November 2019 Senior Spectrum Newspaper by Senior Spectrum Newspapers

RTC’s New FlexRIDE Service Provided in Sparks

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he Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County is getting ready to launch its new FlexRIDE transit service. FlexRIDE is an ondemand, sharedride transit service that provides users with curbsidetocurbside service. The RTC Board approved a sixmonth pilot project that will begin on Saturday, November 2, 2019, in select areas of Sparks. Scheduling a FlexRIDE is done by using the Transloc app on your smartphone or tablet, calling a dispatcher at (775) 3350035, or using a computer to access https://ondemand.transloc. com. Schedule your ride at your desired travel time and the ride can be expected to arrive to the curbside closest to your location within 8 to 15 minutes. Fares will be the same as the standard RTC RIDE fares. People looking to travel outside of the pilot service area can transfer to RTC RIDE or RTC ACCESS services at Iron Horse Shopping Center

November 2019 THIS ISSUE

or at RTC CENTENNIAL PLAZA. FlexRIDE will serve the Sparks areas currently served by Routes 25 and 26 east of McCarran Blvd., as well as some nearby areas in the north and east down town Sparks. FlexRIDE operation hours will be: Monday – Friday: 5:30 – 11 p.m. Saturday: 6 – 10:30 p.m. Sunday/Holiday: 6 – 10:30 p.m. As part of the November 2 service change, Routes 25 and 26 are being combined and shortened into Route 25 to accommodate FlexRIDE. Route 25 will continue to operate from RTC CENTENNI AL PLAZA up 15th Street to Prater, east to Howard, south on Howard, west on Lincoln, north on McCarran to Prater, then west to 15th Street and back to CENTENNIAL PLAZA. An additional service is planned to extend Route 25 for one round trip each to Reed High School before and after school. For more information, visit rtcwashoe.com.

Page 3 RTC’s FlexRIDE Page 14 Nevada Health Link’s Open Enrollment Page 16 Northern Nevada Veterans Home Open House Page 17 NCOA Testimony on Reducing Older Adult Falls Page 22 New Reno Hospital

EVERY ISSUE Page 4 Opinion: US Senator CortezMasto Page 6 Reno Senior Citizen Advisory Committee: N4 Rides on Lyft Page 10 Opinion: Sparks Councilman Kristopher Dahir Page 18 CMS: How Medicare Helps With Pain Page 12 Preparing for End of Life and Death Dr. Larry Weiss

Page 24 Building a Strong Immune System Inside Out Page 20 Senior Calendar Page 26 Eclectic Observer Page 28 Resources Page 29 Biggest Little City Harry Spencer Page 31 Crossword Page 32 This ‘N That Page 34 Smart Travel

FINANCIAL Page 8 Planning for the WorstCase Scenario Gerald Dorn, Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd.

Senior Spectrum Newspaper P.O. Box 7124 • Reno, Nv 89510

775-348-0717

email: SeniorSpectrumnv@aol.com Website: Seniorspectrumnewspapers.com

Publishers

Connie & Chase McMullen SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 3

Opinion:

US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto

The Depression Epidemic Facing Our Seniors

ver 2 million Americans Catherine Cortez Masto aged 65 and older – or close to 6 percent – suffer from some form of depression. Despite such a large swath of the population struggling with depression, it often goes untreated with serious consequences. Untreated depression is linked to higher health care costs, irregular eating and sleeping patterns, sadness and isolation. October marked Depression Education and Awareness Month, and it’s impor tant for all Nevadans to be aware of how depression uniquely impacts sen iors. Seniors and their friends and family should recognize that medical condi tions and events that often happen later

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in life can be triggers for depression. For example, one study found that nearly 25 percent of people who have strokes each year will experience clinical depression. And onethird of widows and widowers meet the criteria for depression within the first month after losing their spouse. Despite the preva lence of depression, stigma and misdiag nosis often hinder meaningful treat ment options. Over onethird of adults over 65 don’t view depression as a health problem and would prefer to handle it themselves. And even when symptoms of depression are reported to doctors, warning signs are often over looked and untreated because they fre quently correspond with illnesses like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s that mask

or overlap with depression. In one study, primary care physicians accurate ly recognized depression in older adults less than 50 percent of the time. In 2016, Nevada was ranked the worst state for people with mental health challenges, largely due to a sig nificant shortage of mental health providers. Nearly every county in Nevada has a shortage of mental health professionals, be they psychiatrists, social workers or family therapists. The heartbreaking reality is that Nevada has the highest rate of senior suicide in the nation – nearly double the average U.S. senior suicide rate. Our seniors deserve better. That’s why I’ve supported the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which extends fund

Depression / page 4 ing for community mental health centers that provide services and support to low income Nevadans struggling with mental health disorders and addiction. To address mental health provider short ages, I’ve fought to secure funding for programs to develop our health care workforce, with an emphasis on training in underserved populations like Nevada’s rural counties. Additionally, I’ve cosponsored the Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2019 so that our sen iors can access marriage and family therapists and licensed mental health counselors through Medicare. I’m also working to invest in telemedi cine to increase access to treatment in Nevada’s remote areas. Additionally, I’ve hosted roundtables on reducing the cost of prescrip tion drugs, and I’ve support ed legislation like the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019 to bring down their cost. One of the biggest concerns I hear from Nevadans is the sky rocketing costs of their life saving medications like anti depressants, which is why I’m dedicated to reducing the cost of prescription drugs and ensuring that pharmaceutical companies are transparent with their prices. I’m also proud to see the Washoe County Board of Commissioners advocating on behalf of seniors and their mental health. Earlier this year, the commission approved a $75,000 Senior Mental Health grant to pro vide mental health treat ment, case management and rehabilitation for seniors, who make up the fastest growing age group in the

county. Nevada’s Department of Health and Human Services has also launched a new pro gram called “Zero Suicide” to help train hospitals and health care centers to treat suicidal ideations. I’ll contin ue advocating for resources for programs like these that can make a difference and support seniors who need help. The good news is that depression is treatable, and when we get people the sup port they need, they can recover. From local, state and federal leaders to community organizations and neighbors, we can all work together to provide our friends and loved ones with the resources and loving assistance they need as they age. Please know that in the Senate I’m fighting for Nevada’s seniors, and all Nevadans, to address mental health care and get those struggling the help they need. If you or someone you know is struggling with suici dal thoughts or depression, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 18002738255 or text TALK to 741741. The Crisis Support Services of Nevada, which has a 24/7 crisis line, is available at 8002738255. The National Alliance of Mental Illness also has 24/7 Nevada crisis hotline at 7754705600 as well as support groups and recovery programs through out the state. Go to www.naminevada.org to learn more about Nevada specific resources. To help a loved one in a time of crisis, Suicide Prevention Lifeline suggests staying with the per son, removing lethal means from the area, and escorting them to a mental health room. SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 5

N4 Connect Discount Rides on Lyft By Donna Clontz, Chair Reno Senior Citizen Advisory Committee The Neighbor Network of Northern Nevada (N4) offers N4 Donna Clontz Connect— halfoff rides on Lyft—to increase community access for people with disabilities (those with a physical or mental impairment that sub stantially limits one or more major life activities) and any one aged 60+ who needs help with rides that aren’t covered by other transit options. Lyft is one of the shared ride companies in Reno that uses private persons who drive their own vehicles to pick up and deliver passengers to their destinations. Lyft rides are usually less expensive than the same ride with local taxi services, and riders con tact them through an app on their smartphones. N4 con tracts directly with Lyft to make these discounted rides possible and also offers a concierge option for those who do not use smart phones.

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Interested seniors should contact N4 to complete an Interest Form online or via phone with an N4 team member. People who sign up for the N4 Connect program may receive up to $160 worth of Lyft credits for only $80 per participant each month. Lesser increments

can also be purchased. An N4 team member can teach you how to request Lyft rides with your personal smart phone. If you do not have a smart phone, or need additional help with scheduling rides, you may select the N4 Connect concierge option where you simply call the N4 office at 7754534774 to have a Lyft ride scheduled for you—no smartphone required. (An additional dis patching fee is applied for the concierge option.) Once approved for the pro gram, you may purchase monthly Lyft vouchers or concierge ride credits on the N4 Connect webpage located at: http://neighbornv.org/n4 connect/. For more detailed information, contact Brianna at brianna@neighbornv.org, call the office at 775453 4774, or come into the office at 999 Pyramid Way, Sparks NV, 89431. This November, N4 will start a special pilot project for resi dents at Reno Housing Authority’s Silverada Manor and Tom Sawyer projects called Ride on Time which offers $160 of Lyft rides per month. Participants may use their Lyft rides to get to stores, social activities, what ever they need! Participating residents will attend learning sessions to learn about Nevada’s No Wrong Door information and referral (N4 on page 25)

SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 7

Planning for the Worst‐Case Scenario

By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Gerald M. Dorn, J.D., EPLS, AEP Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd. Legacy and Wealth Planning Attorneys www.wealth-counselors.com

state planning is one of those things that’s easy to put Gerald Dorn off. We don’t like to think about death – particularly our own – so we put it out of our minds.

“What’s the worst that can happen?” we ask ourselves. We’d like to think that the answer to that question is that, even if we didn’t create an estate plan, we’d be off the hook. We’d be gone, so we wouldn’t have to deal with the con sequences.

This answer is partially true. When you die without an estate plan, you hurt those you love by causing them unnec essary confusion, expense, and delay in settling your affairs during an already emotional time. Not a great outcome, but not technically your problem. But there’s a catch: Failing to create an estate plan can hurt you while you’re still alive. Imagine that as you age, you start to develop Alzheimer’s. The disease pro gresses quickly, and before you know it, you can’t remember to pay your own bills, balance your checkbook, or manage your normal household chores let alone keep track of all the doctor’s appointments and medica tions you’re now faced with. Someone has to step in and ensure your health and finances are taken care of. Without a comprehensive estate plan, someone needs to go to court to be appointed your guardian. In the best case scenario, your family members agree on who should serve in this capacity. In this situation, the initial process takes some time and involves some court costs and attor ney’s fees. It also means that your guardian is obligated to report to the court on a regular basis and obtain court permission before making cer tain decisions on your behalf. It also means that the public, including your nosy neighbors, knows all about your legal affairs. But what if your family members don’t agree on who is best suited to serve as your guardian? Then the court process takes on a different character. Guardianship disputes can be time consuming, expensive, and emotionally exhausting for everyone

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WorstCase / from p. 8

involved. They often open old family rifts, and they can create new rifts that last a lifetime. This isn’t what any of us want for ourselves or our families. How can you avoid the exhaustion and expense of a guardianship battle – not to mention the destruction of family relationships that can go along with it? One of the simplest things you can do is to be proactive. Create a comprehensive estate plan that anticipates not only your death, but also the possibility that you’ll become disabled during your lifetime. Using a Revocable Living Trust, you can remain in charge of your assets unless and until you become inca pacitated. If the need arises, a Successor Trustee chosen by you can step in and man age the Trust property according to your express instructions. In addition to a Revocable Living Trust, you’ll want a Financial Power of Attorney. This lets you put a trusted person in charge of any assets not transferred into your Trust, ensuring that all of your property is managed according to your wishes and that none of your assets slip through the cracks. You should also sign a set of healthcare documents

appointing someone you know and trust to make medical decisions on your behalf and expressing your wishes for endoflife medical treatment in the event you become incapacitat ed. This type of comprehen sive estate planning helps you avoid the worstcase scenario. It allows you to rest assured that, should you become disabled, your family members will not have to guess at your wishes. Instead, people you trust will be in charge of carrying out the plan you put in place for yourself. An experienced estate planning attorney can help you put things in order so that you and your family will never have to face the worstcase scenario. Gerald M. Dorn has been practicing estate planning law for 23 years and is the managing shareholder of the law firm. Mr. Dorn is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning Law and an Accredited Estate Planner by the National Association of Estate Planning Councils. The law firm of Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd. is devoted exclusively to estate planning and estate and trust adminis tration. The attorneys at Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd. offer guidance and advice to clients in every area of estate planning and estate and trust administration. For more information or to attend an upcoming seminar, please contact us at (775) 823WILL (9455) or visit us online at www.wealth counselors.com. SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 9

Kristopher Dahir Sparks City Councilman

Creating a Place of Honor and Telling A Story To Never Forget

Kristopher Dahir

n a world where technolo gy is running at a pace where we can barely keep up and traditions of the past are so easily being set aside, the Nevada Veterans Memorial is currently being built in order to place an anchor of truth in our com munity and our state. It is an anchor that reminds those who will walk by or visit to

see that since 1896, when we became a state, we have 896 men and women who died in the line of battle for the free doms we enjoy every day. It is an anchor that will tell our story of how Nevada stepped into the Civil War to help abolish slavery and since then have been prepared and ready to stand for our great nation when it was needed. It will be an anchor that brings value to our past, pres ent and future children who choose to pro tect this amaz ing country and the peo ple who call it home.

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The memorial will have three phases. Phase 1 is underway

and will be complete and ready for your visitation within the month of November. This portion of the memorial declares what the memorial is for and helps get the whole project moving forward. The second phase is the larg er portion of the memorial. Some of the features of this phase will be: 1. A bench in

place for every branch of the military and one bench rep resenting those who were never found. 2. Names of every man and woman who paid the ultimate price. These names will be a part of our community for the rest of our days. 3. A tree that represents every county in the state of Nevada that will be named after that county, reminding us that each of these sacrifices came with a cost to a community and a family. 4. A stage will be built for us to have a gathering place for future events and our yearly Gold Star Family ceremony. The final phase is truly important to me. It is an edu cational path in order to tell the whole story of sacrifice and hope that was carried from our past generations. This educational piece will help teach the generations to know who they are, and how

Construction is underway at the memorial.

Nevada Veterans Memorial.

grateful they should be for all of the freedom and bless ings they partake in each day. This passing of our his tory and the names of the people who gave their lives is the greatest gem of the memorial. Did I forget to mention an eternal flame that will always stay lit and will reside in the middle of the whole memori al? It will be placed on a

freedoms.

large Nevada statue and will tell those who visit of our ongoing appre ciation for the past, our attention to the present, and our com mitment to the future of our nation and our

If you want to know more about this project, please go to NVMP.info. That is where you are able to see a 3D video of the project, pur chase a brick, learn of upcoming fundraisers, and/or donate to the cause. If you have any questions, please email me at Kristopher@dahir.net.

SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 11

Preparing for End of Life and Death Dr. Larry Weiss Center for Healthy Aging

Larry Weiss

e all die, whether it is expected or not. When we pre pare for our own death in advance, we are able to relieve the decisionmaking burden on those whom we love and create the opportu nity for end of life and death that maintains selfcontrol. If you are reading these words, the day will come when you will die, perhaps “pass on” depending on your spiritual beliefs, but let us use the

word death, because that is what it is. Usually death comes expectedly, at the end of a long, welllived life or at the end of a terminal illness. But, on occasion, death arrives without warning. Accidents, sudden illness, even becoming the victim of a crime can cause you to die without notice, without time to plan. Therefore, do not be caught unprepared. Your take home message here is to plan your death! How do we plan for end of life and death? First, give

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someone close to you the durable power of attorney to manage your affairs if you become sick and unable to do for yourself. Who is going to pay your bills, deposit your checks and manage your financial affairs? Second, write a will and com municate this information to those involved, including family and friends. Third, write an advancedcare directive or living will, and give someone medical power of attorney to carry out your wishes about medical treat ment at the end of your life if

you cannot. Finally, ease the trauma of your death for sur vivors by preplanning your funeral or service. My moth er spelled out exactly what, who, and where she wanted her service, down to the hymns to sing. It made it so easy for us children. In sum mary, plan! Experts explain the steps you should take to make sure your family knows your wish es on everything from funer al plans to endoflife care. The important thing is to start planning sooner rather

than later. Only onethird of us have plans like our advance directives and only onethird of those are used. Why? We do not talk about “death” and our end of life wishes. We may fill out the legal form but we file it away somewhere. So, not only do we need to do our own planning through Advance Directives, Durable Power of Attorney, Living Will, POLST (Physician Order of Life Sustaining Treatment), and Five Wishes, but we have to dis cuss it with our family and friends. We especially need to discuss your wishes and desired medical treatment at end of life; since we may not be able to make our own decisions. Physicians, EMTs, and other acute care health professionals are trained to provide all means of life sus taining treatment regardless of the outcome. In addition, I have seen many fights and disagreements among family about what Mom or Dad needs for medical care because their parents had never had the discussion with the family about what their wishes were for end of life care. In short, we need to fill out the legal forms and discuss them fully with our loved ones. There are many benefits to having a discussion about end of life and death. Awareness of your personal choices regarding end of life arrangements gives you and your loved ones a better perspective. By taking the time to discuss your wishes in advance, your loved ones will not need to make diffi cult choices for you in a time of crisis, when emotions cloud our decisionmaking

abilities. Having the talk with your loved ones can also save you money if you choose to not receive major medical care. Additionally, many families find that shar ing their wishes with their loved ones actually strength ens their relationships and brings peace of mind. Something we all strive for. Recently, the federal Medicare program instituted funding for physicians to receive reimbursement for providing information and discussion about Advanced Directives; which is really a good move. Unfortunately, it only covers information and a discussion. It does not actually include help in filling out the legal documents. They could provide the POLST if the person was close to death, but all other Medicare recipients need to do the planning and develop the legal documents. A web site “theROYL.com” (ROYL = Rest Of Your Life), which I helped create, provides information about what legal forms are needed and what needs to be discussed. Clearly, our professional educational institutions need to incorporate better educa tion and techniques for the communication and creation of the documents for the Advance Directives. In addi tion, since people turn to their friends and family before professionals, public education has to be addressed. In a survey on end of life that I crafted several years ago, we found that Nevadans have taken some significant steps toward improving care at end of life. (End of life page 14) SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 13

Nevada Health Link’s New Call Center, Website is Now Live

The Silver State Health Insurance Exchange (Exchange), Nevada’s state agency that helps individuals obtain budgetappropriate

health coverage through the online marketplace, Nevada Health Link, announces that consumers who previously purchased qualified health

plans on HealthCare.gov can claim their migrated accounts on Nevada’s new statebased website, Nevada Health Link. This is the first step enrollees should take to ensure their account is ready for open enrollment begin ning on November 1, 2019. Previously enrolled Nevada consumers can expect to receive an email inviting them to claim their account; once the account is claimed enrollees will have the opportunity to update their preferences to be automati cally renewed in a plan or to designate a broker to assist with enrollment. Consumers should know that they can

End of life /page 13 This statewide survey indicat ed that Nevada’s public per ception and practice of advance planning, as well as palliative care and pain man agement, are above some national averages. These measures still have a long way to go to fulfill the many issues facing us at end of life. Onethird of Nevadans have advance directives, higher than the national average, but clearly more need to have their wishes known and enforced. Pain management and palliative care were gen erally well handled by our health care professionals, but onefourth still needed signif icant intervention to have a good death. People per ceived hospice care much better than traditional health 14 / November / SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com

also preview plans and prices. The opportunity to actually enroll in a qualified health plan will not begin until November 1, 2019. Enrollment closes at mid night on December 15, 2019. Those who need additional assistance can call the call center directly at Nevada Health Link's new customer service line : 18005472927. Enrollees who did not previ ously provide an email address or indicated their preference to receive printed notifications during the appli cation process will also receive information via postal mail.

care for pain management, concerns about the illness, and symptom management. Our public policy makers and health care professionals need to pay attention to these public perceptions and experiences of end of life care. By doing so, perhaps we all can benefit by improv ing the quality of life, even at the end which will “add life to years”. Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. is CEO of the Center for Healthy Aging. Dr. Weiss wel comes your comments on this column. Write to him at larry@addinglifetoyears.com or c/o Center for Healthy Aging, 11 Fillmore Way, Reno, NV 89519.

SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 15

Northern Nevada State Veterans Home Open House

evada digni足 taries, veterans, fami足 lies and commu足 nity supporters attended open足 ing ceremonies for the new Northern Nevada State Veterans Home October 3, in Sparks.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak at ceremony.

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Nevada Governor Steve Nevada Department of Veterans Services, Director Kat Miller, Deputy Sisolak and Director of Health and Wellness, Wendy Simons, and Ron Crook, Nevada Public Works, Project Manager. Sparks Mayor addressing the highlights and the services it will Ron Smith provided of the veterans home provide to veterans, keynote speeches

NCOA Provides Senate Aging Committee with Solutions to Reduce Older Adult Falls The National Council on Aging (NCOA) offered several evidencebased solutions to stem the tide of older adult falls at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, held Oct. 16, 2019. Today falls account for four older adult deaths every hour. “We know the predictors for falls, we have tools to identify those most at risk, and we have proven strategies to reduce risk and falls,” said Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director of NCOA’s Center for Healthy Aging. “Yet, falls rates continue to esca

late.” NCOA presented a range of multi stakeholder solutions. They include: • An organized coordinated federal effort to reduce falls. • Early identification of falls risk factors and early intervention.

• Improving Medicare to prevent falls, such as risk screening, community pro grams and expanding payment. “NCOA’s recommendations are the result of more than 12 years of research and leadership on falls prevention.”

Home / from page 16

spouses and Gold Star parents. Retired Major General Peter S. Cook, a Board Member, Avalon Health Care, spoke about Nevada’s accomplishments in making the home a reality over other states seeking project funding. Nevada Department of Veterans Services Director Kat Miller talked about the hard work it took to fund the building’s construction, much of the heavy lifting done by former U.S. Senator Dean Heller, who was present in the audience to accept the recogni tion. Miller also shouted out Wendy Simons, Deputy Director of Wellness and Health, and Ron Crook, Nevada Public Works, Project Manager, dedicating a bench in their names in the community rose garden for their service and sup port of the process. Both rolled up their sleeves to give the home the extra sup port needed to come to fruition. The Northern Nevada State Veterans Home will offer skilled nursing care and shortterm rehabilitation, longterm and memory care. The community will provide 96 beds located within 102,000 sq. feet of stateoftheart planned space. Features include a bistro cafe, barber/beauty shop, commissary, parade grounds, private gardens, grill dining, and more.

SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 17

Medicare and Medicaid Services

How Medicare can help you manage pain

f you have Medicare, there are covered options to help you manage pain safely and effectively. Greg Dill

In addition to prescription pain medications covered under Medicare Part D, Medicare Part B (medical insurance) helps pay for servic es that may help you manage your pain, such as: ∙ Physical therapy; ∙ Occupational therapy; ∙ Manual manipulation of the spine (when medically necessary); ∙ Behavioral health services like depres sion screening. Part B helps pay for medically necessary outpatient physical therapy and outpa tient occupational therapy. And Medicare law no longer limits how much it pays for medically necessary outpatient therapy services in one cal endar year. Part B also covers manual manipulation of the spine if medically necessary to correct a subluxation when provided by a chiropractor or other qualified provider. But please be aware: Medicare doesn't cover other services or tests ordered by a chiropractor, including Xrays, massage therapy, and acupuncture. (If you think your chiropractor is billing Medicare for chiropractic services that aren't covered, you can report suspect ed Medicare fraud at https://www.medicare.gov/formshelp resources/helpfightmedicare fraud/howreportmedicarefraud.) 18 / November / SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com

Greg Dill, Regional Administrator Medicare District 9

With Part B you can be screened for alcohol misuse once per year if you’re an adult (including pregnant women) who uses alcohol, but you don’t meet the medical criteria for alcohol depend ency. If your primary care doctor or other primary care practitioner deter mines you’re misusing alcohol, you can get up to four brief, facetoface coun seling sessions per year (if you’re com petent and alert during counseling). Part B also covers one depression screening per year. These Medicarecovered services have fewer longterm risks than prescription medications like opioids. Prescription opioids, including hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, codeine, and fentanyl, can be used to help relieve moderatetosevere pain. Your doctor may prescribe opioids fol lowing surgery or an injury, or for cer tain chronic health conditions. These medications can be an important part of treatment but they carry serious risks, including addiction, overdose, and death. If you’re using opioids to manage chronic pain, ask your doctor if you might also need a prescription for nalox one, an overdosereversing drug that is covered by Medicare. Some Medicare drug plans have certain coverage rules to help you use opioids safely. You can get more information on drug plan coverage rules at https://www.medicare.gov/drugcover agepartd/whatmedicarepartddrug planscover/drugplancoveragerules. If you're in a Medicare drug plan and take medications for different medical conditions, you may be eligible for a free Medication Therapy Management

program. This program helps you and your doctor make sure that your med ications are working to improve your health. Before starting or while taking opioids, talk with your doctor about all of your pain treatment options, including physi cal and occupational therapy, exercise, and taking nonprescription drugs like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naprox en. For most Medicarecovered pain man agement services, you pay 20 percent of the Medicareapproved amount for vis its to your doctor or other healthcare provider to diagnose or treat your con dition. The Part B deductible ($185 in 2019) applies. If you get your services in a hospital outpatient clinic or hospital outpatient department, you may have to pay an additional copayment or coinsurance amount to the hospital. You pay nothing for a yearly depression screening if your doctor or health care provider accepts Medicare payment. For more information on safe and effec tive pain management, visit: Medicare, at https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pa inmanagement or call 1800MEDICARE (18006334227). TTY users can call 1 8774862048. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at https://www.hhs.gov/opi oids/prevention/painmanagement options/index.html. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at https://www.cdc.gov/ drugoverdose/patients/options.html

SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 19

OCTOBER CALENDAR 7 p.m., NRRC. • November 7 SHIP Medicare Counseling, 10 1 p.m., NRRC.

Center locations

Cold Springs Community Center (CSCC): 971-8542 Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center (EMNECC): 334-2262 Gerlach Senior Center: 1-775-557-2206 Incline Community Center: www.washoecounty.us/ seniorsrv/incline_community center Lazy 5/Spanish Springs: 1-775-328-2786 Neil Road Recreation Center (NRRC): 689-8484 Sparks Senior Center (SSC): 353-3110 Sun Valley Senior Center (SVSC): 673-9417 Teglia’s Paradise Park Activity Center (TPPAC): 356-3176 Washoe County Senior Services (WCSS): 328-2575

• November 7 Zumba Gold Fitness, 10 11 a.m., TPPAC, every Tuesday, $10 dropin fee.

Monday, free.

every Thursday.

• November 7 Tai Chi Class, EMNECC, $5, every Tuesday, Thursday, 1 2 p.m.

• November 11 Sunshine Quilters, 1 4 p.m., TPPAC, dropin fee. Every Monday.

• November 28 Cribbage and Minnesota, 1 3 p.m., NRRC, dropin fee.

• November 2 Pancake Breakfast, 10:30 12:30 p.m.,Seniors 50+ free; Others $6, OUR Center, 1745 South Wells Ave., Reno, (775) 624 3720, seniors@ourcenter reno.org.

• November 7 Eldorado Buffet and Riverside Theater, 8:30 a.m. 3 p.m., $20, scholarships apply for City of Reno program, call for pickup times if needing a ride.

• November 12 Why Does My Cat Do That and How Do I Get Her to Stop?, 6:30 8 p.m., Nevada Humane Society, 2825 Longley Lane, Reno, donations accepted.

• November 16 Pickleball, 4:30 6:30 p.m., NRRC.

• November 4 Sit and Get Fit, 8:30 9:30 a.m., TPPAC, drop in fee.

• November 8 Silver State Super Seniors, 8:30 9:45 a.m., EMNECC.

• November 4 Pickleball, 9 10 a.m., EMNECC.

• November 8 Sit and Get Fit, 8:30 9:30 a.m., TPPAC, drop in fee.

• November 12 Ballroom Dancing, EMNECC, every Tuesday, 2 3:45 p.m., drop in fee. Friday, 6 7:45 p.m.

• November 8 Beanbag Baseball Practice, every Monday and Friday, 1:30 3:30 p.m., NRRC, dropin fee.

• November 13 Mat Yoga, every Wednesday, 10 11 a.m., NRRC.

• November 4 Pinochle, 10 2 p.m., TPPAC, dropin fee. • November 5 Western Squares, 6:30 p.m., TPPAC. • November 5 Qigong, 5:30 6:30 p.m., EMNECC, $5. • November 6 Sit and Get Fit, every Mon., Wed., and Fri., TPPAC, drop in fee. • November 6 Mat Yoga, 10 11 a.m., NRRC. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. • November 6 Mat Yoga, 12 1 p.m., EMNECC, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, $30 a month. • November 7 Badminton,

• November 9 Japanese Silk Gift Wrap, 9 a.m. 3 p.m., TMCC Meadowood Center, $59, (775) 8299010. • November 10 Reno Senior Dance Club, 2 5 p.m., NRRC. • November 11 Pickleball, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 10 a.m., EMNECC, $10. • November 11 Volunteer Crochet and Knitting Group, 10 noon, EMNECC, every

20 / November / SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com

• November 12 Veterans Resource Officer, 1 4 p.m., EMNECC.

• November 13 ThisNThat Exchange, 1 3 p.m., NRRC, dropin fee, every Wed. • November 16 Chair Yoga, 1:30 2:15 p.m., EMNECC. • November 13 Pickleball, NRRC, 1:30 3:30 p.m, every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. • November 13 Cloverleaf Squares, 6 p.m., TPPAC. • November 14 Zumba Gold Fitness, 10 11 a.m., TPPAC, $10 dropin fee,

• November 14 December 5 Zen Meditation, 6 7:30 p.m., TMCC Meadowood Center, $59, (775) 8299010. • November 14 Table Tennis, 7 10 p.m., NRRC, dropin fee. • November 15 Senior Bingo, 1 2 p.m., NRRC, dropin fee. • November 15 Drop in Bridge, 12:30 3:30 p.m., EMNECC, dropinfee. • November 15 Beanbag Baseball Practice, Friday, NRRC, 1:30 3:30 p.m. • November 16 Table Tennis, 10 1 p.m., NRRC, dropin fee. • November 18 Sit and Get Fit, 8:30 9:30 a.m., TPPAC, drop in fee. • November 18 Pickleball, 9 10 a.m., EMNECC. • November 18 Pinochle, 10 2 p.m., TPPAC, fee.

• November 18 Volunteer Knitting and Crochet, 1012 p.m., EMNECC.

• November 27 Chair Yoga, every Wednesday, 1:30 2:15 p.m., EMNCC. • November 28 Tai Chi Class, 1 2 p.m., EMNECC.

• November 18 Mat Yoga, 1011 a.m., NRRC. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. • November 18 Mat Yoga, 121 p.m., EMNECC, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, $30 a month. • November 18 Basic Art, 1 2 p.m., TPPAC. • November 19 Bread Drop, 1011 a.m., TPPAC. Also every Tuesday at noon1 p.m., NRRC, free. • November 19 Tai Chi Class, EMNECC, 12 p.m., $5. • November 19 Ballroom Dancing, EMNECC, 2 3:45 p.m., dropin fee. • November 20 Senior Tap, 9:30 10:30 a.m., EMNECC. • November 20 Ceramic Workshop, 9:30 12:30 p.m., McKinley Arts & Culture Center, fee $45. • November 20 Mat Yoga, 12 1 p.m., EMNECC, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, $30 a month. • November 20 ThisNThat Exchange, 1 3 p.m., NRRC, dropin fee, every Wed. • November 20 Chair Yoga, every Wednesday, 1:30 2:15 p.m., EMNECC. • November 21 Sit and Get Fit, 10 11 a.m., EMNECC, drop in fee. • November 21 Open Lab, 12 2 p.m., NRRC.

• November 29 Ballroom Dancing, EMNECC, 6 7:45 p.m., dropin fee. • December 2 Cribbage and Minnesota, 1 3:30 p.m., NRRC.

Thanksgiving Day, November 28.

• November 21 Bunco, 1:15 3:30 p.m., TPPAC.

• November 25 Badminton, 7 10 p.m., NRRC.

• November 21 S5 (Seniors, Sandwiches, Soup, Salad, Socialization) Luncheon, Thursday, 12:30 2 p.m., OUR Center, 1745 South Wells Ave., Reno, Seniors 50+ free; Others $5, (775) 624 3720, seniors@ourcenter reno.org.

• November 26 Conversation Cafe, 9:30 11 a.m., NRRC, dropin fee. • November 26 Bread Drop, 10 11 a.m., TPPAC. Also every Tuesday at noon 1 p.m., NRRC, free.

• December 5 Holiday Cookie Decorating, 6 8 p.m., Damonte Ranch High School, $39, (775) 829 9010. • December 5 and 12 Holiday Cards in Watercolor, 1:30 5:30 p.m., TMCC Meadowood Center, $69, (775) 8299010.

• November 22 Pickleball, 9 10 a.m., EMNECC. • November 22 Beanbag Baseball Practice, Friday, 10 12:30 p.m., TPPAC, dropin fee. • November 22 Drop in Bridge, 12:30 3:30 p.m., EMNECC, dropinfee. • November 22 Senior Dance Club, 7:30 p.m., WCSS. • November 24 Reno Senior Dance Club, 2 5 p.m., NRRC. • November 25 Sit and Get Fit, 8:30 9:30 a.m., TPPAC, drop in fee. • November 25 Sunshine Quilters, 1 p.m., TPPAC. • November 25 Basic Art, 1 2 p.m., TPPAC. SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 21

Northern Nevada Health System Breaks Ground for New Reno Hospital

orthern Nevada Health System (NNHS) broke ground October 18, on the site of the new Sierra Medical Center (SMC), the first fullservice hospital to be built in the Truckee Meadows in nearly a century. The project, expect ed to open in 2022, will pro vide around 200 private patient rooms, located in South Reno. Sierra Medical Center will introduce comprehensive services including Emergency Care, Orthopedics and Surgical Services, Labor and Delivery, Neonatal Intensive Care, Oncology, Cardiovascular and Neurosurgical services. Upon completion of the initial phase of the project, the hos pital campus is projected to include 350,000 square feet of hospital and medical office space.

Dr. James Sullivan, Northern Nevada Medical Center Board Chair; Alan B. Miller, Chairman and Founder, Universal Health Services; Alan Olive, CEO of Northern Nevada Medical Center; Naomi Duerr, City of Reno Vice Mayor; Karla Perez, Regional Vice President, Universal Health Services; Marvin Pember, President of the Universal Health Services Acute Care Division.

care jobs at completion. NNHS’ expansion will improve access to health

care, offer more choices for patients, and serve as an extension of the quality care

already offered within the Health System.

“The rapid growth of our region signifies the need to expand healthcare services so patients can access care at the facility of their choice,” said Alan Olive, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Northern Nevada Medical Center. “Our new hospital will focus on the same core values we have embraced at Northern Nevada Medical Center for nearly 40 years.” During construction, the proj ect will create an estimated 1,500 jobs indirectly and an estimated 1,000 new health

Artist rendering of the new Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center expected to open 2022.

22 / November / SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com

Health System / from page 22

Alan Olive, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Northern Nevada Medical Center.

According to the Northern Nevada Economic Planning Indicators Committee, Reno’s population boom is on pace to grow by more than 100,000 residents over the next 10 years. These trends will increase the demand for healthcare serv ices, including the need for more primary care providers to serve patients.

munity.” Construction of the new hospital, led by SR Construction, is expected to begin later this year. In addi tion, Northern Nevada Health System will continue expanding its operations and will open the area’s first freestanding emergency department, ER at McCarran NW in 2020.

“As our city’s population has grown, so has our need for accessible, highquality healthcare,” said Naomi Duerr, Vice Mayor of the City of Reno. “Sierra Medical Center will improve access to healthcare within our region – offering new diag nostic tools and treatment opportunities. This will help us to address the unprece dented demand for health care while providing new options for the whole com

“Northern Nevada Health System is increasing their capacity, and as a result, they are completely chang ing the health care land scape within our communi ty,” said Dr. James Sullivan, Board Chair for Northern Nevada Medical Center. Sierra Medical Center will be located at Longley Lane and Double R Blvd. For addition al information, visit NNMC.com. SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 23

Building a Strong Immune System from the Inside Out

ovember is the perfect time of year to take a few action steps and boost your immune system. A robust Dr. Shain Smith immune system will help you stay healthy and active, enjoy ing the things you love with the people you love. Eat, Move and Sleep your way to a stronger immune system this year! Eat Well You’ve heard it before, but it’s true. Food is the fuel for your body. So give your digestive system a break and be sure to eat easily digestible, nutrition dense foods. It will help your immune system stay strong. By maintaining a healthy diet, you can strengthen your immune system and perhaps even get sick less often. A little planning can go a long way. Most of the time, we make poor choices when we are in a rush, or unprepared. And this often results in stopping by a restaurant or taking out food on the run. Create a simple calen

dar highlighting your meals for the week. Healthy homecooked meals will not only strengthen your immune sys tem, but it can also help you save money! Here are a few ideas to get you started. Bone broth contains minerals that can boost your immune system Probiotics can improve your sleep, digestion, and immunity Lean meats, especially those with omega3 fatty acids, can reduce inflam mation Move Well The simplest way to boost your immuni ty, exercise! Fortunately, you don’t need to be a marathon runner to take advan tage of the benefits of exercise. By tak ing a daily walk or following a simple exercise routine, you can feel better, more energized, and strengthen your immune system. First, when we exer cise, blood pumps through our body at a rapid rate. This helps white blood cells be absorbed into our body tissues more

rapidly. White blood cells are an essen tial part of our immune system that fights disease. Also, exercising can reduce our stress hormones and stimu late the release of endorphins helping you feel great! Finally, when we exer cise and break a sweat, our body tem perature rises. The increase in our body temperature can help fight infection and prevent bacteria from growing, sim ilar to how a fever works. Sleep Well Boost your melatonin levels naturally by preparing your eyes and brain for sleep! Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland. That's a peasized gland found just above the middle of your brain. It helps your body know when it's time to sleep and wake up. The antioxi dant effects of melatonin are so strong, they are thought to be stronger and more potent than glutathione, vitamin C3, and vitamin E because of its free radical scavenger, antiinflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Melatonin regu lates many biological functions such as sleep, circadian rhythm and immunity. To naturally increase your melatonin levels reduce your exposure to artificial lights 1 hour prior to bed, take a break from smart phones and tablets. If you find it difficult to avoid light exposure prior to sleep, get yourself a pair of blue light blocking glasses to minimize the light waves that are most impact ing your natural melatonin production!

Dr. Shain Smith is local chiropractor practicing in South Reno at Family First Chiropractic. His mission is to serve and empower the community with insights and strategies to elevate health and expand human potential! Family First Chiropractic Reno Office 7752843333 drshain@ffcwecare.com 24 / November / SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com

N4 / from page 6

system to find community resources; receive support to schedule and attend health care appointments; get support to follow health recommendations and develop personal health goals; learn how to use their smartphones to find information and to use the N4 system; get connected to their neigh bors for social outings and learning how to stretch their Lyft ride credits. Eligible residents will be able to apply starting in November 2019 for Ride on Time. If the pilot pro duces favorable results, N4 will seek grant funding to extend the service to more Washoe County area residents. Another service offered by N4 is their Community Care program that sup ports people with disabili ties and folks living with dementia and their fami lies by providing inhome communityfocused serv ices such as respite for family care partners, com panion services, personal care and social and recre ational activities. Fill out an interest form at http://neighbornv.org/co mmunitycare or contact them at the phone num ber or address above. These programs are made possible by N4’s active pursuit of grant funds each year. They are com mitted to serving as many people as possible, and accurately assessing the impact that their pro grams have on our com munity. I encourage you to contact them if you need their services.

SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 25

ECLECTIC OBSERVER Janet Ross

THANKSGIVINGS REMEMBERED

Janet Ross

y first Thanksgiving memory dates to the 1940s at the Mason grandparent's Oakland, California home. The dining room table was extended to its full length and there must have been at least twenty in attendance (my Mother was one of seven siblings, all married with children, except for two sisters living in Washington State). If all the cousins were in attendance there would have been seven on hand, including myself. I suspect we children were relegated to a table in the living room. As the youngest grandchild, I had the honor of helping with the traditional appetizer for the meal, a tallstemmed glass filled with canned fruit cocktail, garnished with a sprig of mint and half a cher ry, and a single Ritz cracker on the side – such elegance. If memory serves, the main meal was completed before the unique sound of fire sirens sent all the men and

children rushing to the front door, down the outside steps, to follow the route of fire fighters to a Victorian era twostorey home a few blocks away. There, from a safe distance, we watched as the Oakland Fire Department men pulled hoses from the trucks and rushed toward the house. One fireman emerged, gently leading a tiny, old lady from the burn ing building. He was followed by a second, carrying a caged Canary. There was a sigh of relief from all of us observers before we headed back to the grandparents home to finish our interrupted Thanksgiving meal with

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pumpkin pie. It may have been the most exciting Thanksgiving for us, but I still wonder what happened to the little old lady and her Canary; did she ever have her own Thanksgiving meal? Years later, married with two children and living in Sacramento, we invited fami ly and neighbors for Thanksgiving at our house. At that time I was a stayat home mom and looked for ward to one of my first “com pany meals”. In the past, roast turkey was always stuffed with my Mother's recipe – cubed bread, celery, onions, sage, etc. tradition al. Wanting to do something special, I found a recipe for Chestnut Stuffing in Gourmet magazine. My favorite gro cery at the time was Corti Brothers in the Oak Park neighborhood; it was a true Italian enterprise and they stocked chestnuts. I pur chased the required amount a few days in advance and the day before the dinner I started preparing the nuts … ignorant, I had no idea that roasting and peeling and chopping the chestnuts was

so labor intensive. When I finally assembled the stuffing it seemed rather odd, but it was too late to create a sub stitute. Needless to say, Chestnut Stuffing was the Disaster of the Day. It tasted sweet, it tasted awful. Never again. (Years later, living in England on a wintry day in London, I couldn't resist the wares of a street vendor – hot, roasted chestnuts. Turns out I don't like chestnuts, no matter how they are pre pared. Our children didn't like them either, but they loved raw chestnuts known as “Conkers” as used by their schoolmates in competitions for mock battles.) A more recent Thanksgiving at our home in Sparks turned out to be a memorable event because of a heavy snow storm. Family from Northern California made it over Donner Pass while it was still passable, but none of us expected the snow to contin ue so long or be so heavy. The Sacramento cousins and our kids had snowball fights on the front lawn (now under several inches of the frigid white stuff) for what seemed like hours. Dinner itself must have been okay, but the excitement of snow was all that counted, even though it meant our guests had to find a motel for the night as returning to their home was impossible. Through the years our Thanksgiving meals have remained fairly traditional, and we've never deepfried a turkey, nor have we served

Eclectic / from page 26

that green beanmushroom soup casserole or topped our candied yams with marshmallows. My Mother began the tradition of homemade whole cranberry sauce, none of that canned stuff for us. A few years ago I did make a small change to her simple recipe. If you're in the mood for something a little different I can recommend CranberryPineapple Relish as presented by Bon Appetit magazine in December 1996. The recipe makes six cups, can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks. You'll need:

CranberryPineapple Relish 120oz. Can crushed pineapple in its own juice 212oz. Packages of whole cranberries 1 ¼ cups sugar 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 Tbs. Fresh lemon juice ¼ Tsp. Ground cloves Drain pineapple thoroughly in sieve set over large measuring cup. Add enough water to juices to measure 2 cups liquid. Place liq uid in a large, nonaluminum saucepan. Add cranberries and sugar. Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Boil until most berries burst and mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, mix in drained pineapple, walnuts, lemon juice and cloves. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate uncovered until cold, about 2 hours. Cover and store until needed. A memorable and happy Thanksgiving to all.

Free Living Trust Seminar

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SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 27

BIGGEST little City

Harry Spencer

Getting Around Town

ne of the favorite pursuits of longtime Renoites has almost disap Harry Spencer peared in the downtown area that exists in the Biggest Little City today.

or through the Redwood Room when the weather was inclement, through the miniCasino and we had arrived at our destination; the tiny Coffee Shop of the hotel. Coffee breaks there were always enter taining because of the presence of

nightclub stars like Jimmy Durante, Ted Lewis, Sophie Tucker or Joe E. Lewis, who were usually appearing in the showroom and, in those midmorning hours, were trying their best to coax a laugh or even a smile from the dour Wertheimer brothers, Mert and Lou. (Biggest little city on page 30)

I speak of “slicing and dicing”, and no, I am not referring to cutting up the veggies for a salad, ala Martha Stewart. I’m talking about making your way around the Reno of yesteryear, by taking various shortcuts through the buildings and alleys that used to exist in our town. As I recall, almost no one took the 90 degree turns that were required if you followed the strict sidewalk structure of the city in those days. My favorite “shortcut”, which I shared with Father Maurice Welsh and his brother Charlie in the early ‘50s, was to slip out of the Chancery Office that housed the Catholic newspaper, The Nevada Register, on the corner of Court and Rainbow Streets, take an angle past the little car riage house to the rear, down the blocklong street (which has since disappeared under the courthouse beside the river), and enter the Riverside Hotel through the gaping loading dock on Sierra Street. A quick stroll around the pool, SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 29

Biggest little city / from page 29 After coffee, a slant route through the casino again and out the entrance to the Corner Bar and you were just across the street from the “Main” Post Office and a morning mail check. Once inside the P.O. and with your let ters in hand, you had your choice of three exits; each of which would take you to another part of town. You could exit on Mill Street, cross Virginia Street and “cut through” the Court House to get back to work; you could leave by the door on the northeast corner and stroll through The Holiday Hotel on your way to get your car off Jerry Monahan’s parking lot, or you could take the northwest corner door and cross the bridge to the Mapes. Through the front door of the Mapes you might angle across the lobby, through the coffee shop and out the door on First Street. From there you would “Jaywalk” over to the City Hall, slide through the main entrance and see a few public officials, then leave by the Center Street entrance. From there you took an abrupt left, toured the Gazette/Journal building

30 / November / SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com

and visited the Associated Press (Chet Sobsey) or United Press (Russ Nielsen). Strolling through the Press Room at the rear you could pickup an early, inky edition of the Reno Evening Gazette, step out into the alley, take the short flight of steps down, which were located at the rear of the Big Wal, and drop some film off for Frankie Bennett to develop. A shortcut through the Wal was mandatory, because you wanted to get to Virginia Street and Mitch Armanko’s for some office supplies. Utilizing Armanko’s back door you re crossed the alley to the CalNeva. From here your choices of direction were many, but usually it was out the side door, kittycorner across Second Street to Harrah’s entrance and a whole new choice of “escape” routes once inside the club. The mostused was out the rear, across the alley and into Harold’s. From there you could either backtrack on your route or cross Virginia Street for an entirely new itinerary. All of the foregoing was even better when it was raining or snowing.

Memory Care Expansion at Summit Estates

ummit Estates Senior Living and Memory Care, has announced the completion of a $900,000 expan sion of its memory care neighborhood which got underway in February 2019. Summit Estates opened its doors in 2016 with room for 24 memory care residents and 92 assisted living resi dents. The 3,200 squarefoot addition includes accommodations for eight additional residents. The memory care program, “Ready Set Go,” helps residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia live full, happy lives in a safe, loving home. Trained team members work with med ical providers and family to provide individualized care. The new neighborhood provides congregate living and com mon spaces for socialization, meals and activities. Raised garden boxes and comfort able seating are located in a secure outdoor courtyard while activities and journey stations are situated through the neighborhood to stimu late the senses and engage the mind. Darryl Fisher, president of Mission Senior Living, said the memory care expansion is MSL leadership anticipating the needs of a community. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 45,000 Nevadans currently living with Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to grow to 64,000 by 2025. Summit Estates is located at 222 East Patriot Blvd., in Reno.

this ‘n that by Anne Vargas annevargas3@gmail.com

The demon of Addiction

“The first step toward recovery is admitting you have a problem.”

Anne Vargas

I don’t have a problem. Maybe other people do, but not me. How could anyone even hint at such a thing? Then someone gave me a list of questions designed to identify addiction and gently suggested I read them. I was outraged but decided to do it in order to prove I was “clean”. I read them in private and forced myself to respond honestly, no matter how painful.

Do you ever use it before breakfast? Do you feel guilty about it? Do you try to conceal your usage? Do you feel you should cut back? Do you get angry when others chide you about the extent of your use? Is it interfering with other aspects of your life? I reluctantly admitted (to myself) that the questions made me uncomfortable.

sleeplessness?) And the definitions did n’t make me feel any better: “...charac terized by a preoccupation”; “ an inabili ty to cut down or stop use”; feeling that you need it regularly and, in some cases, many times a day.” I had no choice but to face it headon and admit it. I am an addict.

I am addicted to my online devices. My usage started gradually but now I am at it or on it all the time. In addition to my desktop I have a laptop and an iPad but best of all is my cell phone. There were more: Did I think about it They are all interconnected so no mat when not using it? Did I sometimes ter where I am I can easily check email, binge, using it nearly nonstop? If I did send texts, listen to podcasts, modify stop, did I experience the symptoms of my “todo” list, look up all kinds of stuff withdrawal, (irritability, anxiety and on the web and jot down ideas for the book I will proba bly never really Solution from page 31 write. But per haps there really is such a thing as too much of a good thing. My husband seems to think so. Let’s go back to those questions. Do you ever use it before breakfast? Hmmm. Well I do check my cell phone the moment I get out of bed (after all, who knows what I may have missed in the world overnight?) and then I often sit down at the 32 / November / SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com

computer with a cup of coffee for “just a minute” and surface to find its time for lunch. And my cell phone is always within reach. (Binging?) Do you feel guilty about it? When the kitchen is a mess and we can write in the dust because some moment of inspiration kept me at the keyboard, I do feel a little guilty. I deal with it by inviting someone to dinner, which spurs me into a cleaning frenzy. And it keeps my husband happy because he loves to cook for friends. Do you try to conceal your usage? Absolutely! Until now I’ve never admit ted just how much time I happily spend online. But now I’m truthfully acknowl edging the problem, just like I’m sup posed to, in quest of recovery. The only problem is I’m not sure I want to recov er. Do you feel you should cut back? No, not really. I like my life as it is. I have an “aap” (application) on my phone that allows me to read the latest news of the day (although come to think of it, why should I want to do that?) and I actually have fun using Power Point. But in the interest of recovery, I suppose it would be healthy to reconnect with people facetoface a bit more and put my reclusive self in the closet. Do you get angry when others chide you about the extent of your use? Yes!!! Is it interfering with other aspects of your life? Sigh. Maybe. My husband gets a bit impatient with my preference for being online instead of doing some thing he deems more fun. I suppose that is interference with life as we knew

it in the old, pretechnology, days. In an attempt to con vince him to share my enthu siasm, I bought him another cell phone (his third; he lost the first two) and tried to show him all the amazing things he could do with it. Not only is he not interested in texting or using any of the available aaps, I can’t even call him because he either forgets to take the phone with him or he neglects to charge it or turn it on. Total disinterest! If the first step to recovery is admitting to the problem, the next step us determining the level of dependence. That’s easy. Big time! I can’t even imagine not having access. I need it. I look at the phone as soon as I get up in the morning. I take it to the gym to listen to The Moth Radio Hour podcast while I exercise. I plan what I’ll do on the computer when I get home and make notes on the cell phone so I won’t forget. But I was sure I could get this under control, so I took a deep breath, turned everything off, put my cell phone away and went “cold turkey” for a day. Just to prove I could. Hour by hour without looking at that phone, turning on the computer or going online, until the day had passed. I cleaned the kitchen cup boards, planted some bulbs, chatted with the neighbors, browsed through my books and chose one to read, had lunch with friends and took a walk before dinner. My hori zons expanded. It was all very interesting. And my husband was very happy to

have my undivided attention that evening. But that somewhat tranquil interlude was short lived; I was getting irritable and anx ious (withdrawal?) and I was preoccupied with the idea of reconnecting. I wanted to read the latest headlines, send some texts, listen to podcasts, check email, revise that “todo” list, look up all kinds of stuff on the web and jot down ideas for the book I will probably never really write. I needed to get my fingers back on the keyboard. I needed a fix. Just for a little while. I’d tell you more but my computer screen just flashed and my cell phone is alerting me to a lot of text messages. After I do that I will go on line to look for a “support group of kindred spirits.

Reminder: The OpenDoor Café is an inclusive and com fortable gathering place for people living with any form of dementia, either as a suf ferer or a caregiver, in an informal, relaxed atmos phere. Everyone is welcome to attend on the third Thursday of every month, from 2 – 3:15 p.m. at the Lake House on the corner of Arlington and Court Streets. Please join us. Thursday, November 21. SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com / November / 33

Simply Smart Travel Jeff & Virginia Orenstein

San Francisco, California

an Francisco’s storied place in American song and culture is well deserved. This gem of a city overlooking picturesque San Francisco Bay is built on seven hills. It is a mustvisit place for simply smart travel ers for its beauty alone. Add in a really great restaurant scene, a fascinating mix of cultures and neighborhoods, museums, unique architec ture and proximity to too many regional attractions to visit in a single trip and you have a real gem of a place to visit. Famous for its cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, the marketplace at the Ferry Terminal, Coit Tower, the financial district, “painted lady” Victorian houses and many other scenes often por trayed in movies and TV, this bustling city is a crossroads of culture and a busy center of maritime commerce. While San Francisco is on the pricey side if you choose to limit yourself to world famous hotels and eateries and shop only at Union Square boutiques, the city also boasts a staggering array of excellent lodging, enter tainment, shopping and restaurants that are reason ably affordable. Purchasing a San Francisco Municipal Public Transportation Passport gives you affordable and convenient access to cable cars, buses, streetcars

and the Metro. Similarly, a San Francisco City Pass (city pass.com) gives you trans portation access plus muse ums and a bay cruise. Located on picturesque San Francisco Bay, this eclectic city is also a great place to base yourself for day trips to explore the many attractions that surround this city by the bay. They range from distin guished centers of learning like the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford to the hightech palaces of Silicon Valley, the majestic redwoods at Muir Woods and, of course, the nearby California wine coun try. Before You Go Check Out: • https://www.sftravel.com/ • https://www.visitcalifor nia.com/region/discoversan franciscobayarea/ • https://www.nomadicmatt .com/travelblogs/spend threedaystouringsanfran cisco/ Getting There: San Francisco is a westcoast crossroads that can be easily reached by highway, air, cruise ship or train. • By air, the nearest airport is San Francisco International (SFO) at 15 miles away. Oakland International (OAK), is 20 miles away from the Financial District. • By train, Amtrak has a sta

34 / November / SeniorSpectrumNewspapers.com

The iconic Golden Gate Bridge, as seen from the Marin Highlands, across the mouth of the bay from San Francisco. Credit: Jeff Orenstein, Simply Smart Travel

tion in Oakland at Jack London Square. It is connect ed by Amtrak bus and other public transportation. From Oakland, there is frequent service to the entire west coast and beyond. • By car, San Francisco is on interstates 280, 580 and California 101. • Cruise ships sail from San Francisco’s cruise terminal, 1.5 miles distant. MustSees For A Short Trip: • Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 (touristy but a must see for firsttimers). Check out the sea lions. • A hoponhopoff bus tour of the city (bring a sweater). • A sightseeing boat trip around the bay, weather per mitting. • Exploring Chinatown, preferably on foot.

• Visiting Lombard Street, preferably via the Powell Hyde Cable Car line that starts at Fisherman’s Wharf. Ginny O’s Tips For Dressing The Simply Smart Travel Way For San Francisco: The entire bay area is trendy and styleconscious. Resort casual dress is fine for most things in San Francisco, except for the most upscale restaurants and arts events. This Destination At A Glance Over 50 Advantage: A world ly city with great shopping, restaurants and excellent cul tural and sports attractions. Mobility Level: Moderate because of the steep hills. When To Go: Fall is good and spring is a close second. Jeffrey Orenstein, Ph.D. and Virginia Orenstein are travel writers. Reach them at joren stein@SimplySmartTravel.com