Hotel Oakland Village

The following is brought to you by the Hotel Oakland Village Health Discussion Group as continuation of our Village Health and Wellness Programs during Shelter-in-Place. You may experience more frequent or severe leg cramps and soreness in the winter. Why do leg cramps usually happen in the middle of the night? Some of the causes might be poor blood circulation, exercise, injury, expose to cold temperature, not having enough potassium or calcium, or dehydration. These cra...mps can last for seconds or minutes and can be intensely painful. If left untreated, severe cramps can cause muscle strain, it can take four to six weeks for the body and tissues to recover enough to walk or exercise. If the pain persists, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Tips to relive leg cramps include: apply heat, get moving, stay hydrated, take a warm shower or take over the counter pain medicine. Elderly people with chronic diseases, women with calcium deficiency or young adults are more prone to cramps. They should pay special attention to keeping warm in cold weather. Talk with your doctor if you have muscle cramps that keep coming back or are severe. These may be symptoms of another problem, such as restless leg syndrome. If cramps keep coming back, bother you a lot, or interfere with your sleep, your doctor may prescribe medicine that relaxes your muscles. Please continue to check back for more health and wellness programs that we are continuing during "Shelter in Place"

As usual, members of Caring Friends continue to have weekly meetings over the phone during the Stay-at at-Home order. Good news! Vaccines were available to all residents, IHSS workers and staff at Hotel Oakland. Residents received their first dose of vaccine at their front door. On March 1st, residents will receive their second dose. Everyone was very ecstatic because we are one step close to end the pandemic. Ms. Huang started her group meeting by singing a song t...hen the other two members each sang their own favorite songs. She spoke to members about the foot pressure points where one can massage might help to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as well as increase blood circulation. There foot pressures points should be massaged once in the morning and once at night time. Ms. Zeng said because of the cold weather she usually massages her feet before going to sleep. It helps her relieve some pains. Ms. Chan uses foot massages to help her relax. Ms. Huang and Ms. Zhao asked everyone to continue to wear masks, wash hands and keep social distances even after getting the vaccine. Using 70% rubbing alcohol to disinfect household items is also very ideal. Ms. Li expressed that it the door to door vaccinations were very convenient for everyone and even the IHSS workers were glad they can get it too. They feel very stress free because they have heard on the news people waited for hours to get vaccinated. Everyone is really thankful for this service. Ms. Du spoke about the many variants of the virus. She felt much less stress after getting the vaccine and knowing many of the residents got it too. According to the handout by CDC, getting the vaccine will limit the spread in communities. Pfizer and Moderna report that their vaccines show approximately 95% efficacy at preventing both mild and severe symptoms of COVID-19. It may offer some natural protection, known as immunity. Mr. Chen said Lunar New Year is almost here. We should be careful when going out for shopping to prepare for this big day. Most importantly, don’t gather with others who are not in the same household. Wellness Director, Ms. Lu reminded everyone to hydrate themselves after receiving the first dose of vaccine. Try to have light diet. High fat and high sugar diets are not recommended. The second dose of vaccine might have a little bit of a reaction. Everyone must take the same precautions as before getting the vaccine. At the same time, keep warm to prevent from catching a cold. See more

On Monday, February 1, 2021 Hotel Oakland Village was honored to host a COVID-19 Vaccination clinic. Close to 400 residents, staff, and IHSS caregivers were vaccinated onsite. Pharmacists and staff from Clayworth’s and Haller’s Pharmacies went floor to floor to deliver the vaccines, which proved to be a seamless and effective solution versus gathering in common spaces. We’d like to thank the pharmacies, all residents, the caregivers, and staff for holding such an important, special event. Remember that Participation = Good Health!

Caring Friends leaders continue to hold discussion meetings with members over the phone. The good news is that vaccines are available and hopefully that will help end the pandemic. Ms. Li said that a lot of residents have questions about the vaccines and it is best that residents should contact their doctors to see if they should receive the vaccine. She praised our residents for doing a good job with protecting themselves and others by continuing to wear a mask, washin...g hands often and keep a six feet distance from others. Her relative from Chicago who contracted Covid-19 is discharged from the hospital. For the next 5 months, she will be closely monitored by her doctor. Ms. Huang as usual played a song for members to enjoy. She thanked Ms. Li and Mr. Chen for joining their discussion. The health tip that she shared What Your Hands Say About Your Health. Ms. Zeng was very down in the last few weeks but she overcame it with the help of family, friends and members. Singing is a big part of her life. Ms. Du talked The Benefits of Massaging Your Scalp. Massaging your hair can help with dementia, blood circulation and hair growth. To have a good result, good diet and healthy life style will help. She called Kaiser to make vaccinating appointment after Ms. Lu informed her that it is available. It was a challenge to get through it. They offered her the appointment at either Daly City or Sacramento but she declined because it was too far for her. She will stay in contact with her doctor to find out when she will able to get the vaccine that is close by. Mr. Chen also would like to find out where they can get the vaccine but he understands that there is a shortage of it. He hopes that the availability of it will help end the pandemic. Ms. Lu agrees with members that before getting vaccination consult with doctor especially those with chronic diseases. Keep stay in touch with your health care provider to find out when it is your turn to vaccinate. See more

On November 5th at 11am, Ms. Jochimsen gave a warm welcome to participants on the weekly conference call meeting. She thanked everyone for their effort in joining the almost daily meeting held via our conference call line. Residents are very thankful that Hotel Oakland Village offers a variety of lively activities over the phone where everyone can join. It helps them reduce loneliness. They feel very content that no other senior housing can compare to what is being offered to residents. We owe a lot to Mr. Bill Langelier. He really cares for the wellbeing of our residents. At the end of the meeting, everyone sang Auld Lang Syne.

The following is brought to you by the Hotel Oakland Village Mahjong Group as continuation of our Village Health and Wellness Programs during Shelter-in-Place. A lot of us use chopsticks for eating. However, after washing chopsticks may not be completely cleaned. Among them, the chopsticks with a spiral thread design have 37 times higher bacterial content than ordinary chopsticks! A test was conducted to study, the bacterial content of chopsticks made of different materia...ls after washing. In the process, all the chopsticks are cleaned first, and then put into the same dish rack to dry, and then sterile water is smeared on the chopsticks, and the sample is put into a test tube, and the bacteria content is detected by Hygiena System SURE Plus ATP. The results of the experiment found that the bacterial content of wooden chopsticks, bamboo chopsticks and imitation porcelain chopsticks all exceeded the standard. Here are 3 tips to keep chopsticks clean: 1. Just put them in boiling water and heat for about 1 to 2 minutes to disinfect. 2. Replace them regularly. 3. Buy chopsticks that are without spiral thread design and lighter colors. Please continue to check back for more health and wellness programs that we are continuing during "Shelter in Place" See more

The four Caring Friends’ groups continue to have weekly meeting over the phone. Everyone is worried about the risk of Covid-19. All group leaders advised members to continue to take precautions to slow the spread of Covid-19 such as wear mask, frequently wash hands and keep social distancing. Ms. Li asked members to prepare enough food in case the election result causes chaos and limit outing as much as possible. Safety and health are very important. Ms. Huang and Ms. Zh...ao each sang their favorite songs for members to enjoy. Ms. Huang then went on to talk about the 13 vitamins. Vitamins have different jobshelping you resist infections, keeping your nerves healthy, and helping your body get energy from food or your blood to clot properly. But before taking any vitamins you should consult with your doctor first. Member, Ms. Chen said that during shelter-in-place, exercise and a healthy diet have helped her stay healthy. Fall is here; don’t forget to put on warm clothes. Mr. Chen spoke about the benefit of soaking feet in warm water. Some of the health benefits include: increased blood flow, helps sleep and relieve aches and pains in the feet. He said ask for help if you are unable to carry the water. Ms. Du reminded members that there are two home safety tips that older adults should pay attention to. One of them is to put anti-slip mat in the bathtub and put mats outside of the tub to dry feet to prevent falls. The other safety tip is don’t leave the stove until you are done cooking. She shared with members that there was one occasion where she forgot to turn off the stove and she felt very bad about it. Her action might have caused injures to herself and others as well as damage to the building. Wellness Director, Ms. Lu reminded everyone to close their windows if that is possible. Over the weekend, the Bay Area experienced a powerful wind storm and some of the wild fires are still burning. Take extra care when going out. See more

The following is brought to you by the Hotel Oakland Village Virus Preparedness Health Group as continuation of our Village Health and Wellness Programs during Shelter-in-Place. The coronavirus pandemic has not gone away yet. According to a report in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, as many as 129 billion masks and 65 billion plastic gloves are used and discarded every month by the world's population, making COVID-19 a new source of Environmental chaos. The ...World Health Organization's epidemic prevention code recommends that worn masks, which have been contaminated with droplets and virus to be thrown in the trash cans or put it in an airtight bag. By doing so it will help prevent used masks from harming wildlife, environmental groups are calling to clip off the ear bands on both sides before throwing it in the trash can to dramatically reduce the number of entangled animals. Please continue to check back for more health and wellness programs that we are continuing during "Shelter in Place"

Before the weekly community conference call, members of the Voice Group called in to sing the song On the Other Side of the Waters with the help of our volunteer pianist Ms. Fung and group leader Ms. Huang. Members had a good time singing the song. After 30 minutes of singing, Ms. Jochimsen encouraged our residents to continue calling in to join our almost daily meetings! Joining the meetings will help our residents to reduce loneliness, high isolation, and improve their health literacy. Everyone is looking forward to the next meeting.

https://www.sfchronicle.com//Bay-Area-seniors-struggle-wit

Members of Caring Friends are continuing to meet weekly over the phone by using the toll free number. Leaders are asking everyone to vote since the ballots are already sent to voters’ home. After the ballot is filled out just send it back with the prepaid envelope. Every vote counts and voting is one of our most important responsibilities as citizens. Ms. Li gave some tips to members on how to select candidates such as decide what you are looking for in a candidate, find... out about the candidates, and gather materials about the candidates, etc. Everyone in the group except Ms. Chen hasn’t gotten her flu shot. Ms. Li said that flu shot will be offered at Asian Health Services on November 7th but you can get it at CVS, Walgreen and other pharmacies. Ms. Huang sang a song with everyone. She then provided the list of seven best foods to boost your brain and memory. Member Ms. Zhao shared that she is 85 years old she likes to plant plants for fun, dance and take cold water showers to keep herself happy and young. The group planned to have two members each sing their favorite songs since there isn’t enough time for everyone to sing a song. Everyone has so much information to share. Ms. Chen said that osteoporosis can be very serious for older adults. Osteoporosis may limit mobility, which often leads to feelings of isolation or depression. Therefore, it is important to get bone density tests. Treatments for osteoporosis include medication, exercise and good nutrition. Ms. Du reminded members to continue practice social distancing, wear mask and frequent hand wash. She said try to have positive attitude, being up for trying new things and having a positive view on engaging in life are important for mental health. She knows a lot of the seniors are still worried about their children and grandchildren but try to take care of yourself. Live your life the way you desire. We will go through this difficult time together. Now more than ever, we need to help each other. We can do it! See more

The Village Health & Wellness Connection hosted an interactive discussion meeting through the conference call line on October 15th at 2 p.m.. There were 45 participants who joined the meeting. The Wellness Director Nancy Lu and board members, Ms. Shun Zang L Zhao welcomed everyone to the Arthritis Discussion Group meeting. The on-site CBAS registered nurse, Ms. Soo Kung talked about Arthritis Osteoarthritis. Ms. Soo Kung said there are more than 100 types of arthritis.... The most common form is Osteoarthritis or OA. She explained What is Osteoarthritis? The causes of Osteoarthritis are: Aging, Repetitive use of the joint, Repeated trauma or injury of the joint, Obesity, Heredity, and Hormone disturbance. People may develop OA by age 40 but not experience any symptoms until later in life. Before age 45, OA affects mainly men. After age 45, OA is more common in women. By age 65, over 50% of the population will show some signs of OA. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis, involves the breakdown of cartilage in joints. A joint is the point at which two bones meet. The ends of the bones are covered by cartilage, which prevents the bones from rubbing together. In OA, the cartilage wears away, causing surfaces of the bones to become irregular and rough. Bone spurs may form around the joints. Without the normal smooth cushioning materials, movement of the joint becomes difficult and painful. OA affects mainly the weight bearing joints such as the lower back, hips and knees. It can also affect the neck and fingers etc. During the half hour of interactive question and answer session, seven residents were very excited to ask questions such as how to prevent OA and what kind of food supplements to take, etc. Ms. Soo Kung said the use of the food supplements-glucosamine, chondroitin, and fish oil to treat arthritis pain has gained popularity in recent years, but to keep in mind that these products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Patients may consult their physicians concerning their use. The meeting lasted an hour. At the end of the meeting, the Wellness Director, Ms. Nancy Lu mentioned all Arthritis-Osteoarthritis materials are available for pick up from the H&WC office. Please remember: Participation = Good Health! and Activate Your Health Plan! See more

Caring Friends members are happily having weekly meeting using the Hotel Oakland Village toll free number. Members really appreciate leaders for calling them ahead of time to remind them of the meeting date and time. Ms. Li reminded members to wear warm clothes for the fall since the mornings are usually chilly. You don’t want to catch a cold. Other tips that she gave are taking medications as instructed by the doctor’s order, take a walk with a friend or neighbor with... a mask on to enjoy conservation and get active. Members then sang a song. Group leader, Ms. Du said that Calcium is important for bone health especially for older adults. Even though diet is the best way to get calcium, if you can’t get enough calcium for your diet then taking supplements may be an option. She suggested that everyone should get a bone density test. Ms. Huang sang a song with members then members took turns to sing their favorite songs. Ms. Huang shared some tongue exercises which it can help improve with swallowing. Other members agreed that walking is also a good way for seniors to exercise but it is best to walk in a group for safety purposes. Mr. Chen said according to Harvard, up to 20 percent of people over age 50 may have a vitamin B12 deficiency. If the blood test shows that there is low level of B12 then doctor will prescribe B12 to the patients. So it is important to do an annual check to let the doctor know your concerns about health. Again, a big thank you to our leaders and members for the effort for making Caring Friends program a success and for Mr. Langelier’s vision for this great program! See more

The following is brought to you by the Hotel Oakland Village Participation=Good Health Group as continuation of our Village Health and Wellness Programs during Shelter-in-Place. According to The Chinese University of Hong Kong, the latest research confirms that long-term indoor burning of incense in the elderly can damage brain function and weaken cognitive ability. The Faculty of Medicine of CUHK, a research team led by the Department of Neurology conducted tests on 156 e...lderly people who have the habit of burning incense indoors and 359 who have not. At the beginning of the study in 2014 and in the third year thereafter, a cognitive test and an MRI scan were performed for each of them to compare the brain functioning of the two groups of elders. The results found that the elders who had the habit of burning incense indoors had significantly poorer cognitive performance including overall cognitive ability, thinking ability, visual spatial ability and memory ability. In addition, studies have pointed out that burning incense interacts with vascular diseases and risk factors, including diabetes, hyperlipidemia and cerebral small vessel disease, and weakens cognitive ability. If you a habit of burning incense at home, you should be more careful to avoid long-term inhalation of pollutants. Also, it is ideal to avoid burning incense indoors because it is a fire hazard. Find other alternative ways instead of burning incense. Please continue to check back for more health and wellness programs that we are continuing during "Shelter in Place"

Members of Caring Friends continue to have weekly meeting over the phone during Shelter-in-Place. Before the scheduled meeting day, leaders call each member to remind them of the meeting. When the time comes, everyone is ready for the discussions. Leader Ms. Du was very excited about the meeting. Mr. He shared that he was very happy to see his children during the Mid-Autumn Festival. They brought to go food and moon cakes for him to enjoy. His children even surprise...d him with air purifier. The air purifier really helps him since he has COPD. He remembered when he was able to get around, he loved to travel and took pictures to capture the nice scenery. Ms. Du also likes to travel and take pictures. They had a lot of fun talking about their hobbies. Ms. Du also asked everyone to fill out the 2020 Census questionnaires. It only takes less than 10 minutes to fill out. Census totals help determine the amount of funding that state governments and local communities receive from the federal government for the next decade. Ms. Li’s reiterated the importance of Fall Prevention. She thanked Mr. Langelier for providing all the fall prevention programs to residents. She provided five simple fall prevention tips: make a fall prevention plan with your doctor, do exercises to improve balance, wear sensible shoes, remove clutter in the house and use assistive devices. Mr. Ho shared how his friend was injured by just putting on a pair of pants. Ms. Li wanted everyone to know that when she goes out she uses a cane and she doesn’t feel embarrassed about using it. Ms. Huang had everyone sing a song and then everyone took turns to sing their favorite song. Member Ms. Zhao then talked about healthy cooking methods. Wellness Director, Ms. Lu thanked leaders for their contributions to the program. This program has brought a lot of joy and happiness to many people. See more

On October 8th at 11am, Hotel Oakland Village hosted the weekly community conference call. Due to Shelter-in-Place, in-person meetings are not available, but we are very thankful for the new 1-800 number to hold all meetings! Residents are still getting health information over the phone and Caring Friends program members are participating in weekly discussion meetings. They can sit in the comfort of the house and still get HOV’s programs. Ms. Jochimsen encourages everyone to participate in our meetings because Participation=Good Health! At the end of the meeting, everyone sang Let’s Make a Toast.

Leaders of the Caring Friends continue to join each other’s group discussion meeting. Members feel that the program has been a big help during the Shelter-in-Place. They can share their worries, things they learn from articles and fun things that they see with others members. It makes their life much more colorful. Everyone has been on time for the discussions. Magpie Group’s new leader Ms. Du is amazed by members’ vibrant energy. She shared healthy eating tips with... members. Good nutrition is essential to a strong immune system, which may offer protection from seasonal illness and other health problems. Reducing sugar intake might benefit your health. Since a lot of people are spending time at home they might more eat more sugar. Don’t forget to drink more liquids she said. Ms. Huang praised leader Ms. Li for doing a good job when hosting discussion meeting. She said she has learned a lot from attending her meetings. Each member took turns to sing a song, which helps members to relax. Ms. Huang then talked about Ways to Keep Our Liver Healthy. Another way to help our liver is to get vaccinated. Mr. Chen asked everyone to cooperate by wearing a mask, wash hands and keep social distancing to stop the spread of Covid-19. He hopes everyone can go through this difficult time with ease. Member, Ms. Ho reminded others to vote in November. Wellness Director, Ms. Lu is very thankful that everyone is so positive. Since the air quality index is very high, she suggested to close windows if that is possible to block the ash from coming into the house. If you have an air purifier then turn it on. The air quality should get better into the week. Keep up the good work! See more