August 2019 Senior Spectrum Newspaper

Gold Star Families Memorial Monument

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August 2019

THIS ISSUE The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument on the grounds of the Northern Nevada State Veterans Home in Sparks.

Photo: Connie McMullen

The newly dedicated Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, located at the Northern Nevada State Veterans Home, is a notable tribute to the survivors of veterans. The striking memo­ rial, mounted on a platform outside the veterans home, will forever remember and honor the sacrifice of losing a loved one serving in the mili­ tary.

Dedication ceremonies drew a crowd of approximately 400 who attended the service on the grounds of the veterans home, Saturday, June 29, in Sparks.

Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, Hershel Woody Williams and Donald Everett Ballard, were fea­ tured in the ceremony.

Williams is the founder of the Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation, which supports establishing permanent Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments in

communities across the country. Ballard serves as an honorary board member and advisor to the Foundation.

The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument is the first such monument in northern Nevada to recognize the sacrifices families make when a veteran does not come home.

The monument has a dedica­ tion message on both sides.

One side of the black granite memorial are the words 'Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, a tribute to Gold Star Families and Relatives who have sacrificed a Loved One for our Freedom.' The other side tells a story through the four granite pan­ els: Homeland, Family, Patriot, and Sacrifice. An unidentified, unnamed sol­ dier with no rank, no gender, and no branch of service is the focal point of the monu­ ment.

Page 3 ­ Editor’s Desk Page 6 ­ The Long Road to Lower Drug Prices Setback Page 27 ­ RTC Offers Free Transit For Hot Aug. Nights Page 34 ­ Senior Fest 2019

EVERY ISSUE Page 4 ­ Opinion: US Senator Cortez­Masto Page 10 ­ CMS: Medicare and Foreign Travel Page 13 ­ The Loneliness Epidemic ­ Adding Life to Years ­ Dr. Larry Weiss Page 22 ­ Reno Senior Citizen Advisory Committee: Food Bank Helps Hungry Seniors

Page 18 ­ Senior Calendar Page 20 ­ Entertainment & Arts Calendar Page 23 ­ Eclectic Observer Page 24 ­ This ‘N That Page 26­ Biggest Little City ­ Cinematic Cowpokes Page 28 ­ Resources Page 29 ­ Tinseltown Page 31 ­ Crossword Page 32 ­ Smart Travel

FINANCIAL

Page 8 ­When Roles Reverse and Your Parents Need your Help ­ Gerald Dorn, Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd.

Senior Spectrum Newspaper P.O. Box 7124 • Reno, Nv 89510

775-348-0717

email: SeniorSpectrumnv@aol.com Website: Seniorspectrumnewspapers.com

Publishers

Connie & Chase McMullen SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 3

Opinion:

US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto

Nevada’s Seniors Deserve a Health Care System that Works for Them

F

or mil­ Catherine Cortez Masto lions of Americans, the fight for affordable, quality health care is literally a fight for their lives. Now that fight is intensifying. A lawsuit to upend our entire health care system is pending a decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In Texas v. United States, eighteen Republican Attorneys General and Governors are spearheading efforts to question the entire constitutionality of the

Affordable Care Act. With each attempt to repeal the ACA comes a host of threats, especially for sen­ iors. In Nevada, the elimina­ tion of free preventative services like physicals and cancer screenings could mean costly hospital visits or more invasive treatments down the road. Weakening the current law could once again open the door for insurers to charge seniors up to five times what young Americans pay. Older adults

4 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

would also have to pay a larger share of their income for premiums than what is expected under current law, and it would take longer for tax credits to kick in. In Nevada, the return of the “age tax” previously imposed on older Americans by insur­ ance companies could reach as much as $4,334 in addi­ tional medical costs. And additionally, an estimated 371,000 Nevadans would lose their insurance if the ACA disappears, marking a 95 percent increase in the num­

ber of people without insur­ ance. Critical provisions that Nevadans of all ages have come to rely on could be stripped away, including pro­ tections for pre­existing con­ ditions, bans on lifetime spending limits, expanded Medicaid benefits and men­ tal health coverage. We sim­ ply cannot allow this to hap­ pen.

President Trump and Republican leaders in Congress are determined to repeal the ACA, and they

Health Care / page 4

don’t seem to care about how this will impact seniors in Nevada in many ways, most dangerously by limiting their ability to pay for life­ saving prescriptions. If the ACA is overturned, the Medicare prescription drug “doughnut hole” could return – a coverage gap that emerged for Medicare Part D enrollees before their insur­ ance plans kicked in to make their prescriptions more affordable beyond a certain price limit each year, forcing seniors to foot the rest of the bill on their fixed incomes.

Republican efforts to sabo­ tage the ACA could force 33,000 seniors in Nevada to pay an average of $1,077 more in prescription drug costs each year. This is simply unacceptable, especially given that 3 in 10 adults already report not taking their prescribed medications because of cost. Republicans have tried over 100 times to rip health care from the Americans who need it most, with no replacement plan to address the Medicare dough­ nut hole, protect against dis­ crimination for preexisting conditions or provide critical funding to Medicare.

Medicare Part D enrollees are now poised to save $1.3 bil­ lion in 2019 alone thanks to closing the doughnut hole, and we must preserve that progress.

I stand with Nevadans who are fighting for the care they want and the economic secu­ rity they deserve. I recently hosted a roundtable with seniors and Nevadans who are struggling to afford their prescriptions and are frustrat­ ed by Republican efforts to sabotage the ACA. I’m taking their stories to educate my colleagues in Washington.

I’ve repeatedly called on my colleagues to come together to shore up the ACA and pro­ tect Nevadans’ health care.

I’ve also fought against this Administration’s attempts to cut funding for vital Medicare and Medicaid programs that are critical to the health of Nevada’s most vulnerable.

From my seat on the Senate Finance Committee, I’m fight­ ing to improve the ACA and reduce the high cost of pre­ scription drugs. And I’ve repeatedly urged the President and the Department of Justice to come down on the side of patients in this Texas case.

I’m proud to have leaders like Senator Jacky Rosen, Governor Steve Sisolak, Attorney General Aaron Ford and state Senator Yvanna Cancela with me in this fight to protect the ACA and improve drug price trans­ parency in the great state of Nevada.

While the ACA is imperfect, I’m committed to preserving what works and fixing what doesn’t. Our health care sys­ tem has many challenges, and I believe in working in a bipartisan way to address them. However, sabotaging Americans’ health care is not the answer. Discriminating against pre­existing condi­ tions and threatening the economic security of seniors in Nevada will not fix our health care system. I’ve seen firsthand how programs like Medicare support seniors like my grandmother through their old age, so it’s my mis­ sion to ensure we strengthen Medicare and the ACA in Nevada, and across the coun­ try. This is the greatest prob­ lem confronting hardworking families across our country, and I’m fighting address it.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 5

Kaiser Health News

Summer Setbacks: The Long Road To Lower Drug Prices Hits Some Potholes

By Emmarie Huetteman

W

hen Washington returned from its winter holiday break in January, it seemed every­ one was talking about lowering drug prices.

Energized by a new class of freshmen and a few weeks away from the office, members of Congress were ready to wag their fingers at drug company exec­ utives and pitch their fixes.

President Donald Trump had unveiled some of his solutions to a problem he said was a top priority. But in July, the prospects for a substantial change looked hazy.

Two of the Trump administration’s primary targets, slashing rebates to drug supply middlemen and requiring prices in drug ads, fell apart in recent weeks.

But others live on. Let’s walk through some of the most significant proposals to reduce pharmaceutical costs.

Capping price hikes under Medicare? A tough sell.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R­Iowa), chair­ man of the Senate Finance Committee, and the committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, released details of a sweeping plan to control drug costs under Medicare and Medicaid.

One of the proposals in the plan would cap price increases on brand­ name and biologic drugs covered by Medicare to ensure they do not outpace inflation, and trigger rebates when they do.

6 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

The proposal would start by com­ paring prices to an “anchor” price set on July 1, 2019 (or, for new drugs, the date they were first mar­ keted), and be adjusted for inflation.

Under Medicare Part B, the prices would be based on a drug’s average sales price; under Part D, the prices would be based on a drug’s list price.

If a drugmaker increased the price of its drug more than the rise in inflation, it would owe Medicare the difference between the prices as a rebate.

Proponents say that change could shield more Americans from the kinds of eye­popping price hikes that have sparked a public outcry in recent years.

But Republicans are likely to oppose the idea, which they claim amounts to gov­ ernment price controls.

Medicaid already applies this strate­ gy and tends to pay better prices on drugs.

came July 11, when Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar suggested an administration plan could be in the works.

Buying your drugs from Canada?

Rebate rule?

For months, pharmacy benefit man­ agers (PBMs), the middlemen who negotiate drug prices for insurers, were the target of bipartisan bashing. But in July, Washington abruptly backed off, as the Trump administration withdrew its proposal to eliminate some rebates col­ lected by PBMs in their work for gov­ ernment health plans, including Medicare’s Part D drug benefit.

In January, HHS proposed passing those rebates along to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries as discounts at the pharmacy counter. PBMs would receive a fixed fee for their services. It had “the potential to be the most signif­ icant change to how Americans’ drugs are priced at the pharmacy counter, ever,” But Congress shows no interest in picking up the ball. In May, the Congressional Budget Office estimated

Importing prescription drugs, an idea that has waxed and waned over the years, has received backing in this Congress, as well as the White House.

Grassley, with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D­ Minn.), one of the seven Democratic senators running for president, intro­ duced legislation in January that would allow Americans to import cheaper pharmaceuticals from Canada for per­ sonal use.

The most intriguing development

Tying prices here to prices abroad?

Earlier in July, Trump said the admin­ istration was working on a “favored nations” policy in which drug prices would be capped at the lowest price paid in another country.

The Office of Management and Budget is already reviewing an adminis­ tration proposal for an “international pricing index” pilot project, through which Medicare would base the prices it pays for certain drugs on prices in other industrialized countries.

The issue dovetails neatly with Trump’s “America First” ideology, with the president railing against the idea that other countries’ citizens pay less than Americans for the same drugs.

Drugs/ from page 6 the HHS proposal would cost the gov­ ernment an additional $177 billion over 10 years.

Now perhaps the biggest threat to PBMs lies in a sprawling package from the leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The bill from Sen. Lamar Alexander (R­Tenn.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D­Wash.) would ban “spread pricing” — a PBM practice of charging health plans more than they reimburse pharmacies for drugs, allowing them to collect the difference as profit.

plan that would allow the secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate prices on some of the most expensive drugs — and on behalf of all Americans, not just those with government health coverage, such as Medicare.

Drug prices in ads? Preempted.

An eleventh­hour ruling from a fed­ eral judge blocked one of the Trump administration’s most prominent efforts to lower drug costs: a rule requiring drugmakers advertising any drug that

costs more than $35 a month to include its list price in commercials.

Administration officials hoped the requirement would shame the manufac­ turers into lowering costs.

But three companies — Merck, Amgen and Azar’s former employer, Eli Lilly — sued in June to stop the rule, claiming it violated their First Amendment rights and was not within the government’s authority to require them to disclose list prices. The judge agreed with the latter argument.

Help for generic drugmakers?

When it comes to lowering prices, this is one of the few arguments echoed by progres­ sives and conservatives alike: Brand­name drugmakers are suppressing competition in downright unsavory ways.

The Alexander­Murray plan includes a slew of proposals that would make it harder for those manufacturers to block generic competitors and main­ tain a virtual monopoly. A CBO estimate released concluded the package’s proposals to reduce drug prices would save the government about $3.8 billion, and increase federal revenue by about $700 million over 10 years.

Their package includes the CREATES Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at curbing anti­competi­ tive practices against generic drugmakers. Among other changes, it would make it easi­ er for generic drug manufac­ turers to obtain samples of brand­name drugs to use in their research, thus helping to get their versions on the mar­ ket faster.

Art of the drug deal?

We’ll see.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House Democratic lead­ ers are quietly working on a SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 7

When Roles Reverse and Your Parents Need Your Help

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By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Gerald M. Dorn, J.D., EPLS, AEP Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd. Legacy and Wealth Planning Attorneys www.wealth-counselors.com

hanks to advances in medicine and science, as well as an overall better Gerald Dorn quality of life, Americans at the begin­ ning of the 21st century have an aver­ age life expectancy of almost double what they had at the beginning of the previous century. Despite this, the natu­ ral aging process has not changed signif­ icantly during the last 100 years. We are simply better able to prolong the inevitable. As a result, it often comes as somewhat of a shock when we realize

8 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

our parents are getting old – and that they won’t live forever after all. Even more difficult to accept is that the par­ ent who once took care of you now needs your help.

It may happen slowly, or in the blink of an eye, but eventually you will see signs that your parents’ physical and mental health is deteriorating. Like any caring child, you may try to pitch in and help for a while. Eventually, the time may come when your parents require more assistance than you can provide. If it has not already been done, it may then

become necessary to consider options such as in­home care or a long­term care at a facility. Making the decision to take the next step is never easy. The decision will be much easier to make and implement, however, if your par­ ents have planned ahead for that possi­ bility. The key, therefore, is to have a comprehensive estate plan in place that addresses issues specific to their post­ retirement years.

You might be asking what you can do now. Encourage your parents to meet with an experienced estate planning

Roles Reverse / from p.8

attorney in their area. A well­ thought­out estate plan can anticipate the issues that go along with the certainty of aging and the possibility of incapacity, by incorporating tools and strategies such as: • Revocable Living Trust – allows a parent to act as trustee while appointing you as the successor trustee.

Should incapacity strike at any time, the successor trustee (perhaps you) will take over as trustee of the trust, thereby gaining control over all trust assets without the need to petition a court to intervene.

• Advanced Directives – although these vary some­ what from state to state, most states offer an Advanced Directive that allows an individual to make end­of­life decisions in advance. Advanced Directives also allow for the appoint­ ment of an “Agent” (you) who will make healthcare deci­ sions for the “Principal” (your parent) should the “Principal” be unable to make such deci­ sions at some point in the future.

• “HIPAA” Authorization Form – a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, form allows your parent to grant you (and/or others) access to their protected healthcare information. This could be a critical need should you find yourself in a position where you need to make financial or healthcare decisions for a parent in the future.

• Medicaid Planning – this component of a properly drafted estate plan antici­ pates the future need for the creator of the plan to qualify for Medicaid in order to cover the high cost of long­term

care. Medicaid planning pro­ tects estate assets while ensuring eligibility for much needed benefits when the time comes.

Knowing you have a plan in place will provide both you and your parents with invalu­ able peace of mind, particu­ larly if you decide a nursing home is the best option.

Having a plan in place that addresses the legal and finan­ cial aspects of transitioning to another level of care, allows you and your parents to con­ centrate on selecting the right facility if necessary. Choosing a long­term care facility is a highly personal decision; however, you may wish to take into account some com­ mon factors such as: the facil­ ity’s ratings, the ratio of staff to residents, and geographic proximity to family members.

To assist you in your decision making process, the Medicare website offers a “Nursing Home Compare” tool that allows you to compare nurs­ ing homes using all three of these factors.

Take the time now to consult with an experienced estate planning attorney so you and your parents will be prepared, whatever the future holds.

Gerald M. Dorn has been practicing estate planning law for 23 years and is the man­ aging shareholder of the law firm. He is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning Law and an Accredited Estate Planner.

The law firm of Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd. is devoted exclusively to estate planning & estate & trust administra­ tion. For more information or to attend an upcoming semi­ nar, contact us at (775) 823­ WILL (9455) or visit us at www.wealth­counselors.com.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 9

Medicare and Medicaid Services

Medicare & Foreign Travel

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Greg Dill, Regional Administrator Medicare District 9

lanning to travel abroad this summer?

Greg Dill

Before you go, keep in mind that Medicare usually does not cover health care services or supplies while

you’re traveling outside the United States.

That doesn’t mean you have to travel abroad without health cov­ erage. Here are 3 ways you can get health coverage outside the U.S.: 1. If you have a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy, check your policy to see if it includes coverage when travel­ ing outside the U.S.

• You're traveling through Canada without unreasonable delay by the most direct route between Alaska and another state when a medical emergency occurs, and the Canadian hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat the emer­ gency.

2. If you have Medicare Advantage or another Medicare health plan (instead of Original Medicare), check with your plan to see if it offers coverage outside the U.S.

• You live in the U.S. and the for­ eign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospi­ tal that can treat your medical condition, regardless of whether an emergency exists.

3. Consider buying a travel insur­ ance policy that includes health coverage.

Medicare drug plans (Part D) don't cover prescription drugs you buy outside the U.S. If you get sick or injured while abroad, in most cases you’ll pay 100 percent of the costs. In the situations described above, you pay 20 per­ cent of the Medicare­approved amount, and the Part B deductible applies.

In some cases, Medicare may cover medically necessary health care services you get on board a ship within the territorial waters adjoining land areas of the U.S. Medicare won't pay for health care serv­ ices you get when a ship is more than 6 hours away from a U.S. port.

10 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

pital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your medical condition.

Medicare also may pay for inpatient hospital, doctor, ambulance services, or dialysis you get in a foreign country in these rare cases: • You're in the U.S. when a medical emergency occurs, and the foreign hos­

In the situations above, Medicare pays only for services covered under Original Medicare: • Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers hospital care (care you get when you've been formally admitted with a doctor's order to the foreign hospital as an inpatient).

• Part B covers emergency and non­emergency ambulance and doctor services you get immedi­ ately before and during your cov­ ered foreign inpatient hospital (Medicare page 12)

Medical coverage while traveling out of the U.S., what Medicare services are covered and are not.

Medicare / from page 10

stay. Medicare generally won't pay for services (like return ambulance trips home) in either of these cases: o Medicare didn't cover your hospital stay. o You got ambulance and doctor services outside the hospital after your covered hospital stay ended.

• You pay the part of the charge you would normally pay for covered services.

This includes any medically necessary doctor and ambu­ lance services you get in a foreign country as part of a covered inpatient hospital stay. You also pay the coin­ surance, copayments, and deductibles you'd normally pay if you got these same services or supplies inside the U.S. The 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana 12 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Islands, and American Samoa are considered part of the U.S. Foreign hospitals aren’t required to file Medicare claims for your medical costs. You need to submit an itemized bill to Medicare for your doctor, inpatient, and ambulance services if both of these apply: • You're admitted to a for­ eign hospital under one of the situations above.

• The foreign hospital does­ n't submit Medicare claims for you.

Safe travels!

Greg Dill is Medicare’s regional administrator for Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, and the Pacific Territories. You can get answers to your Medicare questions by visiting www.Medicare.gov or call­ ing 1­800­MEDICARE (1­800­ 633­4227).

“Adding Life to Years”

The Loneliness Epidemic Dr. Larry Weiss Center for Healthy Aging

Larry Weiss

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e live in an age where we can communicate with friends and family members across the country with a few clicks of a mouse or taps on a smart phone. However, despite advances in commu­ nications technology and the increasing electronic con­ nectedness it brings, research indicates that we are lonelier than we have ever been. Nearly half of

Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone (46%) based on a 2018 study.

Perhaps no other age group feels the keen sting of loneli­ ness more than elders.

to be about mental wellness and vitality and to speak to our mental­physical connec­ tion. When the mind and body are treated as one, we see powerful results.

Loneliness impacts the physi­ cal, mental and social needs of people and the communi­ ties they live in. In analyzing this closely, we see a lack of human connection, which ultimately leads to a lack of vitality – or a disconnect between mind and body. We must change this trend by reframing the conversation

To fight loneliness and isola­ tion, a health problem that a former surgeon general said can be as debilitating as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, several groups in Reno are working to create in­person connections to combat the loneliness epidemic. Renown Institutes, Truckee Meadows Healthy Communities,

Washoe County Health District, and my Center for Healthy Aging along with sev­ eral other organizations in Northern Nevada are devel­ oping a program that will develop “Kindness Champions” to identify lonely elders, then refer them to “Community Connectors” that link lonely elders to services and programs that engage them in interaction, socialization, and meaningful activity to decrease the impact of loneliness.

Though our need to connect

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 13

Loneliness / from page 13

with humans is innate, many of us frequently feel alone.

Even some people who are surrounded by others throughout the day still experience a deep and per­ vasive loneliness. Suffering from loneliness is somewhat like suffering from physical pain. In addition, loneliness can heighten the fight­or­ flight response—the physio­ logical reaction a person has when facing a threat. Not surprisingly, feelings of isola­ tion can have a serious detri­ mental effect on one's men­ tal and physical health.

Research has shown that loneliness can be a risk factor for heart disease, Type 2 dia­ betes, arthritis, among other critical diseases. Lonely peo­ ple are also twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

At the root, isolation com­ promises immunity, increas­ es the production of stress hormones, and is harmful to sleep. All of this feeds chron­ ic inflammation, which low­ ers immunity to the degree that lonely people even suf­ fer more from the common cold. Loneliness can be a chronic stress condition that ages the body and causes damage to overall well­ being. A University of California, San Francisco study found that participants 60 years old and older who reported feeling lonely saw a 45 percent increase in their risk of death. Isolated survey respondents also had a 59 percent greater risk of men­ tal and physical decline than their more social counter­ parts. This decline manifest­ ed specifically in participants’ abilities to perform activities of daily living, the six basic tasks that are necessary for 14 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

truly independent living. In other words, loneliness has the potential to accelerate a senior’s need for assistance from a family caregiver or another source of long­term care and if those are not available than what is the alternative?

A 2017 study of British men and women found that lone­ liness was associated with a 58 percent higher risk of death in men, compared with a 34 percent increase in women. Feeling socially iso­ lated — having little contact with others — had a stronger link to mortality than loneli­ ness, which is more of an emotional state of feeling disconnected.

In addition, not surprisingly, loneliness has a significant impact on suicide. Today’s statistics show that someone attempts suicide every 28 seconds and there is one death every 40 seconds. It is predicted that by 2020 the rate of death will increase to one every 20 seconds. The rate of death due to suicide among those aged 85+ in Washoe County was nearly four times the rate for the United States, and the rate of death by suicide among those aged 65 to 84 years in Washoe County was more than double the national average.

In order to find those that are potentially suicidal clini­ cians indicate there are many warning signs. Some of those indicators are: the person expresses depression or hopelessness; there has been a loss of independence; hav­ ing been diagnosed with a serious medical condition (Loneliness page 16)

Loneliness / from page 14 that could either dramatically change quality of life or end it prematurely; the senior is isolated socially; a loved one has recently died or there are family issues; lack of desire or inability to deal with change; risky behaviors are exhibited; or substance use or abuse has increased.

These warning signs, among others, need to be paid attention to by those in the individual’s social field, including physicians and other health professionals, family and friends, neighbors, as well as the faith communi­ ty among others.

Finding out whether a person is lonely can be as simple as asking them. For one study, participants were asked if they felt left out, or isolated or lacked companionship.

They were classified as lonely if they answered “some of the time” or “often” to any of those questions. This helps us delineate simple methods for determining those elders that are at risk and in need of help.

In short, loneliness is associ­ ated with declining health, decreasing mobility and death especially in older peo­ ple. It is especially problem­ atic for seniors, often elevat­ ing their levels of depression.

This puts them at a higher risk of suicide, as well as increasing their participation in risky behaviors also associ­ ated with elevated suicide risk, such as drinking and doing drugs.

Research points to the value of both “strong ties” and “weak ties” in social relation­

16 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

ships and underscores that loose acquaintances, such as neighbors, that can serve an important role in our overall sense of connection with others. Most of us are neglecting the very relation­ ships that are right under our noses or in the next door apartment. In a recent sur­ vey, a third of Americans said they never interact with their neighbors, while only 20 per­ cent regularly spend time with them. Compare that to the 1970s, when 30 percent reported spending time with their neighbors at least twice a week. Getting to know your neighbors yields more bene­ fits than access to a cup of sugar when you run out. One study found that higher “neighborhood social cohe­ sion” lowers your risk of a heart attack and other calamities such as suicide.

In analyzing this closely, we’re seeing a lack of human connection, which ultimately leads to a lack of vitality – or a disconnect between mind and body. We must change this trend by reframing the conversation to be about ‘mental wellness’ and ‘vitali­ ty’ to speak to our mental­ physical connection. When the mind and body are treat­ ed as one, we see powerful results, what better way to “add life to years”.

Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. is CEO of the Center for Healthy Aging. Dr. Weiss wel­ comes your comments on this column.

Write to him at larry@addinglifetoyears.com or c/o Center for Healthy Aging, 11 Fillmore Way, Reno, NV 89519.

Donna Clontz

O

Food Bank Helps Hungry Seniors

by Donna Clontz, Chair Reno Senior Citizen Advisory Committee

f the nearly 70,000 Washoe County sen­ iors that are over 65, nearly 15 percent or about 10,500 of them, are “food­ insecure” which means that they lack access to enough food for a healthy active life.

About 20 percent of those eating lunches at our local senior centers report that is the only meal they will have that day.

Food insecurity has serious health consequences. Food­ insecure elders have more limitations on their activities of daily living than non­food­ insecure elders that are 14 years older, and thus have a decreased ability to maintain their independence as they age. Food­insecure elders also have more diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure, anxiety and depres­ sion and poorer general health.

Because local rents are rising so high and so quickly, many seniors can barely afford to pay their rents, let alone buy food, medicine, gas or bus fare or other necessities of life. One important resource to help stretch those pre­ cious dollars is to apply for the food assistance programs with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. Check their website at www.fbnn.org or call (775) 331­3663 to find out more and how to sign up for all

their programs described below. Information bulletins and calendars of food deliv­ ery schedules and program application locations and hours can be obtained at all of our city and county senior centers as well. Talk to front desk staff if you have ques­ tions.

There are 144 partner agen­ cies providing groceries and prepared meals through food pantries and congregate meal programs. Many of these are free or at very low cost. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) supplies free monthly food boxes with dry goods as well as fresh fruits and veg­ etables to US citizens who are 60 and older and whose income meets the guidelines (130% of federal poverty level which is currently $1354/month for one per­ son; $1832 for 2 persons, etc.). The Food Banks’s own Senior Box Program also serves seniors who barely exceed the CSFP income lim­ its, but still struggle with food insecurity. Mobile Harvest provides a variety of free seasonal fresh produce every month to 26 Washoe County sites, and there are no income or ID require­ ments on this privately fund­ ed program. Emergency Food Pantries are located throughout the county where seniors can go to receive free groceries to help them get

by.

get out of poverty.

SNAP (food stamps) Outreach Teams assist sen­ iors in completing applica­ tions for SNAP/food stamp benefits. They conduct the required interview on the spot and forward the paper­ work for approval. Income levels currently start at $2024/month for one person and go up to $5624/month for a household of six. SNAP counselors are at various locations throughout the county at specific dates at food pantries, churches, sen­ ior centers, health clinics, and Family Resource Centers.

Their calendar can be down­ loaded at the Food Bank website or obtained at a city or county senior center.

If you need food assistance or know of a senior who needs help, please contact the Northern Nevada Food Bank at the sites listed above. If you are concerned and able to support the Food Bank’s efforts, you can donate online or sign up to volunteer your time to help in the local warehouse. Let’s help the Food Bank end sen­ ior hunger in our county!

The Food Bank also offers free nutrition classes each month called Seniors Eating Well. They run their Getting Ahead course to help people uncover resources needed to

Don’t forget to sign up for Senior Summer Games which runs from August 14­31, 2019. Entries close two days before each event. Contact Reno Senior Services at (775) 657­4602, email at seniorser­ vices@reno.gov, or down­ load registration materials at www.reno.gov/seniorgames.

For more information, please contact Donna at (775) 240­ 2745 or donnanorm1@yahoo.com.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 17

JULY CALENDAR

Dancing, EMNECC, every Friday, 6­7:45 p.m., drop in fee.

• August 10 & 24 ­ Reno Senior Dance Club, 2­5 p.m., NRRC, $5. Dance lessons, 1:15­2 p.m.

• August 12 ­ Computer Essentials Made Simple, 9:30­11:30 a.m., NRRC, $20; also Aug. 14, 16.

• August 6 ­ Square Dance, 6­8:30 p.m., TPPAC, $6 per person/weekly, every Tuesday.

• August 6 ­ Ballroom Dancing, EMNECC, every Tuesday, 2­3:30 p.m., drop in fee. Friday, 6­7:45 p.m.

• August 6 ­ Senior Discovery TV Media Volunteers, 2 p.m., EMNECC, (775) 657­4602.

• August 12 ­ Sunshine Quilters, 1­4 p.m., TPPAC, drop­in fee. Every Monday.

• Conversation Cafe, 9:30­11 a.m., every Tuesday, NRRC, drop in fee.

• August 12 ­ Learn to Play Pickleball, 11:30­1 p.m., NRRC, every Monday; also Aug. 19, 26, $10 per session.

• August 7 ­ This­N­That Exchange, 1­3 p.m., every Wednesday, NRRC.

• August 12 ­ Tai Chi Class, EMNECC, every Monday, 1­2 p.m., $5.

• August 7 ­ Ceramic Workshop, 9:30­12:30 p.m., McKinley Arts & Culture Center, $45, first, second, and third Wednesday every month. Register: (775) 334­ 2417.

• August 12 & 16 ­ Beanbag Baseball Practice, every Monday and Friday, 1:30­4 p.m., NRRC, drop­in fee.

• August 9 ­ Ballroom

Cold Springs Community Center (CSCC): 971-8542 Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center (EMNECC): 334-2262 Gerlach Senior Center: 1-775-557-2206 Incline Community Center: www.washoecounty.us/ seniorsrv/incline_community center Lazy 5/Spanish Springs: 1-775-328-2786 Neil Road Recreation Center (NRRC): 689-8484 Sparks Senior Center (SSC): 353-3110 Sun Valley Senior Center (SVSC): 673-9417 Teglia’s Paradise Park Activity Center (TPPAC): 356-3176 Washoe County Senior Services (WCSS): 328-2575

and Friday, $30 a month.

• August 12, 14, 16 ­ Mat Yoga, 12­1 p.m., EMNECC, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, $30 a month.

• August 13 ­ Bread Drop, 9 a.m., TPPAC, every Tuesday.

Also every Tuesday at noon, NRRC, free.

• August 12 ­ Volunteer Crochet and Knitting Group, 10­noon, EMNECC, every Monday, free.

• August 7 ­ Summer Music Series at Lazy 5 Regional Park, Spur Crazy, country rock, 6:30 p.m.

• August 8 ­ Righteous Brothers, 6 p.m., show 8 p.m., Eldorado Buffet, Grande Exhibition Hall, $52.

Center locations

p.m., TPPAC, drop­in fee. also every Monday, and Friday, NRRC, 1:30­3:30 p.m.

• August 14 ­ This­N­That Crafters Group, 1­3 p.m., NRRC, drop­in fee, every Wed. • August 14 ­ Healthy Walking Program, 8:30 a.m., Meadowood Mall, at kiosk near men’s Macy’s, every Wednesday, Marta@AddingLifeToYears. com, (775) 848­1260.

• August 14 ­ Summer Music Series at Lazy 5 Regional Park, Escalade, old school, R&B, dance cov­ ers, 6:30 p.m.

• August 13 ­ Zumba Gold Fitness, 11:15­12:15 p.m., EMNECC, every Tuesday, $10 drop in fee.

• August 13, 15, 16 ­ Silver State Super Seniors, 8:30­ 9:45 a.m., EMNECC, every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, drop in fee.

• August 14 ­ Chair Yoga, every Wednesday, 1:30­2:15 p.m., EMNECC, $8.

• August 15 ­ Computer Essentials Made Simple, Open Lab, 12­3 p.m., NRRC, $5, every Thursday.

• August 12, 14, 16 ­ Sit and Get Fit, 8:30­9:30 a.m., TPPAC. Every Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10­11 a.m., EMNECC, drop in fee.

• August 13 & 15 ­ Tai Chi Class, EMNECC, $5, every Tuesday, Thurday, 1­2 p.m. $5.

August 15 ­ Healthy Walking Program, 9:45 a.m., Rancho San Rafael Park, meet at tables by Wilbur D. May Museum, every Thursday, JMiles.Cha@Gmail.com, (775) 583­7624.

• August 12, 14, 16 ­ Mat Yoga, 10­11 a.m., NRRC, every Monday, Wednesday

• August 13 & 16 ­ Beanbag Baseball Practice, every Tuesday and Friday, 10­12:30

• August 15 ­ Chair Yoga, every Thursday, 10­10:45 a.m., NRRC, $8.

18 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Calendar / from page 18

• August 15 ­ Zumba Gold Fitness, 10­11 a.m., TPPAC, $10 drop­in fee, every Thursday. Also Thursdays, 12:30­1:30 p.m., NRRC. • August 15 ­ Bunco, 12:15­ 3:30 p.m., every Tuesday and Wednesday, TPPAC. • August 15 ­ Cribbage, 1­3 p.m., EMNECC, drop in fee.

• August 15 ­ Building Your Family Tree, 2­3:30 p.m., Meeting Room, North Valleys Library. Also August 22, 29.

• August 15 ­ SO Very Literary Book Club, 2­3:30 p.m., Diamond Room, South Valleys Library.

• August 16 ­ Tai Chi Class, NRRC, $5, every Friday, 9­10 a.m.

• August 16 ­ Drop in Bridge, 12:30­3:30 p.m., EMNECC, drop in fee.

• August 16 ­ End­of­Life Planning Legal Clinic, 11­ 12:30 p.m., Advanced Directives, Northern Nevada HOPES, Community Room B, (775) 786­4673.

• August 17 ­ Northern Nevada Dragon Boat Festival, Sparks Marina, (855) 496­2628.

• August 17 ­ Dance Club, 7­ 10 p.m., WCSS. Every Friday.

• August 18 ­ Mystery Book Club, Alpine Winter, by Mary Daheim, Spanish Springs Library, 1­2 p.m., Washoe Room.

• August 19 ­ Sunshine Quilters, 1­4 p.m., TPPAC, drop in fee.

• August 19 ­ Line Dancing and Lessons: Advanced Class, 1­3:30 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center; also Thursdays, 1­3:30 p.m.

• August 19 ­ Badminton, all ages, 7­10 p.m., NRRC, drop in fee.

• August 19 ­ SHIP, Medicare Counseling, Monday­ Thursday, 10­1 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• August 20 ­ Something New Bingo, 11­12:30 p.m., TPPAC. • August 20 ­ End­of­Life Planning Legal Clinic, 11­ 12:30 p.m., Advanced Directives, Northern Nevada HOPES, Community Room, (775) 786­4673.

• August 20 ­ Qigong, 5:30­ 6:30 p.m., EMNECC, $5.

• August 22 ­ Mah­Jongg, 12­ 4 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

August 22 ­ Neil Road Book Club, 10­11:30 a.m., NRRC, drop in fee. August: The Pilot’s Wife, by Anita Shreve; September 26: Educated, by Tara Westover.

• August 26 ­ Stretch & Tone Exercise, 9­10 a.m., Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Washoe County Senior Center. Also August 29, Thursdays, 9­10 a.m., no 3rd. Thursday.

• August 27 ­ Tuesday Tolers Tole Painting, 1­4 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• August 28 ­ Speaker Series: Birds, 5:30­6:45 p.m., Meeting Room, North Valleys Library.

Burning Man, August 25 ­ September 2, 2019.

• September 5 ­ Brunch and a Movie, Eldorado Buffet and Riverside Theater, EMNECC@8:30 a.m., TPPAC@8:45 a.m., NRRC@9 a.m., $20.

• September 6 ­ Patti LaBelle, 7­10:30 p.m., Grand Sierra Resort, $70, pick up times: EMNECC@4:15 p.m, TPPAC@4:30 p.m., NRRC@4:45 p.m.

• August 20 ­Northern Nevada Veterans Resource Center, 9­12 p.m., 3rd Tuesday every month, NRRC. Also every 4th Wednesday of month, Aug. 21, 12:30­2:30 p.m., NRRC. • August 21 ­ Eclectic Evening Book Club, 5­6:30 p.m., Meeting Room, Northwest Reno Library.

• August 21 ­ Blood Pressure Check, 12:30­2:30 p.m., EMNECC, free, Northern Nevada HOPES. • August 21 ­ Scrabble, 10­4 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• August 21 ­ Vision Impaired Group, 1:30­3:30 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 19

ARTS & Entertainment • August 1 ­ The Great American Variety Show, 7:30 p.m., Harrah’s Reno, Sammy’s Showroom. Runs through Oct. 5, 2019.

10 p.m.; Motown Magic, Mon.­Tues., 5­10 p.m.; Harmonistics, Fri.­Sat., 10:30­4 a.m., Sun., 8­1:30 a.m.

• August 1 ­ Masters of Illusion ­ Live, 8 p.m., South Shore Room at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline. Through Sept. 2, some dark nights.

• August 5 ­ Reno Phil Orchestra: Broadway Gold, 7:30 p.m., Sand Harbor.

• August 2 ­ Million Dollar Quartet, 7:30 p.m., Sand Harbor. Aug. 4, 6, 7, 10, 15, 18, 20, 21, 23.

• August 3 ­ Reno Phil pres­ ents Classical Broadway, 8 p.m., Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, tickets start at $33, Guys and Dolls, Evita, Momma Mia, and more.

• August 6 ­ 11 ­ Hot August Nights 2019, clas­ sic car show, community wide.

• August 7 ­ Educator Evenings, 4­6 p.m., free series on first Wednesday of every month, collections and exhibitions, Nevada Museum of Art.

• August 3 ­ An Evening with 98 Degrees, Greatest Hits, 8 p.m., Silver Legacy.

• August 8 ­ The Righteous Brothers, 8 p.m., Silver Legacy’s Grande Exposition Hall.

• August 4 ­ Sunday Music Brunch: Erika Paul, 10­2 p.m., Chez Louie, Nevada Museum of Art.

• August 8 ­ The Taming of the Shrew, 7:30 p.m., Sand Harbor. Also Aug. 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 22, 24, 25.

• August 4 ­ Twelfth Night, 4 p.m., Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. William Shakespeare’s Ballet, Sierra Nevada Ballet, Ticket’s start at $27.

• August 9 ­ The American Look: Georgia O’Keeffe and the Fashion of Her Time, noon­1 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art.

• August 5 ­ 10 ­ Hot August Nights Celebration, Atlantis Resort, parking. Lineup: Abbey Road Beatles, Wed.­ Thurs., 5­10 p.m.; Wildflowers, Fri.­Sat., 5­10 p.m.; Heroes of Rock & Roll, Mon.­Thurs., 7:30­1 a.m., Fri.­Sat., 4:30­10 p.m.; Hot Rod Rebellion, Wed.­Sat., 5­

• August 9 ­ Art Afternoon: Workshop and Social for Seniors, spend an afternoon at the museum, guided tour and studio art class.

• August 10 ­ Hands On! Second Saturdays, 6 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art. • August 10 ­ Dead Winter

20 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

August 6 ­ 11 ­ Hot August Nights 2019

Carpenters, 8 p.m., Brewery Arts Center, Carson City, (775) 883­1976.

• August 10 ­ Jackson Browne, 8 p.m., Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena, Harvey’s, Lake Tahoe.

• August 10 ­ Food Truck Fridays, 4­9 p.m., 2055 Idlewild, Idlewild Park. Every Friday.

• August 12 ­ Mirage: Visions of Fleetwood Mac, 7:30 p.m., Sand Harbor.

• August 14 ­ Full Moon Hike at Washoe Lake State Park, 8 p.m., reservations required, wetlands hike, Washoe Lake State Park, (775) 687­4319 or wlsp@parks.nv.gov.

Photo: Trevor Yale Ryan

per person, visit: https://ktmb.org.

• August 15 ­ The Zen Speaker: Breaking the Silence, 6­8:30 p.m., Amy Ayoub, public speaking coach, Nevada Museum of Art. • August 16 ­ The Isley Brothers, 8 p.m., Silver Legacy.

• August 16 ­ 18 ­ Bowers Mansion Bluegrass Festival, Bowers Mansion Regional Park, tickets $30 advance, $35 door, (775) 530­3412.

• August 16 ­ 31 ­ Reno Tahoe Senior Summer Games, (775) 657­4602, SeniorServices@reno.gov.

• August 15 ­ JoJo Siwa, 7 p.m., dancer, Reno Events Center.

• August 17 ­ Lionel Richie, 8 p.m., Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena, Harvey’s, Lake Tahoe.

• August 15 ­ Raise the River, 5:30­9 p.m., annual Raise the River fundraising event for Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, Sensory Garden at Idlewild Park, $125

• August 17 ­ Wicked Tinkers, 8 p.m., Brewery Arts Center, Carson City, (775) 883­1976.

• August 17 ­ Reno Pirate

Crawl, 2­6 p.m., $5, down­ town Reno, (775) 322­7373.

York Bee Gees, 8 p.m., Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, Tribute Show to the Bee Gees, tick­ ets start at $45.

• August 17 ­ Reno Wine Walk, $20, downtown Reno, (775) 825­9255.

• September 3 ­ Senior Fest 2019 ­ Reno Town Mall, 9­2 p.m., inside and outside parking, information and resources, entertainment, food, free.

• August 18 ­ Sunday Music Brunch: Colin Ross, 10­2 p.m., Chez Louie, Nevada Museum of Art. • August 18 ­ Nevada Humane Society Duck Race and Festival, 11­5 p.m., Wingfield Park.

• August 19 ­ The 6th Annual Prim Jazz Night, Rick Braun: Trumpet Maestro, 7:30 p.m., Sand Harbor.

• August 20 ­ Walk with Washoe, 7 p.m., Huffaker Hills, Washoe County Parks and Trails, call 311 with ques­ tions.

• August 21 ­ Beatles Flashback, Truckee River Regional Park, Truckee, CA. • August 23 ­ Justin Moore, 8 p.m., country music power­ house, Silver Legacy.

• August 24 ­ Steve Miller Band, 8 p.m., Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s, Lake Tahoe.

• August 24 ­ Reno Aloha Festival, 10­6 p.m., Wingfield Park.

• August 24 ­ Gov’t Mule, 7 p.m., Outdoor Plaza, Harrah’s Reno.

August 17 ­ Reno Wine Walk

Neighbors Club of Northern Nevada, 4:30 p.m., Atlantis Resort, $40, (775) 881­2040.

• August 24 ­ Longhorn Cattle Drive and Rodeo Parade, noon­1 p.m., C Street, Virginia City, (775) 847­7500.

• August 24 ­ REO Speedwagon, 8 p.m., Nugget Events Center, Nugget Casino, Sparks.

• August 24 ­ 25 ­ Virginia City Rodeo & Fiesta Del Charro, Virginia City’s Arena & Fairgrounds, $15­$25.

• August 25 ­ Luke Bryan, 8 p.m., Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s, Lake Tahoe.

• August 25 ­ September 2 ­ Burning Man 2019, Metamorphoses, Black Rock Desert.

• August 28 ­ Deja Vu, rock ‘n roll oldies, Truckee River Regional Park, Truckee, CA.

• August 24 ­ The Brevet, 8 p.m., Brewery Arts Center, Carson City, (775) 883­1976.

• August 28 ­ September 2 ­ Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook­Off, Victorian Square, Sparks.

• August 24 ­ 25 ­ The Big Event, Newcomers and

• August 30 ­ Wolf Pack Football, Mackay Stadium

Photo: Chase McMullen

against Purdue, 6:30 p.m.

• August 30 ­ Roberto Tapia, 8:30 p.m., Norteno and Banda music, Silver Legacy.

• August 30 ­ Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan, 8 p.m., Atlantis Ballroom.

• August 30­31 ­ Reno Jazz Orchestra’s Labor Day Weekend Shows: • August 30 ­ Kurt Elling, 7:30 p.m., Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, jazz vocalist accompanied by 18­ piece Reno Jazz Orchestra, tickets start at $32.

• August 31 ­ Reno Jazz Orchestra: An Event with Kurt Elling, 7:30 p.m., Trepp Amphitheater, Sand Harbor, (775) 832­1616.

• August 31 ­ Civil War Days & Battle Train, 86 S. C Street, Virginia City, all day Saturday, Comstock Civil War Reenactors.

• September 3 ­ JP Sears, 8 p.m., comedian, Silver Legacy.

• September 6 ­ MercyMe, 7 p.m., Christian music, Reno Events Center.

• September 6 ­ Dave Matthews Band, 8 p.m., Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s, Lake Tahoe.

• September 6 ­ Ron White, 7 p.m., comedian, Silver Legacy’s Grande Exposition Hall.

• September 6 ­ Patti LaBelle, 7:30 p.m., Grand Sierra Resort, Grand Theatre.

• September 7 ­ Juanes, 6:30 p.m., Grand Sierra Resort, Grand Theatre.

• September 8 ­ 60th Annual International Camel & Ostrich Races, Virginia City Arena & Fairgrounds, 12­2 p.m., (775) 847­7500.

• September 1 ­ Alan Tam, 8 p.m., Hong Kong singer, Reno Events Center.

• September 11 ­ 15 ­ STIHL National Championship Air Races and Air Show, (775) 972­6663, Stead Airfield.

• September 1 ­ Chris Isaak, 6:30 p.m., Grand Sierra Resort, Grand Theatre.

• September 12 ­ Daryl Hall & John Oates, 8 p.m., Reno Events Center.

• September 3 ­ The New

(Calendar page 22) SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 21

Calendar / from page 21

• September 13 ­ Deep Purple, 7:30 p.m., Grand Sierra Resort, Grand Theatre.

• September 15 ­ Los Lonely Boys, South Shore Room at Lake Tahoe, Stateline.

• September 20 ­ Diana Krall, 7:30 p.m., Grand Sierra Resort, Grand Theatre.

• September 13 ­ Duran Duran, 8 p.m., Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s, Lake Tahoe.

• September 21 ­ The Australian Pink Floyd Show, 8 p.m., Silver Legacy’s Grande Exposition Hall.

• September 14 ­ Ghost ­ The Band, 7:30 p.m, Reno Events Center.

• September 14 ­ Carlos Mencia, 8 p.m., comedian, Silver Legacy.

• September 15 ­ Gary Clark Jr., 6:30 p.m., Grand Sierra Resort, Grand Theatre.

22 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

• September 21 and 22 ­ A.V.A. Ballet Theatre, and the Reno Phil present Peter Plan, Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, tickets start at $29, Sept. 21, 8 p.m.; Sept.

22, 2 p.m.

ECLECTIC OBSERVER Janet Ross

I

t is the awful crunch underfoot that makes me cringe.

This is most Janet Ross definitely The Summer of the Snails at our house. Both yards, front and back, are planted in English Garden style, solid with plants, shrubs and ground cover. Our snails make an appearance only as they cross the concrete patio or cement walkways. They leave a Morse code trail of shiny dots of slime. Hidden from view, except when the yards are watered, they hide themselves under leaves, in the grass and at the bases of tasty vegetation.

The snails have decimated a new Dahlia and destroyed an old clump of Rhubarb. They ignore the roses and a hand­ some Hydrangea. The ram­ pant Virginia Creeper is of no interest, but Hostas in a pot are fair game. I seriously doubt the snails are native to Nevada as we've filled our yards with plants from Nurseries in California. No doubt our snails were origi­ nally Golden Staters.

Back in November 2011, I wrote a column about snails, mainly because my genteel Mother had enlivened a Thanksgiving dinner years earlier with her feelings about snails in her garden.

She hated them. She stomped them underfoot, sprinkled them with salt, con­ sidered pulverizing them in

her blender.

As an antidote to Mother's snail fury, I wrote about a delightful, small book with a snail that changed the life of an ill shut­in. “The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating” by Elizabeth Tova Bailey is still worth reading for a unique perspective on these unusual creatures. (I also researched a pair of snail studies that provided a number of inter­ esting facts about snail behavior – were you aware they have teeth or can travel fifty­five yards in an hour?)

If you're not in the mood to read about snails, I have two recommendations for August entertainment available from your local library. The first is one of the most absurd and funny novels I've read in a long time. Humorists Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel com­ bined their imaginations to create a laugh­aloud journey in the aptly titled “Lunatics”.

Keep in mind that this crazy book was published in 2012, especially when you get to the surprise ending.

Michelle Obama's autobiog­ raphy, “Becoming”, was sug­ gested by a friend who was impressed with the story of the former First Lady's life, from her youth on Chicago's South Side to her last days in the White House. I waited several weeks for my chance to read one of the Library's copies. It was well worth the wait. Michelle Obama is one incredible woman with an uplifting, inspiring story.

(Eclectic page 27) SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 23

this ‘n that

by Anne Vargas annevargas3@gmail.com

“The toilet isn’t working; the handle seems to be broken.”

N

ot the best way to start the day. I’m talking about the toilet in Anne Vargas the bath­ room adjacent to our bed­ room, necessitating a trip down the stairs.

I reminded myself how fortu­ nate we are to have an option; certainly different from the house with only one bathroom that I grew up in. Surely, I could cope with a brief inconvenience.

A new toilet seemed the most practical solution; after all, the house is 30­years­old and so is the toilet. My hus­ band agreed and said we would shop for one as soon as he came home from the gym.

A few hours later I greeted him with the results of my internet search; there were lots of good, affordable (even attractive, for a toilet) choices. He, however, greet­ ed me with the declaration that we did not need to buy a new toilet, he was going to fix it! Apparently his “gym buddies” had assured him that real men don’t buy toi­ lets, they repair them! And he believed them.

24 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

There have been a few for­

mer failed handyman endeavors during the course of our 57­years of wedded bliss, so I was not happy about this. I suggested we call a plumber.

“Did your gym buddies offer to come and help? I causti­ cally asked. They had not, but they had given lots of advice resulting in the first of many, many trips to Home Depot to get the necessary “gizmo” to get the handle to work.

He returned home from each of the first four trips exul­ tant; he had been chatting with several men in the plumbing department all of whom had varying opinions as to what the problem might be and as well as vary­ ing suggestions as to what it was we needed. But none of those purchased items worked and my not­so­ handyman spouse didn’t under­ stand why.

I suggested we call a plumber.

this ‘n that / from page 24 I relentlessly reminded him that there is absolutely nothing wrong with not being skilled at toilet repair and repeat­ edly recited a list of all the things he does superbly; after all, no one is good at everything. He ignored me and insisted he was certain he now “had a handle on the handle” (pun intended) and by tomorrow he would definitely have it fixed. It was now ten thirty p.m.

Home Depot was closed. No bathroom access for the night. I suggested we call a plumber.

Day three: Armed with a fresh cup of coffee and more tools, spouse retreated to the bathroom, pointedly ignoring my attempts at discussion about the lack of a functioning toilet, nor was he interest­ ed in hearing that a friend had just told me about their mar­ velous, brand new toilet, installed in less than an hour. (Far less time and probably less money than had by now been

invested in this endeavor!)

A few hours later he came down the stairs with sheepish smile and said, “I think we should call a plumber!”

The next morning, I took a picture with my iPhone of the toilet tank and the parts scattered on the floor, something I should have done sooner. Armed with that photo my husband went to Home Depot.

Again. One of his new plumbing department friends from the previ­ ous day was there. ”Oh,” he said after he saw the photo, “That is an old toilet. What you need is THIS!” I asked whether he wanted to invite all his new friends to dinner.

We now supposedly had the right thing, but it didn’t fit; the angle in the tank was too nar­ row, or the gizmo was too large or too small or whatever and the toilet was still inoperable.

Night two of no bath­ room. I sarcastically asked whether we should call his gym bud­ dies.

Then I suggest­ ed we call a plumber.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 25

BIGGEST little City

Harry Spencer

CINEMATIC COWPOKES

A

mong the many movie cowboys I have met, two of the most interest­ Harry Spencer ing were Paul Newman and Robert Redford who took the oater film to new heights with their semi­comedic “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. Of the two, I first met Newman on his arrival in Hollywood for his initial film “The Silver Chalice”. It was at the home of my good friend, actor Bob Patten. At that time Patten

Robert Redford and Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969.

had a roommate who was also an actor named Warren Stevens who was also present. When I noticed that Stevens was sort of down in the mouth I asked Bob what Stevens’ problem was, Patten replied that Warren had just lost his girl­ friend to a young actor from the East named Paul Newman. He said the bad part was that Newman and the girl­ friend, named Joanne Woodward, were coming over for cocktails. When the pair arrived Warren left and the four of us spent a couple of hours imbibing. As I was about to leave Newman asked if I knew L.A. very well. I replied I could get around pretty easily and he inquired if I knew of an inexpensive place to dine. I told him that Steaks R Us on La Cienega would be my first choice.

As for Redford he came to Reno for the world premiere of his movie “Downhill Racer” and before the pre­ 26 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

miere there was a cocktail party held in on the Lake. the SkyRoom of the Mapes Hotel. I visit­ One of the more interesting cowboy ed with him and his co­star Gene types who came to Reno was the gruff Hackman, and the wife of the producer actor Jim Marshall. At the time I met of the film, Natalie Wood. Redford was him he was a young guy starring in a TV still wearing the droopy mustache he series called “Rescue 8”. Since one of had sported in the Cassidy film. I was my clients, Crescent Creamery, was a surprised to note that Redford was of sponsor of the show I was tasked with the same medium height as Newman. taking Jim around various school assem­ The first movie cowboy I met was blies where he would give a talk and William Holden when he came here in extol the virtues of drinking milk—par­ 1948 to star in the movie “Apartment ticularly Crescent. During the evening for Peggy” which also stared actress hours of his sojourn here I would Jeanne Crain. As students we picked up accompany him around town and the “extra” work in the film and in one liquid we drank didn’t resemble milk. scene we preceded Holden across the Years later I would catch him in movies Tram and got to visit with him during where he would play the bad guy and the several takes. the good guy in a large number of west­ One of the most burly western actors ern flicks.

I met was Clint Walker on the occasion It is amazing how many of the super of his 70th birthday at a ranch near stars of show biz took a turn at riding in Susanville California. In person he was a the saddle. very soft spoken individual much unlike Chief among the stoic hero he played in “Cheyenne”. them would In addition to meeting Hackman in have to be the SkyRoom I encountered him a sec­ Frank Sinatra ond time when he and Al Pacino came whose most to Reno to do a scene in a bar for the famous movie “Scarecrow”. The reason I was appearance involved was that Tommy Shaw, the would have assistant been in Frank Sinatra in “From Here director of “Dirty to Eternity.” WordPress.com the Misfits Dingus had called me Magee”. I first met Frank when he from was at the lowest point in his career, Hollywood shortly before he won an Oscar for with a his role in “From Here to Eternity”. request to At that time he was appearing at the find a seedy Riverside Hotel and on his arrival in bar on Lake Reno had busted the camera of AP Street for the reporter Ed Olsen. A friend of mine shoot. I met called me mid­day from his desk at Gene Hackman at a book signing Hackman the Nevada State Journal and asked in 2008.

Photo: Trish Overton again years me if I could arrange a picture taking later when he was a participant in the session with Sinatra between shows Clint Eastwood Celebrity Tennis that night. We were able to take the Tournament at Lake Tahoe. On one shot and because Ava Gardner was in occasion my wife and I shared a booth the photo we were able to sell it for with him at dinner in Hugo’s Restaurant twice as much money.

RTC Offers Free Transit for Hot August Nights The RTC will provide free transportation during Hot August Nights. Free service will be pro­ vided on RTC’s RAPID Lincoln Line, Route 11, RAPID Virginia Line and Route 1 services starting Wednesday, August 7 through Saturday, August 10, from 5:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. each day, and all day on Sunday, August 11.

RTC’s RAPID Lincoln Line and Route 11 service runs from downtown Reno to downtown Sparks on 4th Street and Prater Way. RTC’s RAPID Virginia Line and Route 1 service runs from downtown Reno to Meadowood Mall on and along Virginia Street.

Don’t Drive, Arrive! to special events in our community this summer is a way to attract new transit passengers. There are plenty of alternatives to driving your car to events, including tak­ ing transit, walking, biking or using rideshare. To plan your trip, visit rtcwashoe.com.

Eclectic / from p. 23 I was impressed throughout the entire book, but some of the things she says in her epilogue sum it up well: “I'm an ordinary person who found herself on an extraordinary journey … And here is what I have to say finally: Let's invite one another in. Maybe then we can begin to fear less, to make fewer wrong assumptions, to let go of the biases and stereo­ types that unnecessarily divide us. Maybe we can better embrace the ways we are the same ...”

May your August days be hot, but not too hot, free from hungry snails, filled with a belly laugh or two, and more than a few words of wisdom.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 27

Tinseltown

By Nick Thomas

David Hedison’s Hollywood ‘Voyage’

R

ecognized widely as Captain Lee Crane in Irwin Allen’s 1960s sci­ fi adventure TV series “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” David Hedison, 92, died on July 18. Hedison’s acting credits extended back long before and lasted well after his underwater voyages, and he shared some stories from this Hollywood career in 2016.

that ‘star’ treatment, so I was given top billing above Vincent Price and Herbert Marshall. Very embarrass­ ing!”

Unlike some sci­fi films of the period that lacked script development, the screenplay

by James Clavell was well written.

In just his second film, “The Fly,” a big sci­fi/horror hit from the 50s, Hedison received first billing playing scientist Andre Delambre who is transformed into a creepy human­fly hybrid.

“I knew if we could get that script onto film, it would go through the roof and that’s exactly what happened,” Hedison recalled. "We made it in 18 shooting days. ‘The Fly’ and ‘Peyton Place’ were the top moneymaking films for Fox in 1958.”

“I was under contract to 20th Century Fox when another contract player, Rick Jason, turned down the role and I was next in line,” Hedison told me. “The Studio gave me

Hedison’s face was hidden behind the insect makeup for part of the film, but that did­ n’t bruise the young up­and­ coming actor’s ego. “In fact it made me better, because I

David Hedison, left, in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, 1960s sci-fi.

had to act with my whole body to get Andre's distress across.”

Two years after “The Fly,” Hedison had his first encounter with Irwin Allen in the dinosaur drama, “The Lost World,” but was not impressed with that produc­ tion.

“The script was quite bad,” he said. “None of the charac­ ters had any kind of develop­ ment and were only there to react to the special effects.”

But it did provide an oppor­ tunity to co­star with Hollywood legend Claude Rains, in one of his final screen appearances.

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Tinseltown / from page 29 “He was a lovely man, very soft­spoken,” recalled Hedison. “He told the most wonderful stories. I would sit in his dressing room and con­ tinually pester him to tell me about working with all those wonderful old movie people.

To this day, I don't know why Rains didn't kick me out!”

Joined by Richard Basehart as Admiral Nelson, Hedison reunited with Allen in 1964 for “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” which would win four prime­ time Emmys for technical achievements (e.g. Editing, Special Effects) during its four­ season run.

But unlike Allen’s other big 60s TV hit “Lost in Space,” the director/pro­ ducer wouldn’t per­ mit the cast to inject any humor into the scripts.

“Irwin would

Undated photo of David Hedison. Courtesy Hedison Family.

yell at us every time we tried, so we quit trying,” Hedison recalled. “He even made us re­shoot scenes if they were too light­hearted.

Irwin decreed ‘Voyage’ would be grim.”

Nevertheless, the stories, special effects, and cast made the show a success and it remains popular today.

After “Voyage,” Hedison appeared in many film and TV roles. He was a regular on the CBS soap “The Young and the Restless,” and cast as American agent Felix Leiter in two James Bond films 16 years apart, “Live and Let Die” and “Licence to Kill.”

“Live and Let Die” reunited Hedison with Roger Moore, the two having worked together earlier on Moore's TV series “The Saint” with Hedison recalling that Moore had the “ability to lighten up any set, and the actors and crews loved him.”

“I had fun working on those grand old movie sets,” he wrote in the Forward to Diane Kachmar’s 2015 book on Hedison’s short­lived TV series “Five Fingers.” “My idols were James Cagney, Claude Rains, and Cary Grant.

I wanted to be suave, sophis­ ticated, like they were.”

Whether leading man or sup­ porting actor, David Hedison proved he could be all of that and more throughout his long Hollywood voyage.

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Simply Smart Travel Jeff & Virginia Orenstein

Yosemite National Park Nature At Its Finest

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osemite National Park is one of the most pre­ cious gems in the spec­ tacular wilderness necklace of America’s national parks.

It is justly famous for its enormous and impressive cliff faces, gigantic granite monoliths that rise thou­ sands of feet straight up from the valley floor, breath­ takingly beautiful waterfalls and colorful meadows. This is where you will find Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, El and Capitan, Bridal veil and other landmarks made famous by Ansel Adams’ photography.

All of it is easily accessible from the Yosemite Valley

Solution

Visitor Center by car, on foot, via free circulator bus or even on a bicycle. Hiking trails in the valley range from easy and short to challeng­ ing.

The valley floor is most visit­ ed and the most convenient part of the park and has more than enough sights to satisfy the simply smart trav­ eler seeking a view of spec­ tacular wilderness. But there is also a vast expanse of the national park beyond the val­ ley, the equivalent to the area of Rhode Island, beck­ oning to be explored. The whole park offers myriad

from page 31

32 / August / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

The Yosemite Valley floor is bisected by raging rivers and beautiful meadows, offering reflections and beauty just begging for photography. It is not surpris­ ing that talented photographers like Ansel Adams were attracted to Yosemite.

Credit: Jeff Orenstein, Simply Smart Travel

opportunities for hikers and experienced mountain climbers. Those of us who a little less adventurous and who are content to just drive around the park can take advantage of scenic vistas with spectacular views of mountain lakes and remarkable highland vistas.

Nearby are also the awe­ inspiring Mariposa grove of giant sequoia trees and the Pioneer Yosemite History Center in Wawona with his­ toric buildings and demon­ strations of pioneer life.

Plan on spending at least a couple of days in the park.

Check in at one of the visi­ tor centers at Yosemite Valley, Big Oak Flat, Wawona and Tuolumne Meadows to get the lay of the land and to learn about the schedule of ranger­nar­

rated tours. We particularly recommend the two­hour 26­mile tour of the valley floor. It reaches parts of the valley not served by the free shuttles and the ranger nar­ ration in the open­air vehicle is very informative. To travel between valley attractions, it is best to park your car and use the free shuttles to get around.

Before You Go Check Out: • https://www.nps.gov/ yose/index.htm • https://www.yosemite .com • https://www.trave­ lyosemite.com/ • https://www.npca.org/ parks/yosemite­national­ park/ (Smart Travel page 33)

Smart Travel / from page 32 Getting There and Getting Around: Yosemite can be reached by air, rail and highway.

• By car, California Highways 120 and 140 lead to the park.

• The nearest commercial airports to Yosemite Valley are Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), 65 miles, Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH), 42 miles away or Merced Regional Airport (MCE) at 72 miles distance. Major air­ ports are Sacramento at 152 miles and Oakland at 151 miles away.

• The nearest Amtrak sta­ tion is at Merced, 69 miles from the park. There is a YARTS bus from the station to Yosemite National Park.

Must­Sees For A Short Trip: Among attractions that you should take in are: • The visitor’s center at

Mariposa. The Mariposa County Visitor Center can supply information and Yosemite maps.

Ginny O’s Tips For Dressing The Simply Smart Travel Way For Yosemite National Park: Dress casually and for the season. Weather can change without notice so pack layers. There is no need for dressy outfits.

This Destination At A Glance Over 50 Advantage: Gorgeous vistas, ease of accessibility, cultural and his­ torical learning.

Mobility Level: Low. Accessible parking, lodging, tours, and activities are avail­ able throughout the park.

Some hikes can be difficult.

Jeffrey Orenstein, Ph.D. and Virginia Orenstein are travel writers. Reach them at joren­ stein@SimplySmart Travel.com.

In spring, the Merced River boils with white water and the many streams in the park run full, feeding the incredible waterfalls in the park to their full strength.

Credit: Jeff Orenstein, Simply Smart Travel

Yosemite Valley.

• A ranger­guided or self­ guided tour around the val­ ley floor.

If You Have Several Days, Some of Your Best Options Are: • Exploring the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias.

• Visiting small Sierra Nevada towns around the park.

• Spending time in the Ansel Adams Gallery.

• Touring the California Mining Mineral Museum in Mariposa and enjoy the shops and restaurants in SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / August / 33

Celebrating an Amazing 24 Years!

Senior Fest 2019 Returns to the Reno Town Mall September 3rd

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he longest running special event celebrat­ ing northern Nevada’s seniors, Senior Fest 2019 will be held September 3, 9­2 p.m. at the Reno “Old” Town Mall. Senior Fest is an annual event that connects people with services and local businesses that improve or enhance independent living and quality of life for those aging in our community. This years event will honor the life of Chris McMullen who dedicated the past 24 years organizing Senior Fest for seniors.

Chase and Chris McMullen

The largest senior outreach of its kind, over 60 businesses and agencies will be on hand inside the mall offering a wide range of resources for seniors, boomers, caregivers and retirees.

Sponsored by Renown Health, Senior Care Plus, Prominence Health, and Northern Nevada Medical Center, Senior Fest offers several health screenings and wellness information.

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On site resources include health insurance counseling, Medicare benefits, assisted and independ­ ent living, recreation programs, fraud prevention, legal docu­ ments for trusts and advanced directives, transportation and mobility resources, nutrition and home delivered meals, as well as bath and home safety for people with disabilities.

Every year seniors anticipate Senior Fest, because it is a one­ stop shop of resources, providing one­on­one access to network with service providers. Caregivers and families oftentimes wait until there is a crisis to find out what is available in the community.

Senior Fest helps create opportu­ nities to discuss options with local professionals, and gather helpful information to base long­ term care and supportive deci­ sion making.

Senior Fest features outdoor entertainment to dance and enjoy the day. Jazz extraordinaire Erika Paul and the Swingin Jazz Kats wil perform classics from the American songbook, as the Eldorado Hotel Casino serves up a mid­day treat making the day festive. The Eldorado’s amazing Illusionists will provide a preview

of its showroom performance that has thrilled audiences with breathtaking stunts and wonder.

Held over for an extended stay, The Illusionists Experience can be seen in the Eldorado showroom at The ROW. Free parking is available at the Reno Town Mall and the Atlantis Resort, with shuttle service pro­ vided by Lakeside Manor.

Transportation by RTC is available nearby on route one ­ South Virginia Street and route 6 ­ Peckham Lane.

Senior Fest is sponsored by Senior Spectrum Newspaper, Renown Health, Senior Care Plus, Dolan Automotive Group, AARP NV, Prominence Health Plans, Northern Nevada Medical Center, the City of Reno Senior Citizen Advisory Committee, the Washoe County Human Services Agency, Lakeside Manor, All Valley and Advanced Home Care, Circle of Life Community Hospice, NV Energy, and the Atlantis Resort.

Hosted by the Reno Town Mall, and all participating vendors and sponsors, call Senior Spectrum Newspaper at 348­0717 for details, where Seniors Really Do Matter!