Hospice Is Hope 30 The Healthy Geezer

Hospice Is Hope HOV patient shares collection of nearly 2 million stamps

BY LIN SUE FLOOD

It was 1939, and Monroe Wingate was just 9 years old when his father returned home from a business trip with a little package of German stamps. Two of them depicted an eagle circling the world with a swastika. Hitler’s invasion of Europe was all over the news and the young boy knew he was holding a piece of history.

Over the last 81 years, Monroe has cataloged 962,000 stamps using a software program that helps him keep track of what he has. But he is only halfway through his collection. “Honestly, I never met a stamp I didn’t like,” the 90-year-old chuckles. “Some collectors specialize in butter y stamps or something. But I love them all and that’s my problem.”

Stamp collecting may have begun as a hobby, but now it’s his life’s work. “Every stamp tells a story,” he says. “Commemorative ones celebrate statehood, for example. Others are pieces of art. They all have variations in watermarks and perforations. To me, every one of them is a miniature painting.”

After respiratory illness reduced Monroe’s mobility several years ago, he “gave up sailing and golf,” his wife, Peggy, says. “But he’s never, ever bored. He can sit for hours studying stamps, storing them in albums or deciding which ones to bid on in auctions.”

When Monroe’s Hospice of the Valley social worker, Thomas Corrigan, saw the extensive collection in the couple’s Scottsdale home, he felt compelled to introduce his patient to someone who would truly appreciate his passion for stamps.

“I just knew he would enjoy sharing what he’s been working on for decades,” Thomas says. Which is how, one sunny morning, Monroe met Kevin Lesk, president of the Phoenix Philatelic Association, who was duly impressed. “This is a wonderful — the sort of thing you rarely encounter. Monroe is the epitome of a true collector who’s in it for the enjoyment and collecting for the love of it.”

The camaraderie was instant. Both men paged through heavy volumes holding hundreds of colorful stamps from faraway places. Some mark world events like the Olympic Games; others feature Hollywood legends or capture pieces of history like the trio of Graf Zeppelin stamps. That particular set was issued for letters that the airships carried to Europe in the 1930s.

“When people share their collections, their stamps educate us — about the past or current events or art or culture,” Kevin says. “It’s a hobby for anyone who is curious about the world. And collecting isn’t just for the rich… it’s available on any budget.”

Enthusiasts and serious collectors can attend the Aripex Stamp Show from Friday, February 18, to Sunday, February 20, at the Mesa Convention Center. This year, 47 exhibitors will display their collections. For details, visit aripex.org. Kevin will give free appraisals to anyone who is wondering what their stamps may be worth.

Monroe won’t be at the show this year, but he’s already looking forward to Kevin’s next visit. “I love being able to share my collection,” he says softly. “I wish more people did it.”

(Top) Graf Zeppelin stamps are some of the most popular and valuable stamps from the 1900s. (Above) Phoenix Philatelic Association president Kevin Lesk, left, admires Monroe Wingate’s collection. The large map above Monroe’s desk inspires him to research and pursue stamps from all over the world. (Photos courtesy of Hospice of the Valley)

Lin Sue Flood is community engagement director at Hospice of the Valley. To learn about programs and volunteer opportunities, visit hov.org or call 602-530-6900.

(Left to Right) The Legends of Hollywood series features likenesses of stars like Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman; Monroe Wingate has collected nearly 2 million stamps from around the world; One of many stamps commemorating the U.S. Olympic Games.

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The Healthy Geezer Alcoholism is a common cause of seniors’ injuries

BY FRED CICETTI

How extensive is alcoholism among older people?

Alcoholism is a serious problem among seniors. Here are just a few statistics that tell the story: • About 70% of hospital admissions for older adults are for illness and accidents related to alcohol. • About half of older adults in nursing homes have an alcohol problem. • Older adults lose an average of 10 years o their lives because of alcohol abuse. • About 80% of doctors misdiagnose alcoholism as depression in older women. • The highest-growing number of alcoholics is among 75-year-old widowers. • About 10% of patients over age 60 who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are actually su ering from brain damage caused by alcoholism.

“Alcohol abuse among older adults is something few want to talk about or deal with,” says Charles Curie, former administrator of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

“Too often family members are ashamed of the problem and choose not to address it. Health care providers tend not to ask older patients about alcohol abuse if it wasn’t a problem in their lives in earlier years.

“Sometimes the symptoms are mistaken for those of dementia, depression or other problems common to older adults. Unfortunately, too many older persons turn to alcohol as a comfort, following the death of a spouse, a divorce, retirement or some other major life change, unaware that they are markedly a ecting the quality of their lives.”

A few de nitions: Alcoholism: Alcoholism is a disease with four symptoms: craving or compulsion to drink, the inability to limit drinking, high alcohol tolerance, and physical dependence.

QAlcohol abuse: Alcohol abuse does not include strong craving, loss of control or physical dependence. Alcohol abuse is A de ned as drinking that causes problems in your life such as failing at work, getting arrested for drunken driving, or hurting someone physically or emotionally because of drinking. Moderate drinking: Moderate drinking is de ned as consuming up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people. A standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. The American Medical Association offers the following list of physical symptoms to diagnose alcoholism. If an older person shows several symptoms, there is a high probability of alcoholism. • Bruises, abrasions and scars in locations that might suggest frequent falls, bumping into objects, physical altercations or other violent behavior. • Cigarette burns on the ngers. • Flushed or orid faces. • Jerky eye movement or loss of central vision. • Damage to nerves, causing numbness and tingling. • Hypertension, particularly systolic (the rst number). • Gastrointestinal or other bleeding. • Cirrhosis or other evidence of liver impairment, such as swelling in the lower extremities, and other signs of uid retention. • Psoriasis.