Canadian retirement woes

At least he's not blaming it on Trump--the fact he can't afford to retire. Bruce Grierson is a Canadian free lance writer--which has never been a secure, stable job. Affordability. I'm starting to hate that word. I'm not gloating, but I gave up a lot when I was younger so I would have enough to live on when I couldn't support myself.

But I did talk to one of my neighbors this morning at our independent living residence and complained that I was having a problem with the double verification code with my OSU e-mail password, and would you believe my friend blamed President Trump? And he was serious! His reasoning was that if Trump could rename Lake Ontario then he had messed with my e-mail login. And it's a shame too. He's such a nice guy other than that ugly Trump derangement syndrome.

https://macleans.ca/longforms/retirement-is-dead/

UALC is 70 years old and we've been there 52 years

 

We raised our hands by decade this past Sunday in worship at Lytham Road UALC. So, I'll repeat the letter from Pastor Joe Valentino (Lytham Road campus) that came in my e-mail, August 27, 2026. I'm pretty sure that Helen sitting in the pew in front of me raised her hand for 70--she's 100+. We began attending in 1974 and joined in 1976--and the next day Bob lost his job.

"This fall, UALC celebrates 70 years of life together, faithful service, and care for our community.

In July 1956, a group of men and women came together with a shared hope: to build a community rooted in faith, shaped by grace, and centered on the truth that Jesus is enough. What began as a small Lutheran congregation serving Upper Arlington has grown into a community that reaches across northwest Columbus and supports God’s work far beyond our local neighborhoods.

As we celebrate this milestone, we remember that UALC is more than an organization or a building. UALC is people: families, friends, volunteers, staff, longtime members, new faces, and neighbors who bring their gifts, time, and care to something larger than themselves. By God’s grace, we are part of his ongoing work. UALC is you.

Throughout these 70 years, God has brought together people with many different gifts, skills, and talents. He has grown our faith, knit us together as one body, and used this congregation to draw people to himself.

God is at work in our community, and he has chosen each of us to be part of what he is doing. As we look back with gratitude on the past 70 years, let us ask him to continue using UALC for his glory and for the good of our neighbors."

Lake Ontario

President Trump amazes me with the ways he tweaks the noses of both his Democrat Party challengers and our global trading partners. Like renaming Lake Ontario. For decades our woke and DEI advocates have been changing names of schools, sports teams, even pronouns and biological functions (like "chest feeding") to promote their philosophies. They've demanded we call Fred Frederica or lose our jobs. Well, he's a patriot, Has been as long as I can remember. TV -- I remember seeing him on the Oprah show when he was just a Democrat celebrity--maybe 40 years ago.

 
https://youtu.be/bFrpsx3r--Q?si=dYjeUX7-ECU8FIYX

Donald Trump's wardrobe hasn't changed, his beliefs about other countries "Ripping us off" haven't changed but look at that audience. 40 years later we all look like we're dressed for a circus or working in the garden.

Our poetry group at The Estates

We use AI a lot more than we think, but my most recent "event" was asking it, "How to start a poetry group at a senior living facility." We're ready for our 3rd meeting. Got some good stuff going.

https://www.statista.com/chart/35426/how-americans-want-ai-to-support-them/?

Syncope in older adults

 Syncope in Older Adults - What You Need to Know

Or why are you fainting?

What is syncope?

Syncope is also called fainting or passing out. Syncope is a sudden, temporary loss of consciousness, followed by a fall from a standing or sitting position. A syncope episode is usually short.

What causes or increases my risk for syncope?

Syncope is caused by a decrease in blood flow to the brain. When blood flow to the brain decreases, oxygen to the brain also decreases. Any of the following conditions may cause syncope:

Medicines such as blood pressure medicine or antidepressants, or use of multiple medicines

A medical condition such as severe anemia, a nerve disorder, asthma, or hyperventilation (breathing too quickly)

A heart condition, such as a narrow artery or an irregular heartbeat

Dehydration

Problems with the blood vessels of your brain

Bleeding, especially in your stomach or intestines, or a blood clot that passes through your lungs

A rapid drop in blood pressure after a body position change, such as moving from lying to sitting or standing

Straining during bowel movements, a cough or sneeze, or a stressful or fearful situation

What signs and symptoms may occur before syncope?

Cold, clammy, and sweaty skin

Fast breathing and a racing, pounding heartbeat

Feeling more tired than usual

Nausea, a warm feeling, sweating, and lightheadedness

A headache or dizziness

Tingling sensation or numbness

Spots in front of your eyes, blurred vision, or double vision

How is the cause of syncope diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will examine you and ask about your symptoms. Tell your provider everything you know about your syncope episode. Include where you were when you fainted and what you were doing before symptoms started. Your provider will ask about your medical history, including any heart conditions in your family. Ask anyone who saw you faint to come with you to tell the provider details of what happened. Your provider may order the following tests to find out what is causing your symptoms:

Blood tests may be done to find the cause of your syncope.

Telemetry is continuous monitoring of your heart rhythm. Sticky pads placed on your skin connect to an EKG machine that records your heart rhythm.

An echocardiogram is a type of ultrasound. Sound waves are used to show the structure and function of your heart.

A stress test may show the changes that take place in your heart while it is under stress. Stress may be placed on your heart with exercise or medicine. Ask for more information about this test.

A Holter monitor is also called a portable electrocardiography (EKG) monitor. It shows your heart's electrical activity while you do your usual activities. The monitor is a small battery-operated device that you wear. It will show how fast your heart beats and if it beats in a regular pattern. Your provider may recommend this if you have syncope often over 2 to 3 days.

How is syncope treated?

Treatment depends on the cause of your syncope. To prevent syncope from happening again, you may need any of the following:

Medicines may be needed to help your heart pump strongly and regularly. Your healthcare provider may also make changes to any medicines that are causing syncope.

Tilt training involves training yourself to stand for 10 to 30 minutes each day against a wall. This helps your body decrease the effects of posture changes and reduces the number of fainting spells.

What can I do to manage syncope?

Keep a record of your syncope episodes. Include your symptoms and your activity before and after the episode. The record can help your healthcare provider find the cause of your syncope and help you manage episodes.

Sit or lie down when needed. This includes when you feel dizzy, your throat is getting tight, and your vision changes. Raise your legs above the level of your heart. Your provider may also recommend that you keep the head of your bed elevated. This can help keep your blood pressure from dropping too low.

Check your blood pressure often. This is important if you take medicine to lower your blood pressure. Check your blood pressure when you are lying down and when you are standing. Ask how often to check during the day. Keep a record of your blood pressure numbers. Your provider may use the record to help plan your treatment.

Use assistive devices as directed. Your provider may suggest that you use a cane or walker to help you keep your balance. You may need to have grab bars put in your bathroom near the toilet or in the shower.

What can I do to prevent a syncope episode?

Know and avoid your triggers. Certain events may bring on syncope. These events may cause you to feel under pressure, upset, or fearful. When you feel the symptoms, you can make movements to prevent a syncope episode. For example, make a fist, cross your legs, squeeze your thighs together, or tighten your arm muscles.

Move slowly and let yourself get used to one position before you move to another position. This is very important when you change from a lying or sitting position to a standing position. Take some deep breaths before you stand up from a lying position. Stand up slowly. Sudden movements may cause a fainting spell. Sit on the side of the bed or couch for a few minutes before you stand up. If you are on bedrest, try to be upright for about 2 hours each day, or as directed. Do not lock your legs if you are standing for a long period of time. Move your legs and bend your knees to keep blood flowing.

Follow your healthcare provider's recommendations. 

Your provider may recommend that you drink more liquids to prevent dehydration. You may also need to have more salt to keep your blood pressure from dropping too low and causing syncope. Your provider will tell you how much liquid and sodium to have each day. Your provider will also tell you how much physical activity is safe for you. This will depend on what is causing your syncope.

Watch for signs of low blood sugar. These include hunger, nervousness, sweating, and fast or fluttery heartbeats. Talk with your provider about ways to keep your blood sugar level steady.

Do not strain if you are constipated. You may faint if you strain to have a bowel movement. Walking is the best way to get your bowels moving. Eat foods high in fiber to make it easier to have a bowel movement. Good examples are high-fiber cereals, beans, vegetables, and whole-grain breads. Prune juice may help make bowel movements softer.

Be careful in hot weather. Heat can cause a syncope episode. Limit activity done outside on hot days. Physical activity in hot weather can lead to dehydration. This can cause an episode.

https://ubiehealth.com/doctors-note/vasovagal-syncope-age65-causes-prevent-fainting-37123exp4

Advice about nutrition from Tufts

Advice from the Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter (Aug. 22) 

I think these are probably correct--I've known a long time that plant burgers are processed food, and that lunch meat wrapped in anything contains a lot of sodium, and that granola bars are really candy bars, but they are all on our senior living company's recommended diet.

PLANT-BASED BURGERS

Plant-based burgers that look and taste like meat are all the rage. But the truth is these "meat" products are highly-processed foods that bear resemblance to the plant foods from which they come. [These are served in hospitals and retirement and nursing homes and schools.]

TURKEY IN A SPINACH WRAP

Contrary to what you’ve read, turkey in a spinach wrap is not a wise choice. Deli turkey is sky-high in sodium and the wrap typically contains refined grains and only trace amounts of spinach.

GRANOLA BARS

Granola bars seem healthy, but many are just crunchy delivery mechanisms for sugar. Chocolate and other coatings can easily bring the total to 20 grams per bar – the same as a Snicker’s Bar!

BUT, I really wish I could find out what Tufts advised about Covid and what money it took or whose careers were ruined 5 years ago. I haven't been able to dig it out. 

Jim Wigtil, a friend met late

 About 9 years ago I began chatting with a woman at the gym and we became friends.  We started having long talks about our careers at Ohio State, our childhood years (we were the same age,) and faith, and I often went out for coffee with her and her husband, Jim.  They had a full and active life. In recent years be had periodic illnesses and JoAnne, his wife, turned her time to care giving. Then we moved a year ago to a senior retirement community, and meeting became difficult. Recently he died and I'll be attending his funeral. We met late, but it was a good friendship.

James Wigtil Obituary - Columbus, OH

Should it be so hard to buy Folex?

I wonder why people buy on-line. Well, I know why, but the math doesn't work.

 If I drive to Lowe's and buy one bottle 32 oz of  (carpet spot cleaner) I don't know exactly what it costs, but recall it's about 6 or 7 dollars. On line one 32 oz is $6.88 (although it varies), and on line 3 bottles same size are $34. Let's round up--I'm not the best in math--but isn't $21 less than $34? Couldn't I buy 5 singles for about the same as 3 singles if sold together?

 
Are customers so math challenged that they think larger or packaged together is cheaper? And why if I specifically ask the AI whozit "cost of Folex at Lowe's" I first get every imaginable product and size I don't want not in Lowe's and not in the store?

Who is dumb? Customer? Algorithm? AI?

Although I can't verify each claim, I've read about most in "updated" science articles

If you had trusted the settled science of the day, here is how it would have gone.

1890s: you dose the baby with Bayer's new cough syrup, the non-addictive alternative to morphine, marketed for children. It was heroin. They named it after the German for heroic.

1900s: you rub calomel teething powder on your infant's gums. It is a mercury compound, and it leaves a generation with pink disease. Swollen, peeling hands and feet, screaming for months, and some of them died.

1910s: you cook in Crisco, launched by a soap and candle company, because cottonseed oil is modern and lard is what your mother used. The process that made it solid produced trans fat, banned outright a century later.

1920s: you drink Radithor, certified radioactive water, on prescription. Eben Byers took fourteen hundred bottles for his vitality. His jaw was removed in pieces and he was buried in a lead coffin.

1930s: a chemist dissolves a new sulfa drug in diethylene glycol, which is antifreeze. It kills 107 people, mostly children, and only then does America give the FDA power to demand safety testing.

1940s: your doctor lights a Camel in the surgery. More doctors smoke them than any other brand, and the advert runs in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which sold him the page.

1950s: DDT is sprayed over your kitchen, your garden and your children at school. The man who found its insecticidal properties has already been given a Nobel Prize.

1960s: your wife takes thalidomide for morning sickness because it is remarkably safe. More than ten thousand children are born with missing and shortened limbs.

1970s: the country puts down the butter and picks up the margarine, on the instruction of the American Heart Association. The fat everybody switched to was banned in 2015 as unsafe at any level.

1980s: the fat comes out of everything and sugar goes back in to make it edible. Obesity begins a climb it has never come off.

1990s: your father is prescribed OxyContin, because fewer than one per cent get addicted. The company later pleads guilty to criminal misbranding, and the overdose count runs into hundreds of thousands.

2000s: you take Vioxx for your knee. It is pulled in 2004, and the FDA's own safety officer estimates tens of thousands of excess heart attacks.

Not one of those was fringe. Every one had a professional body, a literature and a man in a white coat standing behind it.

Nobody who followed that advice was stupid. They were obedient, to the most qualified people available.

Settled is a word about money. It means the questions stopped being funded, so they stopped being asked.

So which of today's instructions will your grandchildren read out in disbelief.

The oil washed in hexane and built into every cell you own. The statin that blocks the pathway making your hormones, to prevent one heart attack per hundred people. The injection where a third of the loss is muscle. The infant formula built out of vegetable oil.
All settled. None of it funded to be otherwise.

https://x.com/samahoole/status/2088832696155820150?s=46
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Sama Hoole on X

Remember what we were told about butter, coffee, and eggs? And look what has happened to the obesity rate based on "science" and "nutritionist" advice,