Prime 49

August - September 2014 #49

primeSPOKANE.com

Joanna Musulman, Feeling Fabulous Over 50

Feeling Fabulous Fashionable Fashion Advice From Local 50+ Models

Staying Relevant in the Workplace Multigenerational Cruises: Fun for the Whole Family

contents 6 8

#49

August - September 2014

features

Editor’s Letter Masthead

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26

30

9

The Front Porch

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Your Third Life: True Love Shines

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Professional Pursuits: Finding Relevance in the Workplace

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Travel: Multigenerational Cruises to Thrill the Whole Family

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People: Sandy Tarbox

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Foodies: For the Love of Canning

34

Fashion: Feeling Your Best at Any Age

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Inspiration: A vintage postcard of the Monroe Street Bridge.

Gardening Year Round | Senior Resource Panel | Boomer Radio | Local Author

Cheryl-Anne Millsap has a secret suspicion her family believes, even though they do not say it aloud, that she sometimes likes to travel on her own to escape them. But what they don’t know is the very opposite is true. They are with her no matter where she is. But, sometimes, in a new place, she is able to get a clearer picture of who they have all become.

Steve Kayser, author of The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard says many older adults may have little choice but to adapt their mindset and survive longer in their careers if they want to maintain their current lifestyle during retirement. He shares that will keep you clocking in for a few more years.

On a recent cruise to Alaska, aboard the Carnival Miracle, it didn’t take CherylAnne Millsap long to realize she was surrounded by family groups seeking to spend a week in what has become one of the most popular family vacations: cruising up the Pacific Coast and through Alaska’s inside Passage.

Through a combination of stubbornness, hard work and a sharp eye for spotting new trends and products, Sandy Tarbox is running a successful one-woman business, Greencastle Soaps.

The decades old tradition of canning anything and everything out of necessity has morphed into a hobby of knowing exactly what you are eating, growing and using our fruit and vegetable produce wisely and for some, carrying on a tradition.

Several local women over the age of 50 share their philosophies on feeling and looking their best and how they view fashion as they age.

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About the cover Joanna Musulman, 59, shares what makes her feel fabulous and fashionable as she ages. Story on page 34.

Photo by: Ray Ward

June - July 2014

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editor’s letter

The Life of A Legacy

Photo by Diane Maehl

D

uring a basketball awards banquet my

senior year of high school, Coach Roberts stood up in front of a crowded room to

share the story of a girl who truly loved the

game. Although she was awarded and recognized well for her efforts on the court, for her, he suspected, the passion was an award all its own. Coach Roberts didn’t expect

the player’s love for the game to be understood by all, but comprehended only by those close enough to such zeal

themselves. Before this night, the level of her commitment had been spoken of publicly by the way she played the

game and never missed a practice. But there was more to the story, he said.

Throughout her high school basketball career, she had

been secretly riding her bike the six miles from her home into town for weekend practices and summer trainings.

Embarrassed that her parents didn’t have the time or

resources to fully support her, she took side streets to

am far from the basketball player I once was, I still feel that

chauffeuring parents. She would often arrive after everyone

although I no longer hide my bike in the bushes.

remain out of the sight of her fellow teammates and their

else had gone inside, hiding her old bike behind bushes and

Whatever your game—your passion—I hope you

then slipping into the gym to join the team. After the two

continue to play it hard and play it well. And I hope you

girls as, one-by-one, they rode away with their parents. Her

as you witness it being passed on to your children and

or three hour practices, she would wait alongside the other

ride was always the last to “arrive.” As soon as everyone had been picked up, she would retrieve her bicycle from the bushes and ride the six miles back home.

Coach Roberts wanted everyone in the room to

understand that the player’s level of dedication wasn’t only something you could see in her trophies or read in the

newspaper clippings, it was something you could actually feel, particularly after you knew the full story, when you

watched her practice, play, and speak of the game. It may

have been her first true love, he suspected, a love that could possibly set the stage for the way she would live the rest of her life.

I fondly remember those years and often reflect upon

them as I continue to devote myself to my passions and

watch my children catch the fever of their own. Although I

6

love, I still have the fever of passion, now for many things,

| www.primespokane.com

play it in a way that affords you a day to swell with pride, grandchildren, like a family treasure being handed down through the generations.

What is the prime of your life? 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 stories of

your passions and how you’ve passed along that legacy to your loved ones.

My Best,

Stephanie Regalado

Stephanie@spokanecda.com

June - July 2014

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Having the time of your life in the Inland Northwest

Spokane’s only true one stop grow shop

• Greenhouse equipment & supplies • Indoor gardening equipment & supplies • Nutrients/fertilizers • Soils and organic amendments • Organic seeds • Hydroponic Systems spokaneorganicandhydroponicsupply.com

North:

8710 N Division St 509-468-4800

Valley:

4823 E Sprague Ave, 509-534-4055

Greenacres:

15916 E Sprague 509-290-5313

Vol. 8 Issue 4 August / September 2014

Editor

STEPHANIE REGALADO stephanie@spokanecda.com

Creative Director/Lead Graphics Kristi Somday kristi@spokanecda.com

Graphic Designer/Traffic Manager camille mackie camille@spokanecda.com

Contributors

Dennis Held Jack Tenold Cheryl-Anne Millsap Joe nickell Susan Joseph Nielson

Photographers Don hamilton Diane maehl ray ward chris wooley

Senior Account Managers Cindy Guthrie cindy@spokanecda.com Jeff Richardson jrichardson@spokanecda.com

Account Managers

Quality care for your loved one.

Peace of mind for you.

debra j smith debra@bozzimedia.com Monte Tareski monte@bozzimedia.com

Director of Events and Promotions

Susanna Baylon events@bozzimedia.com

Operations and Finance Manager Kim Morin kim@spokanecda.com

Accounts Receivable and Distribution theresa berglund theresa@spokanecda.com

Publisher

S

enior Helpers stands ready to serve your family’s needs with personalized, in-home care and expertly trained, professional caregivers. Let us ease your mind with a complimentary in-home care initial appointment.

Vincent bozzi vince@spokanecda.com

Associate Publisher

emily guevarra bozzi emily@spokanecda.com

Call today to learn more.

509-922-4333 or 208-664-2500

www.seniorhelpers.com/spokane Owners Mark & Tiffany Murphy

8

Prime magazine is published by Bozzi Media Tapio Yellow Flg Bldg, Suite 209 • 104 S. Freya, Spokane, WA 99202-4866 • Phone: 509.533.5350

Serving Spokane since 2006

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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 © 2014. 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.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

All Year Round With These Tips

A

s fall approaches, so does the traditional end to our growing season in the Inland Northwest. With the shorter days and the colder night temperatures, our gardens quickly come to an end. However, there are several options for extending the growing season further into the year and possibly all the way through winter. We checked in with Paul Mihara at Spokane Organic and Hydroponic Supply for three tips to keep your garden growing all year long.

1. A cold frame is a simple structure erected over existing plants to help keep temperatures up and plant damage down as cold temperatures creep in. Consisting of simple framework and plastic or glass covering, this option helps trap heat from the day and utilize it throughout the night, protecting the plant from the cold. >>

frontPorch August - September 2014

9

front porch 2. Simple backyard green houses, varying in size as small as four feet by four feet to as large as your garden space will allow, offer the opportunity to grow throughout the entire year. Used throughout the last several hundred years, green houses are structures that also absorb the sun’s heat during the day hours and slowly release the heat throughout the night. However, with a more structured framework green houses can be wired to accept artificial lighting and heating, allowing for year round fruit and vegetable production. With the changing and sometimes unpredictable weather patterns we are experiencing, a green house can guarantee healthy productive gardens no matter which weather situation presents itself, such as late and early freeze, heavy rain and winds, hail and snow.

3. A simple container garden is another option for extending the growing season without the expense of an additional structure. Container gardening is planting traditional annuals in above ground containers so they may be moved inside when inclement weather approaches. However, moving plants indoors requires the use of artificial lighting to supplement the sun’s light spectrum, intensity and duration.

Utilizing some of these methods will allow you to produce garden fresh fruits and vegetables year around.

For more tips on extending your growing season, visit one of the three locations at Spokane Organic and Hydroponic supply. Visit wwwspokaneorganics.com, or call (509) 290-5313 for more information.

N

Senior Resource Panel of the Inland Northwest

o matter how hard we try, the aging process cannot be stopped, and this brings on many challenges and decisions in regards to how we live our lives going forward.

The Senior Resource Panel of the Inland Northwest (SRP) was created as the individual members of the group recognized, while serving their clients, that many seniors have multiple needs as their lives change. Each member of the group believes it is crucial for aging adults to work with a trusted network of professionals focused on helping seniors.

The SRP feels strongly that education is the key to empowering older adults to make well-informed decisions.

In early 2013, DeAnne Wilfong, senior move manager; Vince McPhail, financial advisor; and Nancy Ford, senior living advisor, found themselves paired up to conduct a downsizing seminar at a local Spokane retirement center. It did not take these founding members of the SRP long to realize the benefits of

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working together.

The Senior Resource Panel thinks creatively by bringing professionals together that may not traditionally collaborate. What better way to enhance the value provided by connecting seniors with other services they may need?

Their mission states: “The SRP is a group of professionals working together to provided seniors with information, guidance, and assistance to promote independence and quality of life.”

From the humble beginnings in 2013, the Senior Resource Panel has grown to seven members including these experts: senior move manager, financial advisor, senior placement services, senior real estate specialist, estate planning/elder law, funeral planning, and Medicare.

In addition to the one-on-one services they provide, the SRP conducts free educational seminars and luncheons throughout the Inland Northwest. To speak with one of the SRP members or for more information on upcoming seminars, call Vince or Cristina at (509) 926-5723.

o i d Ra Boomer

Comes Alive in Spokane Every generation grows up

dio West, producer of programming,

with a new piece of technology.

says, “A couple of local stations, pri-

Today, it’s the mobile device.

marily by importing satellite

Yesterday, it was the transistor

audio streams, play music

radio — tuned to KJRB.

we Boomers enjoyed, but

KJRB was Spokane’s Top 40

none really offer interesting

station for teens and young

talk to this growing and im-

adults in the 60s and 70s—the

portant demographic. We

youth of today’s Baby Boom-

will.”

ers. It has a long and colorful history

Monday – Saturday, from 8:00

showcasing many famous talents:

a.m. to noon, TRW will offer up—pri-

Commander Dunk (Jack Gordon),

marily live—some of their popular ra-

Ross

dio programs.

Woodward,

Rick

Shannon,

Norm Gregory and Sunshine Shelly.

Lori Joy MD,

Board Certified OBGYN America’s Top Obstetrician & Gynecologist, 2011 & 2012

Compassionate, comprehensive women’s health care, close to home.

“We’re excited with our line-up of

On July 14th, KJRB – AM 790 came

programs, and especially with our

back, as Spokane’s first Boomer ra-

great hosts,” added Adams. “Ex-

dio station—radio the way you re-

perienced and professional hosts

member—with local talk, local news

include Julie Humphreys, Tom McAr-

and popular music of the day, when

thur, Clyde Haase, Debra Wilde, Su-

the day was during the Baby Boom,

san Nielsen, and Lucinda Kay. Plus

1946-1964.

we’re bringing in some new voices,

Kent Adams, president of Talk Ra-

I appreciate how valuable your time is, and I will do my best to see you in a timely fashion while still addressing your personal issues.

including Spokane Gary.”

In-Office AIUM Accredited 3D/4D ultra sound Accepting New Patients 509.924.1990

www.valobgyn.com 1415 N. Houk Suite Spokane Valley, WA 99216

Free Parking

August - September 2014

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Local Author Shares Story of Bridging the Gap Eufemia Tobias Munn the United Board for Christian came out of retirement Higher Education in from her position Asia, in New York, as principal of Blair at Lakeland Village Elementary School School in Medical (now Michael Lake and her time Anderson Elementary) at Sheldon Jackson at Fairchild Air Force College in Sitka, Base and accepted Alaska and as principal the challenge to help of Blair Elementary build a Christian School at Fairchild. school, Shalom Eventually meandering Science Institute, in through widowhood her hometown of in search for a life with Balabagan, Philippines, purpose, she decided on the heels of to help build and the Philippine develop Shalom government’s “War Science Institute, a “From experience with on the Muslim nonprofit Christian leeches in the jungle of the school. It proved to Rebels,” that led Philippines to viewing to the bombing be a turning point and fall of Campy the vast expanse of China in her retirement, Abubakar in July form the Great Wall, and one that had taken 2000. her to China to to climb the Moia Statue Eufemia has teach for four quarry on Easter Island recently published years, and to Chile a book, Bridging the for two years to in 2007, spanned 66 Gap, chronicling generate funds for years of my life,” her journey from the school. says Eufemia Munn.

World War II, Eufemia’s dream “Surviving the Japanese, the Muslim is to add the first college and the raiders, malaria, and leeches in the first hospital to her impoverished jungle—to building a bridge of and remote hometown of Balabagan, understanding, peace and harmony which is in dire need of higher through education across religious education and medical care. When and cultural barriers,” she says. asked why she is still struggling to Eufemia walks readers through her accomplish this goal at the age of 76, journey of education at Silliman she shares the famous quote, “If not University in the Philippines and me, who? If not now, when?”

Whitworth University in Spokane, her marriage to Dr. Merton D. Munn, a Presbyterian missionary to Silliman University, as well as her Bridging the Gap is available at service and work at Silliman with www.amazon.com.

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We chose Orchard Crest.

Ask About Our Move-In Specials!

For more information or to schedule a tour, call

(509) 928-2222

Independent Living, Triplexes, Light Assisted Living , or Assisted Living Fitness Center, Indoor Pool & Spa, Yoga, Country Store, Coffee Bistro, Hair Salon, Theatre, Library, Craft Room, Community Garden, Billiards Room, Workshop, Game Room, Social Activities, Free Happy Hours, A la Carte Dining, Small Pets Welcome & Housekeeping

With so much to offer, we think you will choose Orchard Crest too.

222 S. Evergreen Spokane Valley, WA 99216 • 1.800.705.1556 • www.orchardcrestretirement.com

August - September 2014

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third life

True Love Shines Column and image by Cheryl-Anne Millsap

I

have a secret suspicion my family believes, even though they do not say it aloud, that I sometimes like to travel on my own to escape them. But what they don’t know is that the very opposite is true. They are with me no matter where I am. But, sometimes, in a new place, I am able to get a clearer picture of who we have all become.

When I am at home, they are never far from my thoughts.

Even when I try to push them into a corner, the people I love, all the quirky, precious, problematic people who make up my family, are always on my mind. And the moment my attention strays from whatever task I’m working on, there they are, front and center. I often find myself sitting with my fingers still and frozen just above the keyboard, the brochure or column or whatever else I’d been writing forgotten for the moment. Instead I am thinking about the son who is trying to find his way, worrying about the daughter who is too far

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away, the married daughter who is struggling to balance her own career and a family, or missing the youngest who is just beginning to figure out who she is and where she will go. I see them as adults but that view is filtered through the images of their childhood and my time as the mother of four children.

At home everything reminds me of my children as they were; the house is full of photographs, mementoes, heirlooms and souvenirs of the life we’ve lived. I fold laundry and find an old t-shirt one of them left behind on the last visit. I look into the refrigerator and it feels strange to be making a meal for only the two of us after so many years of feeding a crowd.

I pick up toys after the granddaughter goes home and I’m assailed by memories of her mother playing with the same things and wonder at the speed at which the years have flown.

When I am home I can’t get enough distance from who we were to see who we are now. But when I travel, especially when I am alone, the hotel room is sterile. No memories linger in its corners. The landscape, sometimes even the language is unfamiliar and it’s then that I find myself figuring things out. It is as if I’ve brought a puzzle with me and relaxed; away from the distraction of what used to be, by looking only at the way the edges fit and not at the picture on the box, I can begin to piece together the mystery of the people I love.

Alone, with enough time and distance to think clearly, lying awake, unable to sleep in a new time zone, I replay our time together and sometimes there are sparks of clarity that startle me. I recall some small tone of voice, some turn of phrase or brief body language I missed in the moment. Sometimes, when they are not in front of me, I see more than I saw before.

Of course, this goes both ways. I’ve noticed that when my grown children return after some time apart, they seem to be making their own adjustments to us, their parents. Most of them, and the youngest is almost there, chart their own course. They make decisions, sometimes life-changing decisions, without our input, just as we did at that age. But the awareness that we won’t always be here is creeping in and without the tension of the adolescent and young-adult tugof-war for independence, they are more relaxed, more affectionate toward us.

I don’t say any of this to them.

Not now. I let them tease me when I occasionally go off on my own because they’ll figure it out eventually. True love is impossible to leave behind and, like a star, sometimes shines brighter in a different sky.

Cheryl-Anne Millsap’s audio essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the U.S. She is the author of Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com.

Don’t let numbness, tingling, and pain hold you back from enjoying life.

How 85% of Patients Eliminated Numbness, Tingling, or Sharp Pains Numbness, tingling or pain is an extremely annoying problem. It may come and go...interrupts your sleep... and even makes your arm or legs feel weak at times.

Maybe you’ve even been to other doctors and they claim all the tests indicate you should feel fine.

More Pills Are Not the Solution A common treatment for many nerve problems is the ‘take some pills and wait and see’ method. While this may be necessary for temporary relief of severe symptoms, using them long term is no way to live.

Some of the more common drugs given include pain pills, anti-seizure mediations, and anti-depressants -all of which have serious side effects.

The Likely Cause of Your Problem My name is Dr. Scott Maystrovich of Scott Chiropractic Center. I’ve been helping people with neuropathy, nerve problems and back pain for more than 13 years.

Often neuropathy is caused by a degenerating spine pressing on the nerve roots. This can happen in any of the vertebral joints from the neck all the way down to the tail bone. The good news is that chiropractic treatments have proven effective in helping to remove the pressure on the nerves.

By using gentle techniques, I’m able to release the pressure that has built up on the nerve. This allows the nerve to heal and the symptoms to go away. Numerous studies have proven chiropractic’s effectiveness in helping nerve conditions.

Patients showed an 85.5% resolution of the nerve and pain symptoms after only 9 chiropractic treatments. - Journal of Chiropractic Medicine 2008 “Significant increase in grip strength and normalization of motor and sensory latencies were noted. Orthopedic tests were negative. Symptoms dissipated.” – JMPT 1994 What these studies mean is that you could soon be enjoying life...without those aggravating nerve or pain problems.

Could This Be Your Solution?

It’s time for you to find out if chiropractic will be your neuropathy solution.

From August 1st-14th and September 1st-14th only, $35 will get you all the services I normally charge new patients $391 for! What does this offer include? Everything. Take a look at what you will receive: • An in-depth consultation about your health and well-being where I will listen…really listen…to the details of your case.

• A complete neuromuscular examination.

• A full set of specialized x-rays to determine if a spinal problem is contributing to your pain or symptoms… (NOTE: These would normally cost you at least $275.00).

• A thorough analysis of your exam and x-ray findings so we can start mapping out your plan to being pain free.

I’ll answer your most probing questions about nerve problems and how chiropractic can help.

Until September 14th, 2014 you can get everything I’ve listed here for only $35. The normal price for this type of evaluation including x-rays is $391, so you’re saving a considerable amount by taking me up on this offer. Call 509-482-2834 now. We can get you scheduled for your consultation, exam and x-rays as soon as there’s an opening.

Our office is located at 5625 N Wall St Spokane, WA 99205; we are 4 blocks south of Francis. When you call, tell the receptionist you’d like to come in for the Nerve Evaluation so she can get you on the schedule and make sure you receive credit for this special offer.

Sincerely, Dr. Scott Maystrovich, D.C. P.S. Remember, you only have until September 14th to reserve an appointment at this significant discount.

Why suffer for years in misery? That’s no way to live, not when there could be an easy solution to your problem.

P.P.S. Nothing’s worse than feeling great mentally, but physically feeling held back from life because your arms or legs hurt – and the pain just won’t go away!

Take me up on my offer and call today 509-482-2834.

August - September 2014

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aging in place

Aging

in Place

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M

ost people prefer to stay in their home or apartment for as long as possible. The best way to make this a reality is to plan ahead of time to make the amenities in your home as safe and accessible as possible. It can be hard to imagine that tasks around the house that were once done with ease can one day pose a challenge. Anticipating the challenge and planning accordingly may allow you to remain in your home for an extended period of time. Often, with some minor modifications, your home can be adapted to help you stay as long as possible.

Home Modifications

Living at home longer may mean renovating a home to make it more accessible. This can include such things as installing ramps to bypass stairs, building a bedroom on the main floor, placing grab bars in the shower, changing the height of kitchen countertops or making a bathroom safer and more accessible. Before you make home modifications, you should evaluate your current and future needs by going through your home room by room and answering a series of questions to highlight where changes might be made. Several checklists are available to help you conduct this review. The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modifications is

a good place to start. Go to the center’s website at www.homemods.org and click on the link to the “Safety Checklist and Assessment Instrument.”

Getting Help

Keeping a house running smoothly requires a lot of hard work. If you are no longer able to keep up with the demands, you may need to hire someone to do laundry, buy groceries, run errands, clean the house or perform any necessary repairs. Those who are unable to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as getting in and out of bed, walking, bathing, dressing, and eating, can often continue to stay at home with outside help. There are a number of services that can be brought in to assist with ADLs and other personal care. You can hire someone, such as a personal care aide or home health aide, to help you out a few hours a day or around the clock.

Some health care services can be provided at home by trained professionals, such as occupational therapists, social workers or home health nurses. Check with your insurance or health service to see what kind of coverage is available, although you may have to cover some of these costs out of pocket. If very specific conditions are met, Medicare will help pay for all or a portion of home health care.

Transportation

Declining health often causes a decline in independence and mobility. Many older adults lose the ability to drive or simply feel uncomfortable behind the wheel at night. Investigate transportation options in your area so you can maintain an active social life, get medical care and shop for necessities. You might find family members willing to take you to the grocery store, friends who will drive you to social events, nearby bus routes, reduced fare taxis or senior transportation services funded by a local nonprofit. Staying in your home should not mean being cut off from community activities you enjoy.

Finding new ways to get around, even after you are no longer driving, may allow you to stay engaged and active.

Summertime

Gelato

Located in The

Flour Mill

621 W. Mallon Spokane

509-324-2424

w w w . C h o c o l a t e A p o t h e c a r y. c o m

August - September 2014

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professional pursuits

Are Baby Boomers Doomed to Irrelevance in the Workplace?

Tips for Aging Workers

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B

oomers may want to recall one of the poets they grew up reading, Dylan Thomas, and his most famous poem, named for its first line, Do not go gentle into that good night, a desperate appeal to resist the trappings of old age.

“As they retire, baby boomers need to stay true to their reputation for grand statements, and to mobilize their skill set in the business world,” says media expert Steve Kayser, author of The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard.

“In fact, many older Americans may have little choice but to adapt their mindset and survive longer in their careers if they want to maintain something resembling their current lifestyle during retirement.”

Your #1 Choice for family care Steve lists a few trends that may help convince aging workers to clock in for a few more years: • The number of Americans 55 and older will almost double between now and 2030—from 60 million today to 107.6 million, according to the United States Census Bureau. That will likely strain public safety nets such as Social Security and Medicare.

• American life expectancy is at an all-time high, and death rates are at an all-time low, which means some people will outlive their retirement savings.

• The global economic crisis has wiped out or severely affected millions of middle- and senior-aged people’s life savings.

But with an increasingly competitive pool of professionals whose skill sets need to be regularly updated, how can boomers stay in the game?

Steve quotes Alvin Toffler: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

He discusses his method for how older workers can maintain their value—by staying “R-E-L-E-V-A-N-T.” • What it means to learn, unlearn and relearn. The ever-shifting sands of technology pose a special challenge to older workers. Younger professionals not only grew up working and entertaining themselves with screens, they also learned to adapt to technological leaps. A program you learn today may not be relevant in a few years, so keep

an open and flexible mind.

• Being R-E-L-E-V-A-N-T. Take this mnemonic device to heart: Risk, Experiment, Listen and Learn, Engage, Value, Attitude of gratitude, No to negativity, and Time. “This is an ongoing, evolving note to keep in your mind no matter your professional situation,” Steve says. “I’ve been around a lot of charismatic and effervescent folks in their 70s and 80s who are still successful and growing, both on a personal and business level.

The acronym encompasses the ideas that seem to promote a proactive life.”

• Answer the question, “What resonates with you?”

This is a deceptively deep question when you apply it to your life’s trajectory. If life hasn’t turned out to be what you expected it would 30 years ago, then it’s time to recalibrate how you see yourself, especially if that’s as a perpetual pre-retiree. If you’re not sure of how you see yourself in today’s setting, start with what the spiritual writer Joseph Campbell called the “moving power of your life,” which can be sensed by the things that resonate within you.

The things that resonate within you, such as an unusual book, may just be the compass you need to find your way.

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.

Steve Kayser is an award-winning writer, editor, publisher, former radio host and founder of Kayser Media, www.stevekayser.com.

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O: 800-972-4106 C: 509-714-1794

AdvantagePlusCaregivers.com August - September 2014

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travel

Destination Travel:

Alaska Cruises

Whale watching off the coast of Alaska aboard the Carnival Miracle.

Photo and Story by Cheryl-Anne Millsap

Multigenerational Cruises Provide Thrills for the Whole Family 20

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O

n a recent cruise to Alaska, aboard the Carnival Miracle, it didn’t take me long to realize I was surrounded by family groups.

Everywhere I looked there were children—from infants to teenagers—and with them were parents, grandparents and, in a couple of cases, great-grandparents who had all come together to spend a week in what has become one of the most popular family vacations: cruising up the Pacific Coast and through Alaska’s Inside Passage.

During the day they gathered on the decks to sip hot chocolate and listen to the naturalist talk about the history and science of Alaska’s landscape and wildlife. A few of the young ones braved the water slide.

At night they gathered again at big tables in the dining room sharing a meal, laughing and teasing as families do. Adults talked and played card games while the children splashed in the pool.

I watched them at stops along the way, riding the White Pass railway into the Yukon, panning for gold, leaving the big ship to get on a smaller boat for a whalewatching excursion. I can’t ever remember seeing so many families and extended families, some with dozens of relatives along, traveling together.

That kind of multigenerational travel experience is rewarding and creates priceless memories for everyone from Grandma and Grandpa to the newest member of the family, but it can be hard to pull off. Finding something that fits the different budgets and time constraints of the various family members can be difficult. We all have our own needs. And there are other issues: accessibility for seniors, childcare for small children and entertainment options for a mix of ages and interests.

That’s exactly what makes cruising such a good way to hold a family reunion.

Once you’re on board, the hard work is done. Without having to worry about meals, transportation, entertainment and lodging, all you have to do is relax and enjoy time with family, especially those you might not see as often as you like.

I’ve done several Alaska cruises and while Carnival might be best known for FunShip cruises to sunny ports in the Caribbean or Mexico, attracting those who want a week to bask in the sun and leave work behind, the Alaska itinerary is ideal for family gatherings and multigenerational travel. Carnival carries more children than any other cruise line in the world, including Disney, and has a price point that fits almost any budget. From the least expensive interior staterooms to spa-level suites, it’s never been easier to get your family together for a memory-making experience for all ages.

For more information about Carnival Cruise Lines’ Alaska itineraries go to www.carnival.com Cheryl-Anne Millsap is a Spokane-based travel journalist and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com.

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August - September 2014

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financial planning

By Jack Tenold

W

hat’s not to like about a reverse mortgage?

I’ll answer that question in a minute. First, however, what’s to like?

Housing and Urban Development recently announced a major revision of the reverse mortgage regulations. Effective August 4, spouses who are under the minimum age of 62 may now be included in the loan. Previously, an under-aged wife had to quitclaim her interest and live with no ownership interest in the home. Now she can continue to reside in the home after her husband’s death.

Reverse mortgage loans are a way for senior homeowners to convert their home equity into tax-free cash without having to sell or move. Insured by the FHA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allows a homeowner who is 62 or older (and now his or her younger spouse) to borrow against the equity of their home.

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Have you considered a

Here is how the program works: • Qualifying homeowners can choose to receive tax-free payments from a reverse mortgage lender either on a monthly basis, in a lump sum, or as a line of credit.

• No income or credit checks are required.

• No repayments are required while a borrower lives in the home as the primary residence.

• Social Security and Medicare benefits are not affected.

• Reverse mortgage lenders recover the loan amount, plus interest when the home is sold (because owners choose to move, or pass away) • When the loan is paid in full, all equity associated with the property will be distributed to your heirs.

Keep in mind that reverse mortgage borrowers continue to own their homes. Because there are no monthly loan payments due, the amount owed grows over time. Depending upon the amount of appreciation, the remaining equity in the home may decrease.

Borrowers must continue to pay homeowner’s insurance, property taxes and HOA dues (if any) during the loan period. It is also the borrower’s responsibility to maintain the home. In fact, if a borrower fails to adhere to any of these obligations, it may become immediate cause for the loan to become due.

In that case, the note would become payable in full.

You must be age 62 or older. And you must occupy the home as your primary residence for the majority of the year. Borrowers must either own the home outright or have a low enough balance on the existing mortgage that it can be paid off from the proceeds of the reverse mortgage.

Each borrower listed on the title

Reverse mortgage as

part of your financial strategy?

Do you want to pay off your current mortgage?

Do you need additional retirement income?

Do you have a financial advisor?

(Have him or her call me about the 6% rule)

Financial planning should include knowledge and consideration of a reverse mortgage.

They are not just for desperate people. Call NOW to arrange an appointment to discuss a no cost/no obligation loan comparison and amortization schedule. You may be surprised by how it could benefit you!

Jack Tenold NMLS #10261

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

jack.tenold@fpfmail.com

WA | OR | CA

www.firstprioritysolutions.com

(509) 623-1623

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must apply for the reverse mortgage loan. Required HUD counseling is available in person or over the phone, and a HUD counseling certificate is issued. All borrowers must sign the Certificate of Counseling.

Your residence must meet HUD standards. The reverse mortgage must also be the only mortgage held against the residence. That means that if there is a current mortgage on the property, it must be paid off with the proceeds of the reverse mortgage.

These homes will qualify for a reverse mortgage: • Single Family One-Unit Residences • 2-4 Unit Owner-Occupied Residences • Manufactured Homes (certain restrictions apply) • Condominiums (the entire complex must be approved by FHA) Planned Unit Developments

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The amount of the loan is based on: • The age of the youngest borrower • The appraised amount of the property, and • No income or credit is required.

What are your reverse mortgage options?

HECM—The Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) is the only reverse mortgage that is insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The FHA guarantees that HECM lenders meet their obligations, governs how much HECM lenders may loan to qualified borrowers, and limits loan costs. Because this is an FHA-insured program, loan counseling is required by an approved HUD counselor.

HECM offers four draw options: 1. Monthly income for a fixed term, or life 2. Line of credit 3. Lump sum (in a restricted amount) 4. Any combination of the above three

A home can be purchased utilizing a reverse mortgage. Rather than pay all cash for a retirement home, the buyers may put down less than half the value (the down payment is usually cash from the sale of the current residence) and move into a much nicer and more expensive home, and never have a monthly mortgage payment as long as they live there as their primary residence.

Okay, what’s not to like with a reverse mortgage?

There used to be three major reasons not to like a reverse mortgage: 1. You hate your current house.

Best course of action is to sell and move, possibly utilizing a reverse mortgage to finance the purchase.

2. You have a special-needs child living with you, and you have promised the house to him upon your death. A reverse mortgage is not going to work in these circumstances, barring sufficient life insurance to allow the child to purchase the home upon the death of the borrowers.

3. One spouse is under-aged.

But, as we have learned, that issue has been eliminated with the new rules changes.

Melissa S. Williams LUTCF, CLTC, President

509-789-1818

Melissa@starfinc.com

T

A Brave New Retirement

he journey to retirement has become more challenging than ever. The days of simple retirement planning using standard formulas are strategies of the past.

New roadblocks have appeared in our path that we need to maneuver around. Among the various concerns is the interest rate environment.

Low interest rates are great when we want to buy that shiny new car. The trouble is when interest rates remain low for an extended time period; it becomes more challenging to produce the proper amount of income that retirees need to continue their current lifestyle.

For years conventional wisdom has suggested that an annual withdrawal rate of four percent would enable a 65 year old’s retirement money to last a lifetime. Recently, most experts have been forced to revise that number to three percent. This new number effectively reduces our retirement income, as well as our lifestyle.

With this new interest rate environment, we need to use different strategies to accomplish our retirement goals. The first step is to find a financial advisor who is with you every step of the way. Your advisor should offer a plan that includes a comprehensive approach to risk management, uniquely designed for you and your retirement journey.

Retirees should choose an advisor who has investment expertise and experience that can design plans that are flexible and diversified beyond equities. Working alongside a financial advisor that maps out a plan and accompanies you on your journey will minimize the roadblocks and put your retirement dreams within your reach once again.

Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through ING Financial Partners, member SIPC. Star Financial and Insurance Services, Inc. is not a subsidiary of nor controlled by ING Financial Partners.

19753501_0515

Jack Tenold is the branch manager of First Priority Financial, Inc. He originates reverse mortgages in Washington, Oregon, and California, and can be reached at (509) 6231623 or via email at Jack.Tenold@ fpfmail.com. For more information visit www.firstprioritysolutions.com.

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August - September 2014

25

people

Sandy Tarbox The Evolution of an Artisan

By Dennis Held | Photos by Diane Maehl Photography

E

veryone’s definition of success is a little different. But after getting teased for selling just $72 worth of soap at her first craft fair, local businesswoman Sandy Tarbox had a ready answer: “I told my friend, one of these days I’m going to make enough money to be an underwriter for Spokane Public Radio.”

Three years later, she was doing just that. And through a combination of stubbornness, hard work and a sharp eye for spotting new trends and products, she’s running a successful one-woman business, Greencastle Soaps. And she’s still a loyal KPBX sponsor, 15 years later.

Sandy started work at 13, picking raspberries near her home in Moscow, Idaho, and by 14 had moved up to giftwrapper at a local store. “I’m the oldest of three girls,

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and in my family, it was understood that you would get a job. By the time I was 11, my mom was the head cashier at Payless Drug, and I was responsible for getting the dinner on the table.”

Her father didn’t have any sons, Sandy says, “so my sisters and I helped him build the garage, and we were really handy at the reloading bench.” It was work that forged a love of hands-on creation that never left. “I may not be an artist, but I’m at least an artisan. I feel privileged to be someone who makes a living with her own hands.”

Each bar of Greencastle soap is handcrafted, hand-cut, and is made from simple ingredients. “You can get too fancy— you don’t need 15 different scented oils to make a respectable bar of soap.”

What do you need? “The shortest answer is fat, lye and water. My recipe calls for coconut oil, palm oil, and about 30 percent olive oil.”

Finding that recipe wasn’t easy, especially from the far reaches of Wallace, Idaho. “I’d worked in the glass industry for 14 years, in and around Spokane. But my husband found a house and five lots in Wallace for sale for $6,000, so we bought it and moved.” The 108-mile a day commute got Sandy thinking about other ways to make a living. The long drive was also where she developed her fondness for public radio.

“One day, I had an epiphany,” she said.

“I have dry skin, especially in winter, and someone gave me a bar of handmade soap that had olive oil in it. After it was gone, I noticed that my skin was getting dried out again by the commercial soap I was using. I suddenly knew what I wanted to do—make my own soap.”

Thus began the search for the perfect soap recipe—or any soap recipe, as it turned out. “This was before the Internet,” Sandy says. “I tried the Foxfire books, but they wanted me to start with ashes and water. That was a little primitive for me. Finally, I got a book from Bozeman, Montana, on interlibrary loan, that had a usable soap recipe.”

But knowing the ingredients wasn’t the same as having them in hand. “Oddly enough, the hardest part of the whole process, in the beginning, was finding

suppliers,” Sandy says. “I had to go to the Smelterville feed store to get the dairy thermometers that measured from zero to 212 degrees. I tracked down coconut oil through a bakery supplier but it was dyed orange—I had to send it back.

“When I look back, I think, I must have really wanted to make soap,” Sandy says. “It took me six months just to order the supplies!”

But once Sandy had her ingredients in hand—in the winter of 1990-1991—the first batch of soap she made convinced her she’d made the right decision. “After it cooled, I saw this creamy, gorgeous chunk of soap and I was just blown away.”

Blown away—and carried away. “It got completely out of control pretty fast: soap stacked everywhere in that little house. And people began to buy the soap. I’d never had a business class, never had an accounting class, but I’d learned how to run a business from Mike, my boss at the glass shop. He was always there, hands-on, and he knew how to treat people. He modeled that for me better than anyone else I’d ever see.”

One day, after a successful craft fair in Chewelah, Sandy totaled up her earnings and realized that she could make more money making and selling soap than working in the glass shop. “That was the scariest thing I’ve ever done—to walk away from a job I liked and was good at, and strike out completely on my own. And I had two teenaged daughters then, and all the usual expenses.”

After quitting the glass shop, Sandy hit the road, doing as many as 28 shows in 9 months, and kept at it for 17 years. “I can remember waking up in my van in a park somewhere thinking, now, where am I again? It was the hardest work I’ve ever

done, but also the most rewarding.”

The tightly knit community of artists who also attended the fairs made up a welcome sorority, Sandy says. “A lot of these folks are women traveling alone, so we’d look out for one another—that’s the part I’ll miss the most.”

Back in Wallace, Sandy rented out the back of the Ryan Hotel to manufacture the orders that had outgrown her home.

“At first, it was just a scary room off a back alley with two bare light bulbs and an old sink, but I felt like a new bride with her first apartment. It was so exciting.” Within two years she had outgrown the back room and was renting out the whole building.

Greencastle Soap’s first big break came about from a stroke of fortune—Wallace had an annual huckleberry festival—coupled with a stroke of marketing savvy: nobody else was making huckleberry soap. “I don’t know if I invented it, but I’d never heard of it, and apparently, nobody else had, either.”

After drying and powdering the berries, Sandy whipped up the first cakes of huckleberry soap. “I didn’t even know if it would work, but after the first batch I knew I had it—it was beautiful, all purple and white swirls, and the smell . . . it was the whole package. And in the Northwest, huckleberry anything will get noticed.

“My soap kettle didn’t cool down for about five years. I made batch after batch after batch of huckleberry soap.”

The soap was such a hit at craft fairs that “there would be crowds around my booth, and the local business owners would come by to see what I was selling.

That got me into a lot of the gift shops throughout the West,” Sandy says. She’s traveled everywhere from San Francisco

When I look back, I think, I must have really wanted to make soap...

It took me six months just to order the supplies!

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L o c at e d above The Olive Garden in the Old City Hall building, the Bozzi Gallery carries works from the best modern artists in Spokane, as well as unique gifts and home decor you won’t find anywhere else.

Art Gallery sculpture glass fine craftsmanship

221 North Wall Street, STE 226 Spokane, WA 99202 www.bozzigallery.com Open Thurs - Sat, 11am - 7pm 28

to Metaline Falls with her soaps, from Anaconda to the Tacoma Dome.

After a divorce, Sandy moved near Whitworth University, where she bought “a small house with a huge shop,” making soap, going to shows, learning to garden.

Seven years later, she sold the property and bought a 1907 house that had been sitting empty for several years, with an adjacent cabinet factory. “It had been used by a radio station as a haunted house, so it had some unusual cleaning challenges: body outlines on the floor, fake blood on the walls.”

In 2005, Sandy married Luis Montano, a local poet, sculptor and jewelry designer.

“That was a huge year for me,” she says.

“My dad passed away, I bought the new shop and I got married. Somehow, we made it all work.”

The new building, at 203 N. Stone, wasn’t originally planned to be a retail store, but “one day someone came in looking for soap-making supplies, and I went back to that original book and dug out the old recipe and sold her what she needed.” The new building also offered a space for another new direction for Greencastle: soap-making classes. “I was still doing 28 shows in 9 months, and I was burning out. I was on my way to a show in Coeur d’Alene when I started crying—it was going to be 100 degrees, and I don’t do well in the heat. I had another epiphany—I’m too old to be crying on my way to a job.”

| | www.primespokane.com

The next year, Sandy cut her number of shows in half. “I took a severe financial hit, but I needed to find another model. That’s when I started teaching classes.”

Since then, she’s taught “several hundred people,” Sandy says, in groups of about ten. “When I first started teaching, it was almost the same energy as the huckleberry soap produced—we were going gangbusters, classes would fill up in a day or two. Eventually, I started a second class on lotions, lip balms and herbal salves.”

Her strategy paid off. “I was able to replace the income from those shows by teaching soap-making and selling supplies.”

Now Greencastle soap is sold all over the country—in Florida, Texas, Massachusetts—and once, to musician Neil Young. “It was in Reno—he was a scruffy-looking guy in a leather jacket and a Farm Aid t-shirt. He bought licorice, oatmeal clove and lemongrass soap.”

Sandy recognizes that she can’t keep on making soap forever: “Everything in here is heavy and greasy,” she says with a laugh—but for now, “I have no plans to quit.”

Testimony from her soap’s fans keeps her going, she says. “People will tell me, your oatmeal soap helped my son’s eczema, or helped my daughter’s dry skin.

What’s important with our soap is what we leave out—commercial soaps use chemical hardeners and fixatives and preservatives, and a lot of people are sensitive to that stuff.”

Once, when she was living in Wallace, a letter arrived, addressed to “The woman who makes the soap—Please find her!” The letter arrived safely. “I’m never going to get rich doing this,” Sandy says, “but there are other rewards.” Her many customers over the years would agree.

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Food

By Susan Joseph Nielsen

Crazy About

Canning Grow it, can it, share it, eat it

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I

t’s cool to can again. The decades-old tradition of canning anything and everything out of necessity has morphed into a hobby of knowing exactly what you are eating, growing and using our fruit and vegetable produce wisely and for some, carrying on a tradition.

Traditional canning has gained popularity partly because people want to know “what’s inside” the container. Since nearly every fruit or vegetable and some meats can be canned—and even eggs can be pickled—canning is a great way to have homemade products all year long.

“I like knowing exactly what’s in my food,” says farmer Julia Hayes.

“I can because I have a humongous garden, I like controlling the sugar and salt in our food and I love homemade pickles and jams—there’s just nothing like them.”

“Canning is an art, and the relationship you build with the person you are working with lasts a lifetime,” recalls my cousin Paige Bivens, from Raleigh, NC. “We canned all types of beans, corn, okra, tomatoes and pickles. When I taste old fashioned canned items, memories come flooding back of working beside my aunt as she taught me to can and the food we ‘put up’ with my feet under her table.”

Sandi Laney learned to can in the Midwest from her mother and grandmother. “I love to can because the flavors are so much fresher and delicious when made personally. It’s a satisfying feeling knowing you are

providing some of your own food, and the sight of those lovely filled jars sitting on the counter to cool is so pretty!”

Not everyone learns from friends or family members. Mary Eberle learned to can by attending local workshops and finding tips, tricks and recipes on Google. She has a large garden and wanted to fully utilize her produce. “I preserve food because fresh food simply tastes better. Dehydrating and freezing are still a part of my routine but canning has become a simpler process for me,” she says.

One of my canning mentors, Vicky Stinson, recalls “canning season” growing up. “Canning was a process that took over the entire kitchen. My mom loved to stay up late and can when the house was quiet and cooler. One of my favorite memories is listening to the pop of the jar flats, a sure sign that the vacuum inside the jar had created a proper seal. Our basement was Mom’s trophy room. The walls were lined with shelves displaying hundreds of jars of canned food items.

My dad would make everyone who visited go downstairs and admire her work.”

Geography plays a huge role in what gets canned. “We used to can all sorts of meats, three kinds of pickles, chowchow, sauerkraut, corn, peas, beans, fruits, jams, jellies, beets, pickled corn, tomatoes and sauce,” says North Idaho resident Jettye Lawrence. “Although our climate and produce is different in Nevada now, I still make berry jams with my 91-year old mother, and I’m going to try fig jam this year.”

Tradition is one reason Kris Wedel took up canning. “I can partly to pay homage to my grandmothers and the work they did to provide for their families, so keeping that tradition going is important to me. No commercially canned peach can ever taste as good as the ones I can myself. There’s great satisfaction in seeing those jars lined up on the counter with all that summer goodness safe inside. I love to crack open a jar of peaches in the dead of winter and enjoy that burst of summer.”

As a rural farmer, Julia Hayes makes the harvest and canning a family affair.

“This is the first year all my kids are old enough to harvest, wash and prepare

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produce for canning. What’s really terrific is that they operate our roadside farm stand in Airway Heights and they have so much fun.”

Canning is much easier when you share the work says Joelle Oliver, who grew up in North Dakota. “My friends’ parents would make an event out of canning. Everyone had a job and a station and we did a lot of laughing!”

My own mom made the best dill and bread and butter pickles I’ve ever tasted. She also canned stewed tomatoes, peaches, apricots and berry jams.

She toiled in a hot kitchen for days at a time. As a teacher this was part of her summer ritual. Her canned items from the basement “fruit room” always added something delicious to our family meal.

If you’re new to canning, it’s a lot of work and a little scary to go it alone. A few years ago I asked a few expert canning friends to be my mentors. It was awesome because they worked alongside me, helping with the prep (the time consuming part) and eased my fear of doing something wrong. Our salsas, peach marmalade, pesto, applesauce and berry freezer jams are yummy treats. Eating and sharing our “made with care and love” canned items is delightful.

If you’re thinking of canning for the first time or want some new ideas, try the resources listed below.

R esources, Ideas, R ecipes, Tips WSU Spokane County Extension: www.spokane-county.wsu.edu (canning classes/workshops and tips for safe food handling and canning) Ball Blue Book and Website: www. freshpreserving.com (newsletter, recipes, tips, products) USDA Compete Guide to Home Canning: http://tinyurl.com/ooysarx Canning Across America: www.canningacrossamerica.com National Center for Home Food Preservation: www.soeasytopreserve.com Susan Joseph Nielsen is a local writer, radio host, commentator and community volunteer. She owns and operates Strategic Niche, LLC, a consultancy specializing in branding, naming, reputation management and MarCom strategy.

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August - September 2014

33

fashion

Feeling Fabulous Fashionable hey say that 50 is the new 30, but how does that translate into feeling fashionable—and fabulous—as you pass over 50 and beyond?

International style expert, Carol Vorderman, 54, says there are no hard or fast rules for how to dress when you reach 50 and beyond, “It’s about dressing for your shape to feel both confident and comfortable,” she says. Carol has heard stories from many women her age that are afraid to wear trend-led clothing because of a feeling that society tells them they should dress their age. “Fashion is about feeling good and having fun; should there really be an age limit to that?”

Local fashionista, Cheryl Smith, 58, of Positive Presentations, agrees and believes the keys are: moderation, to know your body and fit it well, and to have fun. “I still love to embrace new trends,” she says. “I just make sure they work for me. I loved the Mod 60s, which featured neon and bright colors, so I love the fact that they are back.

I think we can wear much of what we did in those earlier decades, just perhaps a revised style of it. Most importantly, we just need to be aware of the cut and fit, so that our outfits come off as trendy and not trashy. We can be and are hip at any age.”

Melinda Melvin, 55, believes fashion is about attitude. “It’s having a realistic grasp of reality,” she says. “Embrace your age and find your own style with the key word being ‘fun.’ Find your own style by choosing what you like, not what you think someone else will like.” Melinda says she receives more compliments on her fashion choices now than ever before in her life. “It really is about attitude.

It’s obviously not about size or if I work out 12 hours a day. Wearing the best quality clothing you can afford is more important as we age.”

Melinda likes to boil it all down to the old adage: “If you feel good, you will look good.”

We checked in with four local women, who enjoy fashion and modeling, about their philosphy to feeling fabulous and fashionable in their fifties and beyond . . .

Over 50 34

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Carol Vorderman’s Top 10 Fashion Tips for 50 and Beyond To show off your curves opt for a knee length figure hugging dress that fits well to the body.

A fitted pencil skirt that sits high on the waist and hits below the knee will help create the perfect silhouette.

Skinny jeans give the illusion of elongating the legs whilst also giving an outfit a more youthful, slimming look— it’s all about finding the right cut for you.

Showing off those arms is undoubtedly a worry for some women but it’s all about doing it in the right way with the right fitting top and a color to match your skin tone—the only limit is your confidence.

Wedges are the perfect alternative to the stiletto heel and are a lot more comfortable.

509.624.7263

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fashion When it comes to showing some skin, shoulders are just as sensual as cleavage.

Kathy McClure, 67

50+ women should go hell-for-leather for trousers with a long length to elongate the leg.

For a stylish change from the dress, opt for a jumpsuit.

It’s slimming and still on trend; and with a flared leg, it will flatter you in all the right places.

Pulling off a sheer blouse involves some smart layering. A slip or a classic tank top worn below is a wise choice and one that will keep you looking stylish and sophisticated.

Animal print is a bold fashion statement but rather than block print, opt for flash panels or animal print accessories to spice up an outfit.

“My whole adult life I’ve been into health and fitness. I retired early from my corporate job and started my own nutrition business eight years ago. I was always interested in medicine when I was younger because I worked in a hospital in the radiology department and then became the office manager. It was the most interesting job I ever had.

I really started thinking about my health and how I wanted to treat my body.

When I was in my early 30s, I started running and I’m sure I was eventually hooked on those natural endorphins.

I always wanted to get involved in modeling. I would have people ask me to model, but I just didn’t have the time.

I was married and raising two boys, worked full time and worked out at a gym every evening. I became a gym rat and made many friends along my fitness journey.

I started doing lots of networking for my business and met many amazing people that helped me open new doors in my life. A friend that was a manager at a local boutique in RiverPark Square asked me to model in a show four years ago. After that, I began receiving opportunities to do modeling shows, mostly for fundraising. I was then asked to do a commercial for MAM (Mitchell Management Talent Agency) and off I went to make several commercials.”

Photo by Chris Wooley

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August - September 2014

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fashion

Joanna Musulman, 58

“My thoughts on beauty and fashion are very different now as I near the age of 59, due in part to the fact that my lifestyle has changed. I became very active after the age of 55, when I began to rock climb, whitewater raft, mountain bike, wilderness hike, camp and nordic and downhill ski for the first time. When all these and more extreme lifestyle changes happened, I found myself, for the first time, buying active wear.

Because of the outdoor nature of my new life, I drastically changed my beauty, cosmetics and perfumes to the organic and natural remedy options, such as organic virgin coconut oil, and ‘less being more’ in the way of makeup.

As an actor and model with MAM and co-host of a local TV show, Successful Aging in the Northwest, on CMTV14, I switch it up as the camera requires— putting more paint on the barn—but my skin care has remained as natural and organic as I can find—with the addition of my H.A. (hyaluronic acid), something I feel every mature woman shouldn’t live without.”

Photo by Ray Ward

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fashion

Trudy Raymond, 69 “Baby Boomers and older need to feel good about themselves and enjoy all of the wonderful fashions that are available for all ages and sizes. Ads should show fashions for—and on—all ages and sizes of women, as that represents the ‘real world.’ The 50s, 60s, and 70s and beyond ladies need to see what is available and there should never be an age where you feel too ‘old’ to feel good about yourself. I am 69, I will be 70 in November. But I always say I am only 25 in my mind—I think it is healthy to think positive and have fun along the way.”

Photo by Don Hamilton - Hamilton Studios

“While turning 50 happens just in one day, what goes on with our physical bodies and in our minds is a process that starts several years before, as the fine lines appear, as though we have earned them, and should be proud of wearing them. It can be somewhat of an insecure process for women, and I am sure men alike, as we start facing the signs of vulnerability that come with aging, the little aches and pains, and our inability to do all that we did in our younger years. Yet, there is wisdom with it, a sense of peace and accomplishment, of self-confidence, and that in itself is very sexy.

When we glow within, it radiates on the outside. They say 50 is the new 30, and in some ways, it is: we don’t look as stern and old-fashioned as our grandmothers looked at our age. The fashion world is on our side. We have more tools and tricks to look younger, feel better, and fight aging than our grandparents ever had. Life is not a competition. There is no need to compare ourselves to others or to the way we were. It’s a journey within. It’s our personal journey, to be enjoyed each step of the way.”

Photo by Ray Ward

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Joelle Osias, 54

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Surprising Things You May Not Know About Social Security 42

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D

espite the fact that almost every working adult—and teenager—pays into Social Security, and that millions of us count on it for at least part—if not all—of our retirement income, there’s a lot Americans don’t know about their public financial safety net.

“Do you know how much money comes out of your paycheck each week to go into the Old Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund?” asks Allen Smith, professor emeritus of economics at Eastern Illinois University and author of SOCIAL SECURITY: Will It Be There For You?

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Where wellness is a way of life It’s important for Americans to learn about the Social Security system long before they’re thinking about retiring, Allen says.

“Public outcry has been effective in provoking the Social Security Administration to correct wrongs in the past,” says Allen. “For example, recently, when it became known that Social Security was seizing tax refunds from

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the children of deceased beneficiaries it claims were overpaid more than a decade ago, the public howled. The administration announced an immediate halt to the practice on April 14.”

It will take just such a massive public outcry to get the government to repay its $2.7 trillion debt to Social Security, he says.

Allen, who taught economics for 30 years and has focused his research and writing on government finance and Social Security for the past 15, shares three surprising facts that Americans should know about the program.

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• The more money you make in earnings, the less you get back People who earn less in their working life get more money back in Social Security retirement benefits when you view the annual benefit as a percentage of their highest annual salary.

“So, a person born in 1960 who’s earning $107,000 a year now could receive about $29,230 a year if they retire at age 67—assuming they had a steadily increasing income since age 18,” he says. “That’s 27 percent of their current salary.

“A person the same age earning $40,000 a year today can expect about $16,460, which is 41 percent of their current salary.”

Furthermore, since benefits are calculated only on a maximum average salary of $106,800, the person who earned $500,000 receives the same benefit as the person who earned $106,800.

• Reports indicate the $2.7 trillion trust fund established for baby boomers’ retirement is gone.

In 1983, the Reagan administration approved amendments to generate a Social Security surplus that would help pay benefits for the thousands of baby boomers who began retiring in 2011.

The changes included accelerating Social Security payroll tax increases, allowing a portion of benefits to be taxed, and delaying cost-of-living adjustments from June to December.

“Those changes generated $2.7 trillion in surplus, which is supposed to be in the Social Security Trust Fund,” Allen says. “But there’s been abundant evidence over the past two decades that no money was being put in the Trust Fund. Based on my research, what’s sitting there is non-marketable government IOUs.” Statements to that effect were made in a 2009 Social Security trustees report, and by Sen. Tom Coburn and then-President George W. Bush, who in 2005 said, “There is no trust fund, just IOUs that I saw firsthand.”

There was no indignant outcry “because too many Americans just don’t know a lot about Social Security,” Allen says. “This is the most serious and urgent of the problems we face with Social Security.”

• Many people would benefit from hitting their retirement fund first and delaying collecting Social Security.

Waiting until you’re 70 to tap your Social Security retirement benefits can make you eligible for a much fatter check—up to eight percent more a year.

“Many people want to delay drawing income from their retirement fund, but if doing that allows you to wait till you’re 70 to take Social Security, the payoff is tremendous,” Allen says.

“Wait at least until you’re eligible for the full amount, if possible,” he says. “That’s age 66 if you were born 1943-54, and age 67 if you were born in 1960 and later. If you’re in the older group, retiring at 62 cuts your benefits by a quarter; for the younger group it’s nearly a third.”

Allen W. Smith taught economics for 30 years before retiring from Eastern Illinois University in 1998 to become a full-time writer. Understanding Inflation and Unemployment, his first book, became an alternate selection of Fortune Book Club when it was published in 1976.

Understanding Economics, (Random House; 1986), was used in more than 600 schools in 48 states.

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inspiration

Vintage Postcard

Description on the card read, “New [third] Monroe Street Bridge, Spokane, Washington. Largest Concrete Span In The World.” It was mailed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, on September 22, 1912: “Come out here on your honeymoon. Weather is great, warm days and cool nights. We are just about settled now. Got a 4 room modern cottage about a 20 minute walk from the shops. Fruit very plentiful, blue plums 5 cts a basket or 20 cents for a crate. RR work rushing, other work quiet. This is a fine town—like it very much so far. We live about a 25 minute car ride from the heart of the city. Drop me a card when you happen to have one. I will write you a letter soon. E. 1225 Crown Ave., (signed) W.A.M.”

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