The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by Patricia Gates
The Inspirational Moment was presented by Wendy Barker who recited the poem “On Aging” by Maya Angelou
On Aging by Maya Angelou
When you see me sitting quietly,
Like a sack left on the shelf,
Don’t think I need your chattering.
I’m listening to myself.
Hold! Stop! Don’t pity me!
Hold! Stop your sympathy!
Understanding if you got it,
Otherwise, I’ll do without it!
When my bones are stiff and aching,
And my feet won’t climb the stair,
I will only ask one favor:
Don’t bring me no rocking chair.
When you see me walking, stumbling,
Don’t study and get it wrong.
‘Cause tired don’t mean lazy
And every goodbye ain’t gone.
I’m the same person I was back then,
A little less hair, a little less chin,
A lot less lungs and much less wind.
But ain’t I lucky I can still breathe in.
The Greeter was Dierdre Daly
There were no visiting Rotarians
Guests included :
Chris Hall, introduced by Clint Haugan, who has moved recently to Ojai from Venice and works as a Contractor for Western Building Alexandra Mejia-Holdsworth who is the principal of Ojai USD Adult School was introduced by Katherine Lee
Announcements
Fern Barishmen introduced Monica Lowe who works as a registered dietitian and nutritionist through Community Memorial Hospital.
Dierdre Daly and Wendy Barker discussed the need for sponsorship for the Taste of Ojai
Wendy is in charge of silent auction and invites donations of good and interesting stuff. Leslie Boucher, for example, has donated some hypnotherapy sessions, and Randy Roth has volunteered to cook dinner at the winner’s house for a group of 8 +
Dierdre Daly reminded us that the Taste of Ojai will happen a month from today. The restaurant and vendor participation is great this year. (over 30 vendors!)
So far the Sponsorship Comittee has raised 28k. Please work to increase this amount, as the real fundraising for Taste of Ojai comes from a robust sponsorship presence.
Dave Watson , the Sargent at Arms wants more people to sign up to help with set up and take down, and encourages a greater response to email communication.
Barry Varga presented upcoming programs, including Wendy Barker leading the meeting on October 3, while Sue Gilbraith is away . The speaker of this meeting will be Kevin Wallace, on the topic of the Beatrice Wood Center. Dave Watson will also update us on the Wilson Scholarship recipient.
Mike Dutra, the Rotary district chair, will come to speak the following week
Bob Eisner , the head of vocational service announced that those who showed interested in presenting 9thgrade career talks at Nordhoff will be contacted directly by the school. The Vocational Service Committee also recognized Randy Roth as a strong advocated for adult education in the Ojai Valley.
Alexandra Mejia
Randy Roth then introduced and presented an award of $2000 to Alexandra Meijia Holdsworth. Alexandra is the principal of Ojai Unified Adult School, and will use the funds to purchase computers for her students.
Gary Liptak lead us in Confessions and Fines
Confessions Included:
Christine Fenn informed the club about a free Flu Clinic in Oak View hosted through the Community Memorial Hospital
Wendy Barker saw her grandkids in Georgia, and she saw 2 Atlanta United Soccer games
Fining Included:
Colin chose Entertainment as his topic and was about to guess the name of the 11th Beatles Album, but was preempted by Liz, who knew it was “Abbey Road”
Tessa Turner took her turn with Ojai Facts, and correctly guessed the origin of the word “Ojai” coming from the Chumash word “Oja-he” meaning the moon
Clint Haugan chose sports and correctly guessed the correct number of home runs in an important baseball game
Joe Cisnera also chose sports and accurately guessed that Roger Mayers tied for Babe Ruth for being a good outfielder.
Bob Eisler accurately determined that 9/26 was not national quesadilla day.
Program: Kathy Doubleday
Barry Varga introduced the speaker, Kathy Doubleday DPT
Kathy Doubleday is the cofounder and clinical director of Physio Ed. She earned a Phd from USC. Currently she owns and runs Balanced Health gym. Kathy actively advocates for seniors, specifically in the domain of fitness. She will become president of Rotary West next year
Kathy notices that all the traditions from Ojai West come originate at the Friday Club, so she feels right at home at our meeting.
Exercise to Reduce Falls – Kathy Doubleday DPT, Balance Health Center (https://ojaihealth.com)
Balance Health Center covers more than just balance. This space specializes in clients aged 50+ who have a variety of goals and needs.
Falls can be catastrophic and can keep you from returning to your previous level of function
What does having good balance mean?
Can you shift your weight easily and can you react if you trip?
You can’t just plan on avoiding mistakes, so training for reaction to falls is important as we age.
Prevention is the first step.
Pay attention to obstacles and avoid distractions, for example, consider sitting down if you are doing a task that requires attention.
Warm up – take your time and don’t rush
If balance is an issue, consider using assistive devices, clear rugs, cords, and install grab bars/rails in areas of transition .
Physiology of balance
(sensation sent to the brain) + (response sent to the body) = balance
Balance depends on a variety of factors including vision, neck muscles, the inner ear etc.
Physical therapists can help investigate what the specific balance problem is. They may check the inner ear by having a patient close their eyes and navigate uneven terrain.
Balance gets better with practice !
Simple exercises that improve balance:
Hip Hinging Sit to Stand Repeats
Resisted Squat Hold-- resistance bands accentuate hips and gluteal muscle
Practice stepping back and forward, shifting weight, using two chairs for balance. Closing your eyes makes this extra productive by challenging your peripheral system.
Head turning on pillow surface
At Balance Gym, some patients use the “Slip trainer” with a harness, which simulates slipping and tripping , so that patients can learn a new movement pattern.
Reactive training
Patients may engage with Blaze pods which help reaction speed and spatial awareness
Racquet sports can train your body to be reactive
Response to Questions –
Hiking Poles can increase core strength, and lower joint forces as well as preventing falls/
Balance Gym offers a variety of classes including :
Chair based classes which work on strength and posture,
Bone density and balance class
Circuit class which focuses on strength balance, agility
Cardio fitness
If you get on and off the floor regularly, it will help you to fall more gracefully .
People who fall often generally don’t hurt themselves, because practice makes things better.
Bike riding and swimming, although great cardio exercise, do not help much with falls or bone density, although outdoor cycling does work on balance and reaction.
In order to reverse osteoporosis, consider resistance training, loading muscles, and loading bones. Also, medication and diet can help. Hormone therapy is readily available now and is protective for our bones. A diet full of leafy greens, protein and calcium rich foods can keep osteoporosis at bay.
How do we reduce aging? —be in Rotary , stay active and stay interested, and volunteer for Taste of Ojai!
You are invited to visit us at an upcoming meeting.
