Northwest Prime Time July/August 2020 by Northwest Prime Time

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Best Places to Retire

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VOL. 20

NO. 4

July/Au gu 2020 st

The Grand

Charles Johnson Notable author muses on ‘the art of living’ in his book ‘GRAND: A Grandparent’s Wisdom for a Happy Life’

RAND is a new book reflecting on the joys of being a grandparent. Written by Seattle’s own Charles Johnson—National Book Award winner, MacArthur Genius Fellow and University of Washington professor emeritus—it has been described as a warm, inspiring collection of wisdom and life lessons that grandparents and parents alike will cherish. “And of course it’s for our grandchildren, too, when they’re old enough to read and understand its contents,” says Dr. Johnson.

In for his the book, work, Johnson including presents the honor advice of a to his postage grandson stamp and other carrying children his of his portrait. generation Dr. through Johnson “ten says fertile and GRAND essential was ideas for inspired by the art of an essay living.” He he wrote offers the for 3rd Act thoughts magazine, “tentatively Charles Johnson with his 8-year-old grandson Emery in a local their “shared” office. Photo by Elisheba Johnson. and with publication great for seniors. humility”—admitting that He tells us that one of his greatest “grandfatherly advice is as plentiful pleasures is watching his grandson as blackberries.” Emery discover the world around Still, who wouldn’t sit up and him. take notice of a new book by the Emery, it seems, considers celebrated Dr. Johnson. GRAND that his grandfather’s study—his is his 25th book. His 1990 novel, esteemed, accomplished, scholarly Middle Passage, a retelling of grandfather’s cluttered study—is the slave narrative that deeply really his office, a place to play impacted modern audiences, won video games on his grandfather’s the National Book Award. computer, to write and draw, to do Dr. Johnson began his career as schoolwork and practice music. a political cartoonist and illustrator He “regales me with stories about in the 1960s and published his first himself and his friends...a friend novel, Faith and the Good Thing, in of mine calls him my ‘mini-me,’ ” 1974. He earned a doctoral degree Johnson tells us in his 3rd Act essay. That same office was designed in philosophy, attracting accolades, by two architects to be Johnson’s awards and international attention

Dr. Charles Johnson, National Book Award winner, MacArthur Genius Fellow and University of Washington professor emeritus, is the author of a new book reflecting on the joys of being a grandparent. Photo courtesy University of Puget Sound

In GRAND, Dr. Johnson paints workspace, a place to contemplate and ponder, to write and draw while a picture of Emery as bright and curious, creative and confident. surrounded by literature in floorReaders will also learn about to-ceiling bookshelves. It is a place Johnson’s own humble heritage. for meditation (and also includes “I was never as confident and “grown-up toys to delight an old self-assured as this kid growing up sci-fi and comic book fanboy like in a home of very educated, creative me,” says Johnson). It contained people,” he writes everything he in GRAND. “On needed each day to the contrary, be inspired. my hardworking “But eight father only years ago,” writes went as far as Johnson in the the fifth grade. introduction to In the 1920s GRAND, “my South Carolina, grandson Emery his own father was born,” and Dr. insisted that Johnson found a the six boys in new reason to be the family leave inspired. school to help “I watch in him on his farm wonder as he, (the six girls, a beautiful and my aunts, were brilliant boy who ‘GRAND: A Grandparent’s Wisdom for allowed to stay feels at home in a Happy Life’ is Dr. Johnson’s 25th book in school). And a room of books my mother? She and artistic tools, was a housewife with a high school takes over my workspace for his education, but she loved reading projects...” and art... GRAND is not the first time “Nevertheless, mine was a bluethat Emery took centerstage in a collar, working-class background— book by Johnson. “[Emery] knows summer jobs hauling garbage in that the main character in the sweltering heat at nineteen when I middle grade series of books I first began to train in Asian martial coauthor with his mother, The arts; and before that when I was in Adventures of Emery Jones, Boy Science Wonder, is named after him. high school a holiday job working the night shift until dawn at a He tells me what he thinks should happen to Emery Jones in the books continued on page 18 to come...”

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Out & About

Savor the Little Things ...by Sandra R. Nachlinger

July/August 2020

Inspire Positive Aging Awards

Every year, Sound Generations senior services presents the Inspire Sometimes, Positive Aging awards to celebrate when older adults who engage with their something communities, challenge stereotypes big is missing, about aging, and serve as valuable little things sources of wisdom and experience. have their Read about this year’s winners! chance to Dori shine. Gillam, Lifelong Last Learning: Dori summer I hiked is energetic and the Naches leads by example, Sandra’s senior hiking group members on the Naches Peak Loop trail Peak Loop at demonstrating heading toward spectacular views of Mount Rainier Mount Rainier what it means National Park to age positively. with a group from the Auburn Whether it’s van, and clouds drifted up from Dori Gillam Senior Activity Center. I’ve climbing Mount the valleys, obscuring views of the taken this hike before, and it’s surrounding mountain peaks. Hike Kilimanjaro or participating in the always a thrill. There are enough Women’s March with her friends— participants zipped up waterproof ups and downs to make hearts young and old—Dori lives life to jackets and stretched covers over pump, but the trail also holds backpacks before we started up the the fullest. She spends time speaking long stretches of smooth, level about aging and hosting presentations trail. Wet weather doesn’t deter ground—opportunities to pause, designed to shift how we think about this group of seniors. inhale the mountain air and drink Low clouds lent an eerie beauty aging and our older neighbors. Through in the park’s beauty. Dramatic rock to Tipsoo Lake as we skirted its use of humor and personal stories, Dori formations rise along one section teaches that your older years don’t have shore. Then the path turned and of the path, telling the history of to be molded by preconceived ideas led us straight up a hill covered in the volcano’s ancient eruptions. about aging. She encourages people to wildflowers. Mountain heather, Mountain ponds reflect the advocate for themselves because she’s Indian paintbrush, rosy spirea, evergreens and nearby peaks. On seen firsthand the dignity that can be yellow broadleaf arnica, bluebells clear days, Mount Adams appears erased as you age. Through Wisdom and more. Sometimes the varieties in the distance. This 3.5-mile trek bloomed together in a multicolored Cafés she ignites conversations about is truly a nature lover’s paradise. aging, even delving into topics that we bouquet, as if someone had taken About halfway through the usually don’t discuss when it comes to a packet of assorted wildflower loop trail, the big payoff emerges. older adults. seeds and broadcast them in the Hikers come around a bend and Trudy James, wind. Other times, drifts of white … BAM! Mount Rainier fills Advocacy & bear grass or an ocean of blue the horizon. It’s enough to take Activism: Trudy lupine performed monochromatic away anyone’s breath, no matter has dedicated shows. Wispy clouds rose from how many times they’ve seen The years coming to the meadows, softening the scene, Mountain. Its glaciers sparkle and understand death obscuring the mountain after which its massive bulk overwhelms even and grief in new and the national park was named. the most jaded hiker. On a sunny deeper ways. She As I splashed through puddles, day, it’s dazzling. is a credentialed stepped carefully across slick Trudy James On my last visit, however, interfaith chaplain rocks and jumped over rivulets, the weather for the Naches Peak and owner of a small business called I wondered why I’d never really hike wasn’t ideal. Drizzle dotted Heartwork. From 1989 to 2007, she noticed the wildflowers before. the windows of the senior center continued on page 18 directed programs for AIDS CareTeam, Cancer Care Alliance. At age 76, she tried her hand at documentary In the past, there was only filmmaking and created Speaking of one reason to call a funeral home. Dying presentations, annual retreats and end-of-life planning sessions. Trudy has become a social media pro and maintains her website and Facebook

Things have changed.

page. Her happy demeanor, energy and her commitment to her work inspire many. Trudy says that getting older is a privilege and that her life is better than ever at 82. She is the oldest person in her yoga class; her commitment to mind, body, heart and spirit shows others what is possible for aging. Mohan Khandekar, Community Service: Retirement gave Mohan the ability to take his passion for volunteering Mohan Khandekar to new heights. He is an active volunteer and spends 20 to 22 hours each week volunteering, but still finds time to be a loving family man. Mohan has been a lead volunteer at Northshore Senior Center, an Information Resource Person for SeaTac, an assistant badminton coach at Kirkland Middle School and Lake Washington High School, is a board member for the Kenmore Community Club, is the audio/video/photography and graphics resource chief for the India Association of Western Washington, and works with children at the Seattle Art Museum. He helps diverse communities with enthusiasm and good cheer—it makes him a living example of someone who has aged well and inspires others to do the same. Val Brustad, Defining Inspiration: Val leads a life Val Brustad that makes you think of aging in terms of impact rather than years. Having been a caretaker for his mother who had Alzheimer’s, he supported his wife who was an Alzheimer’s Association support group facilitator. After Val’s wife passed away unexpectedly, he stepped up and trained to continue the group in her honor. His sense of aging is communicated in terms of being

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July/August 2020 part of a community and making sure that no one is left alone. Rather than focusing on his loss, Val focuses on the needs of others. Each person involved in the support group Sadru Kachra can attest to how Val’s words, his vulnerability, his wisdom has shaped their perspective on caregiving and grief. It is this influence that inspires those around him to be more forgiving to themselves, to get up and fight another day. Shirin Velji, Health & Wellness: A former teacher in Tanzania, Shirin continues to mentor and inspire everyone she Shirin Velji meets. She loves to help people of all generations. She brightens the days of the residents she visits at Emerald Heights, where she also made masks to protect residents against coronavirus. She volunteers at the fitness center, cheering for the athletes and welcoming the spectators. Shirin worked for the South East Asia Operational Department on urban projects in Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. Her enthusiasm in her work is evident in the stories she shares and the lifelong friendships she has made. Shirin has dedicated her life to helping others, and it’s truly inspiring.

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 3 Sadru Kachra, Community Service: Having grown up in Kenya and seen the living conditions of those around him, Sadru spent his life giving to others. One of his favorite projects was building two extra classrooms to a oneroom school. Now that 1951 Seattle Rainiers baseball team by Art Forde. he lives in Washington, Front row: Dick Knapp, Gordon Goldsberry, Paul Calvert, Sadru spends his time Paul Richards, Arthur Del Duca, Alexander Garbowski, Mike Knowles; middle row: Alfred Lyons, Rocco Krsnich, volunteering at the Stephen Nagy, Bennie Huffman, Rogers “Rajah” Hornsby, library and the senior Manuel "Jim" Rivera, James Davis, Wesley Hamner, Joseph center. His passion to Erautt; back row: Walter Judnich, Jose Montalvo, Harold "Jack" Albright, Charles Schanz, George Vico, Robert Hall, serve, even at almost Earl Johnson, Hector "Hal" Brown, Claude Christie, Marvin 80, motivates and Grissom. Courtesy of the University of Washington Libraries, encourages those in the submitted by Nicolette Bromberg, Special Collections Visual community to give to Materials Curator others. Sadru teaches thinking, vibrant and always fun youth to expand their knowledge are words that best describe her. outside of school, to go to college, She takes leading by example and to volunteer throughout their to a new level as she has led 40 professional lives. Once, he met international Habitat for Humanity Mother Theresa who, at a very trips and five Habitat trips in the old age, came to Kenya to attend United States. Jessie is invaluable an event in which his Lions Club to everyone who meets her. She distributed rice to the poor. He says that meeting her inspired him, is a wonderful listener; she is the type of friend everyone wishes they and now he works hard to inspire had and has a special way of others. being inclusive that creates Jessie Strauss, community anywhere. Jessie Defining Inspiration: takes great care of herself Jessie is a life-changer and stays active. She ages and leader—not just in gracefully and continues to her own community but support her community in around the world, as well. any way she can! ❖ Considerate, forward Jessie Strauss

INDEX ARTFUL AGING

The Grand Charles Johnson.............. 1 Writing & Poetry Corners................16

BEST PLACES TO RETIRE

Walkable Neighborhoods................ 8 Choosing a Retirement Destination.... 8 NW Best Places “Annual Round-Up”.9 Retirement Community Lifestyles.......10

COMMUNITY

Inspire Positive Aging........................ 2 Library Corner................................13

HEALTH MATTERS

Medical Minutes............................... 6 Senior Fitness Tip.............................. 6 Fast Track Covid Research................ 7

HUMOR & PUZZLES

The Funny Side of Life.....................14 Rose and Dawn.............................14 Puzzles and Comics..................14-15

LIFE PERSPECTIVES

Waking Up with Lady Liberty............ 4 Lost Organ Recital............................ 4 Going Home Again......................... 5 Financial Advisors............................ 7 Scenes from Childhood..................16

OUT & ABOUT

Savor the Little Things........................ 2 LET’S GO! Calendar......................17 Affordable Boating.........................19

PETS—PART OF THE FAMILY

Pet-Friendly Retirement Communities. 11 Bowwow Bounty............................11 Caryl and Ralph Turner...................12

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Life Perspectives

Waking Up with Lady Liberty ...by Cappy Hall Rearick

It is 4:30 in the morning when our cruise ship pulls into New York Harbor. As wide awake as the city that never sleeps, I worm my way up to the open deck and find a space on the starboard side. New York City’s skyline seems to be kicking up her heels with more sass and bling than a chorus line of Rockettes. “Take a look at me,” she sings, “I’m the most exciting city in the world.” As I hang onto the side of the ship, I cannot help but wonder how my great-grandfather felt

when first he glimpsed Lady Liberty. I hope someone told him the story of how the statue came to be constructed from toe to crown, and how ships transported it piece by piece from France to America. He probably never heard it, but I am certain he wiped tears from his eyes as he stood at the railing and allowed The Lady’s glow to shine the light of freedom on him. What might he have been thinking? What would he have said to his little brother standing

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next to him, both of them having recently fled the devastating potato famine in Ireland, and both of them scared out of their Irish britches? “Look at er ovah dere, lad, the ol’ gurl hursef. That’s our noo mum. She’s gon’ tek’ caire of us naiw, she is. Don’t ye be frettin’.” Lil’ brother likely whimpered at the mention of their mother, a victim of poverty and neglect, buried a mere month before the boys set sail. Perhaps he moved a wee bit closer to his big brother, the one who was charged with his welfare once they set foot on American soil, the one who would find work however he could in order to feed, clothe and properly school them in their new country. My guess is they looked across the New York Harbor that day at the torch held high by The Lady and were warmed all over by her light, just as much as I am today. They came here with nothing, having left everything behind in the fallow potato fields of Ireland. In time, their losses would be replaced with fulfilled dreams made each night while they grew into men and good Americans. Like so many immigrants throughout the history of our country, their earnest prayers were answered, their hopes rewarded. Many of us will never get the chance to look upon the Statue of Liberty at daybreak or any other time of day. It comes as no surprise to me that The Lady’s power too often gets lost amid the information overload we are fed and must sift through day after day. But she is patient. She is willing to stand her ground and remain strong for all of us. Lest we forget what she symbolizes, the poet Emma Lazarus summed it up in her work engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty: Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door! The Lady lifted her lamp to a homeless, tempest-tossed Irish boy and his brother; because she did, our country was made stronger. My great-grandfather became a proud citizen and later served his country with honor. The accomplishments of his descendants would have filled him with awe: A symphony musician; NASA engineer; criminal defense attorney; Episcopal priest; social psychologist; writer; teacher—every one of them proud Americans. Nothing can ever diminish the spark of hope woven into the fiber of our Statue of Liberty and nothing should ever diminish the humanity of those who come to America seeking a better life. ❖

July/August 2020

Lost Organ Recital ...by Gretchen Houser

I’m attached to countless things: my children, grandkids, family and friends. Also cool, clean sheets in summer, my southern roots, good literature and a glass of expensive red wine. And, like most people, I’m also attached to my organs. Hurrah for my heart! Brava for my brain! Kudos to my kidneys! The human body is mindblowingly mysterious, a biological system of tissues and cells that perform unbelievable tasks every day. My organs are seventy years old, and in their original state were masterpieces of precise craftsmanship. Seventy years? I’ve been alive for seventy years? Translated, that means life has gone on around me for, hmmm, let’s see. Take seventy years divided by four because every four years there’s an extra day. That makes 25,565 days, 613,560 hours, 36,813,600 minutes and 2,208,816 seconds, give or take a few because of oversleeping. This thought gives new meaning to the phrase “where did that time go?” As one ages, not all is perfection though; tiny flaws can lurk beneath the surface waiting to pounce when one least expects it. Like many folks, I’ve lost a few internal components along the way. Apologies to my appendix who, because of medical necessity, was the first to depart. It wasn’t long before my gall bladder made its grand exit and, at age 55, an over-zealous doctor yanked out my tonsils. Do not do this at that age, I beg of you. And of course I can’t forget, as the ear/nose/throat guy explained, my “extra” lurking sinus, which, as I understood it, would be removed. When I shared the news with my daughter, she studied me for a long moment and laughed out loud. “Mom,” she said. “A sinus is a cavity, a hole, they can’t remove a hole.” “I knew that,” I said, though honestly I hadn’t thought it all the way through. Hmm, what else has been taken besides my dignity? Ah yes, those nasty nasal polyps took a nose dive. Twice for that one, not that the first surgery didn’t work—it’s a known fact among sinus sufferers that those little boogers grow back. Anyway, I’m not sure how much else can be removed at this point without damaging the total package. I definitely need my heart, but could probably live with one less lung. And although I’ve often wished for more brainpower, I’m satisfied with the one I have. So, there you are. With all these bits and bobs gone, but not forgotten, you’d think I’d lose something I really want to lose. Right? Wrong, the scales never lie. Never, ever, I mean, seriously. ❖

July/August 2020

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Going Home Again

Visiting Graveyards ...by Jaris English

In 1989, my husband Dick and I went to Endicott, New York for his high school reunion, and afterwards spent a few days with his mother. Endicott has an interesting history. In Jaris English early years, it was a shoe factory town that employed most of the citizens. They lived in factory houses and shopped at factory stores. Many of the original brick buildings were still standing. Years later, it became an IBM town. Dick’s mother and father had worked at the shoe factory, and his widowed mother still lived in the small company-provided house where Dick had grown up. His father was Italian, his mother Slovakian, representing the two major ethnicities of Endicott. We spent a couple of days driving around town with his mother and his two aunts, Aunt Annie and Aunt Louisa, and we visited the important places of his childhood. His mother’s pursed lips showed her limited tolerance of her outspoken Italian sisters-in-law, while the two elderly sisters verbally sparred. I think they were both hard of hearing. “It was 1933!” “But Uncle Joe was still alive.” “No, he wasn’t!” And so, it went on. We passed Dick’s schools and playgrounds and the stores and restaurants where he had spent much of his childhood—those that still existed, and the places where others used to be. The aunts also talked a lot about “the old country” Italy, the country from which their parents had immigrated many years before, and about Italian foods and customs. You would have thought they had lived there themselves, so ingrained were the passed-down memories and culture. The cemetery was the last stop (as they usually are) and we walked through well-kept burial plots with varying sized memorials. I always like reading tombstones, preferring the older ones and those with more description. Occasionally, we would stop at one with a family

name, and the aunts would tell us who it was and add a bit about their life. Then they would pull out any weeds that had dared to grow there. In the cemetery mausoleum, both aunts and Dick’s mother pointed out various relatives that resided in the floor to ceiling stacks along the walls. One aunt said, “There’s Uncle Al, way up there. I’m sure that’s as close to heaven as he will ever get!” “Do you remember that time...?” “No, that was Uncle Ernie!” Back at the house, I videotaped the ladies at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and still talking non-stop. Attempting to direct the conversation, I asked questions about their memories of Dick during his childhood, planning to preserve their words for future generations. “What was Dick like when he was a little boy?” I asked. “Oh, he was so stubborn!” his mother said, and then turning to Aunt Annie, “Remember that big black dog we had when Dick was little? That was such a great dog!” She went on for several minutes about the dog—with constant interruptions from the aunts. Then I interrupted again, “But what do you remember about Dick?” “He was a pretty good boy,” his Aunt Louisa offered. Then thinking awhile, she said, “What was that dog’s name? He got lost that one time and we found him in Old John’s basement, remember?” “The dog’s name was Hershey!” “No, it wasn’t. That was our dog. Hershey was the one that brought Cousin Mary’s knickers out to the living room when the priest was visiting.” “It wasn’t Cousin Mary’s knickers,” “Okay,” I sighed, and tried again, the movie camera still rolling. “And now what do you want to tell me and the camera about Dick?” “Sinbad! The black dog’s name was Sinbad.” I gave up. It was a fascinating visit to my husband’s hometown. The next day, we would be on a plane on our way to my trip down memory lane. But that’s a story for another day. ❖

Finding Home ...by Janet Ward Taggart

It’s been said you can’t go home again. Yet I did just that, along with my brother Jim, on a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We were born there in the early 1930s. Greeted by Jim and other family members at Detroit’s airport, we drove to Jim’s home in Westland where his children and grandchildren live nearby. After two days of visiting and catching up on sleep, Jim and I left the family for the Upper Peninsula. If it were appropriate to use poetic superlatives for describing a road I would do so for Highway 75. It takes a wide swath through the state; tidy rest stops make the trip a carefree cruise. So different from the trips I remember from my youth—an overnight ordeal requiring a ferry ride across the Strait of Mackinae and its sometime alarmingly rough waters. The Mackinae Bridge has replaced the ferry and connects the lower part of Michigan to its upper portion. Upper Michigan introduces us to “yoopers,” as its inhabitants are known... a gentle nod to the descendants of the early Scandinavian immigrants. Their hard work ethic and strong character traits established a reputation as good neighbors and made for a cohesive sense of community. Along the way we visit Cousin Margot at her cozy log home. Cousin Jill arrived from a nearby town and joined us in a four-hour conversation that brought family news. After dinner, we said our goodbyes and continued driving north under a canopy of bronze, copper, yellows and reds...so captivating that we seldom spoke except to urge a stop so we could capture the scene on our camera. How few vehicles we encountered on the road! Endless forests were occasionally interrupted by a small farm or fallen, decaying structures in

the otherwise pristine landscape. Driving along the shore of Lake Michigan we arrived at Manistique, a place I had remembered as a big city compared to our little town, whose single store tried to serve our needs. We drove the length of Main Street in less than five minutes, passing store fronts advertising pasties and fudge, two staples on the peninsula. We remembered the many church suppers where pasties were the main dish and how we made fudge over a hot wood-burning kitchen stove. Cousin Michelle lives in town and presides over a quaint boathouse structure surrounded by a moat where boats can dock and buy from her stock of fine wines and other spirits. We enjoyed her warm hospitality before leaving for Seney, our hometown. Seney is bypassed by the new highway; it appeared to be in timeless isolation. We sought out the site of our home and those of former neighbors and friends. Most were gone, leaving empty patches of weeds. The cemetery gave us the names of former classmates. We left quickly, proceeding to Newberry, the hometown of our parents, grandparents and many aunts, uncles and cousins. We toured neighborhoods and found that some of the homes of those relatives still stood, occupied by a new generation of “yoopers.” Spending the night in this town of bitter-sweet memories, we left early in the morning for home. We retraced Highway 75 and its miles of glorious forests. We remembered the good times and people of our hometown, but our hometown doesn’t remember us. Thomas Wolfe proclaimed, “You can’t go home again.” We agree. ❖

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Health Matters

Medical Minutes ...by John Schieszer

App Uses Artificial Intelligence to Determine COVID-19 Disease Severity A new mobile app can help clinicians John Schieszer determine which individuals with COVID-19 are likely to have severe cases. Created by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry, the app uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assess risk factors and key biomarkers from blood tests, producing a COVID-19 “severity score.” Current diagnostic tests for COVID-19 detect viral RNA to determine whether someone does or does not have the virus, but they do not provide clues as to how sick a COVID-positive patient may become. “Identifying and monitoring those at risk for severe cases could help hospitals prioritize care and allocate resources like ICU beds and ventilators. Likewise, knowing who is at low risk for complications could help reduce hospital admissions while these patients are safely managed at home,” said lead investigator John T. McDevitt, PhD, professor of biomaterials at NYU College of Dentistry in New York. “We want doctors to have both the information they need and the infrastructure required to save lives. COVID-19 has challenged both of these key areas.” Using data from 160 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China, the researchers identified four biomarkers measured in blood tests that were significantly elevated in patients who died versus those who recovered (C-reactive protein,

myoglobin, procalcitonin and cardiac troponin I). These biomarkers can signal complications that are relevant to COVID-19, including acute inflammation, lower respiratory tract infection and poor cardiovascular health. The team then built a model using the biomarkers as well as age and sex, two established risk factors. They trained the model using a machine learning algorithm, a type of AI, to define the patterns of COVID-19 disease and predict its severity. When a patient’s biomarkers and risk factors are entered into the model, it produces a numerical COVID-19 severity score ranging from 0 (mild or moderate) to 100 (critical). The model was validated using data from hospitalized COVID-19 patients from Shenzhen, China, which confirmed that the model’s severity scores were significantly higher for the patients that died versus those who were discharged. As New York City emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic, the researchers further validated the model using data from more than 1,000 New York City COVID-19 patients. To make the tool available and convenient for doctors, they developed a mobile app that can be used at point-of-care to quickly calculate a patient’s severity score. New Genetic ID of COVID-19 Susceptibility Will Aid Treatment Italian researchers are reporting that they have been able to identify the genetic basis of susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. This has important implications for treatment and drug development. The clinical presentation of COVID-19 varies from patient to patient and understanding individual genetic susceptibility to the disease is therefore vital to prognosis, prevention and the development of new treatments.

Scientists have been able to identify the genetic and molecular basis of this susceptibility to infection as well as to the possibility of contracting a more severe form of the disease. Professor Alessandra Renieri, Director of the Medical Genetics Unit at the University Hospital of Siena in Italy, is part of a team that collected genomic samples from COVID patients across Italy to try to identify the genetic bases of the high level of clinical variability they showed. Using whole exome sequencing (WES) to study the first data from 130 COVID patients from Siena and other Tuscan institutions, they were able to uncover a number of common susceptibility genes that were linked to a favorable or unfavorable outcome. “We believe that variations in these genes may determine disease progression,” said Renieri. These results will have significant implications for health and healthcare policy. Understanding the genetic profile of patients may allow the repurposing of existing medicines for specific therapeutic approaches against COVID-19, as well as speeding the development of new antiviral drugs. Being able to identify patients’ susceptible to severe pneumonia and their responsiveness to specific drugs will allow rapid public health treatment interventions. Cancer Drug Repurposed to Treat Individuals with Severe COVID-19 Early data from a clinical study suggests that blocking the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) protein with the cancer drug acalabrutinib may provide clinical benefits to some patients with severe COVID-19. Researchers observed that the offlabel use of acalabrutinib, a BTK inhibitor that is approved to treat several blood cancers, was associated with reduced respiratory distress and a reduction in the overactive immune response in most of the treated patients. Researchers conducted a prospective off-label clinical study that included 19 patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses that required hospitalization. Of these patients, 11 had been receiving supplemental oxygen for a median of two days, and eight others had been on ventilators for a median of 1.5 days (range 1-22 days). Within one to three days after they began receiving acalabrutinib, the majority of patients in the supplemental oxygen group experienced a substantial drop in inflammation and their breathing improved. In this study, eight of these eleven patients were able to come off supplemental oxygen and were discharged from the hospital. Although the benefit of acalabrutinib was less dramatic in patients on ventilators, four of the eight patients were able to come off the ventilator, two of whom were eventually discharged. The authors note that the ventilator patient group was extremely clinically diverse and included patients

July/August 2020

Senior Fitness Tip

Fitness Fun ...by Mark Bryant, Functional Aging Group Exercise Specialist

Some ideas for fun ways to stay fit and healthy Mark Bryant include dancing, skating, skiing, rock climbing, hiking, swimming, tennis, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, baseball and martial arts. Each activity has great benefits, including balance, coordination, speed, endurance, bone density and muscle development. Resting is important too. Even when having fun, make sure you know your limitations and keep safe. Stay hydrated by drinking water and take breaks when needed. Remember to start out slowly. You can do one day per week, then work up to two days to three days per week. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise program but work to find something you enjoy. And have fun! Mark Bryant teaches senior fitness at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center and is offering a new “Silver Sneakers” program. “It is a great place to start!”

who had been on a ventilator for prolonged periods of time and had major organ dysfunction. Two of the patients in this group died. Blood samples from patients in the study showed that levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a major cytokine associated with hyper inflammation in severe COVID-19, decreased after treatment with acalabrutinib. Counts of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) also rapidly improved in most patients. A low lymphocyte count has been associated with worse outcome for patients with severe COVID-19. The researchers also tested blood cells from patients with severe COVID-19 who were not in the study. In comparison with samples from healthy volunteers, they found that the patients with severe COVID-19 had higher activity of the BTK protein and greater production of IL-6. These findings suggest that acalabrutinib may have been effective because its target (BTK) is hyperactive in severe COVID-19 immune cells. The authors of the study caution that this strategy now must be tested in a randomized, controlled clinical trial in order to understand the best and safest treatment options for patients with severe COVID-19. ❖ 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.

July/August 2020

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 7

Fast Track COVID Research ...by Christi B. Nichols, BRI Communications

Local scientists pivot to study COVID to determine which patients have better outcomes after infection and why, and to look at whether people who have recovered from COVID-19 are still susceptible or whether they are protected from future bouts of infection

A Conversation with Financial Advisors ...by Maddie Smith

New research studies with the potential to inform new ways to prevent and treat COVID infections are under way at Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI) in Seattle. BRI scientists are studying COVID-19 patient blood samples to understand the immune response to this deadly virus. With more Dr. Cate Speake, PhD than 30 Virginia Mason team those who were hospitalized but not members and BRI researchers in the ICU, and patients who went to collaborating, research is happening at an unprecedented pace to help combat the ER or other Virginia Mason clinics for testing but were able to recover at the COVID-19 public health crisis. home. By examining these samples, A key goal of the rapid research researchers aim to learn how to response is to generate data and determine which patients have learnings about this novel virus to better outcomes after infection, and inform treatments and vaccines. BRI why. Many of the worst outcomes in COVID-19 are driven by an overactive team members collaborating to make immune response—sometimes referred this research possible include study coordinators, data scientists, lab staff, to as “cytokine storm”—which sample processors and phlebotomists. researchers hope to one day be able to Most teams are working seven days a predict. The research efforts are led by week to ensure samples can continually BRI President Jane Buckner, MD and be collected and processed. And the Virginia Mason Infectious Diseases work is being done at a remarkable physician Uma Malhotra, MD, with a speed. A process that typically takes up large team of supporting scientists and to several years—from writing grants researchers including Cate Speake, and obtaining the funding to sharing PhD. study findings—has been shrunk to “Studying patient samples lets mere months, a result of BRI’s agility, us learn what an effective immune state-of-the-art technology and the response to COVID-19 looks like,” world-class expertise of diseases of the Dr. Speake says. “Right now, patient immune system. data lets us find new ways to predict These COVID research projects outcomes in hospitalized people. and others coming soon are made Our next steps are to start looking at possible in part by donations to BRI’s another big question: whether people COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund. who have recovered from COVID-19 Much more on BRI’s COVID studies are still susceptible, or whether they and other areas of research involving are all protected from future bouts of the immune system can be found at infection.” The research teams have collected BRI’s website, BenaroyaResearch.org, and on the Autoimmune Life Blog at and analyzed more than 250 samples BenaroyaResearch.org/blog. You can from COVID patients of varying contact BRI through the website, by disease severity who were seen at emailing info@benaroyaresearch.org or Virginia Mason. The studies include by calling 206-342-6500. ❖ people who were treated in the ICU,

Consuelo financial Mack, the host advisors often of Wealthtrack—a do not charge television program an initial presented by PBS, fee but will sat down with take 1% of two financial their client’s professionals to assets. She discuss financial added that Jamie Hopkins and Teresa Ghilarducci planning and avoiding debt retirement during the COVID-19 by downsizing will help individuals’ crisis. finances in the long run more so “Retirees and near-retirees than their assets. have suffered a punch to the Hopkins agrees with gut,” said Mack. The pandemic Ghilarducci about trusting in social has shown devastating effects on security income. markets. For countless people, life “[Social security] is the best and savings wrapped up in the markets most official financial instrument in plummeted in the wake of the the world,” said Hopkins. He also economic recession. advised the audience to look for a Mack invited Teresa Ghilarducci fiduciary. Weeding through financial and Jamie Hopkins to a conversation advisors to find a fiduciary can be on coping financially with the a difficult process; the majority of recession and preparing for retirement. advisors are not fiduciaries. Ghilarducci’s take-home advice When meeting with an advisor for the conversation was to delay it is important to focus on financial collecting social security for as long planning. He recommended writing as possible. Retirees who delay up a retirement and estate plan, their benefits will receive a larger even for those who don’t have huge percentage. Most people claim their assets. If a financial advisor does not social security benefits between suggest planning, they are likely not the ages of 62 and 64. Often, if a a fiduciary. retiree defers their benefits for just Finding a holistic retirement six more months, they will receive a income planner can be a difficult greater percentage of social security process, said Hopkins. There are income. Ghilarducci urged listeners many different aspects to take to trust in social security. Though into consideration when planning many employers do contribute to for retirement including risk workers’ 401(k)s, they contribute a management, deferring social higher percentage to social security. security, managing expenses and Throughout the conversation, health care. Looking for a single Ghilarducci stressed the importance license from a financial advisor is of selecting a fiduciary as a financial not going to offer the client sound advisor. Fiduciaries are certified advice for all of these things. financial planners who will not Here are Hopkins suggestions make money by selling a financial for finding reliable retirement product to a client. One way to tell income planners: if a financial advisor is a fiduciary • Look for a fiduciary—the is by asking the question “Do you certification to look for here is make money off of the advice that Certified Financial Planners (CFP). you give me,” said Ghilarducci. To ensure that an advisor is a She also suggests that a good fiduciary, a client can ask them to fiduciary rule-of-thumb is to make put it in writing. sure there is an initial fee upon continued on page 13 meeting with them. Non-fiduciary

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Walkable Neighborhoods City planner, author and walkability expert Jeff Speck says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;walkable communities are the best communities for older adults.â&#x20AC;? Walkable neighborhoods offer an easy way to exercise, shop and socialize. According to walkscore.com, walkable neighborhoods have a centerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a main street or public space. They are mixed income and mixed use, with affordable housing located near businesses, with schools and workplaces close enough to walk to from home. Walkable neighborhoods offer â&#x20AC;&#x153;completeâ&#x20AC;? streets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; those that are designed for pedestrians, bicycles and transit, and, importantly, have parks and public space with plenty of places to gather and play. If you are considering a move, consider a locationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;walkabilityâ&#x20AC;? score. The article below advocates for making areas safer to walk in no matter where you live, and providing resources and services that can benefit the health of entire neighborhoods.

July/August 2020

Choosing a Retirement Destination

...by Paige Bartlett, Public Information Specialist, UW School of Nursing de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging

Where we live isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always cognitive health in older adults. something we can control. It is Kim is analyzing data to better shaped by numerous factors, from understand the relationship between our family to our income. neighborhoods and cognitive health. Making areas safer to walk Her research focuses on aspects in and providing resources and of the neighborhood that can make services has the potential to benefit it more or less walkable, like the the health of entire neighborhoods. slopeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which indicates how hilly the Beyond the physical neighborhood, area is, transit access and if most of the how we perceive where we live neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streets have sidewalks. may also impact our health. There are two different ways of Boeun Kim studies walkable Understanding the impact that assessing these neighborhood features: neighborhoods and cognitive health neighborhoods have on our health objectivelyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;by directly measuring can inform urban planning and public health policies. the characteristics around participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; homes, and Boeun Kim, a PhD student at the University of subjectivelyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;by asking individuals about their Washington School of Nursing, became interested neighborhoods. These assessments donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always in neighborhoodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; health effects while researching match up. health disparities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I read an article saying poor â&#x20AC;&#x153;Individuals can differently perceive and evaluate neighborhood socioeconomic status is associated their neighborhood even though they live in the with worse cognitive function in older adults. same neighborhood,â&#x20AC;? Kim says. But conventional interventions mostly focus on As a part of her research, she looked at how individual factors such as improving motivation objective and subjective measures of a walkable and knowledge. I thought we also needed to address neighborhood differed for participants. Sometimes the environmental factors like the neighborhood difference was substantial. environment.â&#x20AC;? Overall, Kim found that the lowest cognitive Past studies suggest that local resources, like parks health tended to be in neighborhoods that were and recreational centers, offer opportunities for social less objectively and subjectively walkable, and the and physical activities and may be linked to better highest in subjectively and objectively walkable neighborhoods. Her work suggests that the differing measures may have different associations with cognitive health. Kimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s research emphasizes that to improve cognitive health, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to both consider the physical aspects of where people live, as well as understand how people view and interact with their neighborhoods. In future studies, Kim hopes to investigate if changing peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perception of where they live, even without altering the physical features, can benefit cognitive health. â?&#x2013;

Each year, Northwest Prime Time summarizes national â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Places to Retireâ&#x20AC;? lists for notable Northwest locations that achieved national acclaim as great places to live and retire. AARP defines a livable community as one with affordable and appropriate housing, a supportive community, and services and adequate mobility options. In short, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Places to Retireâ&#x20AC;? are places where people can get to where they want to go, living comfortably and in good health, and be able to remain active and engaged. Each organization that ranks â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Places to Retireâ&#x20AC;? uses its own criteria; most consider factors such as living and housing costs, how tax structures impact retirees, agreeable climate, access to quality healthcare, crime rates, scenic beauty and outdoor recreation such as walking and biking trails, a strong local economy and infrastructure that support services for seniors such as public transportation, a senior center, library and other services. Educational, volunteer and employment opportunities are important factors. Being near a college or university can boost a placeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ranking. Having dynamic downtowns with an array of dining, shopping and cultural experiences are often considered. Is the area prone to natural disasters? Does it have a safe and adequate water supply? Organizations like AARP and the National Council on Aging advise looking at how your home is designed and if your community can support you as you age rather than prioritizing climate, cultural and recreational opportunities. AARP offers a resource: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Great Neighborhoods for All Ages,â&#x20AC;? which scores communities across the country for the services and amenities that impact older adultsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives the most: https://livabilityindex.aarp.org. And, says AARP, take a comprehensive look at what makes your life enjoyable and satisfyingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; factors that rankings canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quantify. Cost remains one of the top considerations. Finally, despite all the raves and reviews of far-flung places, being near family and friends always ranks as the very best retirement destination for most retirees. Wherever your retirement takes you, Northwest Prime Time wishes you a happy and healthy adventure.

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July/August 2020

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 9

19 t h A n n u a l

Best Places to Retire in Washington This special edition of Northwest Prime Time features our 19th Annual Best Places to Retire issue. Read about the places in Washington State that have achieved national acclaim this past year as great places to live and to retire. Can you guess the Northwest towns and cities that made this year’s list of best places to retire?

NW Best Places to Retire Annual ‘Round-Up’ chose smaller cities for consideration, but US Three of the heavy-hitters for best places offer better opportunities than others,” says NEWS compared only the largest metropolitan to retire rankings—Forbes, Kiplinger and US Ritual. They looked at broad categories of data areas in the country. While they didn’t NEWS—publish new findings every year. around health care and outcomes, community recommend any Washington State destinations Each organization utilizes similar criteria when and general livability. Without considering within their top 25—Portland, Oregon selecting their lists: cost of living including cost of living, they ranked was the closest at #20—Seattle ranked housing prices and taxes, access to quality Seattle as the 9th best ninth in overall best places to live. But healthcare, services and amenties targeting city for healthy aging and Seattle falls to 55 on their retirement seniors, recreational and cultural opportunities, longevity, followed closely list because of cost of living. Spokane ease of travel, safety and economic factors, and by Portland. San Francisco trailed close behind at 56. (Fort Myers, climate. To attain their lists, organizations must topped their list. Florida topped their list; four places in analyze the amenities seniors want vs. cost of 24/7 Wall St, an internet Florida were within the top 10.) living company specializing in In recent years, many other Despite using the same factors when financial news, ranked both organizations have jumped on the best developing their lists, the places selected Kirkland and Mercer places to retire bandwagon. Stacker.com, can vary widely. Still, places in Washington Island as top cities to live which “transforms expert anaylsis into always make the grade of best places to retire in America. Manhattan digestible stories,” recommends Port in the country and this past year has been no Beach, California was their Townsend as exception. top pick. “24/7’s cities Washington’s One share certain attributes Best Place to Washington that are almost universally Situated on the Olympic Retire. Stacker’s peninsula, this picturesque seaport desirable, including safe city made was designated as a national Seth Berkman Forbes’ top 25: streets, walkability, a strong wrote, “Florida’s historic district. Surrounded by Wenatchee. economy, affordability, a coastline and resting in the rain sandy beaches With its range of entertainment shadow, Port Townsend exudes and Arizona’s location at the options, cultural attractions, Victorian charm. Artisans and boaters are amongst those that green golf links confluence of access to grocery stores and aren’t the only call it home. The Centrum Arts the Wenatchee hospitals, to name a few.” Foundation presents performances ideal places to and Columbia HomeSnacks.net, which and workshops year-round. settle down Rivers, Forbes “combines data from dozens after retirement. As describes of sources into ‘bite-sized’ articles to help you Wenatchee— Sunny Wenatchee Valley is a paradise for lovers of the outdoors. towns and cities make understand what it’s like to live in different Forbes says Wenatchee is one of the nation’s top places to themselves adaptable for the Apple places across America,” offers their Top 10 calling it a scenic, sunny small city with good doctors, a aging populations, there Capital of the retire, Places to Retire in Washington, including several low crime rate, low cost of living, performing arts centers and are now more wonderful World—as destinations that don’t usually make retirement wineries, plus a revitalized downtown. communities than ever having an destination lists: before in every one of the 50 states to abundance of sports and recreational activities 1. Camas enjoy one’s golden years.” They point for any season. Relatively low real estate prices, 2. Vancouver high quality medical care and abundant sunshine to not only Port Townsend’s grand 3. Anacortes views, relatively low rainfall averages make Wenatchee, according to Forbes, one of 4. Washougal the best cities in the country for successful aging. and lower cost of living than Seattle, 5. Kenmore but the plentiful maritime and outdoor Kiplinger took a different appoach this 6. Cheney activities, as well as spas and shopping. past year. Since most retirees expect to stay 7. Bainbridge Island Port Townsend is also known as in the same state or region when they retire, 8. Ferndale Liberty Theater in Camas. “Washington’s Victorian Seaport and According to Cheapism, “Camas Kiplinger’s most recent best places rankings 9. Spokane is classic Pacific Northwest smallArts Community.” highlighted “one great destination in each state 10. Des Moines town cool…Camas is a scenic Ritual.com ranked cities across that offers attractive advantages for retirees.” Chris Kolmar of wonderland and a natural spot the country for active retirees. It sits near the For Washington HomeSnacks writes, “Why did for healthy State, they selected Camas take the top spot? And Columbia River and OregonWashington border and sports a aging and the Richland/ where is Seattle? Many places beautiful downtown with lots of longevity. Kennewick metro in Washington get close to 40 art, good food and culture.” “With high area, citing, among inches of rain a year, so the life expectancies and other factors, the biggest question is: what do 7.5 million residents advances in healthcare including 825,000 retirees, find so appealing area’s outdoor and technology, people about this corner of the country? The state as amenities and the are living active more than 200 a whole is pretty safe and there's a ton of great lifestyles later into wineries within a stuff to do. The people here are very nice and their lives. A critical 50-mile radius. every place in the state is postcard worthy. But component of staying Emily Brandon what's the best place to retire in Washington? and feeling young is from US NEWS That would be Camas, according to the latest maintaining strong says that retirees FBI and Census data.” mental, emotional can save money If extraterrestrial visitation tops your list of Tri-Cities: Kiplinger, the well-known personal finance advisor and physical and improve their importance, then Washington publication, suggests the Tri-Cities area as their Washington health. For quality of life by State is still your place. State retirement destination. “The low cost of living is those who relocating to a place particularly attractive…whether you’re partial to exploring the According to a report from the great outdoors or focusing on wine country, you have plenty of prioritize that better suits analysts at SatelliteInternt.net, options.” Enjoy boating and fishing on the many area rivers, their budget and Washington has reported the hiking or biking on the 23-mile Sacagawea Trail, and exploring a healthy lifestyle, interests. Forbes highest number of UFO sightings the more than 200 wineries within a 50-mile radius. Photo: Stepframe Interactive Media, courtesy of Visit Tri-Cities. some cities and Kiplinger both per capita. ❖

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

July/August 2020

Retirement Community Lifestyles

COUPEVILLE

532

Perhaps your next “ Best Place to Retire” will be a retirement or planned community. 20 Retirement communities offer a wide range of lifestyle choices, from basic apartments to luxury accommodations with all the bells and whistles. Retirement Keystone community lifestyles appeal to many of today’s retirees and the not-quite retired. As some have said, “Living in a place like this allows me to get on with my life,” whether that life includes working, volunteering,20 traveling, education – or just plain 525 relaxation and enjoyment. PORT

TOWNSEND

Sequim

X X

3. Foss Home & Village X

102

6. Mill Creek Retirement Community Happy Living by COGIR

7. Northgate Retirement Community Happy Living by COGIR

182

72 101 X X

Pets

116

Entrance Fee

Cost Range

104

Ad location (page number)

Dining/meals

2-Bedroom+

2. Fairwinds Brighton Court

126

1-Bedroom

CLALLAM X

1. Boulevard Park Place Active Retirement Community

Studios

including: Auburn, Bonney Lake, Burien, Des Moines, Lynnwood, Gig Harbor, Mill Creek, Puyallup, Seattle, Sumner

Memory Care

Skilled Nursing

Community Name

Assisted

Independent

G R E AT E R P U G E T S O U N D R E G I O N

Total Units

101

ISLAND

525

$1,595 - $2,400

$3,500 19

Prices begin at $2,900/studio; $3,700/1BR; $4,600/2BR

none

Call for information: 206-364-1300

none

$1,950 to $5,045/month

Clinton

104

206

$2,500 for Ind. & Assisted Living

Call 253-853-3354 Gamblefor current rates

203

Quilcene

Yes

$3,000 to $5,350

122

Yes

8. Stafford Suites - Sumner

$850

9. Wesley Bradley Park

131

50 17 198 JEFFERSON

119

Fully Refundable

Call 253-435-8100 for current rates

10. Wesley Des Moines

352

Fully Refundable

Call 206-824-5000 for current rates

4. Foundation House at Northgate 5. Harbor Place at Cottesmore

11. Wesley Lea Hill

127

12. Wesley at Tehaleh

168

13. Queen Anne Retirement Community Happy Living by COGIR

104

60 32

515

175

228

193

101 X X

Port

$2,812+ 307

524

19 Lynnwo Edmonds

Fully Refundable 308Call 253-876-6000 for current rates

128

3 Fully Refundable

Call 253-466-2720 for current rates 305

$2,695 to $4,995

Yes

303

Bainbridge Island

1. Boulevard Park Place Active Retirement Community: 2805 S. 125th St., Burien WA 98168 • 206-243-0300 • www.boulevardparkplace.com 2. Fairwinds Brighton Court: 6520 196th St SW Lynnwood, WA 98036 3 • 425-775-4440 • www.leisurecare.com 3. Foss Home & Village: 13023 Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98133 • 206-364-1300 • www.fosscare.org 119 4. Foundation House at Northgate: 11301 3rd Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98125 Belfair • 206-361-2758 • www.FoundationHouseNG.com 300 Hoodsport Harbor Place at Cottesmore: 1016 29th St NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 5. • 253-853-3354 • HarborPlaceRetirement.com 14905 Bothell Everett Hwy, Mill Creek, WA 98012 6. Mill Creek Retirement Community: 101 302 • 425-338-1580 • www.happylivingbycogir.com 106NE, Seattle, WA 98125 7. Northgate Retirement Community: 11501 15th Ave • 206-362-7250 • www.happylivingbycogir.com 8. Stafford Suites - Sumner: 15519 62nd St. Ct. E. Sumner, WA 98390 • 253-862-1818 • www.staffordcare.com/sumner SE, Puyallup, WA3 98374 9. Wesley Bradley Park: 707 39th AveMASON • 253-435-8100 • bradleypark.wesleychoice.org 102 10. Wesley Des Moines: 816 S 216th St, Des Moines, WA 98198 • 206-824-5000 • desmoines.wesleychoice.org 11. Wesley Lea Hill: 32049 109th Place SE, Auburn, WA 98092 SHELTON • 253-876-6000 • leahill.wesleychoice.org 12. Wesley at Tehaleh: 17702 Cascadia Boulevard East, Bonney Lake, WA 98391 • 253-466-2720 • tehaleh.wesleychoice.org 101 13. Queen Anne Retirement Community: 805 4th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 • 206-284-0055 • www.happylivingbycogir.com

310 304

SEATTLE

519

PORT ORCHARD

Fauntleroy

Southworth

509

Vashon Hts.

160

SPUR 302

Bremerton

166

Silverdale

104

n/a

Poulsbo

KITSAP

108

104 $2,600 to $3,300 Kingston

509

Purdy

Gig Harbor

509

Federal Way

5 163 16

Tacoma 705 167

Puyallu Lakewood 512

July/August 2020

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 11 530

PETS—PART OF THE FAMILY

tanwood

530

Pet-Friendly Retirement Communities

Arlington For many people, pets are part of their family and—when they move into a retirement community—being able to bring their furry companion is a top consideration. Many retirement communities have pet-friendly policies. Three communities are featured below. 531 9

Granite Falls Marysville

528

SNOHOMISH

529

524

Pets are people too at Harbor Place! We love our furry family members at Harbor Place. Harbor Place dogs are often seen walking Mukilteo 5 2 around campus, even dressed up on occasion! 526 At Christmas, they love to get their pictures Snohomish taken with Santa. Many cats call Harbor Place 99 home too, but they stay snuggled in their 525 apartments where they are well-loved and 96 Sultan 9 Boulevard Park Place tended 2 to! 527 Your pets are part of The Cushman Trail Head is located ½ mile 6 2 Monroe the family at Boulevard away, providing a lovely 6.2-mile paved, non4 Park Place. Our beautiful motorized public trail through Gig Harbor, 405 ood 524 522 10-acre property provides which is excellent for walking (with or without a nice setting for your dog, Fido), bike riding and rollerblading. There are including three off-leash dog bathrooms along the trail, mile markers and 104 Bothell yards, paved walkways, and multiple points of interest. 522 grassy areas for you and your For the dogs, Tubby’s Trail Dog Park is Woodinville Duvall pet to enjoy. We also have located one mile away from us. This park 523 7 a number of cat-lovers and offers nine acres and is a wide, rectangular 203 welcome your felines to our field perfect for throwing balls; it has grassy community. Come join us side slopes so your dog can run up and down. Kirkland in 2021 for our annual Pet It is fully fenced with both large and small 908 Redmond 513 Parade during our 4th of July dog areas. 5 405 celebration! Please give us a call if you and your pet 202 Carnation 520 For more information are looking for a new place to call home! 520 about Boulevard Park Check out our virtual community tour Bellevue Place, visit www. featuring Suzie, a resident shih tzu, at www. boulevardparkplace.com or HarborPlaceRetirement.com. Please feel free 90 call 206-243-0300. to call Sue at 253-853-3354 or visit us online! Everett

Fall City

Bowwow Bounty 90

Issaquah

...by Carrie Luger Slayback

9 599

518

Renton 99 167

515

181

Kent 516 5

Auburn 18

161

167

Sumner

162 161

North

Steve, a volunteer coach, stood at the center of Bend our seniors’ running group, giving strict instructions to each169of us. An exacting engineer on weekdays, Steve becomes a running statistician on weekends, figuring out personalized workouts 18 for each marathon hopeful. When he came to me, he skipped the pace and distance directives. “You, Carrie, do not stop to talk to every dog!” I did. I still do. But not every dog—not those goal18 oriented working dogs—muzzle forward, eves fixed. Maple Valley However, the friendly Fidos who signal me with welcoming eyes, wagging tails, KING leash straining in my direction—I stop, pet, talk to, hear owner’s stories. I’m lost in moments of sheer joy. 169 Now I understand why. I am an addict. My drug of choice is oxytocin, released by puppy-dog eyes and furry touch. Frontiers of Psychology’s 8000-word abstract with 150 citations, published by the National Institutes of Health 164 (NIH) explores human animal interaction and delivers convincing evidence: Oxytocin, a hormone Enumclawproduced by the hypothalamus and secreted by the pituitary gland is sometimes called “the love hormone,” responsible for relationships and bonding is present in childbirth AND in the strong physical/emotional 410 attachmentBuckley to an animal. Dogs165 are particularly suited to be human love objects. Genetic wolves, the domesticated dog evolved over 32,000 900

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Wesley Communities They’re family, too! Wesley communities welcome peoplefriendly pets. Our outdoor spaces are ideal walking areas for you and your fur baby. When you return, reception has doggie treats. Wesley Bradley Park has a trail to Bradley Lake Park for walks. Wesley at Tehaleh is surrounded by walking trails with waste stations and an off-leash dog park, and there is a dog wash when you return home. June Jackson and dog Jax of Wesley Des Moines love that Wesley is “super dog friendly. Jax can go anywhere with me. We love it here!” Visit WesleyChoice.org to learn more about Wesley communities or call 1-855-4458827.

years, selected from among wolf puppies for qualities of nonaggression, cooperative spirit, attentiveness to humans, tolerance of human activities and abilities to take part in hunting/protecting the group. The dog understands the role of family member from his wolf antecedents. The canid pack works together for survival with well-defined roles of alpha hunter, parent, second in command and babysitter. Wolves communicate by facial expression—their black lips curl back or relax revealing acceptance, rejection, threat. When part of a human family, dogs observe repeated human patterns of behavior and respond with what we interpret as cognition. They recognize members of their human pack and many take the role of protector. Besides being particularly suited to register loyalty and acceptance, dogs depend upon us for shelter, food and water. It is no wonder that our hormonal response is akin to parenthood. And now we know the bond is reciprocal. Studies show that dogs respond to human eye contact with a spike in oxytocin. Hormonally, it might be said that we really do love each other. Results of the oxytocin system, activated by human/animal contact: • Stress relief occurs, anxiety, depression decreases. continued on page 12

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

July/August 2020

Caryl and Ralph Turner Founders of Precious Life Animal Sanctuary and provided so On the much happiness outskirts of and inspiration Sequim, next throughout the to the Olympic years. National Ralph Forest and reflects on the near Olympic lack of support National Park, for farm animals. lies a hidden “A lot of the valley surrounded time, farm by forest, wildlife animals aren’t and views of the even thought Straits of Juan of as individual de Fuca. This lives, but a special place commodity.” is the Precious Ralph was Life Animal determined to Sanctuary. educate himself The on the world sanctuary was of commercial founded in Caryl and Ralph Turner founded the Precious farming and found September of Life Animal Sanctuary in 1999 “unbelievable 1999 by Ralph confinement and suffering” of the horses, and Caryl Turner, who had been actively involved in animal protection cows and pigs bound for slaughter. During this time, Ralph and Caryl issues their entire adult lives. The rescue activities of the couple rescued their first Holstein calf, Buddy. Buddy was so charismatic, with a unique started with Great Pyrenees dogs. It and friendly personality, that he proved then extended to feral cats and farm to be the inspiration they needed for the animals. sanctuary Ralph and Caryl retired from their “To fulfill our commitment to the careers—he was the security director for animals, we purchased the sanctuary Safeway stores, for 45 years she worked property, 85 acres outside of Sequim. It with engineers—but wanted to do something meaningful with their lives. was in severe disrepair,” reports Caryl. “We spent an incredible amount of “We did okay in our lives,” says time, effort and money to fence and Caryl. They were happy with their convert the property into a quality pleasant life in Edmonds. “But we facility.” wanted to be remembered for a The Turners looked far and wide purpose. Animals turned out to be for property that would work. “We our purpose.” They realized that looked everywhere, including Idaho,” establishing an animal sanctuary was remembers Caryl. They almost bought to become their greatest life’s work. acreage in the Bellingham area, but After their experience rescuing three Great Pyrenees from a miserable then found the property in Sequim. There was a barn on the property, puppy mill situation and then two which was helpful. “There was an old impactful experiences with farm cabin on its side that we righted. We animals in need, the Turners felt it fenced the entire property, including was imperative to give back to all the five acres for the dogs, and the rest for animals who had touched their lives

Feeling lonely? Need a hot lunch? If you are or know someone 60 years and older who could use a meal, social connection and direction to health and social resources, please call our office, (206) 878-1642, and let us know. In partnership with Catholic Community Services, we are serving hot, grab-and-go lunches at the Center front door from 12noon to 12:30pm Monday through Thursday. Please practice physical distancing by staying six feet away from those around you as you wait to get a lunch. We understand these are unprecedented times and we continue to move forward day by day, being mindful of how we can best support you. We exist because of you! Keep smiling, it helps you and others. Stay safe! With love and care, the Activity Center Staff

Des Moines/Normandy Park Senior Activity Center 206-878-1642 • desmoineswa.gov/Seniors

Some of Precious Life Animal Sanctuary rescue stories include: Taking in a rogue flock of turkeys that had been stalking the streets of the tourist town, La Conner. When a council member suggested the flock be used as targets for a youth gunfire-safety course, the mayor and townspeople spoke passionately in support of the turkeys (which had become a bit of a tourist draw). The Turners came to the rescue and agreed to provide long-term care and allow the turkeys to live out their natural lives in the sanctuary. “They are intelligent animals, loyal to one another, and easily recognize their caretakers,” states the sanctuary website. Another rescue came when domestic rabbits that had for years been discarded at Seattle’s Lower Woodland Park and other parks needed to be relocated. The trapping ended with over 100 rabbits captured. Precious Life Sanctuary was the only sanctuary willing to help. A one-of-a-kind bunny-proof enclosure on over half-an-acre was created. Wilbur the smiling pig was rescued at three months old from experimentation at a university swine center and is free to explore in tall grass and root-n-roll in mud. Casper, the paralyzed male dairy calf rescued shortly after his birth, was nursed back to health and spends his time in the large pasturelands with the other cows—including his best friend Tiny—horses, burros and mule. Margarita the burro was rescued from being sold to a fox and mink fur farm for food. She could barely walk and was severely underweight. It was a surprise when she gave birth to a baby boy (Paco). The gentle Margarita has received extensive care and now enjoys her life with plenty of grain, apples and alfalfa.

the pigs and sheep and cows, turkeys and wild burros rescued from the BLM roundups.” The day they signed the papers for the acreage, Caryl was diagnosed with breast cancer. “Still, the only days I missed working were the chemo days,” she recalls. “That was 20 years ago. Knock on wood, my health is good. We are both still very active and healthy. “We have an old mule from the national park,” says Caryl. “They work them for 30 years because they don’t allow mechanized equipment in the backcountry of the park. They then put them out to pasture.” Unfortunately for the animal, out to pasture usually means it ends up as food for something else. The mule and all the other animals at Precious Life Animal

Sanctuary have found a safe and happy home, protected for the rest of their lives. Who knows, they may even enjoy the stunning views from their verdant valley home. ❖

Bowwow Bounty

increased nervous system function controlling the gastrointestinal tract leading to “enhanced digestive function, growth and restoration.” What more can you ask for? Love, warm feelings, less stress and depression, increased health, better sleep, more friends and better digestion! Get a dog (or another pet), or at least stop and pet your neighbor’s. I still stop for dogs. It’s not a break from my workout, I’m magnetized to a friendly dog face. Secretly, I do not want to hurt the dog’s feelings by ignoring a greeting. I won’t apologize to my coach. I need dogs. Dogs need me. We share a happy hormonal symbiosis. Like a teenager, I’m driven by my hormones. ❖

...continued from page 11

• Elevated empathy, improved trust toward others, reduced aggression. • Protective effect on cardiovascular risk, lowering blood pressure. • Improved immune system function. • Enhanced pain management • Fewer sleep problems, fewer doctor visits, less work time missed. • Social/health benefits to all people, but especially to those living without children/partners. • Improved learning ability. • Eye-contact plus tactile experience increases positive effects. • Long-term relationship with one dog increases positive effects. Here is one last oxytocin benefit derived from living with your pooch. The NIH article also noted

Precious Life Animal Sanctuary is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and providing a safe home for abused, neglected and abandoned farm and companion animals, teaching humane education and advocating against the practices that perpetuate animal suffering. The Turners take no salary for their never-ending work at the Sanctuary. COVID-19 has been financially devastating for the sanctuary and other non-profits. Donations are always much appreciated. For information, visit preciouslifeanimalsanctuary.org or call 360-582-1437.

Carrie Luger Slayback, an award winning teacher and champion marathoner, shares personal experience and careful research. Contact her at carriemisc@icloud.com.

July/August 2020 A Conversation with Financial Advisors ...continued from page 7

• Find a Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP)—this is an add-on to the CFP certificate that specializes in retirement income planning. People with this certification will be more holistic in their planning and take into account aspects like shifting assets into income, Medicare planning, long-term health care planning As far as investing in retirement, the earlier people are able to start

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 13 saving and the longer they can keep retirement savings untouched, the better they will be. Index funds are usually the best bet for people who want to begin saving for retirement. Despite higher expenses for people in their 30s, Hopkins encourages people to begin saving for retirement during this decade. Hopkins said that mentally preparing for retirement can be difficult for some people. People often struggle with spending money set aside in a retirement fund when the time comes. “It’s really that transition from accumulation to decumulation,” he said. ❖

How do you find a financial fiduciary? Fiduciary advisors are required to act in their client’s best interest at all times. The difference between fiduciary and non-fiduciary advisors is that fiduciaries do not receive compensation for selling financial products to their clients. Non-fiduciary advisors are also called brokers, according to Ferguson Johnson Wealth Management. Brokers operate under a different system than fiduciaries. They earn commission for selling certain financial products or investments to their clients. Brokers can advise a client to invest a certain way or purchase a certain product because they will make a higher commission rate from it, despite the best interest of their client. Fiduciaries, on the other hand, charge their clients a fee and are required to offer financial advice in their client’s best interest. Hopkins’ advice for ensuring that a financial advisor is a fiduciary is to ask them to put it in writing. This legally ensures that they are a fiduciary and holds them accountable to the advice they give to their clients. Getting it in writing is a useful tip once an individual already thinks they have a fiduciary, but wading through financial advisors to find that fiduciary can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. One way to determine if an advisor is a fiduciary is by looking on their website for a disclosure statement. Keywords to look for here are “registered investment advisor,” which is another term for a fiduciary, and “registered broker-dealer,” which means that the advisor is a broker—NOT a fiduciary. It is important to note that some firms are duel registered, meaning that they can act as both fiduciaries and brokers at separate times. On websites of dual-registered firms, they will have disclosure statements identifying them as both registered investment advisors and registered broker-dealers. Be sure to let the firm know that you want them to always act as a fiduciary and get it in writing. Another way to tell if a firm or advisor is a fiduciary is to look them up on the Investment Advisor Public Disclosure website, https://adviserinfo. sec.gov. This tool will indicate if a firm or individual has a disclosure statement that indicates whether or not they are a fiduciary along with the years of experience the firm or individual has with financial advising.

Library Corner

Connections ...by Wendy Pender

Among the things we are learning in this time of pandemic is the importance of relationships. We are also learning about the importance of technology and the Wendy Pender ways it can foster relationships. When I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a library degree 25 years ago, there was no such thing as the internet as we know it. Google, Yahoo, Facebook and Amazon did not exist. There were no cell phones, let alone GPS or Zoom. Yet somehow, we managed to get to places, do research, have relationships, go to school and get what we needed. Amid all today’s technologies, many of us feel frantic if we misplace our phone, don’t “check our feed,” or take a weekend off from email. Technology changes, but our need to connect with people and information does not. One of the best things about the library is that we have always been a link between people, technology and information. I used to work at a library where you could check

out a slide projector. Remember those? Today, with so many digital resources available, patient and knowledgeable staff can help you use technology to explore a huge array of sources and subjects, from Consumer Reports to ancestry.com. These past few months, our society has been upended by the coronavirus, but connections between people and technology have strengthened. I hope you have navigated these months in good health and that you have taken advantage of online library resources or connected with us via Ask KCLS (425-462-9600), our telephone reference service. As we begin, hopefully in the near future and under county health guidelines, to welcome people back into our buildings, we will continue to be the places where technology and people intersect, and where lifelong learning never stops. Whether online, in the library or in the community, we are here for you! Hope to see you soon. ❖ Wendy Pender, Older Adults Program Coordinator, King County Library System, wgpender@kcls.org

Foss Farmers Market We couldn’t break the tradition of our community Farmers Market, but it’s going to look different this year.

and ‘how to videos’ on our website straight from Laura—our own master chef!

Visit our website to order a box (or 2) of produce www.fosscare.org/events/ •

Order a box of produce: pick up Saturday, August 29th

•

Try a new recipe or watch a ‘how to video’

-834-2581

•

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for all Americans. As a result, the demand for food assistance has increased at an extraordinary rate. The “Uniting to Combat Hunger” campaign is mobilizing volunteers and donors to raise funds to help food insecure veterans and their families through this pandemic. The campaign has helped to provide more than 200,000 meals thus far and they invite citizens and organizations to join them in this mission by visiting www.vfw.org/utch and making a monetary donation to a VA medical center near you, such as Puget Sound VA Healthcare System.

Senior organizations are working to provide meals to seniors. For information, call your local Area Agency on Aging: King County 206-684-0660 Pierce County 253-798-4600 Snohomish County 425-513-1900

See you next year!!

Foss Home and Village -364-1300

Northwest Prime Time www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

The ongoing life-affirming adventures of Rose and Dawn

The Funny Side of Life This story by Sy Rosen was submitted before the coronavirus shutdown

My 3-Year-Old Granddaughter Hated Me And what I did about it …by Sy Rosen

Okay, hate is a strong word and should only be reserved for really evil things like those medicine bottles that are Sy Rosen impossible to open, people in restaurants who talk loudly on their cellphones and kale. First, let me explain how this granddaughter situation is not at all my fault. (If it was my fault I wouldn’t be writing about it.) I meet my daughter, who has both my granddaughters in her car, every weekday morning. She then takes six-year-old Summer to elementary school and I take threeyear-old Sienna to her pre-school, which is in the opposite direction. In other words, I am taking Sienna away from her mother—and she doesn’t like it. As my daughter drives away Sienna screams, “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” while trying to lunge towards my daughter’s car. I, of course, hold onto my squirming granddaughter while calling out to the people who are watching in the parking lot, “I’m not a kidnapper, I’m her grandfather and she loves me.” To which Sienna yells, “Let me go, let me go, let me go.” Everyone reassured me that Sienna was just going through a phase. Okay, but how long of a phase? I was hoping for a one-hour phase, but that didn’t happen. I decided to take the much needed, logical step—bribe Sienna into liking me. And so I came with a large chocolate chip cookie stuffed in my pocket. I know that’s not healthy, but these are desperate times. Unfortunately, as we drove to preschool Sienna ate the cookie and then yelled, “Mommy, Mommy. I

Have it all, all in one day.

July/August 2020

miss Mommy. And your car smells!” The next thing I did was watch Supernanny on TV to pick up some valuable techniques. Super Nanny is big on crouching down and looking the child in the eyes while talking to them. This didn’t work and to make matters worse, I had a lot of trouble getting up from the crouching position. It was time to take out the big guns—the guilt trip. I told Sienna, “You’re making Grandpa feel really bad. I think I may cry.” I may have been laying it on a little thick, but I had learned this technique from a master: my mother. I still feel guilty that I forgot to call her on her birthday thirty years ago. Unfortunately, Sienna actually laughed when I went into my fake crying routine. I then tried to entertain her and brought along lots of paper and crayons for the car trip. Sienna drew an abstract picture that would have made Picasso proud. I asked her what it was and she said, “Mommy,” and started crying. I tried to sing songs with Sienna to get her mind off the situation... “The wheels on the bus go round and round…” Unfortunately, I forgot that one of the verses was, “The Mommies on the bus go I love you.” Again, it did not go well. I then went to my ace in the hole—magic tricks. I am famous for making a quarter disappear. After I astounded Sienna with the trick, she sadly said, “You made Mommy disappear.” I have to admit that was a very sophisticated transition and if my heart wasn’t breaking, I would have admired her intelligence. I was about to give up when one day, out of nowhere, Sienna ran over to me, gave me a hug and said, “I love you, Grandpa.” My broken heart was suddenly whole and I was filled with joy. I just hope it’s not a phase. ❖

Noisy Neighbors The Finale …by Diana Couture

Officer Ohara bowed in a gentlemanly way to the Kelly girls as he said good-bye. The two women waved enthusiastically to the handsome, Irish police officer saying they would be seeing him again soon. “Not for anymore noise complaints, I hope,” he hollered back. The women giggled and closed the door to their condominium. Julie, the Homeowners’ Association president, and Officer Ohara walked back toward Rose’s front door. They were both smiling and Rose couldn’t wait to find out how the problem of the shouting next door neighbors was going to be handled. Rose and Dawn welcomed the two ‘warriors’ back from the front lines and invited them to sit at the small kitchen table for a ‘debrief.’ Officer Ohara explained that the ladies were both deaf and the shouting was the only way they could hear each other. The hearing aids that they had were uncomfortable enough that they preferred not to wear them, and then when you throw in their Irish tempers, well, there lies the problem. “I have an idea that could end this all together,” he announced in his soft Irish brogue. “It seems the hearing aids are to blame for at least part of the problem and I have a friend at a local hearing aid company who can take a look at the two women to see if there’s anything that can be done to make their aids more comfortable. If they are able to wear them every day, maybe there won’t be the need to shout,” Officer Ohara finished with a smile and glanced hopefully at the women around the table. Rose looked skeptical. “But what about those tempers? What can be done about that?” Officer Ohara smiled knowingly. “I knew you were going to ask about that and I think I have a solution for that as well. I have another friend in the north end who has a meditation studio that specializes in geriatric meditation. This could be a game-changer for those women. Imagine if they were able to meditate their anger away…Well, it’s an idea anyway. I will make all of the arrangements and call Julie when all is set up.”

Rose looked at Dawn and Julie with guarded enthusiasm. “Wouldn’t that be wonderful? If we could offer help enough to not only benefit the HOA, but to benefit their lives as well. I guess that’s what you call a WinWin.” Everyone finished their tea and then it was time for Officer Ohara to return to the precinct and Julie to return to the HOA offices. Rose offered her thanks for all that Officer Ohara had been able to do so far and for all that he would be helping with in the future. The Kelly girls should be very grateful for his interest in their situation. Dawn helped Rose to clear away the table after their guests left. “What a morning, Rose,” Dawn sighed. “I feel like we’ve solved one of the big problems of the world right here in your little kitchen.” Rose laughed. “Well it might not be a problem for the entire world, but it sure has been a problem for our little corner of the world. I hope Officer Ohara remembers to get everything set up and follows through with his help for the Kelly girls.” Weeks went by with little or no noise emanating from the apartment next to Rose. She had been so busy with the rose bushes in the condominium’s common garden that she had almost forgotten about all the promises made a few weeks ago. That is, until she saw Colleen Kelly and her sister Dorothy walking on the sidewalk in front of their apartment with yoga mats under their arms. Rose hesitatingly called out a hello. The women slowly turned in Rose’s direction. Each folded their hands together under their respective chins and bowed with a greeting of “Namaste” – the universal yoga salutation. Rose did the same in return, although she wasn’t sure what it meant. Then the sisters quietly continued down the path to their apartment. Rose was astounded at the sight of the women. They were healthy looking and smiling. She ran to her house and called Dawn. “Dawnie, you’re not going to believe who I saw today. Those two harpies, the Kelly girls from next door. Except, I almost didn’t recognize them. They were smiling and walking peacefully together. What do you suppose has happened to them? Oh, and what does, ‘Namaste’ mean?” ❖

July/August 2020

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 15

Some Scouts are, too! by Len Elliott

Across 1. Peaty wetland 4. ____ up (energize) 7. “I love” in Latin 10. APB issuers: abbr. 13. Region of two continents 15. Toaster treat: hyph. 17. Walk roughly on 18. Kind of dog or schooner 19. Eagles (three words) 21. Space ship for ETs?: abbr. 23. Florence’s flower 24. Take a break 25. Holbrook or Linden 26. Insect repellent ingredient 30. They precede xis 31. Eagles (two words) 37. Arthur of the courts 38. Animal’s hideaway 39. Eagles (two words) 45. It can end press or text 46. Drink with sushi 47. Hall-of-famer Roush or announcer Hall 48. Spheres in a pod 50. Formula for sodium hydroxide 54. Two-time loser to 43-Down: abbr. 55. Eagles (two words) 60. One-celled creatures 61. Alums’ get-together 64. Problems for musicians: 2 wds. 65. Special natural abilities 66. Certain MIT graduates: abbr. 67. Seine, e.g. 68. Sounds of satisfaction 69. India’s smallest state

Down 1. Wager 2. “Days of ____ Lives” 3. Healthful breakfast choice 4. Pet safety organization: abbr. 5. Roger Bannister, for one 6. Song of praise 7. Doctor’s visit: abbr. 8. Less, to some 9. Australian gem 10. Societal newcomer 11. Becomes arid: 2 wds. 12. Artery insertions 14. Bowling equipment acronym 16. Stadium level 20. Scotch and ____ 21. TV broadcasting band: abbr. 22. Not close 27. Fashion magazine 28. Major Hoople expletive 29. Chicago paper, briefly (with “The”) 32. Far Eastern “Way” solution on page 18 33. Approximations: abbr. 58. Aide: abbr. 34. Ostrich relative 52. Cousin of voodoo 59. 180 degrees from SSW 35. Place for a pendant 53. Burglary yields 62. Plains native 36. “…____ quit!”: 2 wds. 56. Abba of Israel 63. D.C. hush-hush group: abbr. 39. Baby born early 57. “So ____” (1957 Jimmy Dorsey hit) 40. Explanations 41. Look after, as a flock Loyal crossword solvers, 42. Monopoly railroad I apologize for the incorrect answer grid that accompanied the June crossword 43. He beat 54-Across in 1952 and puzzle: “Rhyme Time.” The one I sent to the editor was changed at the last minute 1956: abbr. and I attached it instead of the final version. Congratulations to those of you who 44. 1960s activist group: abbr. powered through to get the right solution! 45. Provide current information CROSS (at myself), but not DOWN. 49. Graf ____ (WWII battleship) --Len Elliott 51. Major artery

Get your “B”__“A”

THE FAMILY ROOM

...by Len Elliott

The answer to each clue is a word beginning with “b” and ending in “a.” Each answer also includes at least one other “a.” Word lengths are given. 1. Middle Eastern dessert with nuts and honey. (7) 2. Noisy and confused commotion. (8) 3. Anna Pavlova, e.g. (9) 4. Close-fitting woolen hat. (9). 5. Deadly nightshade plant. (10) 6. Three-stringed Russian instrument. (9).

From one who is long in the tooth And modestly raised, here’s a truth: Though the family may grumble and grouse, They can thrive in a one bathroom house. -- Pat D’Amico

answers on page 18

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Scenes from Childhood

Fishing Story ...by S. McCafferty

We lived several couples in upstate on it. The men New York for were obviously quite a few disappointed with years, many their day on the years ago. The water. Just as they Thousand were walking by, Island area my line began to was more than jump and bounce. beautiful! I had actually We bought caught a fish. a tent and Two of the The author has fond memories of camping and would take men from the fishing trips with her children our three boat stopped and children camping. The “Fishing one said, “We rented this boat. Story” took place when they were We bought expensive fishing two, six and eight. equipment. We were out all day. The older two had fishing poles. We didn’t catch even one fish. The youngest had a lovely stick And this lady caught a fish with a with some line and a paper clip. stick.” The kids fished off a dock where What could I say? The others very nice boats would be “parked.” walked over to admire my fish. One afternoon, the youngest was They wanted to know what kind napping and the older two were of bait I was using. I told them “a playing a game of cards. I took the paper towel.” No one said much of stick with some line and since we anything after that. had run out of bait, I improvised After they left the dock, I took with a piece of paper towel and my stick and fish back to our tent. I went down to the dock. I loved was the queen of fishing! We fried fishing in a quiet area with nothing up that little fish and had a few to do but relax. bites each. And even today, it is a A boat was coming in and had lovely story to tell. ❖

July/August 2020

Writing Corner

Everyone Wants to Be Heard …by Ariele M. Huff

In a recent writing class, a student shared a story with special relevance to “active seniors” and Ariele M. Huff how significant writing can be for us. Here’s his story: “A good time to make changes is after you are sure you have learned everything. The real learning takes place after we know everything. Case in point: After four years teaching in High School, I moved to grades sixth to eighth—should be easier working with younger children. But… where did all that anger— disruptive behavior and terrible attitude come from? To teach these grades successfully, I discovered, you need a bagful of skill that you marvel at when the day ends. I learned the anger comes from being forced to conform, not being able to state your case, being told how to behave, never being asked how or what you think. A wise Junior High teacher encourages these young people to have an opinion and gives them the freedom to express it. When the kids feel this freedom, everything changes. They feel okay and they feel their teacher is also okay. That teacher is teaching that there is really only one kind of discipline worth talking about or doing—selfdiscipline.” --Roger Wilson I particularly love this articulate passage: “I learned the anger comes from being forced to conform, not being able to state your case, being told how to behave, never being asked how or what you think.” While I totally get that this

Poetry Corner “BEING”

AND THIS IS A LONELY JOURNEY THAT YOU MUST MAKE. YOU ARRIVE. YOU LIVE. YOU LEAVE. --Howard L. Stroupe (96 and still writing for us!)

is so significant in dealing with the grandchildren and other kids in my life, I also experienced an epiphany as I felt the meaning in those words. For a long time, I’ve wondered why so much of what we hear about aging is negative. Statistically, elders actually rate themselves as happier than any other age group. We have backlogs of accomplishments including in relationships, education and career. So many reasons to feel better, as experts say we do, until or unless we have a serious health condition. But Wilson’s words help me understand the anger that I see many other seniors feel, that I feel too, when our gray hair or wrinkles or birthdates render us invisible—less valid, less of interest. So, now that we know so much, it’s time for some learning! Finding ways to be heard is much easier if we can be clear and strong in what we say. Start by doing some soul searching about how you truly feel, what you want, what you need, what you don’t want. Then, I recommend rehearsing upcoming situations where you’ve felt unheard: speaking up when a cashier overcharges you, pleasantly reminding your doctor or daughter or waiter that you do know whether you want surgery, to give away your doll collection or to have butter on your muffin. Finally, a major consideration in being heard is to attempt to communicate in a way that also allows others to feel valued and heard. At the start of his piece, Wilson quoted Ephesians 4:12, “Be kind and compassionate to one another.” ❖ This is a reprint of June 2014 Writing Corner.

“Quarantine”

The virus has hit us like a kick in the ass. Now we are all home with our car full of gas. Home now for a month with no lettuce or booze, all we can do is read books and snooze. So, what do you do when you are sooo bored? You wait for that man with your mail on board. He brings bills and ads and some “gutter guard” fact. But sorry to say, it’s mostly just crap. So be well my friends—this virus will taper, and now we have all learned to store Charmin paper! --Barbara Kuhlman

Poems may be edited, excerpted from, or used in Sharing Stories. Send poetry to ariele@comcast.net.

July/August 2020

LOOKING FOR THE CALENDAR?

While things are starting to open up, including zoos and other locations, as of this writing so much is still up-in-the-air. Check with event organizers to learn the latest news including concerts-in-the-parks and other summertime favorites. The Washington State Fair is hosting a “Drive-Thru for Fair Food” during the first three weeks of July (www.thefair.com). A free Senior Lifestyle Fair and Expo is scheduled for August 13 in Puyallup – call 253-387-8166 for details. • Wesley retirement communities offer free online events in July: “It’s Time to Make a Change” on July 16 at 10am will explore strategies for conversations about necessary choices that come with age. “Discover Wesley” at Bradley Park takes place on July 23 at 10am. Register for both at WesleyWebinars.com or call 1-855-445-8827. • Foss Farmers Market – the popular annual event at Foss Home and Village offers summer produce, recipes and “how to” videos. Order a box or two of produce for pick up on Saturday, August 29th. Questions? Visit www.fosscare.org/ events or call Kim at 206-834-2581.

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 17

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Where in the Northwest? Can you identify the location of this photo? Photos are taken from or adjacent to Washington State highways in our readership area: King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. Mail your answer to Northwest Prime Time, PO Box 13647, Seattle WA 98198 or email editor@northwestprimetime.com. Answers should include enough of a description so that it is clear you know the spot. The winner will be drawn at random from the correct answers submitted by the deadline. If no correct answer is received, the $25 prize will transfer to the following contest. Submissions for the current contest must be postmarked July 22, or received via email by the same date: editor@ northwestprimetime.com. No one guessed the location of last month’s

photo, which was taken from a traffic camera at the five-way intersection under the West Seattle bridge at Marginal Way and the entrance to the lower bridge. We received many incorrect answers and didn’t realize that traffic cam intersections can look so much alike! Last month’s $25 prize has been transferred to this month’s contest, which is worth $50. We threw in an easy one for you—can you tell us where this photo was taken?

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The Grand Charles Johnson

based on my seventy-one years of experience, worth sharing with him? ...continued from page 1 Are there any perennial truths that I—as a writer, artist, academically conveyor belt at trained Rand McNally Co. philosopher, in Skokie, Illinois, Buddhist slapping glue on practitioner, Physician’s Desk martial artist and Reference books.” former journalist He recounts and college the story of when professor—can every penny his impart to Emery hardworking father that might make had saved to buy his journey the family’s first through life home was stolen. easier and more “After that loss, rewarding?” I watched him The answers work three jobs can be found in the early 1960s in the pages of to support my GRAND. mother and me— But giving a day job doing helpful advice Dr. Johnson coauthors a series of books named after his grandson, The construction, an is not a oneAdventures of Emery Jones, Boy evening job as a sided activity, Science Wonder, with his daughter— night watchman, says Johnson, Emery’s mother—Elisheba Johnson and on weekends evidenced by the he logged hours helping an elderly day that Emery marched into his white couple fix up their house...” study, “long dreadlocks swinging He describes his father as a behind him,” and climbed on top proud, quietly pious man who “paid of his grandfather’s desk “holding a for my college education, expecting fistful of playing cards.” Pokémon. me to acquire the professional “Emery throws down his card. diploma that circumstances had Somehow his card beats mine, prevented him from getting. which he tosses into a discard pile. “And he taught me, I truly “I lost?” believe, how to work—indeed, to “Grandpa,” he says patiently, see whatever I did, regardless of how “you’ll get the hang of this. Trust me. humble the labor, as being a portrait Just keep playing and I’ll help you.” of myself. And never to stop until Dr. Johnson’s chapters in my goal was realized.” GRAND end with a final, tenth When he was young, Johnson lesson for Emery and all the children would “eagerly probe” his relatives of his generation: “I want them to “for every gory detail” about their understand that there is no greater personal experiences with racism, experience that we can have than knowing his aunts and uncles in the love, for that is the wellspring from South had “ample horror stories to which all good things flow.” tell,” but they “simply shook their GRAND was written before heads and said, ‘It’s better to leave the pandemic. In a recent interview that behind.’ ” with Vanity Fair Johnson said, “As One great uncle, however, did tell we shelter at home together, Emery his life story, which made a lasting and I talk about these changes in our impact on Johnson. It is a story of lives that one day he will recognize self-made success that became a tale as being caused by one of the most Johnson himself told his children transformative events in modern over and over again. It demonstrated history. I hope this will teach him how Johnson’s family elders made how every life is precious, and how we personal sacrifices to prepare their should see each day of life as a gift.” ❖ kids for the opportunities they Sections of this article are excerpted from themselves were denied. “GRAND: A Grandparent’s Wisdom Thinking of the past and watching Emery in the present makes for a Happy Life” and are used with permission by HarperCollins/Hanover Johnson sometimes worry about his Square Press. future. “Do I have any ‘wisdom,’

MORE INFORMATION • GRAND: A Grandparent’s Wisdom for a Happy Life by Charles Johnson, Hanover Square Press, is available as a hardcover and eBook. • Last month, following the police killing of George Floyd that sparked nationwide protests, The Seattle Times asked Charles Johnson, one of the nation’s most revered thinkers, to provide input for people who want to educate themselves on racism and privilege. “Literature can have a subtlety and nuance that you can’t get just from a news story,” said Johnson. His list of recommendations include: Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson, The World in Flames: A Black Boyhood in a White Supremacist Doomsday Cult by Jerald Walker, and King: The Photobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Bob Adelman and Charles Johnson.

Affordable Boating ...continued from page 19

And hopefully, reviewing some of my experiences will help you choose a fun outing for yourself this summer. Floating on inner tubes and/ or a rubber raft on the Yakima River along with the college students from Central Washington University during a hot summer day is a blast. On some occasions I have taken my own canoe or hired a fly-fishing drift boat guide to navigate through this scenic stretch of canyon between Ellensburg and Yakima. Float tubing in a quiet lake is peaceful, plus a fun way to fish if the wind is not blowing. Walking barefoot through sagebrush could be in your future if the wind starts blowing the wrong way, as it did for me. River rafting the Wenatchee was full of memorable thrills, as was jet boating the Columbia River. Skidoos and wind surfing are still on my “to-do list” at this point. These experiences become affordable as rentals. Charter boats are popular for a variety of outings and I have taken advantage of them. Argosy cruises allowed me fun opportunities for wining, dining or just sightseeing. Passenger ferries have been a pleasant way to see parts of Puget Sound or an economical outing for walk-ons. I have fished from charter boats near Seattle, Westport and on the Columbia River; most charter boat outings allowed me to come home with plenty to eat, with the value of my catch significantly offsetting the excursion price. Salmon and walleye fishing trips on the Columbia were productive, plus bottom fish fishing, including ling cod and halibut from Westport, have helped keep my freezer full and many a dinner guest happy. Unfortunately, I do not have the space to give you contact information for all the vendors involved in the boating or guiding business, but the internet does a good job of it once you decide what form of outing you wish to pursue. Choose something fun to do on the water this summer. With luck, I hope to see you out there— smiling—during your affordable boating experience. ❖ Savor the Little Things ...continued from page 2

Had I hiked this trail at the wrong time of year? Had I been preoccupied by the need to avoid tripping over rocks or roots? Why were blooms at the center of my attention today? Then I realized what had happened. Since the star of the show—the omnipresent snowy slopes of Mount Rainier— had failed to make an appearance, my sights focused on the more pedestrian beauty right at my feet. I think this is often true in life.

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We’re bombarded with important information—things that demand our attention—and we look past the smaller joys. When loud voices assault our ears, gentle whispers are lost in the clamor. Lowly wildflowers can be overlooked when the grandeur of a magnificent mountain dominates the scene. I hope the vivid memories of Mount Rainier’s wildflowers will remind me to savor the little things that come my way when bigger things take center stage. If I pay attention, they can bring as much joy as nature’s more majestic creations. ❖

July/August 2020

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com 19

The Great Outdoors

Affordable Boating …by Roger Urbaniak

There is a certain peace that comes from being on the water. Many people think of boating as a rich person’s sport, but over the years I have discovered many affordable ways to enjoy quality time on the water without breaking the bank. Initially purchased from paper route money, I have owned my favorite canoe for over 60 years, now with enough dents to prove

how often I’ve used it. Since I generally avoid boat launch fees by using car top launching areas, my canoe has proven amazingly economical. I’ve owned other craft but have always kept a frugal eye on enjoying the experiences. Economical examples include inner tubes, rubber rafts, a paddle board, float tube and a 12-foot aluminum boat. For more expensive boats, such

as a Zodiac or 21-foot fishing boat, I managed to find partners to chip in with me and we structured our arrangements for sharing. Renting often makes sense. I Roger and Linda Urbaniak enjoying another affordable boating adventure purchased a very useful them. I recommend that you review book, written by Sue Muller her book to see if it triggers fresh Hacking, named Boatless in Seattle. ideas of how you can get on the It provided numerous ideas for water. different craft that could be rented as well as the vendors that offered continued on page 18

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