Northwest Prime Time July/August 2022 by Northwest Prime Time

Northwest

CELEBRATING LIFE AFTER 50

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Beauty and Chance A short documentary about two long lives

Over the course of four years, award-winning filmmaker John Harrison followed the lives of two elders from the Puget Sound area, (center) Georgie, (right) Imogene

ix years ago, filmmaker John Harrison set off on a year-long project to document the everyday lives of two women who happened to be quite old.

Imogene turned 100 years old when filming began, Georgie 96. But something happened along the way. John, Imogene and Georgie kept going. Filming was not completed until four years later. The two women shared over 200 years of life experience between them: experiences of poverty and wealth, of marriage and divorce. Of raising grandchildren, of confronting a cheating spouse and finding new love.

The documentary “Beauty and Chance” is a meditation on the hidden struggles and quiet graces of two women writing the final chapters of their lives

Of joining book clubs and becoming a stand-up comic. Of holding a greatgreat-grandson and losing a husband after 50 years of marriage. And all the quiet moments in between. The film, at just over 41 minutes, is a mediative look at everyday moments in the lives of Imogene and Georgie. It’s a quiet film, but the women’s vibrancy, to say nothing of

their remarkable longevity, shines through. Spokane-based filmmaker John Harrison travels the world for his work in film and video production with the company he co-owns, Untamed Productions. On the side, he follows his passion for filmmaking. As a cinematographer, John’s films continued on page 16

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July/August 2022

21 s t A n n u a l

Best Places to Retire in Washington

NW Best Places to Retire Annual ‘Round-Up’ Are retirees moving in retirement these days? The healthcare; cost of living—especially but not limited answer is yes. And no. to housing costs; climate; taxes (keep in mind the The pandemic is not the driving force behind full tax burden including state income tax, estate as many decisions as it once was, but it continues to tax, real estate and property taxes, utility costs and upend our lives—including considerations for moving gasoline tax); access to services that serve seniors; low in retirement. crime rates; access to lifestyle factors such as outdoor Many retirees put moving on hold during the recreation and cultural opportunities; air and water pandemic. Some were forced to retire earlier than quality. Walkable downtowns with dining options can planned. be a crucial quality. A new consideration is access to The bottom line, according to Hire-A-Helper’s strong broadband internet connectivity, increasingly annual report (Where Americans Moved to Retire), essential for everything from telehealth or even more retired in 2021 but fewer moved. to connect with grandchildren. Often the most In fact, according to the study, the number of important factor is proximity to family and friends. To Americans moving to retire hit a seven year low attain their lists, organizations analyze the amenities in 2021. The causes of this dip include COVID, a seniors want vs. cost of living. turbulent housing market, and lack of retirement In years past, towns and cities in the Great savings. Northwest have often ranked high on the national But at this point, many of those who put their lists. Sometimes two, three or more Northwest Places plans on hold are now looking to revitalize their made the top ten lists for several different ranking move. The red-hot real estate market, changes organizations. But high cost of living and other factors in interest rates and inflation have some seniors have knocked the Northwest out of the running, with scrambling to put their longtime homes on the market two exceptions. as soon as possible. It turns out that Many seniors who move Tennessee topped the in retirement do so to take list of destinations advantage of the equity in for retirees moving their homes and look for to another state. destinations with a more But where should favorable cost of living, Washingtonians move especially housing prices. if they want to stay in Most organizations the state? that rank Best Places to One Washington Live, like Kiplinger and city made Forbes’ top Forbes, advise keeping the 25: Spokane. Forbes following in mind when describes Spokane as a contemplating a move in Forbes named Spokane as one the top 25 cities in the nation retirement: access to quality for retirees continued on page 19

July/August 2022

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Who We Are Now

Looking Back On It, the Best Retirement Advice I Received …by Margaret Larson

The word retirement means a lot of different things to different people. If you look it up in the dictionary, you’ll find this: Margaret Larson ‘withdrawal from one’s position or occupation or from active working life.’ I suppose that’s technically true, but I reject the idea of ‘withdrawing.’ What is this time of life? To me, it’s a new chapter that I hope to enjoy in the same way I enjoyed graduating from college, entering a career, getting married, becoming a mother. Each stage offered its own adventures and challenges, and this one is no different. COVID changed retirement for many. Lots of us moved closer to children and grandchildren. Some left careers a bit earlier than expected or, instead, found working from home (if available) refreshing. Too many people see retirement out of reach financially. Others have taken on new caretaking responsibilities, or struggle to maintain good health. I have friends who ‘unretired’ due to financial strain or boredom. This new chapter can be fraught. I think back on what turned out to be the three best pieces of advice I received on the topic. One friend, a retired attorney whose job

entailed tons of responsibility and travel, warned me against decelerating too quickly. She said retirement was a bit like an offramp. You want to slow down, but not all at once. Once Margaret enjoying her “fave new retirement hobby, hiking for waterfalls.” you’ve safely made the turn, you’re free to rev wanted to wear. It turns out that back up if you choose. Her advice I now mostly look and dress like was to immediately establish three a hike might break out any time. appointments each week that I Who knew? But all the best stuff couldn’t skip—volunteering for can be duplicated in other ways. a specific shift, working out with It’s a great time to take courses that a friend or coach, mentoring I never had time to take before broadcast students. These (history), to try to learn a new commitments gave a scaffolding to language (Italian), and to explore my time that got me engaged and more—from the mountains to the allowed me start building a new beach, from the city to the country kind of ‘schedule.’ It was a practical roads (the dog loves it). I still find step that really worked for me. myself ‘interviewing’ new people, A very smart retired network but folks like being asked questions television producer suggested so it’s all good. that I make a list of all the things Maybe the most valuable I’d most loved about my career piece of advice came from a wise life (purpose, constant learning, friend who is also a mental health relationships) and the things that professional. He told me that when weren’t always great (wearing it gets confusing, come back to makeup, fussing with appearance). your core strengths. Don’t worry Decades of dressing and getting about a career ‘ending,’ just turn made up for a TV job had left me your face to the sun, take stock of with no real idea of what I even continued on page 17

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July/August 2022

Life Perspectives

Going Visiting …by John Coleman

My career in visitation began over 50 years ago with Mrs. Gillespie, who lived across the backyard. My perch was a red metal step stool beside the kitchen counter, enjoying my usual – strawberry Nesquik. Who knows, maybe my mother called while I was en route, warning the household of an incoming first-grader. All I remember is being welcomed and given a glass of cold, pink milk. The knack for knocking has been mine from the start, apparently. “I’m going visiting,” I’d announce to my family, and off I went. My reputation was robust. Friend Ed teased me with a song his father played: “Walk right in, sit right down, baby let your hair hang down.” What The Rooftop Singers meant by letting “your hair hang down,” we had no idea. Where Mr. and Mrs. Farnworth were concerned, Eddie’s jibe was bull’s eye. More than once I entered unannounced and took a seat at the kitchen table, where we sipped ginger ale. Arney and Betty, as the grownups called Mr. and Mrs. Farnworth, took theirs with whiskey while I had my ginger ale on the rocks. They butted myriad Raleighs in a glass ashtray the size of a hubcap. And boy, did they light up. But were they also kind to the kid next door. Arney even let me cut

his hair once, not that there was much danger to be apprehended. At risk were wisps of smoky gray gossamer combed straight back. Kinder still, after I returned from a frightening trip to Cleveland for allergy tests, Arney let me prick his arm with sewing pins. Was he allergic to cats like I was? He underwent the procedure in the living room, his left sleeve rolled up, a plaid beanbag ashtray at the ready. No sepsis set in, as I took it easy on him. I’m 60 now. The Gillespies and Farnsworths have joined my parents in glory. On a summer evening back in 1974, I kept vigil on the front porch. At long last neighbor Louie ran out of Arney and Betty’s house, his thick mop of white hair bouncing with each step. “I think he’s gone,” he announced. The light was thin. Arney had passed in the chair where I doctored him six or seven years before. Then and there I first absorbed the silence that stuns the human heart when bad news arrives. Too bad. This is the cost

of talking and listening. Folks end up loving each other. And when you part company without warning, the one left standing is bruised inside. From growing up on Wagner Avenue to growing old on Parkway Drive, my life has been about meeting face-toface. Parishioners drop by and kibitz for 10 minutes or more. Sometimes the conversations have a point, but mostly we chew the fat. Without fail, when standing to leave, they say, “Well, I’ll let you get back to work now.” My comeback is ready-made: “But this is my work.” Yes, my work and joy. For 14 years, wife Kathy and I lived with our children on a boulevard where neighbors became family. We granted each other refrigerator rights. “Walk right in, sit right down” was modus operandi. We confessed enough sins to fill The Oxford English Dictionary and enjoyed enough fruit of the vine to sustain a winery. The imbibing wasn’t

July/August 2022 always healthy, but trust me, the love was medicinal. We chatted our way through our son Micah’s heroin addiction, Abbey’s childhood liver disease and the birth and raising of Patrick, the Down’s syndrome kid who knits us together still. Garden variety disappointments, ever at our elbow, got lovingly interrogated ad nauseum. We needed therapy, but why bother? We had each other. So don’t tell me that “going visiting” is recreation. No, it’s a holy endeavor. This fact was driven home by the passing of Roy, a colleague whose heart gave out before I could lean in close and tell him what he meant to me. He looked like Friar Tuck. If these wretched seasons of pandemic have taught me anything, it’s the treasure of a visit, even if a skinny minute long. “Mrs. Gillespie,” I’d say, given the chance. “Bless you. That milk was delicious.” “Mr. Farnsworth,” I’d say, “I’ll take a splash of fire water with that ginger ale.” “Roy,” I’d say, “I love you. Say something funny, and bust out laughing. You have the best laugh, always delighted and silly. It’s like hot cocoa for a sad, shivering soul.” The truth is, they are gone. But if you’re like me, you talk, just in case your voice carries to a place much further away than you can imagine. ❖ John Coleman writes from a hut he built at the corner of his backyard and hosts a blog called A Napper’s Companion. Be welcome to send comments to JohnColemanObl@gmail.com.

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Library Corner

Embracing Change ...by Wendy Pender

“We can never go back to before” is the lament of one of my favorite songs in the musical Ragtime. Truth! There is only now, Wendy Pender and only forward. Fortunately, the library excels at navigating cultural change. I recall when we didn’t even have computers in the library, yet now they are one of our most in-demand commodities. Who remembers VHS? Beta? LPs? Now even CDs and DVDs are on the decline, and streaming is all the rage. We adapt and change, exhibiting healthy resilience, just like individuals need to do as they age. One thing has remained constant: Our connection with our communities and the desire to serve with personalized service. We still welcome everyone, regardless of background or education. You can walk in, phone, text or chat. We’ve expanded our communication tools such as social media and kept our wonderful signature offerings such as books and Story Times. Need some summer fun? We’re now open for in-person programs, as well as virtual options and, of course, we have summer stories to accompany you on your next road trip

whether you’re traveling by RV or armchair. Here are few favorites: • Palm Beach by Mary Adkins. Exploring the painful divide between the haves and have-nots and the lure of extreme wealth, this novel offers both a sensitive family portrait and a scorching take on power, status and deception. • The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent. Birdy has made a mistake. We all imagine running away from our lives sometimes, but Birdy has done it. This one bad decision is at the heart of this laugh-out-loud love story and unexpected tale of a woman finding herself in the strangest of places. • Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland. A family reunion for the ages! When two families convene for the summer at their beloved getaway in the Catskills, business and pleasure collide in this hilarious throwback perfect for fans of Dirty Dancing and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Check out more in our latest list, Summer Reads for Adults. Wherever you go, whoever you are, we’re here for you! ❖ Wendy Pender, King County Library System, Older Adults Program Coordinator, wgpender@kcls.org, 425-369-3285

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July/August 2022

Is Skin Cancer Hereditary? …by Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, Is skin cancer hereditary? My 63-year-old brother died of melanoma last year, and I’m wondering if I’m at higher risk. Jim Miller

--Younger Sister

Dear Younger, While long-term sun exposure and sunburns are the biggest risk factors for melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – having a sibling or parent with melanoma does indeed increase your risk, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Each year, around 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma, and about 7,500 people will die from it. While anyone can get it, those most often diagnosed are Caucasians, age 50 and older. And those with the highest risk are people with red or blond hair, blue or green eyes, fair skin, freckles, moles, a family history of skin cancer and those who had blistering sunburns in their youth. Skin Exams The best way you can guard against melanoma and other skin cancers (basal and squamous cell carcinomas) is to protect yourself from the sun, and if you’re over age 50, get a full-body skin exam done by a dermatologist every year, especially if you’re high risk. Self-examinations done every month or so is also a smart way to

detect early problems. Using mirrors, check the front and backside of your entire body, including the tops and undersides of your arms and hands, between your toes and the soles of your feet, your neck, scalp and buttocks. Be on the lookout for new growths, moles that have changed, or sores that don’t heal, and follow the ABCDE rule when examining suspicious moles. • Asymmetry: One half of a mole doesn’t match the other. • Border: The border is blurred or ragged. • Color: The mole has uneven colors, often shades of brown, tan or black, with patches of pink, red, white or blue. • Diameter: The lesion is new or at least a quarter inch in diameter. • Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape or color. For more self-examination tips and actual pictures of what to look for, see SpotSkinCancer.org or use a skin cancer detection app like Miiskin.com, MoleMapper.org or SkinVision.com. In the spring and summer, there are also a variety of places that offer free skin cancer screenings, like the American Academy of Dermatology (spotskincancer.org) and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (asds.net/skincancerscreening. aspx), which offer screenings done by volunteer dermatologists across the U.S.

Sun Protection Even though you can’t change your skin or family history, there are some proven strategies that can help you protect yourself. For starters, when you go outside put-on broad-spectrum SPF 30, waterresistant sunscreen on both sunny and cloudy days. If you don’t like the rub-on lotions, try the continuous spray-on sunscreens which are easier to apply and re-apply and less messy. Also, seek the shade when rays are most intense – between 10am and 2pm. You can also protect your skin by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, and long sleeves and pants when possible. The best clothing options are tightly woven fabrics that help prevent the sun’s rays from reaching your skin, or you can wash in an invisible shield sun protection into your clothes with SunGuard laundry additive (see sunguarduv.com). You can even buy a variety of lightweight clothing and hats that offer maximum UV protection in their fabric. Coolibar.com and SunPrecautions.com are two good sites that offer these products. continued on page 17

July/August 2022

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Senior Fitness Tip

Medical Minutes

Strengthen Leg Muscles

COVID-19 News Update ...by John Schieszer

Everyone has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but a new study by researchers at the University of Groningen, John Schieszer Netherlands has found that some individuals weathered the stress of the pandemic better than others, in part, due to their genetics. How a person perceives their quality of life depends on a combination of factors that include the genes they inherited from their parents and their environment (a mix of nature and nurture). Studying genes related to quality of life can be complicated, but the COVID-19 pandemic allowed the researchers to investigate how this stressful, worldwide event interacted with a person’s genetics to affect their overall wellbeing. The team screened the genomes of more than 27,000 participants in the Netherlands who had donated genetic material to a biobank. They looked for connections between genetic variants and the participants’ responses to a series of questionnaires about lifestyle and mental and physical health given over 10 months starting in March 2020.

…by Mark Bryant

The researchers found that some individuals had a genetic tendency toward better well-being than others during the pandemic. As the pandemic wore on, they found that genetic tendency had an increasingly powerful influence on how those people perceived their quality of life, potentially due to the social isolation required by strict COVID-19 containment measures. The findings are published in the journal PLOS Genetics and they demonstrate that the contribution of genetics to complex traits like wellbeing can change over time. Breakthrough COVID-19 Breakthrough COVID-19 cases resulting in infections, hospitalizations and deaths are significantly more likely in patients with cancer and Alzheimer’s patients, according to two new studies from researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Individuals with these diseases are more susceptible to infections in general and are among the population’s most vulnerable to severe health outcomes from COVID-19 infections as well. The studies come as the U.S. total of COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic surpassed 1 million. The first study, published continued on page 18

Research studies show that leg strength and the ability to stand on one’s own can be a predictor of longevity. Here is an exercise that can help.

Mark Bryant

Let’s focus our attention on the lower extremities of the body: the hip and leg muscles. Strengthening the leg muscles is very important for seniors. One of the ways to develop your legs is by doing squats. Here’s how: stand upright looking forward, bend knees (squat) until you’re at ninety degrees and then come back up. You can do this with light weights in each hand or no weights. For those with balance issues or at risk for falling, an alternate version is to squat from a chair…While seated, stand up looking forward and sit down again. During the process of sitting, go down slowly. Ten to fifteen times is good. Squats can also contribute to balance. ❖ Mark Bryant has been a personal trainer for 25 years and recently earned a certification as a Corrective Exercise Specialist. He is the Enhance Fitness Coordinator at Southeast Seattle Senior Center, with over 15 years of experience working with seniors. Despite having had a total hip replacement, Mark has won 11 Powerlifting World Championships. www.fitnessexpertmark.com.

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UW Healthy Aging News

Aging Well with HIV and Other Chronic Illness …by Paige Bartlett, UW School of Nursing de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging

In past decades, a diagnosis with HIV, a life-long virus that attacks people’s immune systems, was often terminal. Now with improving HIV treatments, adults with HIV are living longer and healthier lives. Almost half of people with HIV in the U.S. are at least 50 years old, according to the National Institutes of Health, and many are aging into it. While medication, known as antiretroviral therapy, has made this possible, a healthy lifestyle can boost people with HIV’s health and quality of life. Dr. Allison Webel, Associate Dean for Research at the University of Washington School of Nursing, studies how to help people with HIV age well. “It’s manageable to live healthy full lives with HIV or any other chronic illness, but it does require commitment to healthy living,” Webel said. Following healthy habits: good nutrition, exercise and sleep, along with quitting smoking and limiting alcohol and stress, are vital. “These are the secrets to healthy aging, and they’re not really secrets,” Webel said. Good lifestyle choices can help most people feel better, but it can be even more critical for people with HIV

and other chronic illness. The HIV virus impacts many different systems and organs in the body. It can change the heart and blood vessels, and those changes can get worse with smoking or heavy drinking. HIV can also weaken muscles. That means people with HIV might need to exercise a little harder, longer and more often to see the full benefits. Webel is hoping an exercise regime can help. Her team is researching if high-intensity interval training could benefit people living with HIV more than typical exercise. The researcher-assisted exercise works by monitoring heart rate while the participant is exercising, typically on a treadmill. The participant alternates between short bursts of high and low heart rate activities, usually controlled by changing the incline on the treadmill. While she and her colleagues can’t say yet how effective the training is,

July/August 2022

“the patients who participate in the study love it and they see changes,” Webel said. “They tell us about being able to walk up stairs without heavy breathing or stopping.” She hopes her research will help provide insight into how people living with HIV and other chronic illness can exercise in a way that works best for them. “They want to live independently as long as they can, and they want to be in control of their health,” Webel said. “The evidence surrounding physical activity does suggest that it is one of these interventions that is entirely in the patient’s control.” Older adults can live longer lives after an HIV diagnosis, thanks to innovations like antiretroviral therapy. There are also new ways to prevent getting HIV. Medications, such as ‘PrEP’, can help protect people with risk factors, like unprotected sex or sharing needles, from contracting HIV. Traditional methods, like condoms, are also useful ways to reduce risk. Webel emphasized the importance of physicians feeling comfortable talking about safe sex and sexual health with older adults. While it’s not always the first thing we want to discuss, healthcare providers can help sexually active adults understand how to prevent getting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. “Who is infected [with HIV] is often misunderstood,” Webel said. “Many of them work, many of them have families. Many of them are very strong contributing members of their community.” The outlook for HIV now is better than when the HIV epidemic first emerged. While there is still much research to be done, between healthy living and advances in medical treatments, people with the virus today can live longer and healthier lives. ❖

July/August 2022

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Mobile Phone Changes Are Here Companies to End 3G Service in 2022 network will be shut down on July 1. Verizon plans to Over the course retire its 3G network on Dec. 31 after of the pandemic, using technology to extending an original connect with family 2020 deadline. The company says it and friends was a will not extend the lifeline for so many, deadline again. but a switch away You’re not out of from 3G – thirdChristina Clem generation wireless – the woods if you get phone service from the likes of Boost, could leave loved ones in a lurch. Cricket, Straight Talk, and other This year, wireless carriers are discount providers. They piggyback off finally shutting off 3G coverage, the major carrier networks. forcing consumers with older devices Getting rid of 3G doesn’t affect to act before they lose cellphone just phones. Certain medical devices, service entirely, including the ability tablets, smartwatches, in-car SOS to call 911. It’s why the Federal Communications Commission put out services, Kindle readers, home security products, and other devices also are an advisory alerting people that the dependent on 3G. end of 3G is drawing near. Network If you have a device from 2012 providers are shutting off 3G to repurpose the airwaves they’re allotted or before, using your phone to make calls is on borrowed time to send wireless signals to networks. though some other features may “While the 3G sunsetting is overall a good thing, we are concerned continue to work. Not just the flip phones and feature phones are about the potential negative impacts affected. Some early smartphones on Washington residents, especially those in rural areas where 3G provides may also be included, and you can’t always tell by the name critical coverage,” said Doug Shadel, State Director of AARP Washington. marketers use. Because you own a smartphone “To reduce the risks to those affected, with the 4G label, please don’t many of whom are older adults, any disruption resulting from the transition assume it will work. Early on, the 4G designation referred to data-only to 5G can and should be prevented.” Some but not all plans have already network services, such as sharing photos, social media and browsing the made the change. AT&T announced internet – not for voice calls. that its 3G network would go dark on If you still have an iPhone 5, Feb. 22, 2022. introduced in 2012, 2013’s Samsung T-Mobile says the 3G network that had been part of Sprint before the Galaxy S4, or prior models, they won’t be able to make or receive two companies merged will be gone regular calls once 3G is gone. on March 31, and its own 3G UMTS …by Christina Clem, AARP Washington

Washington residents should reach out to their service provider, to find out whether their device is impacted. Washingtonians should also check with their home security and vehicle SOS system providers to discuss the transition. The same holds true for those with a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), commonly called a Medical-Alert, Life-Alert or Fall Monitor—they should contact the device manufacturer. Devices made before 2019 typically operate on 3G networks, and the need for upgrades to those devices should be evaluated as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the FCC has two programs that aim to make communications services more affordable for low-income customers: the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), an expanded and permanent version of 2021’s Emergency Broadband Benefit, and its Lifeline program, initially established in 1985. The benefits don’t cover the cost of a new cellphone but may help with phone and internet services. ACP can be reached at (877) 384-2575. Call (800) 234-9473 to connect with the Lifeline program. ❖

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July/August 2022

give me some mouthwash. I decided to play my own brain game and take a walk around my house and see if that somehow jogged my memory. Our sink was leaking and I thought maybe I wanted to write an article comparing my aging body to my sink. However, I quickly realized that it was only six months ago that I wrote an article …by Sy Rosen comparing my aging body to my broken-down car. And I try not to compare myself to an inanimate object more than once a year. A while back I had a great While in the kitchen I saw a large jar of mixed idea for a column. It had nuts. Maybe my article was going to be about which everything – emotion, depth, humor, pathos – it wrote itself. nut was better – the almond, the walnut or the Brazil nut. And can people, if blindfolded, really taste the Unfortunately, no one difference between these nuts. I then realized it wasn’t wrote it, because an hour later I forgot it. I knew I should have much of an article and I couldn’t stretch it (even if I included cashews). This definitely wasn’t the brilliant written the idea down, but I was doing something important idea that I had forgotten so I left the kitchen. (I took the jar of nuts with me, of course.) (okay, I was watching Judge Sy Rosen I continued walking around my house. Walking. Judy) and I said to myself I Maybe my article was going to be about walking and would definitely remember it. how it was good for you and how it got you where I was wrong. I do, however, remember the Judge Judy episode – it was quite good. She managed to yell at six you were going. And how there were different types of walkers… fast walkers… slow walkers… medium different people. I tried telling myself that the idea probably wasn’t walkers. Man, that sounded awful. I realized I was grasping at straws. Maybe my article was about that good, or I would have remembered it. Instead, grasping at straws. Stop! the forgotten idea grew in stature. Maybe my article was about It became the best idea I ever knowing when to stop. I had. It was an idea that, if I only was going crazy and there remembered it, would capture was only one thing to do – the country in its brilliance and eat some more nuts. I had insight. I would be invited on to remember what my idea talk shows and eventually have was before I gained twenty my own reality show. Yes, since pounds. I didn’t know what the idea And then suddenly was, it became as important and it came back to me like a significant as the lost works of thunderbolt. My article was Aristotle. going to be about forgetting I know that many boomers what my article was about. are suffering from memory loss And, as I said, it writes and the ways to fight it is by itself. proper diet, exercise and brain The only problem is games. However, I didn’t think I had a great ending for that applied to something I just this piece, something that forgot an hour ago. Garlic, for would really bring home example, is supposed to improve “Wow! First a drum and now cymbals! what I was going through, your memory but I didn’t think Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!” but I forgot it. Oh wait, eating two pounds would spur my that IS the ending. ❖ memory. It might spur my wife to

The Funny Side of Life

Forgetting

July/August 2022

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The ongoing, life-affirming adventures of Rose and Dawn

A Guide to Wine and Freeway Driving …by Diana Couture

Why do I have to pick out a good bottle of wine, Rose wondered. “It’s not like this is my niece’s first wedding,” she told herself. “Couldn’t she just buy some of that stuff in the box and call it good?” Rose called Dawn to ask her how she went about buying a bottle of wine. “I always look for the prettiest label.” “Pretty label? That can’t be scientific,” said Rose. “You didn’t ask how a scientist picks out wine, you asked how I pick out wine,” Dawn snapped back. “I think I can do better than that. We’ll go to Costco. They have people there who can help us, and we can save a couple of bucks in the process. Wanna go for a ride?” Hmmm. How to get to Costco without getting on the freeway… that was the question. They were usually chauffeured by relatives on such a big adventure as Costco. There are many reasons for two ladies in their eighties to stay off the freeway, not the least of which is the Seattle traffic, which can turn a nice drive into a hairraising experience all in the blink of a wandering eye. The two didn’t know all the ins and outs of the newfangled car navigation device, so instead

decided to use their imaginations. They headed south, laughing and talking about Dawn’s granddaughter who had just gotten accepted into the youth symphony, and… The next thing they knew they were merging with the Friday afternoon car crowds onto the I-5 freeway! Once they realized that, they both started screaming. Loud screaming! Rose had to practically slap Dawn to remind her that they were driving the speed limit, had merged smoothly into traffic, and seemed to be doing an okay job of fighting the traffic. Finally, the screaming stopped. Dawn looked around and agreed that Rose was, in fact, doing a good job of driving…. almost like she was 50 years old instead of 80-plus. Now, to find the Costco from the freeway, that was going to be a challenge. Dawn, being the smart mouth that she was, pointed out that if Rose didn’t get off, the two might end up in Portland. Rose gave Dawn a powerful stink-eye and put on the turn signal. Fat chance! People on the freeway that Friday afternoon would probably have run down the Pope-mobile. But, with just the right amount of gumption, aggressiveness and a

pinch of hatred for other drivers, Rose successfully transferred lanes and dropped the car soundly into the heart of downtown Seattle. But, now it was the turn lanes, pedestrians, traffic lights….oh my. Dawn was mute in the passenger seat, stunned beyond logical thought until Rose slipped into the center lane of traffic and went along with the flow. Dawn suddenly made a grunting noise and began to point at a street sign. Was it? Could it be? Yes, there was Costco. After a smooth turn and a whip of the steering wheel, Rose and Dawn were safe in the parking lot. Rose grabbed the first handicapped spot she saw, and Dawn grabbed the parking permit to hang on the rearview window. The girls never left home without that little piece of gold. Rose started to get out of the car but realized what she’d done. She had successfully traversed the Seattle Friday afternoon traffic on the freeway and gotten them to where they needed to be. She had done it safely and without loss of life. She was exhausted. When Dawn said, “Come on, Rose. Let’s buy the wine,” Rose looked at her and said, “Go in without me. Just get one with a pretty label.” ❖

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Win $100

July/August 2022

Where in Washington?

Congratulations to Marlie of Port Angeles, winner Can you identify the location of this of the last photo? If so, you may win $100! For a hint, photo contest. visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com and It featured the click the “Contest” box. Land Bridge in Vancouver. This 40-foot wide, The winner will be drawn at random earth covered pedestrian bridge over Highway 14 from the correct answers sent to editor@ is lined with indigenous plants and Native basket northwestprimetime.com by August 24th, weavings. It connects historic Fort Vancouver with 2022. If no correct answer is received, the the Columbia River waterfront. This photo of the $100 prize will transfer to the following Welcome Gate to the Land Bridge, marked by contest. an archway of canoe paddles, is courtesy of Judy This contest is available only to readers Bentley. She wrote a book on the historical role of who sign up for Northwest Prime Time’s rivers in the state: “Walking Washington’s History: email newsletter. Joining is as easy as sending Ten Cities.” She also wrote an article, “Walking an email to editor@northwestprimetime.com Washington’s Riverfronts” for Northwest Prime and asking to sign up. We anticipate emailing Time, which appeared on the cover of our June you about once a month. Northwest Prime 2018 edition. To read the article, visit www. Time will never share your information with northwestprimetime.com/news/2018/may/27/ any other person or organization. walking-washingtons-riverfronts

Tech Talk Since I can command her right from my chair, If Alexa will do it, why should I care? Cause my “get up and go” will be undermined If I spend all my time on my behind. -- Pat D’Amico

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Prime Number Fun ...by Len Elliott

Fill in each blank with a prime number: 1. “____ skidoo!” 2. George H.W. Bush was U.S. president #____ 3. U.S. Highway ____ (linking Washington, Oregon and California – it’s not 5!) 4. Seattle’s ____ Coins restaurant 5. “Well, she was just ____/You know what I mean…” (start of the Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There”) answers on page 17

July/August 2022

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Scenes from Childhood

Reading! Wasn’t For Me! ... by Suzanne G. Beyer

This scene from childhood was written by the creator of Northwest Prime Time’s popular longtime column, SCENES FROM CHILDHOOD. Thank you, Suzanne!

“Raise your hand if you read the assigned chapters of Cervantes’ Don Quixote!” said my high school Honors English teacher. She then told me to stand in front of the class with two other students who had not raised their hand. Petrified, my face reddened, Suzanne G. Beyer and my entire body shook when she announced, “These are the students who didn’t do the assignment.” Now, how was I supposed to love reading after that! To this day, I have never read Don Quixote. I understand he charged windmills. But who cares! I don’t. The embarrassment this teacher caused during my freshman year instilled in me a disdain for reading that followed me through the next 50 years. Granted, I should never have been assigned to Honors English, but I think it was because I’d always been a good speller and loved diagramming sentences in grade school. As an adult I’ve always heard good writers are also avid readers. That wasn’t the case with me. I’ve always loved writing, even as a child creating poetry underneath our weeping willow tree on a hot summer afternoon. However, my first published story was an editorial to The Seattle Times. I was 35 years old then and felt like running around the neighborhood heralding the accomplishment. Long after that, with kids raised, I took a course at my local community college called, “How to get published” and off I flew. Not only had

For decades, the novel Don Quixote colored Suzanne Beyer’s thoughts on reading

I loved writing, but now began to write query letters to magazines, receive an acceptance letter and see my articles in print. But what about the premise a writer must love to read! It wasn’t until age 60 following a major surgery, when I was confined to the living room couch until recovery with a pile of books donated by a thoughtful neighbor, that things changed. After reading, one, two, three books, I couldn’t get enough! A new world opened. Non-fiction, especially biographies, were my favorites. However, 10 years later and after a trip to the historic WWII Normandy, France beaches, I returned home and delved into many historical fiction novels, adding a new perspective to my European trip. Today, I continue to read. What fun reading Alex Trebek’s light, fast-paced memoir, And the Answer is... Although many magazines have closed shop, I still find pleasure in querying those publications still in circulation…with an improved writing skill, better crafted through my love of reading. The question remains. Will I ever read Don Quixote? Not any time soon! ❖

Northwest Prime Time

Writing Corner

Comma Trauma …by Ariele M. Huff

No, we aren’t going to spar with all the comma traumas that exist. It’s enough to tackle one at a time. This time comma placement Ariele M. Huff with “coordinate” and “cumulative” adjectives will be plenty to tackle. 1. Coordinate adjectives can switch positions…those require commas. A pair of adjectives is coordinate if (1) one can place “and” between the adjectives, or (2) one can reverse the order of the adjectives and still have a sensible phrase. The phrase “a long, restful vacation” passes both tests (a long and restful vacation; a restful, long vacation). Therefore, these adjectives are coordinate. 2. Cumulative adjectives can’t exchange places, so they don’t require a comma. Example: A funny elderly French man visited us. Few people would say “a French funny man” or “a French and elderly man.” Which cumulative adjectives should come closer to the noun being modified? If you started learning English before you were ten or so, you’d hear that some things sound awkward: “The yellow big cat,” for example. “The big yellow cat” just sounds right, and it is. 1) In the hierarchy of adjectives, “opinion words” are the farthest from the noun. For example, “funny”

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com in the first example is an opinion. Other opinions could be attractive, admirable, tiresome, creepy, ugly, repetitive. 2) Size words are next: six-foot, little, big, short, tall, wide, narrow. So, the ugly tall building is correct. BUT sometimes, we choose to emphasize opinion, so the tall ugly building might be an exception to the rule. 3) Physical quality adjectives describe something physical that doesn’t fall under the size or opinion ones. Examples include dusty, sticky, bumpy, solid, coarse. 4) Shape includes square, rectangular, round, oval, triangular, pentagonal, etc. 5) Age of people, things, objects, eras: young, old, middle-aged, elderly, recent, ancient, and specifics like 25-year-old. 6) Color—yellow, ruddy, reddish, violet, blue-green, azure. 7) Origin—Place or group a person or thing has come from: Oregonian, French, Seattle-ite, Chinese, Muslim. 8) Material—what an object is made from: wool, pine, steel, or food ingredients. 9) Type or kind. a two-floor house, a charter or public school, a wood-burning or electric stove.

Poetry Corner “Dogwoods”

Amidst dark evergreen trees, blossoms of purest white. Heralding hope, new life, dogwood’s a glorious sight. Regal, revered, sacred, on spring’s hillsides. Pristine petals, beauty unspoiled, its loveliness presides. --Barbara Ruby

July/August 2022

10) Purpose is closest to the noun being modified. Examples: Math (teacher), nonfiction (book), garden (shed), ballet (slippers), kitchen (sink), hot (tub). Of course, you are never going to find a sentence with all ten of these cumulative adjectives being used. Three adjectives are typically considered the maximum limit. (FYI: breaking that rule, as well as other grammar rules, can be a humor strategy.) For this column, I’m borrowing an example of where each type of cumulative adjective goes from “gabbyacademy.com.” She’s staying in a strange (opinion) enormous (size) messy (physical quality) rectangular (shape) old (age) brown (color) French (origin) brick (material) two-level (type) vacation (purpose) house. Wow: Ten adjectives and NO commas between any of them and the noun! ❖ Register for Ariele’s Processing Loss Workshop July 27 (1-5pm), 425-9542523 or Edmonds Waterfront Center (schedulesplus.com). Unique ZOOM meeting for comfort and company during a difficult time. $30 members, $40 nonmembers

“Life”

Life resembles a mountain stream, its inception small and gentle, developing slowly, receiving sustenance from its surroundings, soon morphing to a complex of youthful rage and stretches of calm. Its tempestuous ways are gradually modulated by breadth and strength, as it continues to the sea, losing its identity and ceasing to exist. --Keith Wollen

Poetry may be excerpted, edited, or used in Sharing Stories on Northwest Prime Time’s website or in one of Ariele’s poetry anthology books. Send to ariele@comcast.net.

July/August 2022

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LET’S GO! Senior & Health Events

Memory Hub Public Tours Aug 4, 11, 18 & 25, 10-11am, come check out the space on Seattle’s First Hill that offers programs and activities for people with memory loss and their families, sponsored by UW Memory Center RSVP Click here “Game On” Positive Aging Aug 13, 1-5pm, outdoor festival celebrating positive aging, bring your friends and family for the entertainment, games, food trucks, vendors, Health Fair, beer garden, fundraiser for Sound Generations senior services and their End Senior Hunger Campaign, Van Asselt Playground and Wading Pool, 7050 Beacon Ave, Seattle, for tickets and more info here Camp Greenwood at Greenwood Senior Center Aug 15-19, summer camp for grown-ups includes art projects, campfire sing-along, talent show and more, in Seattle, Camp Greenwood Protect Yourself from Fraud Aug 17, 2-3pm, presented by AARP Protect Yourself from Fraud and Identity Theft Staying Safe from Scams Aug 23, 7-7:45pm, free webinar, hear from fraud protection leaders, FBI, presented by AARP Staying Safe as Scams Evolve Vigilance Against Cyber Crime Aug 30, 10-11am, presented by AARP Vigilance Against Cyber Crime Your Digital Information Aug 18, 10:30am, what happens to your digital photos, emails and online accounts when you are gone? How will they find the passwords? Create a transition plan to make it easier for family members, University House Wallingford, rsvp by Aug 17 206-545-8400. Elder Rental Council 3rd Thursdays 12:30-2:30pm, elder community members work together to strategize and fight for protections important to 55+ renters, peerto-peer support to organize your buildings, 2nd floor mtg room Capital Hill Branch Seattle Public Library, learn more: https://secure.everyaction. com/B8Xst6pIe0O4njfVI3AFbg2 Daily Arts Activities by Silver Kite! https://bit.ly/KCLS_SilverKite

Community Festivals

Welcome Ships & Sailors Aug 1-5, multiple locations on Elliott Bay waterfront including ship tours Seafair Fleet Tennis Tournament Aug 1-7, free event to watch indoor and outdoor tennis competition at Washington State Open, Seattle Tennis Club More info

A Calendar of Places to Go, Do or See… See our full calendar at northwestprimetime.com/calendar

Watch Seahawks practice Aug 1-21, outdoors, $13 (ride bus to camp from Pro Shop 840 N. 10th Place, Renton Seahawks Training Camp. Shakespeare in the Park Aug 3-7, free live performance at various parks Wooden O; also GreenStage Magnolia Summer Fest Aug 5-7, parade, live music, food, Magnolia Summerfest Anacortes Arts Festival Aug 5-7, hundreds of juried art booths, demos, culinary arts, no dogs, free Anacortes Arts Native American Festival Aug 6, 10am-5pm, native dancing, drumming, singing, fashion, food and crafts at three Tacoma museums – all free for the day In the Spirit Northwest Native Festival Renaissance Fair Aug 6-21 (weekends) mingle with medieval knights, jesters, peasants in Bonney Lake, Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire Lantern Ceremony at Green Lake Aug 6, 7pm, promoting peace and remembrance with music and speakers at Seattle’s Green Lake From Hiroshima to Hope Duwamish River Festival Aug 6, celebrating the river’s restoration with kids activities, arts, dancers, musicians and kayak rides, South Park Plaza, 8456 Dallas Ave S in Seattle, free Duwamish River Festival Art in the Garden Aug 6, 10am-5pm, arts & crafts, food vendors, wine, bake sale, music at the Ballard P-Patch, free Art in the Garden Lake City Summer Fest Aug 6, car show, parade and more, free Lake City Summer Festival & Parade Hard Cider Fest Aug 7, 12-5pm, Snohomish family farm, 21+ only, Snohomish Cider Festival Loggers Jubilee Aug 11-14, lawn mower races, bed races, logging show, flea market, music & vendors, Morton Loggers Jubilee Bicycle Festival Aug 12-13, hand-built bicycles, art, food, workshops, live music, Gigantic Bicycle Festival Festival at Mount Si Aug 12-14, small-town arts fair, live music, Saturday parades, The Festival at Mount Si Chamber Music Festival Aug 13-Sept 11, Fort Warden State Park in Port Townsend Olympic Music Festival. Woodinville Festival Aug 13, 11am parade on 175th St, Farmer’s Market, Arts & Crafts, food & activities Celebrate Woodinville Festival

Whidbey Island Art Festival Aug 13-14, free Coupeville Arts and Crafts Fest Pioneer Reenactment Aug 13-14, 11am-5pm, experience the bustle of early Tacoma with demos, puppet shows and music at Fort Nisqually Living History Museum in Tacoma Brigade Encampment African Festival Aug 13-14, 2-10pm live music, African food, art vendors, Pier 62, Seattle Madaraka Festival Kirkland Waterfront Car Show Aug 14, 10am-4pm, Kirkland Car Show Kite Festival Aug 15-21, Long Beach, watch the competitions or fly your own, on the beach near the World Kite Museum, 303 SW Sid Snyder Drive in Long Beach, Washington State International Kite Festival Black Pride Aug 18-21, workshops, receptions, wellness festivals & more Pacific Northwest Black Pride Free Outdoor Lighted Art Fest Aug 19-20, 7-11pm, art installations that incorporate light & sound at family-friendly event, Mary Olson Farm Kent Lusio Festival Celebrate Shoreline Aug 20, noon-9pm, pony rides, hands-on activities, food & music, Cromwell Park, Shoreline Celebrate Shoreline Sustainable Food Fair Aug 20, 10am-6pm, farmer’s market, healthy food, ecological activities, recycled art, demos, live music, farm animals, parading band, Marymoor Park in Redmond free except parking Chomp! Cajun Food and Music Fest Aug 20, 3-8pm, food, music, second-line parade, vendors, kid activities, welcome to bring costumes, folding chairs and blankets, free Cajun Food and Music Festival Railroad Festival Aug 20, train rides, parade, music, vendors, historic actors, Snoqualmie, Snoqualmie Days Gem & Mineral Show Aug 20-21, shop from vendors, watch lapidary arts demos, free, Green River College in Auburn Cascade Gem and Mineral Show Everett Festival of Artists Aug 20-21, downtown Everett becomes big outdoor art studios, live entertainment, food, glassblowing demos, free, Fresh Paint Car Show & Ford Mustang Round-Up Aug 21, 9am-3pm, fun, food, cars, vintage fire trucks & hydroplanes, ShoWare Center, Kent All Ford Show & Mustang Round Up

See our full calendar at northwestprimetime.com/ calendar

Northwest Prime Time

Beauty and Chance

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July/August 2022

they were quite elderly. He started ...continued from page 1 paying attention and became aware have screened in the world’s most that having elders prestigious film festivals and won engaged with the numerous awards, including an Oscar community was Nomination for the film Kavi (Best just a normal part Live-Action Short, 2010 – see the of life in Spain. trailer at https://vimeo.com/4384864) When he and the Student Academy Award for returned to Imogene holding her great-great grandson Voila (2008). Seattle to finish How did this globe-trotting his program at the University of Rather spontaneously, John replied 41-year-old award-winning filmmaker Washington, and later when he that he was interested in people who decide to make a documentary moved to Los Angeles for film school, are very, very old and who are doing exploring the lives of two elders from John consciously felt the absence of a really good job at it, fully engaged the Puget that elderly presence in his in life. “I’d been thinking of the Sound area? everyday social circles. He idea off and on for a few years, but “I’ve always remembered back to his it wasn’t something I had formally had an interest time in Spain, that sense of decided. I knew I would be interested in the older how the very old amongst if I met the right person.” population,” us were woven into the As it turns out, Imogene’s remarks John, fabric of society. daughter was in the audience and who doesn’t Upon reflection, he called him to say, “My mom is 99, think we honor realized that the places and will turn 100 in a few weeks. our elders as we society creates for older She lives by herself and is actively should. adults, like senior centers, engaged…” Imogene, as it turned He recalls retirement communities out, was perfect. a dawning and nursing homes, are Then John met Georgie, 96 at recognition of important and valuable the time, after reading an article she’d this interest but they tend to isolate this written in the West Seattle Herald more than vital group from the rest of (now Westside Seattle). Georgie Georgie celebrated her 100th 20 years ago us. The contrast between birthday during the filming was a longtime columnist and still during a study what he experienced in contributing to the publication. “I abroad experience while living in Spain and back home in the United called her out of the blue. She said I Spain. “I remember walking through States was impactful. “That contrast could come meet her and her partner the plaza a block off the street where stuck with me. It was sad to me.” His and her kids.” my apartment was and seeing lots own grandparents had died during The cast was set. of people: families going on evening that same period, which added to the John considers himself a walks, kids kicking soccer balls, people impact of his growing consciousness filmmaker telling the stories of people eating tapas and having drinks in about elders in society. who will not make the headlines. the sidewalk cafes lining the streets. Skip ahead to 2016 when one of “I encourage people to believe that Alongside, there were always groups of John’s films (www.roadtojinja.com/ everyone’s story is important and two or three, five or six elders, joking, so-glad-i-found-you), which profiled there are elements of real beauty in talking, being social. I remember a group of people living in the tiny everyone’s story. That is a foundation thinking that was something I’d never Skagit Valley town of Edison, was for what I do.” seen before, all this life together.” shown at the Everett Film Festival. The quality of Imogene’s and He realized that the groups of older During the Q&A, someone asked Georgie’s relationships affected John people he observed weren’t just old, what his next project would be. tremendously. “I hope that people

July/August 2022

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take away something from the relationships they were able to maintain in the final stage of their lives. It allowed them the opportunity to love and be loved, to know and be known, to enjoy being actively involved in their lives until the very end.” He adds, “The wisdom you accumulate after living for a long time cannot be replicated or mimicked by someone who has not lived as long. I really appreciate the pace of life, the calming that comes naturally as you grow older. Moving more slowly, being more contemplative. I will benefit from these things as I grow older.” There is another part of growing older that John is very much looking forward to: “Having grandchildren, watching them grow up, to see life’s experiences through their eyes.” ❖

The Best Retirement Advice I Received

John offers the film for free. He encourages anyone to share it with others, individually or at communities and events. To view the film, link here: BeautyandChance.com.

Margaret Larson retired last year as host of KING‘s New Day Northwest. Her impressive 35-year career included stints as a London-based foreign correspondent for NBC News and as a news anchor for the Today show, as well as a reporter for Dateline NBC and anchor at KING 5.

More Information Imogene Sanders, who continued to live independently until a couple of months before her death, passed away on May 24 at age 106. In part, Imogene’s Everett Herald obituary reads: She kept her mind and body sharp. Imogene was a regular at the Everett YMCA Senior exercise classes, a Book Club member and PNB Ballet and 5th Avenue Musicals subscriber well into her 105th year. She made delicious butter rolls that family members have tried but been unsuccessful in duplicating. Her secrets to longevity were curiosity, family, puzzles, books, gardening, current events/ news, travels to other countries, music, art and moderation - never overindulged. (To read Imogene Sanders Obituary, click here or visit the Herald’s website.) John Harrison’s film captured Georgie Bright Kunkel celebrating her 100th birthday on August 29, 2020. To mark the milestone, Westside Seattle published a column by Georgie about her thoughts on aging, including the fact that she avoids alcohol, has never smoked and was an active runner. “I haven’t stopped running yet,” she joked. Georgie tries to follow her own advice: “Acceptance is difficult for someone who has been brought up to take command of life but I am gradually learning how that is done” and, “Looking forward to each of life’s many challenges is the key to dealing with growing up and aging.” You can read Georgie’s full essay at www.westsideseattle.com/ ballard-news-tribune/2020/08/29/georgie-brightkunkel-hits-100-still-running

...continued from page 3

what you do well and all the life lessons that are now embedded, and lean into the thrill of independence and opportunity. Leap to find the positives, he said, and savor life. Remember who you wanted to be when you were little. Offer grace to others, and to yourself. Lead with curiosity, not judgment. He was inviting me to a higher view of life and my role as the architect of my own future. It kind of blew my mind. As a result, I’ve even learned to meditate, to quiet myself and find a tranquility that eluded my younger self. So, what is retirement? Ultimately, I think it’s our time. ❖

Is Skin Cancer Hereditary? ...continued from page 6

Treatments If caught early, melanoma is nearly 100 percent curable. But if it’s not, the cancer can advance and spread to other parts of the body where it becomes hard to treat and can be fatal. Standard early treatment for melanoma is surgical removal. In advanced cases, however, immunotherapies and targeted therapies have shown positive results, or chemotherapy and radiation may be used. ❖ Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families. Jim is also a contributor to NBC’s Today show and the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens. He has been featured in numerous national publications, including Time, USA Today and The New York Times. Check into www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com each week to see a new Savvy Senior column. Prime Number Fun Answers to questions on page 12 1. 23

2. 41

3. 101

4. 13

5. seventeen

Northwest Prime Time

COVID-19 News Update ...continued from page 7

recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Oncology, analyzed electronic health records to track the number of breakthrough COVID infections, hospitalizations and mortality rates among vaccinated patients with cancer. A “breakthrough infection” is when a fully vaccinated person contracts COVID. The research team counted people diagnosed with the 12 most common types of cancer: lung, breast, colorectal, bladder, liver, endometrial, skin, prostate, thyroid and blood cancers. These participants received COVID-19 vaccinations between December 2020 and November 2021, and had not previously been infected. The control group consisted of vaccinated participants without cancer. The researchers compared breakthrough COVID-19 infections between cancer and non-cancer participants, matching for comorbidities, social determinants of health, age and gender, and other demographics. The team analyzed the records of more than 636,000 vaccinated patients, including more than 45,000 vaccinated people with cancer. “This study showed significantly increased risks for COVID-19 breakthrough infection in vaccinated patients with cancer, especially those undergoing active cancer care, with marked variations among specific cancer types,” said study co-author Rong Xu, professor of biomedical informatics at

www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com the Case School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio. The overall risk of breakthrough COVID infections in vaccinated people with cancer was 13.6%, compared to 4.9% for vaccinated people without cancer. The highest risk of breakthrough infections was in people with pancreatic cancer at 24.7%, liver cancer 22.8%, lung cancer 20.4% and colorectal cancer 17.5%. Cancers with lower risk of breakthrough infections included thyroid 10.3%, endometrial 11.9%, and breast 11.9%. The overall risk for hospitalization following a breakthrough infection occurred 31.6% in those with cancer compared to a rate of 3.9% in those without cancer. The risk of death was 6.7% following a breakthrough infection, compared to 1.3% in patients without cancer. “Breakthrough infections in patients with cancer were associated with significant and substantial risks for hospitalizations and mortality. These results emphasize the need for patients with cancer to maintain mitigation practice, especially with the emergence of different virus variants and the waning immunity of vaccines, according to the researchers. In a second study, researchers analyzed electronic health data to examine the incidence rate of breakthrough COVID-19 infections in those diagnosed with some subtypes of dementia. The study was published in the journal, Alzheimer’s & Dementia and the findings were striking. The researchers examined data on breakthrough COVID-19 cases in those with dementia.

July/August 2022

They assessed anonymous electronic health data from more than 262,847 adults 65 or older vaccinated between December 2020 and August 2021, and who didn’t have the infection before being vaccinated. Of that number, 2,764 people were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease; 1,244 with vascular dementia, 259 with Lewy body dementia, 229 with frontotemporal dementia and 4,385 with mild cognitive impairment. The researchers compared the overall risks of breakthrough infections in vaccinated patients with dementia to those without any cognitive impairment. Vaccinated patients with dementia had an overall risk for breakthrough infections ranging from 10.3% for Alzheimer’s disease to 14.3% for Lewy body dementia, significantly higher than the 5.6% in the vaccinated older adults without dementia. “Patients with dementia have a significantly higher rate of breakthrough COVID infections after vaccination than patients of the same age and risk factors other than dementia,” said Pamela Davis, a Research Professor at Case School of Medicine. “Therefore, continued vigilance is needed, even after vaccination, to protect this vulnerable population. Caregivers should consider ongoing masking and social distancing, as well as booster vaccines to protect these individuals.” ❖ 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 2022

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NW Best Places to Retire Annual ‘Round-Up’ ...continued from page 2

Washington state places: 1. Gig Harbor 2. Sequim 3. Lynnwood 4. Olympia 5. Snohomish 6. Woodinville 7. Puyallup 8. Vancouver 9. Anacortes 10. Port Orchard

scenic river city with a strong economy and good ratio of physicians per capita. It has good air quality, offers wonderful recreational opportunities and it ranks low on the national hazard risk (think coastal flooding, earthquake, tornado, etc.). While the median home price is above the national average, it is well below the Puget Sound region average. For the past several years, Forbes included Wenatchee on their list. While the Apple Capital of the World was left off Forbes’ list this year, it is If money is no object, if you don’t need still worthy of frequent nearby access to large medical consideration. centers, and if you’d like to escape the hustle Another and bustle and traffic of urban life, San of the “Best Juan County came in as Washington’s best Places to county for retirees from Niche.com. The list Retire” is based on “Location, location, location,” heavy-hitters, as the adage goes. The report states the San Kiplinger, Juan County is a spot where you can enjoy listed life with as few concerns as possible while at Richland as the same time one of the enjoying your Kiplinger named Richland as one of the 7 best small cities in 7 best small favorite activities. the country for retirees cities in the Cost of living? county for WAY above the retirees (7 of the Best Places to Retire). national average. They describe Richland as having bucolic AARP offers surroundings with miles of trails for hiking a resource: “Great and biking, aquatic parks for boating and Neighborhoods fishing, access to first-rate healthcare for All Ages,” and low crime rate. The city also offers which scores excellent shopping, arts & entertainment, The cost of living is high, but if you have the means communities San Juan County has been named as Washington’s and educational opportunities. It has across the country best county for retirees no shortage of things to keep an active for the services retiree busy. A major reason Richland is and amenities included on the list is a low cost of living. The article that impact older adults’ lives the most: https:// offers this observation: “Retirees from Seattle who have livabilityindex.aarp.org. Check out your community sold a home there can often pay cash to get a home in to see where it lands. Richland,” with a significant sum left over. AARP advises that you take a comprehensive look at what makes your life enjoyable and satisfying— A new study from SmartAsset (Washington factors that rankings can’t quantify. Despite all the State Retirement Calculator) found the places in raves and reviews of far-flung places, being near family Washington that were most favorable to retirees. and friends always scores as the very best retirement The full study looked at tax burden, ratio of doctors, destination for most retirees. recreation centers, retirement centers, percentage of Wherever your retirement takes you, as always, seniors, and how a place ranked on their overall “Best Northwest Prime Time wishes you a happy and healthy Places to Retire” index. Here is their current list for adventure. ❖

Northwest Prime Time

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July/August 2022

The Great Outdoors

An Ode to Our Local Parks …by Roger Urbaniak

I was stunned when I learned that the annual budget for Parks and Recreation in a nearby city was twenty million dollars. Obviously, I had not really considered the many uses of parks, plus the facilities and maintenance required to provide them. Once I got over my initial Roger Urbaniak surprise, I did more research to see what opportunities I had been missing. Parks were created to benefit the surrounding community by providing gathering areas with opportunity for recreation and sports, plus leisure activities, along with the opportunity to enjoy nature. Most cities and states require portions of their land be set aside for parks and have discovered the many positive effects that parks have on communities. Parks preserve land for future generations and provide gathering places for the neighborhood. At the same time, they help with both air quality and supporting local wildlife. Historically, property values are noted to be more than ten percent higher if you are less than .5 miles from a park. Parks include golf courses, boat launches, fishing docks, swimming areas, tennis and pickleball courts, soccer, ultimate frisbee, skateboarding, kite and model airplane flying, bike and skating paths, canoe, kayak or boat rentals, off-leash dog parks, workout stations along hiking trails, a velodrome (think Marymoor Park in Redmond, the only velodrome in the state), community centers, and even pea patches or u-pick areas. Some parks offer stunning gardens. Other uses include quiet trails through wooded or wetland areas, art walks, picnic areas, beaches, and areas just relax on your blanket and enjoy the sunshine. Parks are not static. Parks and Recreation departments are constantly looking for opportunities to expand their boundaries as redevelopment may create new opportunities for public benefit. For example, vacated

Roger is used to heading out on adventures to the wilderness, but decided to finally spend some time in his own back yard exploring nearby parks. Pictured here is Alki Beach in West Seattle

railroads become hiking trails, development of waterfront or wetland areas often include provisions for public access and use. When a light rail development absorbed parking areas that made u-pick blueberries no longer viable, Bellevue opened much of the former u-pick area to the public, at least on a temporary basis. As community interests change, events such as outdoor movies, concerts, plays, lectures, fireworks, or even carnivals are offered to the neighborhood on local park land to promote community interaction. Some users come up with their own ideas on how a park should be utilized. For example, Golden Gardens is frequented by amateur drummers who gather to create impromptu rhythm along the beach. Kite flyers show off their new kites at Gas Works Park. Alki visitors enjoy bonfire picnics along the beach while they watch the parade of skateboarders, joggers and people on tandem bikes. Redmond offers ultimate frisbee competition while Bothell has workout stations along the Burke Gilman Trail (watch for the wild chickens flying into nearby trees). Gene Coulon Park has covered fishing areas to stay out of the rain while you snack on meals from either Ivar’s or Kid Valley restaurants nearby. With a little research, we should each be able to find something interesting to do in one of our local parks. Once you look beyond the multitude of activities collectively happening at our parks, you may be able to observe one common thread. People in parks are often smiling and relaxed. They seem to have put the hustle and bustle of everyday life on hold for a while to treat themselves to just having a good time today. Give one of your local parks a visit soon and see for yourself. ❖