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Elderday Adult Day Health Care Lift Line Senior Center Without Limits Learn more at / Obtenga más información en www.CommunityBridges.org or call/ o llame (831) 688-8840 Day services for adults with complex medical conditions Servicios de dia para adultos con condiciones médicas complejas Transportation to medical appointments Transporte a citas médicas Online classes and workshops Clases y talleres virtuales 831-462-6257 Sponsored by Dominican Hospital. A Dignity Health Member Lic. #440708773 3400 Paul Sweet Road • Santa Cruz, CA 95065 www.dominicanoaks.com "Dominican Oaks has been great about making sure there are plenty of safe, small group activities that our parents can attend safely in their community. My sister and I laugh at the idea that they have more going on than we do as we shelter in place at home! It is very reassuring for us to know that they are safe, having fun and well taken care of " – Cathi Hill & Susan House ""he family has been very happy with how Dominican Oaks has handled the COVID pandemic... It has not been easy for anyone, but knowing Mom is in a safe place and away from the virus has meant everything to our family. 'ank you Dominican Oaks for your commitment to the safety of all your residents, especially Mom!" – Gizelle Sipin Benefits of wearing Hearing Aids Contributed by Santa Cruz Ear Nose and Throat About 20% of the U.S. population, ap- proximately 48 million Americans, experience changes in hearing significant enough to impact mental and physical health. But for people with hearing loss who choose the effective and appropriate treat- ment option of hearing aids, there's good news. These tiny marvels of technology have been shown to improve balance, alertness, and help support an active social and physical life- style. Here's the start of a growing list of what hearing aids might do for you: • Increases Income— People are better able to communicate with hearing aids thereby appearing to be more reliable, aware, and in control. An increase in ability to hear can have a positive impact on job performance. • Reduce Discrimi- nation—People who have hearing loss and who miscommunicate on the job, out on the town, or at home oen face assumptions about their intelli- gence or ability to understand. Hearing aids help eliminate this discrimination by providing a more level playing field for people with hearing loss. • Reduce Depres- sion—Self-isolation is a common response to hearing loss, which can lead to depres- sion. Hearing aids reduce the tendency for self-isolation and therefore the depres- sion oen associated with it. • Reduce Anxiety in Social Situations — People with hearing loss oen become anxious about going out and socializing. Hearing aids can make social interac- tions enjoyable again, eliminating stress and anxiety that hearing loss causes in these situations. • Reduce Paranoia— Poor hearing can result in common misconceptions about safety, social accep- tance, and the feeling of constantly being dismissed. Hearing aids restore aware- ness, in real time, and help reduce false assump- tions by both the wearer and those around him or her. • Increase Self-Es- teem—Studies show that self-esteem increases in conjunction with the comfortable use of hearing aids. This may be due to increases in social ease, self-expression, and social awareness. • Increase Overall Health— Use of hearing aids has been shown to decrease cognitive and mental decline. These factors have a positive and lasting effect on brain activity and contribute to overall well-being. • Increase Communica- tion—Hearing aids can restore a diminished ability both for self-expression and for actively communi- cating with others. All of the negative symp- toms of hearing loss can be positively and dramatically impacted by today's advanced hearing technologies. Surprised? You're not alone. A large number of family physicians as well as most consumers remain unaware of the advances in technology and stunning benefits of hearing aids. If you are interested in learning how you or a loved one can benefit from healthy hearing, contact Santa Cruz ENT today at 831-462- 8260. Find out why we were voted Reader's Choice for Best Hearing Aid Center in SC County for 5 years running! of sleep can impair a person's ability to focus and learn effi- ciently. Combine this with the necessity of sleep to make those brain wave connec- tions for memories to be stored, and the importance of deep sleep is apparent. Another study, pub- lished in the journal Brain, conducted by doctors at Washington University in St. Louis, linked poor sleep with early onset of dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease. Although poor sleep does not cause Alzheimer's, it may increase brain amyloid proteins believed to be intrinsic to the disease. When slow-wave deep sleep is disrupted, lev- els of amyloid can grow and clog the brain. This is corroborated by data published in the journal Neurology. Getting deep sleep is important for reducing these proteins. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recognizes the difficulties elderly people may have in regard to sleep. The quality of deep sleep among older adults is oen 75 percent lower than it is in younger people. Doctors can be cognizant of how sleep impacts memory and the onset of de- mentias and discuss insomnia treatment options with their patients. Sleep continued from page 4

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