Published May 25th, 2011
Senior Fare Well at Health Faire
By Andrea A. Firth
"This generation in this room is too darn polite for their own good." So said Judge Joyce Cram to the 40-plus seniors in attendance at Moraga's Hacienda de las Flores Health and Information Faire on May 17. With that the founder of the Contra Costa County Elder Court launched her session on avoiding identity theft.
Through role-play, Cram debunked several telephone scams that prey on the elderly, including the grandchild in trouble, winning the Canadian Lottery, and a tax reward income. Such financial fraud happens because the elderly often lose their ability to withstand undue influence, she says. Cram invited her audience to visit her when Contra Costa County Elder Court is in session Tuesday mornings.
Cram was one of several presenters at the 2011 health faire. Others included Love Is the Answer director Victoria Ryan, who recruits volunteer visitors for elderly and disabled; Alayne Balke, Fall Prevention Coalition; Gina Murrell, Mt. Diablo Memory Center and yoga instructor C.C. Kelly. Murrell offered attendees one-on-one memory screening using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) test and emphasized the importance of early diagnosis of Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia. Certain memory losses, she said, can be reversed.
Food and drinks were provided by Sweet Tomatoes and Aegis of Moraga; vendors included Orinda Convalescent Hospital, Diablo Foundation for the Aging, Manor Care, Halo Monitoring Devices, Senior Helpers and Volunteer Center of the East Bay. Music was provided by jazz pianist Brian Teal. The program was presented in partnership with the Town of Moraga and Senior Helpers. The next Moraga Senior Faire takes place in spring, 2012.

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