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To be included or submit items to be published in the weekly Senior News list, email information to tmunnell@tribtoday.com or dbigelow@tribtoday.com. The deadline is noon Wednesday for inclusion in that week’s list. PERI TO MEET: The Public Employee Retirees (PERI) of Mahoning County Chapter 18 will meet for lunch at noon June 2 at Avion on the Water Banquet Center, 2177 Western Reserve Road. The cost of lunch is $20. Reservations are due Tuesday by contacting Carol at 330-758-5239; Diane at 330-547-9612; or Janice at 330-259-8756. Anyone with dietary restrictions, advise the person ...

Organizing the junk drawer

DEAR HELOISE: Every house has a junk drawer, and everyone knows exactly which drawer it is. The reason that it never stays organized isn’t due to a lack of effort but a lack of categories. Everything goes in together because there’s nowhere else for it to go. Then you can’t find anything because it’s one big tangle of batteries, twist ties and mystery keys! The only thing that actually works is putting small containers inside the drawer. Shallow boxes, the plastic trays from old gift sets, even cut-down cereal boxes — anything that creates a border between things. Batteries in ...

Dear Annie: Scaling back birthday gifts without guilt

DEAR ANNIE: For years, I’ve made it a point to remember every birthday in my extended family — my nieces, nephews and now their children — by sending cards with a little money tucked inside. It’s been my way of staying connected since I don’t see them often. Now I’m retired and living on a fixed income, and the cost has quietly added up. The truth is, everyone in my family is financially comfortable, and I’m beginning to feel the strain of keeping up this tradition. I’d like to scale back and send monetary gifts only to those 19 and under, while still sending cards ...

Coping with grief and loss during Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a time when many people pause to reflect on the loved ones who shaped their lives. For older adults especially, this season can stir feelings that are both warm and painful. It is a time filled with public ceremonies and patriotic displays, but also private memories, quiet moments and the ache of missing someone deeply. Grief during late May can feel especially sharp. The weather turns warm, families gather and everywhere there are reminders of years gone by. For those navigating life after the loss of a parent, spouse, sibling or close friend, this holiday can ...

Hints from Heloise: Getting tops off nail polish

DEAR HELOISE: I’ve had a lot of trouble opening bottles of nail polish. Some bottles have tops with a smooth surface or a shape that’s not easily grasped. And don’t forget bottles that have partially dried shut! My quick fix is to wrap a rubber band around the bottle cap. It’s so much easier to grasp the bottle to open it; even the stubborn dried-on tops frequently come loose. I just keep rubber bands on the bottle tops while they’re in storage so that they’re always ready to be used. — Sandy, in Kalamazoo, Michigan Sandy, this is a good hint. I usually put on one of my ...

To Your Good Health: CAC scan can indicate heart risk

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 67 and in decent shape. I run 3-4 miles three times a week and lift weights three days a week. I take 20 mg of rosuvastatin daily. My LDL cholestrol is 85 mg/dL, and my HDL is over 80 mg/dL. I have controlled blood pressure at 125-130/80 mmHg with an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). Seven years ago, my provider asked me to do a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan because it could be performed at no cost to me. I did, and my score was 530. The recommendations were to get on a statin, which I was already on (rosuvastatin), as well as low-dose ...