will be treated to a barbeque as you survey the progress being made on the new building. After the barbeque, we will provide a shuttle van to return you to your cars.

This year we will again offer prizes to our top two donation getters, but you must turn in your donations when you check in for the walk. The walk check-in begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Adorni, with the walk beginning at 11 a.m. You can download a copy of the registration and donation form at our website: www.humsenior.org/alz. See you, rain or shine, on Oct. 20.

Maggie Kraft, MSW, is director of the Adult Day Health Services program of the Humboldt Senior Resource Center.