ISI December 2018 / January 2019

VOL 14 # 5 • DECEMBER 2018 / JANUARY 2019

IDAHOSENIORINDEPENDENT.COM

INFORMING • ENTERTAINING • EMPOWERING

PHOTO COURTESY TAMARA EARP.

Honoring Veterans Over the Holidays.

Read the story on page 20

PAGE 2

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

ABOUT US

ood Lane! w k c o R t a s t r ve We honor ou

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Kalispell, MT 59901 PHONE 208-318-0310 or 866-360-5683 WEB idahoseniorindependent.com EMAIL info@idahoseniorindependent.com Our paper—published six times per year—exists to serve and benefit our mature readers. We encourage the contribution of interesting material. Views expressed in editorial are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Likewise, this publication does not endorse any particular product, person or service shown in the advertisements appearing in this paper.

Our Staff

Contributing Writers

Robert Hunt.................... Publisher Janet Hunt....................... Chief Financial Officer Kathleen McGregor........ Advertising Sales Diane Brosseau.............. Advertising Sales Carol Blodgett................. Advertising Sales ......................................... Digital Specialist Francesca Beckerle........ Advertising Sales Jonathan Rimmel............ General Manager ......................................... Graphic Designer ......................................... Webmaster Nann Parrett................... Managing Editor ......................................... SEO Manager ......................................... Social Media Sherrie Smith.................. Production Assistant

Andrew Armstrong Holly Endersby Sharon Ernst Cate Huisman Jack McNeel

Aaron Parrett Mary Ann Reuter Carrie Scozarro Dianna Troyer Suzanne Waring

All copy appearing in this publication is copyright protected and may be reprinted only with written permission of the publisher.

© 2018

Contents Brain Games.................................. 3

Money Matters.............................. 16

Entertainment............................... 31

Comics............................................ 5

Spotlights....................................... 17

Taste of Idaho................................ 33

All About Idaho.............................. 6

Cover Story.................................... 20

Travel.............................................. 34

Modern Senior.............................. 9

Nutrition......................................... 22

Recreation...................................... 36

Home & Lifestyle........................... 10

Fitness............................................ 24

Answers to Brain Games..............39

Inspiration...................................... 13

Health Care.................................... 26

Fluffy Critters................................. 14

Caregiving...................................... 29

DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

PAGE 3

Brain Games

PUZZLES•QUIZZES•GAMES•CONTESTS•BRAIN TEASERS•FUN

Sudoku Complete the grid, so each row, column, and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.

ANSWERS TO THESE PUZZLES ON PAGE 39

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Brain Games

Doodle Puzzle ILLUSTRATION BY FLORENCE PAXTON Not everything is spelled out obviously in black and white. Let’s just say we’ve taken a more RED and GREEN approach to this holiday Doodle Puzzle. Can you find all the hidden items that are red and green?

Congratulations to Zola Dixon of Caldwell, Idaho, for winning last issue’s Doodle puzzle!

We award a $25 cash prize for each issue of the Idaho Senior Independent to the person who finds everything on the list and submits the prettiest Doodle coloring page.

Please mail your entries for all contests to the Idaho Senior Independent, 1985 McMannamy Draw, Kalispell, MT 59901, or email to: info@idahoseniorindependent.com by January 15, 2019 for this edition.

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

RED ITEMS << Apple << Cardinal << Lady Bug << Red Head << Red Riding Hood << Red Wagon << Rose << Santa’s Long Johns << Strawberries << Watermelon

GREEN ITEMS << Christmas Tree << Frog << Grapes << Grass Hopper << Green Thumb << Leaves << Peas << Pepper << Shamrock << Worm

DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

PAGE 5

s c i m o C

“If you read the U.N. climate report you know this is just the tip of the iceberg. No serious. This is all that’s left.

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Thank you to those serving & having served our country

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

PAGE 6

All About Idaho

LOCAL PEOPLE•LOCAL STORIES•LOCAL FUN•LOCAL BUSINESSES

Nine Over 90 and More!

SANDPOINT CALENDAR HONORS ELDERS

Nine over 90 club members. PHOTO BY JACKIE MCNEEL.

BY JACK MCNEEL It’s doubtful if any of these senior citizens dreamed of being featured on a calendar, but that’s precisely what happened at the beginning of this year. To make it even more remarkable, the 2018 calendar photos showed local people 90 or older, both women and men, and thus the title “Nine over Ninety and More!”

This project was the vision of Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc., or SASi. Many of the activities this group provides are similar to senior citizen centers throughout Idaho, but the idea

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of creating a calendar featuring members 90 years old and older was unique.

“I wanted to highlight elders and honor them. They inspire me all the time, and I wanted to showcase them,” said Ellen Weissman, SASi Executive Director. “It really surprised me when I started working here that we had so many 90 or older. We had to do a calendar featuring one each month. They’ve told me they appreciate the attention and are enjoying it.”

The calendars cost $15, with the money raised used for the vital programs SASi provides, plus administrative costs.

Senior Center provides lunch four days a week, and I had the pleasure of dining with them while preparing this story. Right away one feels the friendly attitude throughout the room. The meal itself was filling and very good, but it was the conversations, laughter, and opportunity to talk with some of these folks that remain in my thoughts.

The average age for these calendar members is about 94, but I certainly would not have

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guessed it; 70s and 80s, perhaps, but not over 90. I asked Weissman how she chose these 12 individuals for the project.

“Mostly just from knowing them. I noticed these folks are strong and healthy and keep going. In some cases others were suggested. When I was told Merrill was over 90, I didn’t believe it. No way is he over 90. Maria is just amazing. I wouldn’t have pegged her over 75. They’re all very inspirational,” said Weissman. “I wanted to pass that feeling on to others. You hear ‘90’ and think ‘old and maybe in a hospital.’ You don’t think ‘out and about and living fully’ like these guys are.”

They all have activities to keep them busy in addition to frequent get-togethers at the Sandpoint Senior Center. Loren Vanek, at 92, not only plays pinochle a couple days a week but also bikes and loves to dance.

For others it may be getting together frequently with friends for games of pinochle, bridge, scrabble, or bingo.

Merrill Longpre is now 93 but could pass for 70 and is one of several people who meet monthly for rousing games of Wii Bowling, or on-screen virtual bowling. Merrill moved here from Colorado in 2013 and calls himself “just a plain ordinary guy.” He has always enjoyed fishing and hunting. Perhaps that youthful look is a result of his outdoor lifestyle.

The majority of the calendar models moved to Idaho during their “senior years,” but Darrell

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DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT Ewing, also remarkably young appearing, is an exception. His great-grandfather, Richard Fry, built the first trading post and ferry in Bonners Ferry.

Darrell spent his early years with what he refers to as the “Fry Clan,” and exploring the mountains and waterways around Bonners Ferry. He’s been active in the senior center for the last 25 years.

It was my pleasure to be seated next to “93 years young and quick witted” Janet Vetter. She moved here 30 years ago from Merrill Longpre. PHOTO BY JACKIE MCNEEL. California to be closer to her kids. In addition to frequent pinochle games, she’s also one of the first Red Hat members in Sandpoint and remains active in the Red Hat Rascals.

L.R. Hinrich has the nickname of “Vegas.” The name dates back to the 1940s when he moved north from Las Vegas driving a 1932 Ford hot rod. His car had the words “Las Vegas Wildcats” on it.

“People had trouble pronouncing my name so pretty soon I was just “Vegas.” He was a merchant marine during the Korean War. He’s well liked, often the center of activities. His photo graces the calendar cover as well as the photo for August.

“The whole purpose of the calendar is to inspire others to live healthy and live long,” said Weissman. “Merrill used to hike a lot and was outdoors a lot. I see that as a thread with several of them. Just staying active and moving, not necessarily going to the gym, but just bei n g active. It’s all inspiring to me and, hopefully, other people.”

With such a great response for the 2018 calendar, Weissman is excited to announce the forthcoming 2019 SASi calendar.

L.R. Hinrich. PHOTO BY JACKIE MCNEEL. “We have found more folks over 90 in the area and are hoping to pair them up with police and firefighters in addition to our local EMTs.” For more information, stop by the Sandpoint Senior Center, 820 Main Street, Sandpoint, ID. Visit the website at sandpointareaseniors. org or call 208-263-6860. Please contact the center if you know anyone in Bonner County over 90 who has a story to tell. ISI

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley One day a zookeeper noticed that a monkey was reading two books— The Bible and Darwin’s Origin of Species.

Surprised, he asked the monkey, “Why are you reading both of those books?”

“Well”, said the monkey, “I just wanted to know if I was my brother’s keeper or my keeper’s brother.”

ISI

All About Idaho

PAGE 7

Stop a cold before it starts

New research: Copper stops colds if used early.

New research shows you can stop a cold in its tracks if you take one simple step with a new device when you feel a cold coming on.

Colds start when cold viruses get in your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you don’t stop them early, they spread and cause misery.

But scientists have found a quick way to kill a virus. Touch it with copper. Researchers at labs and universities agree, copper is “antimicrobial.”

It kills microbes, such as viruses and bacteria, just by touch.

That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to purify water and heal wounds. That’s why Hippocrates, the “father of modern medicine”, used copper to heal skin ulcers, and why Civil War doctors used it to prevent infection of battlefield wounds.

They didn’t know about viruses and bacteria, but now we do.

Researchers say microbe cells have a tiny internal electric charge across the membrane surrounding the cell. The high conductance of copper short-circuits this charge and pops holes in the membrane.

This immediately stops the microbe from reproducing and destroys it in seconds.

Tests by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show copper surfaces kill germs that are left on them. That way the next person to touch that surface does not spread the germ. As a result of this new knowledge, some hospitals switched to copper for various “touch surfaces”, like faucets, bedrails, and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA and other illnesses in those hospitals by over half, and saved lives.

The strong scientific evidence gave inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When he felt a cold coming on he fashioned a smooth copper probe and rubbed it gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“It worked!” he exclaimed.

“The cold went away completely.”

It worked again every time he felt a cold coming on and he hasn’t had a cold since.

He asked relatives and friends to try it. They said it worked for them, too, so he patented CopperZap™ and put it on the market.

Soon hundreds of people had tried it and given feedback. Nearly 100 percent said the copper stops their colds if used within 3 hours after the first sign. Even up to 2 days, if they still get the cold it is milder and they feel better.

Users wrote things like, “It stopped my cold right away,” and

“Is it supposed to work that fast?”

Pat McAllister, age 70, received one for Christmas and called it “one of the best presents ever. This little jewel really works.” Now thousands of users have simply stopped getting colds.

Copper may even stop flu that starts in the nose if used right away and for several days. In a lab test, scientists placed 25 million live flu viruses on a CopperZap. No viruses were found still alive soon after.

People often use CopperZap preventively. Frequent flier Karen Gauci used to get colds after crowded flights. Though skeptical, she tried it several times a day on travel days for 2 months. “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!”

Businesswoman Rosaleen says when people are sick around her she uses CopperZap morning and night. “It saved me last holidays,” she said. “The kids had colds going round and round, but not me.”

Some users say it also helps with sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day sinus headache.

When her CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said.

“My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”

One man had suffered seasonal sinus problems for years. It was so bad it ruined family vacations and dinners out with friends. His wife Judy bought CopperZaps for both of them. He was so skeptical he said, “Oh Judy, you are such a whack job!” But he tried it and the copper cleared up his sinuses right away. Judy and their daughter said, “It has changed our lives!”

Some users say copper stops nighttime stuffiness if used just before bed. One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

People have used it on cold sores and say it can completely prevent ugly outbreaks.

Copper even kills deadly germs that have become resistant to antibiotics. If you are near sick people, a moment of handling it may keep serious infection away. It may even save a life.

The EPA says copper still works even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of different disease germs so it can prevent serious or even fatal illness.

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

All About Idaho

PAGE 8

Look, Ma... 11 Awards!

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT AND SISTER PUBLICATION, MONTANA SENIOR NEWS WIN BIG AT 2018 NAMPA CONFERENCE 6. BRIEFS/SHORTS SECOND PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS (“Lunch at the Great Falls Senior Center — A Best-Kept Secret,” by Aaron Parrett; “Why Do We Collect?” by Jeremy Watterson; April/ May 2018) “Parrett writes in praise of the burgers at the Great Falls Senior Center — it’s enough to make you head out for your favorite diner. Jeremy Watterson’s piece about collecting baseball cards — a way to recollect memories and hold on to a piece of history. Both are evocative articles and sure to appeal to others enjoying their memories.”

You may have noticed a new logo addition to our masthead. Our publishers Bob and Janet Hunt returned from the North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA) conference in October with 11 — count ‘em, ELEVEN — awards in hand for our two publications (Idaho Senior Independent and sister publication Montana Senior News).

Our papers were judged in the Class B division, for publications with 25,00150,000 circulation.

Since the Hunts acquired the papers in 2017, staff has worked diligently to make improvements with overall design and written content. We are happy to say our efforts have really paid off.

Here’s a line-item report of how we ranked, along with the judges’ comments, for each category in which we placed.

Robert and Janet Hunt (left and center) as seen receiving a first -place award from Gary Calligas, Nampa Executive Director. Orlando, Florida October 8, 2018.

1. GENERAL EXCELLENCE SECOND PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS “The array of content here is really quite breathtaking. What reader wouldn’t be pleased to find more than four dozen articles under a wide range of topics from health and money to recreation, nature, travel, photography, fitness, nutrition, caregiving, entertainment, pets, recipes, home and lifestyle, Montana history and more. Uniformity

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2. & 3. MOST IMPROVED FIRST PLACE TIE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS/ IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT “Montana Senior News switched its cover format from a newspaper to a magazine design. It certainly adds a kick to the overall look. In addition, content is better organized and set off with attractive section headers. The content remained largely the same, but new organization makes it easier to access.”

4. COLUMN REVIEW SECOND PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS (Book Reviews) “Aaron Parrett’s book reviews are detailed and descriptive.”

5. SENIOR ISSUES FIRST PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS (“Montana’s Suicide Battle — A Major Health Issue,” by Maureen McInnis; June/ July 2018) “Maureen McInnis writes clearly and compassionately about senior suicide.”

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7. PERSONAL ESSAY THIRD PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS (“Thieves,” by Ella Mae Howard; June/July 2018) “These are four-legged thieves, not the usual two-legged scalawags, in this observational column about calves and cows and feeding time. It gives cows credit for a level of sneakiness not usually known — so it’s both fun and educational.”

8. PROFILE ENTRIES SECOND PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS (“Helena’s New Mayor, Making History,”

by Aaron Parrett; February/March 2018) “Aaron Parrett introduces us to both Helena’s new mayor and to some of the challenges he faces in his new job. A nice balancing act.”

9. HOW-TO GUIDE FIRST PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS (“Fermented Dill Pickles vs. Vinegar Dill Pickles,” by Steve Heikkila; October/ November 2017) “Heikkila’s article about the two pickling techniques covers the topic thoroughly, from the how-to to the historic whys. Even if you never intend to practice pickling, this article is worth a read.”

10. BEST SINGLE AD-COLOR SECOND PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS (The Peaks) “This advertisement, for an independent living business, is presented in a cool blue to reflect the name (The Peaks) and the location. The information is presented vertically, and the size of the elements takes us down the page.”

11. WEBSITE GENERAL EXCELLENCE THIRD PLACE: MONTANA SENIOR NEWS/ IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT “The rolling photos show off the broad [array] of content. The photo cropping captures your eye immediately. The page is clean, branded and organized. The categories of news are easily accessible from the strip across the top. The story promos are well written to tease readers.” ISI

DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

PAGE 9

Modern Senior

TECHNOLOGY•SCIENCE•KNOWLEDGE•COMPUTERS•MOBILE

Artificial Yet Intelligent

BY LOIS GREENE STONE (SENIOR WIRE) Artificial intelligence.

Intelligence is a genetic gift. Like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest—would you want to be smart only to have it taken away? Will stem cells from research b ec ome r eal-li fe ? I s m an i p ul a ti on o r experimentation “artificial”?

“Alexa, turn on the light.” My husband raises his voice, and a cylinder in the family room reacts. It is dusk. She answers, “okay,” and a floor lamp’s bulb responds.

I ask “her” about the forecast, to set a timer as I prepare to make dinner, and my mate wants the score of the football game currently being played in another state.

Do I want to upgrade to the new BLOB that can make phone calls and have video chats?

I wonder about this. I can do Skype on my computer and FaceTime on my tablet, and the digital phone has speed dials. Do I want the competing device that allows multiple speakers offering surround sound, yet has the same basic function as Alexa?

I read 1984 with the same attitude as comics that had decoder rings, or a camera hidden in a tie tack. There were no tie tacks then, only tie bars, and rings were just that, rings.

The idea that someone could watch whatever

I was doing was absurd; I closed my bedroom door and the outside vanished. My things, my room, my privacy surrounded me. I listened to the radio’s noise with programs I wanted; my parents and sisters could do the same in their private spaces. Television altered that as we grouped around a tiny screen seeing only test patterns for most of the time as programs were infrequent.

Recording devices were fat reels with thin magnetic tape housed in a suitcase-like box. They could capture songs coming from the radio, the family singing or any one of us playing the piano, the audio of a special event such as a wedding. We controlled what it did.

We turned on a light and the oven, raised the furnace’s temperature, used a paper dictionary, put a 78 rpm on a spindle and had brief minutes of recorded music before having to turn the shellacked disk over to the other side, dialed a telephone. How much is a recipe’s measurements if cut in half?

Calculations were done with pencil and paper.

“Echo, play Frank Sinatra music.” The hockey-puck sized Echo lights up when my husband enters his office room. Her circular colors indicates her obedience. She doesn’t require food or sleep or positive strokes

to get through the day. She doesn’t need a flu shot, or shingles vaccine, or to bathe. She’s an object. Or is she?

We have to be careful with our words © BERYA113, BIGSTOCK.COM else either of the devices will “hear” and start.

I’ve started a sentence with “the economy” and she turns on just hearing the “eco.” And when my neighbor, Alex, calls, I hesitate to say the human’s name or AI lights up happily thinking she has been invited to talk. Is both our cylinder and the dot intelligent for real?

Are we being secretly recorded, then the information stored on a cloud—like items from our computers? Do you think 1984 has still avoided our own homes? Are we safe to have heated discussions about news items, politics, religion, culture or is this seemingly-silent-until-we-activate-her BLOB really a listening device? Just in case we really are not alone, when we are near one of our AI machines, and are having a debate or serious conversation, we whisper. ISI

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when you stand up or sit down. With its rugged yet lightweight aluminum frame, the Zinger is sturdy and durable yet convenient and comfortable! What’s more, it easily folds up for storage in a car seat or trunk– you can even gate-check it at the airport like a stroller. Think about it, you can take your Zinger almost anywhere, so you don’t have to let mobility issues rule your life. It folds in seconds without tools and is safe and reliable.

It holds up to 265 pounds, and it goes up to 6 mph and operates for up to 8 hours on a single charge.

Years of work by innovative engineers have resulted in a mobility device that’s truly unique. They created a battery that provides powerful energy at a fraction of the weight of most batteries. The Zinger features two steering levers, one on either side of the seat.

The user pushes both levers down to go forward, pulls them both up to brake, and pushes one while pulling the other to turn to either side. This enables great mobility, the ability to turn on a dime and to pull right up to tables or desks. The controls are right on the steering lever so it’s simple to operate and its exclusive footrest swings out of the way

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

PAGE 10

Home&Lifestyle

GARDEN•REAL ESTATE•RECIPIES•DECOR•ANTIQUES

Prevent a Multigenerational Home Thermostat War This Winter GIVE EVERYONE THEIR OWN VOICE Everyone gets to “voice” their own temperature preferences. Most HVAC manufacturers offer apps that enable systems to be controlled from anywhere using a mobile device. Now, voice-control capability uses digital assistants, like Amazon Alexa, to verbally dictate home temperatures — “Alexa, set the living room temperature to 70 degrees.”

BY ANDREW ARMSTRONG, VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING, FUJITSU GENERAL AMERICA Multi-generational households are on the rise with a record one-in-five Americans living in homes shared by multiple adult generations, inevitably leading to various domestic conflicts — including home temperature.

Increasing home prices, staggering child care expenses, exorbitant assisted living and nursing home costs, college debt, and longer life expectancies are all fueling this shift.

The “boomerang” and “reverse boomerang” effect are the most common causes of this shared living trend.

While adult children continue to return home, aging “Silent Generation” parents are increasingly moving in with their “Boomer” children with nearly 44 percent (28.4 million) of these households consisting of three or more generations. It’s a widespread change making its impact felt throughout America.

BRIDGING THE THERMOSTAT GAP Mom versus dad, grandmother versus grand-daughter. When it comes to home climate control, the generation and gender gap is real.

Everyone has a different “thermal comfort level” or preferred room temperature based on physical, psychological, and other factors, including clothing and activity level.

Women’s bodies produce less heat than men’s with women preferring a far warmer environment (77 degrees) than men (72 degrees).

As we age, our bodies become sensitive to cold temperatures because of a decrease in the metabolic rate.

GET “SMART” ABOUT HOME TEMPERATURE When it comes to smart home temperature control, there are Smart HVAC Systems and Smart Thermostats. Smart HVAC systems have built-in Internet capability and can be controlled directly without additional equipment.

Multi-generaltional households are on the rise with a record one-in-five Americans living in homes shared by multiple adult generations, inevitably leading to various domestic conflicts — including over home temperature. © LOPOLO, BIGSTOCK.COM.

Smart Home Thermostats create “smart” systems by enabling remote temperature control via a mobile or Internet-connected device or voice-operated home automation system. Several leading manufacturers offer Smart Systems as well as options to control their single and multi-zone Halcyon and Airstage heating and cooling systems, using a third-party smart thermostat.

INCREASE FAMILY PEACE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY Upgrading your system and installing a smart thermostat can significantly reduce your utility expense. The most energy-efficient heating and cooling products on the market, ductless mini-split systems, can save as much as 25 percent on your energy bill.

Further, an efficiently controlled thermostat could save an additional 10 percent a year.

Here’s how ductless mini-split systems work.

Thin copper tubing pumps refrigerant from an outdoor compressor directly into an indoor air-handling unit, where the air is quietly distributed to the interior space. This eliminates the need for basement or attic evaporators and bulky, expensive ductwork.

Mini-splits are easy to install and usually require only a 3- to 4-inch hole through a wall or ceiling to connect the indoor and outdoor units.

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DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

Home & Lifestyle

PAGE 11

The Everlasting Gift Making your funeral arrangements doesn’t have to be one of those.

BY SHARON ERNST Put your final wishes in writing with your local funeral home so you If you have never had the responsican eliminate one of the heavy burdens bility of making funeral arrangements that they will assume when you pass. for a loved one who has passed, you Keep a few things in mind when should consider yourself blessed. talking to the folks at your local funeral On the flip side, if you have had home. Make sure that your services that responsibility, then no one need are guaranteed at current prices, tell you how heavy each of the over 125 protecting you from increases. Make different decisions that must be made sure you have the ability to move the when someone passes can weigh on program to another funeral home in your heart. the instance you were to move, and While sitting in the arrangement check to see if the program can be set room with the funeral director, most as irrevocable, allowing your funds to families are certain about one thing: be protected should you ever have to they would like to make arrangements receive Medicaid. that the deceased would have wanted In addition, some programs can and would have found meaningful. also be used in combination with a Since most families don’t spend Medicaid spend down. Making your five minutes talking about this subarrangements ahead of time is one of ject, many people have no idea what the best gifts you can give your family their loved ones would have wanted. this holiday season.

As we age we begin thinking about Pre-arranging your funeral is an everlasting gift, and, quite honestly, the last kind thing that you can do for your family. © ROB HAINER, BIGSTOCK.COM. You have always done all you could this topic more often, but never seem do to protect them throughout your to find the right time to bring it up life. Pre-arranging your services allows intentional plan in place, you remove the with our family. you to protect them even in your death. burden on your family when you pass. This Make your passing as easy on your family will allow them the opportunity to grieve and AN EASIER WAY. as possible by making a call to your local begin healing, rather than being faced with Many families are surprised to hear that funeral home and asking how to go about difficult funeral details. most funeral homes offer programs designed setting up your final wishes. By doing this, Many funeral homes offer many programs to eliminate the emotional and financial your family will never have to know what a that help to eliminate the financial burden burden placed on our families when we burden you removed from them. placed on families by allowing for manageable pass. By putting your final wishes down in Pre-arranging is an everlasting gift, and, monthly payments ahead of time. writing with your local funeral home, your quite honestly, the last kind thing that you Some of them are even designed to guarfamily won’t have to ask, “I wonder what can do for your family. ISI antee that the rates do not increase from the they would have wanted.” They will know time that we put our plan in place, allowing for exactly what you want without you having the savings of thousands of dollars, depending to find the perfect time to bring up such a Sharon Ernst is a Family Service Counselor at Croxford on how far in advance we plan. difficult subject.

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Happy Holidays from all of us at the

PAGE 12

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

Home & Lifestyle

Christmas Stockings: A Tradition The first Christmas after we were married, we arrived at my in-laws, and, lo, I had a matching stocking with my initials

BY SUZANNE WARING hanging there in the row. It then hit me that these were homemade Christmas stockings my mother-in-law made.

Some years ago I read that creating traditions make for strong When our two sons came along, my healthy families. I realize creating and mother-in-law made certain that their continuing traditions has been my familial stockings hung with the rest of the family responsibility for the last 25 years. the Christmas after their births. By then I With a full-time job and the stress of knew that making decorations, including doing so much extra in a short time, I have stockings, was something that my motherfound that Christmas traditions of baking in-law really enjoyed doing. cookies with the children, putting up a tree As the boys grew older, they liked with age-old ornaments each with its own spending Christmas at home, so the stockstory, and writing cards to everyone I haven’t ings came to our house. Then they grew thought of for a year lessened the pleasure of up, and, one by one, they brought home the holiday. wives. It was then that I grasped that it was Then when it’s all done, I’m glad that I my job to keep up the tradition by making continued to press forward.

Christmas stockings, but I was a woman Well, that is, until last year. The Christmas cut from completely different fabric than stocking tradition, which went back some 60 my mother-in-law. years, came close to finding me throwing up I do have a sewing machine, but sitting my hands and telling my husband that we around sewing on little ornaments simply isn’t should escape to the nearest hideout to wait my idea of pleasure—or relaxation. But making out the holiday. one stocking in a year didn’t seem too overpowSomething becomes a tradition if it is ering. I was game for the project. repeated over and over. When I first met my I asked about my new daughters-in-law’s husband, he took me to his home to visit at middle names, and their initials appeared at Christmas time. From the moment I walked the top of the stockings as of old. Thankfully through the door and saw the Christmas our sons didn’t marry the same year. decorations, I knew that tradition was big The Christmas stockings at our house. Our sons’ families Next grandchildren started arriving. I with this family. have the others. PHOTO BY SUZANNE WARING. was so excited about being a grandmother, Of note were the large red felt Christmas that it didn’t seem too difficult to make two stockings hung in a row. Each stocking had stockings in 2011 and two more in 2013. Then we thought we were numerous little felt ornaments, such as a wagon, angel, or decorated done. The mission was completed.

Christmas tree, sewed on it among sequins and stars. The owner’s iniThe tradition of sewing home-made Christmas stockings had tials were found on the stocking’s green cuff. Yes, they were beautiful. survived during my years of being responsible. Psychologically, I appreciated not having the stress of making Christmas stockings ever again. I also felt a bit of satisfaction at having contributed to a strong healthy family by keeping up a tradition.

Then in 2017, we had a surprise. Not just one, but healthy twin boys.

It took a while to get it into my head that I had two more grandchildren.

By the time euphoria settled into realization, Christmas was upon us.

We’re your full-service moving It was then that I comprehended I wasn’t finished making specialist. From selling your home Christmas stockings. I had two to make in short order. I hadn’t even kept the pattern, green and red felt fabric, stars, or sequins. I had to to personal property. start over, and it was almost too late.

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It wouldn’t matter if they didn’t have matching stockings that first Christmas. But then, it was tradition. What would the older grandchildren think if there were no stockings for the two babies?

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PAGE 13

Inspiration

THOUGHTS•PEOPLE•STORIES•PLACES

‘Tis the Season

BY LAVERNE H. BARDY (SENIOR WIRE) Something nice starts to happen every year just about the time that leaves and temperatures begin to fall, and garden centers switch their sales from strawberries and sweet corn to pumpkins and apples.

For women, it manifests itself in a sudden impulse to bake apple and pumpkin pies, and to begin knitting mittens and afghans. Men hurry outdoors to cover deck furniture, rake leaves, and find themselves actually enjoying it.

The crisp air is filled with the scent of burning leaves and the promise of good things to come. Happy feelings escalate as vacant lots start displaying Christmas trees, and Santa’s knee becomes every youngster’s desired destination. Trips to the mall are frequent, hearts beat faster than usual, and our love for mankind intensifies.

Somewhere in the midst of these joyful feelings and fun-filled activities disquieting facts and disturbing images cast dark shadows over our hearts. They appear as stories in front pages of newspapers — stories that describe the plight of the homeless and include appeals for charitable holiday donations.

They surface in photographs portraying despair in the eyes of children who look older than their years, with vacant expressions in their eyes, and no hope in their hearts; children who know better than to dream of American Girl dolls and electronic video games and pray only for warm coats and shoes with soles.

We read these stories and are deeply moved, so we write checks, and are motivated to pull children’s name tags from huge mall Christmas trees, and buy them gifts.

Doing these charitable deeds during the holiday season mollifies our desire to bring a degree of happiness into the lives of those less blessed than we are. We walk away feeling righteous, believing that we have fulfilled our duty as spiritual, religious, caring, human beings.

There is a tradition in Judaism called tzedakah, which very loosely translated means charity. But, while charity involves decision, tzedakah does not — it is an obligation.

Charity is something we decide to give to the unfortunate to offset their adversities.

Tzedakah goes beyond giving something to tide people over; it attempts to get people to, once again, stand with dignity. Even the indigent, who are sustained by charity are compelled to give tzedakah, so that the act of receiving does not leave them without dignity.

I grew up in a spiritual Jewish family where doing for others was not simply a once-a-year holiday occurrence. There wasn’t a day when my father didn’t remind us to share our good fortune with others. He made it clear that doing for others was not a choice we were free to contemplate. It was something we were required to do as naturally as we were expected to draw our next breath.

I smile today, because I now recognize that we were not even remotely wealthy. My father was a farmer, a “gentleman farmer,” as he humbly referred to himself, who worked hard and died at the age of 46, never to see the fruits of his labor.

Many weeks we went without meat, fish, or chicken because we couldn’t afford it. Instead, we lived on whatever the land produced, Kraft macaroni and cheese, and Campbell’s vegetarian and vegetable soup.

But my father said we were fortunate, and that’s what my brother and I believed.

Growing up it was not unusual to find a tattered vagrant sitting at our breakfast table.

My father, who regularly preached to us about the dangers of hitchhiking, would pick up strangers on the road — people who looked down and out — bring them home, and give them a cot to sleep on in our basement. In the morning mother would prepare them a large, hot, breakfast and a bagged lunch. Then my father would slip a five dollar bill into their hand, which was a great deal of money for us back in the early ‘50s, and drive them to some reasonable destination.

When my brother grew up and moved to Manhattan, he regularly filled large shopping bags with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, apples, oranges and bananas, and walked the streets handing out food to the homeless.

As a teenager I traveled by bus to a neighboring town where I worked summers, without pay, in an orphanage.

In our family, doing for others was not viewed as something special; it was a part of everyday living. In today’s complex, dot-com

In many Jewish homes, you will find a tzedakah box, which is a kind of piggy bank. All end-of-the-day loose change from family members ‘ purses and pockets is placed in this bank. When full, the contents are donated to a synagogue, church or trusted charity. It’s so easy to do and an invaluable example to set for our children. © CE PHOTOGRAPHY, BIG STOCK,.COM

world of two-paycheck families, high-interest credit card payments, endless carpooling, interminable supermarket lines, and time-consuming high-tech communication devices, we barely have time to do for ourselves, much less think about doing for others.

But, there is a simple way to teach our children that we are not solely self-involved.

In many Jewish homes, you will find a tzedakah box, which is a kind of piggy bank. All end-of-the-day loose change from family members’ purses and pockets is placed in this bank. When the bank is full, the contents are donated to a synagogue, a church, or a trusted charity for families or individuals in need of assistance. It’s so easy to do, and an invaluable example to set for our children.

Maintaining the spirit of tzedakah throughout the entire year not only has the power to enrich the lives of impoverished recipients; it enhances and intensifies the quality of each contributor’s life as well. ISI

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PAGE 14

Fluffy Critters PET TIPS•BREEDS•CARE•GROOMING

Living with Moose: Adopting a Tulip-Free Lifestyle But when they went after the blueberry bushes and apple trees, we segued When we bought quickly from amazement to annoyance. We threw our house in Sandpoint, Idaho in 2002, there were stuff at them — anything no moose, and there were that was standing by the back door — snow shova lot of tulips. People who lived outside of town had els, ski poles, the random trowel left over from fall to build fences to protect their gardens, but not us. gardening. Since none of We had bugs and slugs. these items was designed for accurate throwing, we That was it. Moose lived out in the woods where never hit them, and they gave no indication that moose belonged, and we rarely spotted them. they noticed they were under assault.

That changed one We blew a whistle, snowy morning when I was talking on the phone. rang a bell, blew an air A moose passed through horn. They looked at us with mild amusement. my line of vision as I Moose settled in. We gazed out the window into our back yard. It moved saw them around town, Moose at rest in neighbor’s yard. This handsome fellow is taking advantage of the fact that the neighbors are out, and in three feet of snow as if munching on anything their dog is in the house. PHOTO BY CATE HUISMAN. about head height (for the snow wasn’t there. I them, six feet and up). dropped the phone.

That would have been about 2008. It was the first of many visits Sometimes we would awaken to discover, as the light came up, that by that moose and others. Moose are massive and a bit ungainly, and dark mass in the alley was a sleeping moose. Sometimes we would realize we were walking within a few feet of one browsing on branches it was exciting to watch them move around the neighborhood. They near the sidewalk. munched on our weeping willow, which had long drooping branches that had always been a bother, so we appreciated that.

When spring came, and tulip leaves poked up from the thawing ground, we eagerly awaited the annual spread of pink and white blooms in the front yard. It never came. Instead, we could see truncated half-leaves where moose had neatly clipped off the tops along with the buds.

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FLUFFY CRITTERS

PAGE 15

When Winter Hits, All the World’s a Bird Feeder

BY MARY ANN REUTER

chestnut-backed chickadee are also found in the northern coniferous forests.

As winter settles like a Only in the mountains of white blanket in the westthe Northwest do more than ern woodlands, the stage is two species of the blackset for the energetic perbibbed, dark-capped acrobats formances of two of the occur together. season’s favorite winged Except for the snowy white singers and dancers. throat, the white-breasted Inquisitive and acrobatic nuthatch resembles the chickadees and nuthatches, chickadee in plumage, though with their hoarse chicknot in shape or actions. The a-dee-dee-dee and nasal best known of the nuthatches yank-yank-yank calls, is recognized by its black cap bring sleeping forest — and beady black eyes on a and backyard bird feeders white face.

— to life.

The smaller red-breasted The daring, agile nuthatch The red-breasted nuthatch sports a broad, black line through the eye, and its call is high and nasally, resembling a tiny tin horn. If you’re feeling a touch of the winter blues, hang a well-stocked feeder out the window nuthatch sports a broad, creeps headfirst down a tree to watch musical and acrobatic performers sing and dance your spirits. © KAREL GALLAS, BIGSTOCK.COM. black line through the eye, trunk, then stops and looks and its call is a higher and around with its head held at more nasal sound, resembling a tiny tin horn. The pygmy nuta 90-degree angle. It may pause to hang-and-hammer at a crevice hatch is partial to pines, especially yellow pine. with its strong, woodpecker-like bill.

The plain titmouse of the West is an associate of the other birds The chickadee is also a fearless, constantly active, insect-andand is distinguished from chickadees by its white throat, crest, and seed-eater of the mountain forest, sometimes hanging upside down larger size. Unlike other titmice, it has a chick-a-dee-dee call that on a conifer branch to peck out a meal. sounds much more like the call of a chickadee than of a titmouse. Like Chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice often flock together and are its winter companions, the nuthatch and chickadee, you usually hear easily attracted during the winter months to feeding stations with them before you see them. treats of suet and sunflower seeds. Their manic activity and friendly So, if you are feeling a touch of the winter blues, hang a wellnature chase away the gray winter humdrums as the season melts stocked bird feeder out the window for a bit of theater. Then watch into spring. this merry trio of musical and acrobatic performers sing and dance Idaho and Montana are lucky to have four species of chickadees your spirits into a joyous — and long-awaited — spring. ISI and three of nuthatches. The black-capped chickadees and mountain chickadees are the most common, but the boreal chickadee and

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PAGE 16

Money Matters

BUDGET•MEDICARE•TAXES•ESTATE•INVESTMENT•RETIREMENT

Avoid the Naughty List DON’T LET THE HOLIDAYS RUIN YOUR CREDIT (STATE POINT) Looking for the “perfect gifts,” paired with enticing retail discounts and deals, can pressure holiday shoppers to spend more than they can afford. As a result, consumers may max out credit card limits or miss payments, negatively affecting credit scores. In addition, store credit cards may offer instant discounts that are tempting at the register — but that new application could decrease your credit score.

Not having enough money for presents and the strain holiday shopping puts on their finances are big causes of anxiety for many consumers, according to a recent Experian survey. However, many of these same consumers seem to be on the right track: in the survey, respondents listed several smart financial resolutions, including 28 percent who want to improve their credit scores, while almost 50 percent said saving more was a New Year’s resolution.

But understanding how your credit score is calculated is critical.

PAYMENT HISTORY Accounting for roughly a third of your credit score, paying loans on time is crucial; too many late payments can decrease your score.

Consumers may max out credit card limits or miss payments as a result of holiday gift giving. Credit is a tool to be used wisely. © MARIUSZ BLACH, STOCK.ADOBE.COM.

BALANCE You never want your credit card balance to be higher than 30 percent of your credit limit - on a single card and across all of them.

Keep balances low to keep your score high.

CREDIT HISTORY Those who’ve never used credit before will likely have a low score, or no score at all, while credit accounts that have been active for a long time reflect positively on your score, as does a healthy mix of accounts, such as having a mortgage, a few credit cards and auto loans.

STAYING OUT OF HOT WATER Many people believe that financial transactions like rent, utility and telecommunications payments impact credit scores, but in fact, these are not factored in by many scoring companies. However, if you don’t pay bills and they get turned over to a collection agency, this could affect your credit score. Severely delinquent accounts are often reported to the credit bureaus.

“While it’s fun to give to others during the holidays, make sure to give yourself the gift of not getting into debt,” says Rod Griffin, director of Public Education at Experian. “Stick to a shopping budget.

Only use credit cards for an amount you can pay off, and pay the bill in full on time. You’ll lose your cheer quickly after the New Year if you face a mountain of debt.”

A positive credit profile and history of using credit smartly can open up financial opportunities, like getting a car loan or home mortgage.

There are clear benefits to building your credit file, but if you don’t build it responsibly, those gains won’t be felt. To plan for the holidays and 2019, visit experian.com/education for information about credit scores, as well as personal finance tips.

“Credit is a tool to be used wisely,” adds Griffin. “If you check your credit score regularly and make strategic decisions on when and how much credit to use in the short-term, it will benefit you when you absolutely need credit to make a large purchase or for an emergency expense.” ISI

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PAGE 17

Spotlights

HISTORY • FEATURED AREA • NARRATIVES • HUMAN INTEREST • TRENDS

The Secret To A Long Life ROGER DUNSMORE ON POETRY

BY AARON PARRETT Forget eating healthy, exercise, and whatever else the doctors say about how to hang on to your youth. I’m here to reveal the real secret to vitality and how to keep your youthful vigor: Poetry.

Well, in any case, poetry seems to have worked for Roger Dunsmore, 80, of Coeur d’Alene. He looks like he’s in his 60s.

Dunsmore probably eats healthy and exercises every day, too, but what he mainly does — and has done for more than half a century now—is write poetry. His latest book is called On the Chinese Wall: New and Selected Poems (1966-2018), and it will no doubt ascend to its proper place on the shelf of important Western literature in due course.

It also happens to be a wonderful read — which many readers may find surprising for a poetry book.

But there’s much about Roger and his work that is surprising.

For starters, this book is as long as a novel and represents only a portion of the artist’s complete work. Dipping into it is like wandering into the Bob Marshall or the Frank Church Wilderness: once you enter, you stop feeling any sense of urgency, and you enjoy where you are.

This makes sense, because one of its themes is the importance of our relationship with nature and nature’s role in our own mental health and our ability to connect with other people.

That’s surprising also to find in a poetry book: most people would tend to think of poetry as a solitary experience.

This book is more of a spiritual journey than anything else. It’s a man’s quest for connection, passing through the thought and culture of visionaries everywhere — from ancient Asia to the modern Blackfeet Reservation.

The human connection in Dunsmore’s poetry probably stems directly from his many years as a teacher.

He has taught all over the world: as a visiting scholar at Brescia in Owensboro (a school run by Ursuline nuns), a Humanities Scholar in Residence at a high school on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, and an exchange fellow in China.

But the bulk of his teaching took place in Montana, where he taught composition and humanities courses for 30 years in various programs.

Roger Dunsmore of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho just released a compilation of poems, On the Chinese Wall: New and Selected Poemes (1966-2017). DRUMLUMMON INSTITUTE PRESS, 2018.

Dunsmore loved teaching — so much so that after he retired in 2003, he returned to the classroom in 2005 to teach at UM Western in Dillon, where he became enamored of the school’s innovative curriculum.

“I liked the Block System at Dillon so much, and the work ethic and openness of the rural and small-town students, that I stayed there eight years, retiring yet again at 74,” he said.

A good teacher was first a good student, and that probably also helps keep Dunsmore young: he has never stopped being a student of the world around him, and he continually thanks his mentors.

“I have been lucky to have had great teachers myself,” he said, “and have found teaching to be a way to continue to learn.”

Teaching and learning are related as yin and yang in Dunsmore’s world view, because both are intimately connected to what it means to be fully human.

“I could not have done 50 years of teaching if it weren’t for the students pouring their hearts out in their own written work,” he noted.

Part of what makes On the Chinese Wall so enjoyable is getting to meet some other well-known poets through Dunsmore’s eyes.

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We get to know the renowned Butte poet Ed Lahey, whom Dunsmore credits for teaching him about the importance of reading poetry both as performance and as a way of connecting with an audience.

In this collection, we meet Lahey through such poems as “Flicker,” in which Roger documents the quirky connection between the poet and a determined bird: Ed tells of your persistence. / He nailed a piece of tin / over a hole in his roof. / You made another just above it. / Which he nailed over with a piece of tin. / You made another just above it. / Which he nailed over / and over; holes and tin / until you both run out of roof, / no heart to peck or nail the sky.

Though Dunsmore is now in his eighth decade, his book of poems reads at times as if it were written by a young man, exuberant and striving for wisdom, in love with the richness of the world.

Perhaps it isn’t just writing and teaching that has kept Dunsmore vibrant.

“My rule for decades has been to get outdoors as often as possible,” he said, which sounds like a recipe for health right there.

“Teach every class outdoors on the ground whenever it isn’t sleeting!”

And though he admits it a “perhaps cheesy” sentiment, he lives by the belief that “Poetry is good for the soul.”

If you’ve been feeling run down or lethargic lately, instead of messing around with your diet or switching wines, try this: get a copy of On the Chinese Wall, take a walk into the local woods or a nearby park, and read a few poems.

You’ll be glad you did. ISI

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Spotlights

PAGE 18

Capture Your Elder Loved One’s Story

BY JIM MILLER (SAVVY SENIOR) A personal recording of your parents’ life story could be a wonderful holiday gift and something you and your family could cherish the rest of your lives. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED Your first step is to find out if your parents are willing to make a legacy video, which would entail you asking them a number of thoughtful questions about their life in an interview format in front of a video recording device. If they are, all you’ll need is a smartphone or camcorder and a list of questions or prompts to get them talking.

RECORDING EQUIPMENT If you have a smartphone, making a video of your parents’ story is simple and free. However, you may want to invest a “smartphone tripod,” to hold the phone while you conduct the interview, and a “smartphone external microphone,” which would improve the audio quality. You can find these types of products at Amazon.com for under $20.

Most smartphones today have good quality cameras and have the ability to edit/trim out the parts you don’t want. Or you can download a free video-editing app like Magisto or Adobe Premiere Clip that can help you customize your video.

If you want a higher quality video, consider purchasing an HD camcorder. Sony, Panasonic and Canon are the top-rated brands, according to Consumer Reports. These can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars, up to $1,000 or more.

Old photographs of your parents, their family members, and friends are great to have on hand, to jog your parents’ memory and stimulate conversations. © PRESSMASTER, BIGSTOCK.COM.

QUESTIONS AND PROMPTS To help you prepare your list of questions for your parents’ video interview, go to “Have the Talk of a Lifetime” website at TalkofaLifetime.org. This resource, created by the Funeral and Memorial Information Council, offers a free workbook that lists dozens of questions in different categories.

Some of these include: earliest memories and childhood; significant people; proudest accomplishments; and most cherished objects. This will help you put together a wide variety of meaningful, open-ended questions.

Old photos of your parents, their family members, and friends are also great to have on hand to jog your parents’ memory and stimulate conversations.

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INTERVIEW TIPS Arrange an interview time when your parents are rested and relaxed, and choose a quiet, comfortable place where you won’t be interrupted. You may need several sessions to cover everything you want.

When you get started, ask your parents to introduce themselves and ask a warm-up question like, “When and where were you born?” Then ease into your selected questions, but use them as a guide, not a script.

If your parents go off topic, go with it. You can redirect them to your original question later. Think of it as a conversation; there’s no right or wrong thing to talk about, as long as it’s meaningful to you and your parents.

Also, be prepared to ask follow-up questions or diverge from your question list if you’re curious about something. If you’d like to hear more, try “And then what happened?” or “How did that make you feel?” or “What were you thinking in that moment?”

And end your interview with some reflective questions, such as “What legacy would you like to leave?” or “How do you want to be remembered?” ISI Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

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Spotlights

PAGE 19

Dessert on the Ceiling AND OTHER KOOKY CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

BY RANDAL HILL More than 160 countries around the world celebrate Christmas.

Overseas and elsewhere, some holiday traditions may seem wonderfully weird — and maybe even a bit bizarre. For some chuckles, let’s check out the yearly happenings across the globe.

Slovakia: During Christmas Eve dinner, the oldest male resident tosses a spoonful of loksa pudding (a mixture of sweetened poppy seeds, bread, and water) onto the ceiling — the more that sticks, the better his crops or business will do during the next year.

Guatemala: Each neighborhood sweeps dirt into one large pile, then plants an effigy of the Devil on top before setting it on fire.

England: The idea of kissing under the mistletoe began here. Refusing a smooch was said to bring bad luck, and one tradition required that, with each kiss, the participants pluck a berry from the mistletoe bunch.

New Zealand: Summertime Santa often appears in “jandals” (New Zealand sandals) and an All Blacks (their national rugby team) shirt. Kids leave beer and pineapple chunks for Mr. Claus and carrots for his reindeer.

Venezuela: Caracas streets close to all traffic when Christmas Eve arrives. This is a safety measure as many city dwellers roller-skate — nobody seems to know why — to late-night Mass.

Norway: All brooms are hidden in order to keep witches from finding them and riding off into the Christmas Eve night. Men also fire their guns into the evening sky.

Japan: Since, the power of persuasive American advertising has established a newer tradition: enjoying a Christmas Day feast at the nearest Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant.

Greenland: Folks relish holiday treats of mattak (whale skin with a strip of blubber inside) and kiviak, the raw flesh of auks (a type of Arctic bird), which have been buried whole in sealskin for seven months until they have reached a certain level of decomposition. (Seconds, anyone?)

Wales: Some villages in South Wales celebrate Mari Lwyd, a wassailing folk custom in which a local man parades through the streets, his identity hidden under a sackcloth, while bearing a horse’s skull on the end of a stick.

Germany: Each December 5th, German children leave a shoe outside the house. Wellbehaved kiddies awake to find the shoe stuffed © R. TAVANI, BIGSTOCK.COM. with sweets. Those behaving otherwise are likely to find a tree branch instead.

Canada: There’s an actual postal code used in Canada to send letters to the North Pole: HOHOHO. All the letters received, even those in Braille, are answered by thousands of volunteers who donate their time every year.

Czech Republic: Some folks fast on Christmas Eve in the hope that they will visualize a golden pig—a sign of good luck — appearing on a wall before dinner.

South Africa: After residents enjoy a traditional Christmas Day meal, they eagerly tuck into after-dinner treats of plump, fuzzy caterpillars that have been fried in oil.

Makes you wonder how some of our own Christmas traditions might seem strange to others, as well. ISI

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

Cover Story

Honoring Veterans

BY DIANNA TROYER December weather cannot chill the fervor volunteers for Wreaths Across America (WAA) feel in honoring deceased veterans during the holiday season.

Idahoans and Montanans are among more than a million volunteers who will dress veterans’ headstones with wreaths at 1,400 of the nation’s cemeteries on December 15. Each wreath is laid with names of the deceased spoken aloud.

Since 1992, WAA has evolved from a few individuals placing wreaths at headstones of the fallen at Arlington National Cemetery to a national nonprofit organization with an army of volunteers on a mission — to remember the fallen, to honor those who serve and their families, and to teach children the value of freedom.

Last year , the national cemetery Charmain Lindgren places a wreath to honor POW/MIAs during had nearly 245,000 an indoor ceremony in Helena, Mont. PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTANA POW/MIA AWARENESS ASSOCIATION. wreaths on display over the holiday season. This year, volunteers will place an anticipated 5,000 wreaths at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise.

In Helena, Montana’s capital city, 600 are expected for the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison.

Wreaths will be on display for about a month, until volunteers retire them the third Saturday in January.

How do volunteers accomplish their daunting task, and what sparked their passion? Tamara Earp, 46, of Boise, Idaho, and Linda Juvik, 66, of Helena, Mont., organize the annual holiday labors of love in their respective states and share their insights.

Volunteers in Helena, Mont., place wreaths for deceased veterans.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTANA POW/MIA AWARENESS ASSOCIATION.

IDAHO To coincide with the WAA ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at noon, Boise’s program begins at 10 a.m., allowing for the twohour time difference.

“We had about 75 volunteers the first year in 2014 and last year had an amazing 500 to 600 volunteers of all ages,” Earp said. “When I see the t r u c k c o m i n g w i th o u r wreaths, I can’t help but get excited because we’re honoring veterans and their families. I love it and meeting all the families. A lot of non-military families participate, too, so it’s an opportunity to teach children about veterans’ service and sacrifices.”

Her husband, James, 46, is the director at the cemetery. After he retired from Fort Bragg with a 20-year career with the Army, the Earps moved to Boise, where Jim worked as a veteran service officer and eventually was hired to manage the cemetery.

The wreaths are placed in designated areas throughout the grounds, where more than 7,000 veterans are interred.

Headstones occupy one section of the grounds, while elsewhere are a columbarium, scatter garden, and wall, as well as upright and flat memory markers throughout.

“We place wreaths at each section and let volunteers pick which headstones to place a wreath at,” she said. “Seeing the community support for this event is awe-inspiring.”

MONTANA At Montana State Veterans Cemetery, Fort Harrison, 3,169 veterans and 1,101 spouses are interred. The Post Chapel ceremony begins at 10 a.m. with each wreath honoring five veterans.

Thousands of wreaths are placed at headstones at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.

Volunteers say the name of the deceased aloud when placing a wreath.

PHOTO COURTESY TAMARA EARP.

DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

Cover Story

PAGE 21

Over the Holidays “The community has been so supportive sponsoring wreaths and volunteering the day of the ceremony,” said Juvik, a member of the Montana POW/MIA Awareness Association. “We put the wreaths at the cemetery’s center circle on wooden stands, each holding 20 wreaths.”

Along with the association and the Helena community, other participants include members of the local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and The American Legion and its Auxiliary.

Juvik’s husband, Dick, 69, is a Vietnam War veteran and president of the association. He built the original 16 wreath stands for the memorial.

A Boy Scout who helped with the ceremony in 2016 was so impressed that he built 10 more stands for his Eagle Scout community service project, to use in 2017.

Dick built an additional four stands this year, hoping to secure sponsorships for 600 wreaths.

The program has grown steadily every year with wreath donations and volunteers of all ages.

The first year, volunteers placed 146 wreaths. In 2016, they placed 227. Last year, that number doubled, with 452 wreaths on display at the memorial.

The event begins with a ceremony in the Post Chapel, where wreaths are presented for each branch of the military as well as one for POW/MIAs. Gold Star Families will also be honored with their own special wreath.

“Boy Scouts place a white carnation in the wreath, one for each of the 43 Montanans killed in action in the Middle East after September 11, 2001, and the name is spoken,” Juvik said.

After the ceremony, participants place the wreaths in the Chapel’s adjoining cemetery.

Money raised for this event goes to honor Montana veterans at their funerals. For every sponsored wreath, WAA gives $5 to the Montana POW/MIA Awareness Association.

“We use that money to give a remembrance coin and packet of forget-me-not seeds to the family of each deceased veteran [for] whose funeral we stand [in] a flag line,” Juvik said. “We invite people to come honor veterans with us.”

AWESTRUCK IN ARLINGTON: WAA ORIGINS WA A t r a c es i ts origins to the boyhood of Morrill Worc ester, when he stood in the national cemetery as a 12-year-old. After winning a contest delivering newspapers, he accepted the prize of touring Washington D.C. Awestruck in Arlington, he vowed to do what he could one day to honor the veterans there.

After starting a wreath company in Maine, he had leftDiane Carlson Evans participates in a ceremony at the Post Chapel before going to the cemetery in Helena, Mont. PHOTO overs one year and COURTESY OF MONTANA POW/MIA AWARENESS ASSOCIATION. drove with them and volunteers to the cemetery.

They dressed the headstones, launching his nonprofit.

Fundraising is a year-round effort. Individuals can order wreaths online for $15 apiece (www.waa.org). Donors may designate a fundraising group and cemetery where their wreaths will be on display. ISI For more information, contact Tamara Earp at 208.995.1640 orLinda Juvik at 406.442.0493.

Families, local organizations, community members, and Boy Scouts honor deceased veterans during the holidays.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTANA POW/MIA AWARENESS ASSOCIATION.

Wreath image © BILLIONPHOTOS.COM, BIGSTOCK.COM

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

PAGE 22

Nutrition

FOOD•HOLISTIC•WELLNESS•LONGEVITY•PREVENTION

Eat Well and Be Holiday Healthy

BY WENDELL FOWLER (SENIOR WIRE) The holiday season vibe stimulates us to consume scrumptious mouthfuls of memory-laced traditional foods that evoke happy, innocent, less complicated times. Like the intoxicating aroma of roasting meats, bubbling pumpkin pies, moist cakes and iced cookies that transport us back to the warm embrace of grandma’s cozy kitchen.

The sugar-drenched, stressful, sleep-deprived, sedentary, “eat and drink everything till you drop in the name of celebration season” has always been devoted to eating as much as humanly possible. It begins with Halloween candy corn, segues into Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Christmas, and ends in New Year’s Day remorse and repentance. Not to mention the 5-10 extra

The acidic nature of holiday foods and liquids can tenderize our heart muscle, making it weak or sluggish and setting the stage for a heart attack. If you want to live longer and avoid preventable sickness and diseases, make mindful holiday food choices. Eat more alkalizing and anti-inflammatory foods. © MARILYNA, BIGSTOCK.COM.

fat-pants pounds accrued from slapping on the old feed bag of tradition.

The invoice for holiday soirées will come due as we weaken our aging immune system.

Death rates from heart attacks and stroke, as well as non-heart-related causes, spike during the holiday season. Researches have coined this phenomenon, “Merry Christmas Coronary and Happy New Year’s Heart Attack.”

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Fiber prevents bloating and keeps things flowing. Sprinkle nutritious chia, hemp seed hearts, or ground flax seed on each meal.

During this festive period, it’s relevant to keep body chemistry alkaline as the immune system and energy levels take a drubbing. The morning after indulgent holiday get-togethers, hung over or not, start the day with an 8-ounce, rehydrating glass of warm water mixed with the juice of one fresh lemon, not bottled. This will boost the struggling immune system, balance pH, and aid digestion. Lemons increase the rate of urination and purify the body as toxins are released at a faster rate, thus keeping the urinary tract clean and healthy.

Steep tea made with alkalizing, anti-inflammatory Bragg’s brand apple cider vinegar and turmeric. (Recipe included.) Sweeten with stevia or raw local honey. However, avoid grocery honey.

You are uniquely special to friends and family who love and need you, so if you want to live longer and avoid preventable sickness and diseases, choose your holiday season foods with dietary mindfulness, which can be difficult for those who have eaten a certain way all their lives and dislike change. Food keeps us vibrantly alive, and our choices control the quality of our aliveness.

Foods that promote inflammation are sugar, conventional meats, pasteurized dairy, cream sauces, booze, excessive coffee, petite creamers, refined carbohydrates, corn, soybean, seed oils and trans fats/hydrogenated oils. Choose more alkalizing anti-inflammatory foods: << Beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds << Any dark leafy greens, root veggies, gourds, brussels sprouts, sprouts, and fresh (not canned) asparagus (sans Hollandaise) << Garlic, leeks, chives onions, scallions, and shallots << Mangoes, pears, grapefruit, pineapple, tangerines, and fresh (not canned) cranberries. << Apple cider vinegar “with the Mother“ homemade salad dressing << Cacao hot chocolate << Apple cider “with the Mother” turmeric tea << Fresh lemon juice and tepid water first thing in the morning << Nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom << Brown rice and almond stuffing << Roasted sweet potatoes or pumpkin without added sweeteners << Pumpkin pie without acid-creating Cool-Whip ANTI-INFLAMMATORY TEA FOR TWO << 2 cups tepid water << 1 tbsp. organic ginger powder from health food store, not grocery << 1 tsp. powdered turmeric from health food store << 1/8 tsp. cayenne << ¼ cup Bragg’s cider vinegar with Mother << 1 tbs. raw local honey or maple syrup (stevia is okay) << 2 large coffee mugs

DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT 1. Bring enough water for two tea mugs to a boil. Shut off heat. Add turmeric, ginger and cayenne. Let set for 10 minutes.

2. Add 3 tablespoons of Bragg’s apple cider vinegar with Mother to each cup. Keep the Braggs at room temperature. It’s alive.

3. Strain tea into each mug; add raw honey (alkalizing), stir to combine.

4. Drink warm and stir frequently because turmeric gravitates to the bottom.

Nutrition

CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES << 8 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (about 1 head) << 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled << ¼ cup nut milk (almond, hemp, coconut, cashew, rice) << 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil << ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt << black pepper

PAGE 23

1. Place cauliflower and garlic in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until very tender.

2. Place cooked cauliflower and garlic in a food processor. Add olive oil, salt and pepper; pulse then process until smooth and creamy.

3. Transfer to serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garnish with green onion. ISI

Eliminating the “Complaint Department”

BY CARRIE LUGER SLAYBACK (SENIOR WIRE) “Do you see ‘Complaint Department’ written across my forehead in flashing neon?” I asked my husband as I hung up from my niece’s call. She was in pain as usual, bloated, cramping and working in a very small space. “Co-workers can hear every bathroom noise!” she wailed.

Paul and I agreed she was a hypochondriac but still, from 2000 miles across country, I tried very hard to figure out where she could find a private bathroom. Then my niece’s health complaints stopped. She eliminated gluten.

Whoops, our hypochondriac cured herself.

Her turnaround made me confront my own judgmental nature and read about gluten. I found that there are two medical conditions associated with gluten intolerance.

First, celiac disease is an established diagnosis with identifiable genetic markers.

According to the Mayo Clinic, celiac decease is an immune reaction to eating foods containing wheat, barley, and rye gluten.

Gluten triggers an immune response in the small intestine, which produces inflammation with potential to damage the lining of the small intestine, preventing absorption of some nutrients.

WebMD names the nutrients as fat, calcium, iron, and folate. In a separate article, WebMD says that, left untreated, complications such as iron deficiency, osteoporosis, and lymphomas of the small intestine can occur.

Testing for nutritional deficiencies through blood tests, stool samples, or endoscopy can diagnose celiac disease.

The second group of people reporting reactions to eating gluten have lately been labeled as “gluten sensitive.”

Since it is important to separate those with celiac disease from those with gluten sensitivity, Dr. Guandalini warns against starting a gluten-free diet without being tested for celiac disease. Going gluten-free can eradicate the antibodies found in the tests,

thus delaying diagnosis of celiac disease and treatment of its dangerous complications.

Kenneth Chang’s 2013 New York Times article, says gluten sensitivity is “less a diagnosis than a description — someone who does not have celiac disease but whose health improves on a gluten free diet, worsening again if gluten is eaten.”

Estimated to affect 1 percent of the population, a 1.5 billion-dollar industry fills grocery shelves with products labeled “gluten-free.” © SOSIUKIN, BIGSTOCK.COM Besides cautioning people against self-diagnosis, health professionals agree that going gluten free is not a healthier option for 99 percent of the population who can digest gluten. Writing for the ScientificAmerican.com, Rachel Rettner quotes Katherine Tallmadge a dietitian, who says, “whole grains which contain gluten are a good sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.” Gluten-free packaged products often have less fiber and few nutrients.

And, repeating my mantra of past articles, Rettner says skipping the packaged foods but eating fruits, vegetables, and small amounts of lean protein equals a healthy gluten-free diet.

I shared my research with my niece. She’s ignoring it. First, her insurance does not cover gluten testing, and, second, she feels so much better. She will never return to wheat.

In the meantime, I send her garbanzo-flour raspberry muffins, which Always accepting new Medicaid and Medicare Patients everybody likes. ISI

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

PAGE 24

Fitness

STRENGTH•EXERCISE•MOVEMENT•FLEXIBILITY•MOBILITY

Move Slowly and More Mindfully PILATES EXERCISE PROGRAMS HELP PEOPLE OF ALL AGES Utah, as well as neuromuscular re-education

BY CARRIE SCOZARRO for a Salt Lake City physical therapist.

Pilates instructor People with wrist Perrey Sobba figures at issues, for example, such least half the members of as those caused by carpal her Kalispell, MT-based tunnel or arthritis, would Space Pilates are over 50, need to modify the plank including Mike Fanning, to limit bearing weight who at age 82 does an on affected areas, said impressive “plank.”

Dodge. Modifications Looking like the for knee replacements upward part of a pushup, might include using a the plank position is one stretchy band to limit of many exercises utirange-of-motion. lized in Pilates and other “In the Pilates world low-impact exercise it’s called movement disprograms gaining favor association and is a skill with audiences of all one must work on,” said ages, especially seniors.

Dodge. “It does not nec“One of the reasons Mike Fanning, 82, does a plank at Space Pilates in Kalispell, Mont. PHOTO COURTESY SPACE PILATES. essarily come naturally.”

I love the practice so Another significant much is that it is wonbenefit of Pilates (or any form of exercise Pilates, according to the Mayo Clinic, was derful for everyone,” said Sobba, “from that increases awareness of the body), said invented in the 1920s consisting of “low-imyoung athletes to pregnant women and Caswell, is that it allows seniors to particpact flexibility and muscular strength and those recovering from injury.” Pilates can ipate more fully in their favorite activities, endurance movements. Pilates emphasizes help on many levels, she adds, ranging from eventually becoming ingrained into everyproper postural alignment, core strength, and an improved golf game to reduced pain. day movement. muscle balance.”

“For the older generation, it helps with And, she added, Pilates classes get you Similar to yoga, Pilates movements have maintaining deep core strength (especially connecting with like-minded individuals, not names — Leg Circle, RollUp, CrissCross — pelvic floor), building muscle tone through just of your age, but all ages. most of which are self-explanatory, yet resistance training without the full body Group classes can be a wonderful way for just moving your body parts isn’t enough impact on the joints, creating length and flexpeople to get exercise, yet the sheer volume of and might even be harmful, especially to ibility in the spine and body, and keeping bone people in a class might mean seniors don’t get people with injuries or who are advanced density (especially important for women and the individual attention they need, cautioned in age. those dealing with osteoporosis),” said Sobba, Dodge-Hutchins.

Instead, people need to practice mindful a lifelong athlete originally from Whitefish, Do your homework, advised the instrucmovement, said Melissa “Missy” DodgeMont., who discovered Pilates as an internators we profiled, and be sure to inform him or Hutchins, a Master Pilates and 500-level yoga tional figure skater. her of specific injuries, limitations, concerns, teacher based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where Special considerations for seniors etc., especially in a small-class setting or — she owns Metta Movement. include orthopedic problems — hip or better yet — one-on-one.

“Mindful movement is being aware of knee replacements, spinal and shoulder “It’s a good idea to find a trained prowhere you are in space, where you initiate your issues — as well as loss of balance, flexifessional who can assist in moving in an movement from, how that initiation causes bility, and strength, said Susan Chapman intelligent and mindful way in order to stay patterns in your musculoskeletal system to Caswell, who runs Sandpoint, Idaho-based healthy, rehab from an injury, and/or increase manifest, and how to decrease pain and increase Xhale Pilates Studio with business partner, performance,” said Dodge. ISI performance,” said Dodge, whose background Corrina Barrett. includes teaching Pilates at the University of

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Fitness

PAGE 25

If You Can’t Do These Movements, You’re In Trouble

BY WINA STURGEON, ADVENTURE SPORTS WEEKLY (TNS) As humans grow older, their lives usually get less physical.

Those 55 and older do a lot more sitting. They are much less active.

The problem with this is that important ranges of motion can be lost, the joints and muscles atrophied by lack of use.

Bodies become stiff. The stiffness makes it harder, even more painful, to do the same simple movements that were done without even thinking about years ago.

This is much more serious than merely being out of shape. Someone once said, “Age reels you in.” This is an apt description of what happens over the years if you allow it to happen.

Do you wonder if your own ability to move is older than you are?

Three simple movements will answer that question for you.

The first is, as mentioned, a simple move. It consists of sitting down on the floor. Don’t lean against anything. Don’t have anyone lower you down. Just get into a sitting position on the floor without any help. Once seated, draw your legs up or stretch them out straight in front of you, whichever is most comfortable. Keep your back straight.

The second movement is just as simple; it’s even easier, actually.

Stand up. Simply stand up, without anyone grabbing your hand to pull you up, or using any object other than the floor to get upright again. It’s something you do many times a day from a chair, couch, or other seat.

The third part of this test is also a simple move: while sitting in a chair, or on a couch, put your head on or between your knees. It’s the classic position for someone who is feeling faint or dizzy and has nowhere to stretch out and lay down.

Can you do all three? If not, that shows that you have lost a lot of your flexibility and range of motion. In fact, you were probably surprised to learn that you can no longer get your body to do these movements. They were always easy when you were younger. However, with a little practice, you will be able to do the ‘Three position challenge.’

The range of motion you will regain more than makes up for the efforts you will have to make to accomplish this task. No one would ever

choose to be ‘fragile’ in their 70’s or 80’s, and these exercises will help you avoid that fate.

Here are the reasons why it’s important to be able to do these three movements: The sit-downon-the-floor move uses nearly every muscle and joint in your lower body and several muscles in your torso. The stand-up-again move not only tests but improves your agility and coordination. If you are unable to put your head on or between your knees, that shows that your lack of activity has caused your spine to contract. The shrinking of the spine is one of the major reasons we get shorter as we age.

© TIMES NEWS SERVICE.

TIPS TO HELP YOU DO THESE THREE MOVEMENTS For sitting down, go to a kneeling position, turn onto one hip and one elbow, turn your knees up and push yourself into a sitting position with your back straight and your legs in a comfortable position. For standing up, lean sideways onto one hip and one elbow, draw your legs into a kneeling position again, and stand up. Some folks who haven’t made moves of this sort in many years may get leg cramps while practicing. The mineral supplement potassium gluconate can help stop leg cramps.

When doing the spinal stretch of bending your head to your knees, be very gentle, and stop at the slightest sign of pressure or pain in your backbone. Easy does it with this movement. ISI Wina Sturgeon is an active 55+ based in Salt Lake City, who offers news on the science of anti-aging and staying youthful at adventuresportsweekly.com. She skates, bikes and lifts weights to stay in shape.

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

PAGE 26

Health Care

MEDICINE•PREVENTION•DIAGNOSIS•TREATMENT

A Laxative, Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly, and Lemon Juice BACK TO THE BEAUTY BASICS

BY KAREN WHITE-WALKER (SENIOR WIRE) Don’t you just marvel at people (we mustn’t ever call them exaggerators or liars) who claim that getting more wrinkled and saggier is all part of the natural aging process, and we should be mighty grateful for having made it this far in life?

I bet the plastic surgery industry reels when they hear rubbish like that. After all, we live in such a youth-oriented society, and how dare 25-year-olds look younger and fresher than 55 year olds? And who’s going to tell God that His plan is all a little lopsided? Not I! Tell me I’m not prejudiced against my own gender, but when I think of vanity, I envision mainly women sneaking off for tummy tucks, breast implants, liposuction, facelifts, and whatever else is out there that guarantees skin so tight and taunt, it has all the trademarks of a trampoline.

Heaven help any poor mosquito that might light on that skin’s surface — it will be propelled clear into outer space!

Funny, but years ago when I was a young girl, the only beauty treatment was taking a good laxative to clean out the impurities in your system, and then your healthy, pretty glow came back into your now pinkish cheeks.

Vaseline pure petroleum jelly was applied to our eyelashes for that dewy-eyed look, and lemon juice was used for our final hair rinse.

I tell ya, for a few pennies, girls back then looked like a million bucks!

My sources tell me (no, I don’t have connections with the CIA, FBI, or KGB) that more

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and more older men are going in for facelifts, chin implants, male breast reduction, and hair implants. For those poor balding, misguided guys who can’t afford hair implants or even cheap toupees, they just take their longest hair strands and drape them over their barest spots. Poor darlings.

Don’t they realize they’re calling more attention to their loss? Actually there are a lot of women who think balding or completely bald men are terribly sexy, and instead of those men being humble and displaying a little couth, they puff up their chests and boastfully announce, “You bet your sagging boobies, ladies, I’m bald, and ya wanna know why? From performing somersaults in bed!”

Tell me I’m not dense, but what exactly does THAT mean? I have an idea because writers are blessed (or is it cursed?) with vivid imaginations, so if you’re cursed (or is it blessed?), don’t expect me to explain.

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this puss of mine, and I’m not hiding them from the world. ” But just go snooping into their medicine cabinet and there they all are — Clairol, Just For Men, anti-wrinkle cream, and firming foam.

Try peeking into my bathroom and you’ll find, hiding behind Preparation H that I use for puffy eyes, a little harmless looking applicator that’s a roll-on lip enhancer.

When applied, it makes your mouth feel like it has just been attacked by a swarm of bees. So what if the sting smarts so much that it makes your eyes and nose run, at least the pay-off is fuller, more sensuous looking lips — like I should really care at my age — but I do.

And girls, you know what happens if we should have one of those “bad hair days,” there isn’t a talented enough hairdresser alive today who could ever make it right. Right?

Oh, I’ll tell you that inner beauty is far more important, and it really is, but like almost everybody, I’ll say one thing and sometimes mean another. I never thought at this age I would become a lousy hypocrite.

I thought that as we aged we would become more genuine, and the heck with all that surface stuff. It’s not the aging process that’s forcing me to be real; it’s our fluctuating economy that is making me face tough choices and getting life’s priorities straight — expensive make-up or meat for the week? Hair coloring with highlights or gas for the car? Electrolysis for my mustache and chin hairs, or a quick shave with my late husband’s razor?

He used to say what every aging woman longs to hear. “You’ll always be beautiful in my eyes, ‘kid.’”

Of course, when he said that the poor dear had cataracts in both eyes, but they couldn’t have come at a better time, because my looks were fading faster than those around me.

Meanwhile, it’s back to the basics — a laxative, Vaseline petroleum jelly, and lemon juice. For those out there who can see clearly, they’ll think I’m a natural beauty! ISI

DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

Health Care

PAGE 27

Breathing Easy SENIORS REGAIN MOBILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE WITH POC Small, lightweight portable oxygen concentrators the size of a hardcover novel are increasingly replacing large, bulky oxygen tanks.

For the over 2.5 million people who require supplemental oxygen, being tethered to a large, heavy oxygen tank can be life altering.

Seniors, in particular, can become increasingly homebound due to the extra effort, planning, and even physical strength required to leave the home with a tank. When this happens, they lose more than their mobility, but also their quality of life.

For seniors, any loss in mobility can lead to increasing disconnection from friends and family. Feelings of isolation and separation can emerge. Although the physical need for supplemental oxygen is being met, their social life suffers and can even impact their overall outlook on life. It can be a dwindling spiral.

This is an important issue for seniors in particular because the risk of respiratory diseases increases with age. Take Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), for example. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the highest rates of COPD, a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs, are found in men and women over the age of 55.

Seniors on oxygen therapy require a supplemental supply of concentrated oxygen. For decades, the standard has been to prescribe large, refillable compressed gas oxygen tanks.

However, these metal tanks can weigh up to 18 pounds. They also require regular refilling, so users must ensure they have enough tanks on hand, schedule pick-ups of replacements, and carefully plan how far they travel.

Even simple activities like taking a dog for a walk or visiting nearby friends require extra effort with an oxygen tank. Traveling on a plane with an oxygen tank is not permitted by the FAA either, which can be a significant barrier to staying connected with family and friends.

According to Sharon Hehn, who has a mild case of COPD and lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, the oxygen tanks provided through Social Security impacted her mobility significantly.

“I mentally boxed myself into my home, and the walls felt like they were beginning to close in on me,” said Hehn.

Fortunately, there are alternatives to large, traditional compressed gas oxygen tanks.

Pre-Hospice, Palliative Care

Some oxygen tanks contain liquid oxygen, which allows for a smaller, lighter tank. Liquid oxygen is also delivered at a concentration of 100 percent. In addition, liquid oxygen can be delivered at a higher rate of flow for a longer period of time than a gas system. However, liquid oxygen tanks are much more expensive.

Another alternative are oxygen concentrators that separate the oxygen out of the air and store it, eliminating the need for POCs are smaller-sized conentrators designed for greater mobility. refills. Portable Oxygen Concentrators, or POCs, are smaller sized concentrators designed for therapy solutions online where she learned greater mobility. The POC converts air into about POCs. Having compared options, she concentrated oxygen by removing nitrogen selected and received a prescription from her using a special filter. doctor for the One G4. Her husband ordered it As compared to the traditional compressed for her and surprised her with it as an “early gas oxygen tanks, POCs are much smaller Christmas gift” with the promise of bringing and lighter and operate more quietly. Units life back to normal again. available on the market today, such as the After seven months using a traditional Inogen One G4, weigh less than three pounds oxygen tank, the switch to a POC had a noticeand can be worn over the shoulder as a hip able impact on Hehn’s quality of life. bag or as a backpack.

She refers to her POC as having “grab Founded in 2001, Inogen was founded by it and go” portability. She has returned to Alison Bauerlein, Brenton Taylor and Byron walking her dog every day and enjoys visits to Myers to improve the life of Mae, Alison’s a local farm each weekend with her husband. grandmother, and the millions of individuals The POC unit has restored a sense of normalcy like her using supplemental oxygen therapy. by allowing her to get back to many activities The concept was conceived as a project at she enjoys. the University of California at Santa Barbara Unlike tanks, which are not allowed on (UCSB) by the three while attending business planes, POCs can be used as long as the model school together. is FAA and TSA approved and can fit under POCs require AC or DC power to operate. a seat or in an overhead compartment. For The rechargeable batteries typically last for Sharon, who is retired from over 34 years several hours. Double battery units are availin the airline industry, this means she can able, as are portable DC chargers for cars. more regularly visit her son’s family and four Although some POCs provide a continuous grandchildren who live in another state. supply of oxygen, the One G4 uses a pulse dose With enhanced mobility, a senior on delivery method. With this approach, a small oxygen therapy can have a more positive burst of oxygen is delivered every time the mental attitude. For Hehn, this has been user inhales, matching the breathing pattern. the biggest advantage of using her Inogen The benefit is less oxygen is wasted.

POC since she cut what she describes as “an According to Hehn, she has been on oxyumbilical cord” with her oxygen tank. As gen therapy for 14 months since her doctor she puts it, “I can do anything I want to do first prescribed the treatment to address now. My wings are back.” ISI her COPD, which resulted from long-term sleep apnea.

Dissatisfied with the compromises to her mobility and quality of life that resulted from using oxygen tanks, Sharon researched oxygen

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

Health Care

Alzheimer’s Warnings Often Show During Holidays

Photo courtesy Montana Alzheimer’s Association.

It isn’t surprising that the time when family members are most likely to recognize the first signs of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in a loved one comes during the holiday season. Family members and friends who have not seen one another for months, or even a year, gather, and the signs of memory loss or behavioral change become obvious.

The Alzheimer’s Association’s free and confidential 24/7 Helpline (800-272-3900) sees its highest volume of calls at the end of the year. Changes in memory or behavior that seem gradual to those in daily contact can appear as abrupt declines in cognition to out-of-town visitors.

The Alzheimer’s Association has developed a helpful checklist of 10 Warning Signs to aid in the early detection of Alzheimer’s (and other types of dementia).

Why is early detection important? Without it, the ones we love may wait too long to make necessary lifestyle changes that are important to ensure that all medical care options are explored, ranging from medications to research. Other considerations include personal safety, quality of care, and making necessary financial and estate planning adjustments.

Here is a brief overview of the 10 Warning Signs.

Memory loss that disrupts daily life. A typical age-related memory change is occasionally forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later. A common sign of Alzheimer’s disease, especially in the early stages, is forgetting recently learned information. The increasing need to rely on memory aids (reminder notes, electronic devices) or family members for things that one previously handled on their own is a sign.

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to follow a plan or work with numbers, or has difficulty concentrating and completing a task, that may be a concern.

Difficulty completing familiar tasks.

People with Alzheimer’s often find it hard to complete daily tasks. They may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget, or remembering the rules of a familiar game.

Confusion with time or place. Losing track of dates, seasons, and the passage of time is another indication. Sometimes people with Alzheimer’s can forget where they are or how they got there.

Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. For some individuals, vision problems can be a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance, or determining color or contrast, which may cause problems with driving.

New problems with words in speaking or writing. People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble following or joining a conversation.

They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name (such as, calling a “watch” a “hand clock”).

Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.

Putting things in unusual places and being unable to find them.

Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing — with more frequency over time.

Decreased or poor judgment. People with Alzheimer’s may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They may also pay less attention to grooming and personal cleanliness.

Withdrawal from work or social activities. Some individuals may avoid being social because of changes they’re experiencing, removing themselves from work projects, hobbies, and sports.

Changes in mood and personality. Increased incidences of confusion, suspicion, depression, fear, or anxiety can be a sign. Individuals can become more easily upset at home, work, with friends, or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.

If you or someone you care about is experiencing any of the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, please contact the Alzheimer’s Association of Idaho 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900 for more information. The Helpline is staffed by trained professionals and offered at no charge. ISI The Alzheimer’s Association offers education, counseling, support groups, and a 24-hour Helpline at no charge to families. In addition, contributions help fund advancements in research to prevent, treat, and eventually conquer this disease. The Alzheimer’s Association advocates for those living with Alzheimer’s and their families on related legislative issues, and with health and long-term care providers. For information call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900, or visit www.alz.org.

CLEAN SHAVE. BALL? NOT SO MUCH. Submitted by Julie Fink/Brantley An old cowboy walks into a barbershop in Red Lodge, Mont., for a shave and a haircut. He tells the barber he can’t get all his whiskers off, because his cheeks are wrinkled from old age.

The barber gets a little wooden ball from a cup on the shelf and tells the old cowboy to put it inside his cheek to spread out the skin. When he’s finished, the old cowboy tells the barber that was the cleanest shave he’d had in years, but he wanted to know what would have happened if he had Dale & Nancy Coffelt accidentally swallowed Dale & Erika McCall the little ball.

• Funeral Chapel • Pinecrest Memorial Park The barber replied, • Crematory • Lakeview Cemetery “Just bring it back in • Pre-arranged Plans • Services a couple of days like (208) 263-3133 | coffeltfs@frontier.com everyone else does.” ISI PO Box 949 • 109 North Division Street • Sandpoint

DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

PAGE 29

Caregiving

SUPPORT•INSIGHT•COMFORT•SERVICE•ENCOURAGEMENT

When Your Child is 59 Going on 70 COUPLE TALKS JOYS OF RAISING SON WITH DOWN SYNDROME, CHALLENGES OF EARLY AGING

Tom and Rosemary Ryan have a son, Kevin, who has Down syndrome. They talk candidly about dealing with his age-related issues. © GARY MIDDENDORF, DAILY SOUTHTOWN/TNS.

BY DONNA VICKROY, DAILY SOUTHTOWN

Rosemary said, “if you are committed to wanting the best for them.”

Now in their 80s, the Ryans, who live at Smith Crossing retirement community, are simultaneously discussing end-of-life care for themselves and for their son.

our first baby, but it was meant to be,” Rosemary said.

The “new” thinking at the time was that the couple should take their newborn home, she said.

And that’s where the advice ended.

Rosemary could find only one very dated guidebook at the library that she said was so negative, “I couldn’t get past page three.”

So she relied on her instincts and on training she’d received en route to becoming a pediatric nurse to get through the early years, she said.

“And we just kind of forged ahead,” she said.

The Ryans went on to have three more children, with their second son quickly passing his older brother developmentally. Rosemary gave up her nursing career to stay home and care for the children.

Testing had revealed that Kevin was on the border of EMH (educable mentally handicapped) and TMH (trainable mentally handicapped), she said.

Those terms have fallen from the lexicon, CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

(TNS) Tom and Rosemary Ryan’s story parallels the story of Down syndrome these past 59 years.

Not only has the couple lived the joy, chalSoutheastern Idaho lenge, and learning curve that accompanies Community Action Agency INTO THE LIGHT raising a child with special needs, they’ve When Kevin Ryan was born Aug. 4, 1959, dedicated their lives to pioneering change in Helping People. Changing Lives.

Tom and Rosemary felt the way many parents governmental support, educational opportuof newborns with special needs felt back then nities, and societal views.

Affordable Independent Living* — alone. The support and advice that today “A lot has changed over the years,” Rosemary SEICAA is accepting applications for are showered upon parents of babies born said. “We’ve come a long, long way.”

St. Anthony Place Apartments** with Down syndrome was nonexistent then, Like many parents of special needs chil• Newer flooring, appliances & paint Rosemary said. dren, love thrust them into the world of • We pay your utilities Three pediatricians examined Kevin and advocacy. When there was no preschool for • On-site laundry agreed he had the condition characterized by their son, Rosemary started one. When the • Pets welcome with deposit • Located on bus route an extra chromosome. concept of housing adults with Down syn“They called it ‘Mongolism’ back then,” drome in group homes instead of institutions For Applications or Information call us at: she said. was proposed, they jumped on board — land208-232-1114 or visit us directly at: 641 N 8th Ave • Pocatello In those days, there were no prenatal tests to ing smack in the center of a national debate *Rent is based on 30% of your adjusted gross income. predict it, nor any way to prepare for it, she said. and garnering the attention of ABC-TV’s **Age 62 and Over.

“We didn’t expect an anomaly with “Nightline” with Ted Koppel.

And, now, as their oldest son endures perhaps the cruelest of characteristics often associated with his condition — accelerated aging Regency Pullman A Retirement and — the Ryans are Assisted Living Community again at the forefront A R E G E N C Y PA C I F I C C O M M U N I T Y of the discussion.

Bringing independence to living and quality of life Kevin Ryan is 59, • Spiritual activities • Independent & but a checkup last & programs Assisted Living spring revealed “he’s • Daily physical fitness • Respite program more like going on 70,” • Scheduled senior • Prompt referral group trips Rosemary said. “He’s placement program • Weekly house keeping • Three meals served daily gonna pass us up.”

• Trained staff on-site • Creative social learning Raising a • 16 Bed Secured child with Down Memory Care Spring Creek American Falls 226.1856 | Edgewood Soda Springs 547.2057 syndrome is “per1285 SW Center St. • Pullman • (509) 332-2629 Assisted Living | edgewoodseniorliving.com petual parenthood,” For more information and photos, visit us at www.whitmanslc.com

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PAGE 30

Caregiving

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

Tom Ryan holds up a photo collage of his son Kevin, who has Down syndrome. © GARY MIDDENDORF, DAILY SOUTHTOWN/TNS.

WHEN YOUR CHILD IS 59 / CONT’D FROM PAGE 29

along with “Mongolism,” but what Kevin’s score meant, Rosemary said, was that he’d struggle in an academic program, but likely excel in a training setting. They chose the latter.

“Back in 1962,” she said, “public schools had EMH but no TMH.” The Ryans were living in Jacksonville, Ill., then and Rosemary and another mom decided to start a school in a nearby church.

They set up an advisory board with a host of professionals and townspeople, and hired two teachers.

Kevin attended for a year and a half, until Tom, who had given up teaching high school to work at State Farm Insurance, was transferred to the south suburbs.

CHANGING LAWS, CHANGING ATTITUDES While Rosemary had been organizing a school in central Illinois, other parents were doing the same in Chicago Heights.

In 1965, after the Ryans moved to Park Forest, Kevin began at privately run Happy Day School.

Ten years later, Public Law 94-142 mandated public school be available to all kids ages 3 to 21 (later extended to age 22), and Kevin transferred to SPEED Development Center in Park Forest.

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SPEED, Tom said, “was the creme de la creme” and Kevin continued there until he turned 21 and returned to Happy Day for adult workshop.

The end of public school life often is a time of great concern and confusion for parents of children with special needs, Tom said, particularly if they haven’t planned ahead.

“Some people choose to have their adult kids just stay home,” Tom said, but that can lead to problems if the parents’ health begins to fail.

Kevin continued attending workshops at Happy Day and living with his parents until 1995.

NADS Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition, said Linda Smarto, director of programs and advocacy at the National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS) in Chicago.

Approximately 6,000 babies with the condition are born each year in the United States, Smarto said. That translates to 1 of every 730 live births, a number that seems to be on the rise, she said.

“When my daughter was born 24 years ago, the number was 1 in 1,200,” she said.

“Eighty-five percent of (these) children are born to moms 35 years old and younger,” she said. “So it’s a great myth that (Down syndrome) only occurs to parents who are older.”

While individuals with the condition develop more slowly at the beginning of life, the end of life seems to rush at them. Not everyone with Down syndrome is afflicted with premature aging, Smarto said, but there does seem to be a precursor to that and Alzheimer’s disease.

“Down syndrome, (researchers) say, will find the cause for Alzheimer’s because (scientists are) really pushing to find some sort of a cure and learn why this is happening,” Smarto said.

The phenomenon can be heartbreaking for loved ones already wrestling with end-of-life care decisions. What to do with aging children who have Down syndrome is a huge concern, Smarto said, especially if the individual has medical issues.

But, she added, it’s the same concern for anyone with a disability. And it’s the same for elderly adults who don’t have a living child to help care for them, she said.

If a sibling or other family member isn’t available to assist, an individual may be placed in a state-run home. “Our goal is to have our individuals either live independently or with a family member,” she said. ISI To continue reading the full, extended version of this article, visit the www.idahoseniorindependent.com/ adult-down-child)

WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE Read the complete story on IdahoSeniorIndependent.com

KNOCKED DOWN Submitted by Ira Bloom, JokeQuote.com If life knocks you down seven times, stay down, for God’s sake! Life is obviously trying to tell you something. Take a hint. Go see what’s on TV. ISI

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DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

PAGE 31

Entertainment

MUSIC•BOOKS•THEATER•DINING•ART•FILM•TELEVISION

Christmas Unwrapped ELLEN TRAVOLTA UNWRAPS STORIES FROM THE PAST

BY CARRIE SCOZARRO In 1947, the creator of Dick Tracy comics introduced the character of Sparkle, prompting an enterprising fan to develop the phenomenally successful Baby Sparkle Plenty doll. At 14 inches tall, Sparkle’s golden tresses fell near to her waist and could be brushed and braided. Her skin was washable. She had several outfits. And young Ellen Travolta wanted one oh-so-badly.

How badly? Enough to negotiate its acquisition through her grandmother, who asked in return that the headstrong and much-beloved first-born child of Helen Cecelia and Salvator “Sam” Travolta allow her parents to finally take a trip to nearby New York City — without her. She was 8 years old.

“What Elle wants, Elle gets,” said Travolta, referring to her childhood nickname.

She’s only half-serious. Born in Englewood, N.J., in 1939, she was not yet a teenager when her grandmother died, yet she easily slipped into a caregiving role, even as additional siblings arrived — two more sisters and three brothers.

Travolta attended Carnegie Mellon University, married, had two children, and landed her first television role — All in the Family — in 1976. More roles (and a divorce) followed: Police Story, One Day At Elle Travolta’s holiday wish was to get stories about other people’s toys: one they got, didn’t get, or gave. Her wish a Time, The Love Boat, came to true with 14 stories in the production of “Christmas Diff’rent Strokes. She Unwrapped,” a cabaret-style production, hosted by the Coeur had a recurring role d’Alene Resort. PHOTO COURTESY ELLE TRAVOLTA. on the ‘50’s-based sitcom, Happy Days, and played radio host Marion Keisker, the first person to have recorded the future superstar in John Carpenter’s 1979 television film Elvis.

All throughout, Travolta supported and encouraged her many siblings, many of whom are also in the entertainment industry.

“I have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility,” she said.

She knew, for example, that her youngest brother, John, loved planes, but had never been on one, so she sent him an airline ticket for a short Newark-to-Philadelphia flight. Travolta, who was appearing on stage in the production of Gypsy at the time, was delighted; John even more so (he’s since become a licensed pilot and ambassador-at-large for Quantas).

“Best 25 bucks I ever spent,” she said.

This year, what Travolta wanted for the holidays were stories about other people’s toys: one they got, didn’t get, or gave.

After judicious editing, 14 of those stories are being incorporated into “Christmas Unwrapped,” a cabaret-style production hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Resort. It features various members of the Travolta clan: her sister, film and television actress Margaret Travolta; her daughter, Molly Allen Ritter, whose voice would be recognizable to radio listeners in the Spokane metropolitan area; and even her granddaughter, Lola Rose Fridley. Running from Thanksgiving to mid-December, the performance also includes regional singers and actors: Mark Cotter, Abbey Crawford, Laura Sable, and Patrick Treadway.

One of the stories in the show, confides Travolta, is from her brother John — Johnnie, she calls him lovingly — whom audiences know from such movies as Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Urban Cowboy, and Michael.

Another story featured in the production is about a woman’s childhood memory praying for her doll to come to life, only to realize she’d have to feed and care for it. In the end, the girl had a change of heart, praying for exactly what she gets on Christmas Day: the doll stays a doll.

This year’s production builds on the success of the 2017 “Christmas with a Twist: ‘Tis the Season for Family,” in which Travolta incorporated reader submissions with those from her sizable family, who also were part of the cast.

Missing, however, was Jack Bannon, Travolta’s husband of 34 years, who passed away last October. Travolta was bereft, still is.

“He was my friend,” she said simply, fighting back tears.

And yet work — rehearsals, correspondence, attending to details — as well as sticking to her exercise regimen of walking, water aerobics, and working with a personal trainer gave structure to her days.

“It saved my life,” said Travolta.

She and Bannon first got involved with Your Handicap Transportation Specialists the holiday-themed 208-342-4506•106 E. 39th, Boise | BreakAwayMobility.com production in 2013 8-5 M-F or by appointment when the existing theater company disbanded. By that STUBBY LAKE SMOKE SHOP time, the names 396610 HWY 95, PLUMMER, ID and faces of Ellen (208) 686-9313 Travolta and Jack Bannon, best known Call Ahead for Special Orders for his role on the All Customers are Important!

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

Entertainment

CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED / CONT’D FROM PAGE 31

Travolta didn’t grow up pursuing community theater — that was her mother’s bailiwick — but has come full-circle, finding a sense of community not unlike that in her own family. In fact, that’s partially what brought Travolta and Bannon to the area.

In an oft-told story, Travolta relayed that she was on hiatus from filming a television show in 1989 when fellow actor, Daniel

‘70s and ‘80s series, Lou Grant, were fairly common throughout town. Both had appeared in various Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater productions since relocating to Coeur d’Alene from the Los Angeles area in the ‘90s and were regular supporters of local visual and performing arts events.

Baldwin recommended the couple check out north Idaho. On their trip, someone recognized them, said Travolta, and asked if they wanted to be in a play. They did, traveling to the area several years before relocating permanently in 1994.

“By the time we moved here we had a social life.” ISI

The Man Who Came to Dinner

BY JACQUELINE T. LYNCH (SENIOR WIRE) The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) is the kind of sparkling Christmas comedy we don’t see anymore, with more glitz and silliness than pseudo-morality tales about surviving holiday ennui. It’s all glamour and slapstick. If there’s a message at all, it’s about clinging to life with an iron grip and a sense of fun.

Literate scripts are mostly out of fashion, too, and that is the driving force of this movie, taken from the hit stage play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. Monty Woolley plays a noted author, columnist, radio personality and full-time egomaniac who, making a brief Christmas visit to the home of a small-town industrialist, slips on the steps and is forced to spend his holiday with them as an invalid. Mr. Woolley is spectacular, never missing a beat with sarcasm, wit, and his impatience with lesser mortals.

Bette Davis is his secretary, who is something of a revelation in this role. We’re used to seeing her as larger-than-life characters, and waxing melodramatic in weepy flicks, but here she makes a smaller, quiet role pivotal to the story by being the sane and sassy anchor. She is one of the few people who cannot be bullied by Mr. Woolley, by virtue of her sense of humor.

Ditsy society matron Billie Burke fawns over Monty Woolley, invites him to her home for dinner. She casts an uninterested, condescending

inclusion of the invitation to Bette Davis. Davis accepts, quietly, with gracious humility and the self-deprecating smile worn by one who is used to being dismissed as unimportant in the great man’s shadow, but who really runs the show. It’s a subtle gesture and tells us more about her character in 30 seconds than another actress would take the entire film to convey.

Grant Mitchell plays the industrialist, proud of his ball bearing factory.

In his own way, he is as equally self-important as Woolley, but is only a big fish in a small pond. Ruth Vivian, playing his fey, fragile, and quite weird sister, along with the wonderful Mary Wickes who plays Nurse Preen, are the only ones in the cast, besides Mr. Woolley, to have appeared in the original Broadway play.

Mary Wickes is hysterical from beginning to end, as the severe nurse who suffers the lion’s share of bullying from the great man, and in her own diva scene, renounces her Florence Nightingale pledge to instead get a job in a munitions factory. His obnoxious treatment of her has driven her to thoughts of destruction.

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DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT The lines are fast and funny and almost too numerous to quote. Reginald Gardiner is as quick-witted and sophisticated as Woolley and does a drop-dead impression of a stuttering English fop to fool Ann Sheridan over the phone.

Ann Sheridan is a hoot. The opposite of Davis’ down-to-earth character, Sheridan is off the walls as a self-centered, man-grabbing stage actress. Her first scenes playing kissy face on the phone with Woolley, and alternately hollering at her manicurist, are hysterical.

Woolley turns the home of the industrialist upside down, and even conducts his annual Christmas Eve radio broadcast, complete with a boys’ choir, in their living room. Jimmy Durante plays a raucous pal from Hollywood

who leers seductively at Nurse Preen. Crated penguins escape in the chaos.

Possibly the funniest aspect of this script is the constant name-dropping. We are told that Woolley’s character is friends with Winston Churchill, the Roosevelts, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor; that he has received Christmas gifts from Gypsy Rose Lee and Deanna Durbin. Presidential candidate and New York governor Thomas E. Dewey, is his lawyer. The film ends memorably with the voice of Eleanor Roosevelt on the phone calling her dear friend to wish him a Merry Christmas.

To anyone with a cursory knowledge of popular history of the late 1930s and early ‘40s, this script is as fresh and funny as if it were written yesterday. However, I wonder if to someone not

Entertainment

PAGE 33

familiar with these names, does this make a good part of the film a mystery and that much over-used word to describe old movies: Dated?

We may watch old Christmas movies for the nostalgia, but this film produced in 1942 was not nostalgic. It was up to the minute and topical, late-breaking news. Watching it, it still feels that way, decades later. That is the marvel of it.

May your Christmas have a little glitz and glamour, too. But without the escaping penguins. ISI Jacqueline T. Lynch is the author of Ann Blyth: Actress.

Singer. Star, and several other non-fiction books on history and classic films, as well as novels. www.

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

PAGE 34

Travel

CRUISES•GETAWAYS•CULTURE•VACATIONS

A Village of Lights LEAVENWORTH, WASHINGTON

BY JACK MCNEEL It’s been my good fortune to have traveled extensively during my lifetime, and much of that has taken place in the western U.S. from Alaska to Mexico. Some towns hold a special appeal and keep calling me back.

Each state has probably two or three towns that hold that appeal. The small town of Leavenworth, Wash., has a particularly strong pull at Christmas.

The town was originally a logging community but that began fading about 1960. Jessica Stoller, Media Director for the Chamber of

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Commerce, explained that one of the business owners had been stationed in Germany, and he came up with the idea that the Leavenworth area with its mountains looked like Bavaria and suggested reinventing the town with a Bavarian theme — one building at a time.

“It was basically do or die,” Stoller laughed.

She added that some of the festivals, including the Christmas Lighting Christmas in Leavenworth. BY BRIAN MUNOZ, COURTESY OF THE LEAVENWORTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. and Autumn Leaf festivals, date back to those early years. “It’s an American dream of unique restaurants and shops. Most are relstory really!” atively small and many feature Bavarian gifts It’s now become nationally recognized for and food with such names as Red Baron Gift its old world charm.

Haus, The Cheesemonger’s Shop, Die Musik Last year they celebrated 51 years of Box, Kris Kringl, Nussknacker Haus, and about Christmas lighting. They do three weekends 45 more. Few towns match Leavenworth’s of lighting during December, when the town variety of meal offerings. is very busy with visitors from around the Numerous wineries are in the immediate states and around the world. area. It’s one of the premier wine areas in Jessica pointed out that they celebrate the northwest. Visitors have the opportunity Leavenworth as a “City of Lights” and added to tour many of these wineries and sample that these hundreds of thousands of lights their offerings. Most have tasting rooms are not only lit during the Christmas season in town where wine samples are available, but remain up from Thanksgiving through sometimes two or three in a single block.

Valentine’s-Day weekend.

More than 20 different wine tasting rooms Leavenworth erects a half-million lights can be found in town. in their downtown core. By comparison, Lodging is abundant — but so are visitors, Rockefeller Center in New York puts up about especially near Christmas time when advance 30,000 lights. Leavenworth’s town site is reservations are recommended. roughly 5 blocks wide by 12 blocks long, with The city map lists 41 lodging facilities a population of just 2000. alone, many with Scandinavian or German The lights help create a magical event. names. There’s A Scandinavian Escape, Der Streets are flooded with residents and visitors Ritterhof Motor Inn, Haus Hanika, Inn Vienna alike, and crowds number in the thousands.

Woods, Bavarian Ritz, and many more. The Buildings are lit, music plays, and people towns of Cashmere and Wenatchee are just a watch in fascination and sing along with the few miles distant should Leavenworth be full. music. It’s a truly remarkable event for this Youngsters, as well as their parents, will Bavarian community. enjoy visiting the Reindeer Farm, a private Festivities get a jump start on pre-holfarm half a mile north of town. iday weekends when Santa arrives at noon The animals are tame and submit to to greet young and old alike. Carolers can petting. It’s a great experience for old and be seen and heard through the town, and young alike and makes a wonderful Christmas various musical groups perform at the experience. There is a fee, but visitors leave downtown Gazebo during the day. As you comments like “don’t miss” and “so much stroll through town, you will likely inhale fun”. It’s ranked as the #1 activity, out of 35 the aroma of roasted chestnuts in the in Leavenworth. air. The hill along Front Street Park will For those seeking a more rustic adventure, most likely be busy possibilities abound nearby with the usual with youngsters winter activities of alpine and Nordic skiing, sledding down the snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and even dog hill, adding to the sled rides. joy and excitement Two ski areas are located nearby, each of Christmas. within 32 miles of town. Rentals and operators Don’t let the fact are available if needed. that Leavenworth Most Holiday dreams can be filled in and only has about 2000 around Leavenworth, the little town with the residents misguide massive Christmas celebration. ISI you. You will likely be astounded by the variety and number

DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

Travel

PAGE 35

Cruise the Continents

BY VIC BLOCK (SENIOR WIRE) Civil War buffs Tom and Elaine Preston wander through reconstructed forts where a major battle of that conflict was fought. Betsy and Andy Cross follow a guide slogging through a dense rainforest. Lauren Davis and Jim Goodman enjoy an exciting Go-Kart track and exhilarating water slide.

As inviting as these disparate experiences are, they have something in common. All take place during cruises that appeal to people who are seeking something a bit different.

The Prestons are passengers on an American Cruise Lines boat sailing on the Mississippi River out of New Orleans. Along with the battlefield tour, they visit plantations and other sites along the way. Onboard activities include informative lectures by historians and naturalists. The company offers river and coastal trips to 25 states. For more information call (800) 460-4518 or log onto americancruiselines.com.

Betsy and Andy Cross are exploring a very different locale. Their voyage aboard the Motor Yacht Tucano penetrates the vast Amazon rainforest which is home to some 15,000 species of wildlife. Launch rides and land hikes provide animal sightings and visits to isolated villages along the shoreline. The boat offers comfortable accommodations for up to 18 passengers. 800-510-5999 or latinamericanescapes.com The Norwegian Cruise Line ship that Lauren Davis and Jim Goodman chose exemplifies the expanding choice of activities available at sea. Passengers may zip around a Go-kart track at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. The Ocean Loop water slide propels thrill seekers through a series of twists and turns including a transparent section that extends over the side of the vessel.

866-234-7350 or ncl.com.

The choices are equally imaginative aboard some Royal Caribbean Cruises ships. If glowin-the dark laser tag and bumper cars don’t provide enough excitement, there’s the highest slide at sea and simulated sky diving.

866-562-7625 or royalcaribbean.com.

The pace is much slower on sailings touted as “Cruising with a purpose.” Craft Cruises specializes in planning voyages for people who share a penchant for knitting, crocheting and similar pastimes. Along with the usual cruise ship activities, they take classes from experts in their area of special interest. 877972-7238 or craftcruises.com.

Learning opportunities aboard Maine windjammer boats focus upon nautical pursuits.

Passengers may try their hand at steering, get instruction in navigation and participate in other sailing tasks. As they do, the graceful wind-powered tall ships sail along the picturesque coast of Maine. The 13 member vessels of the Maine Windjammer Association also offer special interest trips that focus upon themes ranging from whale watching and birding to chocolate and wine. Contacts: 800- 807-9463 and sailmainecoast.com.

Much further north, people line the deck of a nuclear-powered ship as it crushes through North Pole ice, then go aloft in a helicopter and tethered hot air balloon to search for polar bears, walruses and seals.

Arctic cruises are among more than 600 itineraries available from Expedition Trips which travel to some of the most remote corners of the Earth. The company’s specialists help people arrange both cruises and land trips based upon their interests and budget. 877412-8527 or expeditiontrips.com.

Craft Cruises specializes in planning voyages for people who share a penchant What may be the most othfor knitting, crocheting and similar pastimes. Along with the usual cruise ship activities, they take classes from experts in their area of special interest. PHOTO er-worldly body of water anywhere COURTESY SENIOR WIRE. is Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. Its One appeal for freighter fanciers is the oppor600-square-mile seascape is punctunity to observe and get to know crew members. tuated by soaring jagged spires, limestone Passengers and officers usually share the same islands, caves and inlets. dining room, which provides an opportunity to Mother Nature’s formations dwarf boats hear maritime stories and anecdotes. that ply the calm water, which include everyThere also are what some may consider thing from rowboats and kayaks to fishing downsides to freighter travel. First and forecraft and bamboo vessels. The ship that I most, some shipping lines have lower and called home for several days and nights, as upper age limits. The number of passengers part of a Myths and Mountains tour, repliusually is 12 or fewer, the maximum a ship cated a traditional “junk,” yet provided very can carry without having a doctor on board. comfortable accommodations and served Ships may spend as little as a half-day or sumptuous buffet meals. 800- 670-6984 or as long as several days in ports, and there are mythsandmountains.com. no planned shore activities for passengers.

We close with a brief questionnaire. Do Therefore it’s best to do a bit of research about you have time to go to sea for weeks or even scheduled ports of call and how you would like months? Can you make do without the fancy, to spend time there. upscale amenities of a modern cruise ship?

A good source of information and bookings Are you happy as a member of a small group, is Maris, a freighter cruise specialist that rather than mingling with hundreds of other operates a membership club which offers dispassengers? counts on voyages and periodic newsletters.

If so, you may be a good candidate for 800-996-2747 or freightercruises.com. freighter travel. A tiny percent of ocean-going Another helpful contact is Stride Travel. vessels carry passengers along with cargo. They It includes listings of river and small ship include container ships whose decks are laden cruises among thousands of packages offered with truck-size metal boxes, and general cargo by hundreds of tour companies. Especially carriers that transport an A (automotive parts) helpful are trip and company reviews by to Z (zucchini) alphabet of goods. both professional experts and other travelers.

Passenger cabins usually are more spacious Another benefit is that Stride members receive than on regular cruise ships, and feature private a cash bonus on select trips when they reserve bathroom and air conditioning. Some provide through the company. Membership is free. a mini-refrigerator, TV and DVD player. Other Stridetravel.com. ISI amenities might include a library, exercise room and even a swimming pool.

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

PAGE 36

Recreation

SPORTS•ACTIVITIES•FISHING•HUNTING•CAMPING

It’s All Merry and Bright in the Wood River Valley!

BY HOLLY ENDERSBY Sunshine — lots of it! Great venues for food and wine — so many to choose from!

Super alpine and Nordic skiing, snow shoeing, ice skating, and sleigh rides galore!

If you want a whole lot of holiday happiness concentrated in one place, then head to the Wood River Valley towns of Ketchum, Hailey, Bellevue, and Sun Valley Resort this season.

Start the holidays off right by designing and creating your own unique wreath or holiday center piece at the Sawtooth Botanical Gardens just off Hwy 75 south of Ketchum on Gimlet Road. The Garden will supply necessary greenery and helpful guidance. You can bring additional items from home to add inspiration to your creation.

This terrific activity is available December 1 and 2 from 9:00 p.m. and costs $25-$28 for materials. You can always go more than once and create wreaths and table pieces to decorate your home for the holidays.

Nothing says winter holidays more than snow ... lots of snow! And there’s no better place for folks to experience all that white stuff than Galena Lodge, right off Hwy 75 north of Ketchum. It’s hard to imagine a better place for cross country skiing or snowshoeing than the North Valley Trail System that begins at Galena.

Over 50 kilometers of beautifully groomed trails await both classic and skate skiers. A modestly priced trail pass is required, and rentals are available on site as well. The terrain is varied and can meet the needs of the rank beginner or the most advanced skier.

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A special feature is the 30-kilometer Harriman Trail that leaves from Galena Lodge and winds its way gently to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area parking area near Ketchum.

If you’re not into skiing, then try snowshoeing on over 25 kilometers of groomed trails that are also dog friendly.

In fact, the Lodge has two “loaner” dogs who just love to go with new friends on snowshoe adventures. A guided snowshoe It’s hard to imagine a better place for cross country skiing or snowshoeing than the North Valley Trail System that begins at Galena, north of Ketchum, Idaho. PHOTO tour is available for $35, with a

BY DEV KHALSA PHOTOGRAPHY. minimum of three people, that includes rental equipment, trail pass, and guide.

Galena Lodge also has a That gets you a ski and ride pass for number of special dinners during December, Quarter Dollar, plus access to face painting, all four-course meals and reasonably priced, hat decorating, and photo booth activities. but be sure to reserve in advance for these Fireworks on the mountain begin precisely popular communal eats. To top off your at 9:00 p.m. winter escape, consider renting one of the Sleigh rides are another popular activity in four yurts the Lodge operates, to really get the Wood River Valley. During peak season, into the holiday mood. hour-long rides are offered frequently and can While it is lovely to stay at the recently be reserved by calling 208-622-2135. Adult renovated Sun Valley Resort, most of their fares are $30 and kids twelve and under are holiday happenings are open to guests and $15 during peak season. In regular season, non-guests alike, so be sure to check out their tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for kids. ever-changing list of daily activities.

Dates for these seasons can be found on the A showing of the classic film, Sun Valley Sun Valley Resort website.

Serenade, is a must for visitors.

Dinner sleigh rides out to the Trail Creek This 1941 movie starring skater Sonja Cabin are much sought after, so be sure to Henie and actors John Payne and Milton reserve as early as possible. Adults tickets are Berle is a mad-cap holiday musical show$129, and kids 12 and under are $79. ing at 2:30 at the Sun Valley Opera House, Christmas Eve is magical in the Wood located on the Sun Valley Mall, on December River Valley, and nothing says Christmas 27th. Another film not to be missed at the better than the free performance of the Opera House is Warren Miller’s extreme ski Nutcracker on Ice at the Sun Valley Resort film “Line of Descent.” ice rink. The show is free, and right after is At $5.50 a ticket, this movie with its phethe annual Torch Light Parade down Dollar nomenal cinematography, is sure to entertain Mountain. Don’t miss the chance to see skiers and non-skiers in your party. Show skiers lighting the slopes as they wind their time is 2:30 p.m. way done the mountain.

Films aren’t the only attraction in the Finally, the 7th annual Bubbly Bash Wood River Valley. On December 27th and happens again on New Year’s at River Run 30th, you can enjoy a “Clicqout in the Lodge, beginning at 9:00 p.m. This event Snow” party, complete with wine tasting, benefits the Sun Valley Center for the Arts live music, and photo booth at River Run and is co-hosted by Sun Valley Resort and Lodge on the Sun Valley resort property the Center for the Arts. from 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Ste. Michelle Winery is the sponsor for If you haven’t bowled in a while, put on the event and will offer complimentary wine those slippery shoes, and give it a shot. The at midnight. This Rock and Roll Party gets resort bowling alley is open New Year’s Eve sold out early, so call the SV Center for the from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Arts as soon as you can. If you miss this The 31st is also Family Night Skiing on Dollar year, then put it on your calendar to call in Mountain from 5:00-9:00 p.m. It’s a real bargain next November. ISI at $35 for adults and $25 for kids 12 and under.

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DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

Recreation

PAGE 37

Am I Too Old for Sledding?

BY SALLY BRESLIN (SENIOR WIRE) I did something uncharacteristically spontaneous the other day, and all I can say is I’m happy to still be breathing as I write this.

I was walking with my two dogs out on one of the old trails I hadn’t explored before in the woods behind my house, when we came to a huge, steep hill. My first impulse was to turn around and head back home, but seeing that one of my New Year’s resolutions (for about the 30th year in a row) was to try to become more physically fit, I decided to climb the hill.

My dogs bolted to the top as easily as if the hill were the size of a gopher mound, while I, huffing and wheezing, took about 15 minutes to climb only halfway up (the fact the trail was buried under six inches of snow made my climb even more gasp-inducing).

What seemed like a year-and-a-half later, I finally made it to the top of the hill (a.k.a. one of the Swiss Alps). As I stood there, hunched over and praying for oxygen, I spotted it — a flash of red leaning up against a tree.

It was a plastic sled ... well actually, what was left of one. It was small, shaped like a rowboat, and had a yellow plastic pull-rope on it. The entire back quarter of the sled had been broken off, leaving a jagged border and a zig-zagging crack up part of the center. The moment I saw that sled, visions of myself as a kid, wildly tobogganing down the hill behind my grandmother’s house, flashed through my mind.

I walked over to the sled, picked it up and examined it. I suspected it had been someone’s Christmas gift that had lived a much-too-short life. But despite its flaws, the sled still seemed pretty sturdy. I carried it over to the trail and gently placed it on the ground at the top of the hill.

Suddenly, more than anything, I wanted to jump on that sled and fly down that hill.

“Don’t be foolish!” I said out loud, trying to dismiss the ridic© HALF POINT, BIGSTOCK.COM. ulous idea from my mind. “You’re throw caution to the wind and take the ride of not as young as you used to be! Your my life on that cheap slab of plastic. bones are too brittle — you’ll wind up in a Without another thought, and before I body cast in intensive care!” could change my mind, I plunked down on I stared at the cracked and broken sled and it, grabbed the rope, and with my foot, gave envisioned its previous rider wrapped around a mighty shove. The second the sled started a tree with the sled sitting on top of his head. to move, I regretted what I’d done. In a flash, Still, even that image failed to discourage I was speeding down the hill, with both dogs me. I mean, if the rider had indeed become in hot pursuit. I soon discovered there were intimately acquainted with a giant pine, then plenty of rocks underneath the snow on the how did the sled get back up to the top of the path — and I could feel every one of them hill? I figured he must have thought the wild through the plastic. ride had been worth the crash, and wanted With each bounce, the crack in the sled to try it again ... but the climb probably had opened wider ... and pinched me right through killed him. It made me wonder if one of the the seat of my pants. The trees and branches mounds of snow at the top of the hill actually became a blur as I whizzed past them. I soon was the rider. gave up trying to steer the darned sled. No My common sense was telling me to keep matter which way I tugged on the rope, which walking, to enjoy the scenery and the fresh way I leaned, the sled kept going exactly air ... to live without having to use crutches or a back brace for the next six months. But CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 my wild, adventurous side was telling me to

PAGE 38

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • DECEMBER 2018 // JANUARY 2019

Recreation

TOO OLD FOR SLEDDING / CONT’D FROM PAGE 37

where it wanted to go.

I finally surrendered and closed my eyes. When I did, my life suddenly flashed before me: my first day of school, my first kiss, my soon-to-be first spleenectomy, performed by a tree branch.

When I hit an exceptionally big bump, I found myself wishing I had worn a sturdier bra. That’s when one of my Rottweilers finally caught up with me and decided to jump on the sled. When she did, she knocked me off and we both rolled into a mound of snow alongside the path. The sled kept going, all the way to the bottom of the hill ... where it crashed right into a big maple tree.

As I sat up and cleared the snow out of my eyes and nostrils, it occurred to me that if my dog hadn’t knocked me off the sled, I probably would have been removing my teeth from the bark of that tree at that very moment.

“I’m lucky to still be alive,” I said to my two dogs. “Whatever possessed me to do something so irresponsible?”

At that point, I burst out laughing. I hated to admit it, but it was the most fun I’d had in a long time.

In fact, since then, I’ve seriously been considering shopping for a brand new sled — preferably a sturdy one with good steering.

And while I’m at it, I think I also should invest in a heavy-duty sports bra. ISI Sally Breslin is an award-winning humor columnist and the author of There’s a Tick in My Underwear! Contact her at: sillysally@att.net.

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About Our Contributing Staff Writers Holly Endersby has been an award-winning outdoor writer for 25 years, working in newspaper, magazines, TV, and web-based magazines. She enjoys horse packing in wilderness areas, fishing, hunting, snow and water sports, yoga, and hiking. She was the first Conservation Director for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.

Carrie Scozarro has made a living and a life with words and images, from graphic design and marketing communications, to teaching public school art, to writing about art, education, food, and culture from her Coeur d’Alene-area home for such clients as Inlander, Sandpoint Magazine, and Western Art & Architecture.

Jack McNeel was born and raised in Idaho. His working career was spent with Idaho Fish and Game Department but after retirement he launched a career as a free lance writer and photographer for many publications, primarily about Native American subjects, hunting, fishing, and travel. He now lives in Hayden, Idaho.

Dianna Troyer is a freelance writer based in Pocatello, Idaho. She enjoys family and friends, skiing, riding horse, and hiking.

An author and musician, Aaron Parrett is a professor at the University of Providence. He runs a vintage print shop, the Territorial Press in Helena, Mont.

Mary Ann Reuter is a Boise-based health and lifestyle writer whose interests include active aging, rural health, and the human-animal bond. You can reach her at ma.reuter@yahoo.com.

A multifaceted interest in Montana people and their communities keeps Suzanne Waring looking for topics to research in old newspapers and books and people to interview. During the busy times of her first career, Suzanne Waring wrote, “I raise a garden no matter what.” That statement is still true during her second career as a writer.

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