Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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SENIOR CORNER Finding Support by MARTHA OWEN & SUSAN GUY As Baby Boomers who are also caregiv- ers for elderly parents, we know firsthand of the situation Jonathan Rauch recently shared in Reader's Digest September 2011 issue. His story began as he was attempting to move his 80-year-old father closer to him in Alexandria, Va. so that appropriate care could be provided. That move eventually happened, but not before many months of falls, calls from neigh- bors and resistance from the father who said he was "fine" and wanted to be left alone. During the heart-wrenching experience, Rauch sponta- neously shared his frustrations with a variety of people. They might have been shocked at what he said, but some listeners offered concern and sometimes good advice. But Rauch continued to think: How could so many people be unpre- pared for one of life's near certainties? That is a great question! 1. Do we not want to admit that our parents will age? 2. Don't we say that the two guarantees in life are death and taxes? 3. Didn't we watch our parents care for their parents? 4. Isn't the news full of information about diseases, retirement options, se- nior living communities, long term care insurance and Medicare? 5. Isn't AARP the largest lobbying group in the country? 6. Are we blinded to think it will happen to other people … just not us? Actually, if we are fortunate enough to have family members live long enough, we will most likely need to provide care for them. That care may in- clude: bill paying, medication monitoring, coordinating doctor visits, grocery shopping and driving for them. These needs could expand into dealing with safety issues such as hygiene, nutrition and fall prevention. Regardless of which specific needs the parent has, adult children can benefit from having support from other people who are "in the same boat." But where is this support of- fered? • Area Agency on Aging • Reading periodicals: Up & Coming Weekly, Stroke Connection Magazine, Caring Today Magazine, etc. • Some Local churches have groups fo- cusing on Children of Aging Parents. • Support Groups for target groups sponsored through medical and rehabilita- tion centers: such as Stroke, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's Support Groups • Neighborhood Recreation Centers • Websites: www.caregiverstress.com • Friends and relatives • Professional Caregivers Essential in the process of caring for a loved one is not feeling alone in the process. It is helpful and possibly necessary to seek fellow- ship among others experiencing the same concerns as you. Consider starting a group if one is not available in your neighborhood or church. You can do this by yourself, but why would you want to when there is support out there? Computer-Integrated Machining Program by GARY SMITH The Computer-Integrated Machining curricu- lum at Fayetteville Technical Community College is designed to prepare students for a career in manufacturing by providing them with the skills required to enter into various machining positions. We emphasize all aspects of machining that are required to take a product from the initial design to the final product. To accomplish this, we utilize a wide variety of metalworking equipment that in- cludes manual and computerized machines, such as drill presses, lathes, and milling machines. We also have a new computerized EDM (electrical dis- charge machine) that cuts extremely precise, com- plex geometry without ever touching the part. The operation is accomplished by using fine sparks that jump from a brass wire to the product to burn the material out of the cut. In general, a machinist is a skilled craftsman who uses machine tools to manufacture parts from Although the field of more than 400,000 machinists is expected to remain steady, job prospects are expected to grow as more machinists retire or change careers than new candidates enter the field. various materials. These parts can be one-of-a-kind parts used in special ap- plications or numerous parts used in a high-volume production operation. To understand how a machinist impacts your daily life, we need to understand what a machinist produces. Production machinists produce multiples of parts used in production requirements. Specialized machinists include mold makers who pro- duce molds used to manufacture plastic or die cast parts, die makers who pro- duce stamping dies that cut and form sheet metal parts, and general machinists who produce almost any product needed. One of the best examples of a machin- ist's work is a car. The panels that form the shape of a car are typically stamped from dies. The plastic components, such as the grill, lights, hub caps, dashboard and console, are produced from molds. The engine, transmission, axles, wheels, and various other parts are made by production machinists. In order to properly produce a part, a machinist must also be able to read 16 UCW OCTOBER 12-18, 2011 blueprints, interpret the geometry and specifica- tions, select the proper tools and processes, and use all the necessary machines and gages required. A machinist must also be able to manufacture pre- cise parts. In our training, we manufacture parts to tolerances of ±.0002 of an inch (approximately 1/20th of a human hair). To meet these require- ments, we include classes in blueprint reading, general math, geometry, trigonometry, metallurgy (the properties of metals) and metrology (the study of measurements). Since computers have become such a vital part of manufacturing, we also teach classes in CNC, CAD and CAM. CNC (computer numerical control) is the computer interface that allows a machinist to write a computer program that controls the movements of a machine. CAD (computer aided design) is software that allows the design of products through a specialized computer program. CAM (computer aided machining) is software that allows a machinist to take a CAD drawing or model and generate the CNC code for a machine to produce the part. Although the field of more than 400,000 machinists is expected to remain steady, job prospects are expected to grow as more machinists retire or change careers than new candidates enter the field. As with many fields, the pay varies widely, with the typical starting pay for a machinist ranging from $14-$18 an hour and a top pay that can exceed $25 an hour. Come and see how you can begin a rewarding career in this highly technical and challenging field and visit our state-of-the-art lab facility at Fayetteville Technical Community College. For more information, please contact Gary Smith, program coordinator, at 678-8375. MARTHA OWEN & SUSAN GUY, Owners of Home Instead Senior Care, Contributing Writers. COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@ upandcomingweekly.com GARY SMITH, Contributing Writer, FTCC Computer Integrated Ma- chining Program Coordinator COMMENTS? Stephanie@upand- comingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM