Prime Magazine issue 45

primeSPOKANE.com

DECEMBER - JANUARY 2014 #45

Generation

Reinvention Melinda Melvin: Nurse by day, Artist by night

Planning Ahead Financially surviving the Golden Years

Walking for Weight Loss

Flashback Spokane’s First Automobiles

contents

Having the time of your life in the Inland Northwest

December - January 2014

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Editor’s Letter Masthead

features

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The Front Porch

Elder cottages: new, old concept to independent living; AARP: Is it time to step in and help your parents?; Tax-Aid Volunteers needed; New senior-friendly Emergency Rooms; Continuation of Care team developing in Spokane

18 Your Third Life

The nest is empty and Cheryl-Anne Millsap is spreading her wings, embarking on the traveling adventures she had always dreamed of… while the binding love for her granddaughter and family pull her back home to Spokane.

20 Generation Reinvention 20

24 31 24

34 38

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The most famous generation in history, the Baby Boomers, started turning 65 in 2011, old enough to retire. However, many of them won’t. Whether it’s due to lack of planning for retirement, or because people are significantly healthier until later in life, many Boomers are reinventing their careers and lives on their own terms and at their own pace.

People: Julie Prafke

When you hit middle age and beyond it’s easy to settle for the body you’ve ended up with. After all, everyone knows it’s harder to lose weight the older you are, right?

Spokane’s Julie Prafke didn’t set out to prove the point, her intention was to make personal lifestyle changes and now she’s reaping the benefits of a healthier, lighter, stronger body.

Health: Brain & Eyes

Did you know your body’s weight, hormone levels, and moods are directly related to the health and function of your brain?; Put down the reading glasses and put in the multifocal contacts, better options for vision correction.

Flash Back: Spokane’s First Automobiles

It’s hard to imagine a time when cars weren’t zipping around everywhere, but it really wasn’t that long ago when Spokane’s transportation options didn’t go beyond the horse-drawn buggy. The Bamonte’s clear up conflicting information in this interesting look into Spokane’s first, although not so zippy, cars.

Inspiration

Soap Lake is home to one of the biggest stars ever to emerge from the Pacific Northwest music scene, the multi-talented artist Bonnie Guitar.

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About the cover Something changed when Melinda Melvin, a registered nurse, turned 50, she says, and she felt inspired to follow her bliss; becoming an artist.

She believes it was a birthday present from the universe that changed her life forever.

Photo by Diane Maehl

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editor’s letter

Photo by Diane Maehl

For the Love of Maps

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ike a fine piece of art, a new image of my parents has recently been hung in my mind. They are standing on a dark rocky platform on the edge of an island in Hawaii. Frothy white waves are crashing up behind them, threatening to lick them right off the rocks and swallow them whole. Looks of contentment wash over their faces. They have been in the prime of their lives for several years, but have only recently begun to understand what that means to them. It took some time for them to dismantle the bars of life’s cage. That self-created cage of work responsibilities, financial concerns, kids’ schedules, home projects and everything else that presents itself during the hustle bustle years. As the distance grows between the hustle bustle and the now, their prime, the opportunities for new adventures begin to grow in that place in their mind where hopes, dreams, and goals percolate into action items.

A friend and I were chatting recently about our favorite pieces of artwork.

Maps are my preferred décor, serving as windows to far off lands, framed almost as beautifully as the adventures they promise. I have new maps and old maps and new maps that look like old maps.

“So, what is it about maps?” my friend asked. While I appreciate the art and the effort behind their creation, I also see thousands of years and millions of

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journeys etched onto their faces. I reflect on the similarities each place represents as well as the magnificent differences. I dream of journeys left for me to take and those I would enjoy retaking. I visualize the people, their lives, and their lifetimes.

I find a sense of grand freedom in the vastness of the world being represented by those fine lines and earthy tones.

It had been over 30 years since my parents had indulged in a vacation of this magnitude. My dad is a Vietnam War Veteran, an ex Green Beret that wears deep emotional wounds right beside his heart on his sleeve. My stepmom committed the majority of her life to raising a melting pot, often volatile, family. They were incredibly dedicated professionals, and hard workers around home. I can see them exploring the island, hand-in-hand, feeling the warmth of the tropical sun soak into their core.

Envisioning them ruled only by island time and a sense of adventure, and not the accustomed bars of the last 30 years of life, dances out of my mind and into a smile.

Whether your map is hanging on a wall, or tucked into your mind, pull it out, put on your gazing goggles and plot your next life adventure. Whether you decide on a full reinvention, a new hobby or a new workout regimen, whether you decide to spread your wings, board a plane and zip off on a journey you’ve always dreamed of… now is the time, your time.

What is the prime of your life?

Remember all of the ‘when the kids have grown’ or ‘when my workload eases up’ or ‘when I have the energy’ thoughts you have had along the way? The prime of your life is the ‘someday’ you’ve always referred to, maybe even dreamed of. It’s today. I am grateful to be here with you now, as your editor, and I look forward to the journey with you, through your prime. I would love to hear your stories of living in the NOW, and of you enjoying the prime of your life. Please write, and together we can honor the goodness and the beauty of those life moments on the pages of Prime.

My Best, Stephanie stephanie@spokanecda.com

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Having the time of your life in the Inland Northwest

Vol. 7 Issue 6 December / January 2014

Editor

STEPHANIE REGALADO • stephanie@spokanecda.com

Creative Director

David Crary • david@spokanecda.com

Lead Graphic Designer

Kristi Somday • kristi@spokanecda.com

Graphic Designer

camille mackie • camille@spokanecda.com

Contributors

Tony and Suzanne Bamonte Stacy Benoscek Mark Bjerkestrand Darin Burt Nicole Duritz Diane Maehl Cheryl-Anne Millsap Judith Spitzer

Senior Account Manager

Cindy Guthrie • cindy@spokanecda.com

Senior Account Executive

Jeff Richardson • jrichardson@spokanecda.com

Account Executive

debra j smith • debra@spokanecda.com Diane caldwell • diane@spokanecda.com

Traffic Manager

ARIKA WHITEAKER • ads@bozzimedia.com

Director of Events and Promotions

Melissa Halverson • melissa@bozzimedia.com

Operations & Finance Manager Kim Morin • kim@spokanecda.com

Accounts Receivable & Distribution

theresa berglund • theresa@spokanecda.com

Publisher

Vincent bozzi • vince@spokanecda.com

Associate Publisher

emily guevarra bozzi • emily@spokanecda.com

es, servic ing, on din kets, salon e ! tic or event avel and m r t

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Prime magazine is published by Bozzi Media Tapio Yellow Flg Bldg, Suite 209 • 104 S. Freya, Spokane, WA 99202-4866 • Phone: 509.533.5350 Prime magazine (ISSN 1938-5714) is distributed freely in the Inland Northwest. For distribution locations, subscription rates, or to read this month’s or previous months’ issues, visit us at www.primespokane.com.

All contents © 2013. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Neither Bozzi Media nor Prime™ magazine assume responsibility for errors in content, photos or advertisements.

Elder Cottages Multigenerational Living at its Best

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n 1900, 57% of adults over age 65 lived with family, by 1990 those numbers were down to 17%. As elders grew healthier and more prosperous and Social Security and Medicare emerged, it became expected for older adults to live independently. After WWII, retirement communities, retirement homes, assisted living and other types of senior housing became an emerging trend. Since 1990, the trend has slowly reversed course and has climbed back up to around 20%.

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front porch

Th ur sday Decemb er 5, 2013 7 :3 0 p . m .

Chateau Rive at the Flour Mill

Get tickets

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Community Frameworks recently unveiled a new form of senior housing in response to the changing demographics and preferences expressed by aging Boomers. Designed to be placed next to an existing home, an Elder Cottage allows a senior to “Age in Place” in the community while under the loving care of an adult child or loved one.

“Elder Cottages are expected to delay or eliminate the need for institutional care by combining the benefits of multigenerational living with the dignity of privacy,” says Linda Hugo, CEO of Community Frameworks. Hugo further states, “The demographic numbers are alarming. We, as a community, need to be doing all that we can now as we move into this new era of aging. We must continue to grow and evolve the services and housing options available for seniors as their needs and demands change.”

The senior population growth for the Spokane area between 2005 and 2030 is expected to more than double, with the “Over 60” crowd estimated to reach 25% of the total population. At the same time, care providers, housing subsidies and elder income are all projected to be at inadequate levels. Combined with an increase in housing costs and care requirements and a dearth of senior housing options, if not addressed now, we could find ourselves in quite a predicament.

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Additionally, Boomers aren’t aging the same way that their parents and grandparents did.

Life expectancy is up and the desire for traditional senior housing is declining. Seniors today want to remain in the community and are demanding more housing options.

Elder Cottages are one such option, an “in-between” solution for those desiring the comfort of a single-family residence but not able to manage such on their own. Additionally, they can be supplemented with various supportive services to provide a broad continuum of care.

Pricing for the cottages themselves, delivered to your site, start at around $40k ($48k for the model shown) and site costs vary from one project to another. Site costs typically run around $10k to $15k for sites with easy access and sufficient utility service. Variables that impact site costs include, but are not limited to: Access to the rear yard; porches/decks and ramp requirements; the capacity of the existing home’s utility service, etc.

To learn more about Elder Cottages, please visit www.

ElderCottage.org or call (509) 484-6733 x108.

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Kathy Bryant Seniors Real Estate Specialist & Top Spokane Realtor

509-993-3538 Century 21 Beutler & Associates 41 W Riverside – Ste 310 – Spokane, WA kathybryant@21goldchoice.com www.YourMoveYourTerms.com

Is It Time to Help Your Parents?

By Nicole Duritz, Vice President, Health, AARP Education & Outreach

The best way to experience

Hawaii

AARP Special – up to $250 off

7 Days 4 Islands 5 Ports Jason Armstrong

Independent Vacation Specialist in Spokane, Washington

www.VacationASAP.com

509-720-6984

Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, for cruise only on select sailing and stateroom categories. Government taxes and fees are additional. For new reservations only. Subject to availability. Certain restrictions apply. Prices include Non Commissionable Cruise Fare and are quoted in US Dollars. All itineraries and prices are subject to change without notice. Ships’ Registry: USA.One OBC per cabin. Cruise lines reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement of up to $10 USD per guest per day on all guests if the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel exceeds $65 USD per barrel. WA 601698664

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E

very once in a while, an adult child is cast suddenly into the role of caregiver, often after an aging parent suffers a fall or a medical crisis. But more often a parent’s need for support comes on gradually and may not be so obvious.

What are the signs? Maybe your mom was always beautifully dressed, but now her appearance looks unkempt. Your dad may have enjoyed reading, but lately he doesn’t pick up a book or take pleasure in other hobbies. You may wonder whether there are unpaid bills in those rapidly growing piles of mail or why there isn’t food in the refrigerator. Not every change is a cause for alarm, but it does signal the time when you should start having conversations with your older parents about getting help with managing daily tasks.

Family caregiver Mary O. from West Bloomfield, Mich., recalls her father’s resistance to accepting help. “He would

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never admit he needed help, it wasn’t in his DNA. But we did get him to realize that Mom needed help caring for him,” she remembers.

Here are a few tips to help you get started: Determine who and when: Adult children often play different roles within a family. Figure out who your parents might be most receptive to talking with and find a time when there isn’t stress from an event or an illness.

Ease into the conversation: You might break the ice by asking your parent’s advice about organizing important documents. Mention an article you read, or another older person who is successfully managing life with the use of technology or services. Remember these conversations will likely take place over time.

Have you considered a

Reverse mortgage as

part of your financial strategy?

Spokane's Reverse Mortgage Specialist Leave room for choice: Placing demands on your parents, or telling them what you think they need to do, will usually lead to resentment. Be open to discussing options and listening to everyone’s perspective. Unless your parents have a cognitive impairment, remember that they have the right to make their own decisions even if you disagree.

Shift the concern to you: Be open with your concerns. Let them know that the conversation stems from your love and your worry about their safety. By accepting help, they would be easing your fears.

Call TODAY to arrange for a (no cost or obligation) loan comparison that will help you make that important decision. Don't spend your days worrying about money. TAKE ACTION NOW!

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1500 W Fourth Avenue | Suite 410 Spokane WA 99201 First Priority Financial, Inc. NMLS #3257. Washington CL-3257

jack.tenold@fpfmail.com

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(509) 623-1623

Call in back up: When repeated conversations lead nowhere, you might bring in a trusted relative, friend, doctor or minister to discuss your concerns. You can also tap into professionals who work with older people in your community.

For more tips, tools and resources to help you help your parents, go to AARP’s Caregiving Resource Center at aarp.org/caregiving. This comprehensive resource has information to help you hire home care workers, assess assisted living residences and understand and apply for public benefits.

Nicole Duritz, vice president of health at AARP, leads the Association’s member and consumer health education and outreach program, which includes work on issues such as Medicare, new health care law, prescription drug affordability, long term care, prevention and wellness, and wise use of medications.

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Area’s First Senior Friendly Emergency Rooms

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ockwood Health System recognizes that seniors have unique healthcare needs. That’s why they have developed the Inland Northwest’s first Senior-Friendly Emergency Departments (ED) at Deaconess and Valley Hospitals to create a calm and comfortable environment for older patients while tending to their special medical needs.

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» Nurses trained in geriatric care » Timely evaluation and treatment (throughout) » Free valet parking available for senior patients » Noise-controlled area of the ER » Easy-to-push nurse call bells » Thicker, more comfortable mattresses » Specialized dietary accommodations available » Flexible seating arrangements for additional family » 24/7 access to pharmacy staff to assist with medications » Hearing assistive devices

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» Care coordination with your primary care provider » Large-font discharge material available » Patient follow-up after discharge » Rockwood Health System has the area’s only hospitals connected to the LifeNet system on all AMR ambulances, sending information directly to the ED and saving precious minutes in cardiac emergencies » Deaconess Hospital is the only Accredited Chest Pain Center and Primary Stroke Center in Spokane

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ac y

ha rm

patient

T

has become increasingly fragile over the years. Spokane Regional Health data reflects that mortality rates for elders due to falls are up 90%; ER visits are down 50%; all the results of financial constraints that have paralyzed our elders to inaction out of fear or confusion.

There are numerous agencies hard at work trying to reach out to these vulnerable adults and the stakeholders who support them.

Many believe that education and awareness of local solutions through earlier intervention can make the difference.

The Complete Care Network is a non-traditional approach to health care for those who are trying to live independently. The concept is to reduce health care costs by improving outcomes through a combined agency approach to address the three Pillars of Independent Living: Medication Adherence, Safety and Security, and Assisted Daily Living Tasks (ADL’s). Specialty Homecare Lifeline’s TeleCare Suite products target the first two Pillars of Independent Living while enlisting a health care agency, providing direct care, to have access to the TeleCare Suite information streams.

This allows health care decisions to be made objectively using the

•

• Comp e h p

n cia ysi ph

Ou r E lde r s community

etwork •N

• Care e t le

demonstrative data that is generated by the Personal Medication Dispenser (PMD) and the Medical Alert equipment.

“Our model is the only one to offer direct pharmacy support for the PMD through the use of our proprietary compliance packaging, which allows pharmacies to fill the PMD dispense cups and directly manage a subscribers medications,” says Mark Strahl, project manager at Specialty Homecare Lifeline.

“This greatly reduces medication errors and increases compliance for our subscribers thus saving them money. The Complete Care concept is patient-centered and promotes individual freedom by NOT wasting money on random care, but focusing expenditures on specific needs and thus maximizing one’s wealth.”

The Complete Care Network uses a blend of technology, direct ADL support from licensed health care providers, and a mobilized web platform that allows for instant awareness through effective communication.

For more information and to see the growing list of partners, please visit www.shclifeline.com/telecarepro.html or call (509) 473-9956.

AARP Tax-Aide Needs YOU!

D

o you enjoy helping others?

Do you like to prepare tax returns? Do you have basic computer skills? Then consider becoming an IRS-certified AARP Tax-Aide volunteer, and see what a difference helping others can make in your life! Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are welcome.

The Tax-Aide program is sponsored by the AARP Foundation and the IRS. You don’t need to be an AARP member or retiree to volunteer, or to receive free tax preparation services from TaxAide. Training begins in December. All volunteers do an extensive amount of self-study, using training materials and software provided by the IRS. They must attend training classes and pass the IRS test before providing tax assistance for low- and middle-income members of our community. New volunteers work with experienced volunteers at several sites throughout our communities. You’ll work your mind and warm your heart!

Please contact www.aarp.org/taxaide for an online application, or call (888) 6872277. You need to sign up by December to become IRS-certified in time for the coming tax season.

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finance

How to

Financially Survive Your Golden Years

Maximizing Your Money

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A

mericans are living longer these days from an average 47 years in 1900 to more than 78 years as of 2010. We are also experiencing a deluge of adults reaching retirement age now that includes 10,000 Baby Boomers turning 65 every day.

By 2030, when the last of the baby boomers have turned 65, nearly one in five Americans will be retirement age, according to the Pew Research Center’s population projections. Money is expected to be a challenge for many of them, especially if boomers develop health problems that affect their ability to live independently, says insurance expert and CEO of Life Care Funding Chris Orestis.

“Life Care Funding created a financial solution for seniors that own a life insurance policy that converts the policy into a Long-Term Care Benefit Plan; this gives the policy owner the option to use their policy while still alive to help pay for their choice of any form of senior care services,” says Orestis, a former insurance industry lobbyist who recently contributed to the federal Commission on Long-Term Care’s fact-finding mission.

“With 30 percent of the Medicaid population consuming 87 percent of Medicaid dollars on long-term care services, we can see that’s not going to be sustainable,” Orestis says. “More individuals will be forced to find their own resources to pay for those needs. That’s why states such as California, Florida, New York and Texas are embracing legislation requiring seniors to be notified that they can convert their life insurance policy for 30 to 60 percent of its death benefit value. The money can be put into an irrevocable fund designated specifically for any form of care they choose.”

Orestis details more ways in which you might handle long-term care and other budgetary issues: • Senior discounts really add up! Here’s a list of establishments to check out: www. lifecarefunding.com/blog/senior-discounts/.

Restaurants, supermarkets, department stores, travel deals and other merchants give various senior discounts with minimum age requirements ranging from 55 to 62. Some of these places are worth making habits, with 15 percent off the bill at Applebee’s, 30 percent off at Banana Republic and 60 percent off at Food Lion on Mondays!

Don’t forget your free cup of coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts if you’re 55 or older, and don’t be shy – at many of these places you’ll have to ask for the discount.

• Long-term care is a matter of survival, so use your best options. The practice of converting a life insurance policy into a Life Care Benefit has been an accepted method of payment for private duty in-home care, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care and hospice care for years. Instead of abandoning a policy when they can no longer afford the premiums, policy owners have the option to take the present-day value of the policy while they are still alive and convert it into a Long Term Care Benefit Plan. By converting the policy, a senior will remain in private pay longer and be able to choose the form of care that they want but will be Medicaid-eligible when the benefit is spent down.

• Your “last act” may be decades away, so plan accordingly. It makes sense to finally enjoy your money after a lifetime of savings, but be smart about it. Take time to organize your paperwork and create a master file that holds things such as insurance policies, investments, property, wills and trusts, etc. so you have your financial picture in one place. Also, live smart today and hold off on that new car if you don’t need a new one. If your current car is paid off and you sit tight for an additional two years, you’ll save $7,200 on a new car with $300 monthly payments.

Refinancing your home may also be a very good idea, since rates are still hovering around their alltime lows. Get at least three quotes, compare rates, terms and potential penalties to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Also, live healthy and buy more fruits and vegetables and less junk food to lessen the chance you’ll need long-term care in the future.

Chris Orestis, nationally known senior health-care advocate and expert is CEO of Life Care Funding, which created the model for converting life insurance policies into protected Long-Term Care Benefit funds.

His company has been providing care benefits to policy holders since 2007. A former life insurance industry lobbyist with a background in long-term care issues, he created the model to provide an option for middleclass people who are not wealthy enough to pay for long-term care, and not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.

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third life

As Free As We Want To Be Story and Photo By Cheryl-Anne Millsap

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he hours-old newborn was placed in my arms and I folded myself around her.

I put my face close to hers rubbing my cheek against her soft hair, breathing her in. And just like that I tumbled, falling head over heels for the sweet-smelling, innocent, infant in my arms.

But then, without warning, I panicked.

“I can’t do this again,” I thought, my heart racing.

I knew too much. I’d raised four children. I wasn’t a new mother, blind to

the years of work and clueless about the amount of work and worry it would take to care for this child. I knew exactly what was ahead. I could see the bittersweet future; the happiness and the heartaches, the fatigue. I knew the way the days would drag but the years would fly and in the blink of an eye she would be grown.

And then, just as quickly, I recovered.

This was my granddaughter, I reminded myself, not my child. This go-round I could take a pass on the 2 a.m. feedings, the skinned knees, the schoolyard crushes and teenage rebellion. This time my daughter would be doing all the work.

I was just along for the ride. All I had to do was love the baby cradled in my arms.

The thing nobody tells you about parenting is that it’s like kneeling with your ear on the rail. By the time you hear the train coming it’s already too late. You don’t stand a chance.

Grandparenting is different. You’re prepared. You know what to expect down the line, but that in itself can be a mixed blessing. You know too much.

Several months ago I was in a hotel room in France. I’d been doing exactly what I promised myself I would do when my nest emptied: traveling. I’d earned the time on my own, but after three weeks away from home I had to admit I was homesick. I thought about calling someone but my youngest daughter at college had made it clear she didn’t need to hear from me every day. Actually, she didn’t need to hear from me every week, if I wanted to know the truth. My middle son and daughter were working and could be hard to reach. My oldest daughter was busy with a career and a toddler at home.

My husband—never one for long conversations—had run out of updates about the dog and the roses in the garden.

I had what I thought I’d wanted: time

alone in a beautiful city in the south of France. But I missed my family. I missed my granddaughter. I missed my house.

Suddenly, my iPad chimed and the image of my daughter, with her daughter sitting in her lap, filled the screen.

Watching the baby, I saw the exact moment she recognized my face. Her eyes grew round and she beamed like a full moon as she called out “Nana!”

For a second or two we simply sat there drinking in the sight of one another before she was distracted by her own face. While she babbled and watched herself on the screen as she put her finger up her nose, I chatted with my daughter, catching up on her life while I filled her in on mine.

I finally admitted I was as homesick as anyone could be.

“When will you be home?” she asked. I told her I’d be there in a few days.

“Well, that’s nice,” she said. “We’re ready to have you back.”

And with that we said our goodbyes.

There was a time when I couldn’t imagine spending three weeks without my children. My life was built around them.

But when they grew up and were ready to leave, I found I was able to let them go. And part of me thrilled that being a grandmother meant that I was both bound by love and free to come and go as I pleased.

But only so far. And only for a little while.

Cheryl-Anne Millsap is a travel writer whose audio essays can be heard each week Spokane Public Radio. She is the author of ‘Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons’ and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com.

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December - January 2014

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reinvention

Generation Reinvention

Baby Boomers Second Act

By Judith Spitzer

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Melinda Melvin and her art. Photo by Diane Maehl

he most famous generation in history, the Baby Boomers, started turning 65 in 2011 … old enough to retire. However, many of them won’t. At least in the foreseeable future.

Whether it’s due to lack of planning for retirement, or because people are significantly healthier until later in life, many Boomers are reinventing their careers and lives on their own terms and at their own pace.

For three Spokane individuals reinvention means transitioning in very different ways.

Melina Melvin, 54, is a registered nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital and nursing has been her calling since she can remember.

But these days Melvin has added artist to her repertoire of talents.

Something changed when she turned 50, Melinda says, and she felt inspired to follow her bliss; becoming an artist. She believes it was a birthday present from the universe that changed her life forever. She started exploring her artistic expression through painting wildly colorful and original cards.

“It was like this hand that just kept pushing me, this drive … I couldn’t not do art,” Melinda says. “I was compelled with this insatiable need to create and it never stops.”

Melinda’s abstract works are as unusual as the medium she uses. By applying water and oil-based pigments, which are dried and sanded, she applies archival resins to canvas and creates three-dimensional paintings. Looking beneath the surface of each piece the viewer often sees the unexpected.

From the rural South

Melinda grew up in Roanoke, Alabama where her mother died when she was 15, and her troubled father left home when she was 17.

At 20, Melinda chased her dreams from Florida to the Grand Canyon and parts in between. She ended up in Laramie, Wyoming where she met her husband Bill and signed up for nursing school.

Without children to distract them, the couple concentrated on their careers and their love of hiking, biking, camping and skiing. They moved to the Spokane area in 1989.

She feels fortunate that her life has always been filled with serendipitous gifts and that hasn’t changed. During her metamorphosis into an artist people have come out of the woodwork to help her. “It is so guided, so beyond anything I imagined. It’s phenomenal. I asked for what I wanted and I’ve gotten it. I couldn’t have dreamt this up,” she says. “I am blessed. I am profoundly blessed,” she says.

Part of what prompted changes in Melinda’s life were the onset of physical problems as she grew older.

While recovering from several knee surgeries, she started drawing as therapy.

“Back then it was a distraction. I would take a break and zone out,” she says.

In 2006 Melinda had the first ‘strike’ from what would later be diagnosed as a chronic pain condition affecting the nerves in her face called trigeminal neuralgia. Since 2007 she has undergone conventional as well as experimental procedures to treat the condition, and it has gotten better, “It’s still very painful though and we’ve had to change our lifestyle,” she says.

These days she comes home after her nursing shift and immediately goes to one of two studios in her Newman Lake home.

“It’s like I need to go back to the well.

Even though I worked all weekend, it feels like I need to fill up, like the paintings connect me,” she says.

She hopes her art is something that “morphs” into something different for different people. “I think of my paintings as I think of a friend … a relationship.

At first glance you meet them and see one thing, but when you get past the initial impression, intricacies present themselves.”

“I have nursing and I have artist. It’s like I have two separate lives. The artist stops and the nurse comes back,” Melinda says. “I can’t be one or the other, I can’t imagine life as either one of the other.

I’m both, and I’m happy with it. I know I want to make a difference in both areas of my life.”

Melvin’s work can be seen at Manic Moon and More Artisan Emporium, the Bozzi Collection downtown.

Diving in

Reinventing oneself doesn’t mean taking baby steps to become a slightly different person – it means diving into a new and improved version of yourself head-first. Truly reinventing yourself, whether you want to change your career, your lifestyle, or the way you view your

relationships, is hard work.

But it pays off in spades according to Dale Whitney who, at 67, is CEO of Western United Life Assurance Company in Spokane.

After a very stressful 10-year period during which time his parent company filed for bankruptcy protection and then was acquired by an East Coast firm, Dale was fearful he would eventually lose his position completely.

By the time it was all said and done, Dale says he was in bad shape.

“I was hunched over, my posture was terrible, I was skinny and I had lost 25 pounds from the stress during those 10 years. I was overwrought, had no stamina and I was depressed,” Dale says. “I looked awful.”

Fearful he would be looking for another job, Dale decided to get into shape physically for the next stage of his life.

“I could have retired but I chose not to. I wasn’t going to fold in the cards,” he says.

“I know a lot of people my age who don’t do any exercise. All they do is mow the lawn and if that’s all you do, that’s all you’re going to be capable of doing. Back then even mowing the lawn tired me out.”

He was motivated and I didn’t want to stop no matter how difficult it was.

“I didn’t know what I’d have to do … but my approach was to be very objective to get optimum results,” he says.

He joined a gym, hired a personal trainer and didn’t look back.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he says. “A consistent workout has made all the difference.”

“If you let your body go to hell it affects everything. It was difficult to deal with problems and see solutions when I was in that state. Now I still have problems and bad things happen, but I’m healthy and I feel good and my approach to problems is different,” he says.

Still, the transition wasn’t easy.

“The first couple of months were hell,” Dale says. “But I was determined and I kept going and kept going. I had to go home at night and sit in the tub because I hurt so bad.”

December - January 2014

21

reinvention He says after workouts with his trainer three times a week he would be literally on the floor. “I’d lay there for 10 minutes and damn near die,” he says in all seriousness.

“I’d walk out of there and my face would be purple. My back would be drenched in sweat.”

After three to six months of working out, “you get addicted to feeling good and it makes an immeasurable difference physically and in your outlook. And then you’re thinking if I can do this, I can do anything,” he adds.

Eventually his high blood pressure stabilized, his irregular heartbeats went away and his energy and stamina returned full force.

“It’s nice to walk down the street with a spring in my step, to have major muscle on my body and not be soft,” he says. “It feels good. I’m addicted to it.”

Both his wife and all three of his grown boys now workout because of the changes he’s made and the example he’s set. He’s very proud of that.

He works out six days a week now, once or twice with his trainer and for the remainder, he’s on his own.

He plans to work as long as he enjoys it. “I know I’ll work until I’m 70, maybe 75. I’m a pretty valuable person for this company and as long as I want to work, they’ll let me,” he says.

“Right now I feel like I did when I was 35 or 40 years old!”

Letting go

Gregg Jones has achieved a lifelong goal while letting go of a career she worked very hard to build and transformed her life in the process.

After struggling with weight issues most of her life, Gregg landed upon a company that helped her lose her excess weight and keep it off during what she describes as one of the most stressful times in her life.

A longtime Spokane real estate broker and owner of Exit Real Estate-Jones & Associates, she lost everything during the

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2008 recession. She partnered with her daughter, Sabrina Jones Schroeder, and eventually sold her the business.

Over the past few years Gregg also worked with Ideal Weight Loss to help her win her battle with obesity. Now, she’s invested in a new career as a certified health coach and is coaching others to success.

“I thought if I can do this (lose weight) under stress like that, I can help others do it too,” Gregg says. “When people come to me I know I can help them and I really am helping people.”

She shines when she talks about what the company is all about. “It’s really about optimal health, teaching people what it takes to be healthy. There are no drugs, no hypnosis, and no counting calories or carbs,” she says.

The program consists of a weight loss period using protein fasts and one meal a day, as well as improving health with the Take Shape For Life program, which includes a health coach.

“People are very fragile,” she says. “We need to know that someone cares about what is going on with us. I’m with people 100% of the way. And I’ve been where they’ve been. I’ve lived on both sides of this (weight issue).”

The transition she’s made over the past few years hasn’t always been easy but she says friends, family and her faith have helped her to keep moving ahead and make significant changes in her life.

“I’m very family oriented,” she says.

“They are the most important things in life next to my spirituality. I think I’ve been led where I am today and (my faith) has kept me moving.”

In some ways, she says, coaching is giving back.

“When I’m talking to people about what they need, it feels so good inside.

When I help somebody I can share in their success. It’s such a joy. They’re getting well. They’re happy and getting stronger. A lot of people gave up on me, doubting I would ever lose weight. I lived through all that and am stronger for it.

Life is about reaching out to one another,” she says with passion.

Boomers in Transition

S

By Judith Spitzer

teven Cook has reinvented himself many times during his life. He’s been a chiropractor, a U.S. Naval officer and a vocational rehab counselor to name a few. Today he teaches Baby Boomers how to reinvent themselves.

“I saw a need for a transition program because I saw people retiring with no direction and that is not a good thing,” Steven says.

“With the labor market what it is today … people in the prime of their lives have lost jobs, downsized and have had to change careers,” he says. “What’s lacking now in society is a focus on career/life counseling.

Without the stimulus of work, health deteriorates.”

Steven developed a class for individuals to look at themselves and establish what they feel is a new purpose, by looking at life expectancy and health. “Based on these factors,” he asks, “you have these numbers of years left. Now, what do you want to do with the rest of your life?”

Steven established the classes when he was living in Hawaii. He and his wife were transferred to Spokane two years ago. He will begin teaching the class “Encore Careers for Boomers,” through the Community Colleges of Spokane in February.

Admittedly, working through changes for anyone, no matter their age, is not easy.

“Our occupation tends to define us as human beings … if we let it,” he says. “You can’t let your job title define who you really are. And no,

emotionally it’s not easy. It depends on the person, but it’s not easy.”

Steven works with people to establish new priorities, and find out basics such as, “do you want a new job? Do you want to become a caregiver? Want to give back to society? We work through the process for individuals to gain knowledge of their priorities,” he says.

He says in a room full of Baby Boomers there’s a wealth of knowledge that’s incredibly valuable and it becomes personalized for everyone in class.

“Some of the things that come out are that some people with jobs, but feeling hopeless, find the courage to go in a different direction, some quit their jobs and others may form businesses together. You take all these transferable skills and people can be so fired up. People find they can shift into new areas,” he says.

“You can wish for what isn’t or make a decision to move ahead … or alter your skills. It can be difficult to do, but you have to do it to get to the other side.”

“The beauty of it,” he says, “is that we use the power of everyone in the room and that gives us access to huge brainpower, knowledge and experience. We also talk about your connections and networking.

People want to help each other.

Breakthroughs happen for people.”

Encore Careers for Boomers runs February 1-22 on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can register at www.iel.spokane, edu/ACT2, or call (509) 279-6030.

December - January 2014

23

people

Walking for Weight Loss Fitness

&

Julie Prafke on top of Sentinel Dome in Yosemite National Park in August, snapped by a hiker from the Netherlands.

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| | www.primespokane.com

W

By Cheryl-Anne Millsap

hen you hit middle age and beyond it’s easy to settle for the body you’ve ended up with. After all, everyone knows it’s harder to lose weight the older you are, right? Wrong. With the right combination of diet and exercise anyone can lose weight and gain fitness.

Spokane’s Julie Prafke didn’t set out to prove the point, her intention was to make personal lifestyle changes, but she’s an excellent role model for the rest of us.

“My motivation was to get healthy,” Julie says. “As someone who has always, and I mean always, struggled to lose weight, I decided that I would focus on maintaining my health. I figured I could work on that aspect instead of setting myself up for another disappointment over failing to lose weight.”

An active retired executive and business owner who loves to travel and is passionate about photography, Julie decided to focus on fitness as well as weight loss.

“I’ve tried not to be just another overweight, old lady,” Julie says. “I can’t do anything about the age, but I can do something I can’t do anything about staying healthy,” In the beginning, she about the age, but I can committed to an “aldo something about most every day” walking schedule. staying healthy.

“I started out at 3 miles, slowly getting to over 6 miles within a month,” she says.

To beat boredom and stay motivated—Julie didn’t have a regular exercise buddy—she downloaded audio books to listen to as she walked. She also used a GPS app on her smart phone to map the distance and routes she followed.

As the miles mounted, so did the list of books.

“I’ve listened to more than 20 books since I started walking on a regular basis, and I have walked almost 500 miles,” Julie says.

To lose weight, Julie didn’t follow a particular diet or program but chose instead to substitute meals with a green smoothie.

“I started out replacing a meal every other day or so,” Julie says.

“Now, I often enjoy having a smoothie for dinner, which tends to cap my day of healthy activity.”

As the pounds began to fall away and her ability to walk longer distances increased, Julie lengthened her routes. Now, down 40 pounds (averaging a pound a week) she celebrates a drop of six dress sizes. Her goal is two more dress sizes.

“I continue to push my walking routines, trying for longer distances, more altitude and faster times,” she says. “My longest walk was around Clear Lake one day. The lake is only about 2

Green Goodness

Julie Prafke’s green smoothie recipe: Start with 32 oz of filtered water, add about 8 TBS chia seeds or flaxseeds, several handfuls of fresh spinach, or kale (The greens freeze and blend beautifully. Just wash, drain, and pack into freezer bags).

Add a couple small stalks of celery, cut into chunks, a healthy squirt of honey, a whole lemon, peeled and seeded, 2 bananas (again, you can freeze ripe bananas in 3-inch chunks), and finally I add as many frozen pineapple chunks and/or mango chunks as my blender will hold.

This makes a bit over 5 servings.

The smoothies stay beautifully green and will keep in your refrigerator for several days.

December - January 2014

25

people

WONDERS OF THE WORLD

miles long so I figured the perimeter would be well within my 6 mile average walk. I was (only) halfway around the lake at 6 miles and it was either keep going or swim across the lake. As I don’t swim well, I continued my walk.”

She logged a total of 10.2 miles, and a pair of sore knees, that day. Since aching knees is something most Boomers can relate to, Julie worked out a calculation that keeps her moving without pain.

“A 5-6 mile walk is my goal now,” she says. “I have found that if I keep it to 1617 minutes per mile, I can do this every day without sore knees.”

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“My husband is used to my asking him to let me out so that I can walk the rest of the way home, or back to the campground, or to the store. I’m now able to do a nice 5-6 mile round trip from home and not break stride on the uphill climb at the end of my walk.”

While added strength and endurance, and a new body, were the initial focus of her efforts, Julie soon discovered she was hooked on walking. With winter coming on, Julie has joined Curves, a fitness and weight loss center for women, and she loves participating in Zumba classes. She carpools to her fitness class but walks the 5 miles home.

“I look for opportunities to walk, wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself,” she says. “My husband is used to my asking him to let me out so that I can walk the rest of the way home, or back to the campground, or to the store.

I’m now able to do a nice 5-6 mile round trip from home and not break stride on the uphill climb at the end of my walk.”

When asked what advice she would give to anyone who wants to do what she’s done, Julie hesitates.

“I’m really not one to give advice because this has been a very personal journey for me, as it is for most people,” she says. “I will say that if I can do it, anyone can.”

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ne: e G k c a t t art A e H e h t t a Be For s p e t S n Actio h t i W e l eop A rm i ng P lth a e H t r a e eir H h T f o l o r t n Ta king Co

A

“

ll strokes and heart attacks are potentially preventable,” explains world-renowned cardiovascular specialists Bradley Bale, MD and Amy Doneen, ARNP (of Spokane). The key, they say, lies in achieving optimal medical care, which includes correctly identifying and treating the root causes of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Bale and Doneen, founders of the Heart Attack & Stroke Prevention Center, have devised a new model for detecting and preventing CVD, the leading killer of men and women in the United States. In their new book, BEAT THE HEART ATTACK GENE: The Revolutionary Plan to Prevent Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes, they share their proven, scientifically designed method, empowering people to take charge of their medical destiny and overcome cardiovascular perils.

“Most doctors are not disease detectives,” writes Bale and Doneen.

“They’re trained to look for symptoms of active disorders.” As a result, many healthcare providers fail to delve deeply into family history to search for genetic risks that could lead to future illnesses.

They also screen and treat patients according to the average results from

large studies, delivering one-size-fits-all care instead of tests and therapies tailored to their patients’ individual needs.

In BEAT THE HEART ATTACK GENE, Bale and Doneen provide readers with tools to partner with their doctors in creating a personal care plan based on their own unique risk factors. This involves taking advantage of widely available, inexpensive tests that can reliably identify the early signs of cardiovascular disease up to thirty years before it escalates into a silent killer. It also includes tailoring lifestyle changes—including diet, exercise, and supplements—to one’s unique specific conditions and genetic make-up.

Illustrated by examples from the authors’ own patients—many of whom had symptoms that were dismissed by prior doctors, or had already undergone bypass surgery and felt they were out of options—Bale and Doneen explain what really causes heart disease, debunking many myths and misconceptions. For example, contrary to popular understanding, most heart attacks don’t strike in severely blocked arteries, the ones that surgeons target for bypasses and stents. Instead, what is critical is inflammation of the arterial walls. This inflammation can destabilize plaque, causing it to rupture and tear the blood vessel lining, creating a clot. Therefore, unlike the current standard of care, which is largely concerned with blockages, the Bale/Doneen Method focuses on detecting plaque and inflammation.

“It’s never too late to optimize your care, solve the mystery of why you’re not responding to your current treatment, and even save your life,” assert Bale and Doneen, who have taught their method to hundreds of healthcare providers from all over the world. BEAT THE HEART ATTACK GENE equips readers with the information they need to take control of their heart health, no matter what their symptoms—or lack thereof.

For more information, visit www.beattheheartattackgene.com.

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health

Modern optics bring

CLEAR toVISION aging, tired eyes

By Darin Burt

T

o borrow an old advertising slogan, “Roy Mitchell is not only an optician; he’s also a client.”

Mitchell, who has been in the vision correction field for more than four decades, looks much younger than his 67 years, likely due to the fact that he doesn’t have to put on a pair of old-fashioned reading glasses when checking out a medical chart or looking at a newspaper or restaurant menu. Instead, he is one of many mature contact lens wearers who have chosen to be fitted with multifocal contacts.

“There’s no problem with wearing (reading glasses) with single vision contacts, but people dislike doing it. They need 10 pairs of readers around because they never have them when they need them,” says Mitchell, a licensed optician at The Eye Care Team clinic in Downtown Spokane. “That’s how I was until I went to multifocal contact lenses.”

More than one billion people worldwide have a vision condition called presbyopia, which is a natural decrease in the ability of the lens in the eye to change its shape to focus on close objects.

Mu lt ifoca l contacts put both distance and near vision portions of the lens in front of the pupil at the same time. Your brain determines which area of the lens to emphasize and which area to ignore to provide the best image.

“They’re very easy to adapt to,” Mitchell says. “When the patient leaves their eye doctor’s office their vision is at about 95

percent of where it is going to be.”

Multifocal soft lenses have been available for almost two decades, but some eye doctors have been reluctant to embrace them until recently. Limitations with the technology did not make them desirable when they first were introduced.

Now more than a dozen optical companies offer proven and effective designs.

The only eyeglasses that Mitchell does wear are for looking at the computer.

More than 50 percent of computer users experience eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision and other visual symptoms related to extended use of the computer.

This type of stress on the visual system can also cause body fatigue and reduced efficiency at work. In addition, there are now indications that heavy computer users are at risk for macular degeneration.

There’s quick fix to computer eyestrain – take a break and don’t look at it the screen. That’s easier said than done when we rely more on laptops, mobile devices and e-book tablets in our daily lives.

Again, modern optical technology offers a solution in specially designed computer eyeglasses.

Available in prescription and nonprescription styles, the glasses help computer users in several ways. As Mitchell explains, the curved shape of the lenses focus specifically on the distance at which most people view their computer screens, and a yellowish tint and antireflective coating helps to reduce glare and increase contrast and resolution.

“It cleans up the pixels (tiny dots that make up a computer image) and what you see is much clearer,” Mitchell says.

“If a person has a pair of glasses prescribed for distant vision, then when they stand or sit at a computer, their eyes have to adjust to that specific focal length, sometimes creating eye strain. By using a pair of glasses set for the proper distance,

Eye-Tech Solutions By: Darin Burt

the eyes aren’t getting fatigued.”

There are a number of special purpose lens designs that work well for computer glasses. Because these lenses are prescribed specifically for computer use, they are unsuitable for driving or generalpurpose wear.

The simplest computer glasses have single vision lenses with a modified lens power prescribed to give the most comfortable vision at the user’s computer screen.

These lenses relax the amount of focusing the eyes have to do to keep images on the computer screen clear and provide the largest field of view, reducing the need for head tilting and other unnatural posture changes during computer work.

For older computer users, a specially designed progressive lens for computer use is sometimes a better option.

Progressive lenses for computer use have a larger intermediate zone than regular progressive lenses for a wider, more comfortable view of the computer screen.

The technology has been around for the last dozen or so years, but in the last five years due to the increase of people using computers, there are now six companies that make proven, effective computer eyewear.

“With the development of multifocal contacts and computer eyewear, today’s visual needs are being addressed properly and with a higher success level than ever before,” Mitchell states. “Remember – your eyes are your window to the world, and the world is changing constantly.”

health December - January 2014

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health

How Healthy is Your Brain?

D

By Stacy Benoscek

id you know your body’s weight, hormone levels and moods are directly related to the health and function of your brain? As a person with Epilepsy, and a mother of children in sports, which risk head injury as part of the game, I’m greatly concerned with the health of our brain. After my youngest child (Mavrick) was involved in a collision, the Dr. said, “Watch for behavioral changes.” At first I though he meant stress from the accident, but he explained brain trauma, even the slightest, could result in behavior and mood changes, depending on which part of the brain was effected. He did suffer severe migraines and tunnel vision, he needed a back brace and therapy for almost a year. Thankfully no behavior changes, other than a traumatized little boy on the road to wellness. Today he is happy and healthy.

As I spoke with my clients, relatives and others, it became increasingly clear how many people had no idea just how

32

vital “Brain Health” is to many the top health concerns and frustrations. Here is just some of what we all need to know.

Brain SPECT (Single Photoemission Computed Tomography) imaging looks at blood flow and activity patterns in the brain. SPECT scans show how the brain is functioning. Your brain is responsible for: your body weight, obesity (fat stores toxins). So the more body fat a person has (beyond normal healthy levels), the more toxic you are, the worse for your brain. For example, obesity doubles your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and has been associated with decreased brain tissue!

Your brain is also responsible for your hormone levels. Hormonal imbalance such as Thyroid, Estrogen, Testosterone, DHEA and Cortisol have all been linked with The “Brain Body Connection.”

Malnutrition: your body is in a constant state of regeneration at the cellular level and beyond. What you eat or don’t eat determines your body’s ability to regenerate, grow, heal etc. Vitamins, especially Vitamin D, minerals, and

| | www.primespokane.com

Omega-3 fatty acids are needed for brain health. Low levels of these are harmful to brain tissue and your body. When it comes to ‘moods,’ there are huge numbers of people on “antidepressants” and mood regulator medications. This is also controlled by the functionality of our brain.

Continual mental stress: is a big factor in elevated Cortisol levels. This can result in numerous issues such as sugar cravings, increased appetite, weight gain, muscle tension, chronic pain, and increased blood pressure just to name a few. Stress starts in your brain and signals Cortisol levels to increase or decre ase.

Your Brain Chemistry also controls your moods and therefore particular choices and behaviors present themselves.

Dopamine is the chemical responsible for motivation, drive, and stimulation.

Low levels of Dopamine can result in low motivation, low energy, lack of focus, impulse control challenges, certain types of depression and ADD.

Serotonin is the chemical responsible for feeling peaceful, happy, and flexible— a go with the flow type of attitude. Low levels of Serotonin can result in anxiety, obsessive/compulsive thinking or behavior and some types of depression.

Last, but not least, GABA. This is technically known as “Aminobutryic acid.” It is an amino acid that helps regulate brain excitability and over firing.

It’s no wonder our brains are so vital to moods, behaviors and choices. How many times have you said “Why can’t they see what they are doing is bad, don’t they get it?” No, they may not, because their “Brain Chemistry “ is not balanced!

When looking at population statistics, a large percentage of women over age 40 have “Low Thyroid.” Then it stands to reason that other hormones are imbalanced as well because hormones work synergistically. This also means a large percentage have an imbalance of “Brain Chemistry” (Brain Health) to some extent. The next effect, of course, is weight gain, obesity and toxicity!

As awful as this sounds, the body is an amazing machine. It is constantly trying to regenerate at a cellular level, which means it is possible to correct and regenerate the neurons, brain chemistry and functionality. A healthy brain leads to weight loss (settling at a healthy weight), optimal hormone levels and balance, increased energy and positive outlook. The brain functions best with great circulation, blood flow, oxygen and nutrition. The best way to achieve this is with: 1) Exercise, cardiovascular, weight training and mental exercise—learning.

2) Keep hormones balanced and optimal.

Remember if your thyroid is off so are the rest, they work synergistically. 3) Vitamins, minerals and supplements.

You need proper nutrition levels for your brain/body to function optimally. So remember, if you want to look great, feel great and be great you need to take care of your Brain!

Stacy Benoscek is a personal trainer and nutrition expert with over 30 years experience. She can be reached at stacybenoscek@ yahoo.com.

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flash back

Spokane’s First

Automobiles

S

F.O. Berg, pioneer tent and awning manufacturer in Spokane, in his new car, the third in Spokane. (Photo courtesy SPLNWR)

By Tony and Suzanne Bamonte

pokane’s early automobile history is clouded by conflicting information. Although businessman F. O. Berg is often credited with owning the first car, the article on the article shown here clearly refutes this claim and establishes both the arrival date and the correct ownership.

Roy L. Boulter was the proud owner of the first car, a Haynes & Apperson, but he didn’t know anything about operating such a machine. One of the few people in the city who did know something about the automobile was George Bartoo, who soon opened the first garage and “held the first automobile agency” in Spokane. With some difficulty, Bartoo helped Boulter get it running, and they took a 50-mile drive.

Residents were excited about the prospects of seeing this car “speeding about the streets of Spokane,” but it failed to meet those expectations. Two months after the car’s arrival, the Chronicle reported: “The automobile was seen downtown once. It was being drawn along through a back alley and

34

| | www.primespokane.com

was tied to a good old-fashioned horse and wagon, on the way to the repair shop… After two trips to the repair shop, the automobile is now in the barn of its owner…” Accounts conflict regarding the car’s ultimate fate but do agree it was a miserable failure. It did, however, stimulate plenty of discussion regarding the pros and cons of steam versus gasoline engines.

The First Three Cars On March 5, 1911, an article in the Spokesman-Review summarizing Spokane’s early automobiles history stated that Roy Boulter’s car was followed by a second one on April 9, 1900. It was owned by Fairmount Cemetery. The third, according to an article on September 11, 1900, had arrived the previous day and belonged to businessman F. O. Berg.

In 1901, its first year in business, George Bartoo’s agency sold a grand total of five cars. Typical of the times, these sales were transacted at Bartoo’s bicycle shop. Within two years,

S t a f f fa m i l y o w n e d a n d m a n a g e d

gasoline-powered cars began to arrive in noticeable numbers and the first electric car made its appearance.

On July 26, 1903, the SpokesmanReview claimed: “No other town in the northwest can boast of as many automobiles as Spokane.” During the early years, one of the newspapers published annual reports listing the make of every car in Spokane and the owners’ names.

Years later, Berg recalled the first drive in his new car and was quoted in the February 11, 1926 issue of The Spokane Woman magazine as saying: “I’ll never forget the night I brought it to Spokane. I started from the old O.W.R.&N. depot on Cataldo Street, and before I got uptown I had succeeded in startling five runaways [horses]. They didn’t have any arrest laws in those days, but I got plenty of abuse.” Police Chief Witherspoon was on hand to help remedy the lack of motorized vehicle laws.

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William W. Witherspoon, chief of police from 1899 to 1902. (Courtesy Spokane Law Enforcement Museum)

On May 25, 1902, a “horseless carriage” moving along Riverside at a rapid clip caught the chief ’s attention.

He jumped from the streetcar he was riding and caught up to the offender as the man reached his destination.

Estimating the auto driver to be going at least 12 to 15 miles per hour, the chief issues a citation for speeding. Exceeding

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six miles per hour on horseback within the city was a misdemeanor punishable by a stiff fine. There were a few other traffic-related ordinances, which pertained primarily to streets and horses, including restrictions against riding a horse or a bicycle on the sidewalks. But, because there were no city ordinances under the topic of automobiles, the charge was dropped.

Witherspoon wasted no time initiating an ordinance to restrict the automobile’s rate of speed within the city limits.

Beginning with this single law, the body of vehicle ordinances multiplied exponentially.

An Electric Car On July 31, 1910, an article in the Spokesman-Review described a trip H. G. Hawkins, manager of the Spokane agency for the Baker electric car, and Richard Howard made from Spokane to Hayden Lake, Idaho, in a Baker electric roadster. The trip took a little over three hours each way. Considering the state of the roads in 1910, they made good time.

Remarkable, they made the entire round trip, about 80 miles, without recharging the batteries. In 1910, with the few gasoline-powered cars, the demand for gas was low, but at seven cents per gallon, the electric car stood little chance of success at that time.

This story was excerpted from Spokane Our Early History, by Tornado Creek Publications. For more stories from our region’s past, visit www. tornadocreekpublications.com or call (509) 838-7114.

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inspiration Country Gold in Eastern Washington:

Miss Bonnie Guitar

Photo by Dennis Ford

By Mark Bjerkestrand

Soap Lake is home to one of the biggest stars ever to emerge from the Pacific Northwest music scene. The multitalented artist Bonnie Guitar is not only an early cross over artist, who charted in the 50s through the 80s, but has also been a session instrumentalist, talent scout, record label executive, audio engineer and session player (rare for a woman in her time). The west side girl found her way to Soap Lake in the 1980s after a gig and has remained ever since.

Bonnie has worked with the Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, among others. Bonnie was recently inducted into the Northwest Western Swing Music Society Hall of Fame.

I sat down with Bonnie (age 93) and asked her a few questions.

Who influenced you? Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald and instrumentalist Nick Lucas.

When did you write your first song?

When I was 12 years old I was interested in country western movies. I saw a movie called Santa Fe, and wrote my first song titled, Santa Fe. You started playing in public/ professionally by performing in a talent show. How does a young person start today? The same way. TV is a big way now. Audition, singing and acting is great practice. If you’re young, get involved and keep doing it.

What was the music scene like in the 40s? That was the big band era, Goodman, Dorsey and Ellington. I saw my first black musician when I was 5 years old. My mom worked as a waitress at the Redondo Dance Hall and I snuck down and watched Bumps Blackwell (Little Richard producer and played with Ray Charles and Quincy Jones) through the window.

In the 50s you played on the Ed Sullivan show and Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. What was that like? Four ‘Sullivan Kids’ ran to the Limo as I arrived and they escorted me in as the kids called my name. The director was concerned because my dress blended into the background.

On American Bandstand the kids were not as excited, but Dick Clark was great.

You played the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, what was that like? There were Nashville Artists all in the back stage and no air conditioning. As you performed people walked in front and behind you on stage. I met Hank Snow.

You have had many Top 10 country and pop hits, what do songs have to possess to propel them up the charts? If you don’t have the sound you don’t have a hit. You must remember the lyrics easy. The artist must be married to the song, ballads always worked well for me.

Bonnie’s Music Name Association The Everly brothers: They were young teenagers when I worked with them. They were excited about what they were doing. They were friendly and practiced all the time in their dressing room.

Elvis Presley: I never met him, but in 1957 he told Dorsey Burnette that I was his favorite singer.

Gene Vincent: He was great. We did shows in Canada (very expressive people). We shared a limo.

Jerry Lee Lewis: Worked with him in Chicago. He was the hottest thing on record.

Incredibly nice off stage.

Johnny Cash: Regretfully, I worked with him when he was battling drugs. He was nice but hard to talk to; his guitar player took care of him.

When the Experience Music Project opened in 2000, its Northwest Passage exhibit featured the achievements of Miss Bonnie Guitar.

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