Grateful for local classes for caregivers I...

Grateful for local

classes for caregivers

I don’t seem to give out kudos very often, but I would like to

thank the person or persons responsible for putting together a

six-week class for caregivers.

The Burbank Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department

and the Los Angeles Caregivers Resource Center will bring the classes

to the Joslyn Adult Center for family caregivers.

One of the good things about these classes is that they provide

relief for the family caregiver. The Los Angeles Caregivers Resource

Center helps those family caregivers who are caring for

brain-impaired loved ones. LACRC helped me with counseling and

respite.

My father was diagnosed with vascular dementia in October 1997. It

took me almost one year to find the resources to help me pay for

respite care such as adult day-care centers and supplies for my dad.

Like most new family caregivers, I felt as if I was drowning.

Although I am sorry these classes were not available to help me, I am

ecstatic they are now available to help family caregivers.

Again, kudos to the people responsible for hearing this to

fruition and for listening to me about just how hard it was to find

resources to obtain help. Other than the Alzheimer’s Assn., I didn’t

know the resources, and it was a hardship finding other resources

while I was “drowning” as a new family caregiver. There is help out

there, it is just a question of getting the help and taking the time

in order to navigate the system to get it.

Being a family caregiver to a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease

or some other form of dementia is a long, hard road -- financially,

physically and emotionally. Thank you for putting this together on

behalf of all family caregivers. I know they will be glad they took

the time to attend.

Eden Rosen

Burbank

Reader relates

to DMV woes

Having experienced my own nightmare at the Department of Motor

Vehicles on a Tuesday, I identified with David Silva’s column in the

May 17 Leader.

I went there on a Monday to get my license renewed and found the

office closed. There was a note on the door in Spanish, but I don’t

speak the language.

So, I went back the next day to get the ordeal over with, and I

had to have my eyes checked, and my thumb prints and photo taken. I

thought this shouldn’t take long, but I was there for

three-and-a-half hours!

The numbers I looked for on the computer screen weren’t in order.

A letter is in front and mine was G122 (permanently ingrained in my

brain). A’s, B’s and C’s came up and not in order.

Also, a female voice (not unpleasant) would say, “Number H304 is

being served at Window 15.” You have to be alert and watch the screen

until you feel mesmerized.

Also, there were children running around, screaming and crying.

However, I parked three blocks away without any parking

restrictions, so I was lucky I didn’t have to contend with getting a

ticket.

When it is time for my next renewal, I’ll call ahead for an

appointment or just say it isn’t worth it and give up my driving

privileges, which could be another nightmare.

Jimmy Janisch

Burbank