Northwest Prime Time April 2016

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VOL. 16 NO. 3 APRIL 2016

Ron Reagan

Longtime Seattleite pays tribute to his mother and father

R

on Prescott Reagan spoke movingly of his mother, Nancy Reagan, at her memorial service last month.

The son of Nancy and President Ronald Reagan was inspired by his parents’ unfailing devotion to each other during their half-century marriage.

First Lady Nancy Reagan riding a tandem bicycle with son Ron Reagan on the south grounds of the “I don’t think they ever White House, Washington DC, April 22, 1981 spent a day apart where they didn’t call, speak on the phone,” Ron Reagan said on supported by them. Much of that NBC’s Today show. “He wrote love is apparent in his New York her letters all her life, all his Times bestselling memoir, My life. They were in love, and they Father at 100, written in 2011 stayed in love for 52 some-odd on the anniversary of his father’s years.” centenary. It’s a telling book Nancy Reagan died in March about the relationship between at the age of 94. She was a fierce father and son and is filled with protector of President Reagan, family anecdotes and history. As and redefined the role of First a young child, Ron describes his Lady. She later became a staunch father as one of his favorite and advocate for stem cell research most reliable playmates. Shared and research on Alzheimer’s experiences of horseback rides, disease, a disease that afflicted swimming matches and throwing her husband. the football provide an insider’s look at President Reagan as a father. “His only rule [when it Ron Reagan was came to playing football] was that inspired by his he would be the quarterback for teams. He was scrupulously parents' unfailing both fair about distributing the ball.”

Ron Reagan described his devotion to each father as having a fundamental other during inscrutability, but “someone so naturally sunny, so utterly their half-century without guile, so devoid of cynicism or pettiness as to create marriage for himself a whole new category Ron’s tribute to his mother of strangeness.” was eloquent and touching. He Ron Prescott Reagan was spoke of both his mother and his born May 20, 1958 and knew his father, how they each “possessed father first as a Hollywood star, great individual talents but as one who starred in more than a couple, they were more than 50 movies. Ron was only nine the sum of their parts…they when the family moved into the complemented one another.” He Governor’s mansion during his described Nancy’s fierce loyalty father’s two terms as California’s to Ronald Reagan. “If my mother governor. He was a very young had one great talent, it was to man when his father became love.”

President.

While many of Ron Reagan’s In the book, Ron shares what liberal views were in opposition life was like with his famous to those of his more conservative father, but it contains more than parents, he did feel loved and memories. His research included

Ron Prescott Reagan

visiting the towns that shaped his he brought the Seattle KIRO father while he was growing up.

AM radio audience to attention Altogether, the book illustrates with his own midday show with a unique portrait of a young its mix of local, national and “Dutch” Reagan through the end international issues. He still of his life. appears on many programs, Although Ron and his father including MSNBC’s Hardball with had different political outlooks, Chris Matthews, and has served as they didn’t disagree all of the a special correspondent for ABC time. “My father was a sterling News. character Although in many, best known many as a political ways. He, commentator, of course, his breadth became of interests a really can be seen powerful through person, but earlier work I never saw hosting dog him abuse shows for that power Discovery’s personally,” Animal he said Ronald and Nancy Reagan with their children, Ron Planet, and Patti, outside their Pacific Palisades home, in an interviewing circa 1960. Photo courtesy The Ronald Reagan interview entertainment Presidential Foundation with The icons such Hill. In the same interview, Ron as Elizabeth Taylor and Mikhail said he started challenging his Baryshnikov, and explorations of father’s political beliefs at a popular culture. young age. Ron was considered Ron has written for national something of a rebel and was magazines and since his father’s expelled from high school for death from Alzheimer’s in 2004, a minor infraction because the he has been speaking out on the administrators felt he was a “bad subject of stem cell research and influence on the other kids.” He advocates increased research and later dropped out of Yale after federal funding. one semester to pursue dance Ron Reagan continues to with the prestigious Joffrey be active in causes he believes Ballet. in and is part of Creative Ron Reagan is now known as Coalition, a first-rights a political commentator and has amendment group. He has lived had his own national radio and ...continued on page 24 television programs. Before that,

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The Gene Project

Seattle man battling cancer competes in famous 54k cross-country ski race …by Diana Einarsen

In 2002, Gene Thorkildsen was working as the assistant manager at the iconic Scandinavian Specialties Store in Seattle when the producer of a Taco Bell television commercial approached him. “I need some Scandinavians,” he said. Gene, a natural blonde with chiseled good looks whose father and mother’s grandparents were born in Norway, had graduated with a Filmography degree from Seattle Central College.

He was offered a non-speaking part in the commercial and ended up playing a Norwegian fisherman at the real-life Buckaroo Tavern on Fremont Avenue.

“That was my first acting gig.

Afterwards, we were told to assemble outside to make a Taco Bell radio commercial. I was part of the background mutter,” he laughs. “There were a bunch of Norwegian and Swedish actors there and we were instructed to make some crazy sounds, so I yelled” – in the spirit of Speedy Gonzales – “arrr-i-i-i-bba!!”

Gene went on to have parts in 15 commercials, 10 independent films and the television dramas Grimm and Leverage. His IMBd web page offers a partial list of his accomplishments.

Gene lived and worked in Los Angeles from 2011 to 2012 with the blessing of his wife, Adrienne, whom

Despite a diagnosis of stage 4 cancer, Gene Thorkildsen exemplifies a true zest for life.

He competed in a 54 kilometer cross-country skiing race in Lillehammer, Norway last month and is the subject of a documentary he’s been married to for 20 years. He drove his silver platinum Triumph Sprint ST motorcycle to California with a couple of buddies and spent three nights on the road, including camping near magnificent Sequoia and pine trees in the towering Sierra mountains.

“Once I arrived in L.A., I’d drive my motorcycle to Hollywood Boulevard or Sunset Boulevard, strip down to my underwear on the street and get dressed

April 2016

for my auditions. I didn’t want my clothes to get wrinkled. No one batted an eye.”

Gene says, “I’m at the point now in my career that I don’t need to audition much anymore. My work is obtained mostly from referrals. I did a comedic Podcast for the web this morning: I played a Nazi cyborg. Last October, I was involved in two projects: I did a commercial for house insurance and had a starring role in an independent fulllength feature film called Trout.”

Gene is also involved in filming his legacy: He has brain cancer and stage 4 lung cancer. While in-between takes on the film-shoot recently for West of Centerville, he was talking about how he’d like to inspire other people who have the disease. Accomplished producer-director Kris Flink said she would be interested in making a documentary film for cancer research. Producer Becki Chandler is contributing by being a virtual “media whirlwind.” The director of photography is Kirk Nordenstrom.

“My lung cancer was detected in 2012 and when the brain cancer was discovered in the spring of 2015, I was given only three months to live. How do you process that kind of information?

You have to live each day to the fullest,” Gene remarks. “My illness does not define me. I’m vertical, not horizontal.

I’m living my life the way I want it to be lived. I can get sick and tired of being inside a house, and I have to live a life outside these walls.” He adds, “I go to the gym four times a week and walk the streets of Ballard every day doing interval hill climbing. Brain cancer can really affect your equilibrium, your hearing and

cause short-term memory loss, but I have the respect of my peers and people in Hollywood still want to talk to me.”

Even though he’s in the advanced stages of cancer, on March 19 he competed in a 54 kilometer classic cross country skiing race in Lillehammer, Norway known as the The Birkebeinerrennet (the Birch Leg). A small film crew accompanied him.

Gene, a snow skier and skilled motorcyclist, “inherited” his athleticism from his charismatic father, Leif, who owned the “Ski School Norski” at Stevens Pass. Gene assisted his father and taught alpine (slalom) skiing from age 15 until his early 30s.

“I’m 59 years old and it was a blow to my ego when I was informed that because of my physical condition – I’ve lost ¼ of my right lung since undergoing chemo treatments – I qualify to ski in The Birkebeinerrennet with competitors who are over 70-years-old and with the handicapped,” he ruefully laughs. “We get to start first and have the whole day to finish the race if we need it.”

Gene’s training team consists of his sisters DeeAnn and Ashley, and his 18-year-old son Espen, a competitor last year in the Henley Royal Regatta race on the River Thames in England. “When our schedules mesh, I train at Lake Easton State Park which is on the eastern ridge of the Cascade mountain range.

We shot a trailer for the documentary over there.” People can see it – and read more about Gene’s legacy – by linking to Kick & Glide: The Gene Project at vimeo.com on the web. ❖

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April 2016

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Walking Sticks and Healthy Hikes …by Laura Busby and Don Smith, Rockport State Park Staff

Volume 16 Number 3 Northwest Prime Time is published 10 times per year and is owned and operated by Northwest Prime Time, Inc. Monthly Circulation: 50,000 Subscriptions: $20 per year.

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 13647 Seattle, Washington 98198 (206) 824-8600 Fax (206) 824-8606 www.northwestprimetime.com Publishers: Michelle Roedell and Chris Mitchell Operations/Advertising Manager: Chris Mitchell Editor: Michelle Roedell Production Manager: Jason Reynolds Production Coordinator: Rachel Binford Associate Editor: Suzanne G. Beyer Copyeditor: Diann MacRae Administration: Barbara Davidson, Clarence Roedell, Doris Roedell, Gail Roedell Printing: Rotary Offset Press Northwest Prime Time welcomes letters and comments.

Please send to: editor@northwestprimetime.com or P.O. Box 13647 Seattle, Washington 98198 Northwest Prime Time, published 10 times per year, is for vital men and women over 50 who are curious, passionate, and engaged with the world they live in; who know that these years are the prime time of their lives.

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Rockport State Park Don Smith is is a 670-acre park in the Senior Park Aid an ancient forest. The at Rockport State old growth was never Park but he is also a logged and the park long-time artist. He offers a rare natural put his art to use in forest, which stands the park by offering at the foot of Sauk a hiker incentive Mountain. Rockport in the “Healthy also boasts an ADAHikes” program. accessible trail.

Participants who Don works in hike 100 miles in a variety of media Rockport State Park including watercolor during 2016 will and oil painting, earn a hand-carved Don Smith with his walking sticks screen printing, walking stick from theatrical sets, Don. Miles can be graphic design and wood carving, His logged on staff-led hikes or anytime in work has been displayed in shows in the 2016 on one’s own. The log must be Skagit Valley, Seattle and Denmark, completed at the park after each hike.

with pieces in private collections all over the U.S. and Western Europe.

His murals are across the country from Puget Sound to San Francisco to Portland, Maine. Locally, his murals can be seen in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, in Concrete on Main Street, in the Concrete Museum and high school gym, and the Snohomish High School library. Look for him in person at the Conway Muse and the Burlington Art Walk, and watch for his beautiful hiking sticks to start showing up in the hands of Healthy Hikers! ❖

New Social Security Laws

Creative Age Festival On Friday and Saturday, April 15 to 16, a new event will encourage seniors to stay creative, active, fulfilled and engaged by participating in two days of entertainment, education, activities and fun. The festival includes a keynote speech by Dr. Pepper Schwartz on April 15, followed by a concert by the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. Saturday features over 30 classes and activities at the Frances Anderson Center in downtown Edmonds. Choose from topics covering health and wellness, nutrition, brain health, visual and performing arts, literary arts, travel, technology and volunteerism. Attend individual events or participate for the entire weekend.

The first 75 ticket-holders for the three main events will be treated to a private reception and a tour at the Cascadia Art Museum, including a performance by an ensemble from the Cascade Symphony Orchestra. Tickets for the two-day event start at $35 and can be purchased online at www.creativeagefestival.org. For more information, call event organizer Julie Colgan at 425-330-8006.

…by Virginia P. Reno, Social Security Administration Deputy Commissioner for Retirement & Disability Policy

F.Y.I.

Rockport State Park is located near the junction of Highways 20 and 530. For more information on Rockport State Park, call 360-853-8461 or visit www.parks.state. wa.us/574/Rockport

Supporting Grandfamilies A recent report, State of Have you heard that some of Grandfamilies in America, ranked Social Security’s rules about claiming Washington State fifth in the nation benefits are changing? It’s true. The when it comes to grandfamilyBipartisan Budget Act that passed friendly laws and policies. An last November closed two complex estimated 53,000 children in loopholes that were used primarily Washington are being raised by by married couples. some 43,000 grandparents and The new law closes loopholes other relatives. Most children are that allowed some married couples living informally, outside of the to receive higher benefits than child welfare system, with relatives, intended. Only a small fraction or “kinship caregivers.” DSHS of retirees used these loopholes. provides services and support for Closing them helps restore fairness kinship caregivers. “Our program and strengthens Social Security’s has demonstrated support of long-term financing. kinship caregivers and results in So what’s changing with the new better lives for children,” said rules?

Bill Moss, Assistant Secretary, • First, if you are eligible for DSHS Aging and Long-Term benefits both as a retiree and as a Support Administration. For spouse (or divorced spouse), you must more information about kinship start both benefits at the same time. caregiving in Washington, including This used to apply only before the full events and resources, visit www.dshs. retirement age, which is currently 66. wa.gov/altsa/home-and-communityNow it applies at any age up to 70, if services-kinship-care/kinship-care you turned 62 after January 1, 2016.

• Second, if you take your retirement benefit and then ask (on or after April 30, 2016) to suspend it to earn delayed retirement credits, your spouse or dependents generally won’t be able to receive benefits on your Social Security record during the suspension. You also won’t be able to receive spouse benefits on anyone else’s record during that time.

For more information about these changes, call 800-772-1213, visit an office or go to our webpage at www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/ claiming.html.

Deciding when to start your Social Security benefits is a complex and personal decision. In particular, if you are or will be full retirement age (66) or older before April 30, and you think you want to suspend your benefits, contact us as soon as possible before April 30.

Contact us today for a FREE If you want to let your retirement consultation to learn how we can benefit grow, you can simply delay help transform your hearing! taking it, up to age 70. ❖

Three Convenient Eastside Locations Bellevue 425.454.1883 Kirkland 425.899.5050 Redmond 425.882.4347

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Life Perspectives

Get With the Program …by Laverne Bardy

My daughter phoned me the other afternoon from her cell phone, in her car.

She was in a state of panic.

“What's the matter Abby?” I asked, fearing that some horrible thing had happened on the road.

“I just found a grey eyebrow hair,” she cried. “A grey eyebrow hair!”

“You did this while you were driving?”

“No, Mom, Darrell's driving. Did you hear me? I found a grey eyebrow hair.”

I laughed. “I heard you.”

“It's not at all funny, Mom. You don't seem to understand; I want to have another baby.”

“I fail to get the connection, honey.”

“But, now I'm too old.”

I laughed harder. “I promise that you have nothing to worry about, Abby.

In fact, I heard a news report just this morning stating that scientists have proven conclusively that contrary to popular belief, there is no connection between grey eyebrow hairs and a woman's ability to conceive.”

“But Mom,” she pleaded. “It's proof that I'm getting old.”

“Honey, did you forget who you're talking to?”

She had caught me sitting in front of a high-powered magnifying mirror plucking chin hairs; some as long as an inch, mostly all grey. Several of the remaining dark ones had actually smirked at me.

“Don't worry, Sweetheart. It doesn't mean a thing. Women much older than you are having babies today.”

The thick Jolene bleach I'd applied on my upper lip had begun to dry, crack and fall onto my lap.

“Besides, I promise you, age is just a state of mind. You know how strongly I believe that.”

“I know. I'm glad I called you, Mom. I feel better now. I love you.”

“I love you too, honey.”

I was glad she felt better. Now who could I call for the same quick fix?

I hung up and sat quietly inspecting the increasing number of laugh wrinkles (What half-wit had decided to name them that?) around my eyes, and the soft jowls that had altered the once oval-shaped face. I checked out the isolated strands of grey that, like weeds on otherwise lovely sod, had managed to push through my recent bleach job. I glared at the arrangement of brown spots on my hand and noticed that if I squinted, it looked like the Big Dipper. I examined, with

Escape

April 2016

amazement, the similarity of the skin on my upper arms to that on my alligator wallet.

When Abby was six years old she had said to my mother, who was roughly my current age, “Grandma, how come your neck skin looks like a turtle's?” My mother had smiled, but I knew she felt bad.

Despite what could be viewed as negative changes, I felt so lucky. Not only had I survived and passed hot flashes with honors, but I was fortunate to be my age at a time in history when aging is fashionable.

Just look at television commercials.

Grandma and grandpa are no longer rocking and whittling; they're jitterbugging, jogging and even kissing.

We are not viewed as sad victims of aging but as valued individuals with experience and wisdom. We are embracing, laughing at and even thumbing our noses at the aging process.

Notice the various T-shirts you pass on 50-plus women in the mall. I saw one that read, “I'm out of estrogen and I've got a gun.” And the next time you're in a book store, look at some of the titles, like Boomer Babes, and Menopause Madness.

My daughter is still too young to value the benefits of aging. I hope that when she reaches my age she will recognize and appreciate the revolutionary road that my generation has paved for her. And, above all, I would like to believe that she will get with the program and dye her eyebrows like any 50-plus woman worth her weight in estrogen would do. ❖

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You’ve seen them around, those balloontire bicycles like the Schwinns we pedaled to school. Only one gear necessary, we’d simply pump harder up the hills and sail joyfully down the other side, no hands if we dared. Bright colors, flashy white sidewalls, sturdy handle bars thick and wide for a good grip. They’re not as ubiquitous as mountain bikes or spandexclad cyclists in slick aerodynamic helmets, but that they are back at all, and that their functional minimalism is esteemed by a whole new generation, is comforting.

Whoa, vinyl records, too, are back! Sales are up 245% since 2008.

And who is buying them? Eighteen to twenty-five year-old Millennials, the demographic that falls into the birth year range 1981 to 1997. But why, you ask? What is the appeal?

These vinyl revivalists swear the sound is warmer and claim they feel as though they are right there in the room with the band. The effort of walking across the room, sliding the disc out of its sleeve and placing it on the turntable and then being obliged to listen to all of the songs in order as they were intended is, they say, a bonding experience. Artists past and present are issuing and reissuing albums (Abbey Road, for example) on vinyl. So if you gave your turntable to the Goodwill, no worries. This is ‘trending’ so heartily that Target now stocks turntables.

Cocktails are back, but if you don’t want to be labeled out to lunch (to use a phrase that deserves reviving) don’t order a simple well drink. Today’s mandate is “craft cocktails” (eight to ten ingredients per concoction). Only fresh condiments are allowed. So just say no to bottled cherries. Fresh cherries are marinated in brandy and olives are fermented in a brine of vermouth and herbs right behind the bar. But why stop there? Even ice is purified. True. Bartenders (ahem, pardon me) mixologists at craft cocktail venues grow and/or prepare everything, from fruit juices to herbs, on the premises. The chemistry of craft cocktails is so very fragile, however, their shelf life is measured in minutes – therefore 161 glasses are smaller but not the price.

Your tab will come to $15 or more.

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...continued on page 6

April 2016

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Everything Old is New Again ...continued from page 4

invasion? No, not the Beatles, the other one. Collegiate isn’t a word you hear anymore. It meant clean-cut and button-down Madras, Bass penny loafers and, if you could arrange it, a sports car – a temperamental British Motors headache like the MG, the Austin-Healy or the Triumph.

British Motors Mini-Coopers were around, too, but back then they were square. The Mini-Cooper has been re-imagined; not only are they b-a-c-k they’re c-o-o-l with young singles. They go small: Fiat, Mini, a scooter … or no car at all.

The term hipster is back, if

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April 2016

This Senior’s View of the Technology Explosion

not the actual Kerouac/Ginsberg/ Cassidy post-modern free-versereciting coffee-house-going beatniks that were the living legacy of boogie-woogie-ing Zoot suit kids of the early 40s. All hipsters are Millennials but not all Millennials are hipsters. Hipsters seem to be urban and well educated, but …by Joseph T. Di Bene prefer thrift store eclectic or new togs from Urban Outfitters created to resemble thrift store eclectic.

What is happening They shun automobile ownership, to our world? Is classic male/female roles; they find technology developing corporate hypocrisy repugnant and, and expanding so rapidly like their prototype the beatnik, that it is a runaway hipsters are politically progressive. epidemic? Where is it What this all means, I think, is taking us? the more things change the more The digital world (some things) stay the same. ❖ is taking over our lives. We can’t buy an appliance, toy or tool that doesn’t require a multi-step, sequential dissertation on how to turn it on and make it work. The other day I sat on a park bench watching four teenager’s texting madly for a good forty minutes; for all I know they are still there.

Our website includes What struck me was the complete articles not seen in the concentration and skill they displayed. paper - and our online It is a mystery to me why they were so completely engrossed in texting when calender of events is they could have more easily talked on always more extensive the phone. than our printed And look what happens when calendar! you buy a new car – there are so many options and gadgets that some people www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com never learn them all. I bought a newer car recently and I know firsthand how difficult it is to keep up with all that technology. I sometimes fantasize starting a new movement to bring back

the Model A Ford. Now that was a car I understood.

Yes, there has been incredible progress due to technology. Many cancers and other once-fatal illnesses are now curable or preventable and we are living longer because of technological breakthroughs.

However, while we are learning all this new technology, our minds have the formidable task of making way for this new knowledge. But what happens to the information that is continually becoming obsolete? Not all of it goes away. This means that we seniors are burdened with a lot of information that we may never use again. However, the real issue is keeping up with the essential changes. Come to think of it, we seniors have been doing that all of our lives.

So far I’m hanging in there. How about you? ❖

I was going for 1OO years old!

92-year-old war veteran reflects on cancer diagnosis

Veteran John Hogan didn’t know anything about hospice care when he was diagnosed with cancer and his doctor offered him a range of choices – from aggressive treatment to care focused on comfort and quality of life.

“I want to live normally, live comfortably, have the nurse come in and that’s the way I want to go,” said John.

And that’s how it went. Providence Hospice provided the nurses, walker, wheelchair, social worker, medicine, and other services he needed. John got to enjoy time with his children and grandchildren and all the friends and neighbors who visited him during his final four months of life.

For more information about our services and locations, visit www.providence.org/pscs.

Seattle/King County: 206.320.4000 Snohomish County: 425.261.4800 Lewis, Mason and Thurston Counties: 360.493.5900

Watch for our new Hospice Care Center to open in early 2016 inside Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.

Featuring 16 private rooms and a calm, home-like setting, patients will receive expert clinical care 24/7 while loved ones receive emotional and spiritual support.

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 7

This article is sponsored by CHI Franciscan Health

Decreasing Arthritis Pain Preparation of Final Wishes with a Good Night’s Sleep is a Gift for Those You Love

Lana, a registered nurse for CHI Franciscan Health, recently shared this story about her grandmother. The care Grandmother Yelena received during her final days reflected what her family knew to be her wishes regarding Advance Directives and Goals of Care.

Photo by Max Adzhigirey

Growing up in Ukraine during the time of Stalin, Yelena survived the famine and escaped being sent to the factories in Germany to work—a common fate for so many young women of Yelena’s pain and symptoms were well-managed at end-of-life, and her her time. Yelena family comforted and supported by the care at Franciscan Hospice House. married and, after World War II, had a family. The United previous experience with machines States promised freedom to pursue and tubing, noise and bright lights education for the youngest generation in the hospital, they knew the and the family immigrated in 1991. time had come to make important Tragedy struck in 2005 with decisions. With Lana’s help, they the passing of Yelena’s husband. He were able to understand that suffered an illness and when the dying standard treatment options were process began, the family panicked only prolonging a painful and and called an ambulance. He endured frightening death, and did not painful procedures and died in a support what they knew to be the hospital. The family, stunned by wishes of their dear mother and the experience, knew they wanted grandmother. They advocated for something different when Yelena palliative medicine and hospice faced the end of life. care. Yelena was transferred to Over the next 10 years, Franciscan Hospice House. Her pain Grandmother Yelena suffered and symptoms were well managed, increasing dementia. The time came and her family had a caring team to when she needed 24-hour care. Her gently support and prepare them for children pulled together and cared what would come. for her while continuing to work. But Yelena died peacefully, Yelena’s mind continued to fail and surrounded by her loving family. ❖ her body became weaker. She became easily confused and frightened of Preparation is a gift for those you love. change, but was comforted when Learn more and download our Decisions surrounded by family. booklet and Advance Directives forms at In December 2015, Yelena www.chifranciscan.org/hospice. For more suffered a massive stroke and was information or to start hospice and palliative hospitalized. After the family’s care services, call (866) 969-7028.

UW sleep researcher exploring whether treating insomnia could decrease osteoarthritis pain among older adults …by Elizabeth L. Hunter-Keller

Osteoarthritis is a painful condition that affects nearly 30 million Americans, and approximately one-quarter of all older adults in the country suffers from both arthritis and insomnia. The combination of pain Dr. Sue McCurry and insomnia can be devastating on a person’s quality of life, affecting everything from cognitive function to healthcare costs.

Until recently, the common understanding was that sleep disturbance was secondary to pain, or, in other words, that osteoarthritic pain was causing the sleep disruption. But Drs. Sue McCurry, Michael Vitiello and colleagues at the University of Washington and Group Health Cooperative are exploring a different idea.

“There is growing evidence that poor nightly sleep also increases risk for pain the next day,” said Dr. McCurry. “That means if we can improve sleep in people with osteoarthritis, their pain might decrease even if we are not directly treating the pain itself.”

Earlier in her research career, Dr. McCurry, research professor at the UW School of Nursing, evaluated the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to improve sleep in other older adult populations, including people

with dementia and their caregivers. The success of this treatment led her to wonder whether CBT for insomnia could also improve the sleep of older persons with chronic osteoarthritis pain. In their first study, called the “Lifestyles” study, Drs. McCurry, Vitiello and team looked at whether offering people a combination of CBT strategies could, in fact, improve the sleep and/or pain of older adults suffering from insomnia and pain.

Participants met at their primary care clinics for six weekly group sessions that lasted 90 minutes each. Dr. McCurry and her team found that CBT strategies did improve the sleep of older adult participants and that these results were sustained over time. Even more, the effects were greater in people who started out with higher levels of pain and insomnia symptoms.

Further analyses also revealed that people who had a clinically meaningful reduction (30%) in insomnia symptoms six weeks after treatment were more likely to have fewer problems with sleep and less pain up to 18 months after entering the study.

Although these results were promising, CBT interventions are not widely available in primary care settings where most older continued on page 8

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To Your Health

Medical Minutes ...by John Schieszer

Calcium Carbonate Nanoparticles May Help Combat Cancer Researchers have now found a way to keep a cancerous tumor John Schieszer from growing by using nanoparticles of the main ingredient in common antacid tablets (calcium carbonate).

Investigators at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, have created nanoparticles from calcium carbonate and injected them intravenously into an animal model to treat solid tumors. The compound changed the pH of the tumor environment from acidic to more alkaline. It also kept the cancer from growing.

“Cancer kills because of metastasis,” said study investigator Avik Som, who is working on a doctorate in biomedical engineering and completing a medical degree at Washington University. “The pH of a tumor has been heavily correlated with metastasis. For a cancer cell to get out of the extracellular matrix, or the cells around it, one of the methods it uses is a decreased pH.” The researchers developed a method using polyethyleneglycolbased diffusion to synthesize 20and 300-nanometer-sized calcium carbonate. Som said calcium and carbonate are both found heavily in the body and they are generally non-toxic. When calcium carbonate dissolves, the carbonate becomes carbon dioxide and is released through the lungs.

He said that calcium is often incorporated into the bones.

Som and his team injected the calcium carbonate nanoparticles into a mouse fibrosarcoma model daily, which kept the

tumor from growing. However, when they stopped injecting the nanoparticles, it started growing again. The researchers now plan further studies and hope this may lead to a safe and non-toxic approach to treating cancer.

Combating Migraines in a New Way Researchers have discovered a new avenue to combat migraine headaches. They have identified a marker in the blood for episodic migraine, which is defined as having fewer than 15 headaches per month.

Researchers in Baltimore, Maryland conducted a study with 52 women with episodic migraine and 36 women who did not have any headaches. All the women underwent a neurologic exam and had their body mass index (BMI) measured. They also gave blood samples. Women with migraine had an average of 5.6 headache days per month. The blood samples were tested for a group of lipids that participate in energy homeostasis and regulate inflammation in the brain.

The investigators found that the total levels of the lipids called ceramides were decreased in women with episodic migraine as compared to those women without any headache disorders.

Women with migraine had approximately 6,000 nanograms per milliliter of total ceramides in their blood, compared to women without headaches who had about 10,500 nanograms per milliliter.

Every standard deviation increase in total ceramide levels was associated with over a 92% lower risk of having migraine.

“While more research is needed to confirm these initial findings, the possibility of discovering a new biomarker for migraine is exciting,” said study investigator B. Lee Peterlin,

April 2016

who is with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.

Walnuts May Have Hidden Health Benefits Investigators at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine are now reporting weight loss programs that provide healthy fats, such as olive oil in the Mediterranean diet, or a lowfat, high-carbohydrate diet have similar impacts on pound-shedding.

However, adding walnuts, which are high in polyunsaturated fats, may have a significant impact on cholesterol levels.

Overweight and obese adult women were enrolled in a oneyear behavioral weight loss program and randomly assigned to one of three diets consisting of either: low-fat and highcarbohydrate; low-carbohydrate and high-fat; or a walnut-rich, high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet.

The findings showed that all three dietary plans promoted similar weight loss. Women lost the most weight with a low-fat diet, but that strategy did not result in the most benefit for lipid levels. The walnut-rich diet had the most impact on cholesterol levels by decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or so-called bad cholesterol, and increasing beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The high-fat, low-carb group, which consumed monounsaturated fats, did not experience the same beneficial effects as the walnut-rich diet, which featured polyunsaturated fatty acids. At six months, the average weight loss was almost 8% among all groups.

“This weight loss may not put these women at their ideal weight, but it made a significant reduction in their risk of cardiovascular and other diseases,” said principal investigator Cheryl Rock, PhD, who is the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. ❖ John Schieszer is an award-winning national journalist and radio and podcast broadcaster of The Medical Minute. He can be reached at medicalminutes@gmail.com.

Decreasing Arthritis Pain with a Good Night’s Sleep ...continued from page 7

adults are treated. In-person or group interventions such as those used in the Lifestyles study are expensive to deliver, require inhouse highly-trained staff, and can be inconvenient for people who live far away from the nearest clinic or for people who have mobility or transportation challenges.

Dr. McCurry and her team realized that perhaps telephone delivery could give people access to these brief (typically 2030 minute) and personalized interventions in the comfort and privacy of their own home.

Telephone interventions also could potentially increase access to minority and underserved health care populations. However, there have been no large studies looking at whether telephonedelivered CBT would be acceptable to older adults with chronic severe pain and insomnia symptoms, or whether treatment would be effective and enduring.

The McCurry team recently applied for funding from National Institute on Aging to test two telephone interventions to improve sleep in older adults with comorbid insomnia and osteoarthritis pain. The interventions will provide information about agerelated causes of pain and sleep disturbances, practical strategies people can practice every day to improve their sleep and pain, and personalized help from a trained “sleep coach.” If funded, older adult Group Health members across Washington State will be offered a chance to participate in the new trial.

“Our hope would be that if it turns out telephone-delivered interventions can improve sleep and other symptoms in older adults with osteoarthritis, these interventions could be widely disseminated across the country, reducing the substantial personal and economic burdens of pain and insomnia for millions of individuals,” said Dr. McCurry. ❖

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April 2016

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Naturally Healthy

Asparagus is here! …by Elizabeth Diehl, reviewed by Dr. Cristen Harris

I don’t know a more fitting way to celebrate spring than feasting on local asparagus. Like daffodils, asparagus is perennial, and one of the first to pop up out of the ground, anticipating the gifts of mild sunshine and fresh air.

Delicate taste, satisfying texture and nutrient density make asparagus an outstanding food. Keep in mind that this unusual plant is fragile and requires a little extra care in handling.

Asparagus and its wild ancestor have been savored for millennia. First cultivated by the Greeks, the plant now grows around the world. And it flourishes, to our good fortune, in Eastern Washington.

Asparagus’s name derives from a Persian word meaning “shoot.” Like other shoots and sprouts, asparagus spears contain beneficial nutrients and compounds, including vitamin A, folate and a lengthy list of minerals. Asparagus is also a rich source of phytochemicals, including the antioxidants rutin and glutathione. Phytochemicals may help protect against chronic disease, and may be vital components of the aging adult’s diet. An important note to those on warfarin or Coumadin medication: asparagus is rich in vitamin K, which interferes with that drug’s effect. Ask your doctor about vegetable options that are warfarin or Coumadin safe.

Asparagus is nutritious but fragile. The plant has a higher respiration rate than

F.Y.I. 3 Anti-Inflammatory Cocktails Nutritionist and juicing pioneer Cherie Calbom, offers three antiinflammatory cocktails to help counteract the destructive properties of inflammation.

“It’s not only intestinal problems; low-grade inflammation caused by food additives has been shown to contribute to weight gain and blood sugar control problems, as well as a host of other chronic disease,” says Calbom, author of The Juice Lady’s Anti-Inflammation Diet. “No matter the kind of diet you may lean toward – vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, nocarb, Mediterranean, Neanderthal or any other kind of diet – any and all anti-inflammation efforts are well worth it!”

She recommends healthy juices and shakes as a convenient way to reduce inflammation, revitalize your cells and lose some of those winter pounds.

Anti-Inflammatory Cocktail 1 green apple ½ large fennel with fronds 1-inch-piece ginger root 1 large broccoli stem 3 leaves kale

almost all other vegetables. This means that asparagus “breathes” very quickly after harvest. All fruits and vegetables respire, using oxygen in the air to burn their stored carbohydrates. The energy they derive from this metabolism is used to maintain structure or allow ripening. But as they do this, they lose both water and sweetness. So while cabbage, which has a slow respiration rate, stays crunchy and sweet for weeks after harvest, asparagus quickly wilts and loses flavor and nutrients.

Ideally, therefore, asparagus should be eaten immediately after picking. Imported asparagus is abundant and available almost year round, but its long journey from Chilean or Mexican farms to your table compromises taste and quality.

Washington-grown asparagus is a better choice; look for it at supermarkets any day now. Farmers markets offer even fresher asparagus. Bring it home and put it in the crisper drawer or store it standing in the fridge on a damp towel. Most important, eat it the same day.

Find the freshest available. Fresh asparagus that has been kept properly cold and humid has straight, firm stalks with a smooth and moist cut end. Avoid curved stalks, dry or pocked cut ends, and frayed or gray tips. Extra-slender spears shoot up from newly planted root systems. The thicker spears grow on more established plants, and are just as tender and delicious if stored well.

There are many ways to cook

½ cucumber, peeled if not organic Cut produce to fit your juicer.

Start by juicing the apple and finish with the cucumber. Drink as soon as possible.

Morning Energy 1 – 2 carrots, scrubbed well, tops removed, ends trimmed ½ small beet, with leaves 1 cucumber, peeled if not organic 1 handful spinach or several chard leaves ½ lemon, peeled 1-inch-piece ginger root, scrubbed, peeled if old Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube. Juice all ingredients and stir. Pour into a glass and drink as soon as possible.

Antioxidant Power Smoothie 1 cup unsweetened plant milk such as hemp, coconut, or almond milk ½ cup blueberries 1 pear ½ cup baby spinach 1 tsp. Indian gooseberry extract (optional) 1 Tbsp. flaxseed Ice cubes (optional, depending on how cold you like your smoothie) Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. ❖

asparagus, and all are good choices. The antioxidant content of asparagus actually increases when it is cooked. You might steam, roast, grill or sauté asparagus. When asparagus is boiled, some nutrients are lost to the water. However if this water is retained, as in a soup, then water cooking is a great option.

While at the farmers market, look for other harbingers of the growing season:

radishes, rhubarb, bok choy and spinach are also early-season delights. ❖ Reviewed by Cristen L. Harris, PhD, RDN. Non-profit, accredited Bastyr University (Bastyr.edu) offers multiple degrees in the natural health sciences, and clinical training at Bastyr Center for Natural Health (BastyrCenter.org), the region’s largest natural medicine clinic.

Asparagus Spinach Soup with Parmesan This gorgeous green soup is smooth and simple, which lets the subtle flavors of asparagus shine.

Yield: 5 cups Preparation time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Procedure

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 1 bunch asparagus, ends removed, chopped into inch-long pieces 2-3 cups fresh spinach leaves (or substitute a different green, such as kale, chard or arugula) 4 cups vegetable broth, low sodium ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 1 teaspoon sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped basil (optional)

Warm a 4-quart pot over medium low heat, and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add the onion.

Sauté, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and raise heat to medium-high. Cook the asparagus, stirring occasionally, until it gets some color, 5-8 minutes. Add spinach, stir to combine, and then add the broth. Bring stock and vegetables to a low simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, remove from heat.

Ladle soup one cup at a time into blender. With a towel over the lid, puree, then pour into a separate bowl. Repeat until all the soup is pureed. If the soup has cooled, reheat briefly on the stove. Stir in the Parmesan, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve. Chopped basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dusting of additional Parmesan will make welcome garnishes.

Original Recipe by Lizzie Diehl, 2015

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Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

April 2016

The Corporation for National and Community Service has reported that a third of all older adults volunteer in their community to the tune of 3.3 billion hours of service each year. The organization places a benefit of this service to the nation at $75 billion. Top-ranked volunteer activities for age 55-plus volunteers include collecting and distributing food, fundraising and providing professional or management assistance to nonprofits – demonstrating that older volunteers are using their lifetime of skills and experience to meet community needs. In addition to helping others, older volunteers are also helping themselves by living active, healthy lives through volunteering. A growing body of research points to mental and physical health benefits associated with volunteering, including lower mortality rates, increased strength and energy, decreased rates of depression and fewer physical limitations.

April is Volunteer Month

The Vegetable Lady …by Cheryle Hoskins Bigelow

“Here she comes, the vegetable lady” my church mates chime in when I arrive to volunteer at the free monthly community Cheryle Hoskins Bigelow dinner our church sponsors for the needy. I have been cooking vegetables of every season and color for over three years and I still worry they won’t test done on time or that I will overcook them. Three or four five-pound bags are a little more than the ten ounces of vegetables I prepare for dinner at home.

With the exception of the traditional Thanksgiving dinners we serve up, meatballs seem to be a favorite with the adults and macaroni and cheese is a big hit with the kids.

I replay a scene in my mind of a little guy scarfing down a bowl of mac and

Creative Quilters Donate Comfort to Charities

cheese as he followed his family out …by Joyce Lindsey O’Keefe of the door of the church. He had already devoured two servings of the comfort food and asked for a third to “Quilts touch people take home, which we cannot permit because they are handdue to regulations, so he accepted designed and are soft to another scoop in his bowl and ate as touch,” says Gloria, a much as he could on the run.

Newport Covenant Quilters After dinner one month, I (NCQ) member. accepted a plate from one of our Since 1997 these guests and noticed a portion of the dedicated volunteers have dinner was untouched, which is met weekly to craft unique unusual. When I glanced up to thank quilts which they donate No experience is required to join the quilters group him, I realized why he could not eat to hospitals and organizations some of the food: he had no teeth. I serving the needy in Puget Sound. stacking yardage and quilts in the recognized him from another meal I Grateful recipients include cupboards. help prepare and serve for homeless Harborview’s Pediatric Burn ICU Most of the quilts are assembled and hungry people in our community. Unit and many charities. “The quilts during the weekly sessions, but some Every Saturday, several local churches are not only members in Sequim rotate to provide a hearty valued for their make hot lunch to our impoverished warmth and part—or neighbors and veterans at the end of their beauty,” even all—of their battle. The outreach bridges the says Karina a quilt at gap left between organizations that O’Malley of The home and serve meals five days a week and the Sophia Way bring that to women’s shelter, the meeting. continued on page 11 “it’s meaningful Finished to the women quilt sizes to know that range from women in the 18 inches a t N o r t h g a t e community square (for Volunteers Opal and Audrey with a quilt-top A Not-for-Profit Retirement Community want them to be fetal demise Since 1997 successful.” babies) to 5 x 7 feet. Audrey estimates “We have 20 active members,” the group turns out about 300 quilts per says Audrey, the NCQ’s leader.

“We’re year.

TM always open to new members — and Where do they get the yardage to We offer both independent and assisted living with a range of services no experience is required!” Some of craft so many? Mostly from donations! and activities to help you make the most of your retirement years. the quilters learned the craft from their They’ll accept “anything from good mothers or grandmothers while others quality 100% cotton yardage and are acquiring their skills today from the yarn to cash for supplies” to keep the experts at NCQ. quilts rolling out the door to the local “This is so much FUN!” exclaims charities who often ask for more as their Dorothy, as she cuts batting to fill a stocks of beautiful, heart-lifting quilts quilt. “It’s a wonderful way to spend a dwindle. day.”

Can a beautiful quilt work magic?

The members range in age from Laurel says, “They took one of my quilts 30 to 85. Most are retired and enjoy to Harborview and gave that quilt to a the camaraderie and social aspect little boy who had fallen out of a threeof their sessions as well as what they story window. He had cried for two learn, create and contribute to the days. They gave him my quilt and he community. Volunteers bring snacks to stopped crying.”

IT’S TIME TO share, along with news of their families, A beautiful quilt is not only soft TIPTOE THROUGH friends and other opportunities to help to touch, it’s a soft touch on an aching THE TULIPS the community’s needy. heart. ❖ In their weekly gatherings the group produces machine-sewn, handFor information on donations or tied quilts of all varieties: traditional, membership to Newport Covenant appliqué and piecework. Designs are Quilters, please contact Newport invented by the quilt artists or are Covenant Church at 425-747-0515, chosen from books and magazines.

9am to 3pm, Monday through Friday.

Because there are many stages 11301 3rd Ave NE • Seattle 98125 • 206-361-2758 in the development of a quilt, there’s Joyce Lindsey O’Keefe is an awardwww.FoundationHouseNG.com something for everyone to do, from winning freelance writer. She lives running a sewing machine to joining part-time in the Puget Sound region and tiny squares to make larger ones, to part-time in southern Nevada. A neighbor Conveniently located near Northgate Mall, Target and adding the binding on the edge of an introduced her to the charitable work of Hubbard Homestead Park almost-finished quilt, to folding and NCQ.

Foundation House

RETIREMENT LIVING AT ITS BEST

Move here and be a part of it!

April 2016

F.Y.I. Work & Retirement Factoids

“Among retirees who retired later than planned, most (61%) did so for financial reasons or the need for benefits,” according to a 2015 Transamerica survey of workers and retirees. Four in ten retirees who delayed retirement did so because of enjoyment of their work, the survey reported.

Thirteen percent of workers expect to retire later than originally planned, but this is lower than in past years, reports the Center on Aging & Work. “The overall percentage of workers reporting that they expect to retire later than originally planned has decreased from 22% in 2013 to 15% in 2014 and 13% in 2015,” according to a 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey.

The Aegon Center for Longevity and Retirement (ACLR), in collaboration with Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, released a new report, The New Flexible Retirement, which illustrates that today’s workers are expecting to transition into retirement but face a significant obstacle: few employers have employment practices to support them. “Population aging is a global phenomenon. The shift toward a proportionally smaller working-age population and larger older population is disrupting traditional employment models and the fundamental economics of government-sponsored social security systems around the world,” said Catherine Collinson, executive director of ACLR. “A flexible retirement, which offers workers the ability to pursue their own personalized transition, can create opportunities to work longer, continue earning income, and stay active and involved in society. Moreover, a new flexible retirement can create a win-win situation by serving as a powerful tool to help solve the government, social security and employer-related retirement issues resulting from an aging population.”

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 11 Volunteer Drivers Needed to Help Local Seniors

The Vegetable Lady

92-year-old Lavonne Raven can attest to the value of the Volunteer Transportation program, which matches local seniors with caring volunteer drivers to take them to their medical appointments. Like many others who are no longer able to drive themselves, she relies on Volunteer Transportation to access important medical care. Lavonne was never a homebody, so she was devastated when her family took her keys away two years ago. She no longer had the freedom to come and go as she pleased, and she had a long list of recurring appointments. She felt like she’d lost her independence. It was then that Lavonne discovered the Volunteer Transportation program, which quickly became a huge part of her life. She continues to use the service multiple times per week. “I truly do not know what I’d do without the program. It is just so wonderful.

Each driver is marvelous, and each ride is like a day out for me!” she says.

Lavonne is just one of the program’s 2,000+ clients. Volunteer drivers ensure that they have the good health and high spirits they need to keep “on the road” to improved quality of life.

More volunteer drivers are needed throughout King County! Use your own car and choose the times, days and areas in which you wish to drive.

Call 206-748-7588 or visit www. soundgenerations.org to find out more.

Go the “extra mile” for local seniors!

weekend. We also send our guests on their way with a brown bag of nonperishable provisions and bottles of water to help sustain them until Monday.

I was fortunate to receive some tips on how to feed the hurting population one Saturday afternoon.

A woman in a wheelchair rolled up to the serving window, opened her mouth and showed me her one tooth while pointing to the bowl of green salad. She said the carrots in the salad where cut too big for people with dental issues. She also expounded that homeless people like hamburger but not macaroni and cheese. Tell that to a certain little boy!

This woman had wheeled in late for mealtime, followed by two companions. When I told her I was serving her the last portion of chicken and biscuits, she said, “No, give me a little bit and give the rest to them,” gesturing to her street mates. We did have sandwiches as a backup so no one would leave the church that day hungry, but I felt her comment defined the word “sharing.”

My Dad was an alcoholic who we managed to keep in the arms of our family until late in his life. When he wandered off to live here and there in downtown Tacoma, Washington, I assume he visited the Tacoma Rescue Mission for a hot meal; therefore, my mission became to assist with feeding people in honor of my own father.

...continued from page 10

I almost feel guilty when I give back because my gifts end up back on my front porch. I have a crowded pantry, a pot roast surrounded by potatoes and carrots simmers in the oven as often as I wish, and my community has always helped me find a way to feed someone’s Dad. ❖

55 plus?

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Flying Solo …by Pat D’Amico

Just once, with a tail wind full of youthful exuberance, I flew solo in a single engine airplane. My flight lasted about half-an-hour and ended my yen to be a pilot.

Newlyweds Jack and Pat D’Amico It was in the late fifties. My soon-to-be husband, Jack, had earned his pilot’s license when he Cully had my back. was fifteen. He had been flying for The airport was small and at least ten years by then and knew casual. The telephone was available the precise and unforgiving nature to anyone. Jack would often call to of aviation. He had more than a check on my progress and be sure little trepidation about my plan. that I was safely on the ground.

I was teaching school in Ballard.

I was merrily doing touch and He was working in downtown go landings one day when Cully Seattle. Two afternoons a week, I asked me to come to a full stop. He drove east on the Sunset Highway got out and said, “I want you to take (I-90) and made a left turn into off and land three or four times.” the Bellevue Airport (about He must have read my frozen face. where Eastgate is now) to meet “You’re ready,” he said and he my instructor, Cully, a calm and slammed the door shut. Okay, full confident man. throttle, here I go! I looked down at My lessons were in an Aeronca a church and sent my prayers flying, Champ. It was a high wing, two too. seater—one behind the other. Cully While I was up and my had a second set of controls in the confidence was down, Jack made back seat. There was no wheel. It one of his regular calls to the had a stick, rudders and a throttle. airport. He asked to speak to me.

I got the hang of it right away.

The voice on the phone said, “She’s I felt like a ballerina—every brain flying. Just a minute, I’ll let you talk cell and muscle in concert. A power to Cully.” A stress bomb went off in surge into the air; level out; graceful downtown Seattle. turns; throttle back; pull back; To bring a quick and merciful touch down; taxi to a stop; take a metaphorical bow. Glorious, when continued on page 30

April 2016

My Life Without Robert Redford …by Sandra McCafferty

Sting. It hung it in my classroom until someone Forty years ago, stole it. I wasn’t too what woman didn’t fall happy about that, but I in love with Robert have a framed photo of Redford? His wonderful the 70s Robert Redford smile, his handsome – a Christmas gift. My face, the way he wore friends and family know his hair all contributed of my obsession. to the charm and And they have all wonder of the man. I heard “the story.” The won’t tell the reader Way We Were contained Robert Redford just how many times I scenes filmed where have watched The Way I lived at the time, We Were, The Natural, Butch Cassidy Ballston Spa, New York. I would put and the Sundance Kid or The Sting. I my youngest in his buggy and take the was and am now a groupie who simply long way to the town center so that adored the man. he could fall asleep before we arrived.

At the bank recently the teller Then, behind the ropes, I watched the asked “is there anything else I can help scenes. He was so nice to the other you with?” I asked her, “Are you hiding actors (sometimes Ms. Streisand was Robert Redford in there?” Her reply, not). I was there every day they filmed.

“Do you think that if I did, I would let Several times, Robert Redford smiled him out for you?” We both smiled. at me. I know, deep in my heart, that I embarrass my grown kids when we if I didn’t have a son sleeping in the go to a restaurant and the waitperson buggy that Robert Redford would have asks if there is anything else I would jumped the rope and taken me into his need, and I reply “Robert Redford!” arms.

To my dismay, in the past few years, I went to a seminar once where the the waitperson replies “Who?” My speaker said “If you can believe it, you friends know that when they knock can have it.” Doesn’t work all of the on the door to my home, I might ask, time. But I am still hoping that one day, “Is it Robert Redford?” Students in my there will be a knock on my door and classes knew of my affection and one when I ask “who is it?” the reply will be, brought in a poster for me from The “Robert Redford!” ❖

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April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 13

Bi-Annual Special Section Retirement & Assisted Living Communities Is it time to consider a move? Twice each year Northwest Prime Time brings you our Retirement & Assisted Living Communities Guide. As the experts say, even if you are healthy and active and don’t foresee a move anytime soon, planning ahead will maximize your options. See our Sampler of Retirement Housing Listings on pages 20-23.

Is it Time to Consider Moving?

visits from the little ones are The Huffington Post published important an article by Ann Brenoff entitled to you, Retirement Communities: The 7 make Things you Should Ask. “Vowing to sure the never retire to an age-segregated retirement community is akin to the ‘60s community’s policies fit your plans for hosting family visits. pledge of never trusting anyone older 6. Is the bottom line the bottom than 30: It’s something you say when you are younger and can’t imagine ever doing line? It’s important to know everything that’s included in your monthly dues. it. And then one day you wake up and you’ve turned into the person you vowed “The devil is in the details.”

7. Are you planning for today never to trust – or in the case of post 50s, you wake up trying to figure out the and ignoring tomorrow? “While your immediate concern may be whether difference between Leisure World and you will be able to maintain an active Sun City. The idea that if you’ve seen one retirement community, you’ve seen lifestyle, can you age in place?” them all is far from the truth.”

The best time to plan your move The article suggests that you into a retirement or assisted living consider the following questions as you community is before something happens begin your search: that requires a move.

1. Are you looking for bingo or That is the advice of Senior competitive tennis? In other words, evaluate the programs at the community Housing Solutions (SHS), a company you are considering to make sure they fit helping seniors find housing options. “ ‘I’m not ready to move,’ is a mantra that your lifestyle.

I hear in my sleep,” reports an advisor 2. Is this a place you’ll find friends “with the same major?” Spend some time at SHS. What is interesting, the report states, is that most people, including to learn if there is are other residents at those who seem most opposed, often the community who seem compatible will tell you that moving was the best and share your interests.

3. Are you looking for love in all the decision. Many also say that they wish they had made the decision wrong places? Sometimes the first time people consider a retirement community to move sooner. “If you wait for something to occur before deciding is when they find themselves spouseto do something, you have waited too less. Not a bad idea, but don’t enter the community because you think you’ll find long,” states an SHS representative. your soul mate there. What you will find “If you need care, you may be in no condition to move. Crisis decisions is plenty of opportunities for socializing.

4. Will you grow old or stay young are usually not the best ones.”

Even if you are not ready for a move, here? Studies show that active people researching your options makes sense. are happier and healthier. Consider a If you find that perfect place, there may community that keeps you engaged be a waiting list. If you’re not on the list, with life.

5. Will your children, grandchildren your perfect place may not be available and great-grandchildren feel welcome? If when it IS time to move. ❖

How Many Healthy and Able Years Do You Have Left?

University of Washington School of Public Health Offers a Healthy Life Calculator Want to know when they were able to perform how many healthy all the activities of daily living years you have – such as walking, dressing, left if you are 65 eating – without difficulty or older? Faculty were calculated from the CHS at the University database. At the beginning of Washington of the study, the participants School of Public ranged in age from 65 to 99 Health have years; the average was 73. created an online The researchers used the calculator to help data to develop a “healthy you figure it out. life calculator” that can help “I’m a predict the number of Healthy Retired UW Professor, retired professor and Able years a person has Dr. Paula Diehr at University of remaining if they are at least Washington,” said Paula Diehr, Ph.D, 65 years old. The questions in the who led the research team on this calculator are based on the predictors project. “After retirement, I decided in the study that could be assessed I needed an estimate of the number by questionnaire and that were most of ‘good’ years that I have left. I’m a closely correlated with self-reported biostatistician and I had access to data, health and independent living in old so I was able to create a ‘healthy life age. calculator.’ I used it to answer my own CHS participants did not include question of whether I would likely still those who, at the beginning of the be healthy and able at age 80. Creating study, used a wheelchair at home, were the on-line calculator is also the first being treated for cancer, or who were time I’ve worked professionally with my unable to answer questions without son, who is second author of the study.” assistance. And the results are based on The algorithm is based on data averages. Not everyone will have an from the longitudinal, multi-site, average result, and personal situations federally-funded Cardiovascular Health can differ.

Study (CHS), led by the Collaborative Said Dr. Alice Arnold, associate Health Studies Coordinating Center at director of the coordinating center, the UW. The study collected extensive “There are several calculators available health information on its almost 6,000 to estimate years of life. What is unique participants for more than 20 years. about our calculator is the ability to For each person, the number of years estimate remaining years of life in good in which they reported excellent, very good or good health, and the number continued on page 14

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14

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Making Green Lake a Dementia Friendly Neighborhood Alzheimer’s The disease is Hearthstone quickly Retirement becoming a Community national crisis. in partnership It is the fifthwith Peet’s leading cause of Coffee in death for people Green Lake over 65 in the puts on the United States. local event As the Tsunami every month. of Baby Caregivers, Boomers enters family the retirement members, scene, millions people with will spend varying degrees their years of memory loss The Alzheimer’s Café at Peets Coffee near Green Lake with memory and friends loss or caring for from around someone who is affected by it. the neighborhood join in to make Caregiver challenges can be merry. Whether a local musician a lonely and difficult journey. visits, sing-a-longs to oldies are Cultural nuances and awkward played or memory games are shared, behavior can make it difficult it is a place for those with memory for caregivers to find a safe place loss to enjoy the company of others to socialize with their loved who love and accept them just ones outside of the home. Not as they are. Amy Bernhoft, who so in Green Lake, a welcoming organizes the event, says, “As the retirement neighborhood located Life Enrichment Director here at in the heart of Seattle. Every third the Hearthstone, I look forward Tuesday of the month, you will find to the Alzheimer’s Café every a special sign posted on the door month because it gives a chance of Peet’s Coffee Shop announcing for our residents and their families Alzheimer’s Café and inviting their to have an outing and spend time patrons to join in. together doing what many of them

have done for years, talk and enjoy each other’s company over a cup of coffee.”

Sarah Johnson, Manager at Peet’s is ready every month to open doors for this meaningful event.

“We are thrilled to be able to host such a wonderful event for our community and especially love the sing-a-longs!” Amy Maguire, Life Enrichment Manager at The Hearthstone, said, “The Green Lake Alzheimer’s Café at Peet’s is a joyful place for everyone who shows up. We have so much fun that the regular Peet’s goers often stay to sing and play the word games and join in the discussion.”

The Hearthstone and Peet’s Coffee are joining forces to make Green Lake a dementia-friendly neighborhood. You can too. If you or someone you know would like to visit or join in on the fun, come to Peet’s Coffee shop in Green Lake, every third Tuesday of the month at 2:30pm. Peet’s Coffee & Tea is located at 6850 East Green Lake Way North in Seattle.

Watch a short Alzheimer’s Café Video at www.youtube. com/watch?v=TsQ_DA78Gfc. For information about The Hearthstone, call 206-517-2120 or visit www.hearthstone.org. ❖

April 2016 How Many Healthy and Able Years Do You Have Left? ...continued from page 13

health and without a limitation that typically compromises independent living.”

“We put a lot of effort into making this calculator useful for the general population of seniors,” said Dr. Diehr.

“We hope it will be widely used and that it will help them plan for their futures.”

Dr. Diehr, who is 74 and still living in a two-story house, used the calculator herself. “Many of my friends have already downsized to more seniorfriendly accommodations. I figure that if I’m still healthy and able at age 80, I can avoid such a move until then.

Will I still be healthy and able at age 80, six years from now? The Healthy Life Calculator says that people like me have an additional 9.7 years of healthy and able life, which sounds like plenty.

It also says that only 17% have fewer than five additional years. This gives me about an 83% chance of having six or more years of healthy and able life ahead of me, which seems good enough. So I will just procrastinate until I’m 80. The calculator helped me make a decision, and I hope it will be useful for others as well.” ❖ The calculator can be found at http:// healthylifecalculator.org. The study, published in Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, is available at ggm.sagepub.com/ content/1/2333721415605989.full.pdf+html

We can move in too!

6850 Woodlawn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115 ph: 206-517-2110 web: www.villagecove.org email: villagecove@hearthstone.org

Village Cove is a pet-friendly independent living option of the Hearthstone, a Continuing Care Retirement Community at Green Lake. Cats and dogs are welcome at Village Cove! We know they are an important member of your family! Green Lake is a perfect place for your companion with an open park and a vet nearby. Of course, this is a perfect place for you, humans, as well.

Schedule your personal tour TODAY!

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 15

Tips for Seniors Downsizing Their Home A challenging time in a seniors’ life is downsizing to fit their possessions into a new, smaller home. Relocation. com, an online resource for those looking to move, offers some tips on making the process a bit easier: 1. The downsizing process is a good time to identify items to be passed along as heirlooms. To make it easier, make a list of things you want to give away (or mark the items with stickers), and then have children or other relatives use that list to pick the things they would like to keep. If there are items that no one expresses an interest in, look into ways of selling it or donating it to charity.

2. Certified relocation specialists, computer programs or even just simple cutouts can help a you determine exactly how much room you’ll have in your new home for your belongings, says Nancy Pelham, a Dallas professional organizer and owner of Helping Hands Personal Service. It’s important to have a firm idea of how large the new home is and how much stuff it will accommodate. You don’t want to find out from the moving company that everything won’t fit.

Have a very realistic assessment of space limitations.

3. During the packing process,

F.Y.I. Upside of Downsizing Conference On April 9 from 9:30am to 3pm at the Tacoma Dome, the Upside of Downsizing Conference offers practical information for boomers and seniors looking to downsize the burdens of maintaining a large

you can use different colored stickers to identify items to be moved to the new home; thrown out or given away.

It helps to do this well in advance and you can tackle it a little bit at a time so it doesn’t get overwhelming. Start this process early.

4. Be patient! This is a timeconsuming process and it can be difficult. It might be easier if you spend some of this time with patient family members to go through the items and reminisce about earlier days. You can recall fond memories and fill in your loved ones on important family history.

5. Finally, when packing, remember that some items you are moving might be worth more than you estimate because they’ve become antiques or collectibles. For especially valuable belongings, consider carrying them with you rather than entrusting them to the movers. If you want the moving companies to handle them, consider buying separate insurance. ❖

home. Four presenters include a real estate specialist, homestager, counselor and elder law attorney. The conference also includes lunch and exhibitors. Admission is $25$35 and includes lunch and take-home resource materials.

For more information, call 503-614-9778 or visit www. upsideofdownsizing.com

Come see how we’re different!

Parkside offers: • Assisted care

• Full range of personal care services • Three home-style meals per day Servicing the valley since 1973.

Stop by for a visit

2902 I St NE Auburn, WA 98002 253-939-1332

parksideretirement.com

Awaiting your arrival, the luxury retirement of your dreams at Park Shore.

Seattle offers an unparalleled combination of urban amenities, making it one of Washington State’s most highly sought-after shoreline lifestyles.

A smart new trend for baby boomers is to skip downsizing to a condo and move directly into a lifestyle community. Park Shore is a perfect example. Located in Madison Park, Park Shore is literally on the water, with its own private dock.

Real estate prices here get into rarified air, with condos starting at $1,000,000.

But if you’re 62+, you can get into this Continuing Care Retirement Community with an entrance fee that starts at just $300,000.

For that price, residents get an apartment—freshly remodeled to their specifications—and a lot of services, including concierge,

transportation, upscale dining and a lot more.

“Many of our residents own second homes and use Park Shore as their home base. They spend summers here on the water, walking, swimming and enjoying our gorgeous lake. In the winter, some of them take off for sunnier climes,” says Don Warfield, Park Shore marketing director.

“Park Shore offers a tremendous lifestyle for half the cost of local waterfront real estate—and residents have lock-and-go freedom for travel.”

IF YOU’RE READY TO DIVE INTO A NEW LIFESTYLE. WHAT:

Park Shore, a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)

WHERE:

Madison Park, on Lake Washington, at 1630 43rd Avenue E, Seattle Park Shore has its own private dock for your kayak or boat.

HOW:

If you’re 62+ years of age, you’re in!

THE COST:

Entrance fees start at $300,000

LEARN MORE: 1) Go to ParkShore.org/Videos to see it in action.

2) Visit Facebook.com/ParkShoreSeattle Along with enjoying a parade of boats and a prime view of Seafair’s Blue Angels — you can take a float plane home!

3) Call (206) 438-4720 to schedule a visit and a tour.

➔

Check out their videos at ParkShore.org/Videos.

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Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

April 2016

Signs Your Aging Parent Can’t Live Alone

Artist Andy Eccleshall standing beside a portion of the 70-foot mural he painted. A hand-painted, 70-foot mural featuring familiar and serene scenes such as the abundant beauty of Mount Rainier, daffodil fields and lush farmland has a permanent home in the courtyard of The Arbor, the memory care wing at Wesley Homes Lea Hill in Auburn. The mural draws memory care residents outside to enjoy the art and serene surroundings, and provides an opportunity for increased socialization. As weather permits, Wesley will offer group activities in the courtyard, such as intergenerational craft sessions. The mural’s design also provides a catalyst for reminiscing, as powerful memories are stimulated by the images depicted in the mural.

The final flight of Boeing's very first 727 ended at Paine Field and the Museum of Flight in early March where it will be on permanent display. The 727 was once the most popular airliner in the world; it and the 707 ushered out the era of prop planes and ushered in the age of jet travel that we know today. After languishing in Everett for 25 years, the restored 1963 jet made the historic 12 minute flight. It was welcomed by pilots and flight attendants who once flew it, donned in vintage uniforms. Photo by Don Beyer.

RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

|

Many are blessed with longevity, but as we age we become less independent than we once were. Millions of baby boomers throughout the country are caring for elderly parents and struggling to determine if it’s safe for their parent to remain living alone. It’s a difficult, multi-faceted decision not to be made lightly as there is much at stake – both the physical and emotional well-being of the parent in question and for the extended family at large.

Carolyn Brent, author of Why Wait?, lists 10 tell-tale signs that can help to make this important decision.

1. Mom or Dad has always been a great housekeeper, but the house just doesn’t look like it used to. Of course, this can mean a lot of things.

Your parent may actually have an active social life and is more concerned with staying busy than tidying up. But, it could be a more ominous sign that your parent is having a difficult time keeping up with all the chores. She may feel overwhelmed or his physical health is slowing him down. Ask your parent if help is needed with the clutter, but do it in a nonchalant way that could prompt a conversation indicating assistance is

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needed here. Keep a keen eye to discern if the clutter and filth is getting worse with each visit - it’s often a key sign.

2. The bills and other mail are piling up: While we all get busy – even those who are retired – basic tasks that were often dealt with quickly and easily when younger, but that are now falling by the wayside, is a sign that your older parent could be getting overwhelmed and not able to manage their daily affairs.

3. The checking account balance is wrong and bills are going unpaid: If the mail, with bills included, is piling up, there is a good chance that the bills are not getting paid.

4. Your parent is losing weight: Pay attention to your parent’s weight.

Also, check their refrigerator and pantry to see if there is an appropriate supply of food and that what is there is fresh and edible. If the cupboard is bare and your parent’s frame is shrinking, living alone might become problematic. At the very least, you may want to think about bringing groceries by or looking into a service that offers prepared meal delivery.

Otherwise, you may have to discuss the idea of moving somewhere that helps them eat regular, healthy meals.

5. They have forgotten the basics of hygiene: If you notice that your parent is wearing the same clothing day in and day out or that their hair or skin appears dirty on a fairly regular basis, they may have lost the motivation, ability and/or forethought to look after themself. Living alone, they may feel like they don’t have to dress up or clean up for anyone. Worse yet, they may have forgotten – or simply no longer cares - that such personal hygiene and cleanliness is an important part of daily living and maintaining one’s good health.

6. They appear in inappropriate clothing: While you may not share your mother or father’s sense of style, there is cause for concern if your parent dons summer clothing in the dead of winter or leaves the house in a nightgown and slippers for a trip to the store. This often happens when the elderly are suffering from confusion and lose the ability to have discretion in social situations. In this situation, wardrobe can be the least of the concerns as the problem manifests in other dangerous ways.

7. There are signs of forgetfulness in the home: Confusion can also show up in the kitchen and can prove to be continued on page18

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 17

New Affordable Senior Housing Projects The Washington State Affordable Housing Finance Commission released a report entitled Affordable Housing Down Every Road. “Almost every community in Washington is facing a shortage of affordable housing,” says Karen Miller, Chair of the Commission.

The Housing Finance Commission, through financing tools and expertise, is providing for affordable solutions.”

The housing market in Seattle and environs is among the hottest in the country. Escalating prices leave seniors living on a fixed income facing a challenge, but lower-interest financing means more affordable

communities for seniors. New projects are popping up throughout the region.

The report quoted Christopher Santoro, president of AVS Communities: “The Commission’s tax-exempt bonds provide us lowerinterest financing, allowing us to create beautiful, amenity-rich communities for seniors.”

AVS has developed three affordable senior housing communities, and are in the process of developing an additional six communities. The three existing communities are the Reserve at Renton, the Reserve at Everett

and the Villas at Lakewood. A new community at SeaTac, near the new light-rail station in the area, is scheduled to open in the fall. In total, AVS’s nine affordable housing communities will Reserve at Renton offer over 2,000 units. According to the report, amenities in the new communities can include on-site exercise room, swimming pool, computer room and beauty shop. The

new senior housing developments are purposely located conveniently to public transportation, health care and other important services. ❖

Br an d New

Sophisticated 55+ Affordable Senior Living The Reserve Proudly Introduces Affordable Senior Living to Renton and Everett

The Reserve at Renton and Everett locations combines affordability and exceptional amenities to deliver you a home that is comfortable and convenient. We have delightful studios and one or two bedroom homes to suit all your living needs.

Located on Renton Center Way in Renton or on Evergreen Way in Everett, your home at The Reserve is truly in the middle of everything. Shopping, dining, and transportation are within steps of your home, while professional and accommodating on-site staff are here to assist you with anything you may need.

Our amenities: *Indoor heated year-round pool and hot tub, **Indoor spa and pool, *Yoga Retreat with 24 hour interactive virtual instructor, **Wellbeats Fitness Program with virtual instructors, Fitness Center, TV Lounge with huge flat screens and Direct TV, Community Lounge with chef kitchen and custom designed wine storage lockers, Game Room with Xbox and pool table, Library, Business Center, Private meeting and dining rooms, **Sun room, Outdoor deck, Courtyard with *gas fireplace, and *Inner-community walking trail. *Features unique to Renton location **Features unique to Everett location

Reserve at SeaTac … Pre-Leasing Summer of 2016 495 Renton Center Way SW Renton, WA 98057 www.reserveatrenton.com

855-464-0496

8920 Evergreen Way Everett, WA 98208 www.reserveateverett.com

855-982-9905

18

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

April 2016

Top 10 Fastest Growing Costs for Older Consumers A report from The Senior Citizens League shows the top 10 fastest growing costs for older consumers. Even though inflation was too low for a cost-ofliving adjustment (COLA) this year, a number of crucial items that older consumers typically buy jumped in cost, according to the report. “These cost increases are forcing older consumers to make difficult choices,” says the organization’s Chairman, Ed Cates. “In the years when Social Security benefits don’t keep up with rising costs, people living on fixed incomes are forced to spend retirement savings faster than planned or, worse, go into debt just to make ends meet,” he added.

While the majority of Medicare beneficiaries did NOT have an increase in their Medicare Part B premiums this year, about one -third pay 16 percent more in premiums than they paid last year — one of the biggest increases in Medicare premiums on record,” Cates says. “This especially affects people who have delayed the start of their Social Security benefits and pay for their Medicare by check,” Cates explains.

Over time however, the study indicates that Medicare Part B premium increases are one of the top fastestgrowing costs during most retirement years.

Prescription drug costs are another category that the organization received comments about from people age 60 and over. “There have been several

back-to-back years of prescription drug price spikes,” Cates says. The Senior Citizens League supports legislation that would allow Medicare greater authority to negotiate drug prices.

The cost of eating a more healthy diet rose while the cost of foods higher in fat and cholesterol, like processed meats and cheese, tumbled.

“The takeaway is that, although the huge drop in fuel oil costs is only one area of spending, it’s big enough to drive down the COLA — even though older Americans drive less as they get older,” Cates says. Research indicates that using a senior-oriented Consumer Price Index would pay a higher COLA in most years, even in 2016. The organization is lobbying for an Emergency COLA, as well as legislation that would pay a more fair and accurate COLA by switching to a senior-oriented Consumer Price Index.

The Top 10 Fastest Rising Costs for Older Consumers 1. Medicare Part B (if paid by check), up 16% 2. Prescription Drugs, up 10.4% 3. Tomatoes, up 8.1% 4. Eggs, up 6.8% 5. Car Insurance, up 5.4% 6. Hospital Services, up 4.6% 7. Homeowners Insurance, up 4.6% 8. Veterinarian Services, up 4.1%; 9. Housing, up 3.7% 10. Physicians’ Services, up 2.3% ❖

An unlikely combination of recycled plastic shopping bags in the hands of philanthropic seniors is making for a more comfortable and dignified night's sleep for homeless people. Residents of Friendship Village have started repurposing plastic bags into sleeping mats. In addition to providing comfort for homeless individuals, the project also keeps thousands of plastic bags out of landfills. The process includes cutting the plastic bags into strips called plarn, (plastic yarn) which is then crocheted into colorful mats. Approximately 500-700 bags are used per mat.

Signs Your Aging Parent Can’t Live Alone ...continued from page 18

deadly if not dealt with quickly. All too often there are stories of older people who accidentally burned their houses down because they left a pot on the stove for hours and fell asleep or have flooded the home when they forgot to turn off the tap. Or, perhaps more subtly, the milk is in the pantry and the bread is in the refrigerator.

8. Your parent regularly misses appointments and other important items: Forgetfulness, absentmindedness and memory issues may also show up when it comes to keeping certain appointments, recognizing key dates or, even more importantly, maintaining medication dosages on schedule. This is a clear sign they need to live with someone who can help them stick to their schedules and stay on task.

9. They are acting differently

than normal: Sometimes between aging and the side effects from medication, you may note that your parent’s personality and behavior has taken an odd turn for the worse. If you see signs of paranoia, fear, strange phone calls or conversations, and nervousness, this should not be overlooked.

10. They exhibit signs of depression: There are a number of classic signs that can be connected with someone suffering depression. A loss of interest in caring for one’s self as well as a lack of participation in socialization and in once-loved hobbies can mean that your parent needs treatment or should reside in an environment where they can be around other people. Sometimes, depression comes from a sense of loneliness or the realization that they can no longer do things for themselves.

Living somewhere that offers assistance, socialization and activities can help cure the loneliness and put them back on track to a more fulfilling, active and engaged life. ❖

Pssst! It’s not a “retirement community.”

You just have to be 55+ to enjoy all it has to offer.

55+

Manufactured Home Community

is coming to Covington in June 2016.

WHAT MAKES AFFINITY DIFFERENT? For starters, it’s amazingly affordable, with no need to “buy” in or sign a lengthy contract – you can simply rent. Add to that about 30,000 square feet of additional living space with a fun social vibe and cool amenities like an indoor saltwater pool and spa and an on-site resident pub, to name just a few- and these communities feel like resort living for active, fun and vibrant adults. Our communities give people a way to live affordably without sacrificing on lifestyle.

AT A GLANCE: A 55+ lifestyle apartment where rent includes all utilities, including electricity, A/C, T.V. and WiFi. WHAT YOU’LL LOVE: You will be surrounded with opportunities for fitness and socializing, including happy hour in your own pub, with friends and neighbors.

For Leasing Information:

(844)396-1321 Retail Leasing Office 17265 SE Wax Road, Suite #102 Covington, WA. 98042 www.AffinityatCovington.com AffinityatCovington015@MyLTSMail.co

FEATURES INCLUDE: • Studio, 1, & 2 Bedroom Apartments • All utilities, WIFI & TV paid • Non Smoking Community • Indoor Heated Saltwater Pool/Spa • Internet Café • Fitness Center • Community Garden, BBQ & Firepit • Theater & Library • Woodworking Shop & Crafts Room • Dilly Dally’s Pub • Pets Welcome*

Located behind the Commons Mall in Federal Way. Belmor Park offers an active friendly retirement lifestyle.

We would love to give you a tour of our beautiful community. Make sure you ask about our move-in special.

Your community. Your home.

Great amenities including: • Hot Tub/Sauna • 9-Hole Executive Golf Course • Indoor Pool • Large Club House • Fitness Center Visit BelmorPark.com to learn more about us!

2101 S 324th St, Federal Way, WA 98003

253-838-0517

belmormgr@hynesnet.com

Mon - Fri: 9am – 4pm • Sat: 10am – 3pm • Sun: by appointment only

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 19

Tips for Choosing a Retirement Community Today’s retirement communities offer a wide range of lifestyle choices, from basic apartments to luxury accommodations with all the bells and whistles. Pages 20-23 offer listings of retirement housing options in the area, including locator maps and grids for easy comparison. The guide is comprised of current Northwest Prime Time retirement housing advertisers.

Many options await you. Here is a list of different types of senior housing along with definitions and questions to ask to help in your decision-making.

Retirement community options range from completely independent lifestyles through skilled nursing care.

Features can include housekeeping service, from one to three meals per day in a common dining area, organized recreational and social activities, van rides to grocery, medical and other appointments and safety features such as call bells for assistance. Facilities range from basic apartment complexes to campus style, park-like or luxury hotel style settings. Entrance fees and monthly costs vary tremendously. Care options range from very little care for healthy, independent residents, to help with daily living needs for frail individuals to complete nursing care. Some facilities specialize in treating people with Alzheimer’s or other memory problems.

Independent Retirement Apartments/Communities: Monthto-month rental facilities feature independence for seniors. This arrangement allows you to enjoy an active, independent lifestyle in a community setting with organized social and recreational opportunities, but allows you to move quickly when your needs exceed the services offered.

Facilities are usually apartment or condo style units, although cottage-style living options are growing in popularity.

They come with complete living units: kitchen, bedroom(s), living room and bath.

Assisted Living facilities offer independent, community style living such as described above, but also offer more care with 24-hour nursing supervision for help with needs such as medication, bathing, getting dressed and laundry.

Nursing Homes provide skilled nursing care for people who cannot live

independently.

These facilities offer substantial day-to-day care, have 24-hour nursing and an attending physician.

Continuing Care Communities are designed to meet residents’ needs from the active, independent lifestyles experienced in independent retirement communities, through assisted living, to skilled nursing care all on site at the same facility.

Adult Care Homes provide housing, meals and one-on-one assistance with activities of daily living. They are single family homes in residential areas, usually licensed for fourto-six residents.

Some considerations when choosing a retirement community: Cost – According to the U.S. Department of Labor, no more than 60% of your income (or combined income for a couple) should go toward supporting you in a retirement community. Consider entrance fees and monthly costs. Is this a non-profit or for-profit facility? Are any subsidies available? Do you have long-term care insurance, pension benefits or other resources to help with these costs? Be sure you know all services that are (and are not) provided for your monthly fee.

TIP: Total all of your current monthly expenses including housing costs, food, home maintenance, utilities, real estate taxes, housekeeping and other housing expenses and compare to the monthly expense at the community you’re considering. Make sure you know what the contract covers in terms of services and meal plans.

Services – What is the full range of services available, which of these are covered in the basic fee and which are extra? Do you require help with any dayto-day activities or housekeeping chores?

Fully consider all services or assistance you need now or may need soon when selecting a facility. Make sure you fully understand the contract and what it covers in terms of services.

• What is covered in the upfront fee?

• Would you (or your heirs) get any part of your upfront fee back if you move out?

• Make sure you understand the change in monthly fees should you start in independent and move to assisted living.

• If married, will you have to pay more in monthly fees if your partner needs assisted living and you want to keep your apartment?

• Consider having an attorney look over any contract before you sign it.

Transporation & Medical Services – Consider how frequently you need to keep medical appointments and if the community transportation schedule meets your needs or offers alternatives.

Will you be able to keep your current doctor or will you need to find a new one closer to your new home? Can you transfer your prescriptions and does the new pharmacy accept your prescription coverage plan?

Meals – Do you have special dietary needs? Do you like the menu? How often are meals served and what meals are included in the fee? Are snacks available during non-meal hours?

Activities – Does the facility offer

the types of activities and programs that you enjoy? Check out their full schedule.

Location – Is the facility convenient to friends, family and the activities you enjoy?

Walking & public transportation opportunities – Although many communities offer transportation for shopping, medical appointments and excursions, is there a nearby bus stop?

Check out walking trails and routes in the neighborhood. Is there a nearby library and other services that are important to you?

Affiliations – Does the facility have a religious, fraternal or governmental affiliation?

Pets – Do they accept pets?

Make a list of your criteria and questions, and visit several facilities that seem to meet your needs. Bring a friend or family member to compare notes and help ask questions. Use your senses ... do you like the looks of the place? How does it smell? See if you can have a meal at the facility and attend some scheduled activities. Ask about the management, their experience in the business, their track record and check out their reputation at this and any other facilities they manage. What is the staff-to-resident ratio? Does the staff seem harried or irritable? (might be a sign of understaffing). How long has key staff worked there (administrator, head nurse, social worker, marketing person)? ❖

Affordable Retirement Living in Bellevue!

One Bedroom Prices start at $1762

All the freedom, comfort and security you want.

*Some income limits apply

Our friendly and professional staff is available round-the-clock to provide compassionate care whenever you need it. We are a smaller, intimate community where you will enjoy daily activities, transportation, housekeeping, and all your meals deliciously prepared. Good friends, great staff, and a fun lifestyle.

my

The only thing missing is you!

Assisted Living for Active Adults

Call us for a personal tour!

Stafford Suites of Sumner • (253) 862-1818

15519 62nd St. Court E., Sumner, WA 98390 • staffordcare.com/sumner

r e e nc ourt.

com

• Activities 7 days a week!

• Affordable Care Options • The Best Neighbors in Bellevue!

Evergreen Call today for a tour!

Court

Stafford Suites of Kent • (253) 850-0333

112 Kennebeck Ave. N., Kent, WA 98030 • staffordcare.com/kent

• 3 Great Meals a Day • Weekly Housekeeping • Scheduled Transportation

e ve rg

Where the Living is Easy.

900 124th Ave. NE Bellevue, WA 98005

425-455-4333 TTY 711

*Prices subject to change

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

20

Retirement Living531 Guide

Seattle Area & Points North

April 2016

Arlington

Organized by region: Seattle & Points North; Eastside; South King & Pierce Counties

including: Edmonds, Everett, Lynnwood, Mercer Island, Seattle

9 • eraliving.com 1. Aljoya Mercer Island: 2430 76th Avenue SE, Mercer 5 Island, WA 98040 • 206-230-0150 2. Aljoya Thornton Place (North Seattle): 450 NE 100th Street, Seattle, WA 98125 • 206-306-7920 • eraliving.com

Granite Falls Cedar Creek Memory Care: 21006 72nd Avenue West, Edmonds, WA 98026 • 425-301-6425 • www.cedarcreekedmonds.com

3. Bayview Retirement Community: 11 West Aloha St. Seattle, WA 98119 • 206-284-7330 • bayviewcommunity.org 4.

5. Chateau Pacific: 3333 148th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98087 • 425-787-9693 • www.chateauretirement.com 98126 • 206-937-6122 • www.DaystarSeattle.com 6. Daystar Retirement Village: 2615 SW Barton St., Seattle, WA 528

Marysville

92 7. Foss Home & Village: 13023 Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98133 • 206-364-1300 • www.fosscare.org

ISLAND 8. Foundation House at Northgate: 11301 3rd Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98125 • 206-361-2758 • www.FoundationHouseNG.com House: 900 University St Seattle, WA 98101 10. Horizon525 529 • 206-745-4133 • www.horizonhouse.org 524

11. Ida Culver House Broadview: 12505 Greenwood Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98133 • 206-361-1989 • eraliving.com

Everett

2

House Ravenna: 2315 NE 65th Street, Seattle, WA 98115 • 206-523-7315 • eraliving.com 12. Ida Culver Clinton 13. The Lakeshore: 11448 Rainier Avenue S., Seattle, WA 98178 • 206-772-1200 • eraliving.com

Mukilteo Assisted Living: 14. Northaven Retirement and Northaven 5 11045 8th NE Seattle, WA 98125 • 206-365-3020 • www.Northavenseniorliving.org 2

15. Park Shore: 1630 43rd Ave. E Seattle, WA 98112 • 206-438-4720 • www.parkshore.org 526

Snohomish WA 98126 • 206-938-6036 • www.providence.org/themount 16. Providence Mount St. Vincent: 4831 35th Ave SW Seattle, 17. The Reserve at Everett: 8920 Evergreen 99 Way, Everett, WA 98208 • (425) 353-3479 • www.reserveateverett.com 525

18. University House Wallingford: 4400 Stone Way N., Seattle, WA 98103 • 206-545-8400 • eraliving.com 96

19. Village Cove: 6850 Woodlawn Ave NE Seattle WA 98115 • 206-517-2110 • www.villagecove.org 9

(Everett)

527

5 524

Kingston

on Hts.

SNOHOMISH

9. The Hearthstone: 6720 E Green Lake Way N Seattle WA 98103 • 206-517-2213 • www.hearthstone.org

Lynnwood

Edmonds

17

405

Monroe 524

4

522

104

Bothell

104

522

11

Woodinville

Duvall

523

7 99

14

8

203

2

513

5

9

Kirkland

12

19

18

520

10

SEATTLE

Redmond

908

405

15

3

202 520

90

1

Fall City

90

6

Carnation

Bellevue

519

16

2

Sulta

99

Issaquah

Fauntleroy

202 13

509 599

900 900

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 21

Skilled Nursing

Memory Care

Total Units

Studios

1-Bedroom

2-Bedroom+

Dining/meals

Pets

Cost Range

Assisted

Entrance Fee

Independent

Community Name

Ad located on page...

Seattle Area & Points North

1. Aljoya Mercer Island

X

X

X

X

114

X

X

X

3

X

Yes

Please call: (206) 230-0150

31

2. Aljoya Thornton Place

X

X

X

X

143

X

X

X

3

X

Yes

Please call: (206) 306-7920

31

124

45

43

X

X

Yes

Independent Monthly range $2,105-$4,950 (incl. couples pricing)

11

Yes

$4,410 – 6,600

12

3. Bayview Retirement Community 4. Cedar Creek Memory Care 5. Chateau Pacific

71

65

6. Daystar Retirement Village

X

X X

7. Foss Home & Village

X

124 53 60 11 (Ind) (Ind) (Ind) (Ind)

60

60

X

136

X

X

X

X

X

none

$1,700 - $4,130

n/a

110

X

X

X

X

X

None

$1,995+

13

X

X

none

Call for information: 206-364-1300

7

X

X 104

7

71

26

X

None

Month to month rentals $1,580 - $4,995

10

X

200

115

79

6

X

X

$2,400-$4,900/month

14

25

483

119

135

229

X

X

$41,923 $1,390,700

$1,514 - $4,697

n/a

X

319

X

X

X

3

X

No

From $2,850

31

X

90

X

X

X

3

X

No

From $2,400

31

X

X

158

X

X

X

3

X

No

From $2,675

31

14. Northaven Retirement and Northaven Assisted Living:

194

40

234

174

60

X

X

None

Independent-HUD based on income Assisted Living: $3,900

24

15. Park Shore

114

30

28

172

18

60

Yes

Yes

Yes. Refundable Option Available

Starts at $190,000

15

X

X

yes

(206) 938-6248 for details

Call (206) 938-6036 for current rates

6

$795-$1,168

17

8. Foundation House at Northgate

X

X

9. The Hearthstone

X

X

10. Horizon House

378

80

11. Ida Culver House Broadview

X

X

12. Ida Culver House Ravenna

X

13. The Lakeshore

16. Providence Mount St. Vincent 17. The Reserve at Everett

X

18. University House Wallingford

X

X

19. Village Cove

X

X

X

X

X

258 X 146

X

X

36

28

0

X

X

X

X

22

6

X 3

X

No

From $3,200

31

X

X

$2,840 - $4,250/month

14

continued on page 22

My Spring Workout …by Hallie Rive Appel

After the winter my clothing feels tighter on me than I remember. I must exercise more. To that end I dressed Hallie Rive Appel this morning in the stretchy clothing I used to wear to my twice-weekly workouts before the trainer moved away. I know the routine, most of it, and I even have the weights I need. I will start right after breakfast.

Right after breakfast turns out to be too soon. I don’t want to exercise on a full stomach.

So I put in a load of wash, and because it is so sunny I plan to hang it outside. I’ll have time to do the stretches before the washing machine finishes.

In the living-room I look at the rug where I will be “strengthening my core.” I don’t want to lie down on all those tiny

bits and pieces of who-knows-what! I haul out the vacuum cleaner and vacuum the rug, and while I’m about it, the rest of the room, the hall and the bedroom.

Vacuuming the bedroom requires pulling out the heavy storage bins from under the bed and carrying them into the living room. I bend down to vacuum up the under-the-bed dust bunnies, and have to crouch all the way down to vacuum under the chests of drawers. I reach up high to get the tops of the window and door frames. When I’m done and the vacuum cleaner is put away, I lug the storage bins back and shove them under the bed.

Now I’m ready to begin my exercising. Oh, but I forgot the wash. I go down to the basement and take everything out of the washing machine and put it all

into a laundry basket. Now I climb the stairs with the basket on one hip and take it out to the clothes lines. Forgot the pegs. Go down to the basement again, bring up the bag of clothes pins and squat to pick up a shirt, standing to peg it to the line. Repeat until everything is up, the socks together in pairs, the underwear on one line, the t-shirts on another, the shirts on a fourth.

It really is a lovely spring day. I look around, enjoying the way the sun shines through the daffodil petals and the sweet smell of the Daphne. But what’s this?

A dandelion in full glory! And another, and another over there!

I can pinch off their heads, but far better to dig them up before they spread their seeds.

I go back down to the basement to my gardening supplies and bring up the dandelion digger.

I dig up the first dandelion and the second and end up with a pile. Then I notice all the other weeds I ignored all winter. There are more than I realized, but they are easy to pull up and I add them to the dandelions. But the green container for compost is still down on the street because today is pick-up day. I gather it all up and carry the big, untidy pile down to the bin.

The bin has already been emptied. I must have missed hearing the truck. I drop in my load and pull the bin all the way up the driveway to its place by the garage. At last my chores are done and I can exercise. But as I go through the kitchen I glance at the clock. Lunch time already! I can’t imagine why I feel a little weary, but I think I will take a nap after lunch. My workout can wait. ❖

2 526

Snohomish

99 Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

22

Port Gamble

Retirement Living Guide 104

524

Lynnwood

Sultan & Points North; Organized by region: Seattle 2 Eastside; South King & Pierce Counties

96 9

527

South King & Pierce Counties 3

April 2016

525

including: Auburn, Burien, Covington, Des Moines,Monroe Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Kent, Milton, Renton, Sumner

405

524 522 Kingston 1. Affinity at Covington: 17265Edmonds SE Wax Road, Suite #102, Covington, WA 98042 • 844-396-1321 • www.AffinityatCovington.com 104

2. Belmor 307Park: 2101 S324th St., Federal Way, WA 98003 • 253-838-0517 • www.belmormhc.com Bothell

104

3. Boulevard Park Place: 2805 S. 125th St., Burien522WA 98168 • 206-243-0300 • www.boulevardparkplace.com Woodinville Poulsbo Duvall 4. Chateau Valley Center: 4450 Davis Ave523S., Renton, WA 98055 • 425-251-6677 • www.chateauretirement.com 99 5. Harbor Place at Cottesmore: 1016 29th St NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 • 253-853-3354 • HarborPlaceRetirement.com 203

308

6. Madrona Park: 31200 23rd Avenue South, Federal Way, WA 98003 • 253-941-5859 • www.leisurecare.com

3

Kirkland

7. The Meridian St, Milton, WA 98354 •Redmond 253-248-4448 • www.meridianatstonecreek.com 305 at Stone Creek: 1111 S 376th 5 908

513

e

405

202 Carnation 8. Parkside Retirement Community: 2902 I Street NE,520Auburn, WA 98002 • 253-939-1332 • www.parksideretirement.com 520 Bainbridge 9. The Reserve Renton Center Way SW, Renton, WA 98057 • 425-255-2275 • www.reserveatrenton.com Island at Renton: 495SEATTLE

303

Bellevue

10. Stafford Suites - Kent: 112 Kennebeck Ave N, Kent, WA 98030 • 253-850-0333 • www.staffordsuites.com/kent

310

90

519 Bremerton 11. Stafford Suites - Sumner: 15519 62nd St. Ct. E. Sumner, WA 98390 • 253-862-1818 • www.staffordsuites.com/sumner Fall City

304

90

99 12. Village Green Retirement Campus: 35419 1st Ave S. Federal Way, WA 98003 • 253-838-3700 • www.VillageGreenRetirement.com PORT ORCHARD

Issaquah

10

507

518

13

Renton

4

169

99

18

167 515

181

Purdy

10

16

Kent 5

2

Federal Way

12

169

167

512

X

1. Affinity at Covington

2-Bedroom+

Lakewood

Enumclaw

Sumner Memory Care

Puyallup

South King & Pierce Counties

164

1-Bedroom

161

11

167

Studios

705

Community Name

KING

Auburn

7

Tacoma

16

14

18

Skilled Nursing

163

6

Maple Valley

1

156

10

54

92

Entrance Fee Pets

5

Assisted

16

99

516

7

X

X

X

X

X

X X

$1,290 - $2,460

18

410

Buckley

165 X

Cost Range

Ad located on page...

509

8

Dining/meals

Gig Harbor

18

Total Units

SPUR 302

509

Independent

16

Fauntleroy816 S 216th St, Des Moines, WA 98198 • 206-824-5000 • desmoines.wesleyhomes.org 13. 166 Wesley Homes Des Moines: 202 Southworth 509 14. Wesley Homes LeaVashon Hill: Hts. 32049 109th Place SE. Auburn, WA 98092 • 253-876-6000 • leahill.wesleyhomes.org North 160 599 900 Bend 3 900 9

None

5

7

2. Belmor Park:

162

3. Boulevard Park Place Active Retirement Living 507 4. Chateau Valley Center

X 73

60

5. Harbor Place

X

X

6. Madrona Park:

X

X

7. The Meridian at Stone Creek:

X

X

7

Yelm

126

161

X

Carbonado

133

X

206

X

X

X

89

X

X

155

29

104

One Bedrooms start at $1,490 Two Bedrooms start at $2,020

27

X

X

none

$2,180 - $4,790

n/a

X

$2,000 for Ind. & Assisted Living

Call 253-853-3354 for current rates

26

X

3 165 X X

X

$2000

68

42

X

$2,000

PIERCE

X

0 0

702 8. Parkside Retirement Community

96

96

$2,175 - $4,200 4 8 KM

4

X

X

31

29

3

3

X

$1,000

$2,375 - $3,575

19

72

27

39

6

3

X

$600

$2,390 - $4,345

19

165

X

X

X

X

X

11. Stafford Suites - Sumner

X

X

12. Village Green Retirement Campus

X

X

13. Wesley Homes Des Moines

326

39

148

X

513

X

X

X

14. Wesley Homes Lea Hill

127

32

X

16

175

X

X

X

Eatonville

none

30

X

X

7

yes

From $2,200 2 3 4 5 MI

X

63

X

1

X

X

9. The Reserve at Renton: 10. Stafford Suites-Kent

18

X

$1,990STATE - $2,795 WASHINGTON DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION Geographic Services, Cartography and GIS $885-$1,137 SMALL PUGET SOUND BASE MAP DECEMBER 2008

\\dotfsolygeo2\cartography\state\GIS\BaseMap8x11\MXD\Finished\PugetSoundFINAL.mxd

15 17

X

None

$2,295+

13

X

X

Varies

Call 206-824-5000 for current rates

16

X

X

Fully Refundable

Call 253-876-6000 for current rates

16

Marysville

528

92

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 23

Retirement LivingSNOHOMISH Guide

Eastside Everett

Organized by region: Seattle & Points North; Eastside; South King & Pierce Counties

529

25

Clinton

524 including: Bellevue, Bothell, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond

2

1. Bellewood Retirement Living: 3710 Providence Pt. Dr. SE Issaquah, WA 98029 • 425-391-2880 • www.bellewood.com Mukilteo

5

2

2. Chateau Bothell Landing: 17543 102nd Ave. NE, Bothell, WA 98011 • 425-485-1155 • www.chateauretirement.com 526

Snohomish Ave. NE Bellevue, WA • 425-455-4333 • myevergreencourt.com 3. Evergreen Court: 900 124th 99

525 at Town Square: 933 111th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 • 425-688-1900 • eraliving.com 4. The Gardens

Sultan • www.madisonhouseretirement.com St., Kirkland, WA 98034 • Phone: (425) 821-8210 5. Madison House 12215 N.E. 128th 9 96

2

527 2956 152nd Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 • 425-883-0495 • www.stellarliving.com 6. Overlake Terrace:

Monroe

Providence Marianwood: 3725 Providence Point Dr. SE Issaquah, WA 98029 • 425-391-2800 • www.providencemarianwood.org 7.

524

405 Lynnwood 524 522 22975 SE Black Nugget Road, Issaquah, WA 98029 • 425-557-4200 • eraliving.com 8. University House Issaquah:

ds

104

Bothell

104

522

Woodinville

2

523

Duvall

99

203

5

Kirkland 5

Redmond

908

513 405

520

TTLE

3

Bellevue

519

6

Carnation

202

520

4

90

1 8

90

99

Fall City

7

Issaquah

tleroy

202 599

Eastside

900

Kent

18 516

3. Evergreen Court 5

509

ederal Way

5. Madison House 18

Ad located on page...

X

X

2

yes

none

$2,500 - $4,500

n/a

174

X

X

X

X

X

optional

$1,910 - $6,970

n/a

84

10

65

9

3

X

$225-$300 (security deposit)

Starting from $1,762

19

X

X

3

X

No

From $2,800

31

44

40

X

X

X

X

X

169

142

X

X

X

Yes

Yes

$3,500

$3,600-$5,700

12

X

X

X

170 beds

X

X

X

X

X

$3,500

$2,895 to $5,995

8

X

115

Call 425-391-2873 for current rates

6

From $3,050

31

6. Overlake Terrace

167

X

77

Auburn

7. Providence Marianwood 167 161 8. University House Issaquah

133

97

4.99The Gardens at Town Square

X

Pets

2. Chateau Bothell Landing

Dining/meals

X

1. Bellewood Retirement Living

2-Bedroom+

181

18

1-Bedroom

515

Cost Range

Studios

167

Entrance Fee

Total Units

509

Memory Care

99

169 Skilled Nursing

Community Name Renton

Independent

518

North Bend

900

Assisted

509

Maple Valley

X

164 X

Sumner

X

KING 167 X

184

X

X

X

3

X

No

Enumclaw

Need a Favor? Ask Someone Over 45

Puyallup 512

shown that four out of five people Those approaching middle age over age 45 Buckley (81%) say they’ll check or beyond are far more likely to be on neighbors helpful and friendly. They’re more 165 if they’ve not seen likely to clear snow as a favor, sweep them for a few days, compared to leaves, collect shopping or check on 56% aged 25-44 and 52% aged 1824. elderly neighbors.162 One in four (26%) of those And there’s a much better 161 that they’ll know your name, over 45 have picked up shopping chance on behalf of neighbors, compared and will happily chat over the Carbonado to one in ten of the younger group. garden fence.

Research into British community And almost a third (30%) of over45s say they know their neighbors spirit by CORGI HomePlan has

PIERCE

165

very well and are on first name terms 410 – DOUBLE what 25-44 year olds (14%) admit to, and SIX TIMES more than those aged 18-24 (5%).

Three in ten over-45s will regularly check in on vulnerable residents during bouts of bad weather to see if they can help with shopping, keeping warm and to simply offer company. Perhaps aware of their increasing age and vulnerability, 29% of homeowners

aged over 45 leave a key with a neighbor, compared to just 19% aged 25-44 and 18% aged 18-24. They are also more comfortable asking to borrow sugar or the lawn mower than the younger set.

The research has been compiled to launch a campaign to encourage people to check up on vulnerable neighbors in difficult times. ❖

24

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

The Great Outdoors

Library Corner

“Everyone’s Talking About It” …by Wendy Pender

A recent Wall Street Journal article discussed the preference older adults have for communicating in person as opposed to via electronic devices. You’ll have lots of opportunities for that this year with the King County Library System! Our 2016 theme for adult programs is “Everyone’s Talking About It,” providing many possibilities for learning and discussion. Here’s just a sampling of topics you’ll see this year. Each KCLS library (there are 48 locations!) offers different events – check with your local library or visit www.kcls.org for specific dates and locations.

Immigration - Refugees in our Community Understand the difference between refugees, asylees and immigrants, and the context of refugee resettlement.

Introduction to Drones/ Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Explore the career opportunities, growth potential and economic impact of this exciting new technology.

Finance/Economy - Make Change! Debt Education Workshop Debt can weigh on you. Come and find out what you can do and get rid of the weight.

Popular Culture - Dining at Downton and Life in Service at Downton Abbey Explore the final years of a time when one changed into dinner clothes and chose jewelry to reflect candlelight, where setting the table and serving a meal was an art.

April 2016

Your Health - BrainDance: Movement Matters! BrainDance is a flexible movement tool that improves focus and attention, circulation, core support and range of motion.

What Do We Know About Marijuana Use? What does the recent Bastyr University Survey of Cannabis Use tell us about who Cannabis users are, their beliefs about it, their use patterns, side effects and the therapeutic benefits they experience?

A Closer Look at Alzheimer’s Take an in-depth look at Alzheimer’s disease, including the early warning signs, diagnosis, prognosis and current research: • Natural Approach to Memory and Concentration - Is it just a “Senior moment” or is there another explanation?

• When to Worry - Learn the various warning signs that may point to the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease.

• Memory Problems? Forget about it! Learn about normal memory aging changes versus those that are “red flags” for something more serious.

Gun Control & Crime Ethics and the Gun Control Debate Explore the issue of gun control in the context of various moral theories in circulation today.

Avoiding Cybercrime Victimization This program gives an overview of using the continued on page 31

Northaven Senior Living our mission , guided our caring ffsta Northaven Independent and Northaven Assisted and shapedaffordable our friend ly community Living is a vibrant, non-profit, housing for over 40 years. community located in the heart of Seattle’s Northgate neighborhood.

Come live with us.

Follow the Sun …by Roger Urbaniak

When I first moved to Washington many years ago, a native Seattleite took me aside and cautioned me to get enough sun.

Seattle’s overcast days are Yakima has been called the Palm Springs of Washington State. Pictured here is Yakima’s Apple Tree Golf Course common and ways to spend time in this sunnier Seasonal Affective Disorder is part of the state. Clouds usually higher than normal in Seattle. begin to part around Cle Elum, But if you have the time, it can be which is just over an hour’s drive enjoyably moderated. from my home on Mercer Island.

Many people in Seattle seek I enjoy the dramatic change relief with vacations or even in scenery on the other side of purchase second homes in sunny the pass. Trees disappear and are places in the Southwest, Hawaii, replaced by sagebrush. Housing or southern California. An easier remedy is available, namely eastern developments and high-rises transition to farms and open land.

Washington. There are simply A sense of claustrophobia eases, as far more sunny days in eastern if my muscles relax and I absorb the Washington than in the western sun’s energy. My trip east means part of the state. having fun.

Armed with what turned Many years later, we still migrate out to be good advice, I looked to eastern Washington on a regular for opportunities to visit eastern basis. We even acquired property Washington. As an outdoor near Yakima. Driving to visit our enthusiast, finding hobbies that property is carefully planned to allowed me to pursue them in include passage through scenic areas eastern Washington became my goal. At first my trips were simply to such as the Yakima Canyon between Ellensburg and Yakima. Sightings sightsee. I soon discovered natural of big horn sheep, deer, eagle and attractions such as wildflowers, wild turkey are frequent during our morel mushrooms and wild journey. When cars come up behind asparagus, and I began scheduling us, we just pull over and let them trips to observe, photograph or pass. We are having fun in the sun harvest them. Hiking and other and we don’t wish to be rushed. ❖ activities eventually became great Ron Reagan ...continued from page 1

in Seattle since 1994, much of that time with his wife of 33 years, Doria. Sadly, Doria, who was a clinical psychologist, died of a progressive neuromuscular disease in 2014. The couple had no children.

Last month, Ron Reagan concluded his eulogy of his mother by saying: “She will once again lay down beside the man who was the love of her life…

They will watch the sun drop over the hills… as night falls they will look out across the valley and my father will tell her that the lights below are her jewels.” ❖

Dignity, respect, compassion, generosity ... values Dignity, respect,guided compassion, that have inspired our mission, our generosity...values caring Dignity, respect, compassion, generosity...values thatstaff have that have inspired our mission, guided caring sta and shaped and shaped our friendly community for over 40 years. inspired our mission, guided our caring staourand shaped our friendlyfor community our friendly community 40 years. for 40 years.

Come live withCome us.live with us.

Come live with us.

www.northavenseniorliving.com

206.365.3020 – Independent Living www.northaven.com/nwpt www.northaven.com/nwpt (206) 365-3020 (206) 365-3020– Assisted Living 206.362.8077

With the pressures of the White House put aside for a few minutes, President and Mrs. Reagan sit on the dock overlooking Lake Lucky at Rancho del Cielo in Santa Barbara, California. Photo courtesy The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 25

26

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

The ongoing life-affirming adventures of Rose and Dawn

The Funny Side of Life

Ask Sy (Again) …by Sy Rosen

Okay, ‘Ask Sy’ is back by popular demand.

And when I say popular demand I mean my wife said that maybe it wouldn’t be that bad an idea to do a followSy Rosen up column.

And with that rousing endorsement I am doing another advice column that deals with stereotypes, misconceptions and prejudices about getting older.

Now, these are not real people asking questions but these questions are based on real comments that I have heard.

So the answers are real (in a humorous way), but the people are made up. I hope this is clear because I am getting very confused.

Dear Sy, This has been on my mind for a while. What do old people like to be called – old timers, the elderly, pops, codgers, gramps or old biddies? I want to be politically correct.

--Politically Correct Dear Politically Correct, How about if you just call us sir and ma’am. By the way, when I refer to you should it be dope or big dope?

Dear Sy, Lately my mom has started to curse.

I don’t know why she started doing this and I am worried. What should I do?

--Mom Curses Dear Mom Curses, Have you watched the news lately?

There’s a lot to curse about. I would just call this behavior colorful and let it go at that.

Dear Sy, My father has joined a dating site and it really annoys me because he’s lying about a bunch of stuff to build himself up. For example, he says he was a football star in high school when he was just second string. And he says he was a top executive in his company when he was just middle management.

What should I do?

--Dad’s a Fibber Dear Dad’s a Fibber, I sympathize with you. However, everyone spins the truth a little and sometimes tells a lie. For example, I lied

April 2016

I’m Feeling So Patriotic …by Diana Couture

Our heroines are driving along when I said I sympathize with you. Let Aurora Avenue on your dad exaggerate a little and don’t a sunny Wednesday butt in. afternoon listening Dear Sy, to the local country music station. Both My eighty-five year old mom has girls were singing along to a Toby Keith two goldfish and she named one Flora song about the American soldier. after herself and the other one George “I wonder why I always tear up after her late husband (my dad). when I hear this song,” Rose said to Recently she started staring at the bowl Dawn who was masterfully navigating a for about an hour a day, pretending tricky “s-curve” while wiping tears from she is in there swimming with my dad. her own eyes. “Boy, I don’t know, Rose Should I be worried? but I do the same thing. I guess we’re --Mom Thinks She’s a Fish very patriotic people.” “Yeah, must be Dear Mom Thinks She’s a Fish, that,” Rose mused with red-rimmed I’m not a psychologist (some people eyes. “I remember being very patriotic think I should see one), but who’s to say during World War II. I mean, who what makes people happy. If staring at a wasn’t, right? With our boyfriends and goldfish bowl and pretending she’s with brothers off in foreign lands fighting your dad comforts your mom and helps Nazis. Now THAT was a war.” her deal with her grief, I think it’s okay.

The car rolled along at a snail’s pace Now if your mom actually tries to get because it had gotten late enough in into the bowl, then I think you should the afternoon that the commuters were be concerned. headed home for their evening cocktail Dear Sy, and dinner after a hard day’s work. “Oh I’m in my thirties and I see a lot of dear, Dawnie. We’ve gone and gotten people in their eighties and nineties. I ourselves in the evening commuter can’t imagine why anyone would want traffic,” Rose announced worriedly. to live that long. They are just existing “Not to worry, Rose. I am an not really living. excellent driver and cut my driving --Don’t Get It ‘chops’ on the New Jersey Turnpike. You Dear Don’t Get It, think that wasn’t a challenging place to Write me back when you’re drive?” The girls laughed at this thought eighty. I think you’ll get it then. By and chugged along with the commuters the way, Picasso was still painting in to their respective homes. his 80s, Michelangelo was designing That night, Rose was listening to masterpieces, Jessica Tandy won an the radio while she finished the dishes Oscar, Paul Newman won an Emmy, and heard an old song from the 1950s.

Coco Chanel was the head of her She started to tear up again. This time, company, there wasn’t an Sydney Lumet explanation for was directing the tears. They films, Churchill weren’t tears and Tolstoy were of patriotism. writing books, So what were Paul Spangler they? It was just finished his some Patty Page 14th marathon, song that she George Weiss remembered invented the dancing to in word game her mother’s Dabble, and kitchen. Ahhh. my Aunt Her mother’s Gussie told kitchen…the bedtime stories tears began in to her six great earnest. She grandchildren. thought about “For heaven’s sake, Andrew!

What did you do her mother That is a very nasty splinter!” today? ❖ standing at the

It’s not the good life, it’s the best life!

stove and the amazing aromas that surrounded her. Rose started blubbering big time.

She did what she usually did in times of dire need like this…she went to the yellow kitchen wall phone with the 25-foot tangled cord and called her best friend, Dawn.

“Dawnie,” she blubbed. “Rose, what’s wrong? Are you sick? Do you need me to come over?” While still crying, Rose was able to explain that she was sobbing for nothing, really.

And couldn’t figure out why so many things make her cry. Sometimes a TV commercial can even get to her, she lamented.

“Well in my experience,” Dawn said with the authority of someone who wasn’t blubbering, “it’s all about the mood swings and the condition of the heart.” Rose gasped. “What? Do you think I’m having a heart attack?”

Wailing ensued. “Stop it, Rose! No, I don’t think you’re having a heart attack.

I meant the condition of the spirit of the heart. Not the actual heart. Or it could be hormones…”

With a choking sound, Rose switched from a sob to a belly laugh.

“Are you kidding, Dawn. I didn’t think at our age we even had any of those things left in our bodies. Didn’t all the hormones go away at the change of life?

I don’t want to have hormones. I have many bad memories associated with the ebb and flow of those darn things.” Now both of the girls were laughing.

“Hey Dawnie. I’m not crying anymore. But now I’m laughing about nothing. I think this is all related. Maybe I’m having some sort of mental issue.”

“Rose, we are women in our mid 80s.

Do you think we could make it this far in life without having mental issues? It’s just a matter of making sure the good memories outnumber the bad and in order to do that, we have to keep having good times together. That’s the way to keep the sadness at bay. So crying at songs on the radio is just a way to make us realize how lucky we are to still be here and to still have each other.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. “Rose. Are you still there?” “Yes honey, now I’m crying with happiness at the thought of what a good friend you are and how lucky I am.

Boy, I’m all over the map today. Must be the hormones.” ❖

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Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Scenes from Childhood

April 2016

Writing Corner

The Barn Cat

Party Games

…by Frieda Risvold

…by Ariele M. Huff

In the 1930s we lived in the farming community of Ulster County, New York.

There weren’t many families with children my age within walking distance. That’s probably why I tried to develop “friendships” with various farm animals.

The pigs were quickly offlimits. Mama sows were mean and dangerous. Cows were curious, but easily distracted. Chickens were only interested in eating. The goats were fun, but I got into trouble playing tag with them. There were some feral cats that lived out by the barn and sheds, but we seldom saw them. We didn’t have the luxury of having cuddly indoor cats.

The senior barn cat was not interested in developing a social attachment to humans. The old barn was her domain. She patrolled it with a persistence that allowed for little intrusion by mice or men. She displayed an attitude of studied distain. I think she just didn’t want to be bothered with human chit-chat. As I recall, she didn’t even have a name to call her own. I rather doubt if she would

have answered anyway. But “Cat” did have a soft spot. Each evening when my father went to the barn to milk the cow, it wouldn’t be long before Cat would silently appear. She would position herself near the outer corner of the stall and patiently wait for her treat. My dad would squirt a stream of milk toward Cat and she’d nonchalantly open her mouth to receive it. I was fascinated at the scene.

Papa looked at me and asked, “You too?”

I nodded yes, and with a flick of his wrist he aimed a squirt my way.

It was like drinking warm foam. I decided I preferred my milk cold from the icebox, and from a glass, but it was an interesting event. It was especially memorable because, as Cat and I were licking our lips clean of sprayed milk, I seemed to see a half-smile and maybe a wink on Cat’s face over our shared experience. This could be the beginning to a new friendship. ❖ Over the years, Frieda Risvold has developed many companionships with various adopted felines. She loves cats.

Luckily her husband does too.

Please send us your Scene from Childhood. Submit approximately 300 words and include a brief author bio and a childhood photo. Articles and photos can be emailed to editor@northwestprimetime.com or mailed to NWPT, PO Box 13647, Seattle, WA 98198. Since photos will not be returned, mail a photoquality copy or send a high-resolution photo by email. Each Scenes contributor will receive a one-year subscription to Northwest Prime Time.

I love to give and go to parties. My favorite parties are those with writing games.

Whether you’re a writer, a writer wannabe or not a writer Ariele M. Huff at all, these games are fun entertainment and fit as well with a pitcher of lemonade on the sun-warmed patio as with a cozy fire on a snowy night.

We own a board game called Once Upon a Time that encourages creating story lines from your own experiences. It’s kind of a truth or dare variation and works best if the participants either know each other quite well or will never see each other again!

For writer events, I take a couple of cookie sheets and spread out those wonderful magnetized words that can now be bought by the box. Guests create instant poems, improving and de-proving on each other’s work anonymously.

When the party is at a school, I cover one of the long tables with butcher paper and put a container of pens, pencils, crayons, etc. right next to it. Then I put the first sentence of a story that is to be continued by partygoers. The most commonly used first line, of course, is “It was a dark and stormy night.”

So, I never use that one. I’ve used, “Saturday morning, I arrived exactly on time at the ferry dock.”

Towards the end of the evening, someone reads the story as written by the group.

My friend who holds Writers’ Salons has a book called Sudden Fiction that has hundreds of ideas for instant writings. It’s kind of a poetry slam experience – only appropriate for people who are brave enough to share ad lib creations.

What If? by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter, is a book I use sometimes. One of my favorite exercises is called ‘Learning to Lie’ in which participants have to guess whether a story is a true experience or an invention.

A dialogue exercise everyone loves: Two people are chosen to portray a bickering couple who can’t decide upon the name for their unborn child. Of course, an actual couple is never chosen. A fun variation on this game is to have a woman play the husband role and a man play the wife. Other participants record the conversation as it goes along. After five or ten minutes of the bickering, we all read our versions. The parts of the argument that stand out to each person are usually different and as telling about the listener as about the actors.

Here is a game that can be played with no props: A group lounging around together can enumerate all the things that could show a person’s age. People frequently forget to include things that point to youth as well as to aging. One of my favorite additions someone made to this game was the suggestion that the kind of slogans appearing on tee shirts and hats changes with age! ❖

Poetry Corner “Silver and Gold” My hair has turned to silver.

Mirrors say I’m old.

Doctors, pills, and piles of bills, have taken all my gold!

--Barbara Ruby “Housekeeping” I clean the corners of the ceiling.

Weaving spiders sent outside reeling.

Housekeeping gives me an odd feeling.

I write my name on the cloudy coffee table, erasing words with the rhythm of Betty Grable.

Housekeeping is not fun or a fable.

Dust bunnies roll across the hardwood floor.

I find the vacuum turning on a roar— doing a dancehall dance from door to door.

Housekeeping is a dreaded chore.

--April Ryan Excerpt from Housekeeping—new eBook collection of thoughts on the topic—link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B3M4KW2 *See Players Club for details.

I-5 to Exit 88 • Rochester • 1-800-720-1788 • luckyeagle.com

Poetry Corner submissions should be sent to Ariele Huff. Submissions may be excerpted, edited or used in Sharing Stories on Northwest Prime Time’s website. Send to ariele@comcast.net.

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 29

LET’S GO! Retirement Communities

Kacee Clanton stars as Janis in the criticallyacclaimed Broadway musical hit, “A Night with Janis Joplin” at The 5th Avenue Theatre.

5thavenue.org. Photo by Earl Gibson.

Senior Events

Inspire Positive Aging Award Do you know an older adult who inspires others on how to age with grace enthusiasm, creativity, hope and energy? Nominate them for this annual award, must be postmarked by Apr 30 for June 9 awards, anyone age 60 and over who lives in King County is eligible, 206-727-6261.

OWL-voice of older women First Saturdays, 10:30am social hour followed by lecture; Apr 2 “What do Seniors & Seattle Parks Have in Common?” call for May topic, free, everyone welcome, University House at Wallingford, 4400 Stone Way N, Seattle, for info call Carol 206-325-6622.

Songwriting Workshop for Memory Loss Apr 7 &8, 10am-noon, $15/person, $25/couple for 2-day entrance, using creative conversation, storytelling, improvisation and life review , Edmonds Senior Center, 425-275-9595, drop-ins welcome.

Northshore Senior Center Apr 8, 6-9pm World Dance Party features 10-15 minute dance sessions including Bollywood, West African, Mexican, Contra/Swing, Line Dance, nonpartner Waltz; Apr 12 at 7:30pm Boeing Employees Concert Band $3 includes coffee cookies; May 6-7 Craft & Jewelry and fine art show; 10201 East Riverside Dr, Bothell, 425-487-2441.

Shoreline LFP Senior Center Apr 8 Karaoke Bingo, Apr 19 10:30-11:30am “Is it just the blues?” discussion about depression, $2-$4; RSVP by Apr 21 for fundraising breakfast (206-3671714), 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, 206-365-1536, www.shorelinelfpseniorcenter.org Agape Senior Group Bazaar Apr 9, 11am-3pm, Japanese cultural items and food such as Obento Box, 3640 S. Cedar St. Tacoma.

Upside of Downsizing Apr 9, 9:30am-3pm, Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St, Tacoma, www.upsideofdownsizing.com Free Senior Classes Apr 13, 10am “Retirement Accounts” held at Center at Norpoint, 4818 Nassau Ave NE, Tacoma 253-404-3900; Apr 20, 12:30pm “Simplify Legal Affairs” SeaTac Comm Center 13735 24th Ave S, SeaTac, 206-973-4680; Apr 26 at 10:30am “Effective Care Plan” Des Moines Activity Center, 2045 S 216th St, Des Moines, 206-878-1642; Creative Age Festival Apr 15-16, entertainment, education, activities, keynote by Dr. Pepper Schwartz, live music, health, nutrition, brain health, travel, technology, volunteerism, $35+, www.creativeagefestival.org.

Social Security in Retirement Apr 19, 4-5-5:30pm, learn changes to Social Security for anyone planning to retire soon, Summit Branch Library, 5107 112th St E, Tacoma, free, no RSVP needed, 253-798-4600.

Creating Memories with Art Apr 23, 2-4pm, learn about using art to enhance the lives of those living with memory loss, provides caregivers opportunity to engage in quality time with loved ones while creating art, Bothell library, free with email registration, info@art2remember.org.

Harbor Place at Cottesmore Apr 7, 11am-2pm, 10th Anniversary Celebration, Harbor Place Independent & Assisted Living, 1016 29th St NW, Gig Harbor, meet the staff, tour the campus, enjoy refreshments, 253-853-3354, www.harborplaceretirement.com Speaking of Dying Film Apr 14, 6:30pm, A short film dedicated to the idea that we can all have a better death, with stories that illustrate the benefits of speaking openly about the end of life before there is a crisis, sponsored by Foss Home and Village at Shoreline Community College Theater, 16101 Greenwood Ave N, Shoreline, no RSVP required.

Bayview Retirement Community Apr 23, 10am-2pm, Spring Grand Open House, celebrating “Springtime in Europe” enjoy Europeaninspired bites, desserts, Prosecco, tours and renovation updates, see expansion and new view apartments, upscale dining, health services, dog park, 11 Aloha St, Seattle, complimentary valet parking, to RSVP or for more info, call 206-5382392, www.BayviewEvents.org/Open

Health Education

Caregiving Options for the Future Apr 12, 6:30-8:30pm, learn about caregiving options, sponsored by Aging & Disability Services, Parkland Spanaway Branch Library, 13718 Pacific Ave S, Tacoma, free no RSVP, 253-798-4600.

Bastyr Free Health Talks Apr 14, 6pm, “Hormone Balancing with Food”; May 5, 6pm, Bite Sized Nutrition”, Bastyr Center for Natural Health, 3670 Stone Way N, Seattle.

206-834-4100, www.BastyrCenter.org/Senior Alzheimer’s Regional Conference Apr 15, 8:30am-3:45pm, Keynote speaker, breakout sessions, Wash State Convention Center, Seattle, www.alz.org/alzwa Free Health Talks Apr 19, 7pm, “Supper Club session, bring your organic vegetables, learn new foods and prep techniques”. Tahoma Clinic, 6839 Fort Dent Way, Suite 206, Tukwila,206-209-4229 Living with Vision Loss Apr 20, 22, 23, info and resources, various Tacoma locations, free, 253-798-4600.

Healthy Education Classes Apr 25-June 6, 1-3:30pm free with rsvp, six-week series on managing chronic conditions with selfconfidence, Peter Kirk Community Center, Kirkland, 425-587-3360.

Community Events

Woodworking Classes Throughout April, Rockler Woodworking & Hardware “make and take” classes for beginners and families, Northgate and Tukwila stores.

National Geographic Apr 10, 2pm, Apr 11-12, 7:30pm, “I bought a rainforest” $20-$26, 206-215-4747 Washington State Spring Fair Apr 14-17, garden show, lumberjack shows, dog competition, demolition derby, petting farm, fireworks, rides, Puyallup Fairgrounds, 253-8415052, www.thefair.com Seattle Arts & Lecture Apr 28, 7:30pm “Explore the Wild Edge” author Florian Schulz on his latest book on his journey from Mexico to Arctic; Benaroya Hall, $10-$65, 206621-2230, www.lectures.org Annual Gem, Jewelry & Mineral Show Apr 30-May 1, 10am-5pm, free exhibits, demos, free gemstone ID, silent auction, door prizes, Everett Community College Fitness Ctr, 2206 Tower St, N. Everett, 425-232-0809, www.everettrockclub.com

A Calendar of Places to go, do, or see…

Arts North Studio Tour Apr 30-May 1, 10am-5pm, self-guided studio tour, 11 studios in Seattle’s Haller Lake and Thornton Creek community, start at Design One Studio, 11755 Corliss Ave N, Seattle, free Fabric and Sewing Room Donations Donations needed for annual fabric sale June 18, proceeds benefits youth program, contact Arlene 425-743-0118.

Garden Events

Bellevue Botanical Garden Apr 16, 10am-noon Organic Gardening 101, $25-$35; Apr 20 7pm learn about the link between climate change and wildflowers; Apr 23 10-11:30am Fuchsia 101; Apr 23 10am-2pm Plant Sale; Apr 29-30, 10am-4pm WA Native Plant Sale, 12001 Main St, Bellevue, 425-452-2750.

Lakewold Gardens May Fest Apr 29-May 8, 10am-4pm, visit the gardens and see special art displays, jewelry sales, musical performances, FairyFest, 12317 Gravelly Lake Drive SW, Lakewood, for specific times & dates, call 253-584-4106 www.lakewoldgardens.org.

Lake Forest Park Plant Sale Apr 30, 9am-2pm, at LFP elementary school corners of Ballinger Way NE & 37th Ave NE. Weekend in the Garden May 7-8, 10am-4pm, live music, desserts, explore gardens, $5-$8, Rhododendron Species Garden at Weyerhaeuser Campus, 2525 South 336th St, Federal Way, 253-838-4646, ext 140.

12th Annual Free Plant Exchange May 7, 9am-noon, bring plants seeds, cuttings, bulbs, fruits, vegetables, trees, shrubs, starts, garden art, tools, outdoor furniture or food for the food bank, parking lot, 901 North J St, Tacoma.

Exhibits

Shakespeare’s First Folio Exhibit Thru Apr 17, Seattle Public Library hosts a national traveling exhibit of Shakespeare’s first folio, the only WA state location, 1000 Fourth Ave, Level 8 Gallery, 206-386-4636.

Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Apr 23 “Sewing to Sowing” sow seeds and learn hand sewing techniques from 1850s, Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park, FortNisqually.org.

Northwest Watercolor Society Apr 18-June 3, 76h Annual Exhibition on display at Mercer Island Community & Events Center, 8236 SE 24th St, Mercer Island.

Tacoma Art Museum Thru May 1, “Painted Journeys: The Art of John Mix Stanley”; only West Coast venue – final stop!

Apr 9-July 17, Edvard Munch exhibition, 1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma. 253-272-4258. www.

TacomaArtMuseum.org; for group tours, visit www.

TacomaArtMuseum.org/GroupTours LeMay America’s Car Museum Thru June, “American Muscle Cars”2702 East D St, Tacoma, 253-779-8490, www. americascarmuseum.org 100 Years of Purses Thru June 19; White River Valley Museum; 253288-7433, www.wrvmuseum.org Museum of Northwest Art Thru June 12 “Mexican and Chicana/o Artists in the NW” spanning 6 decades, La Conner, www. museumofnwart.org

Theatre & Musical Theatre

5th Avenue Theatre Thru Apr 17 “A Night with Janis Joplin” 206-6251900 or groups of 10 or more call 888-625-1418, www.5thavenue.org

Come

STG Presents Apr 2-3, 8pm, comedian, musician storyteller Ahamefule Oluo with 17 piece orchestra and guest performers, $30, 206-62-1414.

Café Nordo Apr 7-June 5, dinner theater presents “To Savor Tomorrow” a spy spoof set aboard a 1960s Boeing Stratocruiser, $65-$105, 1-800-838-3006.

Tacoma Little Theatre Apr 8-Apr 24, bickering middle-age siblings share a home in Bucks County, PA when suddenly their movie-star sister swoops in, $20-$24, 210 North I St, Tacoma, 253-272-2281.

Best of the Bard Apr 23, noon-3pm, STG presents a free event reciting selections from various works, lobby of historic Moore Theatre, RSVP www.stgpresents.org

Classical & Choral Music

Finesterra Piano Trio Apr 1, 7:30pm, Schubert & Mendelssohn, University of Puget Sound, $10-$15, 253-8793100, pugetsound.edu/directions Seattle Symphony Apr 7 & 9, Brahms Symphony No 4; Apr 14 & 16 Dvorak Cello Concerto; Apr 15 Dvorak Untuxed; Apr 21, 23, 24 Tchaikovsky Romeo & Juliet; Apr 28 & 30 Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4; Apr 29 Beethoven Untuxed; May 2, 7pm Young Composers Workshop free but RSVP; 206-215-4747.

Ladies Musical Club Apr 13, noon, music inspired by Shakespeare works, downtown Seattle library, free.

University of Puget Sound Apr 15, 7:30pm Puget Sound Trio perform Rachmaninoff, Ives, Brahms, Ravel, Beethoven, $10-$15; Apr 14 at 7:30pm Gail Williams performs with Wind Ensemble free, 253-879-3100.

Silver Sounds Apr 17, 2pm, $15, Highline Perf Arts Ctr, 401 S 152nd St, Burien, 206-246-6040.

Salish Sea Early Music Festival Apr 22, 7:30pm, Christ Episcopal Church, 4548 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, 206-633-1611.

Early Music Guild Apr 30, 8pm, exploring musical world that inspired Bach, Town Hall Seattle, 206-325-7066.

Ladies Musical Club Free classical music, www.lmcseattle.org.

Pop, Jazz, Folk, Country

Seattle Jazz Vespers Apr 3, 6pm, Bluestreet Jazz Voices, first Sunday of every month Oct-June, Seattle First Baptist on First Hill at corner of Harvard and Seneca, free parking.

No tickets needed.

Los Lobos Apr 7-10, Jazz Alley, 206-441-9729.

Seth McFarlane with Seattle Symphony Apr 8, 8pm, Benaroya Hall, 206-215-4747.

UW World Series Apr 9, 8pm, Sitar Virtuoso Anoushka Shankar 206543-4880, www.uwworldseries.org Ella Fitzgerald Tribute Apr 14-17, $31.50, Jazz Alley, 2033 6h Ave, Seattle, 206-441-9729, www.jazzalley.com Old Time Fiddlers Apr 16, 1:30-4:30pm, benefit show featuring fine fiddlers, vocalist and more, tickets at door, $5-$6, Des Moines Masonic Center, 2208 South 223rd.

Patti LuPone Apr 21, 7:30pm, Patti sings Broadway favorites, $69-$79, Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Ave N, Edmonds, 425-275-9595 Melissa Manchester Apr 29-30, 8pm, Skagit Valley Casino Resort, www.theskagit.com

with us!

Lakewold Gardens

MAYFest 2016

April 29th - May 8th 10am-4pm

Lakewold Volunteer Jewelry Sale Military Monday & 2 for 1 Admission Art Exhibits & Displays Musical Performances FairyFest

FOR SPECIFIC DATES and TIMES FOR EVENTS, PLEASE VISIT www.lakewoldgardens.org or call us at 253.584.4106

12317 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW, Lakewood, WA 98499 Mailing Address: PO Box 39780, Lakewood, WA 98496

Seattle Parks and Recreation Lifelong Recreation Programs for active adults ages 50 and better.

Call 206-615-0619 www.seattle.gov/parks

Fitness, arts, trips, and more!

30

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Flying Solo

classifieds…

...continued from page 12

end to this story and my flying aspirations, I managed three touch and goes and decided in that interval that I was not cut out to be a pilot because I was scared spitless.

I learned enough so that I could probably get us down if something happened to Jack, but it wouldn’t be pretty.

We got married a few months later in my hometown of Bellingham.

We flew to Bellingham in Jack’s airplane and rented a hangar the day before our wedding. The airport staff knew us well because of our many visits to my parents. Our friends and the airport conspirators painted

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April 2016

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pattern protocols with the tower.

As we made the final approach, the tower operator said, “Cleared to land Honeymoon Express.” ❖

Crossword Solution

Variable Versifiers Answers Answers to questions on page 15

1. steak – Keats 2. Tomlin – Milton 3. ope – Poe 4. Hans – Nash 5. forts -- Frost Nostalgia Quiz Answers

253-850-5405

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roofing • gutters • siding • windows • decks • remodeling

HAVE RECORD COLLECTION TO SELL? Please call 206-706-6633 Answers to questions on page 27

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Cpap BATTERY FOR POWER FAILURES or Camping. Try before you buy. $155 up Local Dealer Everett WA 425-879-7925

Answers to questions on page 27

Tom Seaver (in 1969) Tom Brokaw Tom Mix Tom Hanks Tom Cruise.

Tom Dooley

To advertise with Northwest Prime Time Please call 206-824-8600

ASSISTED LIVING IS LIKE DANCING. YOU NEED THE RIGHT PARTNER. Partner. It’s such a simple word. But, most would say, it’s the most important word when you’re in need of Assisted Living Services.

It’s certainly how we see it at Madrona Park Retirement Community – like a great dance partner we know when to lead and when to follow. We’re always helpful, but not obtrusive, so you get exactly what you need, when you need it.

Call (253) 941-5859 now to schedule your complimentary lunch and tour. And come see what steps we can take together.

31200 23rd Avenue South • Federal Way • WA 98003 • (253) 941-5859 www.leisurecare.com

April 2016

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 31

The Ecstasy of Small Golf

“Everyone’s Talking About It” ...continued from page 24

…by Charles Nevi

Professional golfers draw gasps from galleries with 300-yard drives and 160-yard nine irons.

Amateurs spend hundreds Charles Nevi of dollars on the latest equipment and risk hernias trying to emulate their professional heroes. But some of us more mature golfers are not impressed. It may seem odd in this age of 300 yard drives to extol the virtues of not trying to hit the ball a mile, but there are advantages to hitting the ball short, to playing small golf.

An obvious advantage of small golf occurs before getting to the golf course: the significant financial savings. Recent changes in golf equipment are promoted as enabling the golfer to get more distance.

But there is a price to pay. The new technologies are expensive.

And I don’t need, nor want, to buy distance. I don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars for adjustable club heads, specialized shafts, exotic metal faces, the ball that flies farther, even a tee that guarantees extra yards. I’m not rich enough, nor good enough, to handle all that promised distance. And the financial savings

are considerable.

In addition to a more positive cash flow than my long-hitting golf partners, I also realize significant advantages on the golf course. Take, for example, a typical par five hole with sand traps along both sides of the fairway. The long hitter has to worry about hitting a drive long enough to negotiate its way between or over the traps. Then he has to agonize over whether he can reach the green in two. I, on the other hand, don’t have such worries. Not only can I not reach the green in two, I also can’t reach the fairway traps with my drive. My game requires no agonizing. At best I am well short of the traps with my drive, and well short of the green in two.

My goal is to reach the green with a good chip on my fourth short and one putt for a par. Meanwhile my long hitting friend, frustrated and angry because he didn’t reach the green in two, skulled his chip shot and is also hoping for a chip and putt for a par. Advantage to small golf, maybe not in score, but certainly in the level of frustration and anger, the agony factor.

Then there is the thunk, clunk, bleep syndrome, usually characterized by an odd and remarkable rhythmic consistency. It often happens on a dogleg. I have

to play around the dogleg, at best getting around it in two shots. My long hitting friend naturally wants to cut the dogleg, to make his second shot shorter.

The frequent result is that he does not clear the dogleg, his ball hits a tree guarding the dogleg, his frustration articulated in a blurted obscenity. Thus the thunk, clunk, bleep. The thunk of the club against the ball, the clunk of the ball against the tree and the bleep of the obscenity. An uncanny rhythm accompanies most of these occurrences, almost a musical rhythm. For shorter shots, the rhythm is more fast-paced, almost a rap: clunk and thunk and bleep.

For longer shots, the rhythm slows, a more waltz-like rhythm, clunk and one and two, thunk and one and two, bleep.

Someone once said you can never fully enjoy success unless your friends also fail. Golfers never admit to such cynicism. But in the thunk, clunk, bleep syndrome, the advantage again goes to small golf, especially in the emotional factors, in the absence of agony and the presence of ecstasy. ❖ Local writer Charles Nevi may not golf as well as he once did, but he enjoys approaching golf in a new way as he ages.

Internet in a manner of reducing risks while still enjoying the benefits of the Internet.

Fashion and Film Program - This presentation looks at the close relationship between cinema and fashion.

Ukalaliens® Workshop, Uke Fun for Absolute Beginners - The Ukalaliens Workshop is a one-hour program designed to initiate adults to the joys of music by teaching them how to play and sing on ukulele with familiar folk songs Whatever your interests, the library has resources for you and is a place to talk about it!

Join us for one of these exciting programs this spring – and stay tuned for more topics yet to come! ❖ Wendy Pender is the Older Adults Project Specialist for the King County Library System. After a career as a tax and estates paralegal, she obtained her master’s degree in library science from the University of Pittsburgh and a certificate in gerontology from the University of Washington. Wendy’s mom turns 100 this year and has not 1 but 2 librarian daughters of her 7 children. Wendy can be reached at wgpender@kcls.org or 425-369-3285.

Check out www.kcls.org/50plus for more!

Get closer to what matters most.

Whatever your passion, Era Living offers eight unique retirement communities designed to bring you closer to everything you love.

Aljoya Mercer Island (206) 230-0150

Aljoya Thornton Place (206) 306-7920

Ida Culver House Broadview (206) 361-1989

Ida Culver House Ravenna (206) 523-7315

The Lakeshore South Seattle (206) 772-1200

The Gardens at Town Square Downtown Bellevue (425) 688-1900

University House Issaquah (425) 557-4200

University House Wallingford (206) 545-8400

Call today for a personal visit, or view video testimonials and more at eraliving.com

Down shtizSizee to the Rig

Thinking about moving? Get your free Downsizing Guide at eraliving.com/downsizing

Painted Journeys: The Art of John Mix Stanley January 30 — May 1, 2016 Discover the unstoppable artist-explorer who brilliantly captured the West.

Only West Coast Venue. Final Stop.

Book Your Group Tour Today! www.TacomaArtMuseum.org/GroupTours John Mix Stanley (1814–1872), Young Chief (detail), 1868. Oil on canvas, 20 × 16 inches. Tacoma Art Museum, Haub Family Collection, Gift of Erivan and Helga Haub, 2014.6.128. Organized by the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming.

Funding support generously provided by private donations, the National Endowment for the Arts and Wyoming Arts Council. Local support is generously provided by ArtsFund, Tacoma Arts Commission and Patriot Fire Protection Inc.

1701 Pacific Avenue Tacoma, WA 98402 253-272-4258 www.TacomaArtMuseum.org