D'vorah Kost may be a fixture at the Senior Center of West Seattle, be the professional social worker doesn't hold still very long. She is busy facilitating courses on caregiving, and on mental and physical health there to seniors, and to those caring for them. Her courses have included "Living Well with Chronic Conditions," "Powerful Balance," which helps those vulnerable of injury through falling, "Brain Gain," a memory enhancement course, and "Taking Care of You: Powerful Tools for Caregiving," a free, six-class series beginning May 25.

"The insights gained are helpful whether you are a caregiver or not," said Kost. "It deals with a lot of aspects of being human including stress and communication. If you are a family caregiver you're going to have more challenges than the average Joe, communicating with a loved one with Alzheimer's, a sister who is not doing half as much as you for your mother, your (paid) caregiver not coming in on time, or your health care provider who isn't giving your loved one the proper care."

Kost will use the "Caregiver Help Book, Helpful Tools for Caregiving," a sort of workbook that you don't actually write in. Topics in the book include dealing with the hearing impaired, telephone calls to a doctor, what to consider before going to doctor, excusing yourself and leaving the person you are caring for, and expressing anger.

"My course teaches family caregivers how to take of themselves," she said. "The caregiver is often oriented to care for their loved one, but they tend to neglect their own well-being. They don't go to their doctor appointment, don't exercise, or don't get out and have fun. This course will help the caregiver deal with their own depression with better nutrition, exercise, and doing fun, healthy things."

Anita Lusk soon turns 89. She is a spunky mom who lives in a charming house just up the hill from the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock with a trail in her backyard that drops sharply into the Fauntleroy Creek. Problem is, she is going blind due to cataracts and macular degeneration. Her daughter and son-in-law, Anita and Dick Austin, live three miles south, in Shorewood. They shop for her and visit her twice a week, but want her to move into an assisted living facility while she can still see. She resists.

"I'm a stubborn German," she declared. "Being practical for me is living in this house I've been in since 1952. I can close my eyes and walk around. I can walk over the dust and leave the dirty dishes. I can't imagine a live-in caregiver here. I don't prefer socialization. I have a situation that is acceptable and the two children to manage me. I understand that there is a point I can't count on them. I realize I will have to adjust but I find it hard to accept not being able to do things."

Lusk was "Miss June" in last year's "Rosie the Riveter" calendar, begun by West Seattle columnist and writer Georgie Bright Kunkel.

Correction: While Georgie Bright Kunkel, herself a "Rosie," got Anita Lusk involved with the calendar, it was begun by the Washington Women in Trades: http://www.wawomenintrades.com/

"I wanted to age gracefully and kind of lost that battle when my eyes started to go," she said. "Depending on other people is hard for me to do. I know eventually that I will not be able to stay here."

"My fear is that it may come to a crisis and things won't be handled ahead of time," said her daughter, Alex, 63, a full-time employee with Seattle Public Schools Teachers Union. Dick is currently unemployed, but also has an aging mother, in Greenwood, who he also devotes attention to. They are delighted to care for her now, but worry about what happens next.

"She can trip on something and brake an ankle, or worse," said Alex. "And her sight can go all of a sudden. We'll get a phone call and it will fall in someone else's lap to deal with it. We can't give her 24/7 care."

"I would do things differently if I was losing my sight," said Dick. "I'd want to get into somewhere while I could still see, to know the four walls, learn where the rails are and learn brail. Not, 'OK, you're blind. We are moving you into a new place, into this room. This is where the couch is. Here is the TV.'"

"The longer they wait, the more chance their living at home ends in falls and hospitals," said David Adams, of folks who will not budge while their health deteriorates. Adams is a West Seattle resident and founder of David J. Adams, LLC which provides caregiving, support, and guidance to families and elders in need of information about the wide range of aging and elder care services. Adams, who has been trained in CPR and first aid, worked with the AARP organization in New York City, and Elderhostel at Connecticut College.

"Hopefully someone recuperates, but often a severe fall isn't a good diagnosis, certainly not to return home," Adams said. "Families need to have straight talk, to be direct or clear, to step back and say, what is best for the health and safety of the (care receiver.) Maybe your pastor or doctor is the one to say, 'What if something does happen? What if you cannot drive anymore?' Some are going to put their foot down to stay home and it's going to take a fall to change their minds. Too many people wait until an emergency arises and don't take time to plan."

To enroll in "Taking Care of You: Powerful Tools for Caregiving" phone the Senior Center of West Seattle at (206) 932-4044, ext. #1.

To contact David Adams for his services and other information email him at: davidadams66@hotmail.com