Mary Bulkley of Batavia is walking with Team Miles for Miracles in the Living Well Cancer Resource Center’s 5k Bridgewalk May 15th. Living Well offers information, support programs and other resources to people in the Fox Valley area. All services are provided to patients and their loved ones at no cost.

To support Mary’s team, visit the website at www.livingwellcrc.org and scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on the Bridgewalk logo. Next, click the red box that reads “Sponsor Walker”, then enter the name Mary Bulkley. A link will appear to Mary’s donation page. Click on Mary’s name and you will be taken to the donation page. Donations can be made using Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express.

LeeAnn Atwood is participating in the Wellness Place Community Cancer Walk/Run the following day, May 16 at Harper College in Palatine. Wellness Place provides cancer-related counseling and support at no charge for individuals who have cancer, as well as their families and caregivers. LeeAnn is running in memory of her Grandma Hyzny and Grandpa Atwood, both who lost their lives to cancer.

To support LeeAnn’s effort, go to www.wellnessplacewalkrun.kintera.org and click on the link under Team Rank that says >>more. Look for Team LA in the alphabetical listing. Then click on General Team Donation and provide the information requested to make a donation.

If you’re so inclined, there is still time to register as a member of either team.

For more information on the Bridgewalk, call Living Well at 630-262-1111. To learn more about the Wellness Place event, call 847-221-2400.

The event will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. at Stein Mart of St. Charles, 3619 E. Main St. R.S.V.P. to Heritage Woods of South Elgin at 847-717-4770 by April 20th. Visit the website at www.steinmart.com for valuable coupons you can use at the event.

Stein Mart offers current-season, brand-name fashion for women and men; accessories; home decor; linens; and shoes. All are at prices up to 60 percent below department and specialty store prices. Stein Mart actively supports community well-being through events such as the Spring Fling, and through its Dignity U Wear program.

A $5 donation will be accepted at the door during the Spring Fling event. The donation enters you in a raffle for prizes valued at more than $100. Other highlights include 25 percent off regularly priced items, 20 percent off red dot items; free refreshments, demonstrations, music and more.

The application deadline is March 1st. To qualify, your income must be less than $50,000 per year.

“Shrinking pensions and rising costs make the deferral program more important than ever,” McGuire said. “If you’re a senior, the program might make financial sense for you. Seniors using the program last year on the average got out from under almost $3,000 in property taxes.”

More information about the program is available by calling the treasurer’s office at 815-740-4691 or on the website at www.willcountytreasurer.com. You can also visit the treasurer’s office at 302 N. Chicago St. in Joliet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The office is closed today, Feb. 15th.

In about half an hour, county representatives can tell you whether you qualify for the program, what documents you need to provide, and help you complete your application.

First, rule out that the source of your pain requires immediate medical attention.  Call your doctor if pain is shooting down one or both legs or if the legs feel weak; you cannot control normal bathroom functions; or if the pain can’t be controlled with medication.

In the two to three days following a back injury, rest in order to relax muscle spasms.  Use anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen.  Lay flat on your back on a hard surface such as a carpeted floor with a pillow under your knees, or lay in a fetal position to relieve pain.

When you are feeling better, try this exercise.  Lay flat on your back on a hard surface.  Pull one knee to the chest, hold for several seconds, and release.  Repeat five to 10 times for each leg.  If you can pull both knees to the chest at the same time without pain, perform that five to 10 times as well.

In general, you can stretch and strengthen all muscles and joints in order to help relieve back pain.  Perform exercises that stretch hamstrings, neck, shoulders and spine every day, Sobor said.  Daily exercise also should include other low-impact exercises such as walking, pilates, yoga, swimming, low-impact aerobics, or using a stationary bike or elliptical trainer.

For more information, visit the website at ChicagoHealers.com.

This month, we’re recommending Next Steps: A Practical Guide for the Best Half of Your Life, by Jan Warner and Jan Collins. The authors are syndicated columnists who put their decades of experience into helping readers create a step-by-step plan to protect assets, family, health, and personal autonomy in later life.

More information on this and other recommended books can be found on our website at http://www.CSN50andBetter.com/BookNook

In-home care, according to a MetLife survey, is the most common form of long-term care today. This is good news for the many seniors who choose to remain in their homes. In-home care, according to the National Association for Home Care, includes a wide range of health and social services delivered in the senior’s home.

This could simply mean periodic visits from a senior companion; scheduled visits to help with errands, yard work or home maintenance; assistance from medically trained professionals who monitor health needs; or full-time assistance from a professional home care provider.

Church- and community-based programs are becoming more readily available, as are numerous professional care businesses. Medically necessitated assistance is covered by Medicare and/or private insurance in some cases, and state-funded programs are available for low-income seniors who need care.

Contact your local Area Agency on Aging for more information. Townships, churches, and Senior Services can also provide referrals to help in your area.

First, he recommends keeping enough food, water and medications on hand to last at least three days. Second, keep an emergency kit prepared at all times, including flash lights and batteries, a radio, first aid kit, and at least one blanket per person.

Finally, seniors and others with disabilities or special needs should sign up for their community’s special needs registry. Contact information for county-managed registries follows. Following a weather-related emergency, officials contact registrants to make sure they’re safe, and to provide help with any health and safety needs that have arisen as a result of the emergency.

Following is contact information for local special needs registries.

Kane County Office of Emergency Management, www.kcoem.org
630-232-5985
Will County Emergency Manage-ment Agency, www.willcountyema. org/
815-740-8351
DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, www. dupageco. org/oem/specialNeeds.cfm
630-682-7925
For communities outside these counties, contact your local police department or senior services organization to determine whether a special needs registry is in place for your area.

For more details, see the full story at http://csn50andbetter.com/coverstories

Younger seniors will find it easy to obtain a quick and accurate estimate of benefits to use for retirement planning purposes. Go to www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator and enter the requested information. This includes your name, date and place of birth, social security number, mother’s maiden name, and your income last year. Based on the information you provide, you will receive an estimate of the benefit you would receive at ages 62, 67 and 70. The information can be helpful in planning when you will retire and whether your benefit, in addition to your other retirement assets, will be sufficient to sustain you.

Questions about when to apply for retirement benefits are answered in the publication titled When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits. You can view the publication at http://socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10147.html.

CFLs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, providing both warm and soft white light. Choose the bulb that is labeled as being equivalent to the wattage of the incandescent bulb you are replacing. Bulbs that carry the Energy Star seal meet specific safety and performance standards, making them more reliable.

Although they cost a little more initially than conventional bulbs, CFLs last up to seven times longer, saving money in the long run. When they do eventually burn out, take special care to dispose of them properly. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, which is essential to their efficiency. Stores that sell CFLs as well as your local government offices will have information on CFL recycling programs.

For seniors, CFLs make sense. They are more efficient, cut energy consumption, save you money, and ensure a healthier environment. For more information, visit the website at www.epa.gov and www.aceee.org.

According to a press release distributed yesterday, the number of Americans turning to natural personal care products has grown to 57 million. The company’s website features an FAQ page that addresses some of the health and wellness questions raised by consumers, and these concerns are part of what fuels the still-growing industry.

Since I haven’t personally tried this product line, I am passing on this information on the Natural Challenge so readers can make their own decision. Learn more by visiting the website at www.tomsofmaine.com.