Dear Abby: everyone knows the economy has hit hard times and, as a result, more people are working past the age of retirement. This means some in the workplace are beginning to deal with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related illnesses.

“Anita” is in her late 60s and we are certain she is showing symptoms of dementia. She has worked in our office about three years, after working in this field for more than 30 years elsewhere. but if you saw her in our office today, you would think it was her first week — if not her first day.

Anita makes multiple mistakes every day, then sits at her desk and cries her eyes out. our supervisor insists there is nothing he or HR can do in regards to talking gently to her because she could sue the company.

I’m sorry Anita is suffering, but must we let her deteriorate for three more years in our office? What’s the right thing to do for everyone involved? — Stumped In California

Dear Stumped: I discussed your question with Nancy Bertrando, a respected California employment law specialist, who told me: “If a person is unable to perform the essential functions of her job — regardless of the reason — an employer does not have the obligation to keep the person in that position.

However, regardless of whether your supervisor or HR thinks it is futile, Anita should be counseled and given the opportunity to fix the problem — if, indeed, it is fixable.”

Dear Abby: My husband runs an auto body shop and has always warned me to be extra careful in parking lots — “People don’t pay attention.

They drive too fast. Everyone’s always in a hurry,” etc. well, tomorrow I am going to the memorial service for a dear friend, “Mara.” She was only 46.

While Mara was putting her granddaughter into a stroller, they were hit. A woman driving too fast hit a car backing out of a parking space, careened off that car and ran over Mara.

A car can be as lethal as a gun. I didn’t “get it” before, but now I do. because of the reckless actions of a complete stranger, you can kiss your husband goodbye, go shopping and never return! I hope that hearing about this nightmare helps others. — Missing The Sister of My Heart

Dear Missing: Please know how sorry I am about the tragic death of your friend. I cannot stress enough how important it is to remain fully present while behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Our streets and highways are filled with distractions, as are our cars — billboards, cell phones, stereo buttons, the GPS, etc. I am sure the woman who struck Mara and her grandchild will never get over the fact that she took one life and could have taken another.

Readers, I hope you will review this woman’s letter and remember it the next time you’re “in a hurry.” it could save a life.

Write to Dear Abby at DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Students have shown an underwhelming response to Syracuse University Health Services’ offer of free vaccines for the cancer-causing, sexually transmitted infection human papillomavirus.

So far only 49 doses of the 450 available have been given out since the start of the program in September, said Brenda Dano, public health nursing supervisor at the Onondaga County Health Department. the department received a grant from the new York State Health Department to provide vaccines to adults who are not covered by insurance or are unable to pay for them, Dano said. 

the county decided to provide the HPV vaccine to the university because it has the county’s largest group of women aged 19 to 26, the approved ages to receive the vaccine through the grant, though girls as young as 10 can legally receive the vaccine, Dano said. HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer, Dano said.

Health Services has been promoting the vaccine at “Healthy Monday” activities at Schine Student Center and partnered with the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha to provide information about receiving the vaccine, said Kathy VanVechten, special assistant to the director of Health Services at SU.

VanVechten said she encourages students who want more information to call Health Services to make an appointment.

“While we did not have a large number of students express interest thus far, we recognize that many students have had the vaccine before they came to college, and others may elect not to obtain it,” VanVechten said.

every year, about 12,000 women contract cervical cancer — which is proven to be connected to HPV — and less common cancers, such as vaginal, penile, anal, head and neck cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Half of all sexually active people will get HPV in their lifetime — 20 million people are currently infected, with another 6 million people becoming infected each year, according to the website.

HPV causes genital warts in men, and women can have the infection but show no external signs. it can be passed through oral, vaginal and anal sex, even if neither party shows any symptoms, according to the CDC website.

the vaccine, first offered in 2006, is taken in three shot doses over six months and must be taken by the age of 27 to ensure effectiveness. the vaccine is approved for men of the same age group, but the grant given to the county for this program is specifically for women, not men, Dano said.

the vaccine protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause approximately 75 percent of cervical cancers, and against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause approximately 90 percent of genital warts, according to Gardasil’s website. 

Adrianne Rodriguez, a junior in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, said she knows about the HPV vaccine from commercials, but she had not heard about the university-offered vaccine.

Kaila Reed, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, also said she did not know about the free university-offered vaccine and did not think a lot of others knew either.

“I think that it’s something that’s not really shown on the college campus,” she said. “I don’t think a lot of people know the benefits or the negative effects to it, so I think it’s something that needs to be maybe publicized more.”