Date: November 11, 2002
For Immediate Release
Contact: Ed Long, (310) 533-1996

How to Talk About What Matters

Do parents talk with their adult children about the things that really manner? Do they talk about the parents' future living arrangements, financial security and health? 

"Let's Talk!" is a new addition to the popular series of free classes presented to the community by H.E.L.P. At "Let's Talk!" three professionals will lead a discussion that will include tips on how to handle your doctor, how to communicate about money, living arrangements, driving and more, and how to create better endings. The panelists are Dr. Catherine Bannerman, Dr. Doug Kalunian and Dr. Ellen Tarlow, whose practices focus on older adults and their families. Ed Long, executive director of H.E.L.P., will moderate the panel. 

Dr. Bannerman is board certified in family practice and geriatrics. She is medical director of Torrance Memorial Medical Center's Transitional Care Unit and several other skilled nursing facilities. Dr. Kalunian is a board certified psychiatrist with added qualifications in geriatric psychiatry. He is in private practice in Torrance, and is chair of the Clinical Practice Committee of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Dr. Tarlow is a doctor of psychology certified in geriatrics, and is a licensed marriage, family, child therapist, who also has long-standing community involvement. 

The "Let's Talk!" class will be held on Tuesday, November 19, at 2:30 pm, at the Peninsula Center Library Community Room on Deep Valley Road in Rolling Hills Estates. Reservations are recommended, and can be made through Peninsula Seniors at (310) 377-3003. 

"Let's Talk!" will be the fifth in the current series of weekly classes being presented by H.E.L.P. at the Peninsula Center Library. Other topics have included Law and the Older Adult, Estate Planning, Medi-Cal for Nursing Home Care and Long-Term Care Insurance. Presentation of this series is made possible by grants from the Palos Verdes Peninsula Rotary Foundation and the John Gogian Family Foundation. The series is hosted by the Palos Verdes Library District and sponsored by Peninsula Seniors.

H.E.L.P. (Healthcare and Elder Law Programs Corporation) is an award-winning Torrance-based non-profit service for older adults and their caring families and friends. It helps people meet aging-related legal and care challenges, through classes and private consultations. Telephone and Internet assistance is also available. Since its inception in 1996, it has helped thousands of older adults, family members and friends. Almost all services are free. H.E.L.P. is located at 1404 Cravens Avenue, Torrance, California 90501. The phone number is (310) 533-1996, and the Internet addresses are www.help4srs.org and www.annuitytruth.org